------------------
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
------------------
Chapter 152: Misunderstandings Keep Piling Up
Duke of Whitewood’s sudden visit.
The news of her arrival sent Zerion Academy into chaos.
Upon hearing that she was looking for me, I hurried to meet her.
I had a vague idea of the reason.
Duke of Whitewood despises cult of mysticism.
Would someone like her have remained silent after an incident where cult of mysticism attacked the Saintess?
‘She must have planted spies on the Saintess’ side.’
She would have already known that Acrede visited Zerion Academy.
After all, it was Duke of Whitewood herself who acted as the bridge between Acrede and Iris.
She must have come, suspecting that this situation is related to cult of mysticism.
‘Still, to look for me first?’
Her excessive affection for me left me at a loss.
When I finally arrived at Duke of Whitewood’s guest room,
I found the Headmaster standing outside, bowing his head with a distressed expression.
Upon making eye contact with me, he cleared his throat and stepped aside.
“Hannon, go on in.”
I was already acquainted with the Headmaster.
Previously, he had hosted an event where he granted any request.
Back then, his face was flushed red, but today, it was deathly pale.
He should really take care of his health.
“Yes, Headmaster. You always work hard.”
“...You’re keeping the secret well, right?”
“Of course.”
Without another word, the Headmaster left.
It was clear that he had no desire to engage in a long conversation with me.
After he departed, I knocked on the door twice.
“Duke of Whitewood, it’s Hannon Irey.”
“Come in.”
As soon as I heard her response, I opened the door.
Inside, I saw a familiar face.
Duke of Whitewood, with her ever-mystical aura, and her attendants.
And one more person I knew.
‘Oh… well, this is awkward.’
So, it finally happened.
Standing there was Hannon Irey.
Yes.
Not me.
The real Hannon.
As soon as our eyes met, Hannon’s gaze sharpened intensely.
Hannon firmly believed I was Zerion’s reincarnation.
He must have already heard about me using Zerion’s ancient dragon magic, Heavenly Dragon Transformation.
For an archaeology fanatic like Hannon, this was an earth-shattering revelation.
Suspicion quickly turned into conviction.
To Hannon, I was undoubtedly the reincarnation of Zerion.
And judging by his expression, he looked like a fan meeting his ultimate idol.
Frankly, that kind of gaze is something only fanatics would have.
“Now, do you have anything to say about this situation?”
Duke of Whitewood smiled.
But the pressure behind that smile was not something I could easily withstand.
Still, I stood my ground.
I had nothing to be ashamed of.
Because everything I had done was necessary.
To guide the world in the absence of Lucas.
“No, I have nothing to say. I used a false identity and assumed Hannon’s name to operate within Zerion Academy.”
So, I declared my stance with confidence.
“I enrolled here in place of an old friend with whom I had a complicated past.”
“Friend?!”
Hannon unconsciously shouted.
Realizing he had interrupted the conversation, he quickly covered his mouth.
His eyes burned even more fiercely as he stared at me.
The "friend" I mentioned was Lucas.
But Hannon seemed to have mistaken it for someone else.
‘Wolfram, probably.’
This misunderstanding just keeps getting worse.
Duke of Whitewood silently observed me.
She likely already knew that I was hiding my true identity.
This was the woman who once defeated the pinnacle of mysticism.
Would she really be fooled by something as trivial as Veil Bandages?
She must have had her suspicions for a while.
She simply hadn’t confronted me because she saw no reason to.
But now, by bringing the real Hannon here, she was demanding that I reveal the truth.
“Boy, I do not intend to hold you accountable for your actions.”
The only reason I had been able to stand before Duke of Whitewood until now without exposing my identity was because of her personality.
I knew she wasn’t the type to make a fuss over such things.
Duke of Whitewood values actions over words.
She must have been monitoring my every move since granting me special status under the Heroic Act.
There was no deception in my actions.
They were heroic enough to earn Duke of Whitewood’s recognition.
‘Of course.’
I walked the path of the main timeline.
The destined path of the future hero, Lucas.
Even if things had deviated in many ways recently, the essence remained the same.
“I simply wish to ask.”
Duke of Whitewood crossed her pale legs.
“Boy, what is it that you truly want?”
The road I walked was not straightforward.
But it was certainly leading toward a single goal.
She had been watching.
And now she wanted to know what lay at the end of that path.
“I have precious people by my side.”
People I had only been able to watch from behind a screen.
I had seen them laugh, cry, and push forward toward their destinies through Lucas’s eyes.
But now, things were different.
They were no longer just distant figures.
Now, they were beside me.
And they were precious to me.
‘Loss of love.’
Even if the Veil Bandages had stripped me of the ability to feel love,
The fact that I once cherished and valued them did not change.
So, even if I lost three emotions, I could still move forward.
Because memories last forever, even when emotions fade.
“To lead them to the happiest world possible.”
My eyes shone with unwavering determination.
This must have been the same look Lucas had at times like these.
And for once, I felt truly in sync with his emotions.
“That is my one and only wish.”
Duke of Whitewood quietly observed me.
She was an expert at reading people.
She could immediately tell that my words contained no falsehoods.
“Then, boy, let me ask you one final question.”
Duke of Whitewood spoke her last inquiry.
“In that happy world… do you exist?”
A happy world.
And whether I was part of it.
I paused for a moment before slowly opening my lips.
"Someday."
Though I could no longer cherish myself.
------------------
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
------------------
"I hope I will be."
For those who care for me, I wish to remain in that place.
