Editor : Amethyst00



Ryden looked at Chelsea, who was standing proudly face-to-face with Lysinas, as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

‘What is this? Chelsea Lewellin… Does she have no fear?’

Chelsea's action of blocking Lysinas seemed utterly reckless.

Even if it was a fake, the opponent was a Great Hero.

Even if she was praised as part of the golden generation in Lumene, compared to Lysinas, it was like a firefly under the moonlight.

‘How… how can she stand against that?’

Ryden clenched his fists.

His head was clouded with questions, but he quickly moved his friends to a distance where the shockwaves of battle wouldn’t reach.

“You’re not going to stop them?”

“He won’t be able to run away anyway.”

Lysinas smiled deeply.

“Fighting someone motivated is far more worthwhile than fighting someone frozen in fear.”

As she said this, Lysinas’s eyes narrowed.

“And there’s also a reason she needs to be disciplined.”

‘As expected, maybe I shouldn’t have said she was ugly…?’

Chelsea’s vision blurred.

Watching her, Lysinas raised a hand.

Flash—!

Countless particles of light formed in the air.

Seeing that, wind swelled and scattered from Chelsea’s body as if it were swelling up.

Pababababat—!

The particles of light became a rain of light that poured down toward Chelsea.

Chelsea flinched and manipulated the wind.

‘This is nothing like Eliana’s magic!’

Recalling her schoolmate whose specialty was light magic, Chelsea let out a scream.

‘The attack itself is simple! Straight line!’

Chelsea’s eyes moved swiftly.

With her unique magic, Gale, increasing her mobility, Chelsea quickly dodged Lysinas’s attack magic.

Flash—!

A flash barely grazed past her cheek, and cold sweat beaded on Chelsea’s forehead.

‘Even a single hit would be fatal.’

At a glance, it didn’t look much different from the basic offensive magic, Magic Missile.

But the power it held far surpassed any ordinary high-tier magic.

Whoosh—!

Chelsea’s body soared sharply into the sky.

“Gah!”

And right before her in the sky appeared a pale, beautiful finger.

The owner of that sculpted hand was none other than Lysinas.

A flash sparked from Lysinas’s fingertip.

Chelsea hastily jerked her head back.

Flash—! Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gang—!

An enormous flash and explosion resounded behind her back.

At the same time, the shockwave struck Chelsea and blew her away.

Whoosh—!

“Ugh!”

“You seem to be confident in your speed, little girl.”

Chelsea barely managed to regain her balance just before crashing into the ground, and she flinched at the voice from behind.

Turning her head, there was Lysinas.

“But if you rely too much on speed, you’ll quickly hit your limit when facing someone faster than you.”

Grab—!

Thud—!

“Gah?!”

“Like now.”

Lysinas grabbed Chelsea’s hair and mercilessly kneed her in the solar plexus.

Chelsea’s body lifted, then slammed into the ground.

At that moment—

Whoosh—!

“…!”

Chelsea’s body turned into wind and dispersed.

“A clone?”

Lysinas’s eyes widened slightly.

“Wind Breaker!”

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-kang—!

The blades of wind Chelsea unleashed swept over Lysinas.

“You’re right. There are plenty faster than me. But speed isn’t my strength!”

Chelsea’s greatest asset was her freedom, unbound like the wind.

And it was that freedom, the unpredictable movements based on it, that made her formidable.

As Lysinas calmly walked out from the thick cloud of dust, Chelsea clenched her teeth.

‘I have to endure a bit more!’

There was no chance of victory.

Even if it was an illusion, it was one created by Leo.

A vision shaped by the person who knew the Wise Queen Lysinas best.

‘It’s no exaggeration to say it’s Lysinas herself!’

Chelsea had said she was ugly to steel herself.

A desperate attempt to deny the illusion and summon courage.

But even so, nothing had changed.

Though she could barely move with that mustered courage, the opponent could end her at any moment if she chose.

Even so, Chelsea had to face her.

‘I don’t know what Leo-oppa wanted to see from me.’

But she was sure—he had sent her here with the dragons to show them something.

‘In that case, I must do as I’ve learned.’

The things she had learned while chasing after Leo with admiration.

The things she had come to understand from meeting Aaron and Luna.

Now was the time to put all those countless lessons she had accepted into practice.

There was no time to despair over overwhelming differences in power.

Chelsea took a breath.

And then…

A beautiful voice flowed from Chelsea’s lips.

The wind around her resonated with her.

Whooooosh—!

Lysinas perceived the wind pulling toward Chelsea and let out a thoughtful breath.

‘So my voice no longer reaches the spirits of wind, does it.’

The wind only grew fiercer.

And yet, around Chelsea, a profound stillness descended.

