Editor : Amethyst00



[So, you’ve noticed my existence? Contractor of the young phoenix.]

“Tartaros’ minion.”

[You even saw through my true identity? Interesting. Very interesting.]

“Your tricks are obvious.”

Having fought Tartaros to the point of exhaustion during the Age of Calamity, Leo knew their methods all too well.

“Well, good timing. There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask.”

[A Hero candidate wants to question me…? Fine. What do you want to know?]

“That Fafnir, where did you get it? It should have gone extinct back in the Age of Calamity.”

[You even know about Fafnir? Just what are you?]

“Do you think I’d answer that?”

[True enough. Interesting. Very interesting indeed.]

Fafnir tilted its head, muttering.

[But no. The more interesting you are, the more reason you should disappear here and now.]

Black energy poured out of Fafnir’s body.

“If you won’t answer, then I’ve no reason to let that cursed monsters live either.”

Leo smirked, focusing his aura.

In response, Fiora’s flames blazed even hotter.

‘I haven’t learned it yet, but I know the principle.’

Leo recalled the technique Celia had used during the entrance exam.

‘Alone, just knowing the principle wouldn’t be enough. But…’

Leo grinned and channeled his aura into Fiora.

A powerful sword art only the direct Zerdinger bloodline could wield.

Phoenix Breath Secret Art – Prominence. Summoning Formula.

Crimson flames enveloped Fiora.

KWAHHHH—!

Fafnir spewed black flames at Leo.

Fiora charged straight into the torrent.

Fwoooosh!

As though purifying it, the black fire turned scarlet upon touching Fiora’s flames.

And then, that transformed flame became part of Fiora’s own blaze.

Slash—!

Her wings, sharpened like blades by aura, cut through Fafnir’s neck.

Splurt—!

Black blood sprayed as Fafnir’s body plummeted to the ground.

Just before impact, Fiora stretched out her talons, grabbed the unconscious Liu by his collar, and flew back to Leo.

Whoooosh!

Fafnir’s corpse erupted into black fire and vanished—leaving not a single trace, as if it had never existed.

After setting Liu onto Leo’s griffon, Fiora perched lightly atop Leo’s head.

Then she examined herself from side to side, striking little poses like a child showing off new clothes in front of a mirror.

‘What the hell *was that?’*

Leo narrowed his eyes.

The sudden appearance of an extinct beast.

A Tartaros monster-sorcerer who manipulated it.

‘And how in the world did that guy summon Fafnir?’

Leo’s expression hardened.

Whatever it was, it was clearly no ordinary matter.

‘Could this be connected to Fyrina’s presence in Lumene?’

Leo stroked his chin, recalling his mother’s close friend, Fyrina, the phoenix staying in Lumene at the request of the principal.

‘I’ll have to meet her and ask.’

Sighing, Leo withdrew his spiritual power.

Pop—!

Fiora, wrapped in flame, returned to her original form and plopped onto Leo’s head.

Chirp! Chirp!

She pecked his scalp with her tiny beak as though protesting.

“You want me to turn you back into that form just now? That wasn’t even your real body.”

Squeak! Squeak!

Annoyed, Fiora tugged several strands of Leo’s hair with her beak.

Ignoring the little phoenix, Leo spotted a black wyvern flying toward him from afar.

It was Yura, the summoning professor.

Leo scratched his cheek.

“So what happens to the match now?”

bl

“Aw man! It got cancelled in the end~”

Carl grumbled, hands clasped behind his head.

The Summoning Practical Exam—the Familiar Race—was cancelled.

Of course, since it was still an exam, scores had to be given. So evaluation would be based on the ways each student had utilized their abilities during the match.

“You sound more disappointed than anyone else.”

“Of course! Do you know how much money I bet on you? The odds were insane! I could’ve made a killing!”

“You bet on me?”

Leo let out a dry laugh at Carl’s look of genuine regret.

‘If Carl doesn’t know, then it seems the other students weren’t told that Sen Liu contracted with a demonic monster.’

After the match ended, Leo, Chen Xia, Walden, and Eliza were summoned by Yura.

They were then strictly ordered not to speak of anything related to the demonic monster to the other students.

‘A Lumene student contracting with a demonic monster really is a huge incident. But how did that beast-sorcerer hand Fafnir over to Sen Liu?’

With a grave look, Leo left the dorms with Carl.

“By the way, Leo. Lately, I’ve been hearing magic department kids talking behind your back.”

“That’s nothing new.”

Leo smirked.

As class representative and the unprecedented All-Class, he was the most famous among first-years.

At the start of the term, aside from being an All-Class, few paid him much attention.

Even dual-classes had trouble handling two abilities properly.

‘But I stood out in all three.’

For Leo, it was natural, but not in the eyes of others.

Naturally, he caught the professors’ attention.

Especially Ain, Yura, and Len, the first-year representative professor of the three departments.

