The Hero Calls Him Brother
A very familiar scene unfolded. He cleanly sliced apart the demon that had been charging at him with savage ferocity. Sion glanced at Luciel fighting beside him. As expected from the Holy Knight Commander. Her overwhelming strength was on another level.
Even after fighting for so long, she showed no signs of fatigue. She had even slain more demons than he had. Yet instead of slowing down, her movements only grew faster. Sharper. More powerful.
‘It’s not just that she’s strong. Her combat sense, judgment, intuition, and even her ability to read the demons’ movements… She’s on a completely different level from me.’
He had survived until now in the ruined South, a land left in utter ruin. That had given him considerable confidence in his own skill, but seeing the real thing right beside him made all those thoughts vanish.
Cain had been right when he called him a frog in a well. There was still so much to learn. So many mountains left to climb. The strange surge of rivalry and shame that came with that realization was just a bonus.
“You look like you’ve realized something.”
Luciel swung her sword in a wide arc to shake off the demons’ blood, then offered a small smile as she continued.
“Were you thinking about Lord Cain?”
“How did you know that?! Does the Holy Kingdom teach mind reading too?”
“The only one who can grant enlightenment to those who slay demons is Lord Cain.”
The Holy Knight Commander was said to be the greatest sword the Holy Kingdom possessed. And that ultimate champion the Holy Kingdom boasted of was now praising Cain. It was enough to make one wonder if the Holy Kingdom saw Cain as some grand hero.
“It’s not quite enlightenment… My mindset has just shifted a little, that’s all.”
If not for Cain, where would he be right now? It was obvious. With high probability, he would have gone looking for Estelle. He would have been completely blinded by his first love, deaf and blind to everything else.
He would have chased after her instead of the title of hero. He wouldn’t have heard the cries of those begging to be saved, only the voice in his own heart. To act like a failed hero while bearing the name of one—thinking back on it now, it was so embarrassing he wanted to die.
“You feel that change, then?”
“Of course.”
“That’s good. You’re getting closer to becoming a true hero.”
Luciel recalled the words of Liberio and the cardinal. They had told her to win the hero over to the Holy Kingdom’s side. To make him focus on the Holy Kingdom’s glory rather than the reconstruction of the Southern Kingdom. There was no better outcome than the saint and the hero joining forces.
But Sion’s heart didn’t seem to lean toward the Holy Kingdom. The hero had already turned toward Cain—that great man. It might be a shame as the Holy Knight Commander, but for Luciel, Cain’s devoted follower, it was excellent news.
“It looks like we’ve taken care of all the demons that came out past the administrative building’s grounds. Shall we head inside now?”
“Commander. Don’t we get any break time?”
“If you want to follow in Lord Cain’s footsteps, you need to be able to endure at least this much.”
Luciel was about to take a step forward when a crimson light suddenly surged from inside the walls.
“Ah…?”
“What the—?!”
A blood-red beam that evoked the image of human blood shot into the sky, dyeing the surroundings the same dark crimson. It looked like blood spreading across the surface of a clear lake. It was a sight none of them had ever seen before. An utterly ominous landscape that sent chills down the spine of anyone who looked at it.
“Commander… what is that…?”
He could say with absolute certainty that he had never seen anything like it. Not even in the South, where demons had swarmed like cockroaches. Sion’s confusion was matched by Luciel’s own hesitation.
“I… I don’t know either.”
She, too, was seeing this for the first time. She had fought demons for years. She had cut down countless ones. But she had never encountered this spine-chilling light.
‘My instincts are screaming. That thing… that thing is dangerous.’
‘It feels like someone is whispering right next to me, telling me to run away immediately.’
Both Sion and Luciel were hearing the same phantom warning. The first to snap out of it was Luciel.
“Let’s get inside right now.”
“What? But isn’t that too—”
The words “too dangerous” nearly left his mouth, but Sion’s body was already prepared for battle. At the same time, his reason asked him: What’s there to be afraid of? Isn’t this worth doing? Isn’t any danger better than getting beaten by Cain?
‘That’s true.’
He would rather fight more demons than get hit by Cain. At least demons would kill you. Cain wouldn’t. He meticulously maintained the exact line where you wouldn’t die. Maximum pain, minimum risk. It was a scam!
‘No wonder they call him God’s Right Hand.’
With his resolve hardened, Sion entered alongside Luciel. For the name of hero. For his own future. And, most decisively, because he didn’t want to get beaten to death by Cain.
But the very next moment, that resolve became unnecessary.
Piiiing!!—
Kugugu!!—
“Huh?”
“Ah?”
Beneath the blood-red light, something red and blue surged upward. He wasn’t even sure those were the right colors to describe it. The light was rampaging so violently that it was hard to tell. It swallowed not only the sky but the entire area. And then—
Kwaaaaang!!—
With a roar that sounded like the world splitting in two, everything being consumed by the blood-red light was swallowed by a different brilliance.
“What the hell is this now…!!”
Was it a new demon? Had some unknown enemy appeared? Sion thought so at first, but he realized the truth a beat later. It was a very familiar power. A very familiar mana. The man who had driven him to his absolute limit. The one who had started as a nobody but became a legend with a single name.
“Lord Cain…!”
“Cain!”
Luciel recognized it before Sion did. It was only natural for someone who called herself his devoted follower. In that moment, the red and blue power raced forward without end. It was like a wild horse charging ahead with no concept of stopping. A blade that advanced carrying pure madness.
“Aah…!”
Of course. Of course it was only right that he followed this man. This was the apostle sent down by the gods. A hero. Not a name granted alongside a saint, but one earned through his own struggle and conquest. God’s Right Hand.
