Chapter 465: Dark Demon and the Bloodline of the Hero (4k)
Dark toyed with the paw of “Galileo,” smiling as he watched Aurora and Camilla interact.
He didn’t actually know these two well, but that didn’t stop him from being happy to see them recognize each other.
The problems between Aurora and Camilla stemmed ultimately from the aftermath of war. Though the war had ended, the sorrow left behind did not disappear. Those who could still meet their loved ones were already very fortunate.
Many others lost everything.
Dark felt a slight joy; witnessing the beauty of life on his thirteenth birthday was indeed a good thing.
After the thin veil between them was lifted, Camilla grabbed Aurora’s hand, as if she wanted to pour out all the pent-up words over the past decade, asking Aurora various questions in a hurry.
Aurora listened patiently to her questions, answering them one by one clearly and appropriately.
While the two conversed, the others naturally weren’t just sitting idly. They gradually began to treat this late-night tea session as a meeting between parents, just as Alvaraite had mentioned. Because Claire had been a professor at Saint Maryann Academy for some time, she received attention from the parents.
Viscount Gretebail asked her bluntly about Diana’s performance in class. Viscountess Floretty also occasionally chimed in with a question or two.
Alvaraite was enthusiastic about asking Diana and Rose about daily matters related to Dark, hoping to learn more through their words.
Though Dark felt somewhat awkward sitting there, Diana and Rose answered those questions with great enthusiasm whenever they were asked.
The fact that the three of them were always together became completely apparent through their conversations.
Fortunately, while at the academy, Dark mostly stayed in classrooms, the library, and dormitories, occasionally going to the cafeteria, which meant there wasn’t much for anyone to make fun of.
Previously, the parents of the trio had little interaction in private. Even Alvaraite and Viscount Gretebail, who had known each other for a long time, only discussed official matters when they met.
But tonight, due to the trio’s relationship, their parents quickly became familiar with each other.
Perhaps, Alvaraite’s wish to invite a group of parents to watch their children’s duels could really come true.
…
Eventually, night grew deep. After chatting for about an hour, they had to end their conversation when the clock struck eleven.
Alvaraite warmly invited the two viscountesses to visit the duke’s mansion often—of course, bringing their daughters (or nieces) along.
Camilla repeatedly reminded Aurora not to forget to visit their home often.
Dark waved goodbye to Diana, Rose, Anna, and Angie separately. The Big Princess finally helped Anna and Angie onto the carriage.
Then, in the quiet of the night, the three carriages slowly started moving, heading in different directions.
This scene naturally caught the eye of someone with ulterior motives.
…
Once the three families were sent off, Dark and company returned to the living room.
Without the outsiders, the atmosphere in the living room changed slightly.
Alvaraite pulled Dark, who was trying to sit on another sofa, next to her, with Claire sitting on her left across the tea table.
On the other side of the table sat Mayor Montiel Farley and Aurora.
The matter was not yet over.
Alvaraite was very clear in her thinking.
Since Su Na? Montiel Farley had taken the trouble to visit the duke’s mansion with her daughter from the Free City, she certainly wasn’t just there for a visit.
Therefore, Alvaraite slightly focused and said, “Now you can speak. Is there something you couldn’t say before?”
Mayor Montiel Farley’s expression turned serious.
She glanced at Claire beside Alvaraite, who smiled back, making her realize that this beast sage had a closer relationship with Alvaraite than she did.
Given that, there was nothing to hide.
So she slowly spoke out a name: “Easter Duel Festival.”
Alvaraite raised her eyebrows and said, “You saw it?”
“Yes.” Su Na nodded slightly, “At that time, Principal Altair was in the Free City, so I accompanied her to watch the match.”
Alvaraite immediately became wary, “So, you came for my宝贝, right?”
Su Na looked at Dark and nodded again.
“For me?”
Dark frowned slightly, his gaze shifting to Aurora beside Su Na.
When Aurora met his gaze, she instinctively lowered her head, her cheeks turning slightly red.
Dark had long been curious about her reaction, so he said, “Aunt Montiel Farley, just say what you need to say. Shouldn’t I have any out-of-line behavior in the Easter Duel Festival?”
But the moment he finished speaking, not only Su Na, but even Alvaraite and Claire looked at him with strange expressions.
Even Aurora quietly lifted her head, staring at his face.
Dark was baffled by this scene and said helplessly, “Is there a problem?”
“I think I understand what’s happening,” Alvaraite said, “Su Na, you go ahead.”
Su Na continued, “The issue isn’t with you, but with your golem.”
Dark’s frown deepened, “My golem? What’s wrong with them?”
Su Na said, “Specifically, it’s about your white cat and lion beast.”
Dark: “Deoxys and Lion Beast?”
Su Na sighed, “Exactly. Two golems with the qualifications of a hero.”
…
When it came to “Hero Qualifications,” Dark gradually had some clues.
However, only golems having “Hero Qualifications” was special, though similar situations weren’t unheard of. Some cases were even more extraordinary.
Golems were classified into “Humanoid” types. That category held infinite possibilities.
Even accidentally creating historical figures was possible.
More than one grand magus had attempted to recreate historical figures through golems, though such recreations were merely shells and had been banned as “forbidden.”
If it happened by chance, it was inevitable.
These “Humanoid” golems typically had unique properties, with “Hero Qualifications” being just one aspect.
Of course, Deoxys and Lion Beast were not “Humanoid.”
…
“Could the problem be here?”
Dark pinched Galileo’s soft paw, feeling it was unlikely.