Watching her becoming one with the wind, Lysinas murmured,

“It's feels like Luna’s magic.”

The image of a girl, too young yet to be called a hero, caught the eye.

“Splendid.”

A gentle curve formed on Lysinas’s lips.

“Let’s see if you can dodge this as well.”

Lysinas’s shadow shot up like blades.

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-kang—!

The blades of shadow tore through the wind and rained toward Chelsea.

Whoosh—!

Chelsea manipulated the wind and dodged the shadow blades.

Her movements truly resembled the wind.

Calmly evading the attacks, Chelsea narrowed the distance between her and Lysinas.

As Chelsea swung her staff, a massive blade of wind slashed toward Lysinas.

“You’re being too reckless. Is that bravado?”

Lysinas asked Chelsea.

But Chelsea didn’t have the luxury to answer.

Lysinas met Chelsea’s gaze as she clenched her teeth and forced out courage.

And in her eyes, she saw the deep fear lingering.

‘Aaron…’

As the face of her friend flashed across her mind, Lysinas’s smile deepened.

Kwa-ga-gang—!

The shadows shredded the surroundings.

Kwa-ga-gang—!

The ground was torn apart and collapsed.

“Ugh…”

Chelsea groaned, collapsed on the floor.

Her body, torn up by Lysinas’s magic, wouldn’t move.

Her staff had long slipped from her grasp.

Clenching her teeth, Chelsea tried to rise.

“It’s no use. I’ve severed most of your tendons.”

Step— step—

Lysinas said as she walked toward Chelsea.

Chelsea, facing Lysinas, forced her immobile body to rise.

That sight reminded her of someone else.

‘…Kyle.’

“Ugh…”

Groaning, Chelsea barely stood up, and Lysinas reached out toward her.

Vuum— Flash—!

A bright light burst from Lysinas’s hand.

Chelsea shut her eyes tightly.

But instead—

Lysinas, crouched down, gently placed her hand atop Chelsea’s head.

“Well done.”

“Huh?”

Chelsea opened her eyes and lifted her head.

There was Lysinas, smiling so beautifully it could steal one’s soul.

Vuum—!

A gentle, warm light flowed from Lysinas’s hand and enveloped Chelsea’s body.

Her wounds were instantly healed.

Lysinas carefully helped Chelsea to her feet.

“It hurt a lot, didn’t it? Sorry. I thought you wouldn’t believe it unless I was serious.”

The overwhelming charisma from moments before had vanished.

Now, only a gentle warmth remained, enough to make anyone’s heart soften.

Seeing that, Chelsea let out a helpless laugh.

“Well… it doesn’t make sense that I could dodge your attacks, Lysinas. You were acting all along.”

“That’s right. Of course.”

Squeeze—

“But I still can’t forgive you for calling me ugly.”

“Ow! Ow, it hurts! Lysinas, it hurts!”

“It’s supposed to hurt, cheeky little miss.”

Though she covered her mouth and laughed gracefully, Lysinas’s pinching hand showed no mercy.

Apparently still not satisfied, she grabbed Chelsea’s cheeks with both hands and pinched them.

Chelsea flailed in the air before finally being released, clutching her red cheeks with a tearful expression.

Just then, the students from Wisdom approached.

“Lady Lysinas…”

At the front, Ryden looked lost and unsure.

Seeing him, Lysinas spoke.

“Are you the ones who will follow after me?”

The students of Wisdom couldn’t respond.

They had looked down on Chelsea, but she stood up to Lysinas and was acknowledged.

Meanwhile, they had done nothing in their panic.

It was Chelsea who led Ryden in that moment.

Seeing their silence, Lysinas smiled gently.

“Seems you have something to be ashamed of?”

“…Yes.”

“In that case, I’m glad.”

“Huh?”

Ryden, who had been answering with a voice as faint as a whisper, looked up at Lysinas in surprise.

“Being ashamed means you know what to reflect on. So next time, just make sure you have nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Ah…”

“Lysinas.”

The Wisdom students were moved.

Even though they knew this was an illusion.

Still, the Lysinas before them was closer to the ideal they imagined.

The moment Lysinas smiled warmly—

The space began to distort.

It seemed the illusion was ending.

“It’s time to part.”

Lysinas patted Chelsea’s head.

“Just keep being like this, Chelsea Lewellin.”

“Ah, yes!”

As Chelsea answered with a flushed face, the space was sucked into darkness.

‘So now we awaken from the illusion?’

Ryden felt regret.

‘Even if it was an illusion, I wanted to talk more with Lady Lysinas…’

Thump—!

“…?”

Something struck his head, and Ryden blinked in confusion, looking around.

