Chapter 344

               

Tap, tap, tap—

Leo drummed his fingers lightly on the desk.

‘So that’s why Silload couldn’t leave Fairy Land all this time.’

A fragment of Erebos, sealed by Kyle—the Hero of Beginning.

The ever-burning flame of calamity.

—Kyle, not long after you ended the Era of Calamity, I discovered one of Erebos’s fragments.

Silload spoke with a weary sigh.

—I was the only one in the world who knew of its existence.

He couldn’t have left it alone.
If Tartarus had ever found that fragment, the world would’ve once again been engulfed by the flames of ruin.

—I relocated Fairy Land and built a new home. Deep beneath it, I sealed away Erebos’s fragment and have been suppressing it ever since—to make sure it never awakens.

He had endured five thousand years like that.

“Any signs that it’s waking up?”

—Not at the moment.

Leo nodded.

At least that was something to be thankful for.

‘Still, it’s a ticking bomb that could go off anytime.’ (T/N: I have a bad feeling about this Luhagen character. Remember in the previous chapter, he ‘helped’ Lea to summon Silload? I think he knows Silload has Erebos fragment.)

His eyes narrowed.

Five thousand years ago, during the final battle, sealing Erebos had been the best Kyle could do.

‘But now, it’s possible to track down and destroy those fragments one by one.’

The first had been the one the Genesis Heroes faced three thousand years ago.

“Someday, we’ll completely destroy Erebos and finally have peace. The world they dreamed of will come.”

Leo looked at Silload.

“It must’ve been hard, carrying that burden alone for five thousand years… Thank you.”

The Founder of the Nebula’s contractor.
Once, just a kindhearted young fairy.

Leo could imagine how mentally crushing that endless vigil must have been for someone who had once trembled before Erebos.

Silload lowered his gaze.

—Kyle… I still regret letting Luna face that battle alone.

“It wasn’t your fault.”

—I know. But if I’d been braver… if I had stepped forward instead of her, maybe Luna would still be alive.

“…”

—I was the only survivor of those who went to slay Erebos. So it became my duty. It was only right that I take responsibility.

He spoke solemnly.

—Please don’t thank me. You’re the one who deserves gratitude, not the one who gives it.

He smiled faintly.

“The one who saved the world should be thanked, after all.”

Leo chuckled softly.

“Guess five thousand years really do change a person.”

He leaned back.

“To think that little fairy became such a dignified king.”

“Rule a kingdom for five thousand years, and you pick up a few things.”

At his quip, Leo replied dryly.

“Yeah, like the nerve to kick out your own troublesome kid.”

“Troublesome kid?”

Silload blinked in confusion just as Leo raised his hand toward the air.

A summoning circle opened.

Normally, Kirran would have flown through the moment it appeared—but not this time.

Leo reached right into the circle, grabbed something, and yanked.

Squelch—

‘A puffball?’

Out popped a tiny red chick.

—Peep.

Leo placed Fiora on the desk and reached into the circle again.

Squelch—

“Ah, Master’s rough touch~”

A too-happy voice answered him.

Leo grabbed Arti by the collar and dropped her on the floor with a thud.

Then came the voice he’d been waiting for—

—Let me go! I said let go!

—What kind of summoned beast refuses a summons from its own contractor?

A scolding voice cut in as the shadow spirit Elci appeared through the summoning gate, binding Kirran in dark chains.

—Miss Elci?

Silload’s eyes widened.

Elci lifted her skirt slightly and gave a courteous bow.

—It’s an honor to meet you, Your Majesty the Fairy King. I am the Shadow Spirit, Elci.

—By the heavens… Elci, in this era?

He flew closer in disbelief.

Elci tilted her head and smiled.

—Ah, so you know another version of me?

—Another… version?

Puzzled, Silload looked her over again.

She was unmistakably the same Elci who had contracted with Kyle five thousand years ago—the one who had perished in battle against the Undead King.

But something was different.

The Elci he remembered had always carried a shadow over her, burdened with doubt and gloom.

This one, however, radiated calm light.

—I came to this world through the [Hero Record].

—The Hero Record?

—Yes. I was Leo’s conquest reward.

Silload blinked in astonishment.

To summon a being from the past through the Hero Record—what a miraculous power.

—As expected of the gods’ final legacy.

Having lived through the age of gods himself, Silload nodded in understanding.

Then his gaze drifted to Kirran, still wrapped in shadows.

Kirran quickly looked away.

—I didn’t expect you, of all beings, to become Kyle’s summoned summoned beast, Kirran.

At his father’s stern tone, Elci released him.

Thump—

Kirran dropped to one knee before Silload.

—Father, it has been too long! I, Kirran, am overjoyed to behold your glorious face once more!

He bowed deeply, practically groveling.

—And I’ve truly repented, Father! I no longer play pranks! Every day I devote myself to helping Leo, serving the future of the world with all my heart!

“…Not a drop of honesty in that voice,” Elci whispered into Leo’s ear.

Leo smirked.

“Really?”

—Yes! I even helped defeat the Monster Queen!

Puffing out his chest, Kirran declared proudly.

Silload glanced toward Leo.