In fact, it had nothing to do with it.
Su Na slowly said, “Do you know the origin of the title ‘Hero’?”
Dark nodded slightly, “I’ve heard about it.”
The title “Hero” had deep roots.
According to the legends of this world, the first humans were called “Saints,” both gods and people.
To protect humanity, the “Saints” divided themselves into three.
As these three grew up, one became the unparalleled hero.
Another became the omniscient sage.
The last became the noble emperor.
All subsequent heroes were descendants of that original hero, the legitimate “Child of God.”
This was the origin of the “Hero” and why it was considered special.
…
Seeing him nod, Su Na continued, “The bloodline of the hero originates from the ‘Saint,’ being the legitimate ‘Child of God.’ But as times changed, the bloodline of the hero gradually dispersed, with more and more people possessing heroic bloodlines, though the bloodline became increasingly diluted.
In fact, my husband Alex also has a relatively diluted heroic bloodline.
He could have become a hero candidate, but because he refused the blessing of the Church of Saints, he wasn’t recorded.”
“To truly become a hero, one must gain recognition from many holy swords and supplement their bloodline with them.”
“The previous hero, Brett Gold, became a true hero through this.”
“And his descendants were born with nearly 50% heroic bloodline.”
“I believe you know who his descendants are?”
Dark nodded, “Wit Gold.”
Su Na’s expression grew serious, “And you should also know that Wit Gold grew up in an orphanage.”
Dark pondered, “That’s correct.”
Su Na said, “Myself and your mother were comrades of the previous hero, Brett Gold. We experienced the final battle against the Demon King and witnessed Brett Gold’s sacrifice firsthand.”
Dark: “He was great.”
Su Na closed her eyes slightly, “He was indeed great. Even though he sensed his own death before the battle began, he still charged forward without hesitation. This is Brett Gold, a person burdened with the fate of a hero.”
Dark: “The fate of a hero?”
Su Na narrowed her eyes, “Heroes are burdened with fate. Throughout history, none of those who became true heroes lived long.”
Dark couldn’t help but frown, “There really is such a thing, but why isn’t it recorded?”
Su Na slowly said, “Don’t you notice that records about ‘heroes’ are always sparse?”
Dark couldn’t help but fall silent.
He didn’t believe in the “fate of a hero,” but the records about heroes were indeed scarce.
If one statistically analyzed the lifespans of all the heroes throughout history, it might lead to Su Na’s conclusion.
Because he suddenly realized that people’s impressions of heroes seemed to always stop at their eradication of evil, without any stories about what happened after that!
Did heroes become low-key after eradicating evil?
Could any of the true heroes, who possessed outstanding qualities, easily disappear from public view?
Could there really be such a “fate of a hero”?
…
Su Na’s statement was indeed quite misleading.
And neither Alvaraite nor Claire refuted her.
This at least partially corroborated Su Na’s claims.
…
After a while, Alvaraite finally spoke, “Whether the ‘fate of a hero’ exists or not isn’t important. After the war, I specifically had someone research it, and the lifespans of all the heroes were indeed short.
Even if they didn’t die on the battlefield, they died from some ominous fate afterward. I tend to believe that the ‘heroic bloodline’ itself is problematic.”
“The heroic bloodline itself is problematic?”
Dark repeated slowly.
Alvaraite’s statement was obviously easier to accept.
But in the legends, wasn’t the “heroic bloodline” derived from one-third of the “Saint”?
Or was it because human bodies couldn’t withstand 100% of the “heroic bloodline”?
…
Such speculations were hard to prove.
Dark could only temporarily believe that being a “hero” wasn’t a good job.
By now, he had guessed what Su Na wanted to say.
And indeed, she said:
“The two golems you have, Lion Beast is fine, but the hero qualifications displayed by Deoxys are even thicker than those of the current hero’s child.
Claire and Principal Altair discussed it, and hero qualifications don’t come out of nowhere. If it continues to develop, you might become a hero in another way.”
“This is also what we are worried about,” Alvaraite mused. “In fact, even if there is no early death problem with ‘heroes,’ the path to becoming a hero is difficult and winding. This is not what we want to see. Moreover, the appearance of many hero candidates often indicates impending disaster.”
Su Na nodded, “This is exactly why I came specially. About Dark possibly becoming a true ‘hero,’ we must handle it with great caution!”
Beside her, Aurora couldn’t help but feel surprised: You came to cancel the engagement, right?
But Su Na? Montiel Farley never mentioned “canceling the engagement,” not even “childhood betrothal.”
This made Aurora waver.
…
Su Na continued, “Actually, my husband’s injuries cannot be cured because of the awakened part of his heroic bloodline.
Toxins eroded the holy sword, infecting his bloodline. No magic potion can affect the mutated bloodline.”
“Is it Dragon Blood Cancer?” Alvaraite furrowed her brows.
Su Na nodded sadly, “Yes.”
Dark, confused, asked, “What is Dragon Blood Cancer?”
Alvaraite explained slowly, “A special illness once common among hero candidates. For hero candidates with heroic qualifications, it is like a dragon, capable of devouring their lives instantly!”
Su Na said, “In short, being a ‘hero’ is not a good job. If new disasters arise, let us old folks take care of them.”
But Alvaraite said, “It’s rare that you and I think so similarly. But we both know that some things can’t be solved by just running away.
Moreover, Dark has his own thoughts, and I will support his decision. Of course, to ensure he can make decisions at any time, I have prepared a holiday package for him. Since Aurora is here too, let’s all go together.”