Duke of Whitewood remained silent.
I, too, closed my mouth and followed her lead.
Now, how she would interpret my words was up to her.
"I have no intention of hindering the path of a young hero. My time has long passed, so it should be left to the younger generation."
Then, Duke of Whitewood made one promise.
"But a hero who fails is meaningless. I have seen countless heroes who have lost their way."
There was warmth in her eyes.
To Duke of Whitewood, I was still just a young boy.
"Boy, do not forget your current feelings."
"Yes, thank you."
Just as I had been sincere, Duke of Whitewood also truly worried about me.
I bowed my head and expressed my gratitude, as I had received her help more than once.
"Now then, let's put aside these uplifting words."
Duke of Whitewood smiled, signaling the beginning of the real conversation.
"You know very well that I absolutely despise cult of mysticism, right?"
"Yes, I do."
"I've searched thoroughly, but unfortunately, I still haven’t found the stronghold of the mystics."
Even Duke of Whitewood’s intelligence network had failed to uncover their hiding place.
Their power was not to be underestimated.
"But, you know… I have a feeling. That kind of peculiar intuition—you understand, don't you?"
Duke of Whitewood's eyes curved like those of a fox.
She was one of the four dukes who shook the empire.
Even if she had no interest in politics, there was no way her instincts were dull.
"The reason the saintess came to find you—I believe that is also related to the mystics. What do you think?"
"You're right."
If I wanted to seek Duke of Whitewood’s help, I had to tell the truth without hiding anything.
"Acrede is the reincarnation of the saint, Narea."
"Kahak!"
Hannon let out another loud cry.
He twisted his body as if he could hardly contain himself—his passion as an archaeology enthusiast was unstoppable.
"A reincarnation… You mean the reincarnation of heroes?"
"Yes, exactly. And—"
I told her something that even Duke of Whitewood would find shocking.
"The Fallen Flame, Rosli. His reincarnation, Vulcan Zebra, is leading the mystics."
"Hah."
As expected, Duke of Whitewood let out an incredulous sound.
Rosli Academy, built in the Zebra Kingdom.
Its founder, Rosli, had been reincarnated, and now Vulcan was the leader of the mystics.
For Duke of Whitewood, who had witnessed the era of heroes, nothing could be more absurd.
"…So, that's how things turned out."
Duke of Whitewood now understood why she had been unable to obtain this information.
"Boy, just this once, I can’t help but ask for your source."
She pointed out my uncanny ability to gather intelligence.
Even Duke of Whitewood found my information network unusual.
However, there was a legitimate source for this information.
"There is currently a reincarnation of Aquiline in Zerion Academy."
"Kahak!"
Hannon now trembled as if he were about to faint.
I had no idea how much longer he planned to keep reacting like this.
"I heard it directly from her."
I wasn’t blindly following the established order.
To move influential figures, I needed a valid reason and proper procedures.
Every event had a cause, and there was evidence to support it.
That was why I tried to adhere to the established order as much as possible.
If I wanted to stop the evil force that threatened the entire world, I needed to move the world itself.
The Fifth Act: The Reincarnated Ones was directly connected to that power.
In order to make these influential figures take action, I had to act with all my might.
"Narea and Aquiline—so many beloved heroes are returning."
Duke of Whitewood looked at me with great interest.
"For all these figures to be connected to you… Boy, could it be that you are the reincarnation of the transcendent sage, Zerion?"
"That is a ridiculous misunderstanding."
Just as I had corrected Hannon before, I quickly denied it again.
But Hannon, whose eyes were already ablaze, seemed unable to hear anything anymore.
"Hehehe, very well. I’ll accept that for now."
Duke of Whitewood did not press the matter further.
Instead, she chose to ask a different question.
"What matters now is whether you can determine the location of the mystics' stronghold."
Her eyes burned with an unrestrained desire to destroy the mystics.
There was no need to extinguish that fire.
Instead, I would gently fan the flames—until they became a full-blown wildfire.
"Acrede’s fragment of Narea’s soul has been kidnapped."
This was the perfect chance to crush the mystics with Duke of Whitewood’s power.
"If Aquiline’s reincarnation helps, she should be able to track the soul’s traces."
Originally, I had planned to obtain the Sixth Floor Artifact: Soul Tracker.
However, due to the Autumn Dungeon Teleportation Incident, I had failed to acquire it.
But with Aquiline, the situation changed.
She was a former hero who had surpassed the Soul Tracker.
Even when the established order was twisted, solutions could be found.
If I lacked a tool, I would simply find another way.
However, there was one thing that concerned me.
‘This is originally a story that should unfold in the Fifth Act.’
Duke of Whitewood clearly wanted to crush the mystics as soon as possible.
That meant she would likely act before the year ended.
In the established order, the Fifth Act was set for the first semester of my third year, next spring.
But now, it had been moved up by half a year.
Yet, I couldn’t afford to back out.
Duke of Whitewood was a powerful asset—one that wouldn’t always be available.
This might be the only chance.
I clenched my fist.
I had already distorted many parts of the established order.
Ever since Lucas’s death, the timeline had deviated drastically.
Trying to maintain the original path was nothing more than my stubbornness.
But now, I wanted to go further—I wanted to protect the things that were dear to me.
Even if my emotions faded, that truth would never change.
‘Let’s do it.’
The Fifth Act, earlier than planned.
With the most powerful wild card, Duke of Whitewood, in my hand—
I opened the curtain to the Fifth Act.
------------------
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
------------------
