Editor : Amethyst00



Leo stared at the tightly sealed entrance of the royal palace.

Behind the administrative building of Letin was a passage connected to the entrance of the palace.

“To be precise, you have to pass through the administrative building to reach the palace entrance. Is it designed to protect the palace?”

Ever since the fall of the Kingdom of Tonkan, this palace—sealed away—had become the resting place for many of Tonkan’s legacies.

For the Tuzen Order, who had long searched for members of the royal Tonkan bloodline, guarding it was only natural.

“Hmm? Seeing it up close, the structure of the sealing magic is clear.”

“It looks similar to elemental arts, but there’s something different.”

Abad and Chelsea made sounds of admiration as they examined the tightly shut palace doors with fascination.

True to their identities as mages, their curiosity was piqued by the magical formation composed of elemental power.

“If Chloe had seen this, she’d have gone crazy.”

Leo chuckled at Chelsea’s muttering.

“She might’ve moved in and made this her new home.”

As he thought of their most academically obsessed friend in the magic department, Leo looked over at Sith.

“So there’s an Elemental Lord of Purification inside this palace?”

“Yes, Sir Leo.”

After the fall of the Kingdom of Tonkan,

The Fire Elemental Lord, Ishtar had not appeared again.

It hadn’t emerged from this palace since then.

Leo narrowed his eyes as he silently observed the magical seal on the palace entrance.

He had nearly finished deciphering it when he murmured, “It seems like only someone with the proper qualification can open it.”

“Qualification?”

Celia tilted her head in confusion.

Hearing Leo’s words, Abad and Chelsea quickly analyzed the spell.

“It’s a spell related to bloodline, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. It seems like only someone of the royal blood of Tonkan can open it.”

With the hint Leo provided, Abad and Chelsea swiftly interpreted the entire formation.

Nodding in agreement, Leo placed his hand on the iron gate at the palace entrance.

Clank—!

At that moment, red chains—previously invisible—suddenly revealed themselves.

Chains forged with the power of elementals.

Sith muttered in shock upon seeing them.

“Incredible… That palace gate hasn’t reacted in decades…”

He looked at Leo with emotional eyes.

‘As expected, Sir Leo must be the royal descendant of Tonkan we’ve long awaited!’

As he was overwhelmed with emotion—

Leo applied force to the gate in an attempt to open it.

Clink—!

The red chains stretched taut.

‘It’s rejecting me?’

Though the seal responded to Leo’s touch, it did not grant him passage.

The entrance remained firmly shut with the powerful force of a elemental.

Leo took his hand off the gate and stepped back.

Chelsea approached with a worried face.

“It won’t open?”

“No.”

“Why not? Is there a different condition to break the seal?”

“Looks like the Elemental Lord of Purification is rejecting me.”

“Rejecting you? Why?”

“Beats me.”

Chelsea glared at the gate with frustration.

Then she grabbed the bars and started shaking them furiously.

“Why are you rejecting Leo?!”

But unlike when Leo had touched it, the gate showed no reaction at all.

“Whoa, whoa.”

Abad calmed his sister by picking her up under the arms.

Then he handed her over to Leo.

Leo gently set down the sulking Chelsea and patted her head.

“Well, I can guess one possible reason for the rejection.”

“Huh? What is it?”

Chelsea tilted her head.

“It’s—”

Just as Leo was about to explain—

“I wonder if it reacts to me?”

Celia, who had been watching, curiously touched the gate.

At that moment—

Clank—

“Huh?”

Celia’s eyes widened as she noticed a red chain had wrapped around her wrist without her realizing it.

“What is this?”

She panicked and tried to pull it off—

Fwoosh—!

“Kyah?!”

Celia was suddenly dragged into the palace.

“Celia!”

Abad summoned his staff from a subspace.

Whooooooooosh—!

BANG—!

A sharp and massive wind split the palace entrance apart in an instant.

It was as if a typhoon had erupted, swirling violently around them.

Sith lowered his posture, bracing his body against being swept away.

Chelsea stood in front of Leo, shielding him from the wind.

“Chantless casting? Is that even possible?”

The magic’s power exceeded what any ordinary second-year Lumene student should be capable of.

Even more shocking was how the spell had activated without any warning or incantation.

Chantless casting.

It was a magical technique gifted to Abad by Luna.

Staring at the untouched palace gate, Abad's expression turned grim.

A pale blue aura of mana surged around him.

Seeing Abad genuinely furious, Leo spoke up.

“Calm down. This isn’t like you.”

At his words, Abad lowered his staff to the ground and took a deep breath.

“What happened? Why was Celia suddenly taken?”

Chelsea asked, panicked.

Leo looked up at the palace.

“Looks like the owner of this palace took her.”

“Why?”

“Because Celia is also of the Tonkan royal blood. She qualifies to open the gate. I don’t know why she was taken, though.”

Leo stepped up to the palace gate.

Narrowed his eyes.

‘I could forcibly break the seal…’

But doing so would clearly cause massive collateral damage.

After staring at the seal briefly, Leo drew his sword.

Shhhk—

Abad raised an eyebrow at the unfamiliar blade.

‘That’s a sword I haven’t seen before.’

Leo was known not to be picky with his weapons.

But even so, he typically used high-grade swords.

This sword, however, looked like an ordinary longsword one might find anywhere.

Posteritas.

