Leo stepped into a page of history.
Events of the past unfolded through the Akasha Record.
The northernmost reaches of the continent.
It was, quite literally, a desolate land.
Leo stood in the middle of it, silently watching the Elves as they tended to the earth.
“This is…”
Leo’s hands tightened as he took in the scenery before him.
These ruins were the very symbol of despair.
But now, things were different.
Hope was sprouting amid the ruins.
The northern continent Leo knew, the home of the Elves, had achieved dazzling development despite being a land of bitter cold.
5,000 years.
During that time, the Elves had splendidly cultivated their new home.
And what lay before his eyes was the beginning of that journey.
Despair was fading, and hope was beginning to bloom.
How much had been sacrificed for this sight?
How many people had put their lives on the line?
What unfolded before him was the world after Erebos had been destroyed.
'An era for moving toward the future.'
“Hey, you shouldn’t do it like that!”
Swoosh—!
Someone brushed past Leo.
A familiar voice and a familiar back.
She looked exactly as she had in his final memories of her.
'No, has she become more mature?'
The immature girl Leo remembered was gone.
The cheeky, dependent side she only showed in front of her masters had vanished.
“You have to do it like this!”
She was now a proper adult, and that made her inspire trust.
Velkia used her strength to straighten a building’s pillar.
Her somehow confident bearing reminded him of Luna.
“Ah! Thank you, Lady Velkia.”
“No, it’s only natural that I should help.”
She waved at the person she had greeted with a gentle smile.
'Did she always have a side like that?'
It was completely different from the Velkia Leo knew.
Many Elves relied on Velkia and followed her.
In that sight, he could see a glimpse of Lysinas’s shadow.
“Lady Velkia!”
“Play with us!”
Just then, Elven children swarmed around Velkia.
“I’m a bit busy. What should I do?”
When Velkia gave an awkward smile, the children’s ears drooped.
“Well, shall we play for just a little bit?”
“Yes!”
“Did she always like children?”
That part of her resembled Arron.
After playing with all the children, Velkia returned to work.
She silently performed her duties, giving others something to believe in.
Encouraged by her iron will, the Elves found their strength again.
That image somehow resembled Dweno.
“……”
“This place has improved a lot, hasn’t it?”
“Vihar?”
Velkia’s expression brightened at the voice from behind her.
“Welcome back! How are things in the East?”
“Not bad for us, either.”
Vihar gave a faint smile.
“It seems you still won’t show yourself in front of people.”
Vihar closed her eyes as she looked at Velkia, who had asked in a pitying voice.
“There are still many traitors. Covered in blood every day as I am, I believe I am someone who does not belong in this era.”
During the Era of Calamity.
Kyle and Vihar had slaughtered countless traitors.
An internal enemy was more terrifying than an external one.
Those who ate away at hope had cropped up like a plague, over and over again.
And after the world was saved, they lived comfortable lives as if nothing had ever happened.
They hid their crimes and lived shamelessly.
“……We won. The world is already at peace. Vihar, isn’t it a waste to throw your life away chasing those people until the very end?”
“No, I cannot allow that.”
Vihar smiled.
“Whose sacrifice are they living on? How dare they shamelessly enjoy this peace?”
But what dwelled in her eyes was clear hatred and murderous intent.
“They must pay the price.”
“Vihar……”
“Those bastards need to know that I am always watching from the shadows.”
Like the moon in the night sky.
“They must feel the fear of never knowing when it will be their turn.”
Vihar had no intention of stopping.
Velkia’s lips parted as she watched her.
“I……”
In truth, Velkia felt the same way as Vihar.
She also wanted to execute those who had plagued this world. No, those who would surely plague it again one day.
“You need to stay as you are, Velkia.”
“……”
“You’re different from me.”
Vihar gave a broad smile.
She had to illuminate the world like the sun.
That was the kind of being Velkia was.
“There’s no need for you to set foot in the darkness of the world. You don’t need to know its filth. You just need to remain as you are now.”