Thud—! Thud! Thud!

“Gurk?! Cough?!”

The hits to his head grew harder.

“S-Stop! P-Please, just st—stop…!”

Just as Ryden was about to lose consciousness under the relentless beating—

“Who said you get to decide who guides who?”

A beautiful voice, tinged with mischief, rang out.

“That one is my chosen hero. If you ever try again, I won’t let it slide.”

As he heard those incomprehensible words, Ryden fainted.

bl

Thud—!

“Guh?!”

“Wake up.”

Drianna’s small hand mercilessly smacked Ryden on the head.

It was a small, cute hand—but true to a dwarf’s, it felt like getting hit with a hammer.

Ryden, snapping back to his senses, sprang up.

“You’re awake?”

Leo stepped forward in front of the Wisdom students.

“How was the test?”

At his question, the students of Wisdom bowed their heads deeply.

“We were foolish, Leo Plov. Far too narrow-minded and arrogant.”

“Don’t blame yourselves too harshly. Everyone is, at some point.”

Leo chuckled lightly.

“Even the Wise Queen was once called a fool, remember? What matters is learning from it.”

“…”

Ryden let out a hollow laugh.

‘In the end, I’m the one being guided. And I dared to think I could guide someone like him.’

Feeling ashamed of himself just moments ago, Ryden spoke.

“I’ve learned a lot from you.”

“You’ll have the chance to learn even more.”

“…What?”

Leo signaled to Drianna.

Drianna pulled out several sheets of paper from her pocket and handed them to the Wisdom students.

Siren looked puzzled as she took hers.

“What’s this?”

“A contract. Lumene is holding an inter-academy tournament called the Festival of Heroes. You’ll be able to meet many hero cadets there.”

At Leo’s words, the students of Wisdom widened their eyes.

“Go see the wider world. Broaden your perspectives. That’s what you all need right now.”

“You’re… giving us this opportunity?”

Ryden looked astonished. Drianna flipped to the back of the paper and showed it to him.

“All you have to do is sign here.”

At that, Ryden closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

‘Our roles have completely reversed.’

This meant they were now the ones being led.

For students from Wisdom who aspired to be guides, it was a humiliating moment.

But—

‘This will definitely be nourishment for growth.’

With that thought, Ryden signed without hesitation.

The other students, with similar feelings, signed as well.

And the moment they did, Drianna swiftly snatched the contracts from their hands.

Clap clap clap—

Just then, clapping came from behind.

The Wisdom students turned around—and their eyes widened as they quickly dropped to their knees and bowed.

“We greet the Queen!”

The students chorused in unison, and Melina let out a laugh.

“No need to be so stiff, everyone.”

Melina walked toward the students.

“I believe all that you’ve learned today will become great strength for you in the future.”

Hearing that, the students of Wisdom couldn’t lift their heads from their shame.

Melina looked at Leo.

Are you satisfied now?

Yes! Thank you so much, Leo!

The two conversed via magic, speaking directly into each other’s minds.

‘This man… truly is a companion of Lysinas.’

To the students of Wisdom, Leo’s way of teaching reminded them vividly of Lysinas.

And it was only natural.

They couldn’t help but resemble each other.

‘Yes. For Leo, there could be no guide but Lysinas.’

Melina, smiling faintly, suddenly felt something odd.

By the way, Leo.

What is it?

You’re inviting the Wisdom students to the Festival of Heroes… so why the contracts?

Ah, I thought I’d try that damn lizard’s specialty for once.

…

Hearing Leo’s answer, Melina suddenly felt uneasy.

“Miss Drianna, may I see those contracts?”

She all but snatched them back from Drianna and began to read.

Upon checking the contents, Melina's face went blank.

Leo.

Yes?

This is just a slave contract.

Correct. We’ve secured an excellent labour force during our busy season.

This is fraud, isn’t it?

You inspire them with emotion, then stab them in the back. That’s Lysinas’s specialty. Make sure to add a class on contract review to Wisdom’s curriculum next term.

…What’s this nude model clause?

Ah, Drianna insisted she’d write the contracts herself. I see now why.

Leo clicked his tongue.

“Give it back. Return it, please.”

Meanwhile, Drianna had taken the contract from Melina and hugged it tightly to her chest.

She looked like someone holding a precious treasure.

Melina glanced at the Wisdom students, who were still wearing faces of deep emotion, and muttered to herself.

This… This can’t be how Lysinas operates.

Have you ever seen Lysinas commit fraud?

…

I’ve seen it plenty of times.

At Leo’s reply, Melina silently looked up at the sky.

‘I’m already too old to be called young… so why do I feel like I’m only just growing up now?’

Melina felt as though she had lost something very dear to her today.