Chapter 420

“Hero Record?”

“The Shadow Codex? What in the world is that!”

A commotion erupted within the conference hall.

“What do you make of it?”

Altech Zeron—the head of the Zeron family, one of Lumene’s three great families, and the chairman of Lumene’s board—asked his younger brother.

Albi, who had received the Evil Eye as a gift from Fairy King Silload, possessed the ability to see through falsehoods.

At Altech’s question, Albi, who had been staring at The Shadow Codex, opened his mouth.

“I can feel a power similar to the Hero Record we know.”

Altech stroked his chin at Albi’s answer.

“A new Hero Record, you say.”

Altech looked at The Shadow Codex with interest.

He wasn’t the only one.

Dejean Riguard beside him, as well as Nichella Turcia, let out quiet gasps and examined the Hero Record closely.

Dejean Riguard.

The head of the Riguard family, which ruled over Lumeria City.

In other words, he could be called the master of Lumeria, the center of the world.

Nichella Turcia was the guild master of Twilight, the world’s largest Hero Guild.

The Twilight Guild had its beginnings 3,000 years ago.

It started with the Twilight Knights, led by Lumene.

Zeron, Riguard, and Turcia, known as the three great families of Lumene.

All of them were disciples who had followed Lumene long ago.

Zeron inherited the academy he founded, in accordance with Lumene’s will.

Riguard inherited the land that Lumene had cultivated.

And Turcia inherited the knight order that Lumene had led.

These three families were the ones who had protected and managed the Hero Record of Lumene Academy for the past 3,000 years.

That was why the heads of the three families knew more about the Hero Record than anyone else.

Including everything about the history of the Hero Record.

“Lord Altech, have you ever heard of something called The Shadow Codex?”

“I have not.”

“Lord Dejean?”

“I haven’t either, Lady Turcia.”

Nichella, in her mid-twenties, looked at The Shadow Codex with fascination.

Nichella Turcia.

A woman who had become the head of the Turcia family at the age of 26.

As the Oathbound of the Great Wind Spirit and the Phoenix, she was a young hero who had made her name in the Hero Record by fending off the Legion of the Dead five years ago.

As everyone’s attention was fixed on The Shadow Codex, King Luckit spoke.

“The Shadow Codex. What is that?”

“It’s a Hero Record where Shadows have inscribed their names.”

“Such nonsense…! Even if it were true, it must be a fake!”

“King Luckit, I don’t believe you are qualified to distinguish whether a Hero Record is real or fake. You are neither a Hero nor a Shadow, are you not?”

“Hmph!”

At Shau’s words, King Luckit wore a frustrated expression.

While a Hero was a title earned by overcoming hardships and adversity through one’s own strength, a king was merely a title inherited by bloodline.

Although all existing nations were founded by those who had inscribed their names in the Hero Record, making them descendants of great heroes—

Being a descendant of a hero did not guarantee one would become a hero.

That was why many of the kings attending the summit were not heroes, and King Luckit was one of them.

As everyone stared at The Shadow Codex with disbelief, Melina raised her hand.

At that, one of the dragons waiting behind her approached the central dais, asked for Shau’s permission, and brought The Shadow Codex to Melina.

Receiving it carefully, Melina opened the Hero Record.

Everyone held their breath, watching.

The power emanating from The Shadow Codex was unmistakably that of a Hero Record.

‘The records of Shadows, who haven’t had a single name inscribed in the Hero Record for 5,000 years, are being discovered now?’

‘And in such a perfect state?’

Even with the evidence before them, it was hard to accept, as it contradicted what had been believed to be true for 5,000 years.

But if Melina, the Dragon Lord, acknowledged it, they would have no choice but to accept it as well.

That Shadows, too, were beings equal to the heroes who proudly inscribed their names in the Hero Record.

Amidst this, Melina, who was examining the Hero Record, opened her mouth.

“…Indeed, these are the records of the Shadows.”

“That can’t be…!”

“Impossible…!”

“You mean it’s not a fake?”

“This is real. And what’s more…”

“What’s more?”

“The deeds of the Hero of Beginnings, Lord Kyle, are recorded here.”

“The records of the Great Hero?”

“L-Lord Kyle’s records are in there?!”

A reaction similar to when the existence of The Shadow Codex was first revealed—

No, a wave of shock even greater than before erupted.

As everyone shot up from their seats in astonishment.

“Yes.”

Melina nodded with a gentle smile.

“Don’t tell me the Hero of Beginnings was a Shadow?”

“If so, it makes sense why the records of the Hero of Beginnings were never known until now.”

The heroes reacted in bewilderment.

Amidst this, Melina asked Shau.

“Emperor Shau of Shan. Where did you find this Hero Record?”

Melina already knew the true nature of The Shadow Codex.

Not only that, but she had already heard from Leo how this Shadow Codex came to be.

But she couldn’t just state the facts as they were.

Shau glanced at Leo.

Then he opened his mouth.

“It was stored deep underground in Shan for a long time and was only recently discovered. After various verification processes, we determined it to be a Hero Record that has never been revealed to the world, and so we have decided to make it public like this.”

At Shau’s words, Council Chair Lune Ersar of Seiren spoke up.

“This is good. It’s a fact that Shadows have been discriminated against for a long time simply because they couldn’t inscribe their names in the Hero Record.”

