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At Elshi’s question, Rael made a momentarily bewildered expression.
“What? An era you should have survived? What are you talking about?”
He couldn’t understand what the spirit in front of him was saying.
Elshi, who flew up to Rael’s face, made a slightly pouty expression.
– You say you’ve given up on this world, but the fact that you haven’t passed it on to the next generation and haven’t vanished means you still have some lingering attachment, doesn’t it?
Elshi spoke in a sulky tone.
– As if you’ve seen all the darkness of the world.
Elshi pouted her lips and made a dissatisfied face.
It wasn’t like the usual Elshi.
But Elshi found the Great Spirit in front of her frustrating in her own way.
Despite having a radiant light more splendid than anyone else, she pursued darkness.
She could shine brighter. It seemed she was killing her own light.
Taking on darkness isn’t the role of a spirit of light.
To shine the beacon of hope and guide people.
That was what the spirit of light was about.
“I don’t know what you’ve seen.”
Rael frowned.
“You can’t understand my darkness.”
– Then show me the darkness you’ve seen first.
“Are you saying you can understand my darkness?”
– Of course.
Elshi smiled brightly.
‘To think she can be so bright while being a darkness spirit…!’
Rael reached out his hand to Elshi.
On Rael’s hand, a small halo of light sparkled.
“I won’t take responsibility if your mind breaks.”
It was the darkness that had tormented a Great Spirit.
When a spiritual entity’s mind cracks, it suffers a fatal wound.
At Rael’s words, Elshi reached out her hand to the halo of light.
Swoosh-!
Bright light burst forth.
It was just a brief moment.
But for Elshi, it felt like an incredibly long time.
Elshi opened her eyes.
Her obsidian-like pupils, darker than a night sky without even starlight, reflected Rael’s face.
Elshi smiled bitterly.
At that moment, Rael was taken aback by Elshi’s expression.
– You must have had a hard time.
Elshi, with her hand outstretched, gently patted Rael’s head with her small palm.
Seeing Elshi comforting her as if she understood everything made Rael’s face twist.
“What the hell?”
Was the darkness she was hiding so light that it could be understood so easily?
“Who are you to understand me like that?!”
– Um.
Elshi held her cheeks, contemplating as if in trouble.
– I wouldn’t say it’s a competition, but perhaps it’s because I’ve had more experience than you.
Elshi smiled bitterly and reached out her hand.
The darkness rippled.
– Want to take a look?
Rael glanced at Elshi’s darkness and reached out his hand.
The darkness wrapped around Rael’s body.
Moments later, Rael stepped back with a pale face.
“You… what are you?”
The era Elshi showed him was filled with nothing but despair.
“How did you survive the Era of Catastrophe?”
– I am a past Great Spirit.
Elshi introduced herself.
– I am the Great Spirit of Darkness, the Shadow Spirit Elshi, born in the Era of Catastrophe and vanished in that same era.
Seeing Elshi formally introduce herself again made Rael’s eyes tremble.
“How can a Great Spirit that perished 5000 years ago be here in this era?”
– I borrowed the power of the Hero Record.
Rael could not deny Elshi’s words.
The landscapes in her memories were indeed from the Era of Catastrophe.
As Rodia’s Vow Keeper, he had tackled the Hero Records of the Great Heroes alongside them, so he clearly remembered the scenery from that era.
However, the despair of being a person who had to live through that era was completely different from merely experiencing a part of it through the Hero Record.
Rael’s hands trembled.
He could see Elshi’s feelings through her memories.
“How… can you smile like that?”
Rael managed to speak with a trembling voice as he gazed at Elshi.
“How can you move towards the light?”
Despite having lived through such a despairing time, Elshi did not let go of hope.
– Well.
Elshi tilted her head.
– Maybe it’s because… the light is that beautiful.
Elshi’s bright smile captivated Rael’s eyes.
Witnessing that moment, Leo smiled bitterly.
Leo knew another Elshi.
If the current Elshi was the one before she went astray.
The Elshi Leo had originally known was the spirit who had more skepticism about the world than anyone else.
‘Yet, she sacrificed herself for the world.’
For a starlit sky she had never seen before, Elshi willingly offered her life.
