LHAHS Chapter 417
Lunia, Aru, and Drianna all had tense expressions.
All three were students representing their respective hero academies. Though still in their second year, they had overcome numerous crises as hero candidates and possessed skills befitting their status. Thanks to their distinct personalities, they rarely got nervous about anything.
However, in front of the highest being in the world, the Dragon Queen, it was impossible not to feel tense.
Especially since Melina had just referred to them as heroes chosen by this era.
Heroes were all special beings. Every single one of them left their mark on their era. Only those truly chosen could ascend to such a position.
But even among heroes, those deemed to have carried an entire era on their shoulders were rare.
One of the most famous examples was the Sword Saint. Before the Sword Saint, it had been Melina and the conquerors of Dawn who were considered the heroes that bore the weight of their era.
Yet, at this moment, there was something more pressing than that fact.
"Your majesty, who exactly is that person you spoke of?" Lunia asked in a tense voice.
Five thousand years ago. When the Age of Heroes began, the Dragon Queen had inherited the legacy of the Wise Queen, continuing the tradition of selecting heroes.
Only dragons possessing the necessary wisdom and power could claim the title of Dragon Queen. Thus, the Dragon Queen had always been the supreme being of their time.
And yet, this very Dragon Queen was referring to someone else with honorifics. It was impossible not to be shocked.
At Lunia's question, Melina smiled beneath her veil. Her expression, like that of an adult posing a riddle, only deepened Lunia's confusion.
"Could it be that there is someone of higher rank than you in Dragonia?" Drianna asked in a serious tone.
"It seems you're quite curious about that person." With a soft chuckle, Melina covered her lips with her hand. "I don't think you're at the stage where you should know who that person is just yet. However, what is certain is that that person has great expectations for you. As do I."
At Melina's words, Lunia and Drianna exchanged confused glances.
Pressing a playful finger to her lips, Melina whispered, "You're the first people I've spoken to about that person, so please keep it a secret."
Lunia instinctively realized that she had just learned something of immense importance.
At that moment, Aru, who had been standing with her arms crossed, listening to Melina while deep in thought, suddenly widened her eyes.
Her tail stiffened as she exclaimed with a sparkle in her eyes, "I got it! The person the Lord spoke of must be none other than a Great Hero! Or perhaps one of the Heroes of Dawn!"
Melina, Lunia, and Drianna all turned to look at Aru.
"Think about it! Someone of higher rank than the Dragon Queen! And she said they chose us! You two wouldn't know, but at least I was chosen by Aaron. Isn't the answer obvious?" Puffing up with pride, Aru snorted. "Not to mention, Luna and Seiren have already revealed themselves in the present! It has to be them!"
"What nonsense, you foolish cat."
"At least keep your stupidity within limits."
"And how exactly were you chosen by Aaron?"
"This elf with the nasty temper is right. Didn't Aaron run away every time he saw you?"
"That's just because Aaron was shy."
"As if!"
"Besides, the fact that Luna and Seiren have appeared in the present is only because of the miracle caused by the Hero Record."
"Do you really think a Great Hero or a Hero of Dawn could remain permanently in this era? If they could, there would be no reason to hide it. If they were here, the war against Tartaros would already be over!"
"Ugh?!" At the two's logical argument, Aru flinched and backed away.
"Are you actually stupid?"
"She's nothing more than a wild animal. The only thing she has going for her is her pretty face."
"You little—!"
Aru lunged at them with a glare, but her two companions were not the type to go down easily.
Meanwhile, Melina, whose eyes had widened slightly beneath her veil, let out a small smile.
That was incredibly sharp. Is that what they call an animal's intuition?
Whether it was a lucky guess or just convenient thinking, Aru's prediction was remarkably accurate.
Watching the three of them bicker noisily, Melina cleared her throat. The trio quickly straightened up, hurriedly fixing their disheveled clothes and hair.
"It's good to see such energy." Melina smiled at them. "So? What kind of hero do you all wish to become?"
"I want to be as free as Luna."
"I want to be brave like Aaron!"
"I wish to become a great artist who follows in the footsteps of Dweno."
"And do you know what you must do to become such heroes?"
At Melina's question, the three exchanged glances.
Finally, Lunia stepped forward as their representative. "We believe that we must carry on the legacy of the Great Heroes," she replied solemnly.
Melina closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Splendid."
Carrying on the legacy of the Great Heroes.
That could only mean one thing: The complete eradication of Erebos.
Throughout five thousand years of history, no one had ever dared to say such a thing lightly.
"You truly are the heroes chosen by this era."
Aru asked, "When you say chosen by this era, does that mean we are heroes destined to carry the next generation?"
"No. It means that a terrible ordeal awaits you, one far greater than simply carrying a generation."
All three of hero candidates swallowed dryly.
"But… seeing you today, I don't think I need to worry." Melina smiled softly at them. "Nevertheless, as you are now, you are still lacking. You will need to work even harder."
The three of them nodded. If anyone else had said it, they might not have taken it seriously, but these words came from none other than the Dragon Queen.
Hearing that they were still lacking struck home.
"I'll be waiting. For the day you all become true heroes. The day you stand upon the same stage."
With those final words, Melina disappeared in the blink of an eye.
"What do you think she meant by that?"
After Melina vanished, Lunia pondered the words she had left behind.
"If she said the trials ahead are beyond those of merely carrying an era… perhaps the Dragon Queen, too, is aiming for the complete eradication of Erebos?"
"Does she see that much potential in us?"
