Chapter 26
The Lake Keeper accepted the arguments of both factions.
Ardnes was a dimension where the sapling of Genahem’s World Tree had already sunk its roots deep, beginning to disrupt dimensional equilibrium.
Sending units of young Constellations—unable to properly restrain their power—into a dimension that was no different from a cracked glass was nothing short of hastening its destruction.
Therefore, according to the original plan, an oracle would be delivered to the Grand Temple to summon heroes from another dimension, while allowing indirect support only from Constellations who already had temples in Ardnes.
And as the one who would aid the heroes and lead Ardnes’s salvation, Hennerwood himself would be sent down.
However, since the direct manifestation of power would cause dimensional fissures—
“Eighty percent of your power will be sealed, but no restrictions will be placed on your healing ability. Additionally, until the hero’s journey is complete, you will be unable to return. This is the mutually agreed-upon condition.”
“What kind of agreement is this, Mother?!”
“Hennerwood is hereby appointed as a Saint of the Grand Temple and dispatched to Ardnes as of this moment. Everyone, open the gates.”
“When did I ever— Mother! You bastards—just wait until I get back, I’ll—!”
And so Hennerwood was sent down to Ardnes in a manner that was little different from exile.
The Constellations who witnessed his disappearance let out collective sighs of relief.
“At least we did everything we could.”
“Hennerwood will come to realize what he did wrong.”
Of course, that never happened.
“…Hero, hero. That damned hero!”
Having fallen into Ardnes, Hennerwood ground his teeth.
Since it had come to this, he swore he would threaten, coax, or do whatever it took to send that so-called hero back.
And as everyone knows, that dream never came true.
A Constellation bound to a hero changed.
He returned to his homeland amid universal acclaim, succeeded the position of Lake Keeper, and became a loving husband and a gentle father.
So when the wife he cherished beyond measure vanished along with the daughter in her womb, it was only natural that Hennerwood would set out to retrieve them.
That said, countless twists and turns arose along the way.
Hennerwood learned that remnants of Genahem had used fragments of Telada, and to undo that curse, he sought to take with him the power of the Unbinding Lake.
And as always, the Council of Elders refused his proposal.
“So that’s why they exiled you? How dare those insignificant wretches!”
“U-Unhee. I’m fine.”
Hennerwood tried to calm his wife, who was practically frothing with rage.
“More importantly, how about sitting down for a moment? I’m afraid you’ll collapse again.”
“That’s not what matters right now! How dare they drive you out? I know how important the Unbinding Lake is. Not just Telada’s fragments—it dissolves countless twisted and corrupted things. But after centuries of service, casting you out of your position—and even issuing an exile order—just because you wanted to take one small bottle of lake water? If I’d known it would come to this… ngh.”
“Darling!”
“Hah… this is infuriating.”
“S-should we go downstairs? Let’s lie down. I’ll stay with you.”
“…Just for a little while.”
“Alright. We’ll go down together in a bit.”
“Hoo… those bastards. I should’ve taken their heads long ago.”
“You can do it later.”
“Yes. Once I tear this damned fragment out of my heart, I’ll go carve them into seven pieces…”
“……”
“……”
She’s asleep.
After confirming that Gyeong Unhee had fallen asleep, Hennerwood let out a quiet sigh and rose from his seat.
“Father, may I come in?”
At that moment, Moa—who had been waiting outside—knocked on the door. Instead of answering aloud, Hennerwood snapped his fingers.
Through the opening door appeared his eldest son, his face filled with concern.
“Is Mother alright?”
“She just fell asleep.”
“She looked terribly shaken…”
“Being exiled seems to have hit her harder than I thought.”
“Ah… I see.”
Moa tilted his head with an ambiguous expression.
“Seha asked the exact same thing, actually.”
“Seha did?”
“Yes. While the two of you were talking, we were all gathered up on the landing over there.”
Hennerwood clicked his tongue briefly.
“You’re not children. What were you all doing?”
“Well, we may be grown adults, but Seha isn’t yet.”
“That’s… true.”
Hennerwood sighed. Moa smiled lightly, then asked in a more serious tone.
“How much are you going to tell them? Or rather—how much have you told them already?”
“Only as much as won’t make the two of them worry.”
It meant he hadn’t crossed the line they had agreed upon.
It was true that most of Rosconna’s residents—including the Council of Elders—had opposed Hennerwood’s departure, but he hadn’t mentioned that he himself didn’t care in the slightest, or that he’d even threatened to hand the Lake Keeper position to his second son and leave alone if they kept pestering him.
Nor had he mentioned that the Unbinding Lake could not be replicated simply by drawing water from its core—that it required a core crystal.
And that to obtain that crystal, every lake in Rosconna—the Celestial Mirror—would have to be activated.
Especially the last point was a secret the two of them must never learn.
A Lake Keeper who activated the Celestial Mirror for personal reasons would be immediately stripped of their position and exiled.
Yes. It wasn’t that the Council truly wanted to exile Hennerwood. They simply had no other choice.
In other words, Hennerwood had staked everything he had—fully aware of the price—to save Gyeong Unhee.
“But you can still come back someday, right?”
“Who knows. I’m not sure.”
Once he obtained the crystal of the Unbinding Lake by activating the Celestial Mirror,
Hennerwood intended to leave Rosconna without a shred of regret.
He didn’t care how much the others wailed once they realized what had happened. His wife couldn’t live without him—but those creatures had lived just fine long before he ever existed.
That was when the former Lake Keeper—Hennerwood’s mother—appeared.
“You’re really not going to tell them? That I agreed to revoke the exile if you take me and Seha with you.”
She suppressed everyone at once and placed a geas upon her son, who was about to leave as he pleased.
—
‘Unless you are together with every drop of your blood, the gates of Rosconna shall never open to you again.’
—
That was the best she could do for her son’s family while remaining in her rightful place.
Hennerwood frowned.
“I told you it’s a bad habit to ask questions you already know the answer to. You still haven’t fixed that.”
“Mm… sorry.”
Perhaps from dealing with humans too much. Moa scratched his cheek.
Looking at his sleeping mother with worried eyes, he continued.
“If Mother learns the truth, she’ll feel indebted. She’ll push herself to recover as fast as possible, without allowing herself any rest, just to return our homeland to you and to us.”
“And you know that, yet you still ask?”
“I guess… I just wanted to act spoiled toward my father for once.”
Shrugging, Moa said,
“Then I’ll explain things to Seha.”
“Alright. Oh—and later, tell Eden to come downstairs for a moment.”
“Did something happen to the barrier?”
“I think there are a few rats sniffing around nearby. Once Unhee starts feeling better, she might want to run around the garden. I can’t have her worrying about that.”
“I’ll look into it as well.”
Instead of replying, Hennerwood gave a brief nod, then gently lifted his wife into his arms—as though cradling the most precious and fragile thing in the world.
His one and only hero.
The sole savior who had come to rescue him from his prison of arrogance and obstinacy.
This time, he was the one who had saved her.
I promised I’d never regret this.
Once again, he had kept his promise to her.
Holding his savior close, Hennerwood slowly descended the stairs.
The fullness in his arms filled him with overwhelming bliss.
