Chapter 515
Chapter Title: A Gift from the Past
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515.
The Necromancer King's invasion of Lumerne.
Following last year's attack on Seirun, news that Tartaros had launched a massive invasion of Lumerne sent shockwaves through the world.
It was, quite literally, an age of upheaval.
Not since the Advent of Disaster 2,000 years ago had the world been thrown into such chaos after the end of the Age of Disaster.
“In some ways, the current era might be even more chaotic than the time of the Advent of Disaster.”
Mel said as she conducted her lecture.
“During the Advent of Disaster, the commanders of Tartaros ran rampant alongside the awakened fragments of Erebos.”
Snap-!
With a snap of her fingers, a map from the side of the grand lecture hall flew to the blackboard and unfurled.
“This shows Tartaros's path of advance at the time. As you all know, this was before the abilities of the 'Hero Record' had awakened, so our forces were severely lacking. The ones who turned that disadvantageous tide of war were the Heroes of the Beginning.”
Click-clack- Mel walked to the center of the lecture hall.
“Our strength has grown incomparably since then. However, Tartaros's current offensive is also far fiercer than it was back then.”
Mel began to speak in a solemn voice.
“The appearance of past commanders, the revival of Erebos's fragments. And…”
Mel took a deep breath.
“Those who once had their names recorded in the Hero Record are being turned into the undead by the Necromancer King's evil grasp, becoming our enemies.”
At her words, the sound of dry swallows could be heard from all around.
The entire student body, as well as every professor at Lumerne, had gathered in the grand lecture hall to listen to Mel's lecture.
“Now, here's a question. Although the situation is chaotic, we still have hope. What is it?”
Mel asked with a bright smile, trying to lighten the mood.
But the lecture hall remained silent.
Mel's eyes widened at the response.
“Are there no students who would like to answer?”
The students remained silent at her words.
Seeing the students' reaction, Mel showed a hint of trouble—'Hmm'—before turning to the professors.
“What about among the professors?”
Mel was a new professor who had just been appointed at Lumerne this year.
Although she was treating the seasoned Lumerne professors like students, no one said a word.
The truth of Mel's identity as the Dragon Lord had already spread far and wide.
No matter how esteemed a Lumerne professor they were, none could act carelessly in front of the most powerful dragon in existence.
Swoosh-!
Just then, someone raised their hand vigorously.
“Yes, Professor Ren.”
It was Ren, who could be called the number one eccentric among Lumerne's many peculiar professors.
“The fact that a new potential for the Hero Record has been discovered.”
“Yes, that's correct.”
Mel said with a wide smile.
“Of course it is. I am, after all, the professor representing the Department of Magic, Lumerne's finest.”
Seeing Ren's smug expression, the associate professor next to him, Anna, covered her face with both hands and bowed her head, while Albi let out a deep sigh.
Ren was treating Mel just as he always did.
The reason was simple.
‘M-My Lord. My apologies for not recognizing you until now…’
‘Who is a Lord?’
‘Pardon?’
‘Who is a Lord?’
‘W-Well… Lady Mel, you are the Dragon Lord, Lady Melina…’
‘I am Mel, a professor in the Department of Magic at Lumerne, am I not?’
It was because when the Lumerne professors went to greet Mel as the situation was being brought under control, she had denied it with a bright smile.
Furthermore, she had even said this.
‘If anyone calls me the Dragon Lord from now on, I will scold them.’
Mel's definition of 'scolding' was merely a light flick on the forehead, but faced with the words of the most powerful dragon in existence—a threat that wasn't quite a threat—the people of Lumerne couldn't help but feel immense pressure.
“We are currently at a crossroads of our era. It is true that these are chaotic times.”
Mel said solemnly.
“But if we can overcome this crisis, I am certain we can achieve true peace.”
As the chaos began to subside.
Mel felt the need to rally the hero candidates who would be responsible for the future.
That was why she had prepared this special lesson.
“Believe in yourselves. Now is the time to move forward.”
“Yes!”
***
A week had passed since the Necromancer King's assault.
The Twilight Festival had to be brought to an unavoidable early end.
Miraculously, no one had died, but the damage to Lumeria City was severe.
The students of Lumerne voluntarily went outside the academy every day to volunteer for the reconstruction of Lumeria City.
“I don’t know, I feel like a construction worker.”
Chelsea grumbled as she levitated a massive boulder with wind magic, prompting Celia to speak.
“Helping people is also something a hero candidate ought to do. Don't complain so discontentedly.”
“I wasn't complaining! You're just being petty and seeing it that way. So there!”
“You-!”
Chelsea stuck her tongue out obnoxiously at her rival, Celia.
As Celia, infuriated, was about to lunge at her, Abad, who was beside them, spoke up.
“Chelsea. Celia is right. Your attitude was poor.”
“Ugh! Yes, brother. I was wrong.”
“You should be apologizing to Celia, not me.”
“Ugh- I'm sorry.”
Chelsea apologized at Abad's words.
Watching Chelsea, Celia swept her hair back and said,
“How long are you going to be so helpless against Abad?”
As Celia spoke in disbelief, Iliana, who was passing by, chimed in with a puzzled look.
“Something's strange.”
“What is?”
“Since when do you call Abad by his name instead of 'butter'?”
“Is that strange?”
“Of course it's strange! You two! Are you... in *that* kind of relationship?!”
Iliana made a huge fuss.
Celia simply ignored her.
“Aah~! Everyone! Abad and Celia are in *that* kind of relationship! Love blossoming between rival families! Isn't that exc— Guh!”
Just as Iliana was about to inflate the rumor with her typical boisterousness, Celia immediately punished her.
Watching Iliana collapse to the ground clutching her side, Chloe sighed.
