Chapter 174
Chapter Title: The Truth in the Forbidden Archives
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174
The Forbidden Archives.
A place where countless forbidden books slept, a place where entry was denied not only to ordinary students but even to most professors.
The contents of the forbidden books were also diverse.
There were records of the world that the public must not know, as well as forbidden and dangerous magic, Aura skills, and even summoning arts.
It was, quite literally, a treasure trove of knowledge unknown to the world.
That was why it had taken a long time for even Elena, the acting chairperson, to get Leo permission to enter the Forbidden Archives.
With Elena, Leo reached the top floor of the Great Library.
He paused before the entrance to the Forbidden Archives, an area off-limits to regular students.
Waiting at the entrance was none other than the vice-principal, Liven.
“Hello, Vice-Principal.”
Elena greeted him with a smile.
Neither students nor professors knew of Liven’s true identity.
But Elena, as the heir to the Jer-on family and the acting chairperson, knew he was a dragon.
“It has been a while, Elena Jer-on.”
Liven treated Elena with his usual impassiveness.
Elena, seemingly used to Liven’s attitude, shrugged her shoulders and spoke.
“This is as far as I go. The only ones who can open the Forbidden Archives are the chairperson, the principal, and the vice-principal.”
It seemed there were limits, even for the acting chairperson.
“Then wait here, Elena Jer-on.”
“Yep~”
Though she made a prim face, Elena obediently replied.
As Liven placed his hand on the entrance to the Forbidden Archives, a bright light burst forth.
With it, Leo felt his body being pulled in.
When he came to his senses, Leo was standing in a vast, circular room.
The walls were densely packed with books.
Leo’s eyes widened in surprise as he realized what they were.
“Hero Records?”
Everything in this space was a record of a hero.
And in the center of the room.
A colossal book lay upon a pedestal.
It was the main body of the ‘Hero Record’ that Lumerne possessed.
“The Hero Records are stored in the Forbidden Archives. And.”
*Clack— Clack—*
Liven strode across the room.
Leo followed behind him.
Soon, Liven stood before a door.
“The knowledge you seek will be beyond this door.”
At Liven’s words, Leo stared intently at the door.
Then he spoke.
“The Forbidden Archives aren’t within Lumerne, are they?”
“Correct. Although it’s known to the world as the Forbidden Archives, it is, in fact, connected to the deepest part of Dragonia. The same is true for the other hero academies.”
He had wondered why such hidden knowledge wasn’t easily accessible, but to think such a secret was concealed here.
Leo nodded and reached for the door.
*Creek—!*
The door opened.
He stepped inside.
“I will wait here.”
Liven did not enter the Forbidden Archives with Leo.
*Thud—*
The door closed.
Leo gazed at the multitude of books before him.
“This is going to take some time to find.”
“Don’t worry.”
Someone replied to his mutter, and he turned his head.
Leo asked the person who had come to meet him.
“The Dragon Lord can’t be an idle position, can it?”
“No. But if it’s to help you, Lord Leo, shouldn’t I always make time?”
The Dragon Lord, Melina, in the form of a young girl, smiled brightly.
Leo let out a slight chuckle at the sight of Melina and said.
“Then I’d like to know about the history of how the Hero Record came to be divided.”
“Of course~ I will guide you to where the records related to the Hero Record are located.”
Melina, now his guide, lightly conjured her magic.
A flat, square platform of mana formed beneath Leo’s feet.
Leo and Melina’s bodies floated up, and they began to move swiftly.
After traversing the vast Great Library of Dragonia, they stopped in front of a certain section.
“Alright.”
Dispelling the magic, Melina pointed to a massive bookshelf.
“These are all books related to the Hero Record.”
The amount of material related to the Hero Record was immense.
“Which book explains why the Hero Record was split?”
“I’ll find that for you. Please have a seat here, Lord Leo.”
Melina had Leo sit at a nearby desk, then floated her body up to search for the book he sought.
A moment later, Melina returned with a single volume.
“This is the journal of Rhodia, the Dragon Lord from 3000 years ago.”
It was an object of tremendous historical value.
A book that could not be read anywhere outside the Forbidden Archives.
It was a source that could clearly illuminate the situation of that time.
“Have you read it?”
“...Yes.”
“Then you must know why the Hero Record was split.”
“Yes. I can explain it if you wish, but my personal interpretation might be included, so I think it would be best for you to read it yourself, Lord Leo.”
“Alright, I understand.”
“Rhodia’s journal is written in Draconic, so I can help…”
Melina offered to interpret the journal.
*Flip—*
But Leo was already reading through it quickly.
Watching him, Melina let out a hollow laugh.
‘How foolish of me.’
The boy before her might look young on the outside, but inside, he was the Great Hero.
Moreover, he was the man who had inherited the power of Lisinas, the King of Wisdom.
‘Reading something like Draconic would be a trivial task for him.’
Melina smiled faintly.
‘Rhodia, the Dragon of Genesis.’
3000 years ago.
When a fragment of Erebos was resurrected, she was the one who discovered the true value of the Hero Record and ushered in a new era.
*Flip—*
‘I see. It seems the Age of Calamity nearly repeated itself back then.’
Reading the story of that time, Leo sighed.
The journal also contained stories of the heroes who fought against Erebos’s fragment and Tartaros.
Lumerne, the Knight of Twilight.
Seirun, the Sorcerer of Comets.
Azonia, the Great Warrior.
Demian, the Indomitable.
These were great heroes revered second only to the Great Heroes.
If not for them, the world would likely have faced the advent of calamity once more.
Reading the intense accounts of the heroes who came after him, Leo could feel their resolve.