Born as the darkest being in the darkest era, Elshi was that kind of spirit.
– So don’t give up on this world.
Elshi gently caressed Rael’s cheek and smiled brightly.
– Don’t give up on your Vow Keeper. If you don’t give up, you can surely save everyone. Just like how this world, which had lost its light, regained it once again.
Rael’s face twisted as if he might cry.
For Rael, who was trapped in deep darkness, that one sentence felt like salvation.
Rael had transformed into a small form the size of Elshi’s palm.
– So.
Rael looked at Leo.
– Leo Flove, what the hell is your identity?
A hero candidate with a Vow Keeper from the Era of Catastrophe.
At Rael’s question, Elshi spoke.
– You must never say that I had a hard time in front of Leo.
– Huh?
– If you mess up, you’ll hear something like, “Have you fought Erebus? Or have you seen the world perish?” Did you hear earlier? What they call the modern kids?
“What do you think of me?”
Rael sighed softly, and Leo glanced at Rael.
“I’m the reincarnation of the Hero of Beginning.”
– The H-Hero of Beginning?
Rael’s eyes widened at the identity of Leo he had never imagined.
“Why? Don’t you believe me?”
– W-Well, considering Elshi’s identity… it’s not impossible.
Rael’s tone towards Elshi had changed to a respectful one without him even realizing it.
It was only natural.
Elshi was a Great Spirit who had been alongside the Great Heroes during the Era of Catastrophe.
For Rael, she was akin to a senior.
‘Leo Flove is an all-class. He’s shown unevenly remarkable conduct.’
5000 years since the Hero Record existed and the Era of Heroes had opened.
Even after the existence of the Hero’s World was revealed, there had been no one with abilities like Kyle’s.
In the first place, there hadn’t been anyone who inherited Kyle’s power, even among the Heroes of the Cataclysm.
Deliberating over Leo, Rael carefully asked.
– W-Well, if you really are the Hero of Beginning…
With a cautious glance, Rael mustered up the courage to ask.
– Did you really not know that the King of Wisdom has feelings for you?
“……”
Leo stared at Rael with a blank expression.
At Leo’s gaze, Rael involuntarily made a subtle expression.
“Do you think I really didn’t know? I just had to turn a blind eye because I had to embark on a journey to save the world.”
Elshi looked at Leo with a face of disbelief, and Rael sighed in relief.
– I knew it, right? Rodia said so! She said it was too poor of her, teaching etiquette that doesn’t need to be learned for the dragon tribe so openly. If you didn’t notice that, you’d really be an idiot.
Leo simply smiled gently.
‘These d*mn kids are ridiculous.’
Seirun called her an idiot, and Rodia called him a fool.
Before lecturing, Leo thought he should punish them first and said.
“Then let me ask you, Light Spirit.”
Leo stepped closer to Rael.
“Will you form a vow with me?”
Rael looked up at Leo.
Traditionally, the spirits of light have been Vow Keepers for those who would lead the world.
During the Era of Catastrophe, the one who was to lead the salvation of the world was the King of Wisdom, Lissinas.
And during the Rebirth of Catastrophe, that role was filled by the Dragon of the Cataclysm, Rodia.
– If Lord Kyle faces the primordial evil once more… he would have to stake everything again. Do you think this world is worth that much?
“Worth?”
Leo laughed.
“Once, Elshi asked me the same thing.”
At words spoken by another self he didn’t even know, Elshi smiled bitterly.
“I thought the same, and I know well that the world we wanted to save… is not only beautiful.”
‘We will save the world.’
He recalled the words left by a friend who had departed first, leaving him behind.
‘Why do we have to save it? Is this world worth that much?’
He also recalled how he had responded with a crooked argument.
“But this world is also filled with blooming flowers and children who smile brightly.”
Leo looked down at the cityscape visible outside.
The sun was already setting.
‘It’s not a matter of whether it’s worth it or not.’
“It’s not something to judge by whether it’s valuable or not.”
As Leo turned around, a red sunset poured behind him.
‘It’s the world that my precious people cherished and loved, and the world to live in. That alone is reason enough to stake everything.’
“It’s the world that my precious people cherished and loved, and the world to live in. Just that reason is enough, just like I learned from someone.”
