Secret of Heart Rotal Family

"Base creatures of lowly stature..." Shadow uttered with a fierce glare.

The neck of the Goblin King spurted green blood from Shadow's swift slash. He swiftly took the Goblin King's head and stuffed it into a bag. The goblins, minions of the Goblin King, turned on each other with Hallucination Darts. Shadow and Mistral swiftly severed all their heads and stuffed them into the bag, then swiftly returned to the city. The city's inhabitants were patrolling in fear of a goblin attack. Shadow and Mistral walked calmly, carrying a bag full of goblin heads.

"They seem to be unaware," Shadow remarked casually.

"Let them be, there will be a notice from the Adventure Guild soon," Mistral replied.

"Oh... you know about the Adventure Guild?" Shadow inquired.

"Of course, I intend to join as an adventurer," Mistral declared.

"What a coincidence! Let's head to the Adventure Guild," Shadow suggested.

Shadow urged his horse forward swiftly, fortunate to have chosen the fastest horse available for rent. It took them only an hour to return to the Town of Mary, and upon arrival, Shadow headed straight to the Adventure Guild. Mistral dismounted first, followed by Shadow, and they entered the guild promptly.

"Marrie, the mission letter is complete," Shadow informed Marrie.

"I'll take this letter. Who is this?" Marrie replied.

"My name is Mistral, from the Golden Moon Elf tribe. I'm here to register as an adventurer," Mistral introduced herself.

"Alright, here's the registration form," Marrie handed over a form.

"So, how's the town?" Shadow inquired.

"It's quite safe, especially now that I've also registered as an adventurer," Marrie assured.

"Wow, what a surprise! Are you skilled with a sword or bow?" Shadow asked.

"I am skilled in magic. In my youth, I studied at the Alastair Wizard Academy," Mistral replied.

"Excellent. Tomorrow, I plan to go somewhere," Shadow said.

"Can I join?" Mistral asked.

"You can, but before we depart, I want to visit Uncle Gulark. I need to order a new set of armor," Shadow explained.

"Alright then, I'll stay with you tonight," Marrie offered.

"Eh?" Shadow responded in surprise.

"Shouldn't it be Shadow who accompanies me?" Mistral asked.

"So, you've already bedded this elf?!" Marrie asked angrily.

"You both can stay with me," Shadow suggested, confused.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Here's the payment for this task," Marrie handed over a bag of money. "I can shop for your new armor and equipment, Shadow, and for you, Mistral, I think Uncle Gulark can make something for you."

"Gulark, huh? It's already quite late for tomorrow," Mistral remarked.

"I'm quite tired as well. Do you want to stay with Marrie?" Shadow asked. Marrie nodded.

Shadow, Marrie, and Mistral walked to the inn where Shadow was staying. Fortunately, it was quite close, so they could walk there. Shadow ordered dinner for the three of them. Marrie ordered spaghetti, while Mistral opted for a meat dish, and Shadow indulged in a steak accompanied by cheap wine.

"How's the food here?" Shadow asked, but Mistral didn't respond as she was busy devouring her meal.

"It's quite tasty and also reasonably priced. That's why you like staying here, right?" Marrie commented.

"Based on my experience from the year before I became an adventurer... sometimes, what's cheap isn't necessarily tasteless..." Shadow replied.

"So, you two really want to share a room? There's only one bed, you know," Shadow mentioned.

"We can sleep with you," Mistral suggested.

"After all, you've already slept with us," Marrie added.

"Yeah, yeah..." Shadow said, then he drank his wine and finished his meal. Afterward, he returned to his room with Marrie and Mistral. Shadow removed his armor and clothing.

"This armor is heavy. I'm curious about Uncle Gulark's new materials," Shadow said as he tidied up his armor and weapons. He then quickly undressed and lay down in bed. Mistral and Marrie also undressed and lay down beside him. Fully exhausted, Shadow soon fell into a deep sleep, and Marrie, busy taking care of the adventurers, also drifted off to sleep.

