Chapter 432
Chapter Title: A Hero's Arrival
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432.
“Where…?”
Ar-on felt bewildered by the sudden change of scenery.
“I was just with Erebos…”
Recalling what had just happened, Ar-on looked up at the boy rising to his feet beside him.
“You are?”
Seeing Ar-on's bewilderment, Leo caught his breath and looked down at his hand.
A small, tattered piece of the Hero Record, burnt by fire.
It was Ar-on's record.
“Lord Leo. How is Sir Ar-on here?”
Leo spoke quietly to the flustered Melina.
“Let's get out of here first. There are too many prying eyes to talk in detail.”
***
Leo quickly got the situation under control and returned to the Flove family's territory with Ar-on and Melina.
Melina was waiting for Leo to speak.
Ar-on alone couldn't quite grasp the situation.
He just…
“…Stars?”
…could only gaze at the countless stars embedded in the sky, looking as if they might pour down at any moment.
He stared at the moon, his mouth agape.
It wasn't the eerie red moon.
He was simply captivated by the beautiful night sky, a sight he had never seen before.
A moment later, Ar-on tore his gaze from the night sky and asked Leo.
“You're Kyle, aren't you?”
*'It's just like with Luna.'*
Back when the former legion commander, Poison King Jerdiac, appeared in Seirun, and the monster queen Silatuna invaded.
Leo had used the divine power contained in the Folium to bring Luna out of the World of Heroes.
It was the same as then.
As proof, all the divine power that had resided in Leo's body was gone.
“That's right.”
Leo met Ar-on's eyes and nodded.
“Kyle, it's really you? Then what about Lisinas? And Luna and Dweno?”
Ar-on's confusion only grew.
*'I've met Ar-on in the World of Heroes twice.'*
The first time was when I entered Ar and Ar-on's world during last year's summer vacation.
*'The second time was at the beginning of this semester, while clearing Dweno's world.'*
At that time, Dweno had realized Leo was Kyle from the future, and so had Ar-on.
*'The fact that he doesn't have that memory… does it mean he only remembers the first time?'*
“Ar-on.”
“Yes?”
“How many times have you met me in this form?”
“This is the second time, after I met you with that strange cat-kin child.”
*'I see.'*
Leo nodded.
*'Luna also said she remembered meeting me in a different page after she met me again.'*
It was the same with Ar-on.
*'Is the reason he can't remember being in Dweno's world because it wasn't his world?'*
The master of Dweno's world was, after all, Dweno.
*'So memories from someone else's Hero Record don't carry over.'*
Having sorted out the situation, Leo took a deep breath.
“Ar-on, listen carefully.”
“Okay.”
“The era we're in right now… is 5,000 years after the Age of Calamity we lived in.”
“If this is the future, 5,000 years later, then you…?”
“I was reincarnated.”
“You were born again?”
“Yes.”
At Leo's answer, Ar-on was lost in thought.
*'If this is the future and Kyle was reincarnated, then this situation makes sense.'*
“Then how did I end up 5,000 years in the future?”
“In this era, there's something called the Hero Record.”
Leo explained the process that led to Ar-on's arrival.
After hearing the whole story, Ar-on asked.
“So, we won, right?”
If this timeline was truly the future, that in itself was definitive proof that the Great Heroes had triumphed over the Primordial Evil.
But Ar-on wanted to hear it directly from Leo.
Looking at Ar-on, Leo smiled.
“Yeah, we won.”
“That's a relief.”
He smiled in genuine relief.
And once again, he looked up at the night sky.
“So these are the stars Luna was always talking about.”
Ar-on was purely amazed by the beautiful night sky, seeing it for the first time in his life.
Watching Ar-on, Leo also looked up at the sky.
“It's beautiful. I see why Luna said she would become a star.”
At Ar-on's murmur, Leo couldn't help but burst out laughing.
“It really doesn't suit her, does it?”
“Yeah. It doesn't.”
Melina, who had been watching their conversation, also looked up at the night sky.
Having seen the night sky for a long time, it was an unremarkable sight for her.
But this ordinary view would have been an unimaginable sight 5,000 years ago.
Looking at the backs of the two men gazing at the night sky, Melina bowed her head.
*'I may not be able to represent everyone living today, but… thank you.'*
***
Afterward, Leo briefly told Ar-on about the 5,000 years of history.
Ar-on was amazed as he heard the story of what happened after the Age of Calamity.
“Verkia?”
Ar-on looked astonished.
“That kid became the leader of the elves and is respected?”
“Yes.”
“Good heavens. Him?”
*'…Just what kind of person is the Lord Verkia they remember?'*
Hearing that Verkia was praised as a great figure who rebuilt the elves, Ar-on reacted with disbelief.
At his reaction, Melina felt a surge of curiosity.
Verkia Ersar.
The great elven figure, renowned as the Progenitor of the Nebula and a disciple of the Brave Hero, was one of the heroes Melina respected as much as the Heroes of Genesis.
After Erebos was subjugated, he was a great figure who led the elves and revived their race, but even before that, he was a great man who devoted his efforts to rebuilding the world's forests.
He was a global hero, beyond just the elven race.
That's why, after getting to know Leo, Melina had asked about Verkia.
*'He was an incredibly arrogant little brat. Always had a defiant look in his eyes, a terrible attitude. He'd talk back at the drop of a hat.'*
It was an assessment from someone who actually knew Verkia, but it was also a very personal one.
