In the Roan Kingdom, there is a saying:
'We may be sharing an era with a man who will be considered a great king in Roan Kingdom's history.'
The protagonist of this phrase was, of course, Alberu Crossman. Alongside the founding king and several other kings, he was already called the future king, though he was only the Crown Prince.
However, there was another presence similar but different from Alberu Crossman.
Cale Henituse.
He was already a great hero. Unlike Alberu's expectations of becoming something in the future, Cale was already a prominent figure in the present.
He himself did not know well. Beyond what he suspected; he did not fully understand his position as an existing hero. But the people around him felt it quite keenly.
"Is something the matter?"
One of those people was Lily. She raised her head at Cale's indifferent voice. Cale's indifferent eyes scrutinized her.
"It's nothing important."
Although Lily responded courageously, her mouth quickly dried up.
'What should I do?'
At first, she was thrilled when Cale told her that he would participate in the opening ceremony instead of her parents. It was even better because her older brother, Basen, was also there. It was the first time the three siblings moved together, and until yesterday, everything had been as fun as she expected.
Despite Cale's busy schedule, he took time to eat with them.
'And he talked to me about my dreams.'
The night before leaving the Henituse Territory for the academy, Cale asked Lily about her future in a counseling session. Initially, Lily responded tensely and awkwardly, but as Cale listened earnestly, she felt more comfortable sharing her thoughts.
'I thought battle and war were different. So, I want to study military tactics, graduate, and then go to remote or border places to gain proper experience.'
Cale gave a simple response.
'Try it as you want.'
It was such an indifferent response that it might seem genuinely disinterested.
'I will help you.'
Lily knew her older brother's attitude well.
'But don't overdo it.'
Lily was glad to hear those words. Although Cale was so busy that it was hard to see him, she felt that he thought about her, Basen, and the family. It was nice to know that her family was at the heart of Cale.
Clack.
The carriage stopped. Unless it was an emergency situation, teleportation magic couldn't be used within the academy. Even in emergency situations, approval from a higher-ranking Magician was required.
This was done to protect the academy from potential external intrusions and to prevent accidents in the Magic Faculty.
Therefore, Cale and his group teleported from the capital to the vicinity of the academy before boarding a large carriage and entering the academy. Of course, the Henituse family's crests were not on the carriage.
Outside was in chaos, like a bustling market.
'Everyone must have come to see the older brother.'
Students, graduates, external visitors, parents of students, etc. Those with permission crowded inside the academy, making the place noisy.
'To see the older brother.'
She felt happy but also overwhelmed by the weight.
"Lily."
Upon hearing Cale's voice calling her once again, Lily opened her mouth inadvertently.
"What if I can't do it?"
It was a nonsensical statement. Then she quickly closed her mouth.
Inside this carriage, besides Cale, there were a few other people, including Basen. Upon remembering that fact, she felt embarrassed. Hopefully, they wouldn't understand correctly what she was saying. As the sister of the great Hero, she feared showing a shameful appearance, feared that her brother's shadow couldn't be reached, and people would gossip about her.
'I hope my brother don't have understood me...'
At that moment, an indifferent voice was heard. Cale let out the words.
"If you can't, you just can't."
He looked at Lily as if asking what was wrong with her gaze. There was no other choice.
'She should have had a proper education at school...'
Kim Rok Soo's school life wasn't exactly sunshine and rainbows, but it wasn't awful either. Think of it as a bland shade of gray. There weren't any exciting stories he could share with Lily about that time.
'And this body, too, didn't study as Cale Henituse, right?'
Pretending to be a slacker, he was so busy acting like a fool that he didn't have time to study.
"Is it... okay if I can't do it?"
Although she had to get off the carriage, when Lily asked that cautious question, Cale made a surprised expression before answering.
"Who? Me?... Yes, I'm okay. Is there something wrong?"
No, right?
"If you can't achieve the goal you set for yourself, you may not feel good about yourself. You're quite ambitious, so make sure to manage stress well. Otherwise, your body will suffer."
Cale finished saying what he wanted and looked at Lily.
"And aren't you the type who doesn't pay much attention to what others say or what people murmur?"
At that moment, a smile formed at the corner of Lily's lips. It was a smile that sprouted unknowingly, like a hollow laugh.
"Yes, that's true."
Her voice expressed positivity as her face brightened. Since childhood, if Lily, who had lived wielding a sword, had worried about others' gaze, she wouldn't have been able to do it. What worried her wasn't others' words but the possibility of disappointing her family with her appearance. But...
'Our family won't be like that.'