Shadow woke up the next morning and left Mistral and Marrie still asleep. He immediately left the room and headed for a shower. Entering the bathroom, he quickly undressed and washed his body. Shadow saw his reflection in the mirror and noticed that the scars were almost completely gone.

"Weird, they were quite visible yesterday," Shadow remarked. He continued his shower and cleaned himself thoroughly. After dressing, Shadow returned to his room. Marrie woke up first and headed to the bathroom, while Mistral was busy arranging her arrows.

"Shadow, when can I meet your colleagues? When will I be able to introduce myself?" Mistral asked.

"After we arrive at the Adventure Guild and you receive confirmation of your acceptance, I'll take you to meet Uncle Gulark and Linda," Shadow replied.

"Who are they?" Mistral inquired.

"Uncle Gulark is a skilled blacksmith. He can craft any weapon, and the runes on those weapons are quite powerful," Shadow explained.

"And Linda?" Mistral asked.

"She's a medicine seller here. We were in the same class before, and she's very adept at herbalism and concocting medicinal plants," Marrie, who had just finished her shower, added.

"Now it's your turn to freshen up, Mistral," Shadow said as he began to put on his armor. Mistral nodded and promptly headed to the bathroom.

"Marrie, please take her to Uncle Gulark once she's done showering. I have some business to attend to with him," Shadow instructed as he finished donning his armor. Marrie nodded in agreement.

Shadow quickly retrieved his pride and joy, Deathshycte, and left the room. As he walked, he observed the bustling inhabitants of the Town of Mary. The townsfolk smiled at each other, and many children ran towards their schools. Shadow greeted one of them, and they greeted back.

"What a pleasant atmosphere," Shadow remarked as he walked. Before long, he arrived at the blacksmith's shop and entered the house.

"Uncle, how's it going?" Shadow asked.

"Ah, Shadow... It just so happens that yesterday when you left, I received a shipment of materials from my cousin. They gave it to me for free because they got more than they expected," Gulark replied.

"Uncle, may I see the materials?" Shadow inquired.

"Of course, here they are," Gulark said, handing Shadow an iron ball from his table. Shadow took the iron ball and found it incredibly light.

"Uncle, isn't this aluminum?" Shadow asked.

"You're absolutely right. I got a lot of aluminum stock from my cousin and his group because they harvested aluminum," Gulark explained with a laugh.

"I'd like to order armor made with this material, Uncle," Shadow said, handing over 2000 gold coins. Gulark laughed.

"Of course, you want the same model as the one you're wearing, right? I'll give you a full set, including gauntlets and greaves," Gulark chuckled.

"Agreed!" Shadow exclaimed happily, thinking to himself, "Getting good armor at a cheap price... not bad." Just then, the door of the blacksmith's shop swung open.

"Welcome... oh, Marrie, you're here too. Did I hear correctly?" Gulark said, looking towards the door.

"Yes, Uncle Gulark, I'm here to register as an adventurer along with Mistral," Marrie replied as she entered the blacksmith.

"Well, well, well... a Golden Moon High Elf here," Gulark exclaimed upon seeing Mistral.

"Mistral, this is Uncle Gulark, a skilled weapon maker," Shadow introduced.

"Pleasure to meet you," Mistral replied politely.

"Oh, by the way, Uncle, could you make weapons for them too?" Shadow asked.

"I can still find arrows, but magic staffs are a bit difficult," Gulark replied.

"Arrows would be great, and I heard that the Dwarves have great weapons, right?" Shadow inquired.

"Ah, we've developed a long-range weapon with great destructive power, but it's very noisy," Gulark explained.

"If possible, bring one. I'd like to try it," Shadow said.

"Mistral, what kind of weapon do you want to order?" Shadow asked.

"I'd like to order some high-quality arrows, if possible," Mistral replied.

"Of course, that's possible. You just need to find the materials," Gulark said with a laugh.

"In that case, thank you," Mistral smiled.

Shadow, Marrie, and Mistral immediately headed to the Potion Shop. Approaching the cashier's counter, Shadow laid down a bottle of poison.

