Chapter 391
Chapter Title: I'll Save You This Time
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391.
The tavern inn where Leo and Lisinas were staying.
The innkeeper, Tilla, complained as she wiped a dish with a cloth.
“They’re such a pain.”
“Who is?”
Rodia, who was helping Tilla organize the dishes, tilted her head.
“Kyle and Lisinas.”
Tilla glanced over at Leo and Lisinas, who were talking in a corner of the tavern.
“We've lost customers because of those two.”
Kyle, the hero who survives, and Lisinas, the fool.
As both were overwhelmingly skilled individuals, it was rare for anyone heading to the front lines to defend Gardsrone not to have received their help.
But Kyle, who had the jinx of his comrades dying, and Lisinas, who recklessly dove into dangerous battlefields to save the world, were a combination most people wanted to avoid.
Watching the grumbling Tilla, Rodia smiled brightly.
“You may say that, but I heard you're cheering for them.”
“Huh?”
“Kyle told me. He said that even though you complain, you always take good care of people.”
“That rude brat said something like that?”
Tilla looked at Kyle with an expression of disbelief.
“By the way, Rodia.”
“Yes.”
“You're a dragon, so why are you always so polite to me?”
“It's just more comfortable this way.”
Rodia smiled brightly.
Dragons were a race with a tradition of selecting and guiding heroes.
That tradition, which began 5,000 years ago after the end of the Age of Calamity, continued to this day.
As such, dragons were revered as a more sublime existence compared to other races.
But it was nothing compared to the status of dragons during the Age of Gods.
In that era, when they were called messengers of the gods, the dragons’ prestige was comparable to that of the gods themselves.
Therefore, Tilla could never get used to Rodia’s respectful attitude toward her.
But for Rodia, it was only natural.
From her perspective, Tilla was a person from the distant past.
‘And she was the one who provided a place for the Great Heroes to rest comfortably, so I can't treat her disrespectfully.’
*Nod, nod-!* Rodia nodded her head.
*Clatter- Clatter-*
As she organized the dishes, Tilla spoke.
“Anyway. They suit each other.”
“Who does?”
“Those two.”
Tilla glanced at Leo and Lisinas discussing their future plans.
“I thought they wouldn't get along, but seeing them talk like that... they seem to be a good match.”
“You think so too, Tilla?”
“Yes. If this were a time of peace, I might have mistaken them for lovers.”
“Right? Anyone can see that Lisinas is the most suitable person in the world for Kyle, right?”
“I didn't say they were the most suitable in the world.”
“The two of them are definitely a match made in heaven!”
Tilla looked dumbfounded at Rodia, who was completely ignoring her words and celebrating on her own.
After finishing with the dishes, Rodia hummed a tune as she approached the two.
“It’s amazing this many people gathered.”
“It was difficult. Your reputation is quite infamous, after all. Still, everyone we aimed for has joined.”
“What are you two talking about?”
Rodia asked with a bright smile, promptly sitting down between Leo and Lisinas.
Leo grimaced at Rodia, whose orange eyes were sparkling with an almost burdensome intensity.
Lisinas patted Rodia’s head and said.
“We were talking about the expedition in two days.”
Over the past few days.
Lisinas had grown very fond of Rodia.
He didn't know what she was like on the inside, but her appearance was that of a young dragon.
For Lisinas, it was impossible not to find Rodia adorable.
At Lisinas’s words, Rodia asked Kyle.
“In total, how many people are going on this expedition to the Forest of Monsters?”
“Eleven.”
“Eleven? That many?”
Rodia looked surprised at Kyle’s answer.
In the original history, the expedition consisted of eight people, including Kyle and Lisinas.
There were certainly those who desperately sought hope even in this desperate age.
If the Great Heroes had been the only ones worthy of being called heroes in this era, the world would have fallen to ruin long ago.
But even so, it was a time when only a handful of people were left who would share in Kyle and Lisinas’s journey.
Even Rodia, who had attempted to conquer this world several times, had failed to increase the number of expedition members no matter how hard she tried.
It was difficult to change the reputations of Kyle and Lisinas in such a limited time.
And yet, the number of expedition members had increased by three.
Rodia let out a cheer after seeing the list.
