[E-Book Bonus Short Story:
 
Solon’s Memorial Festival]
 

“Would you like to spend the final day of the memorial festival with me?”
 
Solon-sama, as usual, wandered into the shop, aimlessly drifting around and letting his gaze linger over the sweets before suddenly making that unexpected request.
 
Looking around, I noticed we had no other customers. He must have been waiting for this moment.
 
Solon-sama’s expression was stiff, his usual intimidating face looking even sterner.
 
The truth is, the great sage who appears so formidable is actually shy. It must have taken considerable courage for him to ask me this. … Read the rest

Epilogue
 

The memorial service was approaching its final day, showing a quiet crescendo of activity.
 
At the altar set up in front of the great cathedral, Maria, renowned as the supreme saint, was about to begin the prayer ceremony.
 
Crowds had gathered to catch even a glimpse of Maria’s figure, praised as God’s supreme artwork, and to hear even a fragment of the saint’s voice, celebrated as heavenly music.
 
Near the altar stood the kingdom’s key figures, led by the king.
 
Hero Zack was accompanied by Princess Alexia, while Sword Saint Leon was accompanied by … Read the rest

The Last Words
 

 
A cold night wind blew past Zack as he stood reflecting on the events in Ludonia, and the noise of the city’s bustle returned once again. Before him, the silver-haired princess stood silently, unmoving.
 
After that ordeal, Zack and his companions had retraced their steps and handed over two bodies to the Ludonia authorities: one belonging to Prince Carlos, and the other—the shapeshifter’s—under the guise of Elliot.
 
They explained everything, saying:“As we were leaving Ludonia, we were ambushed by a demon commanding a horde of monsters. We were saved by Prince Carlos, but during the chaos, … Read the rest

Fragment 6: Elena
 

I was praying.
 
Please let Big Brother’s illness get better soon.
 
Big Brother was brilliant—skilled in swordsmanship, capable of magic, an excellent horseman. Everyone held such high hopes for him.
 
And Big Brother himself worked tirelessly to meet those expectations.
 
Striving to become a splendid hero. Striving to become a splendid prince.
 
……But then, suddenly, he fell ill. He must have pushed himself too hard.
 
Now, he could barely even sit up.
 
I couldn’t do anything about it. I had never suffered injuries or illnesses like this before.
 
“You’re so full of energy, that’s good,” Father … Read the rest

The Death of the Hero
 

Ares hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to block the demon’s breath with his shield or try to dodge. But by that point, he had no options left. It was already too late to evade, so he reflexively raised his shield.
 
However, the blue flames possessed enough power to engulf and incinerate both the shield and its wielder.
 
Watching Ares brace behind his shield, the demon was certain of victory. “I got him,” he thought.
 
Even if he himself fell after this, killing the Hero—archnemesis of the Demon King—would be an achievement more than … Read the rest

Demonkin
 

 
[So you’re companions of this era’s Hero. Not bad for humans.]
 
A blue-skinned demonkin, wielding a sword in each hand, slowly advanced toward Leon and his group.
 
Though the blades were massive, the demon’s towering frame made them seem almost weightless in its grip. It wore armor, but only in a crude, patchwork manner—its joints remained exposed.
 
“Are you the demonkin attacking Ludonia?”
 
Solon didn’t wait for an answer before unleashing a prepped spell.
 
A searing inferno engulfed the demon, so intense that the surrounding monsters scattered in panic.
 
—Yet with a single swing of its right-hand sword, … Read the rest

The Battle of Three
 

Suddenly, Solon and the others found their path blocked by a horde of monsters, cutting them off from Ares. They halted, trying to regroup—not a single one of them willing to leave Ares behind.
 
But the monsters were too numerous, surrounding them completely, leaving them no room to maneuver.
 
“Elliot is attacking Ares!”
 
As magical flames incinerated the monsters, Solon gritted his teeth. Ares was far from weak, but against Elliot—the second strongest after Carlos—the odds were grim.
 
“So Elliot was the traitor after all.”
 
Leon kept swinging his sword without pause. Normally, he focused … Read the rest

Fragment 5: Carlos
 

 
When was it that I first said, “I want to be a hero”?
 
I don’t remember the exact moment. Only that it was sometime in my childhood.
 
Like any other child, I had learned about heroes and admired them purely—nothing more than a naive, fleeting wish. A common tale, just childish babble.
 
But in my case, people took it seriously.
 
Perhaps it was because, from a young age, I showed talent in both swordplay and magic.
 
That said, it wasn’t unusual for royalty to possess great power. Most royal lineages could trace their bloodline back to … Read the rest

The Hero of Ludonia
 

[Wind!]
 
Elliott noticed the wind blade magic that Ares had unleashed just in the nick of time.
 
He twisted his body to avoid a direct hit, but Elliott sustained a large wound on his cheek. Though a considerable amount of blood was flowing, it wasn’t a deep injury.
 
Having missed his last-ditch strike, Ares’s disadvantageous situation continued. Carlos, who had shouted Elliott’s name, was still far away.
 
As if cutting through his hesitation, Elliott raised his sword once more.
 
“This is the end.”
 
His voice carried a tone of … Read the rest

Fragment 4: Elliot
 

I was afraid to sleep at night. Because I never knew when that dream would come.
 
Tentatively, I would slip into bed and pray for sleep.
 
Yet from the depths of slumber, it was always the same—that day’s scene.
 
A hundred knights rode their horses in haste across the wasteland.
 
In the distance, the Demon King’s army was attacking Ludonia’s fortress.
 
Glancing sidelong at the battle, we spurred our horses onward. Eventually, we arrived at our destination—a narrow path enclosed by rocky mountains. Yet the battle between the Demon King’s forces and Ludonia’s defenders still raged … Read the rest