Chapter 69 : Wosrt Warrior (8)

The Legend of the Heroes

It’s a story that everyone who grew up in the Kingdom of Mines would have heard at least once:

“When a great threat looms over the kingdom, the dormant heroes will rise again.”

“Do not be afraid.”

“We are always by your side.”

“Trust one another, fight bravely, and achieve victory.”

Wolfgang had come across these lines repeatedly during her research on the kingdom’s legends and folklore.

While the phrasing differed across regions, the overall theme was the same.

At first, she dismissed it as just another myth meant to uplift the people’s spirits.

But as she delved deeper, she began to wonder if it might be based on reality.

And eventually, her suspicions were confirmed.

The only unexpected element was that the heroes hadn’t been awakened by the royal family or the nobility but by the Saintess acting on her own.

She had thought the Crown Prince would have at least been informed beforehand.

Pondering this, Wolfgang sprinted down the palace corridors with Crown Prince Jaiha.

It was far from the dignified behavior expected of nobles, but everyone present was similarly urgent.

If there was any benefit to this chaotic situation, it was that they would quickly witness the aftermath of the Saintess’s unilateral actions.

Wolfgang and Jaiha soon arrived at the throne room.

“This is why I awakened the heroes slumbering beneath the palace,” Jeanne declared.

“Saintess Jeanne, do you truly believe the kingdom is under such a grave threat?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Please entrust this matter to me.”

“What is the meaning of this, Saintess Jeanne?”

Though she knelt politely before the king, her demeanor lacked the humility of a loyal subject.

Beside Jeanne knelt three individuals, including Prince Jaiha, radiating an aura so intense it was suffocating for any ordinary person.

Jaiha, unable to contain his anger, burst out in fury.

Wolfgang, however, was startled by something else.

Prince Jaiha, who stood by Jeanne’s side, looked like the prince on the surface.

But Wolfgang immediately sensed otherwise.

“That’s not Prince Jaiha.”

It wasn’t something she could explain logically.

Her mind acknowledged the figure as Jaiha, as did everyone else.

It was as though it had always been that way.

Yet, her instincts screamed otherwise: this wasn’t Prince Jaiha but something else wearing his guise.

Despite this, none of the gathered nobles, not even the perceptive Jahai, seemed to notice the discrepancy.

“The other two must be heroes. Could it be that Jaiha has been possessed by one as well?”

“Someone with sharp instincts,” Van thought, impressed by Wolfgang’s piercing gaze.

Thanks to the goddess’s protection, Van’s presence as Jaiha was shrouded in a divine aura that subdued any sense of unease.

Yet, Wolfgang pierced through this veil of authority to suspect his true identity.

“Either her mental fortitude is exceptional, or her power is nearly divine.”

Initially, Van assumed Wolfgang’s mental strength was extraordinary.

But as he continued observing her, he began to sense a sacred aura, something akin to that of a god.

“Could she be backed by another deity?”

“The Empire, she said… perhaps the Sun God?”

The thought made Van chuckle and shake his head.

“The Sun God, lending power to a mere human? Impossible.”

“Even when the continent was on the brink of falling to the Demon King, he didn’t intervene directly.”

“He only watches from above, remaining neutral and detached.”

“Still, she’s worth remembering. She might hold the key to overcoming this situation.”

For now, thanks to the goddess’s blessing, no one questioned Van’s identity as Prince Jaiha—except Wolfgang.

Van sighed, lamenting how pitiful it was that he now had to rely on a hero from the Empire.

Jahai fiercely protested Jeanne’s actions, his frustration fueled by her unilateral decision-making.

This was proof of her growing power.

The Royalist faction, once overshadowed by the Saintess faction, had only managed to put up token resistance in the past.

But now the tide had shifted.

With defectors joining their ranks, the Royalist faction’s numbers were beginning to rival those of the Saintess faction.

While they still lagged in quality, battles often came down to numbers.

Having Crown Prince Jaiha, the kingdom’s legitimate heir, as their leader compensated for their shortcomings.

Still, it was far from enough to overwhelm the Saintess faction entirely.

“The Saintess must have her reasons.”

“She’s never been wrong in her decisions.”

“It’s sudden, but… perhaps understandable.”

The Saintess faction rallied around Jeanne, defending her decision.

This showed their growing sense of crisis as defections increased.

For a decade, the Saintess faction had dominated, doing as they pleased without opposition.

Now, with the Royalists growing stronger and Rana’s overwhelming power on their side, the balance had shifted.

To counter Rana Frost, the Saintess faction needed their own overwhelming force.

And what better choice than the kingdom’s legendary heroes?

The invasion of the Wyvern’s Nest provided the perfect justification for their awakening.

Had Wolfgang not personally dealt with that threat, the kingdom might have been destroyed.

“What if I hadn’t intervened? Or worse, if I had deliberately allowed it to happen?”

“The kingdom would have been finished.”

The Saintess faction used this as a rallying cry, strengthening their unity.

Jaiha found himself unable to break through their cohesion.

Thus, the heroes joined the Kingdom of Mines.

“It’s unsettling. Who could have predicted the Saintess would use such a card?”

“You didn’t foresee this?”

“Not at all. Great power comes with great responsibility. Awakening three legendary heroes… the repercussions could be catastrophic.”

And catastrophic they would be.

Even while dormant, the presence of the heroes had attracted monsters to the kingdom.

This phenomenon, known as the “Wild Hunt,” had persisted for years.

Now, with the heroes awakened, there was no way the Wild Hunt would subside.

The repercussions came quicker than anyone expected.

As Wolfgang and Jaiha discussed their next steps, a knight rushed in.

“Your Highness! A grave matter has arisen!”

“What is it?”

“I’ll explain,” said a familiar voice.

“Frost? What’s going on?”

It was none other than Theodore von Frost, who had been carrying out Jahai’s orders.

But his grim expression spoke volumes.

“I was overseeing the Royal Guard stationed at the border.”

“And?”

“The Wild Hunt is upon us.”

Jahai’s face hardened at Theodore’s report.

“This isn’t like the Wild Hunts we’ve faced before.”

“What do you mean?”

“This time, the scale is unprecedented.”

The kingdom’s downfall had begun—a collapse no one could have predicted.