Editor : Amethyst00



First floor of "Quiet Days," the inn run by Carl.

Carl served tea and snacks to his fellow classmates, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.

The dining area on the first floor wasn't just a place for meals—it also functioned as a bar and a high-end café.

During his one year at Lumene, Carl had taken careful notes from the stores around the academy. Thanks to that, his inn became the most frequented spot by Lumene students in all of Lumeria City.

Besides Chelsea and Eliana, nearly every Lumene student used the place as if it were natural.

One corner of the inn even had a display for goods needed for school life or missions.

Leo sat on the first floor, silently watching a few familiar faces.

At that moment, Chelsea sipped her tea and said,

"Hey Carl, got any missions good for earning easy credits?"

"Why? Did you flunk your grades again?"

At Carl's question, Chelsea turned her head and whistled, her chin resting on her hand.

"You've got the skills and the grades, so why do you skip so many classes? Learn a bit from Eliana, will you?"

"C-Carl, I didn't really…"

"Eliana, you're the model honors student. You're always diligent and sincere. You listen to the professors and turn in your assignments on time."

Eliana looked embarrassed at Carl's words.

Sliiish—

"Hey, Leo, right? The water's overflowing."

At Chelsea's words, Leo lifted the pitcher he'd been pouring water from.

"What a klutz."

Chelsea flicked her wand with a snap— The spilled water floated into the air and disappeared without a trace.

Carl clicked his tongue as he watched Chelsea clean up so easily.

"Did you evaporate it by channeling heat into the air?"

"Yep. You've got sharp eyes, as expected."

"That kind of mana control… what a waste of talent."

"Hmph! What waste? I'm the leader of the third-year Class Two party! Isn't that impressive enough?"

"Impressive, yeah. I couldn't even dream of it."

Carl sighed.

"But still, Chelsea… you could totally make it into the First Party."

At those words, Chelsea blinked wide-eyed—then burst into laughter.

"If I really pushed myself, maybe I could squeeze in. But then I'd have to give up sleep and work myself to death. And worst of all, I'd have to compete with my dear brother, wouldn't I?"

She smiled sweetly.

"I'm fine with just playing the supporting role. Leah asked me to manage Class Two anyway."

With her chest puffed out and a proud look on her face, Chelsea beamed.

Leo glanced at Eliana and asked, "So… what's the First Party and Second Party?"

"Uh? Um, that is…"

Eliana blinked, then lowered her head deeply.

'This is hard to get used to.'

Leo stared at Eliana with a strange expression.

The Eliana he knew was always overflowing with energy, often causing accidents she couldn't control. Seeing her like this—quiet, overly self-conscious, was baffling.

Furrowing his brow, Leo recalled the Eliana he had once met, full of cheer.

'Was Eliana always timid in this world? But… Carl, