Chapter 275
Chapter Title: The Dragon Lord's Letter
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275
At the very top of the central castle, which offered a panoramic view of Demian Academy.
Not only the scenery of Demian, but also the vast landscape of the Drakin Mountains could be seen at a glance.
“This view never fails to be overwhelming.”
Gazing at the vista that felt as if it could clear one's mind, Jephia, the headmaster of Azonia, crossed her arms and smiled.
Watching her, Gerwin, the headmaster of Demian, grinned.
“To us dwarves, the Drakin Mountains are our pride. No matter what anyone says, it is the land where Lord Dweno was born and raised.”
The Drakin Mountains.
This place, where countless ores had been buried since ancient times, was a sanctuary for the dwarves.
And Dweno, too, hailed from these Drakin Mountains.
At Gerwin's words, Jephia made a disappointed face.
“That’s a shame. There’s no record of exactly where Lord Ar-on was from.”
“The only Great Heroes whose hometowns are precisely recorded are the King of Wisdom and the Divine Blacksmith.”
Liina, the headmaster of Lumerne, said calmly.
She was right.
Lisinas was from Dragonia.
Before the Age of Calamity, during the Age of Gods, it was called by another name, but Dragonia had long been known as the sanctuary of dragons.
All dragons were born in Dragonia, and Lisinas was no different.
In the case of Luna, the Progenitor of the Nebula, opinions were divided.
There were several potential locations, but none were definitively known.
“I don’t believe you called us here to talk about such things, do you?”
Just then, a scoff was heard from one corner.
Lehagen, the acting headmaster of Seirun, was sitting with his arms crossed.
“Lord Gerwin. Please tell us the reason for convening this headmasters’ meeting.”
“My, you’re as impatient now as you were in the old days.”
Gerwin stroked his beard and clicked his tongue.
Despite being a speciesist and insufferably arrogant, even Lehagen had no choice but to yield before Gerwin.
Liina of Lumerne, Jephia of Azonia, and Lehagen of Seirun.
Each headmaster and acting headmaster were figures active in the current generation.
But Gerwin was different.
He was a hero of the previous generation.
A dwarven hero who had been active in the same era as the Sword Saint.
In addition to his achievements as a hero, the weapons he crafted had written countless legends in the hands of heroes.
The greatest blacksmith of the current era.
That was Gerwin.
Even among the weapons Lehagen used was one of Gerwin’s, making him a figure even he could not treat lightly.
It wasn't just Lehagen.
Jephia, and even the shadow Liina, used weapons born from Gerwin's hands.
‘Well, it’s not just for that reason.’
Liina gave a slight bow to Gerwin, who offered her a seat, and sat down.
‘He’s gracious now, but during his student days, they say he went around challenging students from other hero academies to test the weapons he made.’
He had created numerous anecdotes as a result.
To the current students, he was just a benevolent legend, but to Liina's generation, he was infamous as an eccentric and crotchety dwarf.
In fact, there were even heroes who had gone to request a weapon from him only to be knocked out by his fist.
‘Knowing that elf’s personality, he might have been beaten up by Lord Gerwin at some point.’
Shaking her head inwardly, Liina took her seat.
“I’ve called you all here because a letter has arrived from Dragonia.”
At Gerwin's words, the headmasters looked surprised.
A letter from Dragonia.
That meant only one thing.
“Don’t tell me… the Silent Dragon has made a move?”
The Silent Dragon, Dragon Lord Melina.
A long time ago.
A dragon who had attempted to conquer the World of Dawn, the world’s long-cherished wish.
A powerful dragon said to be comparable to the three great legion commanders of Tartaros: the Undead King, the Giant King, and the Monster Queen.
But after failing to conquer the World of Dawn, she had never once shown herself to the world.
In the past, she had not moved even when the Sword Saint subjugated the legion commander, the Cursed King.
Thus, the world called Melina the Silent Dragon.
