Chapter 458

458.

It had been ten days since the Piece of Erebus was annihilated when a guest arrived at the Flove family mansion.

“Everyone, enjoy your meal. I put in quite a bit of effort today.”

Reina smiled faintly as she kindly treated her son’s friends to dinner.

“Wow! Thank you so much!”

“It looks absolutely delicious!”

Chelsea and Eiran cheered at the banquet laid out before them.

“Aunt, your cooking skills are remarkable.”

Celia marveled.

With that, Celia’s admiration caused Reina to cover her mouth and let out a soft laugh, “Hehehe!”

As she watched this scene, Kal muttered.

“That’s true. Most of those here are on a desperate level.”

The eyes of the female students gleamed ominously.

Kal quickly hid behind Leo.

“It was only the soup that mother made; the rest was all done by the chef, you know.”

“Making soup is no easy feat.”

Reina shamelessly declared.

Thus, a lively atmosphere unfolded.

Even though the school trip had concluded, a considerable number of students were still spending their vacation at the Flove family home.

Perhaps enjoying the lively atmosphere, Reina treated her son’s friends with great kindness.

“Then, shall we continue the earlier conversation?”

Abad, who sat next to Chelsea, paused eating, took a sip of water, and continued speaking.

“Regarding the world situation after the extermination of the Erebus fragment.”

When Abad began, Iliana poked her salad with a fork and said,

“The power of Tartarus is shrinking, and our forces are on the rise, aren’t they?”

“Indeed, the entire world is in a festive mood right now.”

Teid also nodded in agreement with Iliana’s statement.

Contradicting this, Celia shook her head.

“My thoughts are slightly different.”

“What do you think?”

“There might be a major attack from Tartarus.”

Celia said seriously.

“For Tartarus, it’s like the Erebus fragment has been exterminated again after 3000 years. In their perspective, it is a catastrophic blow.”

“Naturally, the extent of their desperation means they could do anything.”

Chloe nodded understandingly.

Listening to that conversation, Leo delved deep in thought.

‘The Hel Kaiser probably wouldn’t just launch a careless attack because one fragment of Erebus has been annihilated.’

It’s true that from Tartarus’s standpoint, the damage is catastrophic.

However, given the character of the Hel Kaiser, now that the Demon Queen has been exterminated and the Giant King cannot move,

considering the disrupted balance of power, the likelihood of impulsive actions is minimal.

‘Of course, that doesn’t mean they’ll just sit back and do nothing.’

Leo sighed deeply.

‘Regardless, the b*stard will make a move.’

Meanwhile, Reina smiled faintly as she listened to the students’ discussions.

‘Impressive. At a time when everyone is in a festive mood, they’re having such a serious debate about the future of world politics.’

She found that fitting for students aspiring to be heroes.

“Leo, what do you think?”

Lunia, who had been part of the conversation, asked for Leo’s opinion.

“I am…”

Just as Leo was about to speak,

the dining hall door opened, and a maid came up to Reina and whispered something.

With those words, Reina’s eyes widened and she got up.

A little while later, there was some commotion outside the dining hall.

As the students, who had been eating, all opened their eyes wide,

the door opened, and a few people entered.

Celia and Chelsea’s eyes widened.

“Uncle Giese?”

“Mr. Rogez, how did you end up here?”

Giese Zerdinger and Rogez LeWalyn had visited the Flove family.

Their arrival surprised the other students as well.

Both Giese Zerdinger and Rogez LeWalyn are graduates of Lur university.

Moreover, they’re renowned figures in the Rodren Empire, despite not being on the Hero Record, their strength is on par with heroes.

Their status and prestige within the Rodren Empire are equivalent to that of heroes.

Thus, it was inevitable for everyone to be surprised by the sudden appearance of such big shots.

“What’s the big news? It’s impressive that you overcame the trial.”

Giese approached his nephew Leo and Celia and patted their shoulders approvingly.

“Why are you here?”

“I’ve come to deliver a personal letter from His Majesty.”

“His Majesty, the Emperor?”

Celia, Chelsea, and Abad exchanged startled glances.

The pinnacle of western continental power.

A personal letter from the Emperor of Rodren?

“Knight Rogez.”

When Giese spoke, Rogez nodded his head and moved towards Leo.

“Leo Flove of the Zerdinger family, receive the Emperor’s letter.”

With a puzzled expression, Leo approached Rogez.

Just as Rogez, with a solemn expression, was about to retrieve a sophisticated box containing a letter from hyperspace,

there was noise from outside again.

“What in the world’s happening?”

Kal peeked out the door with a puzzled look.

“Whoa?!”

And let out a surprised scream.

“What’s wrong?”

When Chloe asked with a puzzled face, Kal replied,

“There’s every kind of race in the living room!”

“What?”

“Moreover, they’re all big shots!”

Indeed, as Kal said.

Outside the dining hall, numerous big shots whose faces had been featured in world newspapers were gathered.

“I’m getting a rough idea of the situation.”

Reina narrowed her eyes with her arms crossed.

Being a Lur graduate, Reina quickly assessed the situation.

“What’s the situation, Aunt?”

“The visitors to our family right now are all members of the Hero Guild.”

“Really? Why is the Hero Guild coming to the Flove family?”

“To recruit Leo, I’d imagine.”

Everyone’s eyes widened at those words.

*

“What kind of scheme is it from the Hero Guild?”

