Fifty-ninth year before the Sinseki Era, the first year of the Hero party's departure.

On the third day of Agusheed's journey to find Serie—

The owner of the Hero's Sword, the Goddess's most beloved person,

The elf monk named Kraft,

Following his agreement with Agusheed from long ago—

Came to the Heaven Vein Dragon once again after a century.

—

"I never expected to see such a magnificent body on Agusheed's dragon..."

Having encountered the Hero of the South at the edge of the Heaven Vein Dragon, who was still shirtless from his morning training,

Kraft looked at the perfectly forged physique before him and remarked with familiar ease.

A human appearing on the Heaven Vein Dragon—

Who gave the impression of being both mage and warrior—

This meant the person before him was most likely Agusheed's disciple.

If so, then he must have already learned from Agusheed that he would visit today.

Based on this speculation, plus the Hero of the South's lack of surprise at seeing him,

Kraft uninhibitedly patted the Hero of the South's shoulder.

After feeling the power contained within this human's body, he continued praising:

"In over a thousand years, I've never seen a human as strong as you—"

"I never thought Agusheed could teach a disciple like you..."

"You must be a renowned hero among current humanity, right?"

Although he had already learned from his teacher that this elf monk would visit,

And had previously inquired about the strength of this owner of the Hero's Sword,

But the moment those large hands patted his shoulders—

A warrior's intuition still made the Hero of the South feel ashamed before this person's power.

Looking at the elf monk before him wearing a goddess pendant around his neck and draped in monk's robes,

The Hero of the South didn't deny his praise,

But was also surprised by this elf monk's obtuseness and isolation from the world.

After all, the Hero of the South's reputation in the current world was absolutely second only to the Demon King.

He didn't try to explain his identity to Kraft—

Because he felt it probably wouldn't be useful.

So the Hero of the South just looked somewhat awkwardly at the seemingly touchable clouds beside them,

Confirming that the Heaven Vein Dragon had never descended in altitude, he focused his gaze again on the suddenly appearing elf monk.

He sensed no traces of Flight Magic usage,

Nor was he carrying any ancient magical artifacts—

So the question arose:

With the Heaven Vein Dragon currently flying at over ten thousand meters altitude,

How had this elf monk managed to suddenly appear on the Heaven Vein Dragon?

With curious tone, the Hero of the South asked Kraft before him:

"Although it's rude to say this..."

"May I ask how you got up here?"

Hmm...

That's really an expected question...

It seems that a thousand years ago, Agusheed's human wife also asked me the same question.

Removing his arm from the Hero of the South's shoulder,

Kraft smiled and repeated the answer he had once given Flamme.

"I jumped up."

Jumped up...

Jumped up...

Jumped...

Jump...

Hero of the South: "?"

"Um... I didn't quite hear that clearly—"

The Hero of the South, who always considered himself a mature and steady middle-aged man, had his mouth twitch slightly.

Suspecting whether his ears as humanity's strongest had suddenly malfunctioned, he asked uncertainly again:

"Could you repeat how you got up here?"

Mm...

Even the reaction is exactly the same as that little girl back then—

Well yes, jumping to ten thousand meters altitude would indeed be incomprehensible to humans.

Kraft wasn't surprised and repeated as he once had to Flamme:

"I jumped up."

To help the Hero of the South understand, he specifically added:

"I roughly confirmed the Heaven Vein Dragon's location from the ground, found a tall mountain, then jumped straight up."

Heaven Vein Dragon...

Jumped up...

How could these two terms appear in the same sentence?

This was completely monstrous—

"Sorry, I lost my composure..."

The Hero of the South's left eyelid wouldn't stop twitching.

Looking at the elf monk who was accustomed to his reaction, he couldn't help but sigh:

"But jumping to ten thousand meters altitude is something I'm hearing for the first time."

Kraft, who didn't think the Hero of the South was wrong at all, shook his head.

"No need to apologize. If anything, it's my sudden visiting method that was too presumptuous."

While saying this, he slowly turned his head,

Looking at the forest paths that had increased compared to a hundred years ago—

Kraft made a gentle request to the Hero of the South:

"Speaking of which, if you don't mind, could you show me the way?"

"I haven't been here for a hundred years, so I can't quite distinguish which path leads to the castle."

The Hero of the South, knowing why this monk had come, naturally didn't refuse.

He led Kraft onto the path closest to the castle,

Through the densely wooded forest, straight to the entrance of the flower garden.

—Unexpectedly,

Agusheed, who usually would be sleeping in at this time,

Was now standing there wearing only a thin shirt.

"You're still as punctual as ever, Kraft."

Looking at the Spell book that never left the elf monk's hands—

Agusheed slowly stepped forward, calmly facing his old friend.

"After all, we made an agreement seven hundred years ago."

Kraft wore that never-fading smile on his face.

"I promised you then that every hundred years, I would come here to pray for the Goddess's blessing for your wife in Aureole."

The Goddess's blessing...

Agusheed wasn't actually sure if such a thing was useful.

But generally speaking—

At least he felt that Kraft's prayers should be beneficial and harmless to Flamme in Aureole.

So he had made such an agreement with this most beloved person of the Goddess.

"Thank you for the trouble again this time."

"As a qualified monk, praying for a friend's wife is what I should do."

"Compared to a hundred years ago, your faith in that Goddess seems to have become more devout."

"After all, if it weren't like this, I would become quite troubled."

The two conversed on their own, tactfully ignoring the Hero of the South beside them.

Seeing this scene, humanity's strongest felt no dissatisfaction and said nothing more.

He just consciously stepped back slowly,

From an observer's perspective, silently watching their next actions.

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Powerstones?

For 20 advance chapters: /michaeltranslates