At Lehagen’s words, Gerwin nodded.
“That is correct.”
At his answer, the hero academy headmasters wore tense expressions.
The headmasters of the hero academies were also powerful figures who could sway their respective races.
For them to be this tense meant that the Dragon Lord Melina's move was no small matter.
‘As expected, with the Monster Queen subjugated, even the Dragon Lord couldn’t remain still.’
‘Though she has been silent until now, her influence as the Dragon Lord is absolute.’
‘Summoning the headmasters instead of going through the vice-headmasters. What is she planning?’
While it was true that Melina had been silent, she was revered among dragons as a great sage.
A single word from her could change the course of the hero academies.
“They say a new Hero Record has been discovered in the Shan Empire. In connection with that, the Shan Empire has secretly requested the cooperation of each hero academy through Dragonia.”
At Gerwin’s words, Lehagen looked disappointed.
“Is that all?”
“All? If the Dragon Lord herself mentioned it, it must be no ordinary matter.”
Liina looked at Lehagen with a cold voice.
Seeing Liina, Lehagen curled his lips into a smile.
“The discovery of a Hero Record is a common occurrence, so there’s nothing special about it. Besides, if the Shan Empire made a secret request through Dragonia instead of official channels, isn’t it obvious? It means a Hero Dungeon has appeared, and they can’t conquer it.”
Lehagen narrowed his eyes.
“It’s impossible for shadows who just clean up after heroes to properly conquer the World of Heroes.”
“The elf who would have lost his life countless times if not for the shadows cleaning up his messes speaks so eloquently.”
“Isn’t it natural for a shadow to protect a hero?”
Watching him openly dismiss shadows, Liina muttered to herself.
‘I see why the elf shadows say that! The hero I most regret saving!’
If she had her way, she would have beaten him to a pulp.
But this was an official setting.
Liina had expected him to openly disregard her, a headmaster who came from the shadows.
And it wasn't just elves who dismissed shadows in such a way.
There were those in every race who treated shadows like this.
‘Ugh, if I acted on my temper, I’d beat him half to death!’
Just as a grinding sound came from Liina’s mouth.
“Refrain from remarks that belittle the shadows, Lehagen. They are the ones who sacrifice themselves in the darkness to save the world. Shadows are equals to heroes.”
“But they are not acknowledged by the gods. To say such shadows are equal to heroes. I find that hard to accept.”
Lehagen was openly sneering when Gerwin spoke.
“That may have been true in the past.”
Gerwin smiled faintly.
“The Hero Record discovered in the Shan Empire is a completely new type, different from the existing ones.”
“What?”
“They call it the Book of Shadows, a complete form where the names of shadows are recorded.”
“That’s absurd! The Hero Record has existed for 5,000 years! In all that time, a shadow has never had their name recorded in it!”
Lehagen shot up from his seat and shouted.
Looking at him, Gerwin smiled faintly.
“It’s a fact, whether you deny it or not. A Hero Record that only records shadows exists, and it has been confirmed that a World of Heroes also opens. It’s a joyous occasion.”
Despite Gerwin’s words, the other three headmasters still looked incredulous.
Even Liina, a shadow herself, couldn't easily accept the situation.
It was that hard to believe.
“So, what did the Shan Empire request?”
“They requested the records of shadows documented in the back alleys of history. They said they want to record them in the new Hero Record.”
“Without the gods’ acknowledgment, it should be impossible to record them in a Hero Record, shouldn’t it?”
“I, too, am puzzled by that point.”
Gerwin narrowed his eyes.
“Perhaps they’ve found a way to be acknowledged by the gods.”
“The gods completely vanished from the surface after the Age of Calamity. That’s impossible.”
Jephia shook her head.
“True. But since Shan has only made a request without explanation, there’s no way to know. They must have their own methods. And one more thing.”
Gerwin rested his chin on his hand.
