The Story of Hero Among Heroes ~The Founding Chronicles of Arestia Chapter 45

Weekly Chapter (1/2)

Both of my editors s.h.i.+rayuki and Mirp are busy with IRL stuffs, but rest a.s.sured, the new chapter of Glutton Berserker and Gacha Girl Corps should be ready on next weekend batch.

Enjoy your chapter~

Translator: Raizu
Editor: s.h.i.+rayuki

Chapter 45 – Old man Alberto's Story of the past

My name is Alberto. My family was a knight clan that has served as a va.s.sal of the Archduke Schwarzer for generations.
Along with my childhood friend Rouen, we served the previous Archduke Schwarzer from the early age of fifteen, and now we serve under the current Archduke Edgar-sama.

The Schwarzer territory shares its northern border with the neighboring Wolfgard kingdom, and had been engaged in continuous skirmishes for as long as I remember. There were also copious amount of monsters that require frequent subjugation. Therefore, the Schwarzer territory soldiers were known as the most experienced in warfare across the empire.

As we collected merits during battles, we rose through the ranks as we grew older. Thus, more than twenty years ago, Rouen reached the rank of commander of the army, while I became the leader of the knights who was responsible for the safety of the Schwarzer clan main family.

When His Majesty Sephiros took the throne, we of the Schwarzer territory army became even more often involved in battles.
His Majesty Sephiros obtained the t.i.tle of『Thunder Emperor』due to his fondness of war. When there was a large scale battle, the Schwarzer army will be fielded,and so I would be sent to a.s.sist Rouen in his duty as the army commander. Because of that, our names became famous in the empire.

People called us:

[Schwarzer Twin Generals]

Both Rouen and I could be careless about that nickname, since we were busy fighting with our life in battles. Until that day came.

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It was a stormy night. We were both summoned to the Archduke's room.

In the past few years, dark clouds loomed over the territory.
That year was the beginning of Queen Ekaterina of Wolfgard's offensive against the Holy Arcadia Empire. Thus, the Schwarzer Territory had to take the brunt of their attacks.
Rouen and I managed to hold out due to the reinforcements from the capital, and the joint effort of the army and the knights…..but the crops that year were greatly affected.
Other than that, unstable weather and increasing number of monsters only the hards.h.i.+p to a whole new level.
However, the biggest issue was…that the first son Ares-sama, who was loved by everyone, was struck by an unknown fever. Having the successor to the clan fell sick had caused the territory to grow even gloomier.

There was a light of hope. The lord's wife gave birth to a second son. I had hoped that this would return the light to the Schwarzers… no, this will definitely return the light… or so I and Rouen thought.

However, what awaited us beyond that was….even more hopelessness.

I was the first to arrive. The Archduke told me shocking news.

It's that….the newly born second son Julius whom we had put our hope on to become our new sun, turned out to be…an odd-eyes.

An odd-eyes was born in the Archduke clan….if this news reached the ears of the royal family, the clan would surely be crushed completely.

I was at a loss for words for a moment there.

In addition to that, I could not comprehend the second news that the lord told me.
That is…..

Ares-sama had inherited the memories of three people.

This was told to Edgar-sama by Ares-sama himself after he had miraculously recovered from his fever. And Edgar-sama had decided to believe this…

When Rouen also arrived, Edgar-sama each gave us a different order.

Ares would be in Rouen's custody starting from that day and to bring the young lord to the northern fortress.

As for me….I was responsible for Julius….to bring him to the secluded monastery in the mountains where he would grow there.

This matter couldn't be leaked to anyone else. This might've been the conclusion that both the lord and the lord's wife had reached together. And they could only rely to us, their most trusted va.s.sals.

Then we simply had to follow through. Rouen and I anonymously agreed to accept this duty.

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From there, the destination had gone awry.

After resigning from my position as the knight leader, I brought the little Julius to the secluded monastery.

A proud knight of Schwarzer territory and yet he suddenly disappeared. Of course, this brought bad rumours. I heard that the Archduke had also withheld the fact about where I had gone to.

