444.
“Woah. Woah.”
Aron was gripping the book in amazement.
“This novel is really interesting.”
Aron, who was speaking with shining eyes, was observed by Leo, who leaned his chin on his hand.
“That’s a history book.”
What Aron was reading was none other than the history book that recorded the exploits of the Great Heroes.
True, by the present era, the accounts of the Great Heroes contain much fiction.
But since it was a book written by renowned scholars, the book Aron was reading was akin to a textbook that recorded the history of the Great Heroes in this world.
‘Hmm, I also thought it was a novel, not a history book, the first time I read it.’
“I like the Beastman character most in this book.”
“Hey.”
Leo narrowed his eyes as he looked at the smiling Aron.
As Aron and Leo were reading a book about their own stories, Chelsea was lost in thought.
‘Now that I think about it, there were more than a few odd points about Leo-sunbae.’
Leo stood out since the entrance exam.
The first time they met, he had easily subdued Chelsea without using aura.
This wasn’t the end of it.
He had also fought alone against the demon that Celia and Abad had barely defeated by combining their strength.
Of course, since Leo couldn’t use aura at the time, it wasn’t because of that he defeated the demon.
‘However, from then on, he had an overwhelming strength that couldn’t be compared to others of his generation.’
He seemed like a hero straight out of a fairy tale, and Chelsea had been moved by Leo’s battles.
‘Even after entering the academy, Leo-sunbae was always at the center of attention.’
The biggest topic was undoubtedly his unprecedented “All Class” status.
‘All Class, like the Hero of Beginning, Kyle.’
What was once thought to not exist was proven by Leo.
Moreover, it wasn’t just about wielding all three forces; he excelled in every aspect.
Leo was a seasoned knight, an overwhelming wizard, and also an incredible summoner.
Had he only excelled in the Department of Knights, it would have been understandable, as Leo was from the Zerdinger family and his mother Reina was a renowned knight in her youth.
However, the proficiency he showed in magic and summoning was so advanced it showcased seasoned experience.
‘At that point, he had surpassed the realm of talent.’
And now, a year since enrollment, he possessed a strength incomparable to his peers.
‘Until now, I thought he was an amazing person rivaling the Great Heroes.’
Chelsea, snapping out of her thoughts, crossed her arms as she looked at Leo and Aron.
‘The more I think about it, the more odd points I find.’
As doubts arose, points she had taken for granted until now started connecting like a chain.
‘Leo-sunbae has conquered many of the Great Heroes’ realms. Moreover, wasn’t it Leo-sunbae who first revealed that the Hero of Beginning, Kyle, actually existed?’
Chelsea stared intently at Leo’s face.
‘Furthermore, before this fact was revealed, Leo-sunbae had a deep interest in the Hero of Beginning, Kyle. In fact, he started a club to study the Hero of Beginning, Kyle?’
Back then, I thought it was just that being an All Class, he had an interest in Kyle, the only historical All Class.
But now, thinking about it, it seems odd.
‘Leo-sunbae clearly has a secret related to the Hero of Beginning, Kyle.’
Chelsea pondered.
‘Descendant or… Successor? No way… Could it be… Kyle himself?’
Chelsea’s eyes widened as she reached this thought.
Then everything she had thought about made sense.
‘Could it really be?!’
As Chelsea was shocked,
“Chelsea, let’s go.”
“Yes!”
At Aron’s words, who had quietly approached from behind, Chelsea hastily stood up, shouting loudly.
The entire library’s sharp gazes were fixed on her.
Aron bowed his head in apology, and Chelsea quickly apologized to the patrons.
“What’s gotten into you?”
As Leo approached and asked, Chelsea awkwardly smiled in response.
“Ah, nothing.”
While saying this, Chelsea stared intently at Leo’s back as he walked ahead.
Aron, observing this, tilted his head in confusion.
Evening after the excursion.
Leo settled down at the lodging in Delan.
And at that lodging, gathered were the students who previously knew about Aron’s identity, meaning the ones who had ventured into the realm of Dwenno.
“Are you not going home? Why are you here?”
Lunia asked Leo curiously.
Given that there was the mansion of the Flove family in Delan, Lunia thought Leo would stay there.
