The Viscountcy of Funke was nothing more than a remote corner on the edge of the kingdom’s map.
In the past, the old Viscount Funke had earned this frontier territory through military merit and his status as a knight during the kingdom’s era of wilderness expansion. However, since the old man’s passing, the Funke family had produced no talent capable of shouldering the estate or leading the house to greater heights. Over the years, the territory’s prospects had grown bleaker by the day.
“You’re saying a Hero has appeared in my domain?”
“Yes, Lord Viscount. She is a very young girl. A few days ago, I suddenly sensed the radiance of the Holy Light, so I personally went to Kachi Village and found this Hero.”
In reality, Anlis Kachi had miraculously awakened the Hero Class during a routine aptitude test. The official’s phrasing was purely an attempt to claim the credit for himself.
“I understand. You may leave.”
The Executive froze, having never expected the Viscount’s reaction to be so indifferent.
“Lord Viscount, a Hero has been born in our lands. It is a blessing from the Gods…”
“I said I understand. I don’t want to repeat myself a third time. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to, bypassing the Holy Order to come to me first.”
The slightly portly man leaned forward, his face darkening. “You simply want to use this achievement to climb the social ladder. Some things are yours, and some are not. If it isn’t yours, you shouldn’t reach out to take it.”
“I… I understand.”
The Executive gritted his teeth but said nothing. He lowered his head to hide his embarrassment, bowed, and retreated.
Watching the Executive’s departing back, Viscount Funke spat on the floor. “Nothing but a mud-legged peasant. Letting you become an Executive was already a massive favor, yet you’re still unsatisfied. Commoners should act like commoners.”
Despite his cursing, the birth of a Hero was an event that could not be ignored. He pulled a quill from a nearby holder, intending to write a letter to the Earl who oversaw the region. But as the tip of the nib touched the paper, he suddenly paused.
“Kachi Village?” Repeating those words, the Viscount suddenly realized something.
“Damn it! The Hero is a filthy commoner? This is a total desecration of the Hero’s status!”
In this world, the title of ‘Hero’ symbolized supreme status. Even a King would have to humble himself and treat a Hero with the highest honors. A male Hero would marry a princess; a female Hero would marry a prince. For a peasant busy toiling in the mud, this was essentially an ascent to the heavens—a rapid leap across social classes.
Before long, that peasant’s status would far exceed his own as a fading Viscount.
“By what right?” Viscount Funke clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, his voice dripping with jealousy and resentment.
“By what right does a mere peasant get to rise to the top just because of a heaven-sent title?”
“The Gods are so unfair! If a mere peasant can become the Hero, then why can’t I?”
“Why… Why am I, a noble Viscount, inferior to a peasant?”
‘I am a nobleman!’
The thought of his family’s decline while that peasant stepped over him to flaunt her power made the Viscount tremble with rage. A dark aura of Corrosion quietly swirled above his head, and a mad thought became increasingly clear in his mind.
‘I’ll kill her! Another Hero will be born eventually anyway… The Hero absolutely cannot be a peasant with a status lower than mine!’
On the other side, Anlis and Vylian finished breakfast and headed straight out of the city. Having achieved her goal, Vylian naturally stopped restricting Anlis’s freedom.
Anlis looked at the sky. She had been away for a day and a night; she had to go home to let everyone know she was safe. After all, a standard aptitude awakening usually didn’t take nearly this long.
Kachi Village was located just a few miles east of the city, about a one or two-hour walk. Along the way, they passed the site where the Corrupt Monarch had conducted the mass arrest the previous day. The area had turned into a wasteland; even just walking past it felt chilling. A few soldiers were investigating the scene, but looking at their confused expressions, they had clearly found nothing.
Anlis couldn’t help but glance at Vylian, who was a head shorter than her and acting as if nothing had happened. Come to think of it, since they woke up this morning, the other girl had maintained a specific, distant-yet-close gap between them. It was very strange. Still, Anlis didn’t pry.
As they approached Kachi Village, the two saw a young girl standing at the village entrance, looking out expectantly. Anlis felt a surge of joy and was about to wave, but the little girl looked startled and suddenly bolted back into the village.
“Mom! Big sis kidnapped a woman and brought her back!”
“What? Anli!”
Anlis was stunned, then chased after her in a fit of exasperation.
Vylian felt a bit helpless but didn’t run along with them. She kept a gentle pace, trailing leisurely behind. Watching the two run into an unremarkable thatched cottage, she confirmed Anlis’s address and began to survey the surroundings.
This was a perfectly ordinary village. Low thatched houses were scattered about, the path underfoot was muddy, and a golden wheat field stretched out nearby. The silhouettes of cattle sheds and sheep pens were visible in the distance.
Vylian instinctively frowned and pinched her nose. The air was a mix of soil, livestock manure, and the scent of wheat—not exactly pleasant.
This village would soon be destroyed.
In the original story, to escalate the conflict and push the Hero’s growth, Anlis would inevitably encounter a life-threatening crisis after her awakening. At that time, Viscount Funke, tainted by Corrosion, would lead his soldiers into the village to kill the Hero. As the protagonist, Anlis would certainly not perish. However, the other villagers wouldn’t be so lucky. After the disaster, only Anlis’s childhood sweetheart and her heavily injured, comatose younger sister would manage to survive.
Hatred would shatter Anlis’s peaceful life, forcing her onto a path of seeking strength for revenge.
Speaking of the “Corrosion” taint, the name alone linked it to Vylian. But she really hadn’t done this. Corrosion was one of the world’s natural laws; even without her as the Demon King, “Victims of Corrosion” would be born naturally. And since Vylian was a newly born Corrupt Monarch…
In the end, it was the independent action of a subordinate, but since she was the Corrupt Monarch, the blame would inevitably fall on her head. This was actually one of the reasons why Anlis would pursue her with such vengeful fury in the grand finale.
Since she wanted to prevent Anlis’s growth to change the ending, she couldn’t allow anything that shattered this peace and pushed the protagonist onto the “right” track to happen.
Vylian would stop it personally.
A mere Hero should have her fighting spirit eroded away by a peaceful and happy life.
‘At this rate, there’s no way the Hero can ever catch up to me.’
“Heh, heh, heh…”
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.