Editor : Amethyst00



“Is that draconic magic?”

“Yeah.”

At Drianna’s question, Leo nodded.

“Is that okay? It looked like an incredibly powerful spell.”

“It is powerful. That’s why I’m using it for the test.”

“I mean Chelsea.”

“Right. Why did you cast illusion magic on Chelsea Lewellin? Weren’t you trying to teach those dragons a lesson?”

Continuing Drianna’s words, Lunia asked curiously.

“Those dragons were subtly looking down on Chelsea.”

Leo chuckled. “They’ll learn through Chelsea just how amazing she is—and how narrow-minded and arrogant they were.”

Hearing that, Lunia frowned with discontent.

“I thought you’d crush them, so they’d never crawl back up again.”

“That would be my usual method. But I figured… maybe it’s not a bad idea to show them just how big the world really is.”

Even as Leo spoke, Lunia still wore a dissatisfied expression.

Seeing her like that, Leo clicked his tongue.

“You’re thinking about smashing those arrogant dragons’ faces in right now, aren’t you?”

“Yep.”

“You’re only learning Luna’s bad habits.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

“You think that was a compliment?”

Despite Leo’s retort, Lunia just smiled sweetly.

‘She’s becoming more shameless, just like Luna.’

There were plenty of good things she could’ve picked up—so why only the bad ones?

“Should I punch him once when he breaks out of the illusion?”

“Lunia, if you keep acting like that, people really will start calling you a delinquent elf.”

“What about me? I have a gentle heart.”

“Yeah, a heart ground so finely it’s turned into soft powder.”

At Drianna’s dry remark, Lunia’s eyes flared.

“Think back to when you and I first met. Try to understand me with a big heart.”

At Leo’s comment, Lunia’s face turned pale.

“The Black Rabbit and the delinquent elf’s first meeting? What happened? Tell me!”

Aru’s eyes sparkled as she asked.

“Don’t! Don’t say anything!” Lunia lunged at Leo to cover his mouth.

But Aru grabbed her before she could reach him.

Even though Lunia had a fierce temper and could use terrifying magic, there was no way she could overpower Aru physically.

“My phoenix was originally chosen to form a pact with Lunia. But by chance, I made the contract first. When she found out, she threw a fit, demanding I give it back.”

“What a brat.”

“She even cried, begging me to give it back.”

“I didn’t cry! I just pretended to!” Lunia shouted angrily.

Aru’s eyes sparkled even more.

“Then she challenged me to a duel, saying she’d prove she was more suited to be Fiora’s partner…”

“Ahhh! Ahhh! Aaaaargh!” Lunia’s face turned as red as her hair as she screamed.

It was a memory from early in their first year—back when they were young and foolish.

To think she’d once tried to prove to the Great Hero that she deserved the phoenix pact more!

Nothing could be more embarrassing!

‘And of all people… these guys had to be the ones to hear it!’

“You’re so noisy.”

“Ughhhhh—!”

“Are you a wild animal or something?”

As Lunia tried to shut her own mouth, Drianna offered her hand—only for Lunia to try to bite it.

“A duel over the phoenix? Pfft!”

Aru, who was still holding Lunia, let out a nasty laugh.

‘I swear I’ll erase this cat’s memory someday!’

Lunia gritted her teeth with a growl just then.

Kwooooooom—!

Black magical energy began pouring out from the bodies of those trapped in the Nightmare spell.

Everyone’s eyes turned to Leo.

“Well, Lunia. From your perspective, it might look like I’m taking a mild approach to deal with those fledglings. But mentally, this method might be even tougher.”

Leo’s left eye turned black, dark magic seeping out like smoke.

“Looks like it’s starting for real.”

bl

“Nightmare spell?!”

Ryden’s eyes widened.

Lysinas was not revered by future generations of dragons merely for being the leader of the strike force that saved the world.

Even after the Age of Calamity ended and the world had to be rebuilt, Lysinas’ insight shone brightly.

Though she never lived to see the new era, the world was rebuilt based on her plans.

Those who remained inherited her wisdom.

That same insight continued to shine even after Erebos fell—and even after Tartaros rose again.

During the turbulence caused by Tartaros:

Battle tactics.

Strategy and paths of advancement.

All were safeguarded by the wisdom Lysinas left behind until the world could stand on its own.

In the early Age of Heroes, Lysinas’ chosen heroes—led by Fairy Knight Velkia—established a foundation in a still-unstable world.

Her writings predicting the future were so accurate, they could be called prophecies.

And that was only possible because—

Even in the face of despair, Lysinas had unwavering faith that the world would be saved.

She even left a legacy for her own kind:

The draconic magic she created, preserved so future generations could learn it.

For Wisdom students, mastering that magic was the ultimate goal.

The fact that Leo had used it was shocking enough. But more than that, the magic he’d used was one of the most advanced forms: Nightmare.

The supreme illusion spell.

Among all the magic Lysinas left behind, this was by far the most brutal.

No surprise, given that the origin of Nightmare lay in the curses used by the demons of Tartaros.

“Ryden?!”

The sudden voice from behind made Ryden flinch.

It was Siren.