In the Principal’s Office at Lur University, Rina spoke with a nervous tone.

The Hero Guild.

A group where heroes who have names on the Hero Record and those walking the path of a hero belong.

There are many Hero Guilds around the world.

And the powers affiliated with them vary widely.

Some are established and initiated by nations to support heroes, while others are created by the alliance of hero families.

Some are established by Hero Academy graduates.

Particularly, the Hero Guilds of the Hero Academy have a long history.

In the case of the Hero Guilds affiliated with the Hero Academy, the founders were all those who received teachings from the Heroes of the Cataclysm.

They carry the history of 3000 years and are closely linked to the Heroes of the Cataclysm, boasting powerful influence and attracting many people wishing to join.

But it’s that much harder to join.

“Shouldn’t they all be well-aware of the rules since they are graduates of this school?”

“The Guild Union has proposed it to the board. In reality, quite a number of Hero Guilds have already made their moves.”

Halind delivered to Rina the news that the Hero Guilds are planning to propose entry offers to students.

Members of the Hero Guilds are dispatched to the front lines of battles against Tartarus.

Hero Guild activities involve excessive risks.

That’s why student enlistment in the Hero Guilds is prohibited.

Yet, now the Hero Guilds are suggesting to loosen these rules.

Rina understood clearly why the Hero Guilds had made such movements.

“Is it to recruit Leo Flove?”

The reason the Hero Guilds are suggesting to amend even the rules of Lur is for the recruitment of Leo.

A full-class user like Kyne, the Hero of Beginning.

Just that alone makes Leo a talent covetable by any Hero Guild.

Moreover, the unprecedented youngest Student Council President in the history of Lur.

“He’s more than just those attributes.”

Rina narrowed her eyes, thinking about the 16-year-old boy,

holding immense potential, his age already hinting at it.

However, it has been suggested that he possesses power comparable to a hero, possibly even surpassing Lur’s strongest.

During the resurrection of the Piece of Erebus, Leo was active at the front lines alongside the Hero, Aron, and the Dragon Lord.

While most people focused on the Hero’s return to action and the awakening of the ‘Silent Dragon,’ the Hero Guilds noticed Leo, who was still merely a student.

“Rather than possessing strength comparable to a hero, this kid has proven he has strength surpassing most heroes. What exactly is the identity of your student?”

“To say he’s my student feels a bit off. I haven’t taught him much.”

Even Halind, who had been responsible for numerous students as a Lur teacher for a long time, had never encountered a student with so little to teach.

“His skills, disposition, tendencies, and goals. This kid is practically born to be a hero.”

Halind nodded in agreement with Rina.

It’s no surprise that the Hero Guilds would covet him.

“Still, there’s a proper degree to everything.”

As she frowned looking at the documents, Rina said,

The purpose of the Hero Guilds is to recruit Leo.

Additionally, they aim to recruit golden generation deemed promising for the future into their ranks.

“In such a situation where the world doesn’t know what calamity might strike, they view it as an opportunity.”

Rina, as if guarding against the movements of Tartarus,

knew that Hero Guilds are also wary of Tartarus.

And there are those who see the current circumstances as an opportunity.

“Ordinary people think that heroes are noble beings.”

Rina narrowed her eyes.

Heroes are great beings who must overcome trials.

And indeed, it’s true that they seem noble because they’re recognized by the gods.

There really are noble heroes.

But……

“Where there’s light, there’s also darkness.”

The gods take little interest in the personality and ideals of those who have achieved great deeds.

It’s enough to just accomplish celebrated great works to have your name listed on the Hero Record.

“There’s a reason there are so many eccentric characters among heroes.”

Halind’s words made Rina click her tongue.

“It’s fortunate if they’re just eccentric. The real issue is those crazy ones who don’t doubt their own definitions of justice.”

Heroes aren’t as noble and great as people think.

Among them are those who commit cruel acts without hesitation to uphold their own brand of justice.

There are those who don’t hesitate to sacrifice the few for the sake of the many.

And countless heroes exist with their own ambitions.

Heroes are beings who lead the world.

There are certainly those who are intoxicated by the fact that they have been chosen by the gods.

Rina pondered her chin.

‘The reason Tartarus hasn’t been exterminated in the past five thousand years is likely because of this.’

After the end of the Era of Catastrophe,

Tartarus’s forces rapidly declined.

The Era of Heroes started and the power of heroes rapidly increased.

Of course, there were the calamitous three division leaders of Tartarus.

Still, it was difficult to elevate Tartarus’s declining army back to the level it was during the Era of Catastrophe.

Rather, it wouldn’t be strange for their power to diminish further.

But despite the many large-scale wars in the past five thousand years, Tartarus’s power has remained strong.

The reason is simple.

‘It’s because they all want different things.’

The existence of many heroes and their varied ideals and righteous deeds.

That’s why though their goals may be the same, the process is not smooth.

The world has always guarded more than cooperate, due to everyone’s different interests.

In contrast, Tartarus has always moved for one purpose only.

That was the biggest reason for the formation of today’s political situation in the world.

It’s the same now.

What they want are Leo Flove and excellent hero candidates to actualize their individual sense of justice.

‘And that sense of justice isn’t necessarily right either.’

“Truly, Leo Flove can no longer be considered just a student.”

Rina sighed.

“He’s at the center of the times.”