Ch.25Broken Shield

# 1.

Balkan Gardner.

Currently serving as the vanguard of the Hero’s party, he is the greatest shield knight of the Western Continent.

Perhaps because Asha Mirabel, the hero who should be most praised, was so cold?

“It’s the Hero’s party!!”

“The Guardian is here!!”

“Lord Balkan has arrived!!”

“What are you doing?! Go get something for them!!”

People preferred the always cheerful and kind Balkan over the cold Asha.

The Saint with a Shield,

The Kind Guardian,

The Unwavering Smile.

Just looking at the titles before his name, one could tell what a good person Balkan was.

But because of that.

“Say it again.”

“I’m sorry, Young Master Balkan. I have no words, even if I had ten mouths.”

“Skip the excuses and… say it one more time.”

“…Yes, I will report it once more.”

Because he was someone who deeply cared for even strangers, but was even more devoted to his family.

“Eight days ago, an unidentified group called the Black Wolves attacked this place. And… Lady Hestia was murdered.”

“Aaaaah…!!!”

“Y-Young Master!!”

Balkan faced, for the first time in his life, a grief too vast for him to control.

.

.

.

And so time passed until the next night.

After spending the day in tears, Balkan caressed his dark brown shield and murmured.

“Hestia. It seems I can never become as smart as you after all.”

…Swish.

Following the elegant patterns on the shield, old memories came flooding back one by one.

He used to insist that a knight must wield a sword, swinging it around like a reckless fool.

Because of that, he secretly attempted to duel with a high-rank magical beast, and as a result.

“Y-Young Master!! Why are you there?!”

“Get in there by any means necessary!!”

“Ah… it’s too late.”

That day, I should have died at the hands of that high-rank magical beast.

But then, you quietly deciphered the barrier and entered.

Without the power of our family,

Without mana or aura,

Without even any equipment.

“Brother!!”

“Hestia?! How did you… No, why did you come in here?!”

Unlike me, you were fragile but brilliant.

“Look out!!”

“…Huh?”

CRACK!

“H-Hestia!!!”

“The barrier’s broken!! Save the Young Master first!!”

“No!! Save Hestia first!!”

You jumped in wearing nothing but your pure white nightgown and saved me.

“You won’t be able to walk anymore. The only hope would have been if you hadn’t awakened your ‘family power’ yet… But since you were hit by magical energy, it’s now truly impossible.”

Struck by the high-rank magical beast’s special magic, you became unable to stand for the rest of your life.

That’s how you lost your dream.

The dream of becoming a hero that you whispered only to me,

The dream of someday standing by my side,

The dream you held onto, hoping that if you waited with a healthy body, the chance to awaken would come someday.

“…I made you lose everything.”

Yet you smiled at me.

“Hestia. I’m sor—”

“Look at that.”

“…Hm?”

“How many times have I told you? That shields suit you better than swords, brother.”

A pure, innocent smile.

After committing such a sin, how long did I hesitate, lacking the courage to apologize?

“…Because of me, your dream…”

But Hestia, as if there was no need for that at all, comforted me every time I visited.

“It was an impossible dream for me anyway. So please don’t be sorry.”

And not only that,

“Besides, if you feel so sorry, you can fulfill it for me, can’t you?”

“…Me?”

“Yes. Become a hero in my place and help those who are suffering.”

You even showed me the path forward.

“Someone who corrects the distorted chivalry, who listens to even villains’ stories. Please become such a kind… guardian.”

So I took up the shield.

“Everyone, get behind me!!”

“It’s Lord Balkan!!”

To protect the good from all kinds of villains, just as you wished.

And,

“To be called a hero yet serve only the imperial family. Just kill me.”

“Let me hear your story first.”

“…What? You’re not going to kill me?”

“As you can see, I have no weapon.”

To listen to even those villains’ stories at least once, just as you wished.

“It turns out those thieves had children who were about to starve to death.”

“So what did you do?”

“What else! As you said, I punished the crime but took the circumstances into account!”

“…It’s ‘mitigating circumstances,’ brother. Anyway, well done. Right now, you are exactly the hero I wished for. Truly my own hero.”

“Ah, um… th-thank you.”

That’s how I became your hero.

“…When this journey ends, I’ll properly apologize.”

“What?”

“Ah, um? N-Nothing!”

I, who couldn’t even properly apologize to you, became the hero of the smartest person I knew.

“Remember, brother. If you have the chance, listen to even the villains’ stories.”

“Yes, I will.”

“You must, you absolutely must!”

“Yes! I promise!”

Because just as I was your hero, you, Hestia, were always mine.

I, who was only good physically, had to listen to you, the smartest person in the world.

…But,

…But Hestia, my sister.

“This time, I cannot follow your words.”

Crunch.

For the first time, the fist that had only protected people was infused with power meant for destruction.

“Following your words all this time, I’ve realized that some villains are like good people, and some good people are like villains. But…”

…Some villains, you see.

“Sometimes they are truly evil incarnate, deserving nothing but death.”

And in this foolish brother’s eyes, those people called the <Black Wolves>.

“They seem no different.”

WHOOSH!!

