A New Name
“I was the one who killed the 71st Demon King as well.”
The one most shocked by those words was Stella, standing right beside me. Startled, she snapped her head around to look at me. As a Saint-level Hero, she had undoubtedly heard of the 71st Demon King’s death through one channel or another. But she had no reason to connect that event to me.
“You… killed the 71st Demon King?”
From behind her veil, the Cult Leader’s gaze swept over me once more.
“While I lack the ability to gauge your strength myself, if you have indeed slain two Demon Kings, it is highly plausible you could have defeated the 71st as well.”
She spoke in a measured tone, but she clearly hadn’t cast aside her doubts entirely. If not for the report that I had already slain two Demon Kings, I would have faced endless, baseless suspicion.
“Your strength aside, the incident regarding the 71st Demon King is classified as highly confidential even within the Holy Church. Either way, it is clear you are no ordinary Pathfinder.”
It was a demand to show my hand. Not the superficial identity of ‘Alan Flake, the Pathfinder,’ but my true self.
Not that I mind.
I had intended to reveal it eventually to persuade her anyway. I was simply doing so a little earlier than planned.
“You are correct. I am no ordinary Pathfinder.”
I pulled Amyah from my inventory. My goal wasn’t to show off the dagger itself, but to demonstrate that I possessed an inventory.
“I have a Constellation.”
The mere existence of a Constellation carried immense weight. After all, no human chosen by a Constellation was ordinary—with the sole exception of the original Alan Flake. Because of that, I used to believe that Constellations only bonded with extraordinary individuals.
But my perspective had shifted.
While it was true they chose exceptional people, the presence of a Constellation was also more than enough to fundamentally change a person. And I was the living proof of that.
I was no longer ordinary. Quite apart from possessing the Constellation’s memories, I had become extraordinary in my own right. Though, of course, I didn’t know how the Saint-level Hero standing next to me would view it.
“As I thought…” The Cult Leader seemed to have anticipated this to some extent. “Then speak. Tell me everything, from how you defeated the 71st Demon King to your battles with the 13th and the 67th.”
This was where the real work began. But before that…
“Before I begin, I have one condition.”
I turned my head toward Stella. She was watching me out of the corner of her eye.
“I would like this Hero to step out. The things I am about to say should be heard by your ears alone, Your Holiness.”
The Cult Leader pondered the request for a moment before speaking.
“Hero Stella. Please leave us.”
“But Your Holiness, this man is a complete outsider. Leaving you alone with him is…”
But the Cult Leader shook her head.
“He is a man chosen by a Constellation. That means the gods themselves have placed their trust in him.”
Left with no choice, Stella bowed her head.
“If that is your will, Your Holiness, I understand.”
She quietly exited the room, though she looked somewhat disappointed to miss out on the story.
Once we were alone, the Cult Leader spoke.
“Are you satisfied now?”
“Thank you for your understanding.”
One might think dismissing Stella was an overreaction. But she absolutely could not hear what I was about to say—especially regarding my plans for the future. Her influence as the Rank 4 Hero was simply too massive.
“Then, I shall begin.”
I began to recount everything that had transpired. Meeting Gwen, passing the Trial, and defeating the 71st Demon King. I omitted the finest details, but it was still a lengthy tale.
Next came my journey to Sak and my encounter with Libero. I spoke without filter, even revealing the fact that he had been a Demon King. Upon hearing this, the Cult Leader uttered something unexpected.
“To think the identity of the 13th Demon King was the Last Knight of the Reim Kingdom…”
“The Last Knight of the Reim Kingdom?”
In the Constellation’s memories, Libero was treated merely as one of the Demon Kings. The only past of his I knew was that he had made a promise to the late king of the Reim Kingdom. I had never heard him referred to as the ‘Last Knight of the Reim Kingdom.’
“You knew of the promise he made to the predecessor, yet you did not know of this?”
I remained silent. It was true that I knew nothing of his deeper past. This was the limitation of the Constellation’s memories. While I was highly knowledgeable about the present and the near future, I knew next to nothing about the events of five hundred years ago.
“Five hundred years ago, during the Age of Chaos, a knight fought fiercely against the chaos beasts to the very end for the sake of the Reim Kingdom before vanishing. His name was Libero.”
The Cult Leader briefly shared his history. It was a past that suited him perfectly.
“Though he became a Demon King, even in that state, he wished to protect the people until the very end.”
Of course, I had no intention of defending the atrocities he committed during his twisted years. But when his sanity returned, he undeniably wanted to protect humanity. That was undoubtedly his true self.
“Yes, if it was him, he surely would have. However, it would be best to keep the 13th Demon King’s true identity a secret. It would not have a positive impact on the public.”
“Understood.”
The fact that a hero from five hundred years ago had slaughtered other Heroes as a Demon King… Even I agreed that it was best kept in the shadows.
I then continued my tale, leading up to how I defeated the 67th Demon King.
“And that is how I defeated the 67th Demon King.”
It was an incredibly long story, but I didn’t feel tired as I spoke. Even to my own ears, the path I had walked felt nothing short of miraculous.
It would have been impossible without the Constellation’s memories.
I could now understand why the God of Chains had tricked me into believing I was a Constellation. Believing myself to be one allowed me to move forward with absolute conviction. Of course, that didn’t make his trickery any less mischievous.
