"Silver-white petals?"

The drunkard frowned in thought, then shook his head. "I don’t recall any. Though... maybe we just don’t know about them."

The answer left Brewer slightly dazed. His suspicion about the Silver Blossom Sword Maiden hardened by another fraction.

Noticing his odd expression, One-Eyed Wolf clapped him on the shoulder. "What’s wrong, Brewer? Did that fourth-rank demon beast scare the soul right out of you?"

"Honestly," the drunkard chimed in, "if I’d run into a fourth-rank demon beast, I’d probably be just as out of it as you are now."

When Brewer remained silent despite One-Eyed Wolf’s shoulder shakes, the latter’s gaze drifted to the silver-white petals. Connecting the dots with Brewer’s past behavior, he twitched the corner of his mouth. "Brewer... you don’t actually think the senior who saved you was the Silver Blossom Sword Maiden, do you?"

His words struck home. Brewer lifted his head, replying solemnly, "I think... it might’ve been her."

*Sigh.*

One-Eyed Wolf patted his shoulder again, his tone heavy with concern. "I know you grew up on tales of the Silver Blossom Sword Maiden, Brewer. But that senior? At best, she’s just a sixth-rank Hero from another city. How could she possibly be *her*?"

"The Silver Blossom Sword Maiden fell long ago at the Demon King’s Castle. It’s time to find a new idol. How many years has it been? Why cling to her? Why not look at the famous Heroes of recent years?"

He took two swigs of wine, his eyes burning with fervor. "Take the Hero near our Vedona—Heavenly Flame. She’s incredible! They say she escaped unscathed after being surrounded by *four* seventh-rank demon beasts. The Hero Council even summoned her personally. Her strength is no joke!"

At the mention of Heavenly Flame, the drunkard perked up. Gossiping about nearby legends was their favorite pastime.

"I heard people compare her to Chili, the fire-wielding Hero from over a decade ago. But Heavenly Flame clearly outshines her."

"Exactly! And Heavenly Flame’s still young. She might even become a Council Chamber member someday. She’s put our region on the map!"

As they rambled on about Heavenly Flame, Brewer stood to leave.

"Sorry, I’ve got things to do. I’ll take my leave."

He couldn’t bear to hear more.

Chili had faded from public view over ten years ago. No one had heard of her since.

But she’d been the Silver Blossom Sword Maiden’s teammate—how could she possibly be inferior to some upstart Hero?

They’d stormed the Demon King’s Castle together!

Now they were being dismissed as lesser than recent Heroes. Brewer didn’t know what to say.

Pushing open the tavern door, he hadn’t even stepped outside when the drunkard’s voice rang out from behind:

"Brewer! The Silver Blossom Sword Maiden is *dead*! Stop clinging to ghosts!"

No reply. He slammed the door shut and strode out.

Sunlight stabbed his eyes. The street buzzed with people. A black-paneled carriage blocked his view.

A message chimed on the communicator in his pocket. As he reached for it, the carriage rolled away—revealing a poster on the shop across the street.

It showed a young Heroine with dark cyan hair, her expression icy. Behind her, a shattered sky bled into endless seas of fire, demon beasts crumbling to ash within the flames.

This was Heavenly Flame—the famed Hero One-Eyed Wolf had praised.

For a fleeting moment, Brewer thought they might be right.

Old posters always featured that silver blossom: gentle, radiant, a guiding light for countless souls. Now, not a single petal of Silverbloom remained in sight.

Only in forgotten alleyways might one or two tattered posters of her still cling to crumbling walls.

Times changed. Fallen Heroes didn’t return. Maybe he truly shouldn’t dwell in the past. The legend that shaped his childhood had vanished without a trace.

Flowers withered with time. Silverbloom was no exception.

Shaking off his thoughts, Brewer finally pulled out his communicator.

The message was from Vedona’s governor.

He wasn’t surprised. Vedona, a city frequently battered by the Beast Tide, monitored every rustle in the Silent Forest.

A fourth-rank demon beast appearing near the forest’s edge? That would have the city’s leaders sweating bullets.

The governor only wanted a firsthand account from him.

One last glance at Heavenly Flame’s poster. A sigh. Then he turned toward Vedona’s administrative hall.

...

Near dusk, the Witch Flower Shop closed.

While other staff had long gone home, Elisa swept the floors one last time before locking up.

She lived in Vedona’s common quarter. Her house looked even more ordinary than her neighbors’.

Inside, she shed her coat and set down her bag. From the kitchen emerged a middle-aged woman, wrinkles framing her smile.

"Mom."

The woman—Mrs. Josephine—beamed back. She’d raised Elisa alone after her husband’s death. Only Elisa knew her true name.

Josephine had been her father’s name. He’d perished in a Beast Tide when she was nine. Her mother survived but carried permanent injuries from that day.

Seeing the deep lines around her eyes, the dull streaks of gray in her hair, Elisa’s heart ached.

After her father’s death, her mother had worked herself to the bone. The injuries and exhaustion had aged her far too quickly.

Her parents had dreamed of a magically gifted child. Learning Elisa had no magic, their disappointment had been plain.

She’d resented them for it—until the Beast Tide changed everything.

"Tomorrow’s your birthday, dear," Mrs. Josephine said, pulling a coin purse from her apron. Silver coins clinked pleasantly inside. "Buy a cake. Invite your friends. Celebrate properly."

Elisa didn’t take it.

"Mom, I’ve been working for years. I don’t need your money anymore."

She wasn’t that little girl anymore. After her father died, she’d taken odd jobs to help. Now, as a full-time clerk at the Witch Flower Shop, she was truly independent.