"Linda, I have a gift for you," Shadow said.

"What's this?" Linda, standing behind the counter, asked.

"It's a new type of poison. It can make the victim hallucinate and attack their allies," Shadow explained.

"What's it made of?" Linda asked as she prepared to take notes.

"The main ingredient is Water Lily flower. The maker from the village of Alkania added some other ingredients to enhance its effects," Shadow replied, while Linda made notes.

"Marrie, I heard you've become an adventurer?" Linda asked.

"Of course, I still remember some attack spells," Marrie replied.

"Oh, and let me introduce Mistral. She's the first member of my group," Shadow said to Linda.

"Pleasure to meet you," Mistral said politely.

"Nice to meet you too," Linda replied with a smile.

"Shadow, I'll analyze its contents. What are your plans for today?" Linda asked.

"After visiting the Adventure Guild, I plan to head to the Dark Phantom Forest. I've heard there's an ancient tomb there," Shadow replied.

"Are you sure you want to go there? I've heard that Shadow Ranger Dark Elves guard the place," Linda cautioned.

"Are you sure about this, Shadow?" Marrie asked.

"Absolutely... besides, there's something I need to find out," Shadow affirmed.

"Heh... be careful. Curiosity can be deadly," Linda warned.

"Not this time," Shadow replied.

"Well then, good luck to you all," Linda wished them as Shadow left the Potion Shop.

"Shadow Ranger Dark Elves, huh? Aren't they supposed to inhabit the Dark Forest of Balmunt?" Mistral inquired.

"They're tasked with guarding something, and only I can enter," Shadow replied.

"We're still coming along. Just consider it our first experience," Marrie insisted.

"Alright, let's go to the stables," Shadow said as he walked.

"Wait, aren't we supposed to go to the Adventure Guild first?" Mistral asked.

"Forgetful as always..." Marrie teased.

"Eh... Ahahahaha," Shadow laughed and changed his direction towards the Adventure Guild, with Mistral and Marrie following.

Upon arriving at the Adventure Guild, Marrie and Mistral went straight to the receptionist and received their adventurer badges. Meanwhile, Shadow sat down and opened a map.

"It seems the Dark Forest of Balmunt is quite close. Maybe an hour's ride with a horse," Shadow remarked.

"Are you sure about going there? I've heard the Dark Elves there are quite terrifying," a red-haired female paladin remarked.

"Lisa... I've heard the same, that's why I'm curious," Shadow replied.

"If you're determined, I won't stop you," Lisa said.

"Lisa, what are you doing?" Marrie asked, already wearing her adventurer necklace.

"Just curious about Shadow's next destination," Lisa replied.

"Shadow, let's go," Mistral urged.

Shadow quickly rose and left the Adventure Guild.

Shadow and Mistral immediately headed to the horse stable and rented three horses. Mistral and Marrie mounted two of the horses, while Shadow mounted the last one. Together, they headed south from the Town of Marry and quickly left the city behind. Two hours into their journey, they entered a dense and dark forest. The forest was quite gloomy, even though the conditions were bright before entering it. Marrie seemed to shiver slightly.

"The Dark Forest of Balmunt... just as the legends say..." Shadow remarked.

"What are you really looking for?" Mistral asked.

"The Tomb of Heart... my ancestors and grandfather are buried here..." Shadow replied.

"Isn't that just a legend?" Marrie inquired.

"According to the Elder Golden Moon, the Heart Royal Family is buried in a hidden tomb," Mistral explained.

"That's right, and this forest is the location... but it's strange..." Shadow said.

"What's strange about it?" Mistral asked.

"The Shadow Rangers from the Dark Sun should be here..." Shadow said.

"Could it be that they... huh?" Mistral sensed something, an arrow whizzed past and embedded itself into the ground. Shadow's startled horse became wild, but Shadow easily calmed it down.

"Who goes there? How dare you enter the sacred territory of the Heart Royal Family," a dark elf with tan skin, white hair, and purple eyes emerged, aiming his arrow at Shadow.

