Chapter 86

“…Heros.”

His deep brown eyes finally revealed the truth hidden within.

It was a complete confession.

My heart pounded fast.
But at the same time, it ached.

Because I couldn’t return his feelings.

“…You don’t have to answer,”

he said softly, his voice so kind it felt like it could pierce through me.

A cool breeze blew, ruffling his hair.

Though his expression was serious, a familiar smile still lingered on his lips.

“…Heros.”

“I won’t make it harder for you.”

The Jeffrey Wissler in the original Star of the Revolution was, to me, an enemy.

He had taken Etias’ lungs and caused his death.

He was a cold-blooded man who acted for gain rather than justice.

But the Jeffrey Wissler standing before me now… was simply a man who loved me.

“Just…”

He reached out and lifted my hand.

He stared for a moment at the ring Etias had given me on my ring finger.

Then he lowered his head and kissed the back of my hand.

“Please allow me to stay by your side and protect you.”

His quiet voice sank deep into my heart.

“That is what I want.”

My chest trembled while my mind grew more tangled.

And just then…

“Mr. Ros!”

A man’s voice came from a distance.

I gently slipped my hand from Heros’ grasp. His eyes wavered slightly.

I’m sorry, Heros.

It was Alex, the villager we had treated not long ago, carrying a basket full of flat peaches.

“I heard the two of you used your incredible skills to subdue the wicked Lady Ellemore and her followers. And you reclaimed the village chief’s house!”

After locking up Lucia and her group in the village prison, many villagers had come to thank us, bringing food.

They were grateful for having their treasures returned.

“These peaches came from the tree behind my house. Please enjoy them.”

“Ah… thank you.”

I replied as Heros accepted the basket.

Alex looked at me, excitement shining in his eyes.

“And ma’am! I also heard you’re amazing with a bow. Actually… I want to be an archer myself. My dream is to train and join the imperial army.”

He rubbed his hands together nervously.

“If you have time… could you please watch my form, even just for a little while?”

“Sure, I can do that.”

Since it would take time for the imperial carriage to arrive and collect the fake Katrin Ellemore, I could afford to give him a few tips.

“Thank you so much, ma’am!”

“Darling, I brought some cold tea,”

Heros’ voice came from behind as I was correcting Alex’s posture. My eyebrows twitched at the word “darling”—I still wasn’t used to it.

He came carrying a tray with chilled, sweet-looking tea.

His slightly open white shirt revealed a firm chest, and his rolled-up sleeves showed muscular arms.

“He’s so handsome but unexpectedly fit too,”

I thought as I accepted the tea to cool down.

“Thank you, Mr. Ros. You even serve us tea!”

Alex also gratefully accepted his cup.

As we sat for a short tea break, I brought up something Alex had told me earlier.

“Alex, could you share that interesting legend you mentioned before with him too?”

“Ah, it’s a little embarrassing, but… yes.”

While correcting Alex’s form, we had talked about various things.
I was surprised by how skilled he was for a village youth—until I learned the reason.

His grandfather had once served directly in the imperial army under Etias’ grandfather and had taught him archery from a young age.

And that was when Alex told me something unexpected.

“My grandfather said this: when the power of the strongest Shadow of Darkness manifests, the power of the ‘Rift’ will also grow just as strong.”

Though Star of the Revolution was a story about revolution, it was also a fantasy with mysterious abilities and drugs.

Etias’ Shadow of Darkness came from the heart of the “Rift,” a great chaos that the first Emperor Clyde had fought.

He had gained the power as a curse while saving the world.

Unlike him, some people in history had sought out the Rift’s power willingly.
This was why, even though magic was acknowledged, people feared it.

Ancient wizards who had sought the Rift’s power became mindless monsters.

During that chaotic time, the empire hunted down such beings and built temples to sever ties with the darkness.
Now those stories were considered things of the past.

Even if villains offered their souls to the Rift today, they would gain only weak powers.
It was no longer worth it.

“I know His Majesty uses the Shadow of Darkness, but I worry something dangerous could happen during his reign. I want to be prepared,”

Alex said, clenching his fists.

“Isn’t that an unnecessary worry?”

Heros, who had set the tray down, spoke calmly.

“Plots and wars happen in every era.”

As the underground king and a man who dabbled in magical research, Heros would have sensed it if there were any signs.

From his reaction, it seemed there was none.

“And that theory about the Shadow and the Rift’s power being proportional—that’s just your grandfather’s guess.”

“…Yes… you’re right.”

Alex nodded with a disappointed expression, though Heros’ words suggested there was no need to worry.

“Still, just in case…”

“Yes, I understand. It’s a good attitude to train your archery to protect what’s important,” I said, finishing my tea and stretching.

“Alright, break time’s over. Let’s practice horseback archery now.”

Alex’s eyes lit up at the mention of archery again.

“You’re becoming a good teacher,”

Heros said quietly as he looked at me, a faint smile on his lips.

But then he stepped closer and whispered softly.

“Just don’t get too close to him.”

I didn’t need him to explain. The slight jealousy in his gaze said it all.

“That is what I want.”

I shook my head and gently pushed against his chest before walking out with Alex.

Just as we stepped outside, a suffocating, acrid feeling hit me.

“Cough, cough… what’s this?”

Alex covered his mouth with his sleeve as the surroundings turned hazy.

It looked like fog, but it didn’t take long to realize it was smoke.

In the distance, we saw people running through the smoke toward us.

“Something terrible has happened!”

Ever since we saved the villagers from Lady Ellemore, they had always come straight to us when anything happened—even the village chief.

“What is it?”

“Someone has set fires all around the village!”

I looked up to see flames rising, consuming the trees and slowly spreading closer.

Raging fire, as if to devour everything in its path.

They want to kill me.

After failing to assassinate me repeatedly, their patience must have run out.

I didn’t expect they’d go as far as mass slaughter.

The villagers hadn’t done anything wrong.

Heros rushed over, handing me a wet cloth mask and giving one to Alex as well.

He covered his own mouth and said,

“We’ll look for a way out.”

I stared at the blazing fire devouring the dry grass and paused to think.

On days this dry, a wildfire could become a huge disaster.

I petted Biyo, who was peeking out of my pocket, and smiled faintly.

“Biyo, want to do something with me?”

“Biyoo?”