And so, the three of them made their way down the southwestern avenue.
Not long after—
A massive stone bridge came into view.
The bridge stretched over 60 meters long, with a width of 10 meters.
The gentle sound of flowing water could be heard from beneath, passing between the supporting arches.
Constructed entirely from stone, at first glance it seemed plain and unremarkable.
But...
It carried the weight of history.
Along the bridge stood thirty-one stone statues, all depicting heroes.
This was the Hero's Bridge—
as the people of Orario respectfully called it.
These ancient figures had once fought to seal the gaping hole in the world,
many giving up their very lives to do so.
Each of the statues lined along the bridge was a cornerstone of humanity—
great heroes who had laid down their lives to build this fortress.
The purpose of the Hero's Bridge was similar to the dark memorial monolith dedicated to fallen adventurers.
But unlike a simple gravestone, these statues honored the heroes with faces, forms, and legacies.
It's said the bridge was built before the descent of the gods.
Despite being damaged many times by monster attacks, natural disasters, or human conflict—
there was always someone who stepped forward to restore it.
Which is why the bridge remained standing even today.
"Woooow~~"
"So these are the ancient heroes~~?"
Lefiya's voice was full of awe as she stepped onto the bridge's stone path.
There were no magic-stone street lamps here.
But the moonlight was more than enough to illuminate the faces of the heroes.
Each statue stood evenly spaced along the railings on both sides.
Of all the countless heroes who once graced Orario,
these thirty-one had achieved the most glorious feats.
The statues weren't arranged by year or rank—each one simply had their own place.
Among them was the knight Fland, her statue standing proud.
"Is this your first time here too, Lefiya?"
Raven paused in front of Fland's statue and turned to ask.
"Yes."
"This is the Pure Elf King... Saintess Celtya?"
She wasn't the only one.
There was also Shar'von, descendant of the Wolf King;
Ivelda, the Amazonian Empress;
Jazaniev, the Undying Duke;
Sitou, the Conquering Spear;
Sophia, from the Fairy Kingdom.
Surrounding some of these statues were also depictions of greater spirits—
companions who had helped them achieve their feats.
Ais silently walked ahead, taking time to admire each statue.
And then...
She stopped at the very center of the bridge, in front of one particular hero.
He held a longsword.
He wore light armor.
A long scarf fluttered behind him.
There were no spirits or companions around this statue.
"What's up, Ais?"
"You seem pretty focused on this one—could it be you're especially interested in the great hero, Albert?"
Raven watched her with curiosity.
"...Yes."
Ais gave a small nod.
Of course she did.
He was her father.
Raven mused silently.
If even her mother, Alfia, could be summoned...
Then surely her father wouldn't be far behind.
The Mercenary King, Albert.
Undoubtedly one of the strongest men in the world.
If he could summon him—
Then when it came time to face the Black Dragon in the Dragon Valley of the north,
they'd have an 80% chance of victory.
"Wanna meet your parents someday?"
Raven asked with interest.
"I don't have parents."
Ais replied bluntly.
"Is that so?"
Seeing that she didn't want to talk about her past,
Raven just gave a faint, knowing smile.
Well then—
He'd just have to let Alfia meet her daughter during the upcoming war at the summit.
"Miss Ais."
"Did you know that here on the Hero's Bridge—"
"There's a reason no statue stands across from Sir Albert's?"
Lefiya suddenly chimed in.
Indeed, of all the evenly spaced statues along the railing—
only in the very center, across from Albert's,
there was no statue at all.
"That's because no one is worthy of standing opposite the Mercenary King, Albert."
Raven explained.
"...Yes. The world longs for the arrival of a true Hero."
Ais whispered softly.
The Final Hero—the one destined to save the Lower World.
Only when the Final Hero defeats the Black Dragon,
and stands upon this deliberately empty space,
will the Hero's Bridge be complete.
No one else has the right to stand in front of the strongest protector of the world.
Only the one who saves the world can do so.
Ais turned away from the statue, looking back toward Raven.
"...Raven, I want to become stronger."
"Can I... do that with you?"
Lefiya blinked in confusion.
"'That'... what do you mean by 'that'?"
Raven's eyes flickered thoughtfully, then he turned toward Lefiya with a grin.
"Lefiya, do you want to become stronger too?"
"Eh?"
She looked puzzled.
Currently, only Loki and Riveria were aware of Ais's stat changes.
No one else had a clue.
"I know a shortcut to becoming strong."
"R-Really!?"
Lefiya leaned forward, clearly intrigued.
Of course—
She had always wondered how he went from a rookie adventurer
to Level 4 in just one month.
Her own first level-up had taken three full years.
She'd entered the academy at age 11, spent a year there,
then joined the Loki Familia.
It was only after another year that she'd reached Level 3.
And now, at age 15—
She was still stuck at Level 3.
Compared to others, her growth was already considered fast.
But Raven's leap was downright absurd.
"Mhm."
"But the condition is—you can't tell anyone."
"Especially Riveria."
Raven said solemnly.
"Okay."
"So... what's the secret?"
Lefiya's eyes sparkled with curiosity and anticipation.
"You'll find out soon."
"Come with me."
Raven's gaze flicked briefly to the white stockings hugging their thighs.
Then he turned away,
leading Ais and Lefiya toward the southern district.
It looked like...
He'd be paying another visit to that luxurious hotel tonight.
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PS: The Hero's Bridge scene actually has meaning! It's not filler!
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