Chapter 163
Murmur—murmur—
Evening, after all classes had ended.
Returning to the boys’ dormitory, Leo saw the commotion and asked a classmate passing by,
“Did something happen?”
“Gasp? Leo?”
He looked at Leo with a startled expression.
He was a student from the Magic Department who usually took every opportunity to belittle Leo’s family and background.
With so many noble families in Lumene, there were still plenty of students who looked down on those from distant kingdoms, no matter what achievements they stacked up.
Yet, for some reason, he was glancing nervously at Leo.
Seeing that, Leo easily figured out why the dormitory was in such an uproar.
‘The rumor’s out.’
The news about Leo’s mother’s side being from the Zerdinger family had apparently spread throughout the entire school.
As Leo entered the dormitory, the boys’ stares all turned to him at once.
Ignoring them, Leo went straight up to his room.
He couldn’t even rest in the evening, since he had to go out later to tutor the princess, and it put him in a bad mood.
Clack—
When he opened the door, he found the room in chaos.
The first thing he saw was Fiora, who had polymorphed and was hiding behind the bed she’d propped upright.
Looking around, he spotted Kirran on top of the wardrobe, stacking Leo’s textbooks into a wall like a fortress.
Finally, by the window, Elci was sitting and watching the scene.
“What are you doing?”
Fiora, poking her head up from behind the bed, turned at Leo’s question.
“Leo! Help me defeat this wicked fairy…”
Whoosh—whack—!
Kirran quickly popped out from behind the books and threw a stone, hitting Fiora on the back of the head.
[Hahaha! That makes eighty-nine hits! Pathetic as ever!]
Fiora irritably picked up the stone to throw it back, but Kirran just hid behind the books again.
Fiora puffed up her cheeks in frustration and started to shake with anger.
“What is going on?”
At Leo’s question, Elci scratched her cheek.
[Kirran ate all the snacks Fiora had hidden.]
[No, she messed up all my creations first!]
“Creations? You mean those silly toys you made to play tricks on students back at the Familiar Island!”
[This chick called me pathetic!]
“Stupid fairy!”
Watching the childish argument between the Phoenix and the fairy, Leo let out a deep sigh.
‘If the summoners outside knew Phoenixes and fairies acted like this, they’d weep.’
“Stop fighting. Both of you, come here.”
Fiora and Kirran reluctantly shuffled over to Leo with sulky faces.
“You two are both called the Three Great Beasts. Stop fighting over such childish things. Shake hands and make up.”
With Leo’s intervention, Fiora and Kirran made it clear they didn’t want to, but Kirran finally stuck out a hand.
[Hmph! As your elder and leader, I’ll extend the hand of peace first! Be honored to receive the Fairy Prince’s apology!]
Fiora stared at Kirran’s small hand, then took it.
[Huh—! Moved by my generous heart… ack—!]
As soon as she grabbed his arm, Fiora spun Kirran around wildly.
Barely escaping from Fiora’s grip, Kirran shouted viciously,
[I should never have apologized to a snack-obsessed chick like you! Prepare yourself!]
“Bring it on!”
Whoosh—whoosh—!
The two immediately dashed back to their respective forts and resumed their standoff.
Leo watched and spoke,
“Finish it by the time I get back.”
Leaving those words behind, Leo exited the room.
He needed to file a request for a nighttime outing.
Elci waved at his back.
[See you later.]
—
“Celia, Chelsea. As you both said, Leo is truly remarkable,” Shasha said in an elegant voice at a high-end restaurant near the Hall of Heroes in central Lumene.
Celia and Chelsea, who had been glaring at each other, turned to Shasha with puzzled expressions.
“I heard he turned down your recruitment offer?”
Chelsea asked, looking curious.
Shasha nodded.
“Yes. It seems Leo only joins a faction led by someone he acknowledges.”
The three chatted comfortably.
Zerdinger and Lewellin—right and left arms of Lordren.
Unlike typical lord-retainer relationships, their bond was a bit different.
