episode_0025

Imperial Capital, Sirius.

The continent’s largest city, built to mimic the structure of the Golden Tree, Yggdrasil, and personally designed and constructed by the first prophet, Feanor.

Now that the City of Destiny, Ember, has fallen, this enormous city, divided into 10 districts, which best inherited the culture and architectural styles of the golden age, was bustling with countless people flocking to its gates, awaiting today’s grand event.

“It’s bustling.”

Ivan, an old man who had arrived via a teleportation portal, remarked.

Driving his carriage down the wide boulevard, he clicked his tongue at the countless carriages that had gathered, causing a standstill.

Judging by the line stretching all the way to the Imperial Palace visible beyond the horizon, at least several thousand carriages must have been caught in the bottleneck.

“Good heavens, we’ll be here all night at this rate.”

The old man’s gaze turned to Joshua.

“I’m fine.”

“Are you sure? You’ll have to wait for several hours.”

At his words, Joshua’s gaze shifted to the two small children.

With bright, sparkling eyes, they clutched his robe, sending him pleading glances that begged him not to leave.

“…Ahem, I apologize. The children are still quite young, so they’ve caused a nuisance.”

“It’s fine. More importantly, how long do you think it will take to reach the plaza?”

“Hmm…”

Ivan’s gaze returned to the front.

Although carriages were moving quickly in the distance, it seemed they would be stuck there for at least half a day.

“It looks like we’ll be stuck here for about half a day.”

“The send-off ceremony was scheduled for late afternoon, wasn’t it?”

“That’s right. Are you, by any chance, joining the expeditionary force?”

“Of course not. I simply came to watch.”

“Hmm, so that’s it.”

“Anyway, as long as I arrive before the heroes appear, I don’t mind. I can just play with the children casually until then, so you don’t have to worry.”

“We’ll arrive with plenty of time before then, so don’t worry.”

Having heard the conversation between the two men and realizing that Joshua wouldn’t be leaving immediately, Mikhail and Maria began clinging to him again.

His way of handling the children was clumsy, like a wooden puppet with creaking joints, but the sight of him trying his best to be gentle and play with them made one instinctively smile.

‘A send-off ceremony, of all things.’

In the past, people would have recoiled at the mere mention of a send-off ceremony.

As time passed and the era changed, seeing people consider the send-off ceremony as a kind of grand victory parade made him keenly feel just how much time had truly passed.

‘It has been nearly 50 years since this war began.’

It was such a long time that a child born at the very outbreak of the war, if they had grown up to be an ordinary person reaching the first realm, would now be starting to age and be called middle-aged.

Ivan, an old man nearing 120 this year, wondered who could have known that this era of war, once filled only with despair, would transform into such a vibrant one, and then he resumed driving his carriage.

***

Imperial Palace, Tiphereth.

In the vast plaza in front of the Imperial Palace, adorned with lapis lazuli symbolizing the Shahlnu Imperial Family, millions of people gathered, creating an atmosphere that transcended mere noisiness and became chaotic.

“Ugh~ it’s so chaotic~”

Mikhail and Maria, each held in one of Joshua’s arms, grumbled, plugging their ears with their index fingers.

Ivan, watching the two nestled in Joshua’s arms with a pleased expression, spread his arms and said.

“Come on, come here. It’s rude to Uncle Joshua.”

“No! Grandpa always puts us down right away because he’s tired!”

“We can’t see anything from down below!”

“Mm…”

As Ivan gestured apologetically, Joshua waved a dismissive hand with the arm holding the children.

“By the way, is the send-off ceremony starting soon?”

“Probably. Judging by the security forces occasionally seen moving busily, I’d say so.”

Ivan spoke, overhearing the conversation between two men nearby.

“It seems it’s starting soon.”

“It seems so.”

At the same time he spoke, the sound of a massive bell began to ring, large enough to instantly silence the noisy plaza.

Clang— Clang———— Clang————— Clang———————— Clang——————————

The Bell of Infinity.

The City of Destiny, Ember. A bell shaped like ∞, created during the golden age, which once existed even in the Fallen.

As the reverberations of the massive bell echoed throughout the entire city, regardless of distance, the noisy plaza instantly fell silent, and at the same time…

…

The gazes of millions of people instinctively began to turn to a single spot.

The Imperial Palace, Tiphereth.

To the open terrace above the palace gates, visible from below and from afar.

Everyone, young and old, silently gazed at that spot alone.

And then.

Wooooaaaaahhhhhh—!!!!

With a thunderous roar filled with enthusiasm, heroes clad in silver armor began to appear one by one from the terrace.

Starting with the Twelfth Hero, Maugrius, who Embraces the Stars.