A final weapon crafted by Dweno, slumbering in the jet-black cloak Leo had received from Rian.

Leo’s eyes briefly turned gray.

Bible.

His unique magic.

Activating Bible, Leo rapidly interpreted the sealing formation.

A gray magic circle formed on the sword’s surface.

“A dispel spell?”

Abad watched with surprise.

Leo swung the sword.

Slash—!

The blade, glowing with gray magic, sliced through the palace seal.

Clank—!

The palace gate opened.

Leo’s eyes returned to normal.

By enchanting the sword with dispel, he severed the sealing formation.

It looked simple—but in reality, it was a highly complex process.

Seal magic changes its structure continuously to prevent dismantling.

Leo had calculated each moment, constructed a dispel spell in an instant, and broke the seal.

The result was effective, but the method was highly inefficient.

Abad wouldn’t even consider attempting it himself.

‘Maybe Chloe could pull it off…’

Abad clicked his tongue internally.

“How’d you do it?”

Chelsea asked in amazement.

Leo rubbed his aching temples and replied,

“I just copied a mage I know.”

“Ah…”

“There really are monsters in this world. I wonder if I’ll ever meet them.”

“If you get the chance.”

Chelsea immediately realized the mage Leo was referring to was Luna.

Abad, unaware, simply marveled at the vastness of the world.

“Now that the seal’s broken, can we all go in?”

Leo shook his head.

“No. The seal wasn’t completely destroyed. I just created an opening.”

“Oh… just enough for you to go through?”

“Yeah.”

Leo had the qualification to enter, but he had been rejected by the seal’s owner—Ishtar.

So he removed just that part of the condition.

“I’ll be fine on my own.”

Leo looked at the palace entrance with a slightly twisted gaze.

Abad gave a bitter smile at the sight.

“I’m envious. You look like a knight going to rescue a princess.”

Watching Abad’s oddly frustrated expression, Leo said, “Celia’s no princess.”

Chelsea nodded firmly.

“If anything, she’d break herself out and drag someone else with her. Don’t worry too much, big brother.”

“Right.”

Abad chuckled bitterly.

“Well, I’ll be back.”

Leo entered the palace.

Abad sighed deeply as he watched him disappear.

“There’s no need to worry too much. The Elemental Lord of Purification isn’t evil. Especially not toward the bloodline of its ancient contract holder, Tonkan.”

“It better not be.”

Abad smiled faintly.

“If anything happens… not even an Elemental Lord will be forgiven.”

Sith was impressed.

‘As expected, he must be the next heir of Lewellin.’

Still young, but already radiating power and presence.

Just then—

“Master Leo! Lady Celia!”

The door to the administrative building flew open as Niel rushed in.

Only authorized personnel were allowed here.

Seeing Niel arrive so suddenly, Chelsea looked startled.

Sith also realized something urgent must’ve happened and said nothing about the breach in protocol.

“Leo and Celia just entered the palace. What’s going on, Niel?”

Abad asked.

Marcel, who had followed Niel, spoke urgently.

“We just received a message from Zerdinger. Senior Torua, who was staying there as a guest, has fallen into a coma!”

“What?!”

“Senior Torua?!”

Abad and Chelsea’s eyes widened.

“That’s not all! Lady Plov—Master Leo’s mother—has been kidnapped by unidentified assailants!”

bl

Shhhk—!

Celia, pulled violently by the red chains around her wrist, drew her sword.

Fwoosh—!

From her hand, Flame Storm, the heirloom of Zerdinger, erupted in fierce flame.

Clang!

With a sharp sound, she swung the sword at the chains.

CLANG—!

But it bounced off, failing to cut through.

Celia gritted her teeth.

Fwoooosh!

A burning aura so intense it could incinerate and slice through anything burst from her body.

Her red eyes blazed.

Swish—!

Concentrating her energy at the blade’s tip, she sliced through the chain.

The force pulling her vanished in an instant.

Feeling momentarily weightless, Celia landed on the ground.

Tap—!

She quickly surveyed her surroundings.

‘The throne room?’

Celia narrowed her eyes.

At that moment—

Clap— clap— clap—

“Well, well. So this is what happens when the blood of Zerdinger and Tonkan mix—such fiery brilliance.”

A cocky voice accompanied the clapping.

Celia turned and widened her eyes.

A man sat on the throne.

With long, pale blue hair cascading down to his waist and matching eyes, his body was covered in tattoos.

His sun-bronzed skin gave off a commanding presence.

He was tall and muscular.

The problem? He was shirtless.

Celia looked at the grinning man, flustered.

‘What the—? Who’s this pervert?’

Rising to her feet, Celia asked, “You’re the Elemental Lord of Purification—Ishtar?”

“Indeed, girl. Consider yourself honored.”

“…Excuse me?”

“At this very moment, you have been chosen by me.”

“Uh, I’m sorry, but I have no talent as a elemental contractor.”

“That is… quite unfortunate.”

As Ishtar stroked his chin, Celia said, “My cousin handles elementals. He’d be a much better match for you.”

“The one who first knocked on the palace gate?”

Ishtar’s expression twisted in distaste.

Celia shuddered at his reaction.

For some reason, this elemental seemed hostile toward Leo.

“Listen closely, girl.”

Ishtar said irritably.

“The one thing I hate most in this world… is a womanizer.”