Editor : Amethyst00



The week after midterms ended.

Normally, the atmosphere at school should have been light and carefree, with students freed from the shackles of exams.

"Saaa… ve… meee…"

In the common lounge of the Clocktower dormitory, Shasha, a second-year Summoning student, collapsed and begged with a dying expression.

And she wasn't the only one.

Students from the Knight Department barely managed to return to the dorms before collapsing on the spot.

Watching them, Juen crossed her arms and curled her lips into a smirk.

"Huhuhu, pathetic Summoning and Knight Department losers. What's so hard about that?"

"…We feel like we're dying too, you know?"

"Juen, your legs are shaking…"

Indeed, Juen, the only second-year still standing, had visibly trembling legs.

Anyone could see she was forcing herself to stay upright.

Juen widened her eyes at the comment.

"Being able to stand is what matters!"

"Juen! Why are you shaking like a leaf?"

Whack—!

"Kyah!"

As Carl approached and tapped her shoulder, Juen collapsed to the floor.

"Uh… sorry."

Carl scratched his cheek apologetically as Juen glared up at him in resentment.

Watching this, Carl pulled out a spray bottle from his coat and spritzed it on Juen.

"What's this?"

"Carl's General Store's special formula for muscle and mana fatigue."

Carl gave a thumbs-up.

"Just finished it today."

"Oh…! The pain really is going away!"

Juen's eyes widened.

"As expected of Carl-sunbae's medicine. It really works."

As Juen marveled and stood up, Carl offered her a hand with a grin.

"Support is my specialty."

Seeing this, other students started shouting.

"C-Carl-sunbae! Spray me too!"

"Me too…!"

At their requests, Carl took out a pouch from his coat.

"What's that?"

Carl smiled brightly.

"Now offering at a discounted rate, dear customers."

"B-But Juen got treated for free!"

"Hmph! If you're jealous, you should've picked your mentor better!"

Juen stuck out her tongue at her classmates.

Carl went around treating not just the Magic students but also second-years from other departments—charging each of them.

Watching from the sidelines, Elena spoke.

"Carl."

"Yes, Elena-sunbae?"

"Spray me too."

"Yes! Right away!"

Grinning widely, Carl rushed over to Elena, pushing a cart filled with pain relief bottles.

It wasn't just the second-years groaning in agony.

Students from other years were also suffering from the aftermath.

Carl looked at his now-bulging coin pouch and grinned stupidly.

"You're that happy?"

Juen asked incredulously. Carl nodded without hesitation.

"Money is always right."

He jingled the pouch with a clink-clink.

First-years watching this looked nervous.

"Sis. We'll be fighting against Lysinas in Combat Class tomorrow, right?"

At the question from first-year representative Freyna, Eliza, who was doing her nails, nodded.

"Most likely."

Just as Eliza lightly blew on her nails—

"I heard first-years aren't doing the mock battle."

"Eek?!"

Startled by the sudden voice behind her, Freyna jumped.

"Y-You scared me!"

"Ah, sorry."

As Freyna protested, Carl smiled gently.

"Carl."

"What?"

"Got anything to drink?"

"Of course I do."

Just as Carl reached toward his cart with a grin—

"Here it is."

Juen quickly interjected and handed a drink from Carl's cart.

"Milk tea, right?"

She smiled sweetly as she handed it to Eliza.

Eliza stared at Juen for a moment, curled her lips slightly, and accepted the bottle.

"You know me well. You'd make a good assistant for Carl."

"I've helped Carl-sunbae a lot."

Juen grinned.

Carl, scratching his cheek, spoke to Freyna.

"I heard you guys have a special lesson instead of the mock battle."

After informing her of the schedule, Carl held out his hand.

"What's this?"

"Information fee."

"How much?"

"8 shillings."

"That's expensive."

"It includes your sister's milk tea."

Pouting, Freyna took some coins from her wallet and handed them over.

"Thank you, and please use our services again~"

Carl cheerfully said as he pulled Juen along.

"Let's go, Juen. See you later, Eliza."

With a shameless smile, Carl left the scene.

bl

Kingdom of Davienne.

"A massive kingdom in the eastern continent, practically the most influential in the region?"

"Yes."

At Leo's question, Melina nodded.

"Wasn't the strongest country in the east the Xian Empire, founded by Bihar?"

Lysinas asked with a puzzled look, and Leo answered.

"It's a bit complicated. Xian isn't like a typical empire."

"Hm?"

As Lysinas tilted his head, Leo looked at Melina.

Receiving the signal, Melina began explaining the eastern continent's situation.

"Technically, the hegemonic state in the East is the Xian Empire. But despite possessing the greatest national power, Xian has never exerted influence over its neighbors."

"Why? They must've waged conquests to grow this big."

"Xian has always punished traitors from the shadows. Some of those included key figures of other nations. When that happened, Xian simply erased those nations from the map."

