Chapter 60
[Ha!]
In the deep dawn.
Kirran jolted awake.
“You’re up?”
[Ah, you vicious human!]
Kirran recoiled, dragging himself backward in fear.
Watching Kirran, Leo rested his chin on his hand.
“I’ll at least acknowledge that you’re the fairy king’s heir.”
[W-what did you say?]
“The oath was forcibly fulfilled.”
Leo narrowed his eyes, glancing at the back of his right hand.
There, a silver summoning circle was shining.
Seeing this, Kirran was aghast.
[No way! You’re the Oathkeeper Father spoke of!]
‘The Oathkeeper Silload mentioned? So the seal was set to break the moment it met the Oathkeeper.’
In Leo’s case, he received the oath through a completely different route than Silload intended, but in any case, the contract had been forcibly executed through the oath.
“That’s right.”
[I can’t believe it! Father would never choose a lowly human as his Oathkeeper!]
Kirran, flustered and pointing fingers, saw Leo pick up the summoning textbook and quickly changed his tune.
[O-on second thought, maybe making a contract with a human isn’t so bad!]
“How did Silload end up with a son like you?”
[Hmph! How dare you talk as if you’re close to Father when you’re just a human?]
“I probably know Silload better than you do.”
During the Age of Calamity, Leo and Silload fought through countless battlefields together.
Even if Silload was Luna’s contractor, his bond with Leo was just as strong.
“Silload is very gentle. He doesn’t have that racist streak you do.”
Leo propped his chin up.
“And you, you committed a grave sin and were sealed by Silload, right?”
Kirran flinched.
“Royal fairies have six wings. Only the fairy king can strip those away. If you were exiled from Fairy Land after committing a huge mistake, it’s obvious what happened.”
[H-how does a human like you know all that?!]
“I told you. I know more about Silload than you do.”
Kirran stared blankly at Leo’s meaningful smile.
[A-are you really the fairy king’s Oathkeeper? You actually met my father?]
“Yeah.”
Technically, it was in a previous life, but it wasn’t a lie.
[I-I can’t believe it.]
“So, what did you do to get exiled?”
[Since you’re the Oathkeeper, I suppose there’s no need to hide it.]
Kirran gazed out the window with a melancholic face.
[That night, the stars were shining just like now.]
Kirran, as the fairy king’s eldest son, was loved by all fairies in Fairy Land.
He’d always gotten whatever he wanted and lived recklessly.
[But those who envied me plotted against me, and in the end, I fell out of Father’s favor.]
“So basically, you caused all sorts of trouble and made Silload angry? And now, after being kicked out for driving your father mad, you’re here acting all wronged?”
[Eek!]
Kirran shrank back as Leo waved the summoning textbook.
Leo, knowing his friend’s personality well, wondered just how badly Silload had been pushed to go this far with his own son.
“Tch. Anyway, now that your seal’s broken, you can return to Fairy Land, right? Go call Silload.”
[I cannot.]
“Why not?”
[I can’t return to Fairy Land until I recover all six of my wings.]
“…….”
[It seems you won’t be seeing Father again after all. Well, that’s how it is for humans.]
Kirran looked down on Leo, folding his arms.
[I may not like that you’re human, but since you’re the one Father acknowledged, I’ll put up with it! I’ll give you the honor of helping me recover my wings! The first wing should be in the Fairy Forest, once home to our kind. Hurry up and take me there.]
As Kirran puffed up in pride, a dark shadow loomed above him.
‘Silload, it looks like your son ending up with me was fate.’
Whack! Whack! Whack! Whack!
[Guh! Sp-spare me…! Guh!]
‘I’ll make sure he’s well educated before I send him back.’
Thinking of his old friend who must have suffered with such a son, Leo smiled warmly.
—
“It’s freezing!”
The next morning.
At the entrance clearing of the Fairy Forest, Class 5 let out screams.
They’d changed into their winter uniforms and dressed as warmly as possible, but the cold of the Fairy Forest was beyond imagination.
Even students from the northern regions shivered.
The elves’ territory was much farther north and colder than anywhere humans lived.
While all the students trembled, Professor Harrid spoke.
“Now, I’ll tell you what you’re lacking.”
Sena handed out prepared sheets of paper to the class.
As they read them, the students’ faces stiffened.
“My swordplay and magic aren’t balanced? Me?”
Eliana looked incredulous.
“Insufficient use of summoned creatures?”
Tide looked unconvinced.
“Chelsea, what’s yours?”
“Lack of understanding of wind magic. Carr?”
“Huh? Well, mine says lack of mana, so that makes sense—but are they serious about yours?”
Carr was surprised at Chelsea’s comment.
