“So this is how things turn out in the end.”
Just as Meredia, having withdrawn the killing intent from the elders of Lumen Ordo, stepped out of the meeting room.
“Well, it was never something we could hide forever anyway.”
Chairman Salem of the Elder Council, who had remained silent for a moment, let out a deep sigh and pulled out a newspaper from his robe.
“A hero reappears after centuries, proposes to the empire’s only Lady…”
“Spokesperson of the Duke of Embergreen declares: ‘Anyway, that’s how it went.’…”
It was an article the messenger bird, which arrived much later than scheduled for some reason, had delivered—a headline the elders had read over and over again in disbelief.
“If only we had known a few days earlier, we could have come up with a response.”
“Exactly.”
“How about we replace the messenger bird altogether?”
In truth, the one named ‘Gugu’ had been distracted after receiving all sorts of luxurious treatment in Meredia’s room, due to her love for birds.
Still, when you think about it, it was technically Gugu’s fault.
“You all know, right? That dim-looking bird is actually the loyal pet of the second-generation saint.”
“……”
“He’s not someone we can treat lightly.”
If it hadn’t been for the fact that it was the spirit once commanded by the previous saint, it would’ve lost its job long ago—but instead, it was punished with a week-long grain reduction.
“Well, to be honest, I don’t think the current situation is that bad.”
“Right. Who knows? Maybe this’ll finally knock some sense into our Guardian of Radiance.”
In the suddenly solemn atmosphere, the Eastern Continent branch head Baek Yeon-hwa gently opened the topic, and the Southern Continent branch head Astrid quickly chimed in.
“Honestly, do you know how hard it is to wear this ridiculous outfit at my age?”
Her lamenting tone that followed sounded surprisingly normal, quite unlike before.
“Your concept is definitely a bit too much.”
“Isn’t it? I’m the only one who can rival our dear Yeon-hwa, after all.”
“No, I’m not acting—I’m really the successor of the Kunlun sect…”
Not just her, but all the elders present—except Baek Yeon-hwa and the Northern supervisor Alastor—had by then relaxed their expressions and postures.
“But wasn’t that concept something you picked yourself?”
“Well…”
“To be honest, I’ve been feeling lately like you’re genuinely enjoying it—and it’s scary.”
But when Salem suddenly pressed with a sharp gaze, the atmosphere chilled in an instant.
“It’s been ages since all white mages became eccentrics, but at least our Elder Council needs to keep its wits.”
“No matter how murky the lower waters are, if the upper waters are clean, purification is still possible…”
As Salem continued with a heavy expression, Astrid frowned slightly and muttered in protest.
“It’s nonsense that the murkiest water is actually the biggest weirdo among all past leaders.”
“…Haa.”
At that, Salem lost his words and fell silent.
“Now that I think about it, isn’t it time for you two to decide on your concepts too?”
“”
“W-We…”
Suddenly seeming amused, Astrid turned to Aurora and Celeste, the siblings who had been awkwardly watching the mood all along.
“Don’t say you’re too young. In Lumen Ordo’s Elder Council, what matters is not age but pure talent.”
“Well, even Sir Whitney was once a candidate for Guardian of Radiance…”
At those words, Baek Yeon-hwa, who had briefly sulked over her background being ignored, nodded along unconsciously.
“Enough. That’s far enough.”
“…?”
“That topic… isn’t something we should talk about right now.”
Interrupting the conversation in a suddenly solemn tone, Salem turned his head to speak again.
“Looks like everyone’s returning to the meeting room.”
And at that very moment—
Creaaak…
As expected, the door to the meeting room opened, and Whitney, Meredia, and Tiffany—following slightly behind—entered.
‘She got rejected.’
‘Yup, rejected.’
‘That was definitely a rejection.’
That was the first impression of the Elder Council upon seeing Tiffany enter with a gloomy expression, following the closely attached Whitney and Meredia.
‘I wonder how long it’ll last this time.’
‘At least three months, maybe?’
…Or maybe even years.
Anyone who saw the scene unfolding would’ve thought the same.
“…Hey. Just how long do you plan on staying beside my man?”
Just before that, Tiffany, who had stood in silence, suddenly shouted.
“Have you forgotten already? I’m Whitney’s fiancée.”
“I’m his girlfriend!”
The next moment—an extended silence fell over the meeting room.
“…!?”
Despite years of training in their respective ‘concepts,’ the Elder Council members, who normally wouldn’t even blink at most things, were now overcome with pure shock.
“Ahaha…”
In the midst of it all, Whitney alone opened his mouth with his signature shameless smile.
“…Well, that’s how it turned out.”
***
‘What even is this situation?’
I had nothing to say, so I just blurted that out in front of everyone—but honestly, I was the one who least understood what was going on.
I had merely introduced my fiancée and my friend to each other… so why were we suddenly filming Love and War?
“Lady, what is going on…?”
“…Don’t mind me. Just follow the plan.”
I was so dumbfounded that, after returning to my seat, I tried to whisper a question to Lady Meredia sitting next to me, but what I got in return was an icy reaction.
