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Having concluded his audience with the emperor, Leo immediately exited the royal chamber.
Fritz and Jane, who had been waiting outside the emperor’s room, approached Leo as he emerged.
“How did it go?”
“They said they can’t arrange a meeting.”
“That’s what I thought.”
Jane shook her head as if she had expected this.
Fritz looked perplexed.
“That’s strange. They won’t even allow a meeting?”
“Do you think it’s so easy to meet the shadow of Shan?”
“Hey, kid.”
“Ki, kid?”
Leo’s comment left Jane flustered.
“Did you just call me kid?”
“Should I call you kid instead?”
Leo tilted his head as he pointed at Fritz, who was taller than him.
Seeing this, Jane bristled.
“I’m older than you, you know?!”
Jane, who turned 17 this year, was technically Leo’s senior, even if she was a junior in terms of rank.
However, Leo, who retained memories from his previous life, paid no heed to such trivialities.
“I have something to ask you, but where can I rest?”
“Are you even listening?!”
“Guide him.”
“…”
Jane’s shoulders slumped as she saw that her words meant nothing to Leo.
‘Somehow, I feel like I’d be the only fool if I argue with this guy.’
“I’ll guide you.”
Jane proceeded to lead Leo. Since arriving in Shan, Jane had been assigned as Leo’s guide.
As Jane led the way, Fritz murmured under his breath.
“Kid…”
Fritz chuckled after muttering softly.
“Huh? What’s the meaning of that laugh? Are you picking a fight?”
Jane, who had gotten irritated, didn’t hold back with Fritz.
After the commotion settled, Jane led Leo to an annex beside the palace.
Despite the late hour, a hundred people were lined up on either side in the annex.
“Welcome to the Shan Empire, Lord Leo. We will do our utmost to ensure your stay is comfortable.”
The middle-aged man who appeared to be the head butler bowed respectfully to Leo.
‘They’re shadows.’
Not only the head butler, but among the hundred lined-up servants and maids, several also had the aura of shadows.
Fritz, who seemed to have noticed this too, narrowed his eyes but remained silent.
Leo was then escorted into the largest room inside the annex.
“If you need anything, please feel free to call.”
With that polite statement, the head butler left the room.
Leo sat down on the large, luxurious chair in the room.
“What do you want to know from me?”
Jane stood before Leo and asked.
Looking at her, Leo said, “Can you tell me about Chen Sia that you know?”
“Pardon?”
“I’m curious about the life of Chen Sia that I don’t know about. Also, how she ended up in Lumeran and why she decided to stop being a hero candidate.”
Shau had mentioned that Chen Sia admired heroes since she was young and believed that, if she ever met Leo, she would be swayed to abandon the path of shadows and instead take the path of heroism.
On the other hand, Jane said Chen Sia stopped being a hero candidate because of Leo.
“I’ve been serving Lady Sia for the past ten years.”
Shadow candidates train from a young age to become shadows.
Jane, who was an orphan, had been taken in by the shadows of Shan, recognized for her aptitude as a shadow, and became a shadow candidate.
“Exceptional shadow candidates can serve under royalty. I was one of those.”
Candidates selected to follow Chen Sia were destined to shape the future of the Shan Empire.
“Lady Sia cherished the shadow candidates who followed her.”
The training for shadow candidates was not just harsh but brutal. Dwelling in darkness, they were tasked with eliminating traitors without hesitation.
Some were so cruelly tested that their humanity was erased. In the process, many became mere machines following orders to k*ll.
“Actually, some are deliberately raised to be that way.”
Leo’s eyes narrowed.
“Everyone followed Lady Sia. That’s why we hoped she would become a hero.”
Jane closed her eyes tightly.
“She was a person better suited to being a hero than a shadow. Last year, Lady Sia went to Lumeran.”
“Given the emperor’s character, I doubt he would have easily approved.”
“Yes. His Majesty set a condition for Lady Sia.”
“Condition?”
“If she couldn’t become the class representative, she would have to give up her aspiration completely.”
In essence, if she failed to be the best among the hero candidates, she would need to abandon the path of a hero.
“So, by saying that Chen was discouraged due to you, Leo senior, was that all?”
Fritz frowned as he listened to the story.
“That’s just blaming others.”
“I GET IT! I know already!”
Jane glared furiously at Fritz.
But soon, she slumped her shoulders.
“Is giving up on becoming a hero all there is?”
“On the day Lady Sia returned, she said she had seen people truly worthy of being heroes… Those people were the ones destined to become true heroes,” Jane said, bowing her head deeply.
“Considering herself steeped in darkness, she decided that she could no longer become a hero.”
Hearing this, Leo let out a deep sigh.
“By any chance, do you know about a person named Bihar?”
“No, who is that?”
“If you don’t know, that’s fine.”
Shaking his head, Leo leaned back further into the chair.
“Why do all the lies sound so familiar?”
“Huh?”
“It’s a mutter to myself.”
Leo closed his eyes.
Whoosh Whoosh –
A woman stood atop the towering walls of Guardstron, looking down at the city.
After the large-scale battle that had occurred some time ago, people were blessing the heroes who had triumphed in the Tartmetia battle.
Led by Lissinas, the Great Heroes and the countless brave warriors who followed them had managed to reclaim many lost territories after their victory in Tartmetia.
“To the achievements of the great heroes! Cheers!”
“Cheers!”
“To the hero’s efforts in saving the world! Cheers!”