Seeing her, Ryden immediately became wary.

Nightmare forces you to fight the opponent you least want to face.

If someone had appeared in front of him, they were likely an enemy.

The same seemed to apply to Siren—but as they locked eyes, they both looked puzzled.

“That’s weird? You’re definitely not the person I least want to fight.”

“Huh. I agree. Same here.”

“Ryden? Siren?”

“What the hell is going on?”

Just then, other Wisdom students—Peldir and Midah—appeared.

“Don’t tell me we fell into the same illusion?”

Ryden looked stunned.

“How’s that possible? Nightmare reveals each person’s individual thoughts. Even when cast over a wide area, everyone should face their own illusion.”

Siren shook her head, and Peldir muttered with a serious look.

“Could the spell have been altered?”

“No way. For 5,000 years, no one’s ever been able to reinterpret Lysinas’ magic.”

Midah looked troubled, when suddenly—

Step… step…

Footsteps echoed through the darkness.

“Chelsea Lewellin, is that you?”

Ryden asked toward the dark, recalling Chelsea had entered the illusion with them.

“Sorry, but no.”

A clear voice responded from beyond the shadows.

Step… step…

As the figure emerged from the darkness, the dragons’ eyes went wide.

Whoooosh—!

A soft wind blew through, tossing glossy black hair into the air.

As she gently swept her hair back, the beautiful woman looked at the dragons.

Siren’s eyes filled with horror.

“L-Lysinas?”

“You know my name well, betrayers of your kind.”

“Ah…”

The moment she heard Lysinas speak, Siren’s face turned pale.

And she wasn’t alone.

“N-no way…”

“B-but Lysinas is definitely the one we least want to fight, but…!”

“We’ve never even met her before!”

Nightmare’s terrifying strength lies in how it can summon the enemy you most dread fighting.

The stronger your opponent, the stronger the illusion.

But there’s a flaw.

The illusion can only summon someone you’ve actually seen or met.

So why was Lysinas appearing?

The Wisdom students panicked.

“Wait, this Nightmare is strange! Maybe it just looks like Nightmare, but it’s actually a different spell…”

Flash!

Just as Midah, having regained her composure, tried to speak—

A flash of light pierced her abdomen.

“Huh?”

Splurt—!

Midah, not understanding what had happened, coughed up blood and collapsed.

Thud—!

“One down.”

Lysinas’ emotionless eyes shifted toward the other Wisdom students.

Ryden, seeing those eyes, was reminded somehow of Leo, who had used dragon tongue magic.

The students’ faces filled with fear.

“Everyone… run!”

At Ryden’s shout, Siren and Peldir scattered.

Ryden picked up the fallen Midah and ran into the darkness.

“In a situation where your opponent is overwhelmingly stronger, that’s not a bad choice.” Lysinas said flatly.

“But there’s a difference between running away in terror and retreating with a plan.”

Her eyes pierced through the shadows.

“In your case, it’s the former.”

bl

Ryden’s jaw trembled nonstop.

‘That’s not the real Lysinas! It’s an illusion!’

If it were truly Lysinas, they would’ve all been annihilated on the spot.

But even if it was fake, the fact remained: it was a monster beyond their abilities.

Glancing at his limp friend, Ryden clenched his teeth.

‘I have to run! I have to get away!’

No plan came to mind on how to escape.

Only endless despair surged through him.

Just then—

Thud! Thud!

Siren and Peldir were sent flying past him.

Ryden’s face froze.

“Hide and seek’s over.”

From the darkness, Lysinas appeared with an expressionless face.

Ryden’s jaw trembled violently.

He tried to use magic to rescue his friends.

Seeing that, Lysinas curled her lips.

To Ryden, it looked like a sneer.

A sneer toward someone foolish enough to carry away the dead.

But Ryden couldn’t abandon his friends, even if they were corpses.

‘I have to run… somehow…!’

He had even forgotten this was a test.

Because dying in Nightmare meant real death.

Ryden staggered back, face frozen in fear, as Lysinas slowly advanced toward him—

Whooooosh—!

A gentle breeze blew in.

Crackkkk—!

A sharp wind slashed through and engulfed Lysinas.

Ryden’s eyes widened.

Before him stood the back of Chelsea, who had appeared out of nowhere.

“Chelsea… Lewellin!”

“Take your friends and get them to safety! Heal them!”

“What?”

“Your friends are still alive!”

At her words, Ryden hesitated and checked on them.

She was right.

All of them had narrowly avoided fatal wounds.

They were still critically injured—but dragon vitality was keeping their lives hanging by a thread.

“Hurry!”

“And you?”

“I’ll try to hold her off!”

“You can’t do it alone!”

“Right! If it were the real Lysinas, it’d be impossible!”

Chelsea’s eyes blazed.

“But this one’s a fake!”

“I’m real, though?”

“No, you’re not! The Lysinas I saw in portraits was way prettier! So you’re fake!”

Lysinas’ eyes twitched.

Then she smiled.

“What a cheeky little brat.”

And with those words, overwhelming magical power erupted from her body.

Seeing it, Chelsea regretted something.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t have said she was ugly…’