All three were eager to bring Leo into their own department, showering him with attention.

There was no way the other students wouldn’t notice.

At Lumene, being noticed by professors and learning more from them was the key to success.

And Leo had become the object of envy, monopolizing the favor of three department heads.

Of course, jealousy among students was inevitable.

Leo understood that much.

‘That doesn’t mean I’ll be nice about it, though.’

Understanding their feelings was one thing; treating them kindly was another.

If anyone dared gossip about him to his face, he wouldn’t hesitate to make them regret it.

“It’s not just the usual gossip. What’s annoying is that lately it’s coming from the crowd hanging around Chloe.”

“The ones with Chloe?”

“Yeah. You know, those kids from prestigious magic families who always stick together.”

“Hard to imagine Chloe hanging with them.”

Chloe was from the Northern Magic Tower, but her family wasn’t one of its leading houses.

Because of that, she had gotten along poorly with the so-called prestigious family group at the start of term.

“That’s what I thought too! Those guys used to talk crap about Chloe as well as you. But lately, because of exam season, they’re suddenly acting chummy with her. Looks like they’re trying to use her to build a faction.”

“Chloe’s not someone who’ll let herself be pushed around by them.”

“Maybe. But with your rivalry with Chloe, and how distant she’s been from us lately, I can’t help worrying.”

Carl sighed deeply.

By then, the two had reached the two-story building between the male and female dorms.

It was a study hall for first-years to gather and study together.

Carrying their study materials, Leo and Carl entered the room at the far end of the second floor.

Inside was a long table with benches on either side.

Chelsea was sprawled across one bench, legs crossed, staring at the ceiling while holding a book in one hand and snacking with the other.

“Oh? You’re here?”

With a long biscuit between her lips, Chelsea greeted them.

Crunch, crunch—

Watching her nibble at the cream-coated stick, Carl leaned toward Leo and whispered.

“Leo, I used to have this fantasy about noble ladies, you know? That graceful, refined vibe?”

“And?”

“Since entering Lumene, they’ve all been shattered.”

As Carl sighed dramatically, a notebook came flying his way.

“Did I say something?!”

“Maybe I didn’t catch the words, but I know it was rude, right?”

Chelsea jumped up with a huff.

Sitting down across from her, Carl eyed the pile of snacks on the table.

“Didn’t you eat dinner?”

“I did.”

“Then what’s with all the snacks?”

“Dessert.”

“That’s dessert?! You’ll get fat like that.”

“Unlike you, I actually exercise, you know~”

Chelsea hummed proudly and got to her feet.

“So, why exactly did you want us to meet tonight?”

“As I said earlier, tomorrow’s the Magic Department practical exam. We’re each supposed to present our unique magic, and this is our chance to share, critique, and improve them beforehand.”

“So really, you’re just asking us for help, huh?”

Chelsea teased, folding her arms.

At that, Carl pressed his palms together and bowed.

“You’re right! My spell’s stuck on a formula! The activation keeps failing! Please, give me some advice! I beg you, my lord, my lady!”

“…Fine.”

Chelsea smirked, then sat with ladylike composure.

The noble elegance of a hero-family’s daughter made Carl gasp in admiration.

But Chelsea only grinned sweetly and clapped her hands.

“Snacks.”

“…Huh?”

“Didn’t you hear me? Snacks.”

“What are you even—”

“You don’t think you can ask me, a daughter of House Lewellin, for help empty-handed, do you? Normally my advice comes at a high price, but since we’re friends, I’ll settle for snacks.”

She pointed imperiously.

“Go down to the first-floor café and buy one of every kind of snack they sell.”

“…Excuse me, Young Lady Chelsea? But you’ve still got plenty of snacks right here.”

“Mm-hm. I know.”

“Damn you, demon!”

The snacks at the Lumene café were delicious—but expensive.

As Carl trudged off in tears to fetch them, Chelsea beamed happily.

“Now that I think of it, Leo oppa, you’ve never told us what kind of unique magic you created, have you?”

Carl had developed an unique alchemy-based spell for manipulating metal freely.

Chelsea, naturally, was working on a wind-based spell, influenced by her family.

“You must’ve made something incredible, right?”

“It’s a magic system based on non-attribute mana.”

“Non-attribute mana?”

“Yeah. I built a magic formula system that lets me use any elemental magic without penalties.”

Every mage had a natural elemental affinity.

Chelsea, for example, was specialized in wind magic.

That didn’t mean she couldn’t use other elements—but there were penalties.

The most typical: when casting a spell of an opposing element, its power was halved, and mana consumption doubled.

Leo claimed to have designed a system that erased those penalties.

“Is that even possible?”

Chelsea looked doubtful.

In response, Leo opened his palm.

Vrrrm—!

Above it appeared a formula woven from threads of pure mana.

Chelsea’s jaw dropped.

“…At this rate, Leo-oppa might take first place in the practical exam too.”