Chapter 235: A Message for a Hero

Dan nodded in agreement.

“Yes, I think so too.”

“But… Senior-nim isn’t someone who would just throw away his position.”

Deon tilted his head, puzzled.

He was someone who valued dignity and honor above all else. This must all stem from his sore spot: being called a ‘bastard’ and a ‘half-blooded noble’.

He distinctly said he would ‘wander the continent and work for the lowest.’ If any sane ruler had such valuable personnel, they wouldn’t waste them in such a manner, which implies he’s unaffiliated. In other words, if the rumored hero is indeed Stigma, it means he abandoned his noble title.

‘Stigma Primiero abandoned his title?’

After a moment’s thought, Deon shook his head.

“It’s probably just a baseless rumor, or maybe it’s another hero.”

“It’s not baseless, for starters. There are many eyewitness accounts. The possibility of it being another hero… isn’t entirely impossible, but frankly, it’s highly unlikely. Green hair isn’t exactly common, is it? Furthermore, the rumored hero was said to exude an undeniable elegance in his demeanor…”

“It’s Senior then.”

When you think of ‘elegance,’ Stigma Primiero is the one who comes to mind.

At this point, it was undeniable. While reluctantly acknowledging it, Deon voiced his question about this incomprehensible situation.

“Why would he abandon his noble title…?”

“I’m not sure either, but he must have something in mind. For example… perhaps he’s aiming for an even greater honor, to the point where titles become irrelevant.”

“…Greater honor?”

“Yes, frankly, the Empire is falling apart, isn’t it? Staying there would only make him a ‘hero of a fallen nation’ at best. Does he strike you as someone who’d be content with just that?”

“Certainly… Senior-nim is the type who would act to leave behind a legacy of honor that wouldn’t be forgotten even after death.”

The past, especially a fallen nation from a bygone era of war, is easily forgotten and fails to capture people’s attention. Perhaps an Emperor might be remembered, but a mere hero would be forgotten without even their name remaining.

It was plausible that Stigma Primiero left his position because he disliked this.

Plausible indeed. He stroked his chin and nodded in agreement.

Dan added with a smirk.

“Honestly, I can’t think of any other reason for him to abandon his noble status.”

“…That’s true.”

I’ve considered it myself, but no more credible hypothesis than Dan’s comes to mind.

…Well, that’s not important right now. Let’s put aside unconfirmed hypotheses for now, and anyway—

‘It’s true that Stigma Primiero is wandering the continent.’

Thanks to that, an idea sparked. It was a thought that flashed into his mind without much deliberation, and fearing he might forget it if he hesitated, Deon immediately voiced his idea.

“…About the 8th Corps Commander, Hel. No matter what, the fact that he needs to be sent to the Human Realm remains unchanged, so how about sending him to the city walls of Sanguo, where he’s currently delayed, and letting Senior-nim handle it?”

“Certainly, if it’s him, he might be able to kill even the unrestrained 8th Corps Commander, but… would he really move as we wish?”

“He will move. Would someone who abandoned his position for greater honor miss the chance to kill a legion commander? If we set the stage, he’ll gladly take it.”

Even if he wouldn’t, we’ll just make him move.

His tone was confident, full of conviction.

Verbalizing his thoughts seemed to clarify the muddled ideas in his head. Deon continued speaking, almost to himself.

“The 8th Corps are shieldbearers, so instead of sending them as support with Hel, it’d be better to keep them in the Demon King’s castle… Instead, we can send ordinary troop types along. The key is the 8th Corps Commander anyway. We’ve located Senior-nim, haven’t we?”

“We’ve pinpointed the village he’s staying in for now. But approaching him is next to impossible; even keeping tabs on him is difficult.”

“He’s a Hero; shaking off watchers will be child’s play for him. That’s enough.”

After all, the only place to stay is an inn. Unless circumstances are dire, Senior-nim isn’t the type to insist on sleeping on the streets when there’s an inn available. Especially since he’s a ‘Hero’ who can subdue and evade anyone, there’s even less reason for him to avoid inns.

However, if anyone tries to contact him, he’ll surely evade them, and I, attracting attention in both the Demon Realm and the Human Realm, can’t go directly…

“Tell all the innkeepers in the village where Senior-nim is staying. If they see an elegant man with refined manners and speech, ask them to deliver a message. Money will motivate them.”

“What’s the message?”

“Hmm… it shouldn’t be too obvious…”

Tap, tap. His index finger tapped his thigh.

“…’A shadow is about to fall before the lamp braving the storm; only you can dispel it’… something like that should work.”

“Understood. I will deliver the message as such.”

“Oh, and add at the end that it’s a request and a gift from a clumsy junior. He probably knows he needs to operate discreetly, right?”

“Of course.”

Dan smirked.

“I will execute it perfectly this time as well.”

***

It was about time to leave this village.

He was confident in avoiding capture, but the act of evading itself was quite bothersome. Recalling the gazes that had been fixated on him until recently, Stigma rummaged through his pouch to pay.

At some point, the number of gazes searching for him decreased, perhaps they’d given up somewhat, but it was still a nuisance. Considering that Empire soldiers had even waited inside inn rooms, he couldn’t dismiss the possibility of worse scenarios, so Stigma decided to leave the village before things escalated.

…However.

“Why aren’t you taking it?”

Why was the innkeeper staring so intently?

The innkeeper’s stare without taking the money was quite unsettling, causing Stigma’s brow to furrow involuntarily. Just as he was about to withdraw his hand, the innkeeper snatched the coins.

