Editor : Amethyst00



The unexpected visitor to the Plov household arrived, coincidentally, on the very day Leo attended Azonia’s entrance exam.

“Madam.”

Reina, who had been leisurely enjoying tea in the mansion’s garden, looked up in mild surprise at the maid approaching her.

“What is it?”

“You have a guest.”

“A guest?”

Flip—

Reina turned the morning newspaper, her expression puzzled.

Guests were rare at the Plov residence.

Though the Plov family was one of the most reputable houses in Delad, its head, Dade Plov, never showed his face in social circles, and Reina herself rarely attended parties.

Of course, ever since Leo had become famous, there had been many who requested meetings.

However, she had declined all of them, so hearing that a guest had actually arrived was surprising enough to reach her ears.

“Who is it?”

“They said they’re a friend of the Young Master from school.”

“Oh? In that case, bring them here.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

At the moment, both Dade and Leo were away from the mansion.

Reina was the only one available to receive guests.

Normally, she would have prepared a formal reception, but—

‘If they didn’t mention their family and only said they’re Leo’s school friend, then they must have come purely for a friendly visit.’

Showing excessive formality to a casual guest would only make them uncomfortable.

So Reina decided to welcome the visitor as a friend’s parent, not as a noble lady.

‘Coming so freely like this must mean they’re close with Leo. I wonder what kind of child they are.’

Humming softly, Reina smiled at the thought of her son’s school friend visiting.

After a short while, she saw a maid approaching with a young girl in a white dress.

The girl with pale sky-blue hair bowed politely before Reina.

“Hello, I’m Chelsea, Leo-oppa’s classmate.”

Greeting politely, Chelsea looked slightly nervous as she met Reina’s eyes.

She knew that Leo’s mother was from Zerdinger.

Reina, too, was a bit surprised to see the girl, who was clearly from the Lewellin family.

‘She’s the girl who teamed up with Leo during the entrance exam.’

Recalling how Chelsea had been threatened by Leo back then, Reina smiled gently.

“Welcome. Won’t you have a seat?”

“Yes!”

Chelsea smiled brightly and sat across from Reina.

“Ah, this is a gift I brought.”

Chelsea handed over a box of cake and sweets she had bought before coming.

They were from a famous pâtisserie in the capital of the Lordren Empire.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had something from this shop.”

“Um… please, you can speak casually to me!”

“Then I shall.”

Reina smiled softly.

“By the way, my son’s been away from home for a few days… I hope you don’t end up waiting for nothing.”

“It’s fine! I was planning to stay in Delad for a few days during the summer break anyway.”

“Is that so? Hehe, that’s a relief. So then—how’s my son doing at school? He doesn’t tell me much about the little things.”

“He’s totally top of the class! Leo-oppa is really amazing!”

Chelsea beamed as she cheerfully told stories about Leo’s school life.

Seeing her eyes sparkle with excitement as she spoke, Reina smiled warmly.

“Hehe, hearing you talk like that reminds me of my own school days.”

“Were you also a Lumene student, Lady Reina?”

“Yes. Your father, Chade Lewellin, was my senior by two years—we knew each other quite well.”

“You went to school with my father?!”

Chelsea’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes.”

“Then when I go back, I’ll have to ask him about Lady Reina’s school days!”

‘He probably won’t have many good things to say,’ Reina chuckled softly.

Back in her student days, Reina had been rather wild, and her senior, Chade Lewellin, had suffered quite a bit because of her.

“Chelsea, this lady here really enjoys talking with you. If you don’t mind, why not stay at our house until Leo returns?”

“Can I really?”

“Of course.”

“Then think of this place as your own home and make yourself comfortable.”

“Yes! Thank you so much!”

Chelsea smiled brightly as she bowed her head.

Reina looked at her affectionately, clearly charmed by the girl’s cheerfulness.

bl

When Leo returned to the Kingdom of Delad, he was surprised to find Chelsea chatting with Reina in the living room.

“Chelsea? When did you get here?”

“I came two days ago.”

“Our timing must’ve missed.”

“It’s fine! I had a great time hearing about your mom’s school days!”

Reina smiled fondly at the cheerful Chelsea.

It seemed she had grown quite fond of the lively, sweet-natured girl.

And since Reina had long abandoned the name Zerdinger, there was no obstacle in her friendly relationship with a Lewellin.

“You came home earlier than I expected, Leo.”

“Yes. Something came up.”

“Something?”

“I’ll tell you later.”

“All right. Go upstairs and rest first.”

“Yes, let’s go, Chelsea.”

“Mm.”

Chelsea bowed politely to Reina, then followed Leo upstairs.

“Where did you go during the break?”

“I went to Azrek for a bit.”

“Azrek? Why? Ah! Were you there to watch Azonia’s entrance ceremony?”

“No, I was there to participate in it.”

“What?”

Chelsea’s eyes widened.

Leo explained the entire story to her.

“Wow… even during vacation, you live so spectacularly, Leo-oppa.”

“Guess so.”