“Vihar, you need to know. The world isn’t entirely filthy.”
Vihar laughed bitterly.
“That doesn’t work well for me.”
“……”
Vihar rose from her seat.
“Let’s not give up, each in our own place. Just like our Master did.”
“……Yeah.”
“Shall we go visit the graves next week?”
“Should we?”
They returned to their daily lives with bright smiles.
Watching them, Leo muttered.
“They’ve grown up so much.”
These were versions of his disciples that Leo did not know.
Disciples who had suddenly become adults and were walking their own paths.
Whether that path led to a bright world or a deep abyss.
They moved forward on the paths they had chosen.
In their own ways, they were cultivating the world their predecessors had passed down to them.
They were dedicating everything they had to rebuild the broken world.
'Just like we did.'
In his past life, he had simply thought they would each live their lives well.
Because of that, he had never thought about how they would grow up.
Since they were reliable children, he had assumed they would live well.
That was all he had thought.
But facing them like this gave him a strange feeling.
Sides of his disciples that he had never known.
Is this how a parent feels?
“They’ve really… grown up a lot.”
===
Time passed.
Leo stayed by Velkia’s side and watched her life unfold.
She rebuilt the Elven home.
She did not hesitate to sacrifice herself for the world.
She worked so that the world, having regained its light, could shine even more brilliantly.
And then…
Roooooar—!
The Legion of Tartarus spread out before his eyes.
Tartarus, which had maintained its power since Erebos was subjugated, invaded once again to destroy the world.
To those who were barely rebuilding the world, it was quite literally a calamity.
Traitors who had been holding their breath all over the world destroyed their homes.
The hope they had barely cultivated was trampled and burned.
After the subjugation of Erebos, the Legion of Tartarus had spent years recovering from the damage inflicted by the Great Heroes and growing its strength.
It was powerful.
Many Heroes had already closed their eyes during the Era of Calamity.
The Great Heroes were also gone now.
All that remained were buds with the potential to become Heroes.
They lacked strength and experience.
But.
“This world is our home!”
The Great Heroes had surely foreseen such a situation and left behind hope.
“But! We have only ever been on the receiving end until now!”
Velkia, standing at the front, shouted.
“Now we must protect this world that our predecessors passed down to us!”
The despairing new Heroes looked at Velkia, who stood at the lead.
Those born in the light and forced to live in darkness longed for the light.
But those who longed for the light even more might be those who were born in darkness and came to learn what light was.
“We must protect it and pass it on! Just like they did!”
In the face of despair, Velkia never gave up.
Just like her Master had.
“Everyone!”
Velkia shouted with determination.
“Let us fight!”
“Waaaaaaa!”
A miraculous victory that would make it impossible for Tartarus to launch another offensive for the next 2,000 years.
Velkia achieved it right here and now.
===
“He’s beautiful. So beautiful!”
Velkia laughed brightly as she looked at her child in the crib.
Watching her, Maid spoke.
“Whose son do you think he is?”
“My son!”
Velkia puffed out her chest with a proud “Ahem!”, showing a glimpse of the version of her Leo used to know.
It was a side she only showed in front of her beloved partner, Maid.
“He’s my son too, isn’t he?”
“Yes. But he took after me more.”
Leo sat to one side, resting his chin on his hand as he watched them.
'She looks happy.'
Here, Leo was an observer who could not intervene in the story.
Even so, he could clearly feel Velkia’s emotions.
However…
Leo’s face was not entirely bright.
“Ah, has it already gotten this late?”
Velkia hurriedly stood up.
Watching her, Maid spoke urgently.
“Velkia.”
“Yes?”
“Can’t you just retire now?”
“……”
Velkia stood still and looked at Maid.
“The world has found peace again. Though we don’t know for sure… it must have regained some of what it was before the Era of Calamity. I believe world peace has already been restored. You’ve already accomplished so much, haven’t you? Can’t you just enjoy your life now?”
