The following morning, Lena departed for the flower shop at an early hour, while Celia and her two companions made their way to the guild.
Just as Sharlene had predicted, the impending rigor of Rune Academy was already spurring their growth. Though not yet officially students, a fervent motivation for training now fueled each of them.
Even having successfully passed their assessments and endured the beast tide, they knew they could not afford to slacken their efforts for a single moment.
Yet, this day proved unlike any other. Upon entering the guild hall, they were instantly engulfed by a throng of heroes, all radiating an overwhelming, almost palpable enthusiasm.
Liss, the receptionist, had somehow managed to squeeze to the very front of the eager crowd. With paper and pen in hand, she approached Celia, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she spoke.
“Celia! Is your instructor truly the Silverbloom Sword Princess? Would it be possible for her to sign an autograph for me?”
No sooner had Liss finished speaking than another hero roughly pushed her aside, simultaneously producing their own paper and pen. Their expression was alight with fervent emotion as they pleaded, “Please sign one for me too! She’s been my idol for as long as I can remember—she’s never changed!”
“Who are you? Don’t you know the meaning of ‘first come, first served’?!”
“Might makes right!”
“Sign one for me as well!”
Watching the deluge of outstretched papers and pens, and the heroes who swarmed them like a pack of jackals, Isha retreated two steps. She swallowed hard, then muttered with difficulty, “Perhaps… we shouldn’t have come to the guild today?”
Aurora and Celia exchanged a glance, then nodded in profound agreement.
In that moment, while they briefly reveled in the recognition afforded to renowned heroes—a small indulgence of vanity, courtesy of Silverbloom—their predominant feeling was one of sheer annoyance.
Even celebrated heroes faced their own unique vexations. If one were to be mobbed everywhere they went, even the simplest aspects of daily life would become utterly disrupted.
The throng of people made it impossible for them to reach the training grounds. Before they could devise a strategy to extricate themselves, a stern, authoritative voice echoed down from the guild’s second floor.
“That’s quite enough! With all this clamor, how could Senior Silverbloom possibly appreciate such a spectacle?!”
The crowd instantly hushed. Roland, her hand gliding along the banister, descended slowly from the second floor, the soft click of her high heels marking her measured pace.
Her imposing demeanor immediately subdued most of the heroes. As she drew nearer, they instinctively parted, forming a clear path that allowed her to walk unhindered directly to Celia.
“Sister Roland…”
“What brings you here today?”
“Training.”
“Then follow me. I’ll lead you to the training grounds.”
Roland cast a sharp glare at the heroes surrounding them. Once they had all stepped back to clear a path, she gestured for Celia and her companions to follow.
Their bond with Roland had blossomed from mere acquaintance to genuine friendship during the beast tide, so Celia felt no surprise at receiving her assistance here.
However, upon their arrival at the training grounds, Roland did not depart. Instead, she simply settled onto a chair nearby.
Aurora noticed the troubled expression on her face. After a period of training, she approached and sat beside her, asking, “What’s wrong, Sister Roland? You look as if there’s something on your mind.”
Roland, her face etched with a conflicted expression, gazed at Aurora. She seemed poised to speak, yet after a moment of profound hesitation, she ultimately decided against it.
“It’s nothing. You three just continue your training.”
With those words, she rose and departed, leaving Aurora and her companions with a solitary figure receding into the distance.
****
In a secluded corner of the hero hall, Skyfire, cloaked in black robes, sat on a long bench. Observing the recently dispersed crowd, she couldn’t help but voice her thoughts.
“Their fervor for Senior Silverbloom hasn’t waned in the slightest, even after more than two decades,” she mused aloud.
Upon her initial arrival at Vidona’s Hero Guild, this very group of heroes had extended a warm welcome. However, compared to the spectacle of today, that reception now seemed utterly insignificant.
Truth be told, witnessing this scene left her feeling a touch disheartened.
Yet, she understood deep down that her own renown, Skyfire’s, was largely confined to the Rossi Empire. In the grand scheme of other empires, it amounted to very little.
Silverbloom, however, was an entirely different matter. Even after her disappearance for over two decades, her legendary deeds and tales persisted, enshrined in the hearts of countless individuals.
Only the youngest generation remained largely unaware of her legacy.
“More than twenty years ago, Silverbloom was hailed as humanity’s most renowned hero. Wherever she went, the streets would empty as people flocked to see her; what you’re witnessing now is truly a minor spectacle.”
Chiling, seated beside her, offered a gentle smile and a few words of reassurance. “You are still young, and you have a long journey ahead. Do not let minor achievements inflate your pride, for that will only lead you astray.”
To aspire to compare herself with Silverbloom, in Chiling’s estimation, was simply too unrealistic.
Silverbloom’s disappearance had merely caused her renown to lie dormant. Chiling was convinced that, upon her reappearance, even the newly ascended Eighth-tier heroes of the present era would be utterly unable to rival her.
For now, Skyfire was better suited to comparisons with other Seventh-tier heroes, both in terms of power and reputation.
“I understand, Teacher.”
Realizing the extent of her own overambition, a flicker of shame crossed Skyfire’s features.
Ever since achieving the rank of Seventh-tier hero, she had unconsciously allowed a certain pride to take root. This pride had swelled considerably, particularly when she observed that the heroes around her simply couldn’t measure up.
Yet, her teacher’s words had jolted her into realization: the path of a hero was long and without end, and there would always be others walking ahead of her.
Noting that Skyfire had acknowledged her error, Chiling expressed her clear satisfaction.
“I hope that even after I am no longer here, you will continue to maintain your humility. Those in the Council Chamber are always eager to see new council members emerge.”
Though Skyfire nodded in understanding, a lingering sense of unease settled upon her. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something about her teacher’s words was amiss.
‘After she is no longer here’? How could that possibly be?
A hero’s lifespan far exceeded that of an ordinary person. While her teacher had been in retirement for over a decade, she was still, by all accounts, quite young.
Moreover, her teacher was incredibly powerful; only high-ranking demons could pose a threat to her. So why would she speak of leaving?
Perhaps, she mused, it was merely a casual remark from her teacher, and she was simply overthinking it.
As the crowd thinned and Roland led Celia and her companions out of sight, Skyfire couldn’t help but inquire, “Teacher, aren’t you going to meet your sister?”
“Not for now. She already knows I’m here, in truth.”
Withdrawing her gaze from Roland, Chiling rose to her feet and began walking towards the hall’s exit. “I’ll seek her out later. For now, our priority is to investigate the demons.”
“Huh? Aren’t we looking for Celia anymore?” Skyfire questioned, catching up to her.
“We’ll see about that later; investigating the demons is more pressing. Besides… Silverbloom won’t be coming to the guild.”
Stepping out of the hall, Chiling surveyed the street, now teeming with heroes, and shook her head.
Her original intention had been to observe whether Silverbloom would accompany Celia to the guild today. However, upon witnessing the frenzied heroes, she realized the error of her assumption.
Silverbloom would not come. She had always disliked boisterous, crowded scenes.
After repelling the beast tide and saving Vidona, Chiling surmised that Silverbloom would, just as she always had, evade public pursuit, find a secluded place to hide away, and only re-emerge once the fervor had completely subsided.
She knew her style intimately.