Chapter 420

420.

“Hero Record?”

“Book of Shadows? What is that supposed to mean!”

Chaos found its way into the meeting room.

“How does it look to you?”

The head of the Jeron family, one of the three great families of Lumeran and the chairperson of the board at Lumeran, Altech Jeron, asked his younger brother.

Alby, who had received the Eye of the Fairy King as a gift, possessed the ability to see through falsehoods.

Alby, gazing at the Book of Shadows in response to Altech’s question, spoke.

“It feels like the same power we know from the Hero Record.”

At Alby’s answer, Altech stroked his chin.

“A new Hero Record.”

Altech looked at the Book of Shadows with interest.

It wasn’t just him.

Djean Riguard standing nearby and Nishella Turcia also exclaimed while carefully inspecting the Hero Record.

Djean Riguard.

The head of the Riguard family, which governs Rumelia City.

In other words, he was the master of the world’s center, Rumelia.

Nishella Turcia was the Guild Master of Twilight Guild, known as the largest guild in the world.

Twilight Guild had originated 3000 years ago from the Dusk Knights led by Lumeran.

The three great families of Lumeran: Jeron, Riguard, and Turcia.

All these families were once disciples of Lumeran.

Jeron followed Lumeran’s will and carried forward the academy he established.

Riguard received the land cultivated by Lumeran.

Turcia inherited the knights Lumeran had led.

These three families had been the guardians and managers of Lumeran Academy’s Hero Record for the past 3000 years.

Therefore, the heads of these three families knew more about the Hero Record than anyone else.

Including its history.

“Have you, Lord Altech, ever heard of something called the Book of Shadows?”

“Never.”

“What about you, Lord Djean?”

“I haven’t either. Head of the Turcia family.”

The mid-20s Nishella looked at the Book of Shadows with interest.

Nishella Turcia.

A woman who, at the age of 26, became the head of the Turcia family.

As the Vow Keeper of the Great Spirit of Wind and Phoenix, she thwarted the invasion of the Undead Army five years ago and inscribed her name in the Hero Record, earning her reputation as a young hero.

As everyone’s attention focused on the Book of Shadows,

King Lucky said,

“The Book of Shadows? What is that thing?”

“The Hero Record where the Shadows have inscribed their names.”

“How absurd! Even if it were true, it would surely be a fake!”

“King Lucky. Do you consider yourself qualified to judge whether the Hero Record is real or fake? You are neither a hero nor a shadow, aren’t you?”

“…”

At Shaw’s words, King Lucky wore an expression of frustration.

A hero earns the right through their own strength by overcoming hardships and adversities, whereas a king inherits the right simply through lineage.

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

being a descendant of a hero doesn’t automatically make one a hero.

Hence, among the kings who attended the summit, many were not heroes, including King Lucky.

As everyone looked at the Book of Shadows in disbelief,

Melina raised her hand.

Thereupon, one of the dragons waiting behind her approached the central podium, politely asked Shaw for permission, and brought the Book of Shadows to Melina.

Carefully receiving it, Melina opened the Hero Record.

Everyone watched the scene holding their breath.

The power emanating from the Book of Shadows was undoubtedly that of the Hero Record.

“Could it be…the records of the Shadows, after 5000 years of never being inscribed in the Hero Record, have been discovered now?”

“Moreover, in such an intact state?”

No matter how much evidence there was, it was hard to accept something that had been regarded as fact for 5000 years.

However, if acknowledged by the Dragon Lord Melina, they had to accept it: Shadows were heroes who inscribed their names in the Hero Record equally.

In the midst of this, Melina, who was examining the Hero Record, spoke.

“Indeed, this is their record.”

“What?”

“Unthinkable!”

“Are you saying it’s not a fake?”

“It’s real. Moreover…”

“Moreover?”

“There’s an account of Lord Kyle, the Hero of Beginning.”

“A record of the Great Hero?”

“Lord Kyle’s record is there!”

A gasp of astonished outcry erupted, even more surprising than when the existence of the Book of Shadows was revealed.

Everyone sprang to their feet in astonishment.

“Yes,” Melina smiled faintly and nodded.

“Could it be that the Hero of Beginning was a Shadow?”

“That would explain why the records of the Hero of Beginning weren’t revealed until now.”

The heroes looked bewildered.

At this point, Melina asked Shaw,

“Emperor Shaw of Shan, where did you find this Hero Record?”

Melina already knew the identity of the Book of Shadows.

Moreover, she had already heard from Leo how the Book of Shadows came into existence.

However, she couldn’t reveal the truth just like that.

Shaw glanced at Leo before speaking,

“It was stored deep underground in Shan for a long time and was only discovered recently. After numerous verifications, it was determined to be a Hero Record that has never been revealed to the world until now, and hence it has been made public.”

In response to Shaw’s words, the acting head of the Seirun Academy, Run, spoke up,

“Good. It’s a fact that Shadows have been discriminated against for a long time simply because they didn’t inscribe their names on the Hero Record.”