Cale and Basen were like that too.
Their parents as well.
Lily also looked at Choi Han.
"I wasn't good at school. I really wasn't good."
Lily's expression stopped as she saw Choi Han's innocent face speaking so sincerely. At that moment, Basen intervened.
"I was good."
Lily frowned involuntarily at the words she couldn't refute.
Basen continued speaking.
"But I'm not as good with a sword as you are."
Lily thought as she watched people talk only about Cale and discuss the future of the Henituse Territory, where he would become lord and rule.
'Big brother Basen is quite impressive too.'
Perhaps Basen will make the territory more astonishing than Cale, who wanders outside.
Is it because he doesn't wield the sword?
Many argued that Lily's future would be grand, but there was a tendency to consider Basen simply as a sincere and somewhat intelligent second son. But Lily knew that wasn't the case.
'Big brother Cale knows it well.'
I also know that he wants to pass on the lordship to Basen. I can see that now.
'Big brother Basen doesn't get swayed by what others say.'
Because his parents, Cale, and the people of the Henituse Territory recognize and believe in him.
And Basen himself believes in his own abilities.
"Lily. Just as you and I are good at different things and have different directions in what we want, people are also different."
"I know!"
Lily responded and opened the carriage door without further ado. Then, she quickly got off and bid a brief farewell to the two brothers who were watching her.
"See you later."
"I'll get off too."
Basen sighed and followed her. Cale watched the two of them while smiling ironically.
"See you later."
The carriage door closed. Cale opened his mouth.
"Ron, have you found out anything?"
"No special rumors, Young Master."
In the academy, where more people than usual had gathered, there was no empty space.
"Especially after the dissolution of 'Arm,' things have been quiet lately. As for the underworld, they're busy with their internal struggles and don't have time for anything else."
Cale nodded at Ron's report. He then asked another.
"Has there been any communication from Choi Jung Soo?"
"No."
Team Leader Sui Khan shook his head. Choi Han's expression wasn't good.
'The Five-Colored Blood Family may be made up of Wanderers.'
Cale immediately conveyed what he had heard from Candidate Myung to Sui Khan and Choi Han. Choi Jung Soo wasn't present to report.
'He said he was going to see the God of Death.'
After wrapping things up in the Central Plains, a Wanderer (someone with a roaming mission) returned to report on their task. Cale, expecting this, attempted to use the mirror to reach the God of Death. However, ...
'No answer.'
He was apparently busy. So, he left a message immediately.
Although the other side clearly read the message, there was no response.
'It's one of the two.'
Either he was genuinely surprised, or he didn't care because he already knew. Cale waited for Choi Jung Soo and the God of Death.
"It's an honor, Young Master Cale!"
Damn.
He didn't have time to pay attention to the Wanderers. The director bowed almost ninety degrees.
"It's an honor!"
And the Heads of other faculties also greeted as a group.
-Human, Human, your pupils are shaking!
Raon's words, who had become transparent, were barely audible. It was because of the director's continuous words.
"Hahaha, can you imagine how many people want to hear Young Master Cale's speech? We managed to reduce the number that would gather to tens of thousands."
Eh? Tens of thousands?
"I look forward to your speech, Young Master."
Hmm.
Cale cautiously opened his mouth.
"I heard it was an occasion to celebrate the beginning of classes, so I prepared lightly. Usually, I heard those speeches shouldn't last more than 20 minutes-"
"Hahaha! Don't worry!"
The director laughed loudly. Nonchalantly.
"For Young Master Cale's sake, we've erased all subsequent activities today."
-Human, Human, your pupils are still shaking!
"So please, tell us about those great experiences you've had. It will be a great lesson for the children and also for adults like us."
-Human, Human! Why are you smiling as if you're wilting?
"We look forward to your speech, Young Master Cale. No, Commander! Hahaha!"
"...Yes... I'll do my best."
When Cale was a child and went to school, he was tired of hearing older people give long speeches, so he thought of giving a brief and rather straightforward speech.
'Don't the kids like that?'
That's what he thought.
'It seems I thought wrong.'
Cale faced a situation different from what he expected.
* * *
In the academy, there was a small square. It was called Central Square, and from here, the buildings of each faculty extended.
"Hmm."
Cale let out a sigh.
"How does it look to you?"
The director approached amiably. Cale found it uncomfortable that the director was so friendly from the start, but he answered anyway.
"It's similar to the capital."
"Yes, we were inspired by the capital."
Cale's expression became strange. The director, seeing this, smiled gently and said:
"It seems to remind you of something, doesn't it?"
"...What?"