"I'm here to meet Elder Michael and Elder Cassandra..." Shadow replied.

"What do you want with the Elders?" the dark elf asked.

"It's a matter concerning the Heart and Shadow Guard family," Shadow explained. The dark elf immediately stepped back, and Shadow dismounted from his horse.

"You two, dismount as well. The Shadow Rangers are very sensitive," Shadow instructed. Mistral and Marrie quickly complied.

"Who's looking for me?" a white-haired dark elf man with red eyes, leading a troop of dark elves, asked as he approached. Shadow and Marrie immediately went on guard.

"Uncle Michael... it's been a long time. It's me, Shadow," Shadow said.

"Shadow Darkheart? Is that you?" Michael asked.

"Uncle... it's been three years since then," Shadow replied.

"You must want to pay your respects at your father's grave," Michael assumed.

"Of course, but there's something else I need to ask you, Uncle," Shadow said.

"Make way for Prince Blackheart," Michael ordered. The dark elf troops immediately kneeled and cleared a path. Shadow, along with Mistral and Marrie, followed from behind.

Unbeknownst to them, they arrived at a cliff with a cave entrance. Shadow entered, but Mistral and Marrie, who wanted to follow, were stopped by the dark elf troops.

"It's a rule now that only the Heart Royal Family is allowed to enter," Michael explained to Mistral and Marrie.

Shadow, carrying a torch, entered the cave and approached a relatively new coffin. "Father, it's been a long time..." Shadow whispered. "You once said this tomb holds a secret... please, give me a sign," he continued, gently stroking the coffin lid. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew into the cave. Shadow followed the wind and found several other coffins inside. The wind grew stronger, urging Shadow to go deeper. With his torch in hand, Shadow followed the wind.

As he delved deeper into the tomb, the wind intensified. Before long, Shadow arrived at the last coffin, which bore the inscription "King Hearth the First." "My great-grandfather... your descendant has arrived," Shadow murmured, observing the coffin. He looked at the paintings on the walls, depicting an angel with a scythe granting power to the first king. Suddenly, as Shadow gazed at the paintings, he felt a powerful gust of wind extinguish his torch. In an instant, a figure resembling the one in the painting appeared. The figure wore a hood and black wings, wielding a scythe. Shadow sensed immense power and death emanating from him.

"It has been a long time since I bestowed my scythe upon you, Shadow. You have wielded it well," the figure spoke with a deep voice.

"Thanatos... it has indeed been a while. So, you're the one who granted power to my great-grandfather?" Shadow asked.

"Yes, I granted him considerable power, though not as much as I shall bestow upon you," Thanatos replied.

"My question... does Uncle Dinosius possess this power?" Shadow inquired.

"He is not the true heir of the Heart bloodline. Dinosius is the adopted son of King Leviatan Pureheart," Thanatos explained.

"Uncle is an adoptee? I never knew," Shadow remarked.

"Your uncle was exiled after being caught committing a minor offense. It was then revealed that he was not a member of the Heart family, and he sought revenge," Thanatos continued.

"And three years ago, he succeeded, leaving only me behind," Shadow said.

"Your great-grandfather possessed a power called the Grim Reaper Form, usable for a limited time or when executing judgment," Thanatos said as he touched Shadow. A surge of power coursed through Shadow's body, and the room returned to normal with the torch relit.

Exiting the cave, Shadow soon met Marrie and Mistral. All the dark elves knelt except for Michael and a dark elf woman. "Aunt Cassandra... Uncle Michael..." Shadow greeted.

"It seems you've found the secret," Cassandra said. Shadow nodded.

"If you wish to stay here for a while, I permit it. The Shadow Rangers of the Black Arrow Tribe accept you and your group," Michael declared.

"And I have a favor to ask," Cassandra added.

"What favor?" Shadow inquired.

"Bring the Princess of Black Arrow, Luciana," Cassandra requested.

"Alright, if... HHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEHHHHH?????" Shadow's reaction cut off abruptly.