Run, who had the appearance of a young man but was an elder-grade figure in the Elf society, smiled with a sense of experience.

“Isn’t it proof that Shadows, too, have guarded the world for the past 5,000 years?”

“Hmm.”

“That might be true…but…”

Some people showed uneasy expressions.

“What? If the Hero of Beginning was a Shadow, it’s a surprising story, isn’t it? So, their records have been hidden behind history until now?”

King Lucky whispered, showing an uncomfortable expression.

“Hmm. Are we equating Shadows with Great Heroes?”

“Isn’t that something we need to discuss?”

Some kings revealed uneasy expressions.

Even though the Dragon Lord acknowledged it and the Hero Record with their records inscribed on it was discovered, after thousands of years of perception, it wasn’t showing any signs of easy change.

There were as many heroes with positive views on Shadows as there were those who were not.

At that moment,

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

Everyone’s gaze turned to Melina.

“You might not know this…”

Melina covered the Book of Shadows and spoke calmly.

“The Great Hero who fell first was Lady Aron.”

At this statement, everyone held their breath.

The story of how the Great Heroes vanquished the primordial evil Erebus is well known.

Because this world is living proof of that.

But…

There are no remaining stories about the final battle between the Great Heroes and Erebus.

3000 years ago,

During the process where the Heroes of the Cataclysm sealed the endlessly resurrecting shards of Erebus in the Hero Record, many records burned away.

And during the tearing process, many more records were lost.

Numerous lost records were burned away by Tartarus.

In this process, the records of the Great Heroes’ final journey disappeared into the depths of history as well.

Thus, it is unknown who ultimately vanquished Erebus.

What is known is that all the Great Heroes died during the process of subduing Erebus.

Since the Great Heroes are revered figures in each race, the stories of their last battles vary widely.

However, historians and scholars of heroism generally agree that in the final battle, all the Great Heroes gathered their strength, barely vanquished Erebus, and lost their lives in the process.

The truth of history is known by no one.

The tales long buried in history.

Having received these tales directly from those involved, Melina recounted the forgotten past.

“The hero was afraid of seeing his companions d*e, so he chose to sacrifice himself. And entrusted everything to the Hero of Beginning.”

‘The reason he volunteered as the shield… was that he feared seeing us d*e.’

It was not a grand or courageous sacrifice like many people thought.

Being the most Aron-like, he was a coward…

A coward who faced a cowardly end unbecoming of a hero, trembling with fear.

‘Sorry… I couldn’t keep my promise to protect you until the end.’

Recalling the timid figure apologizing while crying, Leo closed his eyes.

“The Great Heroes did not stop even after Lady Aron’s sacrifice.”

At the solemn words of Melina, everyone opened their mouths wide.

Everyone realized.

What Melina was now saying was the forgotten truth of history.

“The second one to perish was Lord Dwenno. He left behind a mighty weapon that would overthrow Erebus and closed his eyes.”

‘Go forward, Kyle. Make a path for those who come after… That sword is for that purpose.’

Leaving behind the only artifact he created—beginning—Dwenno closed his eyes.

“The third was Lady Luna.”

‘Sorry for dumping everything on you.’

Even among these two, one of them thought you would be better than me and entrusted everything.

“The fourth was Master Lissinas.”

‘We will save the world.’

Even Lissinas, who believed in this fact until the end.

“All the Great Heroes, except Lord Kyle, entrusted the world to him who single-handedly overthrew Erebus in their place. Thus, he was the Last Hero and the one who opened the Era of Heroes—the reason he is called the Hero of Beginning.”

“Does the Lord know… how did you know this fact?”

One voice trembled as it asked, and Melina smiled faintly.

“Dragonia holds the truths of many worlds asleep.”

Melina gently caressed the Book of Shadows.

“Undoubtedly, in those times, there were no distinctions such as Hero or Shadow. Simply, as someone had to do it… the Hero of Beginning willingly shouldered the burden.”

Melina rose from her seat and placed the Book of Shadows back on the podium.

“The world is in chaos. The reincarnation of the Hero of Beginning and the progenitor of the Star Cloud, followed by the reincarnation of the Comet Wizard.”

Melina looked towards Seirun and then towards Djean.

“The emergence of hero candidates who inherited the legacy of Lord Dwenno.”

Finally, Melina’s gaze briefly met Leo’s.

“And now, the record of the Hero of Beginning.”

Melina took a deep breath.

“The forgotten legacy of the Great Heroes and the Heroes of the Cataclysm is returning to us. Accordingly, the movements of Tartarus are becoming intense. How long will we remain entangled in the mistaken customs of the past?”

“Huh!”

“That…”

“A Hero, before being a figure recognized by the gods for their great achievements, is a being that sparks change.”

One by one-

Melina’s words, delivered with emphasis, drew everyone’s attention.

“There’s no time to worry about whether someone is a Hero or a Shadow. Now is the perfect time to uproot the calamity that has lasted 5000 years. I declare this as the Dragon Lord.”

Everyone held their breath.

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