Similarly, Rouen brought the young lord Ares-sama to the northern fortress. He, as well, was confused about what he should do.

As for me, who was always on the battlefield……a totally different life was waiting for me.

I had no child. My wife died a long time ago, and I never remarried after that. Therefore….I truly had no idea how to take care a child.
Everyday was difficult. But Julius turned out to be a very understanding boy….it's as if he could read my mind, then he would take action based on it….truly a marvelous child.

That's why I decided to teach him various things. Swordsmans.h.i.+p, literature, math, military strategy, history…. He absorbed everything in the shortest time…truly worthy of the Archduke's son.

We were accompanied by the maidservant Aly and several other servants.
Aly was an elderly woman who lost her family to war. She was like both a mother and a grandmother to Julius.
The other servants worked well too….but upon seeing Julius' odd-eyes, they would treat him harshly.
Aly was the one who protected Julius.

It was a strange feeling. It's like having a true family once again. I've never felt this kind of warm feeling since my late wife was gone. This feeling…..made me really happy.

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One day, I talked with Ares-sama.

I remembered what Rouen had written about the young lord in his letters.

He wrote

That the young lord truly had the memories of three different persons altogether, making him to have an adult-like temperament despite of his young age. He's a talent that only appear once in a thousand years.

Meeting Ares-sama again after a long time….I was very excited. I wanted to let him know about his younger brother.

There was also a letter from the Archduke, telling me that Ares-sama wanted to meet me and Julius.

And so, Ares-sama and Julius-sama met that day. I remember that they had a long talk back then.

Before he went back home, Ares-sama spoke to me.

[Alberto….Julius really wants to go and see the world outside.]

[Indeed he does…..but there is that law on the Holy Arcadia Empire.]

[True….that's why, I'm going to destroy that superst.i.tion. I'll definitely bring Julius out. Isn't that also what Alberto wishes for him as well?]

At first, I had my doubt regarding Ares-sama's declaration. I couldn't see it happening no matter how I think about it. We are talking about a belief that had remained unchanged for many many years. If it can be changed that easily…..Julius-sama wouldn't have to suffer like this.

[And…Alberto. When the day come when Julius can come outside, he might need to put on an eyepatch.]

[Yes. That will be for the best. His eyes will still bring prejudice after all.]

[No, that's not what I mean. His eye…..is the 『Heaven's Eye』]

Heaven's Eye.
It's also known as the『Seer's Eye』. It has the capability to see a long distance, or invisible object, even the future….

[It's good since it seems that he hasn't awakened that power yet, because an immense amount of information will flood his brain once it did. Until Julius can master it…..I'll try to fas.h.i.+on a special eyepatch for him.]

After saying so, Ares-sama returned to the capital. A few months later, when he came back to the monastery….he also brought news that Julius-sama was free.

The Emperor himself had written the letter, officially giving Julius-sama his freedom.

Of course, his odd-eyes will still invoke prejudice. Therefore, Ares-sama had given him a special eyepatch to cover up his right eye…

I won't forget….Julius-sama's expression at that moment.

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Afterward, Julius-sama spent a few years in the Schwarzer territory. Later on, he went to the capital with the lord's wife. Aly and I joined him of course.

Once, I was asked whether I would like to rea.s.sume my position as the knight leader. But I turned that offer down.
I've been away from Schwarzer Territory for too long. The place was now more developed than I could remember. The knights too, had trained even more people to become knights. I believed that they could continue even without me.

My post is to stand next to Julius-sama. And that's fine by me.

From that point onward, Julius became even brighter. Above all, he was more eager to learn. It's as if he had found a purpose in his life.
I will stand by his side so that he can achieve that very purpose.

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Alberto Werheld

He was great general who supported the Schwarzer Territory alongside General Rouen Beluga.
But then, everyone was surprised by his sudden retirement and disappearance.

He reappeared in the face of history on later years, as the deputy general to the 『One-eyed Dragon』Julius Schwarzer…