“Instead, once this is over, you’re dead.”
“…!?”
..!?
I was seriously going crazy with frustration, but I couldn’t ask further because of how tense the atmosphere was.
“C-Can’t I sit next to Whitney too…?”
“You are the Guardian of Radiance. You must sit in the seat of honor.”
“…But he’s my boyfriend and it’s been so long since we last met.”
Honestly, the person I wanted to question more than Lady Meredia was Tiffany, who was still arguing across the room and had suddenly started claiming I was her boyfriend.
“You must maintain your dignity as the Guardian of Radiance.”
“Ah, yeah. Right. What a wretched situation…”
With everyone, including Chairman Salem, breaking into cold sweat and struggling to get through this bizarre moment, I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut.
“I-Is this how romances work in the Western lands? The martial world beyond the sea is truly full of strange customs…”
“…Now then, let us begin the meeting in earnest.”
How much time passed, I couldn’t tell.
Finally, once things had somewhat settled down, Salem cleared his throat and began the session.
“Our first agenda concerns Sir Whitney’s promotion to an executive position…”
“Fufu, let’s just pretend this never happened, shall we?”
“…Silence. That’s not your decision to make.”
Astrid, who had been glaring daggers at me with a cold smile since earlier, fired back in a voice filled with hostility, stirring up tension once more.
“If anything, we should be the ones asking questions.”
At that moment, Lady Meredia, who was sitting closer than usual, glared at the elders and spoke up.
“A man who supposedly had no talent in white magic suddenly changes stance the moment he becomes a Hero? Isn’t that just a little too obvious?”
With that, silence fell over the meeting room.
“Unless he achieved some miraculous success in white magic after becoming a Hero, I just don’t buy it…”
“Yes, we need to address that first.”
As her half-laughing remark echoed through the quiet chamber, Salem let out another deep sigh and opened his mouth again.
“Whitney Lingard. The Elder Council already once refused your entry into Lumen Ordo when you were a child.”
“Yes, because you said my white mana seemed off at the time.”
“That was a lie.”
I had nodded without much thought, but upon hearing Salem’s firm declaration, I couldn’t help but smile brightly.
“To get straight to the point—your power is undeniably white mana.”
At last, it was the moment when Lumen Ordo officially recognized my strange white magic as the real deal.
“To be more specific, you are the only true white mage currently existing in the world.”
“Pardon? What do you mean…”
But as I listened to the following words, I could only gape in shock and disbelief.
“All the white mages currently active, including those in Lumen Ordo, aren’t actually using real ‘white magic.’”
The shocking revelation spilled from Salem’s mouth, something I never could have anticipated.
“White magic has long since been lost—more than a thousand years ago. Not since the white mage who was a companion to the first Hero has anyone awakened that power.”
“…!?”
“There is a record that one of the second Hero’s disciples may have awakened it, but that’s such an old document its credibility is doubtful.”
Wait, what are they saying?
That all the so-called white mages around the world weren’t actually white mages?
Was this some kind of hidden-camera prank?
“Hold on. I don’t quite get this. Then, what is it that you all are using?”
“What we wield is holy power. It’s distinctly different from white mana.”
“But then, the Holy Nation…”
“It’s more like a branch. We worship ‘light’ itself, while the Holy Nation worships the ‘goddess.’”
At first, I couldn’t believe it.
But Salem’s expression was far too serious for it to be a joke.
“There’s a reason the leaders of Lumen Ordo have always inherited the surname of the second Saint.”
“It’s widely believed that the most exceptional white mage becomes the leader, but in truth, the position has always been passed down through those with the blood of the Saint for hundreds of years.”
Seeing even the Elder Council and Tiffany at the head seat nodding quietly, it seemed this was indeed the truth.
If that’s the case, this is a huge revelation.
Even I, who thoroughly enjoyed every bit of content in the original game, didn’t know this.
Just how many secrets are hidden in this world?
“Just asking, but… Am I even allowed to know all this?”
“…It doesn’t matter.”
While I sat flustered, Lady Meredia beside me calmly posed that question, and Salem responded indifferently.
“In fact, what I’m about to say now concerns you as well.”
At those meaningful words, Lady Meredia twitched her brow slightly—but quickly regained her composure and asked again.
“If that’s all true, shouldn’t Whitney Lingard not only have been accepted, but also become your so-called Guardian of Radiance?”
“Hmm…”
This time, Salem fell silent and swallowed hard.
“Because Sir Whitney has one critical issue.”
Then, the words that followed from his mouth made me raise my voice without realizing.
“Is it because my white mana isn’t pure white, but gray?”
It finally felt like the moment had come to understand why my white magic was so strange.
“Stay calm and listen.”
So I held my breath and swallowed dryly, determined to accept whatever Salem would say.
“To get straight to the point—it’s because the power of the Demon King resides within you.”
“……!”
That bombshell of a statement shattered my resolve, and without thinking, I tightly grabbed Lady Meredia’s hand next to me.
“It is the most evil and dangerous power there is.”
This time, Lady Meredia did not rebuke me.
Cliche Novel 