Though he had the appearance of a handsome young man, Lune—an elder-class figure even in elven society—spoke with a smile that showed his age.

“Hasn’t this proven that the Shadows, too, are beings who have protected the world for the past 5,000 years?”

“Ahem.”

“That may be so, but…”

A few people showed signs of discomfort.

“To think the Hero of Beginnings was a Shadow. It’s a surprising story. So that’s why the records of the Shadows were hidden behind history all this time.”

King Luckit muttered, not hiding his discomfort.

“Ahem. Are we to equate someone who was a Shadow with the Great Hero?”

“Shouldn’t we have a discussion about that?”

Several kings expressed their unease.

Even though the Dragon Lord had acknowledged it and a Hero Record with their deeds had been discovered, the perception passed down for thousands of years showed no sign of changing easily.

After all, there were just as many who held negative views of Shadows as there were heroes who viewed them positively.

It was then.

“Do you know why the Hero of Beginnings is called the Hero of Beginnings?”

All eyes turned to Melina.

“This may be a fact you are unaware of, but…”

Melina closed The Shadow Codex and spoke calmly.

“The first of the Great Heroes to lose their life was Lord Arron.”

At those words, everyone held their breath.

They all knew the story of the Great Heroes subjugating the primordial evil, Erebos, all too well.

The proof was this very world.

But—

The story of the final battle between the Great Heroes and Erebos did not remain.

3,000 years ago.

In the process of the Genesis Heroes sealing the endlessly resurrecting fragments of Erebos into the Hero Record, many records were burned and lost.

And when it was torn, many more records were lost again.

Those countless lost records were burned away by Tartarus.

In that process, the records of the Great Heroes’ final journey also vanished behind the veil of history.

That was why it was not known who ultimately defeated Erebos.

The only known fact was that all the Great Heroes died in the process of subjugating Erebos.

Since the Great Heroes themselves were revered figures for each race, the stories of the final battle also differed by race.

However, Hero Studies scholars and historians all speculated in unison.

That in the final battle, all the Great Heroes barely managed to defeat Erebos by combining their strength, and in the process, they all lost their lives.

No one knew the truth of history.

A story that had vanished into the annals of history.

Melina, who had heard the story from the person himself, spoke of that forgotten history.

“The Hero Arron was afraid of his comrades dying, so he sacrificed himself. And he entrusted his everything to the Hero of Beginnings.”

‘The reason that kid volunteered to be the shield… was because he was afraid of seeing us die.’

It wasn’t the grand or courageous sacrifice many people imagined.

It was a cowardly end, just like Arron—

He met a very un-hero-like end, terrified.

‘I’m sorry… for not being able to keep my promise to protect you until the end.’

Leo closed his eyes, recalling the coward who had apologized while crying.

“Even after Lord Arron’s sacrifice, the Great Heroes did not stop.”

At Melina’s solemn words, everyone’s mouths fell open.

Everyone realized.

That what was coming from Melina’s lips was the forgotten truth of history.

“The second to lose their life was Lord Dweno. He closed his eyes after leaving behind an Artifact to defeat Erebos.”

‘Go forth, Kyle. For those who will follow… forge a path. That sword is for that purpose.’

Leaving behind his only creation, the Artifact named “Beginning,” Dweno closed his eyes.

“The third was Lady Luna.”

‘I’m sorry for burdening you with my share, too.’

Luna, who had entrusted everything to him, saying that if it had to be one of them, he would be better than her.

“The fourth was Lady Lysinas.”

‘We’re going to save the world.’

And even Lysinas, who never doubted that fact until the very end.

“Lord Kyle, who defeated Erebos alone on behalf of all the Great Heroes, is the final hero, and…”

Melina looked at the breathless heroes.

“He was the Hero of Beginnings who opened the Age of Heroes. That is why he is called the Hero of Beginnings.”

“My Lord… how do you know this?”

When one person asked in a trembling voice, Melina smiled brightly.

“Many of the world’s truths lie dormant in Dragonia.”

Melina gently stroked The Shadow Codex and said,

“I’m sure that in that era, there was no distinction between heroes or shadows… The Hero of Beginnings must have willingly shouldered that burden… because it was a job that someone had to do.”

Rising from her seat, Melina personally placed The Shadow Codex back on the dais.

“The world is in turmoil. The second coming of the Hero of Beginnings and the Founder of the Nebula, followed by the second coming of the Comet Mage.”

Melina looked toward the Seiren group, then toward Damienne.

“The appearance of hero candidates who have inherited Lord Dweno’s legacy.”

Finally, Melina’s gaze briefly landed on Leo.

“And even the records of the Hero of Beginnings.”

Melina took a deep breath.

“The forgotten legacies of the Great Heroes and the Genesis Heroes are returning to us. Accordingly, the movements of Tartarus are also unusual. How long do you plan to be bound by the misguided customs of the past?”

“Ugh!”

“Th-That’s…”

“A hero is a being who brings about change, even before being a being who possesses great power and achieves deeds recognized by the gods.”

Clearly and distinctly—

Everyone focused on Melina’s words, each one spoken with emphasis.

“This is not the time to worry about things like heroes… or shadows. Now is the time to completely uproot the threat of disaster that has persisted for 5,000 years. As the Dragon Lord, I declare.”

Everyone held their breath.

“From now on, Shadows are beings equal to Heroes.”

(T/N: As the fking should.)

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