– Is just that reason really enough?
“It’s a fact that the most foolish yet wise one taught me, so I’m certain.”
Seeing Leo answer without hesitation, Rael lowered his head respectfully.
– Lord Kyle, no. Lord Leo Flove, I promise to become your Vow Keeper and support you as a sword and shield that opens your path.
Rael lifted his head and reached out his hand.
The contract’s seal appeared on Leo’s hand.
– Once more, please save the world.
“Okay. I look forward to working with you, Light Spirit.”
On a late night when the sun had set.
Iliana, who was leading the group through the alley, spoke with a face all flushed.
“So, I saw the class leader clearly entering a shady area!”
Chloe squinted her eyes at Iliana’s words.
“Leo wouldn’t go to such a weird alley.”
Seeing Chloe filled with disbelief, Iliana looked exasperated.
“Right! If it was the usual class leader’s image, it wouldn’t be like that! But the class leader is a boy too!”
Iliana’s words made Chloe look at Kal with a look of disdain.
“Kal, what do you think?”
“Well, it’s true Leo has never shown interest in that direction.”
“Right, he’s a grown-up Leo!”
“They just don’t understand anything.”
Iliana raised her index finger as if making a point.
“The leader is very mature.”
“Exactly.”
“Mature people do amazing things.”
“What amazing thing?”
As Chelsea opened her eyes sleepily, Kal grinned cheekily.
“Why ask when you know? If two people enter a room, it’s amazing magic that makes three.”
“No! It could also be magic that makes four!”
Whack-!
“Cough!”
“Kek!”
Chelsea smacked Kal and Iliana by the neck with both arms.
“Make tasteless jokes in moderation.”
Seeing Chloe with a look of disdain, she clicked her tongue.
“They probably went for investigation.”
Having arrived at the entrance of the pleasure district, the four of them stood there.
“Grandma!”
“Ah, you’re the little lady who screamed and ran away earlier.”
On a late night.
A chuckling old woman spoke.
“You can see even more amazing things in this street at night. Did you come out of curiosity?”
“I’m not interested in such things!”
Iliana shouted back, while Kal grinned wickedly next to her.
“Really?”
Smack-!
“Cough?”
Kal, who was struck in the gut, crumpled down.
“Do you know where the boy who went in earlier is?”
“I didn’t see him come out, so he should still be in the pleasure district.”
At those words, Iliana flinched and spoke.
“See! There’s no way they would investigate for so long! The class leader is definitely lost in the adult world here!”
Chloe and Chelsea wore surprised looks upon hearing that Leo had been there for a long time.
Kal’s mouth hung open.
“Wow, that’s just classic Leo, isn’t it?”
“Leo wouldn’t act like that!”
Chelsea yelled with a flushed face, causing Kal to flinch.
“N-No! Don’t yell at me.”
“What are you kids doing here?”
Leo appeared at the entrance.
Iliana looked Leo up and down.
Just as Chelsea and Chloe hesitated slightly.
“Class leader, be honest.”
“What about?”
“Did you play around here? Did you experience the adult world? Isn’t that so?”
To those words, Leo pulled Iliana’s cheek.
“What are you talking about?”
“Ha, stop it!”
“This is so obvious. I’ve known since you hid those unhealthy magazines and stories in the dormitory.”
“Ah! Ah! Ah!”
Iliana screamed to prevent Leo from continuing with a red face.
“We agreed not to talk about it!”
“If you read that much, you’ll only have weird imaginations like this.”
“Don’t say it!”
Iliana protested urgently, but as Leo scolded her, her dark history was being revealed.
“I sometimes have this thought when I see how Leo scolds the kids.”
Chelsea looked at Kal.
“Doesn’t it remind you of when you get scolded by your parents?”
“Yeah, I agree.”
Chelsea nodded her head.
Kal looked at Chloe.
“Your expression looks fierce.”
“I’m just trying to scold Iliana a bit.”
Chloe, the dorm leader, was angry at Iliana for bringing in forbidden items.
“Are you my mother?”
Smack-!
“Cough!?”
Kal hit the ground after being struck in the side for saying something unnecessary.
![[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")
