Temar urged the horse on and rode hard.

Once he left the village behind, he entered the mountains almost at once.

The fastest route to the capital was to cross Mount Geroa, which stretched long behind Tempesto Village. Since it was winter, the branches were bare, so they did not hinder riding much. A blue aura rippled around both horse and rider. Everywhere they passed, the pounding of hooves swept through the air as though ten horses were galloping at once. Temar’s eyes glowed blue.

At this speed, he could cross the mountain in the morning, race over the plains, and stand before the king by early afternoon.

The wind slashed across Temar’s cheeks like a blade. His uncut hair lashed wildly in every direction, stabbing at his face and the back of his neck. Grinding his teeth, Temar tried to empty his mind.

But through such a long night, during such a long ride driven by his power, it was impossible not to think at all.

What was happening in the royal castle?

Giselle, attacked. The ominous prophecy. A guild assaulting them with anti-Hero weapons.

Temar remembered the letter Seton had sent.

[Believed to be active in the central-eastern region. A snake-shaped tattoo around the ankle appears to be one identifying feature. This requires further investigation. How they came to possess “that item” has not yet been determined. It is believed they recently made contact with people from the Kingdom of Niato.]

Though far from the border, the Kingdom of Niato had long burned with the ambition to raise the banner of war at any moment, pouring itself into weapon development.

That a guild connected to them had made its way into a small village deep inside the kingdom. That they had possessed anti-Hero weapons. That they had kidnapped the duke’s daughter, attempted murder, and even attacked a Hero.

It might be that the guild had obtained those anti-Hero weapons through Niato’s support.

They were aiming for war. But was that all?

The Niato royal house had a tendency to place its faith in divination, prophecy, and stories said to carry power.

Along with the goal of shaking the kingdom’s military strength and throwing it into chaos, had they also commissioned that guild to search for something connected to the prophecy?

It seemed Luman’s guess had been right—that the thing indicated by the prophecy was not the anti-Hero weapon.

If so, did they believe that whatever the prophecy pointed to was somewhere inside this kingdom? Otherwise, there would have been no reason to infiltrate a tiny village this deep inland. What in the world was the thing the prophecy pointed to?

The air split around him, scratching his skin raw. The horse’s hooves hammered the earth so powerfully it seemed on the verge of taking flight.

Once I reach the king—

Temar’s eyes darkened.

He might be sent straight to war and dispatched to the border before Ren even arrived, never mind meeting him again. If that happened, there was no telling whether this parting would last years once more.

“Brother. Let’s really enjoy the fireworks together, okay?”

His younger brother’s hopeful voice,

“Brother, what do you mean? You’re saying you’re going to the capital first?”

those eyes that had stared at him in disappointment,

“We said we’d watch them together! You promised! You promised me over and over!”

that tearful cry still seemed to ring in his ears.

That had been the first time Ren had ever thrown such a terrible fit.

It had only been fireworks. Just that one thing—waiting a few hours and watching them together.

And Temar... he had not even been able to grant that tiny request.

“Brother!”

“Brother. I’m okay.”

“We’re watching the fireworks together, right?!”

Ren’s voice overlapped in his ears like a hallucination.

Should I have just stayed and watched the fireworks?

If I can’t even keep the promise to meet him in the capital.

For the first time in his life, Temar felt the full weight of his own helplessness.

The King’s Seventh Star, the man who commanded the battlefield, the leader of the Heroes, the one who had led them through countless fights and helped win the war.

There were many titles used to describe him, yet the only thing he could truly hold in his hand and wield was that single power of his, one used only on the battlefield.

He did not have the power to bring his little brother safely to the capital. He did not even have the power to delay matters by a few hours.

So this is what it means... to be a Hero.

For the first time, Temar thought that.

At first, he had only thought that he needed to support his younger brother. Then he had thought he could not yield to the battlefield. Then he had thought he had to behave in a way worthy of someone who had become a Hero. That was all.

Then came goodwill toward others, kindness, and the sense of obligation that someone with power ought to give to those without it. There had even been something uglier mixed in with it—a vulgar hope that by living this way, Ren, left alone, might receive help from others. So Temar had lived for other people.

It was not only because he was kind.

“Brother! What the hell is wrong with you?! If you give that away, what am I supposed to do?!”

“Ren. You need to learn how to yield and how to share. We live in the same village.”