The original Zerdinger and Lewellin were close friends even before founding the nation.
That tradition continued to this day.
So the three girls’ relationship was more like friends than lord and retainers.
They observed formalities in public, but spoke casually in private.
Which is why Celia and Chelsea looked at Shasha oddly after hearing her.
‘He’d only follow someone he acknowledges? That’s not like him.’
Knowing her cousin’s personality, Celia frowned.
Chelsea sighed quietly, thinking much the same.
It seemed this overly imaginative princess had misunderstood Leo.
“So, I’m going to meet Leo in a bit.”
“What? Just you and him?”
Celia looked surprised.
“Yes, he said he’d give me advice on summoning. Isn’t that a little cute?”
Shasha smiled, resting her chin on her hand.
“Offering to give me summoning advice. Even if he’s all-class, I’m from the Lordren family, you know.”
Shasha looked pleased with herself.
The Lordren royal family was famous worldwide as summoners, not just as rulers.
All of Lordren’s bloodline were born with the gift for powerful summoning.
Some said that, if they weren’t a royal family, they would be the strongest heroic house of summoners.
Shasha was an especially gifted summoner among the Lordren bloodline.
“And he went out of his way to come up with an excuse to meet me—could it be he’s fallen for me?”
Celia and Chelsea exchanged glances at Shasha’s laughing behind her hand.
They were notorious rivals, but right now, they were both worried about their childhood friend Shasha.
Besides, both of them had ‘painfully’ learned firsthand not to challenge Leo in swordsmanship or magic.
“Still, isn’t it a bit much for the Crown Princess to meet a boy alone at night?”
“Yeah. Should we come with you?”
At Celia and Chelsea’s offer, Shasha shook her head firmly.
“No. Tonight, I’m going to study summoning with Leo alone.”
Once Shasha got an idea in her head, it was hard to stop her.
In the end, all her friends could do was give advice.
“Don’t get competitive and make weird bets,” said Celia, who had spent a week as a maid thanks to such a bet.
“And don’t refuse out of pride when someone offers you something,” said Chelsea, who’d nearly burnt her own backside.
Despite her friends’ warnings, Shasha’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.
‘Hmph— I bet he’ll be surprised by my skills.’
Celia and Chelsea watched her humming to herself with worried looks.
—
Late night, the grand library.
This space was open to all students not only during the day, but also at night for those who needed a study room.
When students needed to prepare complex assignments or consult many references, the library stayed open late.
Naturally, some used it as a dating spot.
‘But if you get caught, it’s straight to hell.’
Since it was used by energetic teenagers, the librarians kept sharp eyes out, so not many dared to be romantic here.
Leo looked at Shasha, sitting across from him.
“Why do you think you can’t form a full contract with your Pegasus even though you have a provisional one?”
“Because I lack the ability, of course.”
Leo replied,
“Have you ever thought it might not be about ability?”
Shasha narrowed her eyes at his words.
“Leo. The Three Great Beasts are mighty beings. Without enormous spirit power, you can’t even summon them, contract or not.”
“Of course I know that,” Leo replied indifferently.
“I’m asking if you ever thought maybe you haven’t tried hard enough.”
“Leo. I’m not one of those lazy geniuses who relies on talent,” Shasha said, raising her chin.
“I have to lead one of the world’s greatest empires. I believe I always have to be the best in my field. That’s why, even though I could’ve entered Lumene at fourteen like Chelsea, I chose Scaun—to dominate it in a year.”
A fierce determination radiated from Shasha, out of place for her young appearance.
Having been trained as an emperor since childhood, her eyes burned with ambition.
“In Scaun, even among upperclassmen, there aren’t many who can match me in summoning. So my next goal is Lumene.”
Her eyes sparkled.
“I’ll be class president, the best student, then student council president. I’ll make Lumene the best of the four Hero Academies. Because I can’t stand not being the best.”
Leo propped up his chin.
“It would’ve been easier if you’d enrolled this year. Celia and Chelsea are here.”
