Prologue

The Tembar Kingdom had a famous legend.

A rare outbreak of monsters known as the Monster Tempest had occurred on the kingdom’s side—something that hadn’t happened in two hundred years. It was an event from ten years ago.

To protect the kingdom, men across the land rose up. Among them, the noble house that led the Tembar Kingdom Knights. The commander was the Marquis himself. His eldest son, just seventeen and still young, served as deputy commander and led a single unit.

This man had been loved by spirits since the kingdom’s founding—so much so that it was said.

Those blessed by spirits could wield magic. And this man, beloved by spirits, used various spells to drive away the monsters.

The monster tempest had been caused by an abnormal surge of a substance called "spirit essence," the foundation of magic. When this essence concentrated in one place, animals went berserk, absorbed high levels of the essence into their bodies, and bred abnormally, giving rise to monsters.

To blow it all away, the man appealed to the Spirit King.

He eradicated tens of thousands of monsters along with the spirit essence, then collapsed onto the ground, utterly spent.

"Lord Lovell!!"

A servant's cry rang out. Though his consciousness was nearly gone, it was strange—he felt no pain, even though he’d fallen to the ground.

In the hazy edges of his vision stood the Spirit King, who had been by his side all along. She’d instinctively caught him as he fell.

Gently, affectionately, she stroked Lovell’s hair, as if to say, "You’ve done well."

She, the spirit king who had blessed the man, was the primal queen—Origin—ruler not only of the four great elemental spirits but of every spirit that existed in this world.

"Lovell will die if we leave him like this. I’ll take him to my realm."

"W-what…?"

"He’ll sleep for years until he recovers. I won’t let him die."

With that, the queen left only a whisper, pressed a blessing kiss to Lovell’s brow, and vanished with him into nothing.

This kingdom had been saved from the Monster Tempest thanks to Lovell’s actions.

Even now, ten years later, the hero has not returned from the Spirit World.

Lovell’s family, honored for their deeds, was raised in rank—from baron to duke.

Those who live in this kingdom still pray for the hero’s safety, still wait, still wait, still wait, for his return from the Spirit World.