Editor : Amethyst00



It was about ten minutes later that Seiren emerged from the ice.

Now that Leo had discovered her, there was no point in hiding anymore.

Having judged that, Seiren released the seal herself and came out.

As soon as Seiren stepped out of the ice, Leo pulled a pair of scissors from subspace and charged at her.

Snap–!

"Wait! Stop! Please, just a moment!"

Seiren frantically grabbed Leo's wrist.

"Why? Want to say goodbye to your hair?"

Snip– snip–

Leo laughed wickedly as he snapped the scissors in the air.

Seiren's face turned pale with fear at the chilling sight.

"Lord Kyle, it's true I spoke harshly to you, but if you're confident in yourself, there's no need to be angry—"

"Bring your head here."

"AAH! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please forgive me! I won't do it again!"

Trying to weasel her way out of the situation, Seiren ended up begging for forgiveness like clinging to life.

"Um…"

Just then, Lunia, who had been watching, cautiously spoke.

"Is this person really Lady Luna?"

Leo clicked his tongue and put away the scissors, and Seiren sighed in relief, turning to look at Lunia.

"You are…?"

"It's an honor to meet you. Seiren, the Comet Mage. My name is Lunia El Lunda, an elf who, though lacking, succeeded you."

Lunia gave a respectful elven greeting.

Seeing that, Seiren remembered the brief time she had returned to the real world with Leo's help.

She recalled that Lunia had been one of the students she'd seen then and smiled brightly.

"I remember! You're that girl from back then! So nice to see you!"

Lunia's eyes widened slightly at Seiren's pure smile.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"It's just… you look so much like Lady Luna when you smile…"

At those words, Seiren's lips twitched.

Being told she resembled Luna made her happy and loosened her expression.

"You resemble Lady Luna quite a bit yourself."

Seiren complimented Lunia, now in high spirits.

To an elf, being told you resemble Luna is the highest praise.

Leo, overhearing the conversation, deadpanned.

"Yeah, yeah. All three of you have the same nasty temper and foul mouth. Is that really something to be happy about, resembling Luna?"

Seiren was taken aback but couldn't talk back—she had, after all, done something wrong.

But Lunia didn't hold back.

"What's wrong with Lady Luna's personality! What's wrong with it!"

Lunia, flustered, grabbed Leo by the collar and shook him wildly.

Seiren inwardly cheered.

'That's it! You go, my junior!'

Seiren, silently rooting for Lunia, turned her head away in shock when she made eye contact with Leo.

Leo looked down at the unconscious elf girl lying on the floor, thinking how fitting this predecessor-successor pair was.

'That's definitely Luna.'

The only strange thing was that she appeared much younger than any version of Luna Leo had ever seen.

Even younger than Luna during the Balharun period he had seen in her world.

'Could it be when she just entered Balharun?'

Leo knelt beside Luna and gently brushed her cheek.

"So?"

After tidying her hair, Leo looked at Seiren.

"Why are you and this young Luna here in the real world? And even sealed in ice?"

"It's complicated. But for starters, this Luna likely has no memory of you, Lord Kyle. She's Luna from before she met you."

"I see. So she's a Luna from a world within the Hero's World?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Lunia, listening beside them, asked in confusion.

"When I entered Rodia's world before, we cleared a world inside that world—Lysinas's world."

"Ah…"

"It's the same case here with this Luna."

"Technically, it was a page I hadn't even unlocked before."

Seiren extended her hand.

The Polyum Leo had once handed over in Luna's stead appeared in her palm.

"The first page of Lady Luna's record. I originally couldn't access that page. But when I reacted with this Polyum, the page opened."

That meant a possibility that had never been realized in reality was opening up within the Hero's World.

Leo looked incredulous.

The Hero's World, no matter how real it feels, is still fake.

And now, a being from an even faker world inside that fake world had entered reality.

Most likely, Seiren's world had been eroded by Erebos's flame.

In that process, Luna's world—created within Seiren's world—was also affected and became a hero dungeon.

Now, a hero dungeon within a hero dungeon had entered the real world.

Realizing anew just how absurd Hero Record was, Leo said:

"Then, how many worlds has this Luna crossed?"

Seiren's expression turned serious.

"Fortunately, it doesn't seem like Erebos's fragment has discovered my world yet."

"No, it probably knows your world has become a hero dungeon."

"What?"

Seiren's eyes widened.

"If it knew, it wouldn't just sit still."

"I encountered it a few months ago when I was closing Azonia and Damien's worlds."