As his muttering ended, a fist full of destructive aura fell upon the mythical artifact – <Gaia’s Shield>.

And immediately following.

CRASH!!!!

A thunderous sound that shook the entire mansion.

Amidst the falling debris and rising dust, dark brown eyes resembling Hestia’s flashed ominously.

Below them, equally gleaming, were the sharp shield fragments split into two.

“So I must break my promise for a while. Until I tear apart and kill all the Black Wolves and everyone involved in your death.”

Damaging the mansion,

Breaking the mythical shield,

And ultimately defying even Hestia’s words, but it couldn’t be helped.

Because this foolish brother no longer had,

“…Hestia.”

The smart you by his side.

Crunch. Crack.

As Balkan gripped the sharp buckle-like shield pieces in each hand, tears of blood streaming down his face, a commotion was heard through the broken window.

“Th-The Black Wolf!! It’s the Black Wolves!!”

“The Black Wolves are attacking the mansion!! Confirmed enemies: four in total!! Three with appearances similar to the <Central Plaza Incident> plus the Black Wolf, making four!!”

“Warriors of Gardner!! Cut off their heads to console the young lady’s spirit!!”

The Black Wolves. The moment that filthy name reached Balkan’s ears.

Crack,

CRASH!!

In the place where Balkan had been sitting, nothing remained.

# 2.

Gardner Mansion.

Due to its regional characteristics, it had many rooms in the form of lodgings for warriors who frequently visited, making it larger than other nobles’ mansions.

The main building was in the center, with warriors’ quarters and servants’ quarters on either side.

Since it housed warriors, the walls were low, and instead of fountains and gardens, it was filled with training grounds, practice fields, and physical training facilities.

Because of this, people who had seen the Gardner Mansion even once would say:

“Shouldn’t we rather worry about thieves who break into the Gardner Mansion?”

The reason being that the numerous eyes of the warriors staying there served as surveillance, and the moment an intruder was detected, soldiers and mercenaries would rush out like guards, making it a place no sane person would try to infiltrate.

But now, here.

Under the blue roof higher than the fifth floor, the highest level of the Gardner Mansion’s main building.

“Where are Ruby and Dalan?”

“Securing our escape route, sir.”

“According to plan.”

There were four insane people.

Nahan, the leader of these insane individuals, looked down at the approaching warriors and ordered.

“Baekgeomgwi, search for the celestial barrier.”

“Yes, Commander.”

“Tal and Persona, follow me.”

“Yes, Commander.”

“Yes, Commander!”

The faintly emanating black aura,

The eerily glowing black eyes,

The pitch-black voice.

Having already activated <Black Wolf> Stage 2 and <Black Veil> through the smoke, fear was evident in the eyes of the warriors looking up from below.

Nahan observed their eyes from afar and began his analysis.

The same fear was visible as before, but they showed no intention of retreating.

‘…We’re screwed.’

If he increased the output of <Black Veil> any further, the fatigue would be considerable.

‘I thought there was no consumption cost since it could be activated without mana or aura, but it turns out it’s using life force as collateral.’

Well, nothing in this world is free.

…Smirk.

As Nahan chuckled and turned his head, Luna and Hanryang also smiled.

“As expected of the Commander! I might struggle without removing my restrictions, but I guess these pawns are nothing to you!!”

“Of course—sir.”

Not funny at all.

Glaring at the excited Hanryang and Luna, Nahan recalled the plan once more.

‘Wait here, and when Asha and Gardner arrive, release Hanryang and Luna’s restrictions.’

Observe the battle and wait until the bad ending – <6. The Hero’s Return> is over, then take out Hestia, whom we’ve hidden in subspace, as a hostage.

‘Then abandon Lactea and escape.’

The three of us escape through Ruby, and Lactea through Dalan.

A truly genius method that prevents the bad ending while following the original storyline.

“Hey, Nahan. Were you a good student?”

“Never cared for it, Big Brother.”

“Is that so? …This guy, they say his brain works strangely well during fights.”

I’m just standing here watching the fight, does that even count as combat?

With such doubts, while striking various poses and looking down at the knights below.

RUMBLE…!!

Suddenly, the mansion shook.

“Oh sh—”

Nahan barely maintained his balance to avoid falling, but Luna and Hanryang were standing without even swaying, so.

“…I was dozing off because it was too boring.”

Just as he was about to make an excuse that wouldn’t fool anyone, an unfamiliar voice came from behind me.

“After luckily dodging once, you dare to speak so arrogantly.”

Dodge?

…What?

Turning toward the voice, Nahan’s eyes fell upon a shield torn sharply into two pieces.

Shield fragments that would have pierced his brain if he hadn’t staggered from the vibration.

“…As expected of the Commander. I couldn’t have dodged that.”

“Likewise. I couldn’t even—track it with my eyes.”

Same here.

With Luna and Hanryang expressing admiration behind him, the man growled a warning.

“I’ll tear you apart, for Hestia.”

“I didn’t kill her.”

“…? Don’t interrupt me. Listen to the end. I’ll tear you all apart, for Hestia’s spirit.”

“Hestia is alive.”

Really.