Chapter 490

490.

The entire village was in full bloom with beautiful flowers.

Until just a few days ago, this village, which had been rich with the atmosphere of autumn, now seemed as though spring had arrived.

As Chen Sia had described, it was indeed a rural village known as a resort, but there was a large inn.

“Wow, we can rent the whole annex?”

Eiran, guided to the accommodation, exclaimed in amazement.

Thanks to renting the entire annex, they even had their own garden.

In the garden, there was a small pond.

“Such a lovely atmosphere.”

Eiran appeared very satisfied with the inn’s Eastern style, which was rare to see in elf society.

Eiran went out to the garden, her eyes shining as she looked at the ornamental fish in the pond, and started humming a tune while picking the flowers that were in full bloom across the garden.

At the sight of her innocent demeanor, Chen Sia propped her chin on the living room floor that overlooked the garden.

“Eiran is such a beautiful young girl.”

“What are you talking about? ‘Like you’ve seen the world enough,’ huh? You and her are exactly the same.”

“…Lord Leo treats us like kids most clearly, even though he’s the youngest here, right?”

Chen Sia, with sleepy eyes, glared at Leo, who had just sat down.

“Still, it’s surprising, isn’t it? A scene like this.”

Leaves were scattered across the floor.

It was literally as if spring and autumn coexisted.

‘An elf girl and a flower field… such a beautiful picture.’

Chen Sia, with her chin resting on her hand while gazing at Eiran, smiled.

Then she glanced at Leo again.

“…”

Leo sat there arms crossed, gazing at the ceiling.

Chen Sia sighed softly at the sight and stood up.

She knelt behind Leo and massaged his shoulders with both hands.

“What is this? Why suddenly?”

Leo tilted his head back and looked at Chen Sia.

Chen Sia looked down at Leo and smiled faintly.

“I’m giving you a massage. How does it feel? Is it refreshing?”

“Good technique.”

Leo nodded as he felt the gentle touch of Chen Sia’s hands on his shoulders.

Then he tilted his head curiously.

“But why?”

“Because I thought Lord Leo might have some difficult task ahead again…”

Chen Sia said as she gently worked out the tension in Leo’s shoulders.

“Whenever you suggested something unexpected like visiting flowers, I was surprised, but on the other hand, I felt relieved. It seemed like Lord Leo was also taking a break.”

“I always get enough rest.”

“That’s not the kind of rest I’m talking about.”

Chen Sia said with a slightly reproachful tone.

“I’m talking about forgetting everything and truly resting. Lord Leo has always been involved in major events since he entered school, and even during this vacation, the atmosphere wasn’t right for letting go.”

Chen Sia’s small hands pressed harder.

“Isn’t it always like that?”

“I guess it was. I’ve never really thought about needing any rest.”

“Yes, but I think it’s extremely important.”

Chen Sia’s hands gently caressed Leo’s shoulders again.

“Looking at your expression, it’s clear that you’re here for some reason, isn’t it?”

“That’s right.”

“I won’t ask what it is.”

Chen Sia lowered her posture and sat beside Leo, looking up at him.

Leo glanced down at her.

“Still, forget everything for just today and truly relax. Coincidentally, this place is also a spot where shadows rest when they’re exhausted.”

“Ah, so that’s why it seemed oddly well-equipped despite being such a remote village. I thought it was odd that the place was this sizeable and the accommodations were so good.”

“Yes, despite appearances, this place has a long history and proud traditions. It was also a place where Mistress Bihar used to retreat to.”

“Bihar?”

Leo looked slightly surprised, and Chen Sia smiled faintly before continuing her massage on his shoulders.

“Lord Leo! Chen Sia! Come see this!”

At that moment, Eiran, who was in the garden, called out to them with a bright smile.

They turned to see Eiran holding the edges of her long skirt with both hands, thanks to her casual clothes.

Her skirt was long, and inside it was filled with flowers as if in a basket.

“Isn’t it beautiful?!”

“Yes.”

Chen Sia smiled brightly.

“As you said, today we’re going to relax, so you should go play too.”

“Huh? But the massage isn’t finished yet.”

“I’m already refreshed, thanks to you.”

Leo chuckled.

“Lord Leo, are you going to play with us?”

“Yes! Lord Leo, come play with us!”

“Me, play with flowers?”

Despite Leo’s nonchalant response, the two girls headed to the garden without hesitation.

‘No matter how you look at it, kids are still kids.’

