Chapter 427
The Plov family territory was a peaceful rural fief.
The territory had vast vineyards, and high-quality grapes were cultivated there.
The wine produced from those grapes was fairly popular even within the kingdom.
“Ohh. This wine cellar is impressive.”
Carr had just exclaimed in admiration at the Plov main house’s wine cellar when—
“Seriously. I was getting bored waiting around, so it’s a relief there’s at least some good wine, right?”
At the voice coming from one corner of the cellar, Carr turned his head.
And when he saw the mage there, his eyes went wide.
“Torua sunbae-nim?”
“Hello, Carr Thomas. I hear Juen relied on you quite a bit.”
Torua, who belonged to the Southern Magic Tower, reacted warmly to Carr, who had been a mentor to Juen, the tower lord’s daughter.
“I just did what I was supposed to as a mentor.”
“Why are you so excited?”
“Hey, Leo. That’s Torua sunbae-nim. Torua sunbae-nim.”
At Leo’s words, Carr spoke in an excited voice.
“The beauty who fought Elena sunbae-nim for first and second place in the popularity rankings in the Magic Department up until last year!”
“So what?”
“Elena sunbae-nim was so scary no one could even approach her, but Torua sunbae-nim was known for being kind to lots of juniors. Even so, back in first year it was hard to even speak to her properly, and now I get to see her like this after she’s graduated.”
Torua had been the student council vice president and one of the top five strongest students in Lumene, so first-years couldn’t dare talk to her.
Especially Carr, who was dead last among his peers.
Leo shook his head at Carr’s touched expression.
Torua smiled at Carr, set down her wineglass, and walked up to him.
“You’re a good junior who knows how to respect seniors. Look, Leo. Learn from your friend. What’s with that indifferent attitude toward a senior?”
“I’m not in the Magic Department.”
“Well, true. You’re probably busy with student council president duties, too. Still, I’m happy the student council president came from the Magic Department this time.”
Leo decided to let it go.
He already knew Torua was the kind of person you couldn’t reason with.
“Carr Thomas. I want to repay you for how much Juen relied on you.”
Torua smiled as she reached out with both hands and took Carr’s.
Carr made a shy expression as he looked at Torua, who exuded a mature aura.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“No. I’ll repay you. You’re well-versed in alchemy magic, so how about doing an elixir experiment with me?”
“If you’re helping me, Torua sunbae-nim, it’d be an honor!”
“Mm, Carr. What do you think is the most basic quality a mage should have?”
“Inquiry?”
“Good. Excellent. Then what’s the act you do to pursue that inquiry?”
“…Experimentation?”
“Amazing, amazing.”
Torua clapped, impressed.
At her reaction, Carr scratched his head and laughed.
The way Torua looked at him, her face faintly flushed, made her feel like a child despite being older.
“Then what’s the most important thing in an experiment?”
“Research?”
“No, the test subject.”
The moment he heard that, Carr realized something had gone wrong.
“Carr, you inherited Dweno’s alchemy tome, right? Wasn’t there any elixir in it that was dangerous, or had effects too ambiguous, so it needed a test subject?”
“There wasn’t.”
“Mm, that’s a lie.”
Torua beamed at Carr, as if the answer had already been decided.
Carr didn’t hesitate—he ran.
But Torua caught him immediately.
“L-Leo! Save me!”
“Heeheehee! You’re not going anywhere.”
Torua grabbed Carr as he screamed with a pale face and let out a witch-like laugh.
Leo looked at his friend with pity and said,
“You won’t die.”
“Leo’s right. Do you think I’d kill a junior? It might be painful enough to make you want to die, though.”
“I don’t want that either?!”
Leaving Carr behind as he screamed in terror, Leo slipped out of the wine cellar.
If it wasn’t Carr, Torua would definitely latch onto him instead.
Leo knew better than anyone that a mage who had awakened to inquiry was more annoying than anyone else.
‘Kyle, do an experiment with me.’
Remembering Luna smiling brightly, her hands full of all kinds of experimental tools, Leo shook his head.
A little later.
Carr, who had barely escaped Torua, came out of the wine cellar and asked,
“Why is Torua sunbae-nim even here?”
“I heard she was invited as an instructor for the training camp.”
“Torua sunbae-nim?”
“Yeah. Besides her, Rhys hyung-nim, Ulta sunbae, and Jamua sunbae will be coming too.”
At the mention of last year’s graduates coming as instructors, Carr clicked his tongue.
“Don’t tell me graduates from the other hero academies are coming too?”
“Probably.”
“This is insane.”
Carr shook his head.
Not just Lumene—last year’s graduates from Seiren, Azonia, and Damienne were also hero candidates making waves after graduation.
And they were all coming.
“Hope this doesn’t turn into another competition between academies.”
Leo, who had planned this training camp through Melina, snorted inwardly.
‘No. That’s exactly why they’re coming.’
—
That evening.
A second guest arrived at the mansion in Plov family territory.
“Hmph, it’s a complete backwater fief.”
Standing at the front door, Eliza gave a light snort and knocked.
A moment later, the door opened and Reina appeared.
“Oh my? Who’s this pretty young lady?”
“Hello. I’m Eliza Hergin.”
Eliza responded with proper courtesy as she looked at Reina welcoming her warmly.
Her etiquette was impeccable because she knew Reina was a senior who had graduated from Lumene long ago.