“Why do you always do things that get you hit?”
“Because love stories are fun.”
Iliana answered in a trembling voice, then shot up to her feet.
“Speaking of which, Lady Luna is the best!”
Her excitement level shooting through the roof, Iliana clenched her fists.
“She confessed her love to the Hero of the Beginning, Sir Kyle, in front of so many people! It was truly a historic moment!”
At Iliana's words, Chelsea's expression turned to one of panic.
She hurriedly turned her head toward Leo, who was standing silently on the ruins, staring intently at the spot where Luna had disappeared.
There was a fair distance between them, but Iliana's voice was so loud that it was more than enough to reach Leo.
Karl, who was clearing debris near Leo, also looked panicked and sent a silent, desperate gesture toward Chelsea, telling her to shut Iliana's mouth.
“On top of writing a new legend, she confessed so magnificently! It's such a shame Sir Kyle couldn't hear that confession!”
Iliana said, as if disappointed.
“M-Miss Iliana. Right now, we should be volunteering, not chatting...!”
“Huh? Eiran. Weren't you just excitedly talking about this with me a moment ago?”
“I-I wasn't talking excitedly, I just said it was very sad!”
“Same difference. Anyway, it's definitely a moment that will go down in history...! Huh? Wh-What? Why are you grabbing my arms?!”
Chelsea and Chen Xia had suddenly grabbed both of Iliana's arms, holding her still.
Flustered by the sudden situation, Iliana struggled.
“Miss Eiran, cover Miss Iliana's mouth.”
“Yeah. Chatting during sacred volunteer time. She needs to be taught a lesson.”
Chelsea chimed in, agreeing with Chen Xia.
“No! That's going too far! And Chelsea! You were just complaining a moment ago...!”
“M-Miss Iliana! I'm sorry!”
Thwack-!
“Guhk?!”
Eiran swiftly delivered a straight punch to Iliana's solar plexus.
Iliana's eyes widened as if they would pop out, her body trembled, and then she went limp, foaming at the mouth.
Chelsea was taken aback, seeing Eiran deliver a more dangerous attack than expected.
“Eiran. We just told you to lightly cover her mouth.”
“W-Whaaat?!”
“Miss Iliana? Breathe. Breathe, breathe.”
“Miss Iliana!”
“Nella, please heal Iliana!”
Chen Xia lightly slapped the unconscious Iliana's cheeks while Eiran screamed in despair.
People nearby started murmuring and gathering around, wondering what was happening.
Watching the scene, Karl wore an expression of disbelief.
‘What are they doing?’
To others, it might have just been a new legend of the Great Hero.
But for Leo, the one directly involved, it was likely a deeper wound than anyone could imagine.
Those who knew Leo's true identity, including Karl, couldn't even begin to guess the extent of his pain at having to let Luna go.
That was why they were trying their best to keep any talk of Luna from reaching Leo's ears.
“They're having fun.”
“Huh?”
As Karl stood there looking dumbfounded, he heard Leo's voice from beside him.
Karl turned his head to see Leo smiling.
Seeing him like that, Karl asked cautiously,
“You okay?”
To that question, Leo replied.
“I'm fine. I'm used to it. Thanks for worrying about me.”
At the words 'I'm used to it,' Karl clicked his tongue.
‘It must mean he's gone through things we can't even imagine.’
Karl couldn't fathom the feelings of Leo, who had to leave a cherished person behind and move forward.
“I'm just getting a headache thinking about all the stories that are going to pop up because of the mess that fool left behind.”
Leo grumbled, and Karl burst out laughing.
Looking at Karl, Leo said,
“Karl, when we get back to the academy, can you come to Professor Ren's office with Chloe, Abad, Chelsea, and Iliana?”
“Huh? That's easy enough. But why?”
“I think I need to give them a gift that Luna left behind.”
At Leo's words, Karl's eyes widened.
***
That evening.
As Leo headed to Professor Ren's office, he was lost in thought.
‘How did Verchia become undead?’
The words Luna had left before she departed remained like a knot in Leo's chest.
It wasn't a matter of having a bad taste in his mouth or feeling unwell.
It was, quite literally, a shock.
Thump- thump-
Walking down the hallway, Leo took a dagger from his coat.
Back when Luna had revealed herself as a heroic spirit.
Vihar's dagger, which had been placed before his grave.
‘I thought Vihar had left it.’
In Vihar's case, he had a darkness in his heart from the beginning.
‘But this means Verchia was the one who left it here?’
His thoughts were a tangled mess.
‘Vihar had definitely left Erquint as a memento.’
Erquint.
The magic sword Dweno had made for Luna.
And Luna had gifted Erquint to her disciple, a magic swordsman.
But in the final battle against Tartaros before the Great Heroes left on their last journey—the Battle of Tarmeita—Verchia had lost Erquint.
And Vihar had promised Verchia he would find the sword for him.
‘I simply thought that after the Age of Disaster ended, the two of them never had a chance to meet.’
After the Age of Disaster.
Verchia would have spent his days busy with the reconstruction of the era.
The same would have been true for Vihar.
Even though they were comrades who fought together under the same master, they might have had few opportunities to meet.
I thought that by the time Vihar recovered Erquint, so much time might have passed that it became difficult for them to meet.
Either Verchia had passed away first, or Vihar, who had to live in the shadows, was unable to meet Verchia for personal reasons.
I was sure something must have happened between my two disciples.
‘But the fact that Verchia had this… means they must have met.’
They might have exchanged the items they received from their master as a token of their friendship.
But…
‘Verchia became undead. And on top of that, he went out of his way to leave this at my grave.’
Leo gripped the dagger tightly.
‘What in the world happened 5,000 years ago?’