Chapter 214
"Ugh..."
"Am I... still alive?"
Those who had suffered severe injuries from the explosion of the black mage and those who had fainted from the fierce battle were gradually regaining consciousness.
The expedition team took care of the injured while also resting.
Now, their only task was to return to the empire, so they rested comfortably in various postures.
One common thing among the members of the expedition team, who each rested differently, was...
Peeking.
They kept sneaking glances at one person.
That person was none other than Adonis.
'What exactly is his identity?'
'To fight a dragon one-on-one... I can't believe it even though I saw it with my own eyes.'
'Could a dragon have transformed into a human?'
'With that level of power, he might be carrying not one but maybe two or three monsters.'
All sorts of thoughts and gazes were directed at Adonis.
Caron was aware of their thoughts.
'We need to get things sorted.'
He had demonstrated the skills of a nine-star knight, but more importantly, he had used the 'Sacred Sword.'
If the Holy Kingdom learns of this, it would be a hassle in many ways.
It was necessary to keep this under wraps.
"If you want to live long, you'd better watch your mouth."
"..."
A chilling threat.
At that, a few people pouted their lips, showing their displeasure at Caron's words.
Openly expressing discontent towards Caron, who is known as the Killing Machine.
That was the level of curiosity they had about Adonis.
"Caron, keep yourself in check. I'm fine."
"But..."
"You know that pressing them down won't solve the problem. Above all, aren't we comrades who fought together?"
Sparkle-sparkle.
The expedition team's eyes sparkled.
They were pleased to be called comrades, but they also thought this might lead them to learn Adonis’s identity.
However.
"Think for yourselves about who I am. Developing the power of thought is also an important task."
"..."
"If you manage to find out my identity, send a letter under the name 'Adonis' to the noble families. I will check from time to time."
The expedition team nodded their heads.
The reward was tempting, but the fact that he was a noble gave them a big hint.
"I'd prefer to keep my existence a secret... but I'll leave that to your judgement."
"Are you saying it's okay to report to the noble families?"
"That's right."
They were young talents who had reached the level of six or seven stars at a relatively young age.
They would be at the core of the empire in the future.
'Using the information about me in that process is also a skill.'
The heads of noble families, even if they discover Adonis's identity, would keep their mouths shut.
They know very well that irritating him would do them no good.
'If they handle it poorly, they might fall out of favor with His Majesty.'
No matter how prestigious the head of a noble family is, a hero is not someone to be trifled with.
Thus, the only information Adonis needed to control was one.
"But keep quiet about the Sacred Sword."
Everyone nodded.
Even if it was an ancient Sacred Sword, its rightful owner was clearly the Holy Kingdom that made it.
If the Holy Kingdom asks for it back, there would be no grounds to refuse.
It would be the same as weakening the empire's power.
Everyone nodding was an obvious response.
At the same time, a doubt arose.
'Is it okay? Too many people have seen it...'
Where five people gather, there's bound to be at least one scoundrel.
The likelihood of someone selling information about the Sacred Sword was high.
It was then.
"Of course... if the information leaks, it can't be helped. I'll have to find out through Caron."
Shiver!
Adonis's words about finding the leaker through Caron.
The expedition team's gaze turned towards Caron.
Caron's eyes gleamed menacingly. Or, it seemed like he was almost smiling.
'Is he looking forward to torturing someone!'
'Does he not even see us as comrades!'
'If we even inadvertently arouse suspicion, we’ll be dragged away!'
Everyone began manipulating their memories, their heads bowed low.
Not a single sword, let alone the Sacred Sword, was seen in this battle.
*
Before leaving Kalos.
"...Salute."
Snap!
The right hands of the expedition team moved crisply to salute.
Before them lay three skulls and two corpses.
They were the warriors who had died from a corpse explosion and those who had met their end in the subsequent battle.
A total of five had lost their lives, three of whom had turned into skeletons and even attacked their own allies.
