CHAPTER 71: WHISPERS OF FALLEN GRACE

"I think you’re right," Nolan said slowly, his hand tightening into a fist. "If what you say is true, if enough goblins gather together, they’ll be more dangerous than anyone realizes. That alone could be reason enough to wipe their villages out."

"Yes," Lyra replied, setting her coffee cup down on the table with a quiet clink. Her gaze grew sharper. "If goblins are left unchecked, especially under the command of a Goblin God, they can become a real threat. Entire regions have fallen because people underestimated them."

Nolan leaned back in his chair, thinking. "Then maybe I don’t have to kill them all. If they’re smart enough to follow, I could take their Goblin God’s place. Become their leader. Then I wouldn’t just have an army, I’d have a society. A kingdom of monsters and beasts united under me. And if that Goblin God refuses to submit..." Nolan’s eyes hardened. "I’ll kill him."

Lyra gave a faint smile, her tone approving. "That’s exactly what you should do. I’ve spent years trapped in the dungeon, watching, listening, gathering knowledge. I know what stirs in this world. I know what they’re capable of. And I know this: the best thing you can do is to build an army. The day the world turns against you, you won’t even need to fight. Your monsters will fight for you."

She leaned forward, her voice calm but carrying a weight of certainty. "And let me tell you this, even if ten thousand humans marched against ten thousand monsters, the monsters would win. Only weaklings like goblins might fall quickly. But a single monster like a King minotaur? Entire battalions of humans wouldn’t be enough to bring him down."

Nolan nodded, his jaw set. "Yeah... I understand. The Guild Master even told me about the King Minotaur I killed. He said that was something only a party like Alaric’s could have accomplished. Yet I did it alone."

His eyes narrowed, determination burning behind them. If I could slay a King Minotaur by myself, then building a kingdom of monsters is no longer just a dream. It’s possible.

"But beware," Lyra said, her eyes narrowing with quiet seriousness. "Don’t fool yourself into thinking you’re the only one capable of such feats. Or that only Alaric stands as your equal. When you go to the Empire, you will meet people who are far stronger than anything you’ve faced here. People who have reached the highest strength a human can achieve—rank S. And in the tournament you’re preparing for, you will face rank S adventurers. If you go all out, you can win. But never underestimate them."

Nolan froze. "Wait... you mean there are humans who’ve reached rank S? I thought rank A was the peak."

Lyra shook her head. "No. Rank A is powerful, but it isn’t the summit. Rank S exists. Just not here in Sindra. As of now, this village has no rank S adventurers. But in the Empire—especially in the Capital—you’ll find them. The ones capable of slaying dragons."

Nolan blinked, disbelief flickering across his face. "Slaying... dragons? Wait, are there actually dragons here?"

"Yes," Lyra answered calmly. "There are lesser dragons. But there are also fire-breathing dragons. The last time I went away, I told you I was going to see someone. That ’someone’ was a Fire Dragon King. We fought a small battle."

Nolan stared at her, stunned. "So that’s where you went all this time?"

"That’s not all," Lyra continued, her tone turning grave. "I’ve also been tracing the one who tried to kill you. And about Miss Aria—Mira’s mother. I already know who cursed her. It was the Scorpion Curse."

"What?" Nolan’s eyes widened. "Then... who tried to kill her?"

Lyra’s expression darkened. "There’s an inn, facing a shop. Its owner was the one who hired a powerful mage to place the curse on her. I tracked down the mage myself, forced the truth from him. He confessed everything."

Nolan leaned forward, tense. "How is that possible? Are you sure you’re telling me the truth?"

Lyra met his gaze without hesitation. "I am a Behemoth—a divine beast. I know when someone speaks truth and when they lie. And this time, there was no lie."

"There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you," Nolan said, his voice low and hesitant. "The last Demon Lord, the one who brought calamity to this world. Why didn’t the deities, the archangels, or even you step in? You’re powerful enough, aren’t you?"

Lyra’s expression grew heavy. "No. We are not meant to interfere. For the past three hundred years, I’ve remained in the dungeon, watching and waiting. The order was clear. The one who rules over all deities, the Archangel himself, commanded that none of us should intervene. That battle was left to mortals."

Nolan frowned, unconvinced. "But you just said you’re powerful. Strong enough to end him, weren’t you?"

Lyra shook her head slowly. "If it had only been the Demon Lord, yes. I could have defeated him. But it wasn’t just him. A Fallen Archangel joined his side. Cast out of heaven, stripped of his grace, he wandered until he met a demon woman. He fell in love with her. From that union was born a child, half archangel and half demon. The strongest being to ever rise among demon lords."

Nolan’s eyes widened. "What? You mean the Demon Lord was their child?"

"Yes," Lyra said grimly. "And I am strong, but not on the level of an Archangel. That bloodline made him unstoppable. Not even I could stand against him."

Nolan shook his head, trying to absorb it. "I still find this hard to believe. So you’re saying the Demon Lord, the one sealed away, is awakening? If that’s true, then I won’t be able to win. No one will."

Lyra’s voice softened, but her words were grave. "Yes. The previous hero who faced him was rank S. He wasn’t alone either. The guild master, a demi-human warrior named Malric, elves, dwarves, fought beside him.