Kwagwagwa!!—
The endlessly rampaging power finally began to slow. Though the mana release had lasted only a few minutes, it had completely obliterated the walls and the entire grounds of the administrative building.
“Hahaha…”
Sion looked at the unbelievable sight and thought, When he hit me, I really thought I was going to die. But I guess I wasn’t. It wasn’t because I’m tough—he was holding back. From now on, I’d better listen to Brother Cain properly!
“Sion!”
“Ah, yes! I’m coming!!”
He barely regained his senses and charged inside. Before long, Sion came across four people.
“Estelle?”
It was definitely her. His first love. Beside her stood Border Count Evan and Saint Liberio. The person Estelle was supporting was—
“That’s Lady Kiara of the Marcello Ducal Family.”
Even though she was covered in blood, Luciel recognized her immediately.
“Commander.”
“Saint. Are you all right?”
“Just where have you been all this time?”
A faint anger lingered in Liberio’s voice. She had been dispatched to protect the academy, but her true objective was to guard the saint—him. The Holy Emperor knew this, which was why he had willingly lent her out. Yet the commander with that very purpose had left her post.
“I apologize, Saint.”
“We will have to discuss today’s events thoroughly later.”
Liberio told Luciel to take care of Kiara. Currently, Estelle didn’t trust him or Evan. She had struggled alone to bring Kiara all the way here.
‘Things have gotten too complicated.’
He had shown a truly disappointing side of himself in front of Estelle. Evan had started it and had been the most proactive, but there was no denying that Liberio had gone along with it.
Evan and Liberio might never realize it, but if Sion had been there, the situation wouldn’t have become this messy. He would have been a force capable of enduring the crisis.
“Estelle. Are you okay? There’s blood…!”
“I’m fine. The saint… well, the saint treated me.”
But Sion was no longer the Sion who loved Estelle. He had chosen the name of hero who fought for everyone. That resolve might waver someday, but at least for today, he had distanced himself from Estelle’s side. And that had become poison for the two remaining male leads.
“Saint, I…”
I have nothing to do with some young lady or whatever. There’s something far more important. The most important thing in the world. Lord Cain is over there. He’s fighting right now. Against a demon that gave off such a terrifying presence. He must be waging a legendary battle that bards will sing about for ages. I want to see it. I have to see it. I’ve held back so well until now, but it’s right in front of me. I can’t. How am I supposed to endure this?
“I have something I absolutely must do…”
“Must do? Are there still demons left?”
Someone suddenly cut into their conversation. It was Cain. Without sound or presence. He simply appeared. Not even Evan, Sion, or Luciel had sensed him. A ghost. A monster. A human more demonic than demons.
“There aren’t any demons left.”
Whether it was his own blood or the demons’, his entire body was painted dark red as his eyes gleamed. And that wasn’t all. The scenery behind him was even worse.
“Crazy…”
He had tried to speak as properly as possible since he was the hero, but how could anyone stay calm after seeing that? It looked as if the god above had simply waved his hand. Everything on the ground had been utterly obliterated. Wasn’t that the very image of a demon crawling up from hell? Sion thought so without realizing it.
“Hm. I don’t suppose anyone got caught up in it, right?”
“…??”
“Pardon?”
What was this insane person even saying? He had blown away the entire administrative building grounds and the first thing out of his mouth was asking if anyone had been caught in it? It was practically a confession that he hadn’t even checked.
“Just kidding.”
Watching Cain cackle, Sion thought that the name “Mad Dog” had been chosen rather well. And that it was fortunate he had been beaten by him.
“Um, Cain.”
Sion had never really had a clear goal. Fighting demons had been for survival. Rebuilding the South had been for a vague future. Even the title of hero hadn’t been his goal. For the first time in his life, he had found one.
“From now on, may I call you brother?”
He wanted to become stronger. He wanted to become like that man!
“Hmm.”
Cain crossed his arms and looked at Sion. Unlike Wilhelm, there were still many unstable elements. He was similar to Arhen. That guy was a male lead in the romance fantasy. There was always the possibility he would fall for the female protagonist. There would be no point in hearing “brother” from someone like that.
‘If only his fate wasn’t to be the hero…’
Even if not as much as the female protagonist, it was still possible. The fate of being a hero could also be called an excellent demon-collecting device. Estelle was weak. If handled too roughly, she might break. But Sion? He had solid fundamentals befitting a hero and was sturdy. Even if he was worked hard, the collector wouldn’t break.
“Fine.”
“Brother Cain! This younger brother Sion thanks you!”
“No need for thanks.”
Cain grabbed Sion’s face and turned it toward Estelle. Unfortunately, the moment their eyes met, Sion quickly looked away. He was the very picture of a pure-hearted male lead who couldn’t look his first love in the eye.
‘He needs more reformation.’
It was the moment Sion’s fate for the next month was decided. The person in question had no idea, however.
“…”
Liberio watched the scene with tension. Cain—the man who had slain countless demons during the war. Yet why did the nobles still look down on him? Because he was a commoner. And, to add to that, because they had never seen him in person.
Many knights had chosen battlefields that would draw attention. At the same time, those places were safe and allowed for easy retreat. On the other hand, Cain had fought whenever a demon appeared. Many people had never witnessed Cain’s battles with their own eyes.
People believed what they saw themselves more than stories they heard. Otherwise, no matter how true it was, they wouldn’t accept it. It was because they couldn’t easily admit they were wrong.
But what about now? Where had Cain fought today? The Continental Academy. A place where the eyes of the entire alliance were focused. Here, Cain had clearly imprinted his power and his madness.
‘And now even the hero wants to call him brother…’
The academy had expected it to be an opportunity for everyone and had approved it, but the one who would reap the greatest benefit was the very person they had wanted to push aside—Cain.