This was their final salute to comrades who had sacrificed their lives for the empire, for themselves.
It was when the members of the expedition team were each swallowing their sorrow in their own way.
"Are we done here? We're off to rest."
"Lucia, a bit more mourning..."
"Your healing is more important, right? Let's go. The nurse has prepared a place for us."
Lucia supported Sylvia as they left the place.
Some might complain about the lack of propriety, but Caron knew.
‘She must have remembered.’
Lucia, who had faced the deaths of friends and comrades every day on the battlefield.
No doubt, she was recalling those memories.
Considering how she had avoided such occasions until now, it was clearly a significant development.
Caron could tell.
Lucia's time, which had stopped at sixteen, had started to flow again.
‘She will grow stronger from now on. Next time, she might be too much for me to handle.’
It was while he was watching Lucia's retreating figure.
Suddenly, Kiel, looking at the skeleton that had once been Edwin, murmured.
"...Did we win?"
It was almost a whisper, but everyone heard it clearly.
It was quiet enough for that.
In fact, the members of the expedition team were thinking the same as Kiel.
They had killed the dragon, but they had let Volkan, the one who had created it, get away.
What remained were battered bodies and minds. And the corpses of their allies.
They had lost friends and comrades, while Volkan had returned alive and well.
Could they really say they had won?
"...Let me make it clear. We won."
Caron began to list the reasons why.
They had exposed the existence of the undead and would provide that information to each nation.
All countries would strengthen their defenses and limit the range of activity for the black mages.
Significant restrictions would be placed on the activities of black mages.
Hearing Caron's explanation, Kiel let out a wry laugh.
"A victory that’s nothing but wounds. Is that what it is?"
"Huh...!"
A clear scoff. The startled expedition team gasped.
Saying such a thing in front of Caron. It wasn't sane.
The atmosphere chilled rapidly. But Caron remained calm.
"That's right. But do you know what? War is always like that."
Both winners and losers are wounded.
Someone always loses someone dear.
"The greatest disaster that exists in this world."
Most of the members of the expedition team knew nothing of war. They had never experienced it.
Children born at the tail end of a war.
The so-called ‘fortunate generation’.
"Unfortunate for you, but in the history of mankind, war has never truly ended. It only pauses."
In that moment, the entire expedition team realized it. They too would experience war.
They would enter the chasm of hell.
‘Are we to make others endure this dreadful fate?’
Kiel clenched his fist tightly.
No matter how strong they became, they couldn’t prevent war.
Disasters aren’t something humans can stop.
It was then he thought.
"So strive to prevent war from occurring."
"...Yes?"
"If the problem is war, then prevent it from happening. Keep it forever paused. Just like now."
This was why Caron was obsessed with information, why he had become the rat he was.
The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
If one must fight, then win before the battle begins.
And there was one more way to prevent war.
"Become stronger."
If you are strong, no one will carelessly provoke a fight with you.
Because they know they would lose.
"Become stronger. All of you are to become heroes. Then, even the black mages won’t dare surface and will stay cowering underground."
"...Is that possible?"
"It is possible. Hasn’t Lucia proven that?"
Indeed. Everyone present had witnessed it clearly.
The way Lucia wielded the Sacred Sword to protect everyone.
"There’s nothing you can't do."
"Heroes..."
There was no more conversation.
They just mourned in their own ways and sorted out their thoughts.
While Kiel was carefully cleaning Edwin’s bones, a drop of water fell onto his hand.
It was a tear.
"Kiel, why are you crying? Does the wound hurt?"
Kiel hurriedly wiped away his tears, but he couldn’t avoid Adonis’s gaze.
"No."
"Are you afraid of the enemy?"
"No."
"Then why are you crying?"
"...Because I’ve realized the horror of war."
The fear that the comrade who had just been laughing and talking could fall into eternal sleep.
The fear of losing family.
"It's terribly frightening."
In that moment, Kiel could understand Sylvia.