Leo smirked at the sight of the two girls, who seemed like ordinary girls their age enjoying the flowers.

‘Rest huh…’

Since 5000 years ago.

From the moment Leo grabbed Lissinas’ hand, it was a word that had been alien to him.

It wasn’t just Leo.

The same would have been true for the other friends.

“Well, back then, no matter who it was, no one could just forget everything and relax.”

Even after reincarnation, it was the same.

Living only to defeat Erebus.

His body never tired, his mental strength never eroded as he maintained peak condition through meticulous personal care.

But, as Chen Sia said, he’d never had any ease of mind.

There was still so much unresolved.

‘This place is somewhere Bihar came to often. And earlier, through spirit magic, I read a memory that belonged to someone unknown.’

Leo began to piece together the clues one by one.

‘Also, statis, thought to have gone extinct long ago, is blooming. And somewhere nearby is Luna’s tomb that Lissinas and I made, and… the tomb that Berkiya recovered and prepared for me.’

Leo caught a single flower petal that had floated in through the large door connected to the garden.

‘This flower must be related to the one Lissinas gave Berkiya on the night before the last expedition.’

Several clues filled his mind with confusion.

‘Could the demon king have resurrected Bihar as an undead?’

He recalled his disciple who couldn’t let go of his hatred for humanity.

But he shook his head immediately.

‘No, let’s just rest properly today, as Chen Sia said.’

The sight of Chen Sia making the flowers into a crown and Eiran cheering happily as she watched filled Leo with a warm smile watching them play joyfully.

Gooouuuuu-!

The world was overwhelmed with black flames.

The massive ancient evil spewed flames that seemed capable of bearing all things.

Bang-! Flash-!

A golden aura soared upward into the gray sky as if it were cutting through it.

The gray-haired man gripping a sword soared into the air, his eyes sparkling.

“Kal, don’t go alone!”

Luna urgently called out to Kal.

“Take care of your shoulder first, Luna. I’ll buy you some time, Kal will,” Lissinas rushed to Luna.

Luna gritted her teeth and began healing the wound in her right shoulder that had been pierced.

Crack-!

Meanwhile, a world-splitting sword strike aimed at Erebus came thundering down.

Boooom-!

The golden aura sliced through the giant who exhaled black flames.

Kal’s gray eyes locked with Erebus’ crimson ones in mid-air.

[Indeed.]

Erebus murmured softly.

[Are you prepared to d*e, Hero of Survival?]

Erebus sneered at the determination reflected in Kal’s eyes.

Clang-!

Erebus grabbed the golden aura embedded in his body and pulled it out with one hand while raising the other.

Whooosh-!

A sword of black flames was formed.

Upon seeing it, Kal swung the sword in his hand upward.

Flash-! Crackkkkaaaa-! Whooosh-!

Erebus’ sword overwhelmed Kal.

Crackkkkaaaa-!

The ground where Kal stood was destroyed and collapsed.

Kal, who was blocking Erebus’ sword, appeared dangerously unstable.

It seemed like he could be crushed and disappear at any moment.

Yet Kal’s gray eyes were not clouded by despair.

On the contrary, they burned with even more ferocious malice.

Whooosh-!

From Erebus’ sword, a wave of black flames that could incinerate everything poured out, ready to turn Kal into ashes.

The hand holding the sword was enveloped by the black flames.

Kal’s face contorted in extreme pain.

Seeing this, Luna shouted.

“It’s not the time to worry about wounds!”

Luna, gripping her staff, ran forward.

Hop-!

Leo stood up.

“A dream?”

Rarely did Leo’s shoulders quiver.

He was drenched in cold sweat.

The dream had been vivid, as if it were real.

Recalling the dream’s content from just a moment ago, Leo took a deep breath.

‘The third battle of the final expedition.’

It was none other than the battle where Luna had died.

“How strange. To have had such a vivid dream about that.”

It felt incredibly lifelike, as if he had just been on that battlefield.

Just as Leo tried to raise his body, leaning on his right hand.

“Kgh?!”

A fiery pain was felt in his right shoulder, and his strength left him.

Plop!

As Leo fell, he felt the blanket was damp.

‘bl**d?’

Leo, sensing the metallic smell of bl**d, placed his hand on his right shoulder.

He felt a wound.

But immediately, the wound rapidly healed.

As if it had never existed.

The pain also disappeared.

Only the soaked bl**d remained as proof that Leo had been injured moments ago.

Leo wore a perplexed expression.

“What the hell is this?”