1.
Vulcan Gardner.
The foremost shield knight of the Western Continent, currently responsible for the frontlines of the Hero Party.
Was it because the Hero, Asha Mirabelle, who should have been the most praised, was always so cold?
– It’s the Hero Party!!
– T-The Guardian is coming!!
– Sir Vulcan has arrived!!
– What are you doing!! Go bring something, anything!!
People always preferred the ever-bright and kind Vulcan over the cold-hearted Asha.
A saint wielding a shield.
A kind Guardian.
A smile that never faded.
Even just the titles before his name made it clear how good of a person Vulcan was.
But precisely because of that—
“Say that again.”
“I’m sorry, Young Master Vulcan. I have no excuse, no matter how many mouths I had.”
“Enough with the excuses. Say it again… Say it one more time.”
“…Yes, I will report it once more.”
Even though he cared deeply for strangers, he was even more affectionate toward his own family.
“Eight days ago, a mysterious group known as the Black Wolf attacked this place. And… Lady Hestia was killed.”
“Aaah…!!!”
“Y-Young Master!!”
For the first time in his life, Vulcan faced a grief beyond his control.
.
.
.
Time passed, and the night of the next day arrived.
After spending the entire day shedding tears, Vulcan murmured while caressing his dark brown shield.
“Hestia… I suppose I could never be as smart as you, after all.”
…Ssshh.
As he traced the elegant engravings of his shield, old memories flooded back.
Back then, he had believed that a knight had to wield a sword. Like a reckless fool, he had brandished his sword.
Because of that, he had secretly attempted to fight a high-ranking magical beast—and the result…
– Y-Young Master!! Why are you there?!
– Do whatever it takes to break in!!
– Ah… It’s too late.
That day, he should have died at the hands of that high-ranking beast.
But at that moment, you—calmly deciphering the barrier—stepped inside to save me.
With neither the power of our family.
Nor Mana or Aura.
Nor even a single piece of equipment.
– Brother!!
– Hestia?! How did you—?! No, why did you come here?!
Unlike me, you were frail and powerless but incredibly intelligent.
– It’s dangerous!!
– …Huh?
Crunch!
– H-Hestia!!!
– The barrier is broken!! Save the Young Master first!!
– No!! Save Hestia first!!
Dressed in nothing but a plain white nightgown, you ran in and saved me.
– She will never be able to walk again. The only hope left is that she has not yet awakened to the ‘Power of the Family’… But since she was struck by Demonic Energy, it is now truly impossible.
Having been afflicted by the unique Demonic Energy of the high-ranking beast, you were left unable to walk for the rest of your life.
You lost your dream that day.
The dream you had whispered to me alone—
The dream of standing by my side one day—
The dream that if you waited with a sound body, an opportunity for awakening might come.
“…Because of me, you lost everything.”
And yet, you smiled at me.
– Hestia. I—
– See? What did I tell you?
– …Huh?
– How many times have I said it? Brother, you suit a shield far better than a sword.
A pure, radiant smile.
For committing such a sin, I hesitated endlessly, unable to summon the courage to apologize.
– …Because of me, your dream—
But Hestia would comfort me every time, as if it were completely unnecessary.
– It was an impossible dream for me anyway. So don’t feel sorry.
Not only that, but—
– Besides, if you feel that bad, then you can achieve it in my place, can’t you?
– …Me?
– Yes. Become a hero for me and help those who suffer.
You even showed me the path forward.
– Correct the twisted ideals of knighthood and listen to even the wicked. Be a kind… Guardian.
And so, I took up the shield.
– Everyone, behind me!!
– It’s Sir Vulcan!!
Just as you wished, to protect the good from all kinds of evil.
And then—
– To be called a hero, yet dedicate yourself solely to the Imperial Family? Just kill me.
– Before that, let’s hear them out.
– …What? You’re not going to kill them?
– As you can see, I don’t have a weapon.
Just as you wished, I would listen to the stories of even the wicked—at least once.
– Turns out, those bandits… Their children were on the verge of starving to death.
– So, what did you do?
– What else! Just as you said, I punished them for their crimes, but I also took extenuating circumstances into account!
– …It’s ‘extenuating circumstances,’ Brother. Anyway, well done. Right now, you are exactly the Hero I dreamed of. My very own hero.
– O-Oh, uhh… T-Thank you.
And so, I became your hero.
– …When this journey ends, I’ll properly apologize.
– Huh?
– Oh, um? N-No, never mind!
This foolish me, who couldn’t even properly apologize to you,
became the smartest Hero you ever knew.
– Remember, Brother. If you have the chance, listen to the stories of even the wicked.
– Yeah, I will.
– Promise me. You must!
– Yeah! I promise!
Just as I was your Hero.
Hestia, you were always my Hero.
I, with nothing but my strength, had to listen to the smartest person I knew.
…But.
…But, Hestia, my dear sister.
“This time, I can’t follow your words.”
Crunch.
For the first time, the fists that had always been used to protect carried the weight of destruction.
“Following your words, I have realized something. Some villains are no different from the righteous, and some righteous are no different from villains. However…”
…Some villains—
“There are those who are so utterly evil that they must be killed on sight.”
And to this foolish brother of yours, this <Black Wolf>…
“Looks no different to me.”
Whoosh!!
As the murmuring stopped, a fist filled with nothing but destructive Aura came crashing down toward the mythical artifact—<Gaia’s Shield>.
