Free Web NovelSlaying demons and monsters, eternal guardian of justice. Undefeated, the ominous black Reaper of death...
The world had many ways to describe Rania’s teacher, but to her, all of them were too one-sided, too shallow.
She could still faintly remember the first time she tried to see her teacher—she had been very small back then.
In the Northern Territory, snow fell year-round. That day was a rare clear one: the sun blazed, yet the snow would not melt.
She heard that the strongest human on this land was coming, so Rania slipped away from her family’s control at dawn, slipped into the crowds, and became just another tiny figure among those lining both sides of Ichun City’s main road to watch.
Unfortunately, she had been too small. The press of people left her lost and dizzy, her eyes full of nothing but legs, unable to see a thing no matter how she jumped. By the time the crowd dispersed, the First Hero had already passed through Ichun City, headed for the snowy plains to hunt demons. All Rania could do was stare blankly at the empty street until evening, when her family finally found her and took her home. She had not managed to see the strongest human.
After that, her family’s control became even stricter. She lost the chance to go out. All she could do was overhear servants talking sometimes—about how the First Hero had found traces of the so-called “Demon King of Ice and Flame” in the snowy plains.
From a young age Rania loved all kinds of adventure tales, and especially the stories of Heroes fighting dragons. Yet with no chance to go outside, all she could do was climb up the courtyard wall, gazing toward Ichun’s main road where the Hero had walked, and toward the snowy plains.
“Brother, do you think there’s really a Demon King beyond the snow mountains?” she would often ask her elder brother—her partner in crime who helped her climb the wall.
“I don’t know. But the snow mountains are dangerous, full of monsters.” Her brother always glanced around nervously, urging her in panic, “Nia, hurry down! If the adults catch us, they’ll skin me alive...”
“Oh, oh... alright.”
“Phew, faster, faster. Careful, don’t fall! If you get hurt, the adults will notice. Next time I won’t be able to cover for you!”
In her memory, her brother had always been timid and fearful.
“Then Brother, do you think if the Hero defeats the Demon King, he’ll come back? If he comes back, they’ll have to pass through Ichun City, right?”
“How would I know? Hurry, hurry! Damn, a servant’s coming, they’ll tell on us! Run! Don’t step on branches!”
“Eh...”
No sooner had she climbed down than she and her brother had to crawl back through a dog hole into the house. Only back inside could her mouse-hearted brother relax.
Yet Rania never imagined that her first time truly meeting her teacher wouldn’t be outside, but inside her own home—the one with those high, thick courtyard walls.
Her parents and the elders of the household seemed unwelcome toward the Hero, yet they still greeted him with smiling faces when he came. freёweɓnovel.com
Strange.
“Nia, isn’t that the strongest Hero you’ve always wanted to meet? Come on, let’s take a look. This time the adults won’t blame us!”
“...” ƒreewebɳovel.com
“Hm? Nia, why aren’t you moving? The pretty sister next to the Hero is so nice, look—she gave me candy, from the Royal Capital. It’s delicious, try some!”
“Mmm? So sweet...”
“Heh heh, Nia, you’re still little, can’t eat too much. Just one piece for you. The rest is mine...”
Young Rania watched her brother run off hugging his candy, then peeked out from behind the bushes to secretly spy on the Hero.
To her surprise, the Hero had not come alone—there were six others with him.
The pretty sister with the candy?
Little Rania searched carefully and spotted, in one glance, the golden-haired, golden-eyed girl closest to the Hero.
That girl smiled brightly, as though chatting about something intimate with the Hero, while slipping her hand into his pocket to fish out candy to share with the other children.
The Hero himself didn’t smile much, but neither did he push her hand away.
“...”
Rania licked her lips unconsciously. For a child her age, the candy was irresistible.
Just as she was about to move forward—
The golden-haired girl suddenly turned her head, gazing straight toward where Rania hid. Her golden eyes shone like molten metal, her red lips parting slightly.
What was she saying?
To whom?
Don’t listen, don’t listen, I won’t listen! Her instincts screamed warnings.
Terrified, young Rania turned and ran without looking back.
She never could have imagined that the next time she saw the First Hero’s party, she would no longer have a home—she would be wandering the land.
It was then that she was taken in by the famed First Hero as a disciple. His one and only disciple.
Through his later teaching, through years of closeness, Rania slowly realized—perhaps her teacher was not what people said he was. Not a sun that feared no darkness, illuminating the road for humanity.
Her teacher was more like a distant star. He didn’t mind giving light to people far away, but he only gave warmth to those right beside him.
But now—
Rania couldn’t shake the feeling that the words that “teacher’s wife” had spoken to her that first time were actually meant for her current self.
Even though she hadn’t heard them!
No, even if she had, so many years should have blurred a child’s memory!
“You... what’s wrong?”
“Are you alright?”
Hua Shiyu looked at Rania, whose forehead was beaded with sweat. Her eyes showed worry, but more than that, confusion.
“W-what did you just say?” Rania clutched her forehead, face pale.
Hua Shiyu blinked, hesitated, then repeated with concern:
“Are you alright?”
“The one before that!!!”
“You... what’s wrong?”
“No, not that one. The one before even that.”
“Then I’ll just repeat everything. In short, the malicious little loli you escorted here most likely holds «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» more than two Authorities, adept at disguises. Her Justice Value is estimated somewhere near chaotic lawful. She knows a lot, a jumble of things, acts on whims... maybe she’s lived longer than me? She has this twisted, strangely open-hearted attitude...”
Hua Shiyu paused, then added: “And now she even let the ‘All-Seeing Eye’ willingly be stolen? She may already be tracking our every move, but precisely because of that, we might be able to reverse-deduce...”
“Maybe not stolen,” Rania suddenly interrupted, her voice low.
“To make the spirit of a top divine relic willingly yield, to not only give up resisting but actively help its captor spread dangerous news... heh.
My teacher once told me, even if all Seven Demon Kings appeared together, none of them could make the spirit of the ‘All-Seeing Eye’ submit—at most, they could shatter it. But he could... heh.”
Rania let out a cold laugh.
Hua Shiyu shivered, twirling a lock of her pink hair between her fingers, eyes darting. “Maybe your teacher didn’t actually know as much about the world as you think? Right?”
“Knows a lot, a jumble of things, acts on whims...” Rania repeated Hua Shiyu’s earlier words, leaving her speechless. Then, in a heavy voice, she muttered:
“I know my teacher could never become a little girl. But that little girl absolutely has some indescribable connection to my teacher!”
Hua Shiyu: “Uh... huh?”
