Editor : Amethyst00



Led by Leo, the Lumene students were preparing to depart for Davienne.

Rumors had already spread throughout the academy that Leo was leaving on a new mission.

And this time, the members accompanying him were more extravagant than ever before.

Leo had long been regarded as beyond comparison among the students.

So naturally, when discussing the strongest in school, he was left out of the candidate list.

Naturally, that left Elena and Lyl.

News that Lumene's official No. 1 and No. 2 were joining the mission expedition became a huge topic of conversation.

It was extremely rare for the academy's top two forces—widely considered the strongest—to form a party together.

Leo, too, was in the midst of preparations in his room.

While packing spare clothes and checking his equipment, Leo suddenly paused.

Then he stared intently at Lysinas.

Lysinas, humming and munching on snacks on the sofa, tilted her head at his gaze.

"What?"

"Most of my equipment is stored in the cloak's subspace."

The Black Cloak had been with Leo since the time of the Erebos subjugation unit, long before Arhi had even taken on a complete form.

Because of that, ever since receiving the Black Cloak—won by Lumene as a conquest reward—from Rian, Leo had been storing his weapons inside it.

The reason was simple.

Retrieving weapons from the cloak was what he was most accustomed to.

Even after his reincarnation, he had experienced many battles.

But even then, the number of battles fought as Leo Plov paled in comparison to his past life.

Thus, Leo still found it most natural to store items in the cloak, just as he had when he was Kyle.

"But you're currently using it as the medium for your manifestation."

At Leo's words, Lysinas glanced down at her body.

Sure enough, she had manifested by using the Black Cloak—made from her own leather—as the medium.

"Luna used Cometes, her medium, freely. Can you do the same?"

"No. I can't draw out the cloak's powers."

"Why not?"

"Even if Luna and I are both spirits, our states are different."

"Different states?"

"Exactly."

Nodding, Lysinas approached the small chalkboard in Leo's room and picked up a piece of chalk.

"Let me give you a special lecture on spirit arts."

So saying, Lysinas narrowed her eyes lazily.

"If only you'd listened 5,000 years ago."

"You were the one who told me I had no talent for spirit arts back then."

"But I still told you to learn just in case."

"You just said that because Luna was clamoring for me to learn magic from her. And honestly, back then, learning magic was far more efficient than spirit arts."

Indeed, given Leo's absolute lack of talent for spirit arts, it had been much more productive to study magic with Luna at the time.

'That Luna.'

Recalling those days, Lysinas sighed.

Back then, it hadn't just been about teaching magic or spirit arts—perhaps Luna had simply wanted to find any excuse to spend time alone with Leo.

And that's also why Lysinas had tried to teach spirit arts to someone completely unfit for it.

Lost in her memories, Lysinas drew a simple sketch of Luna on the board.

"In Luna's case, she slept beside her grave for 5,000 years, clinging to unresolved attachments."

She wrote "Age of Calamity" at the top of the board and drew a line between that and Luna's sketch.

"Then, by forging a spirit contract with you, she reappeared in this world using Cometes as her medium."

With that, Lysinas drew a picture of herself beside Luna.

"In contrast, I left no regrets when I died 5,000 years ago."

Drawing a line between herself and the Age of Calamity, she marked an X on it.

"The only reason I could manifest as a spirit was because of the Hero Record."

Through the Hero Record, she could speak with her past self and, with that help, converse with Leo.

'That's when regret took root.'

The regret of wanting to remain by this man's side.

Clicking her tongue internally, Lysinas looked at Leo.

"Do you understand the difference between Luna and me?"

"Luna is a naturally occurring spirit, and you are not?"

"Exactly. That's the point."

Nodding again, Lysinas drew a simple sketch of Leo under the faces of herself and Luna.

"And in my final moments 5,000 years ago, I gave you my Dragon Heart. That means my mana became yours. That hasn't changed even now that I've become a spirit."

She stared at Leo.

"So even though we're both spirits, Luna can do much more freely. She could wield Cometes because she stayed in this world by using the mana infused within it—her own mana, not yours."

Indeed, Leo had only provided the contract that enabled Luna to remain in the world.

