Chapter 417

Lunia, Ar, and Driana wore tense expressions.

All three were students who represented their Hero Academies.

Though they were only sophomores, they had overcome numerous crises as hero candidates and possessed skills to match.

Thanks to their unique personalities, they rarely got nervous over trivial matters.

But before the Dragon Lord, the highest being in the world, they couldn’t help but be tense.

Especially since Melina had called them the “heroes chosen by the era.”

Every hero is a special being.

They are all figures who define their time.

A position only the chosen can attain.

But among them, a hero praised for having shouldered an entire era is exceedingly rare.

The prime example was the Sword Saint.

Before the Sword Saint, Melina and the Heroes of Genesis were regarded as the heroes who shouldered their era.

But what concerned them more than that fact right now was something else.

“Who is this ‘person’ you spoke of, my Lord?”

Lunia asked in a nervous voice.

5,000 years ago.

It was the Dragon Lords who, since the beginning of the Age of Heroes, had carried on the will of the King of Wisdom and selected heroes for generations.

Only a dragon with such wisdom and power could hold the title of Dragon Lord.

That is why the Dragon Lord reigns as the strongest being in any era.

For such a Dragon Lord to refer to someone as “that person”…

It was nothing short of astonishing.

At Lunia’s question, Melina smiled gently from beneath her veil.

Seeing the adult act as if she were posing a riddle, Lunia only grew more confused.

“Don’t tell me there is someone in Dragonia with a higher status than you, my Lord?”

Driana also asked in a serious tone.

“It seems you’re curious about that person.”

Melina said, covering her mouth with a chuckle.

“I don’t think you’re at the stage to know who that person is yet. However, it’s certain that they have high expectations for you. As do I.”

At Melina’s words, Lunia and Driana looked at each other, their expressions growing even more bewildered.

“You’re the first I’ve spoken to about this person, so please keep it a secret.”

Watching Melina playfully bring a finger to her lips, Lunia had a gut feeling that she’d just learned an incredible secret.

At that moment.

Ar, who had been listening with her arms crossed, murmured, “Hmm…!” then suddenly snapped her eyes open.

Her tail stood ramrod straight, her eyes sparkling as she shouted.

“I’ve got it! The person the Lord was talking about must be the Great Hero! Or one of the Heroes of Genesis!”

Melina, Lunia, and Driana’s gazes all turned to Ar.

“Think about it! Someone of a higher status than the Lord! And she said they chose us! You guys might not know, but at least I was chosen by Arron. If that’s the case, what else could it be?”

With a smug look, Ar let out a snort. “Hmph!”

“Luna and Seiren have already shown themselves in the present day! I must be right!”

“What nonsense is this, you stupid cat.”

“There’s a limit to how much nonsense you can spout.”

“And why would Arron choose you?”

“This ill-tempered pointy-ear is right. Doesn’t Arron shriek and run away whenever he sees you?”

“That’s just because Arron is shy.”

“As if!”

“Besides, wasn’t it a miracle caused by the Hero Record that allowed Luna and Seiren to appear in the present day?”

“Do you really think the Great Heroes or the Heroes of Genesis could permanently stay in the present? If they could, there would be no reason to hide it. With them here, the war with Tartarus would be over in an instant!”

“Ugh?!”

At the two’s logical arguments, Ar flinched and backed away.

“There’s a limit to being simple-minded. Are you an idiot?”

“She’s a wild beast, isn’t she? Useless, aside from her beautiful appearance.”

“You little…!”

Ar glared and lunged at them, but the other two were not ones to be taken down so easily.

Meanwhile, Melina, whose eyes had widened from under her veil, smiled faintly.

‘She’s incredibly sharp. Is that what they call a wild instinct?’

Whether it was a simple guess or just wishful thinking, Ar’s prediction was spot on.

Watching the three bickering girls, Melina cleared her throat.

The three hastily straightened their messy clothes and hair, then stood up straight.

“It’s good to see you so full of life.”

Melina said, giving them a gentle smile.

“So? What kind of heroes do you want to become?”

“I want to be free, like Luna.”

“I want to have courage like Arron!”

“I wish to become a great artist who follows in the footsteps of Dweno-nim.”

“And do you know what you must do to become such heroes?”

At Melina’s question, the three looked at each other.

Then Lunia answered on their behalf.

“I believe we must carry on the will of the Great Heroes.”

At that solemn answer, Melina closed her eyes.

And took a deep breath.

“Excellent.”

To carry on the will of the Great Heroes.

That meant only one thing.

The complete subjugation of Erebos.

A task that no one in 5,000 years of history had dared to speak of lightly.

“Spoken like heroes chosen by the era.”

At Melina’s words, Ar asked.

“Does being chosen by the era mean we’re the heroes who will shoulder the next generation?”

“No. It means that a trial far more arduous than shouldering a generation awaits you.”

At Melina’s words, the three swallowed dryly.

“But… seeing you today, I don’t think I need to worry.”

Melina gave them a faint smile.

“However, you are not enough as you are now. You will have to put in much more effort than you do now.”

The three nodded.

These were the words of none other than the Dragon Lord.

The word “insufficient” hit home.

“I will be waiting for the day you become proper heroes. For the day we can stand on the same stage, as soon as possible.”

Leaving those words behind, Melina vanished in the blink of an eye.

“What do you think the Lord meant just now?”

After Melina disappeared, Lunia mulled over her words.

“That a trial greater than shouldering an era awaits us. Could it be that the Dragon Lord is also aiming for the complete subjugation of Erebos?”

“She sees our potential as being that high?”

Tension filled Lunia and Ar’s faces.

Simply shouldering an era was a monumental task that an ordinary person could not handle.

But Melina was looking at something even higher.

“Driana, what do you think?”

Lunia asked Driana, who wore a serious expression just like her.

“Mm. I wonder how beautiful the Dragon Lord is.”

Seeing Driana say something completely unrelated, Ar spoke.

“Should I give you a smack?”

“I’ll hit her first.”

With fierce expressions, the two kicked Driana.

—

The welcome party ended in the early hours of the morning, past midnight.

Afterward, the outside guests were treated as VIPs and guided to their accommodations.

The students from the other Hero Academies decided to stay in the dorms of their respective grade levels.

It was a rare opportunity for students from all the Hero Academies to gather in one place, and the goal was to hold an exchange event.

“Oho! Indeed, I’ve heard stories, but the Lumene sophomores really do have dorm battles, don’t they?”

“Did you guys decorate all of this?”

“Not bad.”

The sophomores from each school settled into the dorms they liked.

Having become acquainted during the Smith Exclusive Contract incident, the sophomores chose their lodgings without any awkwardness.

Some chose dorms where they had friends, while others chose dorms that matched their school’s disposition.

Azonia preferred Glory, and Damienne preferred Harmony.

Finally, Seiren students mostly gathered in Noble.

“You being in Noble is a bit of a surprise.”

Lunia, sitting with her legs crossed in the Noble lounge, glanced at Carr.

In response, Carr brought over some tea and said.

“You think so too? The semester is almost over, and I still don’t know why I’m here.”

Carr grumbled as he served the tea.

“Still, the hospitality is excellent.”

The other Seiren students were pleased with the refreshments Carr had brought out.

Despite the early hour, it was a rather high-quality spread of tea and snacks.

Abad, watching as the dorm representative, said.

“For your information, that’s not our dorm’s service. It’s Carr’s personal service.”

“Ooh, thank you.”

“Thank you.”

The Seiren students expressed their gratitude.

“Don’t mention it. Lunia, am I right to assume you’re the Seiren sophomore representative here as well?”

When Carr asked with a smile, Lunia nodded.

Carr then handed Lunia a palm-sized leather slate.

“Here you are, Lady Lunia el Lunda.”

“What’s with the sudden formality? And what is this?”

“The bill.”

“…”

Lunia’s face crumpled.

Carr pointed a finger to a spot in the lounge.

[Carr’s Service: For a Fee]

Within Noble, Carr was providing services inside the dorm.

And, of course, it was for a fee.

“For your information, there’s a surcharge since it’s early morning.”

“This is a coercive sale!”

“Ahem! Coercive sale, you say! I handed you all an informational pamphlet when you entered our dorm!”

Lunia flared up, but Carr was firm.

The Azonia and Damienne students, who had avoided the trouble thanks to their friendships with the Noble students, also wore dumbfounded expressions.

Meanwhile, in Harmony, Celia approached Driana.

“You’re Driana?”

“Mm. By the looks of it, you must be Celia Zerdinger.”

“You know your stuff.”

“You’re famous.”

Driana smiled faintly at Celia, who had approached her.

“So, what’s the reason you’re talking to me?”

“You’re a Conqueror from Dweno’s world. As a knight, isn’t it natural to be interested in the divine blacksmith who handles Artifacts?”

“I am not a blacksmith.”

“What?”

“I am an artist.”

Celia’s expression soured.

Driana then said to Celia.

“Say, have you ever considered being a nude model?”

Celia decided she should never, ever get involved with this dwarf.

===

“This is Leo’s room.”

Meanwhile, Eiran, who had chosen the Glory dorm, wore a nervous expression in Leo’s room.

“Any weird books?”

Ar squinted, searching every nook and cranny of Leo’s room.

“W-Weird books?”

“This is the perfect chance to find the black rabbit’s weakness.”

Ar said with a meaningful smile.

Leo was currently out of the room for a moment.

While searching the corners of the room, Ar noticed a locker on Leo’s bookshelf was slightly ajar and reached for it.

Eiran hastily tried to stop her.

“Y-You can’t open the locker! That’s a bad thing to do!”

“I’m just trying to close it. Of course, my hand might slip and I might accidentally open it. Oops, my hand slipped.”

Ar opened the door with a sly act.

Chirp-

Fiora, who had been sleeping inside, reacted with annoyance and flapped her wings irritably.

Fwoosh-!

“Gyaah!”

Her face on fire, Ar rolled around on the floor.

Eiran helped her put out the flames.

===

“How was it? Meeting them in person.”

Leo, sitting on a bench in the dorm’s communal garden, spoke up.

“I understand why you chose them, Leo.”

“It’s not like I only chose them.”

Leo let out a chuckle at Melina’s words.

“By the way, I feel a different power from you than before, Leo. Have you obtained a power I’m not aware of?”

Melina said calmly.

“A different power?”

“Yes. I didn’t feel it when you was Mel, but I can feel it clearly now.”

Mel was Melina, but not Melina herself.

Melina’s true body had never left Dragonia.

Mel was a kind of doll created by magic.

Until now, Melina had been moving Mel while asleep in Dragonia.

At Melina’s words, Leo looked down at his palm.

“Not really. Nothing’s changed much. Is it a foreign power?”

“No. I just faintly feel the power of the Hero Record from you, Leo. Do you perhaps have a piece of the Hero Record?”

“No. I gave you all the Hero Record pieces I obtained before.”

Leo, who had been focusing his mind on himself, paused.

“This is…”

It was faint, but he could definitely feel a certain power.

It wasn’t Arron’s Aura or Luna’s magical power.

It certainly wasn’t Dweno’s flame, nor was it Lysinas’s mana.

The power Leo felt from himself was a power that did not exist in this world.

To be precise, it was a power that had vanished 5,000 years ago.

“Divine Power?”