Leo chuckled as he opened his room door.

Chelsea paused briefly before stepping in.

‘Leo-oppa’s room…’

Though she had many friends growing up, she’d never once been to a boy’s room before—even if it was just a friend’s.

Her heart fluttered slightly as she followed Leo inside and looked around curiously.

For someone who was an all-class prodigy and the academy’s honor student, his room was surprisingly ordinary.

“Do you get along well with my mother?”

“Of course! I told you, didn’t I? That she’d find me cute!”

With a proud grin, Chelsea giggled.

“But what about your homework?”

“I’m doing it. What about you?”

“I finished it all in one go.”

Chelsea shrugged.

She explained that she preferred to finish all her assignments early in the vacation so she could relax afterward.

Though Lumene’s homework load was notoriously huge, Chelsea was one of the honor students in her year—her determination saw her through it quickly.

“Wanna see?”

“If I copy it, the professors will spot it instantly.”

“True.”

Chelsea nodded.

“By the way, how was Azonia’s entrance ceremony?”

“It was chaos. Aaron’s Hero’s World opened.”

“What? During the ceremony?”

Chelsea gasped.

“Yeah. Some of the new candidates even entered it, so the Desert Crossing Marathon had to be delayed by a day.”

“No way! So? What happened to Aaron’s Hero’s World?”

“They conquered it.”

“Wow! Those Azonia kids are something else—conquering a Great Hero’s World!”

Leo almost told her that he was the one who conquered it, but he stopped himself.

Ain and Yura had strictly warned him not to tell anyone.

“Ugh, half the vacation’s already over.”

Chelsea stretched her arms.

“Feels like time’s flying… or maybe not.”

Thinking back on the hectic first semester, she swung her legs idly.

“Anyway! Let’s hang out for a few days! Show me around the best spots here!”

“Sure.”

When Leo nodded with a small smile, Chelsea hummed a happy tune, clearly delighted.

bl

That night.

Leo sat in his room, holding the Light Jewel in his hand.

Within it, he could clearly feel the presence of the shadow elemental—Elsie.

‘What on earth is going on?’

Up to now, Leo had received impossible rewards from the Hero’s Worlds he conquered.

But for Elsie—a being from the past—to cross over into reality was on a whole different level.

‘Could this be happening… because I’m Kyle?’

He thought deeply but found no clear answer.

‘First, I should check Elsie’s condition.’

Raising his mana to awaken her, Leo infused the power into the Jewel.

Vwooom—

The Light Jewel suddenly darkened pitch-black.

That darkness seeped out and gathered over Leo’s palm—like a living shadow writhing softly.

Moments later, the small mass of darkness dispersed, revealing a palm-sized Elsie.

Her closed eyelids trembled slightly.

[Where… am I?]

“You’re awake?”

[Huh? Where are your rabbit ears?]

Tilting her head at Leo, Elsie’s tone was puzzled.

From that one line, Leo realized—the Elsie he’d met inside Aaron’s World had crossed into reality exactly as she was.

“What in the world…”

[For some reason, I feel… restricted! Like I can’t use my full power.]

Elsie frowned as if suffocating inside a narrow space.

Leo examined her condition.

‘As expected, she’s not complete.’

Her strength was far weaker than that of an Elemental Lord.

But it wasn’t as though she had lost her power— the potential of an Elemental Lord still slumbered within her.

She simply couldn’t draw it out on her own.

To unleash it, she would need Leo’s help as her contractor.

‘So… she’s bound to me?’

Leo glanced at the back of his hand.

Elsie was completely tied to him, much like a spirit bound to an artifact.

If their contract were broken, she would vanish.

In other words, Leo’s very existence was what allowed an elemental from 5000 years ago to persist in the present.

‘Haha… to think a Hero’s World could hide such a power.’

A force that could manifest lost abilities from the distant past— even summoning elementals and mystical beasts fell under that same category.

As Leo sat there in awe, Elsie, still looking stifled, fluttered around the room.

Then, she stopped at the window, her eyes widening.

[Oh?]

Her face filled with astonishment.

Outside the window, countless lights glittered in the night sky—lights she had never seen before.

Pressing her face to the glass, she stared at them in fascination.

[Kyle! The moon isn’t red! And there are strange glowing specks in the night sky! What are they? They look just like the starlight from the stories!]

Waving her arms excitedly, she pointed toward the sky as she spoke.

Leo said quietly, “Those are stars.”

Elsie’s eyes widened in awe.

“Listen carefully, Elsie.”

Leo took a deep breath.

“You might find this hard to believe… but you’re in the future now.”

[Huh?]

“It’s been five thousand years since Erebos was defeated.”

Elsie’s expression froze in disbelief.

[That can’t be…! Then that means you brought me into the future… Kyle, who are you?]

“My name now is Leo Plov.”

[Leo Plov?]

“Yes. But 5000 years ago, in the Age of Calamity… I was called Kyle, the Surviving Hero.”

[……!]

“I defeated Erebos—and was reborn in this era.”