The Legendary Hero is an Academy Honors Student - Chapter 241
Chapter 241
Leo, having finished his audience with the Emperor, left the room immediately.
Fritz and Jane, who had been waiting outside the Emperor’s quarters, approached Leo as he emerged.
“What happened?”
“He told me he couldn’t let us meet with her.”
“I see.”
Jane shook her head, as if she had anticipated this outcome.
Fritz looked puzzled.
“That’s strange. He can’t even let you meet with her?”
“Do you think it’s easy to meet Xian’s Shadows?”
“Hey, kid.”
“Kid? Kid?”
Jane was taken aback by Leo’s casual address.
“Did you just call me ‘kid’?”
“Then am I supposed to call him ‘kid’?”
Leo tilted his head, pointing at Fritz, standing much taller than him.
Jane’s irritation flared.
“I’m older than you?!”
Although Jane was older than Leo, having just turned 17, she felt the sting of his words.
Leo, with his memories of a past life, was indifferent to the age of their physical bodies in the modern world.
“I have a question for you, but first, where can I rest for a bit?”
“Did you not hear me?!”
“Guide me.”
“…”
Jane slumped her shoulders, watching Leo’s disregard for her frustration.
‘Somehow, I feel like I’ll look even more foolish if I argue with him.’
“I’ll guide you.”
Jane led Leo.
Since arriving in Xian, Jane had been Leo’s guide.
Fritz muttered under his breath as he followed Jane.
“Kid, huh…” Fritz snickered softly.
“Huh? What’s with that smile? Are you picking a fight?”
Jane, annoyed, couldn’t help but confront Fritz.
After the commotion, Jane guided Leo to the annex next to the palace.
Despite the late hour, a hundred people stood in neat rows on either side of the annex.
“Welcome to the Xian Empire. We will do our best to ensure that you feel comfortable during your stay, Leo.”
A middle-aged man, presumably the chief chamberlain, greeted Leo with respect.
‘So these are Shadows.’
It wasn’t just the chief chamberlain.
Some of the hundred servants and maids also appeared to be Shadows.
Fritz narrowed his eyes, recognizing this, but chose not to comment.
Leo was led to the largest room in the annex.
“Please call me if you need anything.”
Leo nodded as the chamberlain departed.
He settled into the large, luxurious chair in the room.
“What is it that you’re curious about?” Jane asked, standing in front of Leo.
Leo met her gaze.
“Can you tell me about the Chen Xia you know?”
“Yes?”
“I’m interested in what kind of life the Chen Xia I don’t know has led. How she came to Lumene, and why she decided to give up being a hero candidate.”
Xiau had mentioned that Chen Xia had admired heroes since she was young.
He also said that meeting Leo might make her reconsider her path as a Shadow and turn towards the path of a hero.
On the other hand, Jane had explained that Chen Xia’s decision to abandon her role as a hero candidate was tied to Leo.
“I have served Her Highness Chen Xia for ten years.”
Shadow candidates trained from a young age to become Shadows.
Jane, an orphan, was taken in by Xian’s Shadows, recognized for her potential, and became a Shadow candidate.
“Exceptional Shadow candidates can join the royal family. I did the same.”
The Shadow candidates who would shape Xian’s future gathered under Chen Xia.
“She valued the Shadow candidates who followed her.”
The training for Shadow candidates was harsh and often brutal.
They lived in darkness and were required to punish traitors without exception.
Sometimes, this cruelty stripped them of their humanity.
Some even turned into cold machines, following orders without question.
‘Perhaps they were raised that way deliberately.’
Leo’s eyes narrowed.
“Everyone followed Her Highness Chen Xia. That’s why we wanted her to become a hero.”
Jane squeezed her eyes shut.
“Because she was better suited to being a hero than a shadow. So she went to Lumene last year.”
“Given the Emperor’s nature, I doubt he allowed it easily.”
“Yes. His Majesty set one condition for Her Highness.”
“Condition?”
“If she couldn’t become the class representative, she must abandon the hero’s path.”
If one could not be the best among hero candidates, they must give up on becoming a hero.
“So, you’re saying Senior Chen Xia quit being a hero candidate because of Senior Leo?”
Fritz frowned at the story.
“That’s just shifting the blame.”
“I know! I know!”
Jane glared at Fritz, her anger evident.
But soon, her shoulders sagged.
“Is that the only reason she gave up on becoming a hero?”
“The day Her Highness Chen Xia returned, she said she saw people truly worthy of being heroes. And she said that those people should be the ones to become heroes.”
Jane bowed her head.
“She said that, having ventured into darkness herself, she could no longer become a hero. That’s what she said.”
Leo sighed deeply.
“Do you know anything about the name Bihar?”
“No, who is that?”
“You don’t know.”
Leo shook his head and sank back into his chair.
“Why do you keep spouting nonsense?”
“Huh?”
“I’m just talking to myself.”
Leo closed his eyes.
* * *
Reaper Scans
[Translator – Aine]
[Proofreader – Ash]
Join our discord for updates on releases! https://dsc.gg/reapercomics
* * *
Whiooooooo—
A woman looked down on the city from the high walls of Godthron.
A large-scale battle had taken place some time ago.
