“You don’t have to take this test.”
Elira started.
“If you ask the King, I am sure he will cancel the test. You have only been here for two weeks, sending you to a border town to protect it from the Corrupted Beasts is ridiculous.”
“Or better yet, ask the King to send us with you. That will solve everything.”
Arlan suggested, and Elira’s face twitched.
“Are you a fool? What would be the point of the test if we were sent? What’s next? Sending the Grand Marshal to help farmers plough the fields?”
“…”
This time, Arlan couldn’t even come up with a retort.
Elira was correct. If they went together with Kael, there would be no test left, and Kael knew that as well.
How could he not?
These people in front of him were monsters through and through. They were, without a doubt, two of the strongest people he had met.
[Name: Elira Stormhold]
[Race: Human]
[Age: 28]
[Level: 67]
[Strength: 40]
[Agility: 50]
[Speed: 60]
[Stamina: 80]
[Defense: 55]
[Mana: 153]
[Intelligence: 180]
[Charisma: 85]
[Strengths: Master of Fire Magic, Magic Knowledge, High Mana Reserves, Quick Reflexes, Charismatic]
[Weaknesses: Weak Physical Combat, Overconfidence in Magic]
…
[Name: Arlan Stormhold]
[Race: Human]
[Age: 35]
[Level: 75]
[Strength: 150]
[Agility: 145]
[Speed: 140]
[Stamina: 150]
[Defense: 145]
[Mana: 50]
[Intelligence: 95]
[Charisma: 120]
[Strengths: Supreme Combat Prowess, Unyielding Resilience, Master of Battlefield, Tactical Genius, Commanding Aura]
[Weaknesses: Low Mana, Overreliance on Physical Combat]
…
Just looking at the numbers on the screen made Kael smile wryly.
Noticing his golden eyes, Elira narrowed hers.
“You are using your ability again.”
“It’s a habit.”
Kael replied.
“Yo—”
Elira wanted to say something. She, however, quickly shook her head and,
“That’s not important. Go talk to the King.”
She suggested. Kael, however, shook his head.
“I will not.”
“Why!?”
“There is no point.
I need to take this responsibility one day or another. Postponing it won’t help. I have been trained for this. Marshal Therian knows how capable I am, and he must have selected the test for me, keeping that in mind.
I believe it would be better to rise to the opportunity now than later.”
Kael answered.
He had given it quite a lot of thought. Honestly, he wanted nothing more than to run away and hide.
He, however, was the Hero.
Now, Kael didn’t have a Hero Complex or whatever.
What he was, was a realist. He knew what him being the Hero meant to the people of this world.
The only reason he had been able to live this lavish lifestyle was because he was the Hero.
What if he decided to abandon this title?
What if he stated that he wouldn’t be protecting the world anymore and wanted nothing to do with it?
Kissing goodbye to this lavish lifestyle would be the least of his worries.
Kael had been looking around.
Ever since he saw that vision and that girl with features similar to the Drakthar Royalty, he had been trying to learn more about the Drakthar Royal Family. Yet, while he didn’t find anything concrete, he definitely noticed something strange.
All the royal families Kael had heard or read about were known for their love of portraits. The Drakthar Royal Family wasn’t any different. There were paintings of past kings and queens displayed across the castle.
Kael had even been to the Grand Hall of Kings, where portraits of past and present rulers were lined up. He had read books that documented their histories.
One of the books Kael read documented all the Kings that had sat on the throne and their families. The book also had family portraits of these Kings, together with their Queens and heirs.
All Kings except the current one.
And it wasn’t just that book.
Kael noticed that no matter how hard he looked, no matter how many books he read, he couldn’t find any family portraits where the King was together with the Queen and the Prince.
And it wasn’t just the books. Kael remembered that last time, when he tried to talk to Elira, the Court Mage acted strangely.
At first, Kael thought it was just a coincidence. Maybe the King didn’t like to show affection in public, or there were some issues within the family. Soon, however, he shook his head. While this was still a possibility, it didn’t sit well with Kael.
He was the King—a symbol of perfection, a role model to all. Personal matters, especially family troubles, were not supposed to leak into the public eye.
At the very least, there should have been one family portrait of the King together with his wife and child, unless…
The King or the Royal Family was trying to hide something or… someone.
And the moment he came to this conclusion, the image of that girl with purple hair and eyes strengthened in his mind.
Something was definitely wrong here.
Kael didn’t know what it was, and honestly, right now, he didn’t care.
He just knew one thing.
Unlike what he thought when he came here, the Drakthar Royalty wasn’t any different from any other family in power. There were secrets hidden beneath secrets, and he wouldn’t be surprised if the Royal Family turned against him and even went after him if he abandoned his title as the Hero.
He was trapped, and he needed to act like the ideal Hero if he wanted to survive.
Even if that meant accepting a ‘test’ that might kill him.
“But you just came here two weeks ago. Sending you to a border town…
It is too dangerous.”
Elira was still worried.
Kael stared at the Court Mage and smiled.
“You dare look down on me? I am the Hero, you know? I am also the one who won our wager, remember?”
He teased. This time, however, Elira didn’t snap as usual. Rather, she stared at Kael, and with a solemn look on her face, she questioned—
“Are you sure about this?”
“I am.”
Kael nodded, and in the end, Elira and Arlan gave in.
“Alright. We wish you luck.”
“Thank you.”
“We have a meeting to attend, so we will take our leave now.”
Elira informed.
“Oh? So you actually do work? I thoug—”
“Shut it, brat.”
“Okay.”
Kael turned silent as the siblings walked away.