Chapter 59: The Morning before leaving

Demon Extermination.

That's what Radakel said.

As the soft morning light seeped through the curtains, I stirred awake in my bed. I swung my legs over the side and stood, stretching before pulling back the heavy fabric that shielded my room from the dawn. The sunlight flooded in, bathing the room in a warm, golden glow.

From my window, I gazed out over the capital of the Empire of Light. The city was already alive with activity, the streets filled with the hustle and bustle of nobles going about their morning routines. These wealthy aristocrats, wrapped in their finery and importance, shared a common fear and hatred: the Demons.

This fear had not waned over the years. The first group of Heroes, summoned a hundred years ago, had failed to vanquish the Demon King. The second group, called upon seventy years ago, had met the same fate. Despite these failures, the hope of the populace remained unbroken. They fervently believed that this third group of Heroes would succeed where the others had not.

However, I couldn't help but question this optimism. According to Khione, the previous Heroes were more powerful than our current group. The excitement of the Emperor and the Knights seemed overblown, based more on hope than fact. Emperor Philip, after all, hadn't even been born when the last Heroes made their attempt. The same was true for most of the current population.

Among the few who had any real connection to the past Heroes were Jason, Aiden, Sienna, Aisha, and Gwen. As for me, Khione considered my abilities to be extraordinary, likening me to the very first Heroes. While this was meant to be a compliment, I wasn't sure how to feel about it.

Should I be pleased with this comparison? I wasn't certain.

I had no intention of becoming a mere pawn for the Empire of Light or, more specifically, the Divine Knights. Their singular goal was the extermination of the Demons, driven by a desire to elevate their nation to the pinnacle of power. They were prepared to go to any lengths to achieve this, and I often wondered if their motives were more selfish than altruistic.

Yes, the Demon King was undoubtedly a villain, a being of pure malevolence. The books I had read and Khione's accounts painted a clear picture of his evil nature. He had slaughtered innocents and sought to conquer the continent for his own gain. His strength was immense, rivaling that of the Gods.

The Gods, though, were undeniably arrogant. They didn't even consider the Demon King a significant enough threat to warrant their intervention. I couldn't entirely blame them; they seemed preoccupied with other, more perilous dangers elsewhere. Yet, Khione appeared to be the only one genuinely concerned about the Demon King's menace.

She had initially tried to defeat him using the warriors of this world, the Divine Knights, but countless of them had died in battle over the centuries. Her frustration grew as she watched their futile efforts. So, 150 years ago, she took a different approach and summoned the first group of Heroes.

According to her, they nearly succeeded in killing the Demon King, but for reasons even she didn't fully understand, they ultimately failed.

"I won't be around for the next few days," she said.

"Why?" I asked, turning to face her.

"A war is brewing in the Achaeans continent," she replied.

"Achaeans?" I echoed, trying to recall where I'd heard that name before.

"Yes, a Princess of Sparta has been abducted by a Trojan Prince. The main Gods of Olympus are called up, and I am among them," she explained.

A princess kidnapped? A Trojan Prince? The setting seemed eerily familiar, almost like a story I'd heard long ago.

"Just a few days?" I asked, needing to clarify how long she would be absent.

"Yes," she confirmed with a nod.

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