“Well, to be fair, he did help achieve some great feats while with me.”

At Leo’s words, Kirran smiled smugly.

—Peep!

Fiora, still in chick form, made a gagging motion on the desk.

—You’re oddly lenient with him, Leo.

Elci tilted her head.

Leo shrugged.

“Even if I don’t tell on him, there are plenty of others who will.”

—Peep, peep.

Fiora waddled over and chirped at Elci, curious why the troublesome fairy was acting so obedient in front of his father.

Elci answered patiently.

—Right now, Kirran is begging His Majesty to forgive him, pretending he’s reformed.

At that, Fiora’s eyes flashed wide.
She flapped her tiny wings furiously and rolled toward Silload.

—Peep! Peep! Peep! Peep! Peep!

She chirped madly, desperate to expose him.

Kirran’s face twitched.

Silload waved his hand, transforming Fiora into her humanoid form.

She bowed politely.

“I’m Fiora, the Phoenix. I’m here to report this fairy’s countless misdeeds.”

—Speak, young phoenix.

“This wretched fairy begins his day by stealing my snacks! Then he spends the afternoon scheming how to torment the diligent cadets of Lumene!”

Silload’s face grew steadily colder while Kirran’s went pale.

“And finally, he ends each day by sneaking out to steal the students’ late-night treats!”

Fiora finished her testimony with a satisfied expression.

“And also—!”

“Yes, yes, that’s enough, Fiora.”

Arti gently lifted her under the arms and carried her aside.

Fiora struggled to continue tattling but quieted down once Arti stuck a lollipop in her mouth.

—Seems he’s still far from learning his lesson.

—F-Father…!

—I hereby uphold your exile from Fairy Land.

Kirran collapsed in despair.

Elci sighed softly.

—See? You should behave better next time.

Then she flew over to Fiora, who was happily sucking her candy.

—And you, Fiora, weren’t exactly innocent either.

While Elci scolded the spirits, Silload floated over to Leo.

—At least you’re not bored.

“I can’t say that I am.”

Leo chuckled under his breath.

“You can’t stay away from Fairy Land for long, can you?”

—No. I’d like to talk more, but… that will have to wait for another time.

Leo nodded.

“I understand.”

—I’m glad… truly glad to see you again, Kyle.

“Same here.”

—Do you have a goal in this life?

Silload knew well that, in his past life, Leo—Kyle—hadn’t lived with any grand ambition.

Leo smiled faintly.

“I don’t know how or why I was reborn, but there must be a reason.”

He looked at Silload.

“You and I both lived through the Age of Calamity. Seeing this peaceful era reborn made me realize something. The journey I took with Lysinas and the others—following my friends without a purpose—wasn’t meaningless after all.”

—It was the greatest achievement in the world’s history.

“That’s why I’ve set my goal this time.”

Leo glanced at Fiora, Kirran, Arti, and the still-sleeping Lea on the bed before turning to the window view outside.

“I’ll settle all the remnants of the past, no matter what it takes.”

A faint smile touched his lips.

“The fear of the Primordial Evil… will end with this era. That’s my goal.”

—

The next morning.

Lea’s eyes shot open.

‘This place… huh?!’

She jolted upright, grabbing her flushed cheeks.

‘I fainted after summoning the Fairy King… and spent the night in Sir Plov’s room?!’

She scrambled off the bed, panicking—then froze when she saw Leo asleep in the chair by the window.

“S-Sir Plov… um…”

“You’re awake?”

Leo opened one eye and stretched.

“Sorry for overworking you.”

“N-not at all. I’m sorry for collapsing so embarrassingly…”

Scratching her head, she smiled sheepishly.

“I tried waking you but couldn’t, so I just let you sleep here. I didn’t know where your dorm was. Nothing happened, so don’t worry.”

“Y-yes, sir!”

She straightened up and answered crisply—but her heart was pounding anyway.

‘This is… a massive school rule violation!’

Judging by the dawn light outside, it was still early morning.

“I should head back right away.”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you—”

Before he could finish, Lea bolted barefoot out the door.

Click—creak—

She slipped into the hallway and started toward the dorms, only to freeze at a voice behind her.

“Lea?”

She turned around—and her eyes met with another girl’s.

It was Eclere, the third-ranked first-year and her closest friend.

“I… uh… this isn’t what it looks like…”

Eclere’s jaw dropped.

“Lea… you… spent the night outside? In a boy’s room?”

“T-that’s not—! Come on! I’ll explain!”

Lea grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her back toward Leo’s room.

Creak—

Leo sighed as the door opened again.

“Told you not to go out.”

He clicked his tongue, then looked toward the hall.

“You planning to keep hiding over there?”

At his words, a startled movement came from the corridor.

Anri peeked out from the corner.

“You… you… what’s going on between you and Lea Tingel?”

Her face was red as she stammered.

Leo looked utterly unamused.

“We were just discussing summoning theory.”

Anri’s awkward laugh wavered.

“R-right, of course…”

“What are you imagining, anyway? What’s wrong with elves these days? So indecent.”

“I-I’m not indecent!”

Anri snapped, face burning bright red.