“That's amazing!”
“It was tough, though, because of Kyle.”
“Huh?”
Rodia looked slightly flustered at Lisinas, who was sighing despite having gathered more comrades than in the actual history.
Leo spoke calmly.
“I had to persuade the ones who were reluctant to join the expedition because of me. They barely agreed to participate.”
“I see. Just how terrible must your personality be, Kyle…”
“You're not wrong, but that's still annoying. Haven't you been getting a little too bold these past few days?”
*Squeeze-!*
“Ow, that hurts!”
Rodia winced as Leo gripped her head.
Watching them, Lisinas burst into laughter.
“You two are really close. It's like… you're a father and daughter.”
At his words, Rodia’s eyes widened, and Leo grimaced.
“I'm not old enough to have a daughter this big.”
“Right. Of course. But I don’t know, seeing how Rodia treats you like a grown-up and how you treat her like a child, it just makes me think that.”
“I wish you were my mom, Lisinas!”
At that, Lisinas looked troubled and said.
“I'm sorry, but I don't think I'm old enough to have children.”
“To her, you probably look old.”
“You haven’t said anything rude for the past few days, but I guess your true nature hasn’t gone anywhere.”
Lisinas said with a smile, looking at Leo who was speaking with sincerity.
His face was certainly smiling gently, but veins were clearly visible on his slender, beautiful forearms, and his hand was roughly gripping Leo’s collar.
After the commotion, Lisinas went outside, saying he would bring the expedition members.
“Dad, so when are you going to marry Mom?”
“How long are you going to keep up that creepy child act?”
“Rodia wants a little brother or sister, too.”
“If you keep joking around, you might actually get hit.”
At Leo’s words, Rodia clicked her tongue with a ‘Tch!’
“Why are you so excited by yourself?”
“Because Tilla said you and Lisinas are a match made in heaven!”
At that, Leo looked at Tilla, who was at the counter. She simply shook her head with a deadpan expression.
“If Seirun hears this, even that ridiculously stubborn girl will have to admit it.”
“Admit what?”
“That the most suitable pair is Lisinas and Kyle!”
Rodia said, her eyes wide.
Seeing Rodia’s dead-serious expression, Leo looked back at her as if to say, ‘What kind of nonsense is this now?’
Rodia’s story went like this.
In the World of Heroes, after confirming Luna and Lisinas’s feelings, the two had fought over which pairing was better.
“Is that how you guys have fun?”
“It's a very important issue, you know! Damian was on my side, but that punk from Azonia was on Seirun’s side! Lumerne was a coward and stayed neutral!”
Leo let out a deep sigh as he looked at his juniors, who had wasted a surprising amount of mental energy on something so pointless.
“Seirun, that girl, she even abused her writing skills to publish a weird novel and try to brainwash people. What a wicked girl.”
“…So that's why you damn kids were calling each other idiots and morons?”
Rodia, whose cheek was being pinched, whimpered and flailed.
Just then, the inn door opened, and ten people walked in.
Leo’s gaze turned to them.
They were all familiar faces.
Faces he had fought alongside on the battlefield.
And…
‘The ones who lost their lives too soon.’
It wasn’t because their strength was weak or their will was lacking.
It was simply that the battlefields they fought on together were unimaginably harsh.
Rodia, too, shed her earlier lighthearted mood and wore a slightly stiff expression.
*Thud- Thud- Thud-*
The nine people, excluding Lisinas, took their seats.
Most of them were looking at Leo.
“So it was true.”
A woman sat down next to Leo and smiled.
“Kyle, I heard you were joining Lisinas's journey, but I couldn't have imagined it until I saw it with my own eyes.”
A woman in light armor with brown hair and green eyes.
It was Alene Frirene.
“It's been a while.”
“Hmm, we met on the battlefield before last, so I don't think it's been that long, but… it has been a while, Kyle.”
Though she looked puzzled, Alene played along with Leo.
“Hmph, a journey with the hero who survives.”
An elven mage with sharp eyes and a sword scar over one eye smiled coldly.
“I wonder if we're all going to die.”
“Hahaha! Perik, you say that, yet you sit next to Kyle. Were you moved by what Kyle said earlier?”
