"What does this mean? His Majesty wants me to return to the Imperial capital to retrieve the Holy Sword of Zenith before the war begins?"


    Guren couldn''t believe what he had just read.


    Retrieve the Holy Sword of Zenith?


    Doesn''t that imply that he will be the next sword hero once he aplishes it?


    "Why has this suddenly changed? Shouldn''t retrieving the Holy Sword of Zenith happen after the war and earning recognition on the battlefield?" Guren frowned and reread the letter to confirm he hadn''t misunderstood.


    However, after reading it again, the contents were exactly as he had initially understood, making his heart race.


    "Bing a Sword Hero... Hehehe! I didn''t expect that I would be able to earn this title so soon," Guren whispered with a faint smile. "I thought it would take much longer, requiring me to prove myself on the battlefield."


    "Yet, I never anticipated such a sudden change. Was this what they mean by ''if fate is on your side, then the whole road ahead will be a breeze''?" His faint smile slowly grew into a wideugh.


    Finally, his dream of bing a true hero woulde true, filling him with excitement!


    "Leon, oh Leon, I wonder how you''ll feel when the title you cherish and the holy weapon you''ve wielded for so many years fall into my hands," Guren taunted, his excitement palpable as he gazed up at the room''s ceiling.


    Taking a deep breath, Guren slowly rose to his feet, crumpled the letter, and set it on fire.


    "By the way, how am I supposed to return to the capital in such a short time? It takes five days to travel there and another five to return, which is impossible," he muttered, narrowing his eyes.


    The war was tomorrow, leaving him only five hours before nightfall and neen hours before it began.


    The letter also stressed the importance of keeping his departure a secret, even from the other two heroes, Luna and Valen.


    As he pondered how to return to the capital quickly and unnoticed, Rain''s figure suddenly appeared in his mind, causing him to burst intoughter.


    "That''s right! I can ask Rain for help! How could I forget about her?" Guren tapped his forehead with a small chuckle.


    Perhaps his excitement had caused him to overlook the mage.


    With Rain''s teleportation magic, he could travel between here and the capital in no time.


    Without hesitation, Guren swiftly left the room and made his way to Rain''s room with the guidance of the maid.


    ...


    Inside Rain''s room...


    "So, what brings you to my room? Don''t you know I''m resting?" Rain, dressed in a purple lolita gown and wearing an expressionless face, asked in an annoyed tone from her position on the bed.


    Her purple eyes stared indifferently at Guren, who stood at the door, annoyance hidden in her eyes.


    Feeling the annoyed gaze directed at him, Guren simply offered a slight smile, unaffected.


    "I came to ask you something," Guren began, then continued, "Can you teleport me back to the capital from here?"


    Upon hearing this, Rain frowned for the first time and regarded him indifferently.


    "Of course, but why do you ask?" Rain inquired, her eyes narrowing slightly.


    To be honest, deep down, she harbored a strong dislike for Guren, especially after witnessing his defeat by Valen in the throne room.


    His arrogant and prideful nature, coupled with hisck of power, made him appear foolish.


    For Rain, one of humanity''s two most powerful mages, his demeanor was the epitome of what she found most detestable and repugnant.


    If given the choice between Leon and Guren, Rain would not hesitate to choose Leon. Despite his arrogance, Leon possessed a strength that aligned with his demeanor.


    However, Rain didn''t reveal her annoyance or disgust outwardly. Instead, she maintained an emotionless, indifferent expression on her small face.


    Unaware of the hatred and disgust hidden behind Rain''s expressionless face, Guren smiled happily upon hearing her words.


    "Alright! Then, apany me back to the Imperial Pce," Guren said excitedly, causing Rain''s expression to instantly turn cold.


    "What do you mean—" Rain started to inquire, but suddenly, Guren raised his right hand to cut her off, a yful look gleaming in his green eyes.


    "This is His Majesty''s order..." Guren dered firmly, folding his hands across his chest and casting a faint smile at Rain.


    At the mention of Velix, Rain''s eyes narrowed slightly as she asked, "If this is indeed His Majesty''s order, then why do you wish to return to the pce? If you refuse to disclose the reason, I will assume you are being deceitful, and I will not offer my assistance."


    At her words, Guren''s smile tightened subtly.


    He hadn''t anticipated Rain''s profound distrust, despite invoking Velix''s name.


    Taking a deep breath, Guren pondered his dilemma.


    The letter explicitly instructed him not to divulge the information to anyone, including the two heroes.


