Chapter 79
The next day.
After enjoying their free time, Class 5 reluctantly gathered at the Teleport Gate as evening fell.
“Still, it was a fun school trip!”
“Yeah. It was fulfilling.”
As Eliana stretched, Nella agreed with her signature languid smile.
“Probably no other class had a school trip as packed as ours.”
“Right, right. Who else gets to do joint classes with Seiren students?”
Tide’s comment made Carr chuckle in agreement.
“It was fun, right, Leo?”
Chelsea giggled and asked, and Leo nodded.
“Yeah.”
Just as all of Class 5 stepped onto the Teleport Gate—
The Seiren students appeared at the Teleport Gate.
They too were planning to return to Seiren via the gate.
“Take care, everyone from Lumene. I look forward to seeing you again.”
Herdeum smiled, and Class 5 returned his bright smile.
“See you next time, Professor Herdeum!”
“Class was really fun!”
Other Seiren students with whom they had become close also said their farewells.
Leo waved with a smile at Lunia, who had returned to her honor student self, and at Eiran beside her.
Eiran smiled back and waved, while Lunia scoffed and turned her head away.
But then she glanced at Leo and gave a quick wave.
“Everyone, you haven’t forgotten anything, right? We’re leaving now.”
“Yes!”
At Sena’s words, the Class 5 students replied energetically.
Vwoom-!
The Teleport Gate activated, enveloping them in bright light.
—
That night, the Lumene first-year dormitory was bustling with students.
“Hey! How was your trip?”
“Us? Haha, don’t be surprised! We even did a monster subjugation!”
“Wow, all we did was volunteer work.”
They were busy sharing stories of the school trip with friends from other classes.
Carr laughed as he headed to the boys’ dormitory bath.
“Haha. How laughable. No class had a more meaningful school trip than ours.”
After rinsing off in the public bath, he sank into a large tub.
“Ah, I missed this warm feeling.”
During the school trip, they’d only been able to take quick showers, so Carr was savoring the luxury of the dormitory bath.
Leo was soaking too when—
“Move, Walden Thaiden. I’m going to use this bath.”
“You have no sense, Duran Moira.”
“What?”
“I’m just stating a fact. If you don’t like it, prove me wrong.”
“Interesting. I was thinking it’s about time I took you down anyway.”
One corner of the bath grew tense.
“Sheesh. They’re finally going at it.”
Carr clicked his tongue.
The boys’ dormitory could accommodate many, so the bath was huge.
There were plenty of tubs.
One, in particular, was luxuriously decorated but smaller than the others.
It could fit four or five, but for nobles, it was the perfect personal bath.
Hardly anyone used that tub.
It was claimed by two people: Duran Moira of Class 1 and class president Walden Thaiden of Class 7.
The top first-years, they treated it like their own personal spot.
“Until now, their bath times never overlapped.”
As Carr said, they’d never crossed paths because they bathed at different times.
But with everyone coming back on the same day, they ended up meeting in the bath.
Thanks to the intense atmosphere, the boys eyed each other warily.
Duran and Walden.
Both were top talents among first-years and infamous for their rough personalities.
Tension rose between them.
Splash.
“Why not just get along and bathe together?”
All eyes turned to Leo.
He leaned back in the tub, tilting his head all the way back to watch the two.
“Why fight over a bath? You’re not kids.”
“Are you stepping in to mediate as class president, Leo Plov?”
Leo looked bored at Duran’s question.
“You think I have some grand reason? I’m just telling you not to make trouble.”
“If you don’t want that, why don’t you try me yourself?”
Duran grinned aggressively.
“Wow! Our prince really only hears what he wants!”
Carr’s admiration drew Duran’s deadly glare.
“Eek.”
Carr shamelessly turned away.
The tense atmosphere dragged on.
Creak—
“Huh? Why’s it so tense in here?”
The door opened and someone walked in.
It was Abad Lewellin.
With the top four first-year boys all in one place, the other boys swallowed nervously.
Splash.
“…….”
“…….”
Abad stepped into the spot where Duran and Walden were squaring off.
He also used this bath as his personal spot.
Unlike the other two, he never scared off others.
Other students just felt awkward sharing a tub with him.
After all, nobles don’t like bathing with others.
Everyone stared at Abad in a daze.
“What?”
Duran and Walden’s faces twisted as Abad asked with his usual smile.
“Heh!”