He respected those like Sylvia, who had physically stopped wars.
He was immensely grateful and sorry.
Adonis nodded.
"Can you become such a being?"
"...I'm not sure."
Kiel answered honestly. He was just an ordinary person.
Not someone with the heart of a hero, ready to sacrifice for others.
"Kiel."
"Yes, speak."
"You are not afraid of change."
Kiel was a scion of the Jackfield family, one of the renowned swordsmanship houses.
This meant he could easily become strong just by mastering the family’s secret techniques.
But Kiel did not train only in his family’s techniques.
Instead, he carefully examined other sword arts, trying to find the style that suited him best.
He had even created his own secret techniques.
‘Just like me.’
Adonis was also a descendant of the Cassel family, known for their spearmanship.
However, Adonis did not solely devote himself to the family’s spearmanship.
He had created his own secret techniques and became one of the formidable forces because of it.
"But it seems like you highlight the flaws of others more than their strengths."
Kiel felt a sting from Adonis’s criticism.
Because he often maximized others’ flaws to elevate his own pride.
"To acknowledge and accept others’ strengths is how one grows. Remember that."
"Thank you for your thoughtful advice."
Kiel bowed his head. To receive teachings from a nine-star knight.
He was fortunate.
"Kiel."
"Yes."
"Would you not dream of change under my guidance?"
"Yes...?"
"Have you considered learning the spear from me? That is what I am asking."
"...!"
The moment Kiel became Adonis’s disciple.
The scion of a swordsmanship house abandoning the sword to take up the spear.
A hidden piece that Zero had never imagined would come into play.
*
"Gather, rats."
Even as the expedition team took their time for mourning, Caron was busy.
"How are the bodies handled?"
"We’ve done our best, but... the bones are mixed up, so it’s not certain."
Unlike the knights who receive mourning, the death of a rat is utterly pitiful.
Neither the enemy, nor the allies, not even those who fought alongside them recognize their death.
Only they themselves know.
Yet, no one harbored complaints.
"We’ll find where Volkan might be. You know well enough that he’s the kind who would start a great war more than anyone else."
In fact, most rats know the pain of war.
They have suffered from losing family, friends, and more.
Victims of war.
That's why they wanted to prevent war more than anyone else.
"Classify the information from special grade down to fifth grade. After making copies, ensure that each level of personnel receives the appropriate information."
The rats began to move busily, not even thinking about taking a break.
Caron watched their activities and fell into thought.
'Heroes...'
If he were to be given the authority to bestow the title of hero, Caron would say without hesitation.
They are the true heroes.
The heroes of this era.
*
"Ah~ That was delicious."
At the dining hall of Annwood Academy.
Luna, who had quickly finished her dinner, patted her stomach.
Could it be that there's an uncle inside Luna's body?
"Want some dessert?"
"Keke, that sounds nice."
"Today, I'll specially bring it over."
Luna and Rezé left the table.
It seemed like cleaning up the trays and everything else was left to me.
'Well, it's not hard with the Cleaning skill.'
The moment I used the [Clean S] skill to tidy up the table neatly, a lady from the kitchen approached and whispered to me.
"Your cleaning skills are quite impressive."
"...Scarlet?"
Scarlet, who was Caron's rat, was also in charge of the Annwood Academy branch.
"Keke, I respect personal preferences... but dressing up as a lady is a bit difficult for me."
"You think infiltrating Annwood Academy is easy!?"
So, that was it?
He wasn’t a pervert with a hobby of dressing up as a lady?
"So, what brings you here?"
"...You ordered it, didn’t you? To bring this."
Scarlet handed me something.
It was a small stele.
[Weakened Spirit Stone Stele: D]
A Spirit Stone Stele. Forgotten by everyone, it had lost its power.
It held a minor fortune.
Luck +3
I whistled inwardly.
The time had come.
It was time for the third 'Potential Gamble'.
--TL Notes--
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