"Where the legend began."
Cale's expression stiffened.
Whether he liked it or not, the director spoke enthusiastically.
"Do you remember the square where you first deployed the shield in the world? You can consider this a scaled-down version. Roan Kingdom Academy. We designed it to resemble the capital as much as possible. Hahaha!"
While the director spoke proudly, Cale could only force an awkward laugh.
'...This is strange.'
Although smaller than the capital, the square was filled with people. Cale felt a sense of déjà vu as he looked at it from inside a nearby building. Somehow, it reminded him of the past.
'Anyway, this director is amazing.'
Cale realized that the director was acting brightly, paying no attention to his discomfort. After discreetly increasing the speech time and expanding the scale, they informed Cale.
This is something that should be effectively communicated in advance, but a moment ago, he was told that he had no choice but to make this hasty change due to a terrorism warning letter and unexpected consultations.
'I don't like this.'
He heard it was the former prime minister. It seems there were some snakes within the academy.
"Young Master Cale, let's go now."
The opening ceremony wasn't the main focus; Cale realized that his speech was the main focus. He sighed and walked out of the building. By his side was Choi Han, accompanying him as his personal guard. And as he headed towards the podium set up in the square...
"Hmm."
The wind blew quickly, as if people's gazes were swiftly turning towards Cale.
"Over a thousand people?"
There were many people. Even from the surrounding buildings, people leaned out of windows to watch Cale.
- Human, it's a bit scary.
Hearing Raon's words, Cale ignored the stares and continued walking.
Currently, Raon was with On, Hong, and Sui Khan in the building with the best view of the platform.
- Human, The red color is so striking!
Cale...
- Human, Sui Khan is smiling strangely!
Damn. Cale wanted to ignore Raon's words, but they resonated too well. Because everything was silent.
'It's hot.'
Although spring had not yet arrived, it was hot. Uncomfortable, Cale looked around to cool off. He was looking for Lily. Surely Basen would be by her side. Meanwhile, Cale looked towards a group of students whose postures were considerably stiff compared to other students.
'Ah-'
A man dressed in a black uniform, wearing the emblem of a commander. Although he had an imposing build for a knight, he didn't seem weak at all. Perhaps because of the atmosphere he emitted. Despite the crowd in front of him, he remained undisturbed. Without hesitation, the student opened his mouth.
"Shield-"
Cale was dumbfounded. But that was just the beginning. Energetic students seized on the words spoken by someone else.
"Shield!"
It started in the Knight Faculty.
"Shield! Shield!"
Also, in the Military Faculty. Students, buzzing with excitement, their voices filled with passion, chanted "Shield!" as Cale approached the podium.
'Wow.'
This is insane. Cale genuinely thought he was going crazy.
- Human, the Crown Prince has also arrived.
No...
- Human, the crown prince is smiling a lot! He says he's happy! I'm happy too! I don't know why, but I like it when the Human is cheered!
Cale didn't react to the words of the innocent young Dragon. He didn't even pay attention to the people's looks. Instead, he quickly moved towards the podium almost imperceptibly and stood in front of the magic amplifier.
'Say something decent and let's get it over with,' Cale thought.
Cale had decided as such. He didn't specially prepare for this.
'If I give a boring speech, people won't come looking for me in the future,' he reflected.
At least they wouldn't call him for events like this anymore, right? Of course, he didn't intend to talk nonsense. He had come with the expectation of sincerely sharing his story with the students who had anticipated this moment.
"..."
Cale raised his hand, and the students who were vociferously chanting with shields immediately fell silent. Although surprised by the charismatic appearance of the Commander, Cale opened his mouth, thinking that the students seemed to be good listeners.
"Welcome!"
Let's start with a greeting.
- Human.
Okay, I just greeted, but what's up?
- Choi Jung Soo has arrived!
Umm. Cale felt the Divine Mirror he had stashed in his clothes vibrating.
- Choi Jung Soo wants to speak right now.
It was at that moment...
- The sky...
One of the Ancient Powers spoke.
- The sky is strange.
Immediately, Cale knew who it was. Sky Eating Water. She reacted. Cale lifted his head. He saw a clear sky. However, in that sky, very high up, there was a small dot. A black dot. Intuitively, he understood.
That's a person.
No, a Wanderer.
Cale could understand thanks to his experience and intuition. He didn't know how he had gotten into this situation or what had happened until now.
'Something is happening now.'
Cale lowered his head and saw numerous people, especially young students.
"Damn."
* * *
If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.
Thank you for reading!
[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]
[Translator – Anowa]
[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]