LHAHS Chapter 475
Let's organize the situation.
Leo left the Tomb of the Defeated, lost in thought.
First. This country is under threat from the Justice Guild, and they are searching for the Nether Knight's tomb.
According to Prince Jeremy, it was undeniable that the Justice Guild was responsible for the desecration of hero graves.
Second. The Archduke of Mourning is raising orphan soldiers in this country.
The problem was this.
Is the hero grave robbery really unrelated to the Archduke of Mourning?
The current Lich King did not possess the authority to resurrect heroes who were once powerful in life. While Erebos may have wielded immense authority in life, that was no longer the case.
But I can't completely dismiss the possibility, since there's still the chance that the Lich King has a fragment of Erebos.
Before summer break, the Lich King had come to Lumene to confirm Leo's existence. At that time, he had weakly wielded Erebos's flames.
Even if fully resurrecting the fragment is impossible, he might still be able to utilize it to the extent of regaining his former powers.
If so, then reviving heroes as undead was not out of the question. If that were the case, it would be the worst possible scenario.
Either way, I need information.
Leo arrived at a forest not far away. Sitting on a tree stump, he pulled out a small potion bottle from his pocket. Then, he poured the sky-blue liquid onto the ground.
The liquid wriggled on the surface before suddenly freezing and transforming into a mirror. Within it, an elf's figure appeared.
[Did you call for me, O great God of Shadows?]
The one who greeted Leo with a respectful bow was none other than Algren, the Northern Magic Tower Master. Before being a magic tower master, however, he was the Shadow Lord of the elves.
Leo looked at Algren and said, "I need some help."
[Understood. I will immediately prepare and send people to assist you.]
"Huh? What?"
Without another word, Algren ended the communication.
Communication magic left traces, and mages specialized in communication spells could use those traces to eavesdrop on conversations. But this magic, created by Algren, left no mana residue at all. For Shadows, who must leave no trace, it was the perfect spell.
The drawback was its short duration.
That's why I only planned to give him the bare minimum details, but he didn't even ask about the situation before saying he'd send people?
Leo frowned in confusion.
That means he must already have a grasp on the events unfolding in the northeastern continent.
The Elven Shadows' stronghold was in the northern continent. This was the northeast. As someone who operated in the shadows, Algren was clearly aware of the situation.
Well, since he said he's sending people, he'll contact me when they're ready.
Exactly an hour later, not only had Algren finished his preparations and dispatched the Shadows, but they had already arrived at Leo's location. It was an absurdly fast response.
Leo hesitantly greeted the half-elf kneeling before him. "…Long time no see."
"Do you remember me?"
"Wouldn't it be stranger if I didn't, Miss Anya Becks?"
"The great God of Shadows not only remembers this lowly one but even calls my name!" Anya lifted her head, clasping both hands over her mouth with an expression of awe. "Ahh! My Lord! O great and noble Lord! You even remember my lowly name! Ahh, my heart is pounding so much I feel like I might die! Haah! Haah!"
I knew she was insane, but has she gotten worse?
"How can your ruby-like eyes shine with such noble and pure light? Your immaculate white hair alone seems to drive away all darkness. Haah… Haah…" Anya took a deep breath, her voice trembling. "My Lord. May I ask one small favor?"
"What is it?"
"Please, grant me a single strand of your hair."
"For what?"
"I want to use it as a sacred relic for the religion I founded."
"What?"
"Look. I may be the only follower for now, but I even made this."
Anya handed Leo a flyer, on which was written: [Join the Church of Leo and receive salvation.]
The back of the flyer was covered with photos of Leo.
"What. the. fuck…?"
Leo's heart sank. This was beyond madness. If left unchecked, Anya might actually go public with this so-called Church of Leo and start serious missionary work.
As Leo stood there dumbfounded, Anya continued, "And I have compiled a list of those who have recently spoken ill of you, my Lord. Soon, I will deliver divine retribution…"
She clenched her fists with enthusiasm, her ears twitching like they were flapping.
"Anya Becks."
"Yes!"
"Don't make things like this."
"Huh?"
"Speaking of religious cults, there's already the Justice Guild. I can't be the same as them."
"But unlike those heretics, our faith has a real god, my Lord!"
Leo responded flatly. "I'm not a god, I'm human. I'll say it again: Don't. do. this."
"If that is your wish, my Lord, then I have no choice."
Anya's ears drooped. She looked as if she had lost the meaning of life.
For a brief moment, Leo debated whether he should comfort her.
"But my Lord, could you still grant me a single strand of your hair?"
"Why?"
"For my collection."
Guess I worried for nothing.
Leo decided to completely ignore Anya. "Anya, do you know about the orphan soldiers raised by Duke Dotarn?"
"Yes. You're referring to how he gathered orphans and trained them as private soldiers, correct? I also heard that recently, Prince Jeremy took those orphans under his wing."
As expected of the Shadows, they were well aware of the northeastern continent's affairs.