“Ah, now I remember. A Summoning Department student, right? Come in.”
Reina greeted Eliza gladly and brought her inside.
After passing through the front door and heading to the living room, Leo and Carr were there.
“Oh, Eliza.”
“Hmph. You were already here, Carr Thomas.”
When Carr greeted her happily, Eliza snorted.
“You’re early. Everyone’s not gathering until tomorrow morning.”
“I hate crowded places. Well, I don’t particularly feel like being around you either… but I figured Carr Thomas would come early.”
Eliza spoke in her signature sharp tone, then greeted Reina.
“Thank you for guiding me, Reina Plov-nim.”
“You must be tired from traveling, so rest comfortably.”
Since the Plov family didn’t have a Warp Gate, people had to travel long distances from nearby territories.
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Like the heir of a prestigious hero family representing the northern continent, Eliza greeted her elegantly.
Then she walked to the sofa in the living room and sat down next to Carr.
Seeing that, Reina covered her mouth and laughed.
Eliza, filing her nails, said,
“Tea.”
When Carr stared at her blankly, Eliza spoke again.
“I purchased your errand service on a contract basis for next semester, didn’t I?”
“Ah, that doesn’t apply during vacation season.”
“Hmph.”
Eliza slipped a hand into her chest, then pulled it out with a white slip of paper pinched between her index and middle fingers.
“I will serve you with utmost devotion, my lady.”
Carr snatched the check and ran off.
Eliza continued, still grooming her nails.
“Leo Plov, since this training camp is being held in your territory, I assume you’ve discussed things with the Dragon Lord to some extent?”
“What’s the training camp plan?”
“The goal is for everyone to move even a little closer to the ideal they’re aiming for during this training camp. In your case, Eliza, your goal is to contract with Pegasus first, right?”
“Hmph. You make it sound like it’s easy just because you contracted with Pegasus.”
“Aren’t you done preparing for the contract?”
Leo smiled faintly.
“The catalyst and the pact partner are already prepared, aren’t they?”
The Hergin family had formed contracts with the Three Great Spirit Beasts for generations.
Among them, Eliza had the aptitude to become Pegasus’s Oathbound.
As Leo said, the moment she became the heir, the Pegasus she would form the pact with and the catalyst had already been prepared.
“So you just need to be ready, right?”
“You—”
Eliza’s expression flared as she looked at Leo provoking her—
“Don’t do that, Sir Leo. Eliza-yang is simple, so if you provoke her like that, she’ll do something reckless right away.”
“Eeeek?!”
At the voice from beside her, Eliza shrieked in shock.
Before she knew it, Chen Xia was sitting next to her, smiling brightly.
“Xia! How many times have I told you not to pop up out of nowhere and scare people?!”
At Eliza shouting in a high-pitched voice with her eyes blazing, Chen Xia cupped her cheek and said,
“But Eliza-yang looks cute when she’s startled.”
“Please don’t think I’m cute.”
Eliza made a slightly rattled expression at the glint in Chen Xia’s eyes that felt oddly sadistic.
“What’s going on?”
Hearing Eliza’s scream, Reina came out into the living room.
Chen Xia stood up and performed an eastern traditional greeting, wrapping her left fist with her right, as she said,
“Hello, Reina-nim. I’m Chen Xia. We met back then—do you remember me?”
“Of course I remember. I’ve heard a lot about you since then.”
“Did Sir Leo talk about me a lot?”
Chen Xia asked with wide eyes, and Reina shook her head.
“No, Carr did.”
At some point, Carr had brought out a tea tray and flashed a V sign at Chen Xia.
While Carr handed the tea tray to Eliza, Reina asked,
“So, Xia-yang, what’s your relationship with my son?”
“I’m devoting body and soul to serving Sir Leo.”
“Pfft. Cough! Cough!”
Eliza, who had been sipping tea, spit it out without thinking.
“Wh-what! A student!”
As Eliza’s face turned red and her mouth hung open, Carr grinned lewdly beside her and said,
“To Xia, Leo’s her benefactor. What are you imagining—gahk!”
Eliza slammed her fist into Carr’s side.
Hearing Chen Xia’s words, Reina cupped her cheek with her right hand and made a slightly troubled expression.
“Son, before you had Celia working as your maid, and now an older noona says she’s serving you with body and soul. Mom’s a little worried about your tastes.”
“What do you mean, maid?”
Carr, clutching his side and groaning, widened his eyes.
Leo sighed at Reina’s words.
“Celia only volunteered to be a maid because she lost a bet, and Xia keeps doing this even when I tell her not to. What does any of that have to do with my tastes?”
“What do you mean Celia-yang did what?”
“What do you mean Celia Zerdinger?”
Chen Xia and Eliza asked at Leo’s words.
“Last year, Celia was Leo’s maid for a little while. She was so cute. I even took pictures—want to see?”
“Yes! I think it’ll be so cute.”
When Chen Xia smiled brightly, Reina went to find the photos.
Eliza also glanced Reina’s way, looking interested.
Watching them, Leo said,
“Man, our classmates are really close.”
“What?”
“They’ll do anything to grab a weakness and tease me.”
“Is that what you call being close?”
Carr made an incredulous expression as he clutched his side.
“It is.”
‘Tomorrow’s going to be a mess.’
Thinking of Celia, who would be shouting with fire in her eyes, Carr shook his head.