Most students expressed doubts about the assignments they received.
Chelsea raised her hand.
“Professor! I don’t understand! My wind magic is the best in the grade, so why is my weakness a lack of understanding of wind magic?”
“Is that what you think?”
“Yes! I’m as knowledgeable about wind magic as my older brother!”
As a member of a heroic house whose main attribute is wind, this was unacceptable.
Chelsea wasn’t alone.
The weaknesses Professor Harrid pointed out were all the very things each student considered their ‘strengths.’
Areas where they felt they excelled above others.
Being told they were lacking there naturally provoked protest.
To everyone’s reaction, Professor Harrid said,
“Do you not recognize that you’re not making the most of your strengths?”
“That’s right!”
Chelsea answered with a slight pout.
“So that’s what you think.”
Professor Harrid smirked.
“Chelsea Lewellin. Step forward.”
Chelsea came forward with a puzzled look.
“Leo Plov. Step forward.”
Next, Leo was called.
“From now on, the two of you will duel using only wind magic.”
“…!”
“If you’re so confident in your wind magic, prove it here.”
“Professor, even if it’s Leo, if we’re only using wind magic, there’s no way I’ll lose.”
The other students agreed.
“If Chelsea Lewellin wins, it means my judgment was wrong. In that case, you’ll all get free time for the rest of the trip.”
At Professor Harrid’s words, all the students’ eyes widened.
‘That means…’
‘We won’t have to suffer out here in the cold all morning?’
‘As long as Chelsea beats the class president!’
“But if Leo Plov wins, you’ll follow my instructions without complaint.”
“Yes!”
“Go, Chelsea!”
“Crush the class president!”
“Chelsea! We’re counting on you!”
The whole class instantly turned against Leo, who let out a wry laugh.
“Not a single person’s cheering for me?”
“Sorry, Leo! Just this once, we can’t root for you!”
With Carr’s words, Leo shook his head and walked to the center of the clearing.
Step—step—
“Come to think of it, this is our first time dueling with magic, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it is.”
He’d helped Chelsea with training every week, but it was always physical training.
They’d never dueled using magic like this.
‘I don’t think I’ll lose to Leo if it’s only wind magic.’
Chelsea glanced at Leo and Professor Harrid.
‘Professor Harrid wouldn’t have said that for no reason.’
Chelsea bounced in place to warm up.
“No matter how amazing Leo is, this is impossible.”
“Yeah.”
“Professor Harrid must have gone too far this time.”
Everyone looked relaxed, but Carr was nervous.
‘Objectively, Chelsea has a huge advantage. But Leo always surpasses expectations. Maybe he has a secret plan.’
“Begin.”
At Professor Harrid’s command, Chelsea immediately began her chant.
“Wind Breaker!”
“Wind Breaker.”
As Chelsea finished her chant, Leo finished his as well.
Chelsea had expected Leo to dodge and was surprised.
Slash!
The blades of wind collided and canceled each other out.
Whoosh—!
Of course, fragments of Chelsea’s Wind Breaker that weren’t neutralized struck Leo.
“Wind Shield!”
Bam—!
The intense wind blade shattered the wind shield Leo created and left scratches on his body.
“…!”
“No way!”
As Eliana cried out in disbelief, Tide was startled.
“What? Wasn’t Chelsea supposed to win?”
“You idiot! Chelsea’s rapid chanting is the best among first-years! But Leo countered her with the exact same spell! Don’t you get what that means?”
‘That means Leo’s casting speed… is faster than mine.’
Leo had always shown weakness when it came to the latest magic casting techniques.
‘It wouldn’t be surprising if Leo overcame that weakness, but to be faster at wind magic than me?’
Chelsea’s rapid casting was the undisputed best among the first-years.
Even Chloe and Abad lagged behind her in that area.
Chelsea’s rapid casting spells were much stronger than Leo’s, but the fact that his was faster hurt her pride.
‘Casting speed doesn’t decide a fight!’
Even if he’s fast, it’s only a little faster!
It doesn’t make much difference.
‘Besides, I can cast a far greater variety of magic rapidly compared to Leo!’
“Wind Chain!”
Clang—!
If Wind Breaker swept away enemies in a straight line, Wind Chain was a spell that bound the enemy with chains of wind.
As Chelsea’s magic targeted him, Leo finished his own spell.
“Wind.”
‘As expected, Leo isn’t as versatile with his spells!’
Chelsea grinned in triumph.
“You’ll never beat me with just wind magic!”
At that, Leo smiled.
“Do you remember what I said to you the first day we met, Chelsea?”
“What?”
“You’re not supposed to use wind magic like that.”