Around the middle of the journal.
[I was the only one in our party who could inherit the power of a Great Hero. That’s right, I inherited the power of Lisinas.]
‘I see. So she conquered Lisinas’s world?’
*Flip— Flip—*
[We vanquished the seven legion commanders. While not on the level of the great Great Heroes who saved the world long ago, we are certainly taking one step forward at a time. It feels as if the exit is finally in sight.]
Seven legion commanders.
At this point, it was no exaggeration to say that Tartaros was on the verge of annihilation.
‘And yet those disgusting things still managed to survive.’
Feeling exasperated with the arch-enemies who had endured for thousands of years, Leo continued to turn the pages.
[Today, we fought against Erebos. I thought it was merely a fragment. But I have no idea how to vanquish this horrifying monster.]
As he neared the end, the story of the life-and-death struggle with Erebos began in earnest.
[Many heroes died in battle today. Only the five of us barely survived and retreated. We cannot stand against Erebos’s black flame. The sky over its stronghold is stained black. It feels as if the Age of Calamity is upon us.]
*Flip—*
[We have finally defeated Erebos. We halted its advance, and it has retreated. We also managed to narrowly repel the army of the Dead King. The path that was once invisible seems visible again.]
*Flip—*
[We have succeeded in vanquishing the fragment of Erebos. The sky has regained its blue hue. Thank you. O, great Lisinas. With your power, we were able to vanquish this hateful Erebos.]
Reading up to that point, Leo wore a puzzled expression.
‘There are certainly details that differ from what’s publicly known, but the main story is the same. Why on earth did they have to split the Hero Record? Was it simply to establish the four hero academies?’
With that thought, he turned to the last page.
[It is despairing. Today, the black flame rose again. This hateful flame of calamity cannot be extinguished by our power.]
Leo’s face hardened.
[If things continue like this, this fragment will revive again. The world will surely be swept up in despair once more. We have no choice. I have consulted with Lumerne, Seirun, Azonia, and Demian. We decided to banish this hateful flame to ‘another world’… and to raise heroes in the future who will vanquish the fragment of Erebos. Surely, a hero greater than us will be born and will fulfill the mission we could not.]
The journal ended there.
Leo looked at Melina with a grim expression.
“They failed to vanquish it.”
“...Yes.”
Melina smiled bitterly.
“They failed. They couldn’t even completely destroy that single fragment of Erebos that you cut down, Lord Leo.”
It wasn’t because they were incompetent.
It was because the power of Erebos was just that despairing.
The unquenchable flame of calamity.
The immortal monster.
The Great Heroes were able to achieve victory because they had Erebos’s natural enemy, ‘Kyle’.
And as the price for that victory, they were able to enjoy 2000 years of peace.
But 3000 years ago, it was different.
Although they won the battle, they failed to vanquish their foe.
They couldn’t bring despair back to the people who were rejoicing in the peace they had regained.
So, those who knew the truth hid it.
‘And they sealed the fragment of Erebos within their own Hero Records.’
They tore those sealed Hero Records to weaken the fragment of Erebos.
That made sense.
Why the Hero Record was torn.
Why a fragment of Erebos was in Luna’s world.
For the heroes of 3000 years ago, this must have been the best they could do.
Thanks to them, peace was maintained for 3000 years.
‘But… that peace is now beginning to crumble.’
For Tartaros, rather than waiting for another fragment of Erebos to awaken at some unknown time, they must have judged that releasing the already awakened Erebos from the Hero Record was a much faster way to resurrect him.
Having seen the true history that had to be hidden, the corner of Leo’s mouth curled up.
“The timing is perfect.”
“Pardon?”
“Isn’t it?”
Leo closed the journal and said.
“Because I am here in this era.”
The heroes of 3000 years ago left their unfulfilled mission to future generations with an earnest heart.
And fortunately.
In this era, the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle, has been reincarnated.
“I’d like to put an end to this ill-fated connection that has carried over from my past life, too.”
Leo stroked the journal, which held the lingering regrets of the heroes of a later age.
He had no intention of blaming them for their failure, nor could he.
Because he knew better than anyone the despair that monster embodied.
‘Leave the rest to me.’
He handed the journal to Melina.
“That’s just like you, Lord Leo.”
When Melina first saw this journal, she couldn’t help but tremble in fear.
But not anymore.
With the Great Hero resurrected in this world, what was there to fear?
“Alright, shall we head back and prepare for the midterms?”
Leo rose from his seat.
He felt relieved now that his questions were answered.
‘The kids who came after me had a tough time, too.’
*Tap— Tap—*
As he was walking, Leo suddenly stopped.
Melina, who was following him, also stopped and looked up at Leo’s back with a puzzled face.
“Lord Leo?”
Ignoring Melina’s curious expression, Leo approached a bookshelf.
The book resting there was old.
It was impossible to tell from what time or what era it came.
A worn leather cover with no title and no author.
But to Leo, it looked somehow familiar.
Moreover, he could feel the faint, nostalgic residue of mana.
He reached out and pulled out a single old book.
*Flip—*
There was nothing written in the book.
“...Melina. How long has this library existed?”
“The library’s history dates back to before the Age of Calamity. I understand that it was owned by Lord Lisinas and later passed down to the dragons.”
However, over the long years, it had been expanded and filled with many books, so its old form had long since vanished.
But a book that entered the Great Library would never have left this place.
“I see… So this was Lisinas’s personal library.”
“Yes. But what is that book?”
To Melina’s curious question, Leo replied in a somewhat bittersweet voice.
“It’s Lisinas’s journal.”