    However, Guren realized that without Rain''s cooperation, his return to the pce would be unattainable.


    Exhaling quickly, he met Rain''s indifferent gaze as she sat on the bed.


    "The reason I seek to return to the pce is..."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the pce dining room, Leon lounged against the chair''s back, his stomach slightly distended, a contented smile gracing his lips.


    Across from him, Liliana cleared tes from the table, stealing nces at Leon with a gentle smile.


    "Did you enjoy the meal?" she asked softly.


    "Of course! Your cooking is as splendid as ever," Leonplimented, straightening up and casting an appreciative gaze her way.


    "It''s good to hear you enjoyed it," Liliana responded with apparent nonchnce, as if she were unaffected by Leon''s praise.


    Yet, beneath herposed facade, a blossoming happiness adorned her features, skillfully concealed but not entirely hidden, eliciting a chuckle from Leon as he perceived it through her guise.


    With a subtle shake of his head, Leon scanned the dining room curiously before inquiring, "By the way, where are Fiona, Iris, and Charlotte?"


    "They''re taking a nap in their room," Liliana replied lightly, making her way to the kitchen with a load of dirty dishes in hand.


    Leon nodded, silently sipping his coffee.


    Momentster, Liliana reappeared, setting a te of fresh fruit on the table before taking a seat opposite Leon. A sudden smile graced her lips as she gazed at him.


    "Hm? Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have something on my face?" Leon asked, his hand instinctively reaching to brush his face, fearing any imperfection that might mar his good looks.


    Taking a grape from the te, Liliana maintained her smile as she ate it.


    "It''s nothing. I''m just pleased by how energetically you performed on the bed earlier. It caught me off guard," Liliana replied casually, her gaze carrying a subtle implication as she met his eyes.


    Upon hearing this, Leon choked and coughed. "Ehem! What do you mean by ''enthusiastically''? Isn''t it natural that I was feeling enthusiastic earlier?"


    With an innocent expression, Leon took the grape and ate it, as if unaffected by Liliana''s teasing.


    "Pfft! Yes, you''re absolutely right. I definitely appreciated the benefits of your enthusiastic state earlier," Liliana replied, licking her lips and casting a charming gaze at Leon, causing his heart to race.


    Ensnared by Liliana''s mesmerizing gaze, even Leon, typically skilled at resisting such allure, found himself spellbound this time.


    The little brother under his pants also started to react, prompting him to take a deep breath immediately in an effort to regain hisposure.


    ''Patience, Leon! Don''t yield! That fight has already sapped your strength! Another round, and your kidneys will copse!'' Leon scolded himself internally, prompting the arousal and lust heightened by Liliana''s deadly, seductive gaze to vanish instantly.


    Maintaining aposed expression, Leon looked casually at Liliana and remarked, "Don''t y games with me. It won''t lead anywhere."


    Observing Leon''s previously dazed expression transform into indifference, Liliana couldn''t suppress herughter.


    ''He''s quite the actor,'' she whispered to herself, a soft, melodiousugh escaping her lips.


    With a subtle shake of her head, Liliana decided to drop the teasing and shift the conversation.


    "By the way, when do you n to take the antidote for the devouring poison to recover your strength?" she inquired curiously.


    Upon hearing her question, Leonpsed into silence for a few moments, contemting as he sipped his coffee.


    After a while, he set down his cup and replied, "I''ll use it tonight. I''ll also need your help to set up seal magic and a strong barrier around me."


    Liliana, slightly surprised by his request, gave him a puzzled look.


    "Seal and barrier magic? What for?" she asked, furrowing her brows in confusion.


    "To minimize the explosion that might ur when my powers return," Leon replied with a slight chuckle.


    "Explosion? Aren''t you overreacting? Will your powers returning really trigger such a phenomenon?" Liliana asked hesitantly, picking up another grape from the te and eating it.


    Leon didn''t answer her question right away. Instead, he asked, "Liliana, do you know that tonight is a very special night?"


    "Special night?" Liliana tilted her head, clearly puzzled.


    Observing her genuinely confused expression, Leon felt reassured that she wasn''t pretending.


    With a smile, he nced down at his coffee, maintaining a calm and nonchnt demeanor.


    "This night is special because of the alignment of the two moons, Sylvia and Miranda, in the night sky. It''s a rare event that urs only once every thousand years," Leon exined nonchntly, pausing for a moment.


    Then, with a single breath, he raised his gaze to Liliana and continued, "This night is also known by another name—it''s the night of the birth of humanity''s heroes."