“What’s the trick?”

Only then did the guy who’d been silently observing him open his mouth.

“…They just said ‘an elegant man,’ so I wondered how to recognize you… but seeing you in person, it’s obvious…”

“……”

It was a monologue, yet clearly directed at him. Stigma closed his mouth.

It seemed someone had asked the innkeeper to deliver a message or an item. Indeed, after evading them this much, they should realize he wouldn’t meet them directly. The other side seemed to have compromised by taking a step back.

The sharp edge of vigilance softened slightly. Oblivious or not, the innkeeper began to speak to him to fulfill his request.

“Sir, someone asked me to deliver a message to you. ‘A shadow is about to fall before the lamp braving the storm; only you can dispel it.’”

“……”

“They also added that it’s a request and a gift from a clumsy junior.”

“…Ha.”

The understanding was quick.

That cheeky junior-nim. A smile touched Stigma’s lips.

“Thank you for delivering it.”

Detailed interpretation could wait.

Having paid, and with no reason to linger, Stigma abruptly left through the door to escape the persistent and bothersome gazes.

After evading the watchful eyes, he walked and walked until he reached a secluded spot. Only then did he stop and begin to ponder the message.

‘…A lamp braving the storm.’

Since it wasn’t a direct conversation, and there was a high probability of the message leaking, they seemed to have twisted it slightly. Fortunately or unfortunately, it wasn’t too difficult to decipher.

Usually, ‘a lamp before the wind’ signifies a situation in a very precarious position.

It wasn’t just wind, but a ‘storm,’ so it must be a considerably dangerous or dire situation. Stigma easily thought of Sanguo, which was under intense pressure from the Demon Realm.

‘…A shadow is about to fall before it…’

Has the Demon Realm dispatched reinforcements?

Since they specifically mentioned ‘only you can dispel it,’ it seemed a legion commander was among them. And not just any ordinary one, but a particularly strong foe.

Though he was pushed back by the former Emperor Eudoardo Deserte, that was only because Eudoardo was exceptionally special. Stigma was strong even among Heroes. This level of confidence was natural.

‘In that case, the candidates would be the Commander of the 1st Corps, the Commander of the 3rd Corps, or perhaps a legion commander contracted with a human.’

The addition at the end, ‘a request and a gift from a clumsy junior,’ served to inform him that the message was from Deon Hart, and also conveyed the hope that he would heed it without dismissal.

He easily grasped the meaning and smiled, a blend of arrogance and gentleness. A warm breeze brushed across his perpetually cold and aristocratic face.

“I see… they want me to move so badly they’re even invoking our senior-junior relationship.”

Deon Hart’s message was difficult to see as a pure gift.

It was true he acted for honor, but he wanted to avoid being tied down by power figures in the current situation. That was why he hadn’t sought out places where he could make a grand name for himself.

His junior must have considered this and included the word ‘request.’ How audacious and endearing.

“Alright, junior. I’ll make an exception and listen.”

Anyway, when they inevitably reunited, he would end up doing something to apologize to him, so considering that, there was no reason not to listen.

No, rather, this alone would be woefully inadequate as compensation.

Vowing to find something to replace an apology by the time they met again, Stigma resumed his steps.

‘…For greater honor.’

Those who superficially knew Stigma Primiero often made a certain mistake.

Stigma wasn’t obsessed with the ‘noble title’ itself. He might have been initially, but as time passed and his vision broadened, he held onto it merely as a symbol of ‘honor.’

The title ‘Stigma (stigma),’ combined with his ‘bastard’ origin and the stain on his family name, ironically drove him to obsess over ‘honor’ to elevate his name.

In essence, for him, who had conceived a way to leave his name and honor even in death, his current noble title, though he might slightly regret abandoning it, was disposable when necessary.

‘If it’s to etch my name into the history of this continent.’

Once he reached the battlefield, he would know what to do.

For his pitiable, lovable, and also indebted junior, he willingly set his destination for a place he’d rather avoid.

***

“It’ll be over in an instant…”

8th Corps Commander Hel muttered dejectedly. Deon, who was listening silently, tilted his head.

Who?

“…Of course, me…”

It was you?

What was he going to do acting like this on departure day? His adjutant seemed to think the same, quickly patting his back from the side.

“Hel-nim, you will do great.”

“I’m not confident I can…”

“Why are you saying that when you’re so capable?”

“I don’t know… someone like me… is it okay for me to take on such a huge mission…?”

His self-esteem was plummeting. Hel’s adjutant, Nine, sighed quietly, careful not to let her fragile superior notice.

Sir Deon is watching too, yet he’s particularly bad today. Is it because this is the most crucial mission he’s received so far?

What to do? Sighing deeply, he looked up and saw the 12th Corps Commander’s adjutant passing by, berating his own superior.

“Didn’t I tell you to think before you speak! If that’s impossible, I even advised you to shut up! How could you do that in front of other legion commanders! They almost took it as a challenge and a fight was about to break out!”

“……”

“Aigo, now you’re not even answering! I’m quitting as your adjutant…”

“Sorry…”

“I can’t hear you.”

“Sorry!”

Dahar, the 12th Corps Commander’s adjutant, who had been pounding his own chest, suddenly turned his gaze to a feeling of being watched. His eyes met the 8th Corps Commander’s adjutant, who was comforting his superior.

They quickly understood each other’s situations.

A silent, sympathetic nod passed between them.

‘…You’re having a tough time.’

‘You too…'”