Therefore, she had taken Leo's words with a grain of salt.
*'Should I ask? No.'*
She wanted to ask Ar-on more about Verkia but couldn't bring herself to do it.
She didn't want to ruin the image of the noble elven hero in her imagination.
While Melina was shaking her head…
“So Erebos wasn't completely destroyed.”
Ar-on's expression clouded over.
“I feel sorry for those people called the Heroes of Genesis. I'm sorry to you, too. We ended up leaving you with such a difficult task.”
“No! Sir Ar-on, you don't need to say that!”
Melina waved her hands in alarm.
“Still, I want to help. I don't know how long I can stay in this era, but is there anything I can do to be useful?”
“In that case…”
Melina began to speak cautiously.
“In this era, there are hero cadets who wish to follow in the footsteps of the Great Heroes. Right now, those children are training hard on this mountain. Could you perhaps guide them?”
“Like Verkia, you mean?”
“Yes.”
“Alright.”
“Thank you so much!”
Melina smiled brightly.
Watching them, Leo said.
“It would be a good idea to give Karl, Lunia, Eiran, as well as Driana and Ar, a heads-up.”
In the current era, many actual records of Ar-on, known through the World of Heroes, remain.
But it would be difficult for people of this age to recognize Ar-on.
*'Because his impression is completely different.'*
Leo had even burst out laughing when he first saw Ar-on's portrait in a history book recording the deeds of the Great Heroes after he was reincarnated.
*'He looks like a completely different person because of his expression.'*
Leo shook his head, recalling the sharp eyes depicted in the portrait.
In addition, his expression was firm, and the aura he exuded was sharp.
Literally a veteran warrior who had been through all sorts of trials and tribulations.
He projected an aura like that of a god of war.
The portraits of Ar-on that remain in the modern era are the product of immense correction and beautification.
Unlike the well-known portraits, the real Ar-on was a gentle, handsome young man.
His eyes were gentle, and he always wore a soft smile.
*'Although in battle, he sometimes shows a side similar to the portrait.'*
But it was easier to see him getting frightened by small things.
According to Luna, he was the so-called "type you want to protect," or something like that.
*'If people of this era saw the real Ar-on, they would just think he's someone who resembles the Brave Hero.'*
It might be different within a World of Heroes where Ar-on exists.
But at this point in time, where he's a figure from the distant past, it wouldn't be easy to recognize the real Ar-on just by seeing him.
However, it's a different story for the five people who witnessed Ar-on's true self in Dweno's world.
*'If the fact that Ar-on has appeared in the present world gets out, it'll be a headache in many ways.'*
In the case of the elves, countless numbers of them are already making pilgrimages to Seirun.
The beastkin's feelings toward Ar-on are not much different from the elves'.
*'Because the virtues of the beastkin are courage and strength.'*
And Ar-on, who could be called courage and strength incarnate, is an object of worship.
Countless beastkin would flock to the Flove family's territory.
Leo didn't want to trouble his father.
In addition, the news that Ar-on had appeared in reality might provoke Tartaros.
Hearing Leo's words, Melina nodded.
“I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of kids are waiting.”
Ar-on likes children.
The reason he wanted to save the world was that he wanted a world where children could laugh brightly.
“They must all be good, innocent, and passionate kids, right?”
It seems he thinks all the children will be cheerful since they live in an age of peace.
*'There are plenty of kids just as eccentric as Luna or Dweno.'*
As for Leo, he didn't want to shatter his friend's illusion just yet.
*'He's going to freak out because of Ar again.'*
Seeing Ar-on's bright smile, Leo lightly shook his head.
***
The next day, at dawn.
Leo returned to the training retreat where the second-years were staying.
En, who had been acting as Leo's double, came to a secluded part of the forest to greet him.
“You've worked hard. Did anything happen while I was gone?”
“No, sir. Nothing major happened. However.”
“However?”
“The Lord's guardians attacked throughout the night, so most of the students are in a state of exhaustion.”
Hearing En's words, Leo let out a dry laugh.
*'Those bizarre-looking giant plush dolls?'*
The guardians' grotesque appearance was enough to make even Leo feel a chill.
Leo shook his head as he walked back, thinking of those who had been tormented by them all night.
It seemed they had set up a night watch because of the guardians, as a few people stood before the campfire with worn-out faces.
“Did you take care of your business?”
Karl greeted Leo with hollow eyes.
“The very first day was absolute hell. Hahaha.”
Seeing Karl's sorrowful laugh, Leo chuckled.
“Get some sleep. I'll take over until morning.”
“You'd do that? Thanks, Leo!”
Karl would have normally refused, but he was so exhausted now that he didn't decline Leo's kindness.
Leo stared at the campfire.
*'To think Ar-on crossed over to this era.'*
The divine power had caused a miracle.
Reaching out to Ar-on at that moment had been purely instinctual.
Even if he had saved Ar-on in that moment, nothing would have changed.
Ar-on was already dead.
*'But I wanted to give him even a little peace of mind.'*
I wanted to show my friend what he had achieved.
It seemed the divine power had responded to that will, performing the miracle of bringing Ar-on to the present time.
*'I don't know how much time Ar-on has been granted. But since it's come to this, it would be nice if he could enjoy this age of peace with us, even for a little while.'*
Leo took a deep breath and looked around at the students.
*'Ar-on as an instructor.'*
Leo murmured as he gazed at the dawn sky.
“Well, it wouldn't be so bad for them to taste a new kind of despair.”