“I have no intention of relying on them. I have to achieve it on my own for it to mean something.”
Shasha raised her chin.
“I can say with confidence that, when it comes to pure summoning, I could be top of the first year right now.”
Leo smirked.
“Unfortunately, for two reasons, that’s impossible.”
“What?”
“First, you can’t beat Walden Thaiden, the top of the summoning department. He’s a monster.”
Leo thought of Walden—the so-called southern monster. In terms of combat power, he was easily top three among first-years.
“Second, if it’s only about provisional contracts, there are two first-years who could summon a Pegasus right now.”
Shasha’s eyes twitched.
Her easygoing demeanor came from absolute confidence in her ability.
But Leo’s rebuttal, and the mention that others besides herself could summon a Pegasus, left her irritated.
“Who are those two?”
“One is Eliza Hergin. The other is me.”
Leo grinned.
“I could probably form a full contract, not just a provisional one.”
Provoked, Shasha looked indignant.
“Are you saying you’re a better summoner than me?”
“Why ask something so obvious?”
“Pride is fine, but arrogance isn’t.”
“You can judge for yourself whether it’s pride or arrogance.”
In that moment, Shasha realized—
Leo didn’t even see her as a rival.
‘He didn’t reject my offer to test me—he just isn’t interested at all?’
Knowing this, Shasha felt humiliated.
‘This guy…!’
“I have no intention of learning from someone inferior!”
Stung by pride, she refused Leo’s offer.
“Really? Then I’m leaving.”
Leo stood up without a moment’s hesitation.
Seeing this, Shasha grew even more upset.
“Fine! Then prove it! Prove you’re a better summoner than I am!”
“How?”
Shasha released her spirit power, forming a summoning circle in the air.
“If you were in my shoes, you said you could summon the Pegasus. Go ahead and try.”
The path was open.
Anyone with the qualifications could attempt the summon.
“If I succeed, the Lordren Pegasus might contract with me instead, you know?”
“Hmph. If you succeed, I’ll acknowledge the contract. But—”
Shasha lifted the corners of her mouth.
“If you fail to summon, be my attendant for the rest of the joint class period.”
Letting her pride get the better of her, Shasha had made a strange bet with Leo—exactly what Celia and Chelsea had warned her against.
But she was confident.
‘No way. His spirit power is nowhere near mine.’
Shasha’s spirit power was immense.
By pure power alone, she was on par with Eliza.
For someone like Shasha, not being able to summon the Pegasus meant it was impossible for Leo.
“If you’re scared, you can quit now.”
“Not at all.”
Leo smirked and reached for the summoning circle.
In that moment—
Flash—!
Suddenly, the world went dark.
Flicker—flicker—
The magic crystal lamps began to blink.
“Huh?”
Shasha looked up at the ceiling in confusion.
Leo’s face, on the other hand, hardened.
‘The Curse of Severance? No, it’s a bit different.’
Whatever it was, it was definitely Tartarus.
Leo hurriedly placed his hand on the summoning circle.
Crackle—!
Immediately, sparks shot from the circle.
“…!”
Shasha’s eyes widened.
Crack! KABOOM—!
A gigantic thunderstorm exploded.
Flash—!
KABOOM—!
The study room was thrown into chaos by blinding light and sparks.
And then, standing there—white hair, snowy white eyes.
A woman clad in shining white armor.
“This feeling, it’s not Shasha.”
The woman smirked and looked at the boy crossing his arms before her.
“I’m surprised someone outside the Lordren bloodline summoned me… and with such pathetic spirit power at that?”
A spark flickered in the Pegasus’s eyes.
“Who are you?”
“Sorry, but before I introduce myself—”
“Huh?”
Crackle—!
Sparks leaped from Leo’s body.
In an instant, the Pegasus reverted to her true form.
[What? You interfered with the contract?]
Startled, the Pegasus stared as Leo spoke.
“Looks like we have to fight right now. Mind lending me your strength?”