“Then what about me?! What about me?!”

Temar had thought he was the one making sacrifices.

But that had not been true.

Being a Hero... becoming a Hero... it meant making even your family suffer.

There had been sacrifice from his younger brother Ren in everything Temar had done.

And without ever understanding Ren’s heart, Temar had...

What did it matter if it was only fireworks?

Was the mission all that mattered?

He had already disobeyed orders and delayed the schedule. Even if he had ten mouths, he would have no excuse.

But still. He had given seven years of his life to war for the kingdom.

Temar had returned to the village intending to step down as a Hero.

Even so, without a word of protest, he had obeyed the king’s command again. He had sworn to bear the responsibility that came with such overwhelming power.

But did that mean he had to abandon his little brother?

Did it mean he had to leave that child alone again, after all this time?

It tormented him, the very fact that he was having thoughts like these.

Temar, the Hero, was wavering.

I have to go. Nothing is more important than the survival of the kingdom. The kingdom must stand for Ren to have land to live on. The future of a fallen kingdom is obvious as fire. It would be trampled under muddy boots and wracked by suffering. The country would descend into chaos and a storm of blood would sweep through it. The flames of war would devour everything. From some tiny mountain village to every young boy living in it.

So protecting this land was not so different from protecting Ren.

But—

I don’t want to be the useless older brother who can’t grant even one wish his little brother has.

It felt as if he could hear Ren crying.

That face that had not been crying. That face smiling brightly as he said he would just hit him once.

Why had that expression reassured him? How had he thought one tiny punch from that small fist could ever repay the terrible words he could never take back?

Sadness and ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) resignation had been raging inside Ren’s eyes, so why had he failed to see it? How had he failed to notice that he had been screaming from the depths of his heart?

Ren was the kind of younger brother who, even with a sword through his heart and his life in danger, would still say he was fine for his brother’s sake.

It was not until Temar was far from Tempesto Village, reaching the downhill slope of Mount Geroa, that he realized it.

That Ren had been crying quietly.

Temar’s face twisted. His eyes flashed with danger. Reining in the horse, he drew a long breath of the deep predawn air.

At this rate, I can’t do anything.

I’m going back.

Temar pulled out the crystal orb and left a message.

<Return at once.>

The message from the kingdom was still flashing.

<I’ll come with my younger brother.>

That was all he sent, without any explanation.

Ren had said he hated dishonorable Heroes, but Temar was already dishonorable. More than that, he was a terrible brother. So he only wanted to be a little less terrible. At this moment, Temar did not want to be the kingdom’s Hero. He wanted to be Ren’s older brother.

Ren’s only brother. He wanted to stay by Ren’s side as his brother.

Just this once, when Ren needed him, he wanted to be there. He wanted to hold the little brother who could never cry properly.

Wasn’t he allowed to be selfish once?

No—even if he wasn’t, Temar would do it anyway.

He would fulfill the duty of the brother Ren needed.

Both of Temar’s eyes shone sharply. Just before the blue of dawn began to rise, Temar reached the mountain’s downward slope and, without a trace of hesitation, turned his horse around.

A ferocious blue light wrapped around his entire body.

***

Morning came.

Bright sunlight poured into the wagon and fell across Ren’s face.

The hood he had worn low all through the night had slipped back from all the jostling as the wagon swayed along.

The wagon had stopped at the gates of Delfona.

“Hey there. Wake up.”

“Ugh...”

Ren only shifted and would not wake properly. The man, who had only been calling to him from his seat until now, climbed down from the wagon and headed to the back.

Delfona, at the southern edge, was a wide domain with a harbor. To enter it, one had to pass through the gate, and naturally that meant identity inspection.

“Hey, now—”

The man who had climbed down to wake Ren widened his eyes.

He had known the boy was young, but since the hood had hidden his face, this was the first time he had clearly seen Ren’s appearance.

A young man spoke to him as he stood there awkwardly.

“Mister, what’s wrong?”

He too had been someone the man had pitied and picked up at dawn while he was walking the road.

“Huh? Ah, no, it’s nothing. I was trying to wake him, but he must be sleeping pretty deeply. Ahem.”

The man gave an embarrassed cough, and the younger man frowned in puzzlement.

“I’ll wake him—”

Stepping forward, the younger man froze blankly, just like the older one had.