"Then, do you also know that those orphan soldiers are connected to Tartaros?"
Anya's expression hardened, and her voice grew frosty. "Duke Dotarn is a pawn of Tartaros?"
Leo shook his head. "No, he probably doesn't even realize he's being used."
Anya's reaction indicated she hadn't considered the orphan soldiers a major issue even though their strength was formidable and a small kingdom had no business possessing such a force.
If they grow stronger and develop into a proper knight order, it'll change the entire power balance of the northeastern continent.
The fact that Anya hadn't paid much attention to them meant their existence had been perfectly concealed.
If it's Artkan, he could definitely pull that off.
"Deploy the Shadows and investigate Duke Dotarn thoroughly."
"If we find traces of Tartaros, should we begin the hunt?"
"No, report to me first. If we move carelessly, we'll take unnecessary losses."
"Leo, does this mean you already know the identity of the demon operating in this country?"
"It's probably the Archduke of Mourning, Artkan."
Hearing such a big name, Anya's shoulders tensed.
"Move carefully. He'll be keeping an eye on us as well."
As one of the Lich King's most trusted subordinates, Artkan likely knew that Leo was the reincarnation of the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle.
He must have expected me to realize his involvement the moment I saw the orphan soldiers.
Yet, he hadn't left the country.
He's trying to gauge my current strength.
"What should we do about the Justice Guild, my Lord?" Anya asked.
"The Shadows must have already gathered intel on them. What's their assessment?"
"There's been a lot of debate." Anya narrowed her eyes. "They've gained a reputation worldwide for inciting war in conflict zones, not just in the northeast."
"Then the reason the Shadows haven't intervened is because they aren't traitors or enemies?"
"Yes." Anya averted her gaze. "The Shadows only act against Tartaros. Even those who see through the Justice Guild's true nature chose to overlook them."
The Justice Guild's rise to power was simple. They appeared in regions with frequent conflicts and escalated the wars. Then, after resolving the conflicts, they were praised by the war's victims as if they had established justice. This was how they expanded their influence.
However, those who saw through their true nature allowed them to persist for one reason—because their blades were not pointed at them.
"The Justice Guild is also one of the most active forces in the battle against Tartaros."
The Justice Guild's sword was not only aimed at humans. They also acted as a shield in the fight against Tartaros and, when necessary, handled dirty work that no one else was willing to.
Because of these shared interests, the Justice Guild had been allowed to exist until now. Even those who rejected them could not afford to fight them carelessly.
Most importantly, there was no one in the world right now who could unite the heroes for a common goal.
If interests are tangled, it will lead to civil war. That's exactly what Tartaros wants. But…
Now that Leo knew their true nature, he had no intention of turning a blind eye.
"Are you planning to deal with the Justice Guild?"
"Yes."
"Should we summon the Shadows?"
"No." Leo shook his head. "If the Shadows move, the already poor perception of them will only worsen."
No matter what, the Justice Guild was publicly recognized as a group that stood for justice. If they were wiped out by Shadows, it would only lead to new misunderstandings.
Right before summer break, Melina's declaration granted the Shadows equal status to heroes. However, even with the Dragon Queen's proclamation, people's views wouldn't change so easily.
"From now on, it depends on you."
"It depends on us?"
"Yeah. I want the name Shadows to disappear."
"What?"
"Anyone who fights for the world is a hero. You all have more than enough qualifications to be called heroes. So, I want to create a world where you are no longer Shadows, but heroes."
"My Lord…" Anya covered her mouth, overcome with emotion. "To think you dreamed of such a world… to think you had such a grand plan…"
Overcome with emotion, Anya pressed her hands together in a reverent gesture. "Please, let me worship you as a god."
"Absolutely not." Leo scowled.
Swish—
Just then, an elf emerged from the shadows of the tree, and Anya's ardent expression vanished.
"What is it?" she demanded.
"I have a report." The Shadow knelt urgently, his expression tense. "A massive battle has broken out at the border between the Carnel Kingdom and the Petimen Kingdom."
Leo rose from his seat. "Did the Petimen Kingdom launch a full-scale attack?"
The Shadow quickly shook his head. "No, someone attacked the Petimen Kingdom's army alone, and the Justice Guild responded to the assault."
"If a hero guild has mobilized, that means the attacker is incredibly strong. Who is it?" Anya asked.
The Shadow hesitated before answering. "The individual currently fighting the Justice Guild is suspected to be the Iron-Blooded Mage."
Anya's expression hardened. "Iron-Blooded Mage…? Tiaru?"
Leo's face stiffened as well.
The Iron-Blooded Mage Tiaru. He had seen that name in textbooks.
She was an elven hero who had made great contributions in the war against Tartaros. However, the Stellar Magic she created was considered too cruel, leading to her rejection by the elves despite being a recognized hero.
The period in which the Iron-Blooded Mage was active… was 1,000 years ago.
Leo's heart sank. The worst-case scenario he had predicted had come true.
Fuck, the Lich King is really resurrecting heroes as undead.