The Eleventh Hero, Otuel, who is Looked Up To.

The Tenth Hero, Danoa of the Fairy Kingdom.

The Ninth Hero, Rinaldo, Servant of Wrath.

The Eighth Hero, Talfinus, the Stargazer.

The Seventh Hero, Perumbura the Giant.

The Sixth Hero, Olivier the Advisor.

The Fifth Hero, Bradamante, Child of Destiny.

The Fourth Hero, Nemo, the Great Teacher.

The Third Hero, Astolfo of the Red Spear.

And the First Hero, Orlando, the Sword Emperor, and…

Thump—

…the Second Hero, Kara, the Verdant Hero.

The twelve knights, clad in silver armor that reflected their individual personalities, appeared on the terrace, each holding their respective weapons.

“Those are the hopes of this continent.”

Someone in the crowd said that.

That they were the hopes of the continent.

That they were the continent’s treasures, indispensable to this world, who had stopped the infinite armies of death that had swept over the continent, bringing with them the aura of death.

That they were truly masterpieces crafted by destiny.

Looking up at their truly heroic appearances, people scrutinized the individual aspects of each of them.

Maugrius seemed to still retain a youthful air, fitting for the youngest.

However, as a magic swordsman, one of the few on the continent capable of wielding both mana and aura simultaneously, two immiscible forces flowed from him not in opposition, but in harmony.

Otuel was of half-giant descent.

He was the smallest giant in Saracen, the Giants’ territory, yet, as if to prove that small stature wasn’t everything, he became the second strongest in Saracen.

Danoa, as rumored, was incredibly beautiful.

She had slightly duller white hair than Hero Kara, and the Battle of Angelos, where she saved Hero Kara from the brink of death, is still recounted as a legend.

Rinaldo appeared to be easily angered.

Perhaps he couldn’t hide his reckless streak again, as fresh bruises remained on his face, suggesting he might have been beaten by Kara or Orlando.

Many sent glances his way but quickly averted their eyes from his ominous aura.

And Talfinus, true to his moniker, was rapidly recording the present moment on paper as if he were a real historian.

Perumbura, the largest giant, had used magic to shrink to the size of an ordinary person, and held a massive mace as he silently looked down.

Olivier, moreover, watched the city and beyond with colder eyes than anyone else, rather than the crowd.

Bradamante, with her characteristic innocent smile, responded most cheerfully to the crowd’s cheers by waving both hands.

“Lord Nemo has also aged a great deal.”

Ivan said, looking at Nemo.

“Have you seen him before?”

“A very long time ago. I gave him a ride in my carriage just once. I wondered if it was a mistake since strange people often attacked my carriage, but looking back now, it feels like a great honor.”

Because he had given a ride in his carriage to one of the greatest strategists in Shahlnu Empire history, a truly great hero.

Ivan’s eyes began to trace the past.

Joshua also quietly gazed at Nemo, but what was truly impressive was how he embodied the stereotypical image of a knight, just as the rumors described.

However, seeing his abundant white hair and deep wrinkles despite having reached the master realm, it was a fresh reminder of just how old he was.

“Though from a distance, I once saw Lord Orlando as well.”

At Ivan’s words, Joshua’s gaze also turned to Orlando.

One of the three emperors representing the continent, a superhuman known as the strongest.

It was said that his martial prowess, having reached the pinnacle among Grand Masters and being called the Sword Emperor, was unparalleled.

There were even rumors that the continent hadn’t been destroyed before the heroes appeared because the greedy prince, a disaster in himself, had avoided conflict with him.

“Wow~”

Just then, Maria, held in Joshua’s right arm, let out an exclamation as she looked at something.

Following Maria’s gaze, he saw that she was gasping in admiration at Kara, the Verdant Hero.

“So pretty….”

Maria murmured to herself.

Mikhail, held in his left arm, also blushed at her beauty, despite his young age.

“……”

Hair of a purer, brighter white than Danoa’s.

And indigo eyes like stars in the dawn sky.

Her expression, seemingly cold yet imbued with warmth, was directed at the millions of cheering crowds below the terrace, adorned with a faint smile.

As if formally selected as the successor to Knight Commander Orlando, she was waving her hand from a position even further forward than Orlando.

“……”

That sight, those figures, were like stars.

Their honorable appearance, clad in shining armor, receiving praise from countless people, and dedicating themselves to the continent.

That appearance, recognized by all as heroes.

Gazing at the twelve heroes and her, who stood at the very forefront, I murmured softly.

“…Beautiful.”

A voice so small that no one could hear it.

Uttering that one small word, I gazed at the brightest stars that had become beacons of hope for this continent.