“They’ve requested that the hero candidates and shadow candidates at the hero academies be allowed to study together…”
“Unacceptable! Hero candidates and shadow candidates studying in the same space!”
Lehagen shot up from his seat as if throwing a fit.
His face was completely distorted.
Discrimination against shadows.
It existed in every race, but it was most severe among the elves.
It was inevitable.
The admission requirement for Seirun.
It was to learn star magic.
But even if they were praised as the race of magic, there were those who were not naturally gifted as mages.
Those who couldn't use magic had taken on the role of shadows.
Elven society had long discriminated against such individuals.
Since pure swordsmen and summoners became shadows, for ages, only heroes who could use magic had been recorded in the elven Hero Record.
In such a situation, a Hero Record for shadows had suddenly been discovered.
On top of that, the Shan Empire requested that shadows be allowed to study with hero candidates.
For Lehagen, a racial supremacist, this was an unforgivable act.
Watching Lehagen, Jephia spoke.
“I don’t agree with the acting headmaster of Seirun, but accepting that request immediately is difficult for Azonia as well. The fields of activity for heroes and shadows have been too different. Attempting it now could lead to great confusion.”
After saying that, Jephia glanced at Liina.
“Isn’t that why Lumerne was trying to have shadow candidates study as hero candidates this time?”
This year, a few shadow candidates had enrolled in Lumerne.
However, they were studying not as shadow candidates, but as hero candidates.
“That’s right. I only gave the shadow candidates a choice; I hadn’t thought as far as having them study together.”
The reason Liina had admitted shadow candidates was to give them the choice of whether to live in the light or in the darkness.
“I also believe it’s important to change perceptions over time, rather than through such an abrupt change. The matter of enrolling shadow candidates is Shan’s request, not Dragonia’s position.”
At those words, Lehagen, who had been reacting almost violently, sat back down.
If it were Dragonia’s word, even Seirun could not ignore it lightly.
But if it was a request from the Shan Empire.
‘Something like that can just be ignored.’
Lehagen’s expression turned cold.
“Is the reason for summoning the headmasters to share information about the new Hero Record and to discuss our future direction?”
“That’s right. But before that, one more thing.”
Gerwin took out a wooden box from his coat.
“This morning, another letter arrived from Dragonia.”
“Not just once, but twice?”
Jephia’s eyes widened.
“Indeed. And… this time, it seems to be a personal letter from the Dragon Lord herself.”
Gerwin recalled the letter his vice-headmaster had delivered this morning and wore a serious expression.
At the mention of a personal letter from the Dragon Lord, the headmasters once again looked tense.
To send a personal letter? What on earth could be so important?
“I will open it.”
Click—
When he opened the wooden box, a single envelope lay neatly inside.
And on the envelope was written in elegant script.
[From the Dragon Lord, Melina, to Lord Gerwin.]
Seeing the handwriting of the strongest dragon on the continent, the seasoned headmasters watched the envelope with tense eyes.
Gerwin, too, took a deep breath, opened the envelope, and took out its contents to read.
After checking the contents, Gerwin’s face twisted into a peculiar expression.
Seeing him, the others predicted that something unusual must be written inside.
Gerwin rubbed his eyes a few times and checked the letter’s contents again.
Then he took out a pair of reading glasses from his coat, put them on, and read it once more.
A moment later, Gerwin passed the letter to the other headmasters.
Jephia, who received the letter first with a tense face, soon had an expression similar to Gerwin’s.
Lehagen, who read the letter after Jephia, had an indescribable look on his face.
Finally, Liina, who received the letter last, was at a loss for words after reading its contents.
[To my dear Lord Gerwin. The legacy of Lord Dweno, currently in Demian’s keeping, will henceforth be managed by Dragonia. Dragon Lord, Melina.]
‘No, forget the content, what in the world is this teddy bear?’
Looking at the cute bear drawn at the bottom corner of the envelope, Liina’s expression turned bizarre.