A beastman warrior with a massive build, Alrox, plopped down next to the elf mage called Perik and burst into hearty laughter.
“Hmph. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t lump me in with a simple-minded beastman. I only came to help Lisinas. I’m just sitting next to this guy because I’m curious why this pessimist had a change of heart.”
Rodia looked at Perik and Alrox with a surprised expression.
‘Weren’t they the ones Lisinas tried to recruit for the expedition but who never joined in the end?’
They were the ones Lisinas had tried to persuade by any means, but who had ultimately refused to change their minds for this expedition.
“How did you persuade them?”
Rodia asked with a small smile, and Leo answered calmly.
“I was in a party with these two, and Alene Frirene, for a short while. We split up because we didn't see eye to eye.”
“Heh heh! He was so cynical we had no choice but to part ways! Thinking about it now, it seems like a good thing we did!”
Alrox threw an arm around Leo’s shoulders.
Leo simply sipped his drink.
“…I felt it earlier, but you've changed.”
Alrox tilted his head.
Just then, Lisinas spoke.
“First of all, this gathering is meant to build camaraderie before we set out on the expedition.”
Lisinas smiled brightly.
“But it's also for us to have a good time drinking before we risk our lives.”
“I like the sound of that!”
“We live for the drink!”
*Hahaha!* Laughter echoed, loud enough to shake the tavern.
No one in Gardsrone wanted to get involved with Kyle and Lisinas.
But once they decided to join forces…
None of that mattered.
This was an age where every moment was a matter of life and death.
Once they had decided to be together, they didn't care who their companions were.
Because this could very well be the last banquet.
For them.
And for the world.
Everyone raised their glasses.
“Before we start, I'd like to ask the hero who survives something about this expedition.”
At that moment, a slightly playful jeer was heard.
All eyes turned to Kyle.
Kyle stood up from his seat.
“I don't mean to spoil the mood, but…”
Leo said calmly.
“I just received information about the King of Gluttony.”
At his words, a momentary silence fell.
The King of Gluttony, Jörmungandr.
The strongest of the Legion Commanders.
“There's intel that he's passing between Gardsrone and the Elven Forest.”
Everyone began to murmur at Leo’s words.
“What? Where did you hear that?”
Lisinas asked, his face flustered.
“Through a personal route. It's probably quite reliable.”
Everyone wore a grim expression.
Looking at them, Leo said.
“It might be wise to postpone this expedition to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.”
“Is that what you're suggesting?”
Alrox asked, crossing his arms.
“No.”
Leo said calmly.
“I'm saying we should subjugate him.”
“What?”
Everyone’s eyes widened.
“The King of Gluttony doesn't lead a legion. The reason we've had trouble facing him is that he always moved with another Legion Commander.”
Jörmungandr was the strongest Legion Commander, and his power was beyond imagination.
But even so, moving alone was dangerous.
Even if Jörmungandr himself wanted to move alone, if he tried to attack somewhere, another legion would be there to assist him.
‘5,000 years ago, that was the reason we didn't avoid the fight with Jörmungandr.’
For the expedition, an encounter with Jörmungandr was a huge crisis, but it was also a chance to subjugate the strongest Legion Commander.
Lisinas had chosen to fight rather than flee, and Kyle and the others had followed his lead.
It was a battle that bordered on reckless.
As a result, they had miraculously managed to subjugate the King of Gluttony, and that victory became the prelude to hope.
“So I'll say this. Anyone who wants to back down, do it now.”
At his words, everyone looked at Leo.
“If what you say is true…”
Alrox grinned.
“My heart is pounding!”
“Utterly reckless.”
Perik clicked his tongue, but he didn't move either.
No one made a move to leave.
Leo knew it as well.
He knew they wouldn't back down.
“A battle with Jörmungandr! It’ll be worth risking my life for!”
Alrox shouted energetically.
Watching him, Leo said.
‘5,000 years ago, they all died. But… not this time.’
Even if he saved them here, it didn't mean they would return alive.
But these people who had risked their lives for the world.
These people who had become the cornerstone of hope without ever seeing that hope themselves.
‘I don't want to see them die again.’
Leo clenched his fist.
‘This time… I'll save them.’