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Chapter 1243 Heroes and Humans

Sarohan the Waiga, towering over the crowd, waggled his eyebrows at Arthur. "So, Art, spill the beans-how did our lord end up with a fiery princess? There\'s got to be some epic magic involved, or did you enchant her with your charm?"

Arthur chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck while Diana grinned beside him. "Well, Sarohan, it\'s a long story. It started in Alka... I wasn\'t exactly gardening by choice, and Diana here was battling more than just the elements."

Diana\'s smile softened as she took up the tale. "He created something extraordinary-Greatest Harmony. It wasn\'t just any plant. It saved my life and showed me there was more to Arthur than his situation."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Ilia Perli, standing a bit apart with his usual stoic demeanor, gave a slight nod. "Difficult beginnings. It\'s how you handle them that counts," he said, his deep voice cutting through the lighter chatter.

Koby, whose eyes always seemed to sparkle with a hint of madness, leaned in closer, almost toppling a plate of goblin delicacies. "And then? Did you whip up some wild magic, Arthur? Turn the tides with a grand spell? I would\'ve conjured a dragon or two!"

Arthur laughed, shaking his head. "No dragons, Koby. After Diana recovered, we traveled together to Freda. It was supposed to be just a journey, but it became much more than that."

Whisker, who had been observing quietly from the side, flicked his tail thoughtfully. "Sounds like a partnership forged in the flames of adversity. As expected from our lord, finding a gorgeous woman even in such dire circumstances!"

Suyin, who had been listening intently, her dark eyes reflecting the flicker of torches, stepped forward slightly. "That story is like my favorite novel genre, enemies to lovers!"

Diana looked around at the gathered faces, each marked by their own battles and victories. "That was the case indeed. We started as enemies, but somehow ended up here. I wouldn\'t have it any other way."

The crowd erupted in cheers, raising their cups to the couple. The evening rolled on with more stories exchanged, the formalities of introductions giving way to genuine connections and raucous tales of past exploits.

As the laughter died down and the goblins began to doze off in their seats, Sarohan clapped Arthur on the back, nearly knocking the wind out of him. "Take care of our leader, my lady! He is the only one we have!"

Diana laughed, her eyes twinkling as she replied, "I wouldn\'t give him up for the world. He\'s proven himself more than once."

As the night wore on, the members of Guild Ascent seemed more and more captivated by Diana\'s charm and tales of her past adventures. Laughter and light-hearted jests filled the air, nearly every guildsman seeking a moment to converse with the fiery princess who had won their leader\'s heart. Amid the lively banter, Arthur found himself momentarily sidelined, an amused observer to his own birthday celebration.

Julia, noticing Arthur standing apart from the crowd, approached him with a concerned look on her face. As she drew closer, her eyes focused not on Arthur\'s smile but on the golden scars that marred his face. "Arthur, these scars... are you sure you\'re alright?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry.

Arthur smiled gently, touched by her concern. "I was blind before I lost my sight. Diana... she helped me see how fortunate I am to have such loyal friends and comrades around me."

Relieved by his words, Julia nodded, her expression softening. "That\'s good to hear. Oh, by the way, Yurirl is still locked up in the mansion. We need to decide what to do with him."

Arthur\'s eyebrows shot up in surprise, momentarily distracted from the celebration. "Yurirl? Right, I almost forgot about him in all this chaos. Could you cut me a piece of that cake? I think I\'ll take it to him. Even though we\'ve had our differences, it\'s still my birthday, and no one should be left out."

Julia chuckled and headed off to slice a generous piece of cake while Arthur, platter in hand, made his way to the lower levels of the runic mansion where Yurirl, the Divine Swordsman, was confined. The prison cell was quiet, the only sound the soft hum of runes that glowed faintly along the walls, healing and containing the prisoner within.

Yurirl sat on the edge of a simple cot, his posture relaxed but alert. As Arthur entered, Yurirl\'s eyes immediately fixed on the golden scars across Arthur\'s face. "It seems you\'ve paid a hefty price for your deeds," he remarked dryly, a trace of bitterness in his tone.

Arthur stepped into the cell, setting the platter of cake on a small table. "It\'s more of a celebration than a penance," he responded with a wry smile. "It\'s my birthday today, and everyone was celebrating upstairs. Thought you might want a piece of the action, even if it\'s just cake.!"

Yurirl scoffed lightly, his gaze shifting from Arthur to the cake. "Celebrating while the world struggles with the consequences of your decisions... how typical."

Arthur laughed softly, undisturbed by the jab. "Have you seen the Legacy in action yourself, Yurirl? It\'s not just about celebrating; it\'s about empowering those who are fighting. The Level Up Legacy-it\'s offering you a choice too, right?"

Yurirl looked away for a moment, his expression conflicted as he stared at the holographic interface that floated before him, offering him the chance to reawaken his strength. "Yes, it labels me as a hero, ready to be rewarded. But I don\'t feel like one, Arthur."

Arthur\'s laughter filled the small cell, light and genuine. "That\'s the thing about heroes, Yurirl. Sometimes, they don\'t see their own worth. But the world does, and it\'s willing to back up that belief with power. Why not accept it? Use it to make things right, as you see fit."

The swordsman stared at the cake then back at Arthur, a mix of amusement and irritation in his eyes. Finally, he reached for the fork and took a bite of the cake. "For what it\'s worth, happy birthday, Arthur. Let\'s see what this legacy has in store for both of us."

Arthur settled himself comfortably next to Yurirl, the mood in the cell shifting slightly as the swordsman continued to nibble on the birthday cake. The faint light from the runes illuminated their faces, casting shadows that flickered with the gentle hum of magic in the background.

"Yurirl, I appreciate your attempts to stop me," Arthur began, his tone earnest yet tinged with a sense of victory. "It means a lot that you cared enough to try. But, I\'m glad things turned out the way they did. Today... it\'s probably the happiest I\'ve been since I first awakened my powers, or at least as far back as I can remember."

Yurirl paused, setting down the fork as he turned to face Arthur. His expression was thoughtful, the lines of conflict evident in his furrowed brow. "Heroes and happiness don\'t often walk the same road, Arthur," he said quietly, his voice carrying a weight that seemed too heavy for the festive occasion. "I always saw you as a hero, despite everything. Even with your powers of wrath, there was something heroic about your struggles and your victories. But after you merged the worlds... I realized, you\'re just human, not the hero I thought you were."

Arthur listened, his smile fading into a more reflective expression. He nodded slowly, absorbing Yurirl\'s words with a gravity that matched the swordsman\'s own. "Maybe you\'re right. Maybe the path I chose doesn\'t make me a hero in everyone\'s eyes. But being human is about making difficult choices, Yurirl. I made mine, not because I wanted to be a hero, but because it felt right to me, even if it meant crossing lines that heroes wouldn\'t dare."

The room fell silent for a moment, the only sound the soft crackle of the rune-lit walls. Arthur picked up the fork, playing with it between his fingers, the metal glinting in the light.

Yurirl watched him, the initial sharpness in his gaze softening somewhat. "Arthur, even heroes make mistakes. Perhaps that\'s what makes them so human. And maybe, in that humanity, there\'s something we can both learn from." Arthur looked up, his eyes meeting Yurirl\'s in a moment of silent understanding. "Maybe so," he agreed, a small smile returning to his face. "Let\'s see where this path takes us, as heroes, as humans, or maybe as something in between. But I know that it will be a different path, not the same one. You will be a hero, and I will be a rebel."

"What is the difference?"

"You will protect the present, while I fight for the future."