“……”
Velkia closed her eyes and gave a broad smile.
“Yes, that’s certainly true. The world has definitely regained its light.”
The world had already flourished.
It was sufficiently bright and beautiful.
The scars left by the Era of Calamity had almost vanished by now.
“But there must still be more I can do for the world.”
In this era, Velkia had risen to a position equal to that of the Great Heroes of the past.
She had led the way in rebuilding the world.
She had saved a world on the brink of collapse.
It was not something Velkia had achieved alone.
But…
'It was possible because Velkia was there.'
Leo stared intently at his disciple.
“I want to make a brighter world.”
Velkia gave a broad smile as she placed both hands on her stomach.
“Just like the Great Heroes… just like my Masters did. I want to pass on a brighter light to our first child… and our second, who will be born soon… to those who will live in the future. I can work a bit harder. Don’t worry, Maid. I am Velkia, after all.”
Winking with one eye just like her Master and speaking confidently, Velkia left the room.
“……”
Leo silently stood up and followed her.
“Velkia……”
Just before passing by Maid, who was calling Velkia’s name worriedly, Leo stopped for a moment and said,
“Thank you.”
For being by his disciple’s side.
It was a thank you that would not reach him.
But he absolutely wanted to convey it.
Because if it had not been for Maid, Velkia would have broken down long ago.
Leo left the room.
Then he watched Velkia’s back as she walked down the hallway.
Those slender shoulders were carrying the world.
Of course, Lysinas and the other Great Heroes had done the same.
But…
'It’s different from our time.'
The weight of a world on the brink of destruction was different from that of a world that had regained peace and grown larger.
And that world was pressing down on Velkia.
===
Bang—!
“How can you only think of the Dwarves’ profits!”
“That’s rich coming from a human steeped in greed!”
“What did you say?!”
A grand council.
A place where leaders gathered to discuss the future of the world.
In the beginning, it had not been a place where people raised their voices at each other.
They had fulfilled their mission for the reconstruction of the world.
And for its prosperity.
But as the leaders became people of power, it had transformed into a place where they fought for their own interests.
Even those who had originally been noble changed after tasting power.
Others who had accomplished nothing and merely inherited their positions were now attending the council in great numbers.
“……”
From the highest seat, Velkia let out a deep sigh.
'It has changed.'
Velkia could not understand those who pushed their own greed so far that they neglected harmony.
The current world was one where power had disappeared, only to take root again.
Those who had never seen power, who did not even properly understand it, had become far too intoxicated by its strength.
Yes, she could not understand them.
Because she was still noble.
“Stop it.”
Velkia spoke in a low voice.
Misfortune might have been a predetermined conclusion.
“I will mediate.”
The power held by her noble self was far too great, and she was still just and fair.
She was also far too pure.
To those blinded by greed, Velkia had become an obstacle blocking their desires.
Perhaps it was only natural that ugly malice would be directed toward her.
'We can no longer watch the Fairy Knight run the world as she pleases!'
===
War broke out.
Velkia was horrified.
How could a war break out between races?
Only a few decades ago, they had fought together against destruction, and now they were at war.
For Velkia, who had never experienced war, nothing was more shocking.
Velkia hurriedly stepped forward to stop it.
She ended the war single-handedly.
She avoided the worst-case scenario.
But countless lives had already been lost.
Tramp, tramp.
Walking under the bright starlight, Velkia looked up at the sky with a bitter smile.
“……It’s hard, Master Luna.”
Standing still beneath the night sky, Velkia slapped both her cheeks.
“If it were Master Kyle, he would have kicked my butt for acting weak. Right! Let’s cheer up. Let’s think of a way to prevent war.”
Velkia made a vow, clenched her fists, and opened a Warp Gate to return to her mansion.
Fwoooosh—!
What greeted her was her burning mansion.
And standing there was…
“Hello. It’s been a while.”
It was the Monster Queen, Silatuna, waving her hand with a chilling smile.
(T/N: Fuck...)
***
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