Chapter 30: The Unseen Chains of Fate

A Heavy Silence

The air inside the Forbidden Archives was tense, thick with an unspoken pressure. Leon's chest heaved as he tried to recover from the near-death encounter, but his mind was still racing.

Frank Luminous—the so-called "Lazy Lord"—stood before him, calm as ever, yet his mere presence commanded absolute authority.

The masked figure, now revealed as a member of the royal family, stood frozen in place. Their eyes darted between Frank and Leon, uncertainty flickering in their gaze.

Leon forced himself to speak. "Frank… who are you really?"

Frank tilted his head, his golden eyes glimmering with amusement. "I told you already, didn't I? I'm just a lazy lord who enjoys good food and a quiet life."

Leon clenched his fists. "Enough with the excuses! You just walked in here and made someone with divine energy tremble in fear. I saw it with my own eyes! No normal person can do that!"

The masked figure flinched at Leon's words but didn't deny them.

Frank sighed, rubbing his temples. "I was hoping to avoid this conversation… but it seems like curiosity is a powerful thing."

He turned to the royal family member. "You. Are you still planning to fight?"

The figure hesitated before shaking their head. "No… I understand now. I stood no chance from the beginning."

Frank nodded. "Good. Then leave."

The masked noble took one last look at Leon before disappearing into the shadows, as if they had never been there.

Leon gulped.

"That's it? Just like that? Who the hell IS Frank?"

A Story from the Past

Frank walked over to a nearby chair and casually sat down, stretching his arms.

"You want the truth?" he asked.

Leon, still shaken, nodded. "I deserve to know."

Frank sighed. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."

He leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

"A long time ago, there was an era before this one. An era erased from history. It was called the Unrecorded Era."

Leon's eyes widened. That was the same name mentioned in the parchment he had found.

"In that era, the gods were not just worshiped," Frank continued. "They walked among mortals, ruling over them. Kingdoms, empires—everything was under their control."

Leon frowned. "That doesn't make sense. The gods have never interfered directly in mortal affairs."

Frank smirked. "Of course they haven't. Because they don't want you to remember that they once did."

Leon's heart pounded.

"Then… what happened?"

Frank's eyes darkened slightly. "One day, a human was born with a power that even the gods couldn't understand. A power that allowed him to exist outside of fate itself."

Leon's breath caught in his throat.

"The gods tried everything to get rid of him," Frank continued. "They sent heroes, armies, divine punishments, even attempted to erase him from existence."

Leon swallowed. "And? Did they succeed?"

Frank smirked. "Take a guess."

Leon stared at him.

At that moment, he understood.

They failed.

And the human in that story…

Was sitting right in front of him.

The Fear of the Gods

"You…" Leon's voice was barely above a whisper. "You're saying that the gods tried to erase you… but they couldn't?"

Frank nodded. "That's right."

"But that means…" Leon's throat went dry. "You're… immortal?"

Frank chuckled. "In a way, yes. Even if you cut off my head, burn my body, or erase my very existence from history itself—I will still be here. Always."

Leon's hands trembled. "That's… impossible."

Frank shrugged. "The gods thought so too."

Leon could barely comprehend it. The Lazy Lord—the man who everyone believed to be a useless noble who did nothing but eat, read, and sleep—was actually a being that even the gods couldn't kill.

It was absurd.

It was terrifying.

And yet, as he looked into Frank's calm, golden eyes, he knew it was the truth.

"You're telling me… that the gods rewrote history to hide your existence?" Leon asked.

Frank nodded. "They wiped out an entire era just to make sure no one remembered. The world you live in today is the result of that."

Leon clenched his fists. "Then why are you still here? Why not take revenge? Why not reveal yourself?"

Frank gave him a lazy smile. "Because I don't care."

Leon froze. "What?"

Frank stretched his arms. "I already won. I don't need to prove anything to anyone. If the gods are too afraid to act against me, why should I bother getting involved in their petty games?"

Leon gritted his teeth. "But… the world is still suffering! People are struggling under the rule of the strong! If you have the power to change things, why not use it?"

Frank sighed. "Because power isn't meant to be used just because you have it. I learned that lesson a long time ago."

Leon was speechless.

This man—this godlike being—had every reason to rule, every right to take revenge… yet he simply chose to do nothing.

It was frustrating. Infuriating.

But at the same time…

It was terrifying.

Because if Frank Luminous ever did decide to move…

Nothing in the world could stop him.

A Dangerous Path

Leon took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He had come here searching for the truth, and now that he had found it, he didn't know what to do with it.

"You're still thinking about fighting against fate, aren't you?" Frank asked, watching him with amusement.

Leon hesitated before nodding. "I want to change things. If the gods are corrupt, then we should challenge them."

Frank chuckled. "You remind me of an old friend."

Leon frowned. "What happened to him?"

Frank's smile faded slightly.

"He learned the hard way that some battles aren't meant to be fought."

Leon's heart sank.

Before he could ask more, Frank stood up.

"I think that's enough truth for one day. You should get some rest, Leon."

Leon clenched his fists. He had so many more questions.

But looking at Frank's calm expression, he knew—he wouldn't get any more answers tonight.

The Calm Before the Storm

As Leon left the Forbidden Archives, his mind was a storm of thoughts.

The world he knew had been a lie.

The gods were not as untouchable as they claimed.

And the strongest being in existence…

Was a man who just wanted to enjoy his peaceful life.

But Leon had a feeling.

A feeling deep in his bones.

That peace wouldn't last much longer.

W