While distant kingdoms were absorbed by neighbors, many that bordered Xian were naturally absorbed into it.

As this repeated, Xian came to possess vast territory—not through war, but as a consequence of its shadow interventions.

Because of this, Xian was known as a powerful but non-interventionist state.

Its emperors were more identified as the heads of the shadows than traditional emperors.

"That's how the quietest and most lenient empire in history, Xian, came to be."

"So with Xian silent, Davienne—next in size—exerts practical influence over the East."

Lysinas nodded.

"Bihar's descendants have upheld their convictions all this time. Must've been tough."

Lysinas gave a bitter smile. Leo spoke.

"But I bet they were proud. You've seen Chen Xia, right?"

"…Yeah."

Lysinas smiled as he brushed a finger over Xian on the map, then located Davienne.

Situated at the northernmost edge of the eastern continent, Davienne did not share a border with Xian.

To the west, south, and east were small kingdoms and principalities. To the north, it bordered the Elves.

As such, Davienne had long maintained close ties with the Elves—one of the few nations that could trade with them—and amassed great wealth.

Geographically secure and politically unthreatened, Davienne flourished without fearing Xian's interference.

But now, Davienne had fallen into civil war.

After the king died, the crown prince naturally succeeded the throne.

"But that crown prince died recently in battle against Tartaros."

Melina explained, and Lysinas sighed.

"I can guess what happened next."

"Yes."

With the heir dead, the 1st Princess and 2nd Prince—both powerful contenders—were drawn into a war for the throne.

The capital became a battleground and eventually declared neutral territory as the kingdom split into East and West.

This chaos spread throughout the eastern continent.

Because all human states in the region—except for Xian—were under Davienne's influence.

The East isn't an easy place for human nations to thrive.

The far East is controlled by Dwarves. The rest is mostly Xian territory.

Only a few small lands remain, divided among minor nations.

Because Davienne had long maintained dominance, most states had become its vassals.

Now in civil war, those vassals quickly chose sides between the 1st Princess and 2nd Prince.

Tension and military buildup rapidly escalated across the East.

Davienne's civil war had become the spark for a broader regional conflict.

Xian could only stand by.

They don't interfere in external matters.

This principle of strict neutrality had kept the eastern continent table.

If Xian were to act prematurely, it could shatter that fragile order.

"Why did the Fragment of Erebos choose to nest in a place like this?"

"That damned fireball always does this crap. Its very existence is a curse."

Leo grumbled, and Lysinas agreed.

Melina watched them both with a strange expression.

To people of this era, Erebos was a being of absolute terror.

Yet these two spoke of it like it was a mere cockroach.

'Truly, the conversations of great heroes are something else…'

As Melina admired them, Leo and Lysinas continued ranting about Erebos.

She smiled warmly.

"Why are you smiling?"

"No reason. You two seem to get along so well."

Melina then asked,

"So, when are you getting back together?"

"What are you talking about now?"

Leo frowned. Melina pressed on.

"You two looked like you reconciled the other day. So the divorce is off, right?"

Leo pulled on Melina's cheek.

"W-What?!"

"There's no way. That was a scam marriage to begin with. If anything, it should be annulled. Don't paint me as some bitter divorcée."

Leo scowled. Melina teared up.

Just then, a knock came.

"Who is it?"

"It's En."

"Come in."

Click—

En stepped inside.

"Leo. The headmaster is looking for you."

"The headmaster?"

Leo raised an eyebrow and followed En out.

Left alone, Melina turned to Lysinas.

"You're getting back with Leo, right?"

Lysinas smiled.

"Melina, my brain wasn't working back then. It was one of my worst mistakes. Who would want to marry that guy?"

"Huh? Then is Leo going to end up with Luna?"

Melina's eyes widened.

"What?"

Lysinas smiled.

"So Leo and Luna are—"

Before she could finish, Lysinas tugged on Melina's other cheek—the one Leo hadn't pulled.

"Want to try saying that again?"

"Leo and Lysinas are the perfect match!"

With that, Lysinas let go.

Rubbing her cheeks, Melina sighed softly.

bl

Principal of Lumene.

Rina looked at Leo and said, "Leo. Lumene received a request."

"A request specifically for me, huh?"

"That's right."

Rina clicked her tongue.

"From the 1st Princess's side of Davienne."

"I thought they knew Lumene's neutral?"

At Leo's puzzled look, Rina clicked her tongue again.

"The situation got complicated."

"More complicated than it already was?"

Rina sighed deeply and nodded.

"The 2nd Prince's faction brought in Seiren."

"Seiren?"

At the unexpected involvement of the Elven Hero Academy, Leo furrowed his brows.

"The one deployed from Seiren is their student council president—Lunia El Lunda. That's why Davienne requested you. You understand what that means, right?"

Leo sighed.

"Things are a mess."

"Perfectly put."

As Leo exhaled, Rina let out a matching sigh.