Tension filled Lunia and Aru's faces. Even just the responsibility of carrying an era was an overwhelming burden for most. Yet, Melina was looking far beyond that.
"Drianna, what do you think?" Lunia turned to Drianna, who wore a serious expression, much like herself.
"Hmm. I wonder how beautiful the Dragon Queen must be."
At Drianna's completely unrelated remark, Aru muttered, "Should I hit her?"
"I'll go first."
With fierce expressions, the two promptly kicked Drianna.
The welcome party ended in the early hours of the morning, past midnight. Afterward, the external guests were escorted to their accommodations as honored guests.
As for the students from other hero academies, they were assigned to dormitories by grade level. Since it was rare for hero academy students to gather in one place, the goal was to take this opportunity to hold an exchange meeting.
"Oh! As expected, I heard about it, but the Lumene second-years really did hold a dormitory battle?"
"Did you guys set all this up?"
"Not bad."
The second-year students from each school chose their dormitories as they pleased. Thanks to the friendships formed during the Exclusive Smith Contract Workshop, the second-years were able to settle into their lodgings without awkwardness.
Some chose dormitories where they had acquaintances, while others selected based on their school's tendencies. Azonia preferred Glory, Damien leaned toward Harmony, and Seiren mostly gathered in Noble.
"You're in Noble? That's a bit unexpected," Lunia remarked, sitting in the Noble dormitory lounge with her legs crossed as she glanced at Carl.
Carl, who was bringing out tea, replied, "You think so too? The semester's almost over, and I still don't know why I'm here."
Grumbling, he served the tea.
"Still, the hospitality is excellent," one of the Seiren students remarked.
Abad, the dormitory representative, chuckled. "Just so you know, this isn't our dormitory's service. It's Carl's personal service."
"Oh, I see. Thanks," Lunia said, while the other Seiren students also expressed their gratitude.
"No need to thank me," Carl said before handing Lunia a small leather plaque, about the size of a palm. "Here you go, Lunia El Lunda."
"Why are you suddenly being so formal? And what is this?"
"The bill." Carl pointed to a corner of the lounge.
"……" Lunia grimaced.
[Noble Dorm Services by Carl: Rates]
Within the Noble dormitory, Carl had been running a personal service business. And, of course, it wasn't free.
"By the way, there's a late-night surcharge."
"This is extortion!"
"Hey, hey! Extortion? I gave you a pamphlet with all the information when you arrived!"
Lunia flared up, but Carl remained firm. Even the Azonia and Damien students, who were spared from charges thanks to their friendships with the Noble students, were dumbfounded.
Meanwhile, in Harmony, Drianna was approached by Celia.
"You're Drianna?" Celia asked.
"Hmm…. I assume you're Celia Zerdinger?"
"You know about me?"
"You're famous."
Drianna smiled as Celia sat down across from her. "So, why did you come talk to me?"
"You're the one who conquered Dweno's World. As a knight, it's only natural for me to be interested in a blacksmith who met the Divine Blacksmith and wielded his weapons, right?"
"I'm not a blacksmith."
"What?"
"I'm an artist."
Celia made a disgusted face.
Drianna continued, "Would you be interested in becoming a nude model?"
Celia immediately decided that she must never get involved with this dwarf.
At the same time, in the Glory dormitory, Eiran stood in Leo's room with a tense expression.
"So this is Leo's room," she murmured, feeling nervous just being inside.
"Any weird books?" Aru asked, searching every corner of Leo's room with squinty eyes.
"W-Weird books?"
"It's the perfect chance to find Black Rabbit's weakness," Aru smirked meaningfully.
At the moment, Leo had stepped out of the room for a while. As Aru rummaged through the room, she noticed that a compartment in Leo's bookshelf was slightly ajar and reached for it.
Eiran hurriedly stopped her. "Y-You can't open that! That's a bad thing to do!"
"I'm just closing it. Of course, my hand might slip and open it by accident. Oh no, my hand slipped."
Aru nonchalantly swung open the compartment door.
"Chirp!" Fiora, who had been sleeping inside, reacted with irritation and flapped her wings aggressively.
Fwoosh!
"Argh!"
Aru rolled on the floor as flames engulfed her face.
Eiran quickly helped extinguish the fire.
"So? How was it, meeting them in person?" Leo asked, seated on a bench in the dormitory's shared garden.
"Now I understand why you chose them," Melina replied.
Leo smirked. "It's not like I only chose them."
"By the way, Leo, your energy feels different than before. Have you obtained a power that I don't know about?" Melina asked casually.
"A different power?"
"Yes. When I was Mel, I didn't notice it, but now I can definitely sense it."
Mel was Melina, yet not Melina herself. Her true body had never left Dragonia. Mel was a magical construct—an avatar created by Melina's spell. Melina had controlled Mel remotely while remaining asleep in Dragonia.
"Hmm. I haven't changed much, though. Is it some kind of foreign power?" Leo asked, looking down at his palm.
"No. It's just that I can faintly sense the power of the Hero Record in you. Do you perhaps have a piece of the Hero Record?"
"No. I gave you all the Hero Record fragments I obtained before."
As he concentrated on himself, Leo paused. "This is…"
It was faint, but he could definitely feel a certain power. It wasn't Aaron's aura, nor Luna's mana. It wasn't Dweno's flame, and it certainly wasn't Lysinas's mana either.
The power Leo sensed within himself did not exist in this world.
To be precise, it was a power that had disappeared 5,000 years ago.
"…Divine power?"