She had vanished not because her regrets had been resolved, but because she had used up all the mana stored in Cometes.

Not because she had let go of her concern for Velkia.

'Luna's feelings toward Velkia were like those of a mother.'

A parent's worry for their child isn't easily discarded.

Especially for someone like Luna, who, despite appearances, was full of insecurities and emotionally delicate.

'Still, in the end, she overcame those feelings and departed.'

She had chosen to trust Velkia—and Leo.

Leo looked at Lysinas.

Lysinas, too, must have been worried about Bihar.

But she chose to believe in Bihar firmly.

"Unlike Luna, I'm manifesting through someone else's mana. So I'm less free. That's probably why I can't use the cloak's functions."

"Well, in a sense, I'm your master."

"Who'd see someone like you as their master?"

'Your unconscious self would.'

Watching Lysinas scowl, Leo muttered inwardly.

Of course, Lysinas's pride would never allow her to consider Leo her master.

And Leo had no desire for that kind of relationship, either.

He and Lysinas stood as equals.

After staring at her for a while, Leo spoke.

"Then what about me?"

"Huh?"

"Can I use the cloak's functions?"

"In theory, it should be possible."

At those words, Leo got up and approached Lysinas.

Then he reached out and grabbed her hand.

But the subspace didn't open.

Leo tilted his head.

"There's no reaction."

"Hm? Maybe because your hand isn't touching the core that forms me?"

"Where's the core?"

"Where the Dragon Heart is."

"In that case…"

Leo's gaze lingered briefly on the right side of Lysinas's chest.

Lysinas grinned.

"Wanna die?"

"I've touched it before."

"That was then."

"It's not like it wears out."

"You perv."

"I wasn't thinking anything pervy, okay? Hmm? Then what about your back?"

Leo poked her back.

Still, no reaction.

As Leo looked puzzled, Lysinas sighed, grabbed his hand, and pulled it toward her chest.

The first thing he felt was the texture of fabric against his palm.

And then—before he could even sense what lay beyond—his hand sank into Lysinas's chest.

"Ugh?!"

Lysinas stiffened slightly.

Leo was amazed.

"Weird. It looks different, but it feels like I'm reaching into the cloak."

Fascinated, Leo twisted his wrist, rummaging through the subspace, grabbing various weapons.

Clack—!

Finally, he grabbed a sword.

"P-Pull it out quickly!"

Lysinas exclaimed urgently.

Leo swiftly pulled the sword out.

Then he supported the staggering Lysinas.

"You okay?"

"I'll need some time to get used to this sensation."

Panting, Lysinas stood up with Leo's help.

"Your soul felt way too vivid."

"I didn't feel anything special."

Lysinas took a deep breath.

Beads of sweat dotted her forehead.

"This must be a kind of soul resonance. It felt like your soul was entering mine."

Even she had never experienced anything like this before.

"You alright? I did manage to pull out Posteritas."

Leo held up the sword made by Dweno.

"It wasn't hard. I was just surprised by the unfamiliar sensation."

Lysinas had returned to her usual self.

She sat on the sofa.

Leo, after handing her a few things, sat across from her.

Then, he suddenly looked down at his hand.

"Why are you staring at it like that?"

Lysinas's sharp voice broke in.

Leo replied, "No, I just suddenly remembered what Luna said."

"Why Luna, all of a sudden?"

"She once said—she's rich, and you're poor. I never understood what she meant, but now I think I do…"

Leo never finished his sentence.

Before he could, Lysinas drop-kicked him squarely in the chest.

Grabbing him by the collar, she growled savagely.

Though it was the dead of night, the student council room remained noisy for a long time.

bl

In a sense, the war against Tartaros was a series of honorable battles, moment by moment.

Of course, those on the battlefield risked their lives each second, facing fear and carnage.

But the enemy was inhuman.

A fundamental adversary to the world.

Tartaros's armies held no greed.

They had but one goal.

The world's annihilation.

That's why they welcomed death in battle.

They believed their deaths brought the world closer to its end.

To them, war with the world was a holy crusade.