And immediately after—
BOOOOM!!!!
A thunderous roar shook the entire mansion.
As fragments fell and dust rose, the deep brown eyes—so much like Hestia’s—gleamed with a chilling intensity.
Beneath them, two sharp, broken halves of a shield glistened in the dim light.
“And so, I must break my promise—just for a while. Until I tear apart Black Wolf and every last villain involved in your death.”
He would defile the mansion.
Destroy a Mythical shield.
And, in the end, even break Hestia’s words.
But he had no choice.
This foolish brother of yours no longer had—
“…Hestia.”
Crunch. Crack.
As Vulcan gripped the sharp, buckle-like fragments of the shattered shield in each hand, tears of blood streamed down his face.
Then, from beyond the broken window, a commotion rang out.
“B-Black Wolf!! Black Wolf is attacking the mansion!!”
“There are four confirmed intruders!! Three resembling the ones from the Central Plaza Incident, and the Black Wolf himself, making four in total!!”
“Warriors of the Gardner Count Family!! Cut off their heads and offer them to our lady’s spirit!!”
The moment that foul name, Black Wolf, reached Vulcan’s ears—
Crack.
BOOOOM!!
The spot where Vulcan had been seated was now empty.
2.
Gardner Count Mansion.
Due to the nature of the region, warriors frequently came and went, and so the mansion had many quarters arranged like a barracks, making it much larger than other noble estates.
At its center was the main residence.
To its left and right, the warriors’ quarters and the servants’ quarters.
Since warriors resided there, the walls were low, and instead of fountains and gardens, the grounds were filled with training areas, sparring grounds, and strength-training facilities.
That was why anyone who had seen the Gardner Count Mansion even once would often say.
– If a thief ever breaks into the Gardner Mansion, shouldn’t we worry for the thief instead?
With the countless eyes of the warriors always watching,
And the guards and mercenaries ready to rush out at the slightest sign of intrusion,
No sane person would dare invade.
And yet, here and now—
Above the fifth floor, higher than the tallest blue rooftops of the Gardner Count Mansion—
“What about Ruby and Dalan?”
“Securing the escape route.”
“Just as planned.”
There were four absolute madmen.
At the center of these madmen stood their leader—Nahan—gazing down at the swarming warriors below as he gave his orders.
“White Blade Ghost, locate the Celestial Barrier.”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Tal and Persona, follow me.”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Yes! Captain!”
A subtle black Aura shimmered in the air.
And the Black Eyes gleamed with a chilling light.
A voice as dark as a shadow.
Since <Black Wolf>’s Stage 2 and <Veil of Shadows> were already activated through the smoke, a shadow of fear flickered in the eyes of the warriors looking up from below.
Nahan observed their expressions from a distance, beginning his analysis.
There was the same fear as before, but they didn’t seem willing to back down.
‘…Sh*t.’
If he pushed <Veil of Shadows> any further, the fatigue would become overwhelming.
‘I thought it didn’t consume anything since it activates without Mana or Aura, but turns out it’s been draining my life force instead.’
Well, nothing in this world comes for free.
…Heh.
As Nahan let out a dry chuckle and turned his head, Luna and Han-Ryang also smirked.
“That’s our Captain! I think I’d struggle if I don’t lift my restriction, but Captain finds these small fries laughably easy!!”
“Of course—”
…Shut up.
Glancing at the overly excited Han-Ryang and Luna, Nahan reviewed the plan once more.
‘We wait. Once Asha and Gardner arrive, I’ll lift the restrictions on Han-Ryang and Luna.’
Observing the battle while waiting, once the Bad Ending – <6. The Hero’s Return> is concluded, he’d pull Hestia out of subspace and use her as a hostage.
‘After that, we abandon Lactea and escape.’
The three of them would escape through Ruby, and Lactea through Dalan. That was the plan.
A genius strategy that both prevents the Bad Ending and follows the original flow of the novel.
– Hey, Nahan. Were you good at studying?
– I never had an interest in it, Big Brother.
– That so? …Damn, this bastard sure thinks fast when it comes to fights.
Standing still and watching the fight—is this even considered a battle?
With that thought in mind, he continued to strike a pose, arrogantly looking down at the knights below.
Rumble…!
Suddenly, the mansion trembled.
“…What the f—?”
Nahan barely managed to keep his balance, avoiding a fall, but Luna and Han-Ryang stood firm, unaffected by the shaking.
“…I was just bored and almost dozed off.”
Just as he was about to spew out that pathetic excuse—one that wouldn’t convince anyone—a voice he had never heard before echoed from behind him.
“You managed to dodge once by pure luck, yet you dare to run your mouth so arrogantly?”
Dodge?
…What?
Following the voice, Nahan turned around—only to see two sharp, shattered halves of a shield.
If he had wobbled even slightly from the impact, those shield fragments would have pierced straight through his brain.
“…As expected of you, Captain. I wouldn’t have been able to dodge that.”
“Agreed—. I couldn’t even follow it with my eyes—.”
F*ck, even I didn’t see it.
Leaving the impressed Luna and Han-Ryang behind, the man growled, his voice dripping with rage.
“I’ll rip you apart and avenge Hestia—”
“I didn’t kill her.”
“…? Don’t interrupt me. Listen until the end. I’ll tear you and your men apart to avenge Hestia’s spirit—”
“Hestia is alive.”
Seriously.
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