Responding to Lunia’s question, Leo said,
“It’s still part of the retreat schedule, and I’m certain my mother would make a fuss if I went home.”
“Do you also become helpless in front of your parents?”
Lunia smirked.
“Anyway, where did Aron and the silly cat go?”
She asked, since Aron and Arga were absent even though a small hotel had been rented out entirely for Aron.
“They’ve gone to the bathhouse together.”
Driana answered while eating a whole cream cake by herself.
“Ha, together to the bath?!?”
Eiran started in surprise, her face slightly reddening.
“What are you thinking? They just need a water location for howling practice.”
“That, that’s right! I thought it was for howling practice too!”
As Driana lazily opened her eyes and spoke, Eiran panicked in response.
Driana frowned at such an Eiran.
“Eiran, do you gaze at every situation with such lecherous eyes?”
“Uh, lecherous? I’ve never had such thoughts!”
“Then why do you refuse to become a n*de model even though your head is full of lustful thoughts?”
“I’ve never thought such things!”
As Eiran grabbed Driana’s neck and shook her, crying a bitter face,
“That’s… during adolescence, it’s all…”
“NOT TRUE!”
With a teary face, Eiran closed her eyes tightly and grabbed Karl’s neck, shaking him furiously.
“S-Save me… ugh! Kek!”
Karl struggled but an agitated Eiran had no time for him.
Seeing this, Driana muttered,
“Karl, that girl is sometimes courageous.”
“Because you choke him calmly, that’s why he’s like this.”
“Am I not sturdy enough?”
Eiran’s delicate hands were deceptively savage.
Karl, foaming at the mouth, lay sprawled out as Eiran screamed in horror.
“Boilboilboilboil-! Phooowa!”
As they entered the bathhouse, Arga abruptly lifted her head while practicing howling.
Watching Arga gasping for breath, Aron commented,
“Yeah, you’re much improved. Though there doesn’t seem to be any sign yet of the power to transform other Beastmen. Let’s call it a day today?”
What looked like simple water torture was indeed significantly improving Arga’s howling under Aron’s rigorous training.
Furthermore, with Aron explaining things from the side, Arga’s skills were visibly progressing.
“Chelsea also worked hard.”
Chelsea was using wind magic to prevent the howling sounds from escaping outside.
“Not at all. It’s just a task I should do, isn’t it?”
Chelsea shook her head and sneakily glanced at Aron’s reaction.
Seeing this, Aron smiled.
“Is there something you want to say?”
“Ah, nothing. I’ll go ahead first!”
Hurriedly shaking her head, Chelsea left the bathhouse.
‘Perhaps I should ask Aron-sama or Leo-sunbae? No, it’s only my speculation, right? Leo-sunbae could not possibly be Kyle-sama. It’s too absurd. Moreover, even if my speculation were true, it’s something that should remain a secret. I shouldn’t make assumptions.’
As Chelsea muttered to herself in deep thought, Aron observed her back.
Seeing this, Arga drooped her ears and tail.
“Do you like Chelsea more, Aron-sama?”
“Hmm?”
Aron turned to look at Arga.
“Because you’re so kind to her. Of course, you’re kind to me too… But Aron-sama takes the most care of Chelsea.”
She said this with a somewhat disappointed look.
“Though it’s already an incredible honor to meet Aron-sama, to converse, and to receive guidance for howling… Still, I want to help Aron-sama more and receive praise. Maybe I’m not good enough?”
The fact that Chelsea took charge of guiding Aron today instead of herself had been a big shock to Arga.
Seeing a somewhat disappointed Arga, Aron scratched his cheek.
“Araga and Chelsea are different. Of course, I think of both of you like younger siblings. But I find a lot of comfort in Chelsea.”
“Can’t I be comforting?”
“In you, I have more expectations.”
“Huh?”
Hearing Aron’s words, Arga’s eyes widened.
“You, whether you like it or not, have received many things from me.”
Aron bitterly smiled.
“More than what I entrusted to Berkiya… You’ve received those from me.”
Letting go, Aron squatted down to meet Arga’s eyes.
“I didn’t want children like you and Chelsea to head into battle. I wished for you to live a life free from the ties of combat. That’s why I squeezed out courage that wasn’t even mine.”