Leo let out a low laugh.
Duran and Walden’s scowls deepened at the sound.
‘Hey! Don’t laugh!’
All the boys screamed internally.
And so, the stormy bathhouse incident ended anticlimactically.
—
[Wings! Wings! Yay! I got my wings back!]
Whoosh—!
When Leo finished bathing and returned to his room, Kirran was flying in circles above.
Glittering powder sparkled all around.
“You’re so distracting. How long are you going to keep that up?”
[Leo! Look! My wings! They’re back!]
Kirran flew over, showing off his wings.
“I’ve seen enough, and it’s only one of your three pairs.”
Leo’s response was indifferent.
[The mighty Fairy Prince has regained his power! You should be more amazed!]
Fairies were such powerful spirit beasts that summoners treated them with great respect.
But expecting that from Leo was barking up the wrong tree.
[Well, maybe it’s because you haven’t experienced my true power yet! Fine! I’ll show you something special!]
“How are you going to show me?”
Leo asked dryly, and Kirran made a fancy turn in the air before flying to Fiora, who was munching on chocolate, completely uninterested.
Peep?
[Where’s that arrogant little red chick!?]
Like a magician, Kirran pointed grandly at Fiora.
Peep—
[Ow!]
Fiora pecked Kirran on the head.
Then, holding his head, Kirran rolled on the floor—Fiora stepped right on him.
[Move your foot! I’ll show you something amazing!]
Peep?
Kirran, finally getting up, summoned his Magic Power.
He raised his hand and sprinkled glowing dust over Fiora’s head.
Fiora’s body began to glow with a gentle silver light.
“Polymorph?”
Polymorph.
A magic used by those with advanced minds to manifest another side of themselves.
Dragons were famous for using it.
But fairies almost never learned this spell.
Fairy-level spirit beasts could draw out their other selves just with their power, not with magic.
Fiora was too young, but with Polymorph’s help, she could reveal her other self.
“Why did you learn this?”
[To play pranks.]
‘Right, this is the troublemaker who got exiled by Silload.’
While Leo clicked his tongue, the light faded.
Standing there was a girl of about five, in a cute red dress.
With hair and eyes the color of burning scarlet, she looked like a perfect little doll—adorable in every way.
[Hmph! How about that! This is my power!]
Ignoring the smug Kirran, Leo propped up his chin.
Fiora, surprised by her new perspective, went to look in the mirror.
Seemingly pleased, she spun around lightly in front of it.
Then she walked up to Leo.
“This is the first time I’m greeting you like this.”
She tried to put on a dignified expression, but it just made her look even cuter.
“Your Oath—”
Flap-flap—
[See? Amazing, right?!]
Just as Fiora was about to greet him, Kirran started zipping around.
“Stop bothering me.”
[Heh, not even close.]
She reached out to grab Kirran, but he dodged annoyingly.
Annoyed, Fiora forgot her greeting and chased after him.
But then, she tripped and fell, not yet used to a human body.
[Hahaha! Did you think you could catch me with those stubby arms and legs?!]
Kirran taunted her right in front of her face.
Fiora puffed up her cheeks in anger, tears welling in her big eyes, and her little body trembled.
[Hahahaha! Go peck some grain, you—urk!]
Kirran was crushed by Leo’s foot.
Fiora seized the opportunity and gave him a good smack with her palm.
Feeling vindicated, Fiora smiled and said,
“Leo. I want to show this to my mom, too. Please open the way.”
“Sure. Take him with you, too.”
Leo handed the twitching Kirran to Fiora.
There was no telling what trouble this fairy would cause if left in the dorm.
‘I should keep him in Phirina’s domain for now.’
“And tell her he needs some manners training.”
“Okay.”
Nodding, Fiora went through the summoning circle Leo opened.
‘It’s finally quiet.’
With the noisy fairy gone, Leo could finally dry his hair and gather his thoughts.
‘The Hero Record and dagger I found in Velkia are now with Seiren.’
Leo looked out the window.
Lumene was threatened by the Monster Queen Sillatna.
Seiren by the Necroking Hell Kaiser.
The threat of Tartarus continued from the shadows.
Leo narrowed his eyes as he looked out over the Lumene landscape.
‘Seiren had a direct traitor in Rauta.’
There was no guarantee Lumene didn’t have its own traitor.
‘First, I’ll have to root out Tartarus’s forces infiltrating Lumene.’