People were celebrating the heroes who had returned victorious from the Battle of Tarmetia.
The Great Heroes, led by Lysinas, and the countless warriors who followed them.
After winning the Battle of Tarmetia, they reclaimed many lost territories.
“Cheers to the achievements of the Great Heroes!”
“Cheers!”
“Cheers to the efforts of the heroes who saved the world!”
“Cheers!”
“Waaaaaa!”
The people of Godthron cheered with joy.
The eyes of those who had lived in despair for decades were now filled with hope.
The gray sky remained, but the dazzling performances of the Great Heroes inspired people.
They began to believe that one day, the gray sky would clear and the lost blue sky would return.
The long period of despair would end, and peace would be restored.
People began to see hope.
The sound of excited chatter and loud laughter filled the air.
Humans, elves, beastmen, and dwarves came together for a grand festival.
Beastmen played instruments while humans sang along.
Elves danced gracefully and dwarves built a magnificent stage.
Dragons regaled children with tales of heroic deeds.
Everyone united in celebration of their great victory.
Bright smiles lit up every face in the radiant light.
Only one woman remained on the outskirts, cloaked in darkness and distanced from the festivities.
She watched the celebration from afar with a faint smile.
“You’re looking gloomy again.”
Bihar stumbled as she heard a voice behind her.
She lost her balance, flailing her arms, and almost fell from the wall.
“K-Kyle.”
Bihar barely managed to grab the railing and climb back up.
“I almost fell!”
“Would you really die if you fell from this height?”
Kyle looked at her with a pitiful expression, then slumped down on the wall.
Bihar knelt beside him.
Kyle crossed his arms and gazed at the festival below.
“How long are you going to stay out of sight?”
“Is there something you’ll never do in your life?”
“You’re a hero who saved many people.”
“When others fought Tartaros, I had blood on my hands. Even as a traitor, I can’t stand before people with the blood of others on my hands.”
Bihar looked down at her hands.
“Moreover, those I killed are still remembered as heroes. Many will never accept my existence.”
A traitor must be punished, but if people learned a hero was a traitor…
Those who had just begun to hope would fall into despair.
This was a time when people needed reliable figures to trust.
Thus, many traitors, like Kyle and Bihar, were remembered as noble heroes.
“A former hero cannot have dabbled in darkness.”
“Then what about me?”
“Kyle, you’re different. You can shine even in darkness.”
“What nonsense is that?”
Bihar laughed as she saw Kyle’s bewildered expression.
“Don’t worry too much. In a world where Erebos is defeated and Tartaros vanishes… That’s when you can tell them that there was someone like me.”
“Ah, finally found you! Over here!”
A drunken voice called out.
Luna ran over and put Kyle in a headlock.
“You! You ran away after we started drinking? That means you’ve admitted defeat in our great battle, right?”
“Don’t talk that close to me. Your breath stinks.”
“How could I possibly have bad breath?”
“Of course you have bad breath. You just threw up.”
Luna tightened her arm around Kyle’s neck and shook him.
In response, Kyle pinched Luna’s cheek and shook it back.
Luna bit Kyle’s hand, and Leo grabbed her other cheek.
“Dweno, Kyle and Luna are fighting again!”
“Leave them alone. How long have those idiots been fighting?”
“Bihar. Are you here alone again?”
Arron and Dweno appeared, and Lysinas looked at Bihar with a worried smile.
Velkia, the elf girl who accompanied them, had her shoulders slumped.
“Why is Velkia so down again?”
“I lost the sword Luna gave me in battle.”
“Ah… Erquint,” Bihar exclaimed briefly, then approached Velkia and patted her head.
“Don’t worry, I’ll find it for you.”
“… Really?”
Bihar’s broad smile met her wide-eyed gaze.
“Of course.”
“Hey. Don’t accept that. You’re spoiling me.”
“Ptttttt!”
Velkia stuck her tongue out at Kyle.
“This cheeky brat…”
The once-quiet castle walls buzzed with noise.
This was another hideout for the Great Heroes.
Dweno poured from the cask he had brought and drank happily with Kyle and Luna.
Arron played the flute while Lysinas hummed a tune.
Bihar, Velkia, and the other disciples of the Great Heroes smiled widely.
“…”
Leo opened his eyes.
‘In the end, Bihar never made her name known to the world.’
She had no intention of becoming a hero.
So, he didn’t want to blame her for choosing to stay in the shadows.
2She followed the path she believed in.
But what about Chen Xia?
She wanted to be a hero.
“But you can’t be a hero just because you stepped into the darkness? How presumptuous.”
Fritz and Jane flinched at Leo’s words.
Leo stared out the window at Xian’s palace with a fierce intensity.
Leo got up and walked toward the window.
“Where are you going?” Jane asked urgently.
“I’m going to find Chen Xia.”
“Huh? Do you know where she is?”
“If I search for her, she’ll come out.”
Chen Xia, hidden in the darkness of Xian’s palace, couldn’t even be found by Jane, a Shadow candidate.
Even skilled Shadows were hard to locate.
“What will you do once you find her?”
Leo smiled brightly as he watched Jane’s panic.
“What else? I’ll drag her out of the darkness myself.”