“Aron-sama…”
“But, due to my inadequacy, we couldn’t finish everything and ended up leaving the Catastrophe Flame to the next generation.”
“Aron-sama is not inadequate at all!”
Arghing, Arga stood abruptly.
Seeing this, Aron smiled.
“Thank you for saying that. Anyway, there’s still Black Flame left in this world.”
“Therefore, that might be why you treat me strictly.”
‘Not exactly strict though.’
Arga muttered to herself.
But Arga understood the subtlety.
She put on a smile like a cat, enjoying the gentle pat on the head,
If she said something unnecessary, it might stop the petting.
Whether aware or not of Arga’s ulterior motives, Aron spoke,
“One day, you will stand in place of me in the battlefield. You mustn’t become like me.”
“But I want to become like Aron-sama!”
“If you become someone like me, you’ll just end up being a burden.”
“You, Aron-sama, are not a coward! You’re not a burden! You’re the great Great Hero who saved the world!”
Aron only smiled faintly at her words.
“I wish for you to become a genuine hero, Arga. I wish for you to create a world where the future generation’s children can laugh without worry.”
“Because you’re my successor.”
At the word ‘successor’, Arga’s eyes widened.
Then she bowed deeply and trembled.
“Are you hurt somewhere?”
As Aron looked surprised, Arga lifted her head.
“NYAAAAAAAAAAAK!”
“UWAAAAAAAAAAAK?!”
“Successor! Successor! SUCCESSORAAAAAAAAAAK!”
“HIEEEEEEEK! Save me!”
Blinded with excitement, Arga howled and rushed towards him, and Aron screamed and fled from the bathhouse.
BOOOOOM!
“An earthquake?”
In the territory of the Flove family.
As a small earthquake occurred in the deep mountains, Luke frowned.
To that, Juen asked,
“Are you even listening to me?”
“Yeah.”
“So! Why aren’t we given free time?”
While roasting a skewered piece of meat in front of a bonfire, Juen complained.
“The seniors said they suffered greatly. Maybe that’s why?”
As Luke smiled, Juen pouted.
“But we’re suffering enough too, right?”
“Did you already forget what the seniors looked like yesterday?”
Aina’s response drew a sharp rebuttal from Juen.
“I didn’t ask you!”
“Didn’t the two of you make up?”
At Luke’s awkward smile and question, Aina nodded.
“Yeah.”
“Who decides to make up when there wasn’t even a fight?”
As Juen lazily opened her eyes, Luke was about to take a bite out of his skewered meat.
SWISH!
Suddenly, something swiftly snatched the skewer out of Luke’s hand.
Retreating a distance away, Lea, the first-year representative of Seirun, began eating the meat from the skewer with a sly gaze at Luke.
Seeing this, Luke smiled brightly and asked,
“Lea-san, would you like more?”
At his words, Lea furrowed her delicate brows and left with a “Ch!”.
“Luke Eldar.”
“Yes, Habidden-san.”
“What’s this ‘you can have more’? That girl was picking a fight with you! As the first-year representative of Lumeran, you should not be acting so lenient!”
“Hiiik?”
Habidden shouted while glaring, causing Luke to yelp.
Seeing this, Shasha, hiding behind her fingers, narrowed her eyes.
“I heard that Lunia El Rundah of Seirun’s second-year is fearsome. However, this first-year representative of Seirun also acts like a total bully towards Luke.”
“Why is that elf so obsessed with Luke that she can’t seem to eat him?”
As Betty tilted her head in confusion,
GRRRRRRR!!!!!
A faint killing intent was felt.
The freshmen who were cooking evening meals in front of their lodging looked up.
“This presence is from a demon.”
Habidden said while nibbling on his skewered meat.
“Seems like a last-minute situation prepared by the retreat organizers.”
“I was wondering why it was too peaceful.”
Juen snickered.
Students from other schools showed similar reactions.
No matter how they were freshmen, they were Hero Candidates.
They were already accustomed to such sudden situations.
“Alright then, let’s digest our dinner with some action.”
Shasha smiled.
At the top of the mountain in the Flove Territory.
Melina’s eyes, that were closed, slightly fluttered open.
Her expression stiffened slightly at the abrupt situation.
“… A demon?”
![[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")