“So, you have slain three Demon Kings?”
“Yes.”
“Yet, something is strange.”
The Cult Leader tilted her head.
“There is no falsehood in your words. But there is a missing piece.”
She had noticed. She realized I was deliberately dancing around one crucial detail: the Constellation’s memories.
Damn it, is she going to strip away all my secrets?
Just as tension gripped me, the Cult Leader spoke.
“Since you have answered so honestly about everything else, there must be a good reason for you to hide this. I shall respect your privacy.”
What a relief. Being honest with her until now had paid off.
“Thank you.”
Now, only one thing remained. I waited for her to make the first move.
“I believe your claim of slaying three Demon Kings. That leaves us with the most important matter: your future treatment.”
Finally, we were getting to the core of the matter. This was the very reason I had come here and laid bare my secrets. The decision made now would shape my entire future.
“There are two main paths before you. We can recognize all your achievements and fast-track you to becoming a High-grade Hero, or you can forfeit your achievements and choose to live a quiet life.”
Two choices laid out before me. On paper, the former sounded far more appealing. After all, becoming a High-grade Hero was no simple feat.
While the Hero system seemed to allow anyone to rise through sheer merit, the reality was different. Over five hundred years, the institution had grown increasingly rigid.
And at the center of this stagnation was the Hero Academy.
The Hero Academy was an educational institution directly under the Holy Church, dedicated solely to training elite cadets. Upon admission, students were granted the status of Hero Candidates, and upon graduation, they were officially ordained as Heroes and gifted a Holy Relic.
Since most foundational education was completed at lower-tier institutions, the academy focused strictly on practical training, making the curriculum exceptionally short at just one year.
In contrast, climbing the ranks from a Hero Candidate to an official Hero through conventional means took at least a year—and more commonly three to five years—no matter how brilliant one’s achievements were.
The disparity persisted even after becoming an official Hero. Academy graduates leveraged their exclusive networks and high-tier relics to rack up achievements at an explosive pace.
Of course, this didn't mean they reached the rank of High-grade Hero easily. From that point on, it was a pure test of skill. The real issue was that almost every talented Hero Candidate passed through the Hero Academy.
As a result, the vast majority of the top 100 High-grade Heroes were alumni of the Hero Academy.
So, if I want to become a High-grade Hero without going through the academy, this is a golden opportunity.
But the real question was whether that was truly my goal.
When I first picked up the sword, perhaps it was.
But my goals had constantly evolved. At first, I just wanted to be a Hero. Then, I wanted to see how far my strength could take me, whether to High-grade or even Saint-level. And now…
Being a High-grade Hero doesn't matter.
Becoming a High-grade Hero wouldn't make me stronger. Well, technically, the Holy Church would provide a Holy Relic suited to the rank, which would grant a power boost. But even so, the drawbacks were far too significant.
First of all, claiming credit for killing the Demon Kings is dangerous.
It might elevate me to a High-grade Hero, but the moment I took that seat, the target on my back would grow. And I wasn't just talking about the Demon Kings. Other Heroes, and even the Constellations from the Crossover Encounters I would inevitably meet alongside Gwen and Elsie—if they began to keep tabs on me, my freedom of movement would be severely restricted.
Up until now, I had been the one utilizing them, never having to worry about their interference. But I couldn't blindly assume that none of the other Constellations I would encounter would be seasoned veterans. Even if my Constellation's memories allowed me to navigate around them to some extent, I refused to tolerate even the slightest interference.
And I had to question whether I truly possessed the strength of a High-grade Hero. In terms of pure swordsmanship, I might fit the bill, but swordsmanship alone wasn't enough to face a Demon King. My victories over the 71st Demon King, Libero, and Guineus were only possible because the circumstances had aligned perfectly in my favor, not because my raw power overwhelmed them.
Therefore, there was no reason to cling to a title like High-grade Hero. What mattered right now was preventing the fall of the Reim Kingdom. Trying to accomplish that while constantly being watched and hindered by others was practically impossible.
Thus, I made my decision. In truth, it was a choice I had already calculated in my head.
“I, Alan Flake, accept full recognition for the slaying of the three Demon Kings. And…”
Wait, isn't this different from what I just thought? Why am I accepting it?
Inherit the skill Optical Modification (C) from the Royal Emblem.
Optical Modification (C) has been successfully inherited from the Royal Emblem.
Just like when I had first inherited Swordsmanship (B), the knowledge and sensations associated with Optical Modification (C) flooded into my body. I was now able to mimic the technique that Princess Ersiala would eventually master.
“How is this?”
I was no longer a slender boy with dull blonde hair and blue eyes. In his place stood a more mature-looking man with pitch-black hair and dark eyes.
Seeing my transformation, the Cult Leader smiled with satisfaction.
“A rather handsome face.”
Naturally. Both of the bases I used were quite good-looking. My current appearance was a combination of the images of Libero and Sung Yu-rang in my mind.
“I will enroll in the Hero Academy not as Alan Flake, but under the name Sung Yu-rang, hailing from Sak.”
I wondered if that bastard of a Constellation would know I had chosen to use the name Sung Yu-rang. Even if he found out, he would have no right to complain. After all, he was the one who had set my real name as the account name in the first place.