At Leo's words, Seiren and Lunia gasped.

"At that time, it could've easily come out—but it did nothing and returned to the Hero's World."

Lunia's face turned bewildered.

"Why?"

"It must have a scheme."

Leo had already defeated several fragments of Erebos.

He could manage because the seal had only recently been broken.

But unlike the other fragments, the Erebos inside the World of Dawn had been burning and cycling for thousands of years.

And at some point, it began to erode Hero Record.

It was sure to be far stronger than any fragment Leo had faced before.

However—

'It must also be unable to guarantee a perfect victory.'

Just as Leo couldn't guarantee a win against Erebos, Erebos couldn't guarantee victory in this world either.

That's why it was biding its time with some hidden plan.

'But… letting its fragments be defeated can't be good for it either. What's it really after?'

No matter how much he thought about it, Leo couldn't guess Erebos's intentions.

"Anyway… we don't need to worry about Erebos's fragment right now. So don't be anxious."

Leo said to Lunia, who still looked uneasy.

"Like I said earlier, you're doing well. Don't rush—just prepare for the coming danger."

"…Okay."

Lunia nodded.

'I still a long way to go.'

Since the Age of Hero began, no elf hero had grown as fast as Lunia.

But the road ahead was still long.

The one she had to catch up to was none other than Leo Plov.

And Leo wasn't the only one who felt distant.

Lunia's gaze turned to Seiren.

Even after hearing that she might soon have to fight Erebos, Seiren remained composed.

'No, it's not that she's composed. She's resolved.'

Because of her resolve, she didn't waver.

The difference in level was obvious.

'…I've been getting ahead of myself lately.'

Surrounded by praise, she had fallen for the illusion that she had become something great.

Lunia took a deep breath and slapped her own cheek.

Smack–!

'Get it together. There's no time to shrink back.'

She renewed her determination, recalling the burden she carried.

Watching her, Seiren smiled.

"I was going to offer comfort, but it seems unnecessary."

Just seeing her steady herself was enough to tell what kind of elf Lunia was.

"You truly are worthy to be called Luna's successor—just as Lord Kyle chose."

"I wasn't the only one who chose her."

"…Pardon?"

"Luna recognized her as her successor too."

"I see."

Seiren nodded as Leo looked back at the unconscious Luna on the ground.

"Is she hurt?"

"No, she's not injured. But since the world itself was collapsing under black flames… she seems to have suffered great psychological shock."

To protect Luna, Seiren had used star sorcery to seal herself in ice.

Then, as the Hero's World became a hero dungeon, she was bounced into reality.

Leo, checking on Luna, was relieved to find no major issues.

"Seiren."

"Yes, Lord Kyle."

"There's still some time—can you train Lunia?"

Leo could teach Lunia, but only so much.

However, Seiren, who succeeded Luna's magic from a future perspective, could be an invaluable guide to Lunia.

"Yes, of course. Looking after juniors is a senior's duty, right?"

Seiren smiled softly.

At that moment—

"Ugh…"

Luna let out a groan.

Her eyelids trembled as they opened.

Her golden eyes landed on Leo.

"You awake?"

Leo smiled as he asked.

Luna blinked her large eyes a few times, then looked at Leo's ears.

"Hu…man?"

Muttering in shock, she suddenly sat up and pushed Leo away.

"Who gave you permission to look down on me, inferior species."

At her words, Seiren and Lunia's mouths fell open.

"D-did she say inferior species?"

"There were elves in the age of gods who called humans that…"

"No, no matter the time, how could Lady Luna say something so awful…?"

Seiren and Lunia were in shock.

"Well, if you consider Luna's environment at that age, it's not surprising."

Leo, the one insulted, didn't seem particularly upset.

He didn't know much about this version of Luna.

But given her background, this reaction was understandable.

Still—

"So. This 'inferior species'—are you talking about me?"

"Of course. Are you deaf? How did an inferior species get into Balharun?"

That didn't mean Leo would let the rudeness slide, even if it was Luna.

"I couldn't hear too well because I don't have long ears like you elves—mind repeating that?"

"What's with you inferio—AAAGH! I-I'm sorry!"

As Luna tried to repeat it, Leo pulled her ear.

She screamed in pain and quickly apologized.

"Huh? What was that? I didn't catch that."

"You heard meee!"

"Sorry, but inferior species don't have good hearing."

"LIES! AAAAGH! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

The young Luna, unable to resist, was completely overpowered by Leo.