“Cheers!”
“Waaaahhhhhh!”
The residents of Guardstron cheered joyously.
The eyes of the people, who had lived for decades in despair and lament, were now filled with newfound hope.
The perpetually gloomy, gray skies hung above them, but thanks to the brilliant accomplishments of the Great Heroes, the people started believing once again.
They believed that perhaps someday, these gray skies would disappear, and they would reclaim the lost blue skies they had longed for.
The long era of despair had come to an end, and they were confident they could restore peace.
Once again, the people found something hopeful to look forward to.
Cheers and laughter filled the air.
Humans, elves, beastmen, and dwarves alike gathered to celebrate the festival.
The beastmen played instruments, and the humans sang along.
The elves danced gracefully in response, while the dwarves constructed stages.
The dragons narrated the great deeds of the heroes to the children.
All of them united in celebrating this monumental victory.
Everyone smiled brightly, wrapped in the warm light of hope.
Only the woman, standing isolated in a shadow on the wall, remained apart from the light.
From a distance, she smiled as she gazed at the festival.
“There you go, being sentimental again.”
At the sound from behind her, Bihar gasped and swayed.
Losing her balance, she flailed her arms and fell off the wall.
“Kyaaa, Master Kyle!”
Scrambling, Bihar managed to grab the railing of the wall and climbed back up.
“Are you trying to fall and d*e?”
“Who would d*e falling from this height?”
Kyle sat down on the wall, clearly unimpressed by Bihar’s clumsiness.
Sitting on her knees in front of Kyle, Bihar looked up at him.
“When do you plan to stop hiding from the people?”
“For as long as it takes. They don’t have to know about me forever, do they?”
“You too saved many people. You are a hero.”
“While everyone else fought against Tartarus, I had bl**d on my hands, even from traitors. I don’t wish to appear before people.”
Bihar looked at her hands.
“Besides, among those I personally executed, there are people who are still remembered as great heroes. Many people would find it hard to accept my existence.”
Traitors undoubtedly needed to be punished.
But if the people discovered that some of the heroes they believed in were traitors…
The people who were just beginning to hope would undoubtedly fall back into despair.
This was a time when people needed someone to believe in and rely on.
As such, there were also quite a few heroes who were remembered as noble figures despite being executed by Kyle and Bihar for betrayal.
“I won’t be a hero who has dabbled in darkness.”
“And what am I supposed to be?”
“You’re different, Master Kyle. You’re someone who shines even in the darkness.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
Kyle gave a look of incredulity, but Bihar merely smiled.
“Don’t worry too much. When the time comes, in a world without Erebus and Tartarus… I’ll let everyone know I existed.”
“Oh, there you are!”
A drunken voice called out.
Luna ran over and threw her arms tightly around Kyle’s neck.
“You! You ran away without finishing your drink? That means you concede defeat to me!”
“Stop breathing into my ear. Your breath smells.”
“How does it smell?”
“You just threw it up, of course your breath smells.”
Luna tightened her grip on Kyle’s neck and started shaking him furiously.
In retaliation, Kyle pinched her cheeks and shook her.
In her anger, Luna bit Kyle’s hand, and Leo grabbed both her cheeks.
“Dwenno! They’re fighting again!”
“Leave them be. How long have these fools been at it?”
“Aaron. Why are you always here alone?”
Aaron and Dwenno appeared, while Lissinas smiled faintly and expressed concern for Bihar.
The elven girl Berkiya, who followed, looked dispirited.
“Why is Berkiya so deflated? Oh right, she forgot a sword gifted by Luna during the battle.”
“Ah…”
Bihar, hearing the exclamation, went over and gently patted Berkiya’s head.
“Don’t worry, I’ll find it for you.”
“Really?”
Berkiya’s eyes wide, Bihar smiled warmly.
“Of course.”
“Hey. Don’t take it. She’ll get spoiled.”
“Be!”
Berkiya stuck her tongue out at Kyle.
“You brat…”
The once quiet wall was now filled with chaos.
This place was another hangout for the Great Heroes.
Dwenno opened a barrel of alcohol and drank happily with Kyle and Luna.
Aaron played the flute, and Lissinas hummed softly.
Bihar, Berkiya, and the disciples of other Great Heroes all laughed brightly.
“…”
Leo opened his eyes.
‘In the end, Bihar chose to stay unknown to the world.’
She had no intention of becoming a hero.
Thus, Leo couldn’t fault her for choosing to remain in the shadows her entire life.
But Chen Sia?
She wanted to be a hero.
“Do you really think she can’t be a hero just because she dabbled in darkness? How arrogant.”
Upon hearing Leo’s words, Fritz and Jane shuddered.
Somewhere in the darkness of the Shan Empire’s palace, Leo’s eyes glared ominously out the window.
Leo approached the window after standing up.
“Where are you going?”
Jane asked anxiously.
“Looking for Chen Sia.”
“Huh? Do you even know where she is?”
“I’ll find her if I search.”
Even Chen Sia, hidden deep in the palace’s shadows, couldn’t be found by Jane, a shadow candidate.
In fact, even the most capable shadows would find it hard.
“And if you find her?”
Seeing Jane’s fluster, Leo smiled faintly.
“What do I plan to do? I’ll drag her out of the darkness, of course.”
![[TS] The Protagonist is Conquered](https://i3.wp.com/novelhitam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1743806812-5548-TS-The-Protagonist-is-Conquered.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The Protagonist is Conquered")