Marching toward one singular goal.

So, in a war with Tartaros, there was only one thing to consider:

Defeating the enemy.

And surviving that battle.

Honor awaited.

They would be praised as those who risked their lives for the world.

But wars between humans held no such meaning.

As with most wars.

They were born of the greed of those in power.

The war against Tartaros was honorable.

So the fighters cried out for honor to steel their resolve.

But war between humans was different.

It was others who shouted about honor.

Honor was forced upon others.

Perhaps it was because the people fighting were different.

Most who died in human wars were civilians—those protected during the war against Tartaros.

Mostly farmers who had nothing to do with combat in daily life.

They hadn't chosen to be here.

So they were forced to accept an honor they neither wanted nor found meaningful.

"The enemy is retreating! Pursue them! Defeat the vile traitors who follow the Second Prince!"

"Wooooooo!"

A knight at the front raised his sword and shouted.

He was a major figure in the First Princess's faction, famed for beheading nearly 100 knights in this war.

And just as many soldiers had fallen to his blade.

Among them were fellow soldiers who retreated after refusing to be coerced into forced bravery.

Vrrrmm—!

A vivid aura flared from the knight's body.

"For the honor of Princess Treniconi—!"

Flash—!

CRACK—!

"Gah?!"

The knight, mounted on a griffon, was flung from his saddle as he swung his sword.

He rolled pathetically on the ground, wide-eyed, staring up at the griffon.

But instead of rampaging, the griffon quietly carried someone.

"There, there… You're okay…"

A woman with flowing silver hair, like it might slip right off, and eyes as deep as a lake.

Clad in pure white armor, she resembled a goddess of war from a tale.

And most notably, her ears were pointed.

"An elf!"

The knight bared his killing intent.

The elf woman—Eiran—spoke to him.

"This battle is your victory. The Second Prince's soldiers will retreat. So there's no need for more bloodshed."

"Silence, foul elf! How dare you meddle in a human war! Have you no shame?!"

He roared, filled with murderous intent.

Eiran dismounted the griffon.

"I shall show you how vast the world truly is! You frog in a well! You shall kneel before my blade, forged from true war—Rekarit's blade!"

Drunk on his accomplishments, he rushed forward.

He was not a graduate of any hero academy.

He had once dreamed of it, but lacked the talent.

So deep inferiority filled his eyes.

'Even if it's Seiren, she's still just a hero candidate!'

Scoffing, he activated his aura and charged.

SPLIT—!

His sword snapped clean in two—aura and all.

"What the—?"

As he reeled in shock,

WHAM—!

Eiran struck his helmet with the flat of her blade.

He fainted instantly, eyes rolled back.

Eiran blinked, panicking.

"A-Are you okay? I thought you were strong, calling me a frog in a well, so I hit a bit harder without meaning to… U-Um? You're breathing, right?"

Flustered, Eiran called out to the knight.

But he didn't move a muscle.

"Aaaahhh!"

"She's a witch! The witch cut down Lord Rekarit!"

"Retreat!"

Soldiers of the First Princess's faction fled in terror.

"W-Witch?! I didn't kill him! It's a misunderstanding! See? He's breathing! Please take him!"

Eiran, nearly in tears, lifted Rekarit and chased after the soldiers.

She didn't want to be called some terrifying witch.

But dragging an unconscious man while chasing others had the opposite effect.

"Eeeeek! She's a witch that puppets corpses!"

"S-Save us! Protect me from the terrible witch! O Poet of the Star! O Brave Hero! O Hero of the Beginning!"

The peasant soldiers, trembling, were paralyzed with fear at the sight of Eiran.

Eiran cried out, wrongly accused:

"Lord Luna, Lord Aaron, and—and Lord Kyle all think I'm super cute!"

But her plea only echoed emptily across the battlefield.

Meanwhile.

Watching this from afar, soldiers from the Second Prince's faction shuddered.

"S-So this is what Seiren's elves… do with corpses…"

"T-Thank goodness she's on our side!"

"She's scary even as an ally!"

In a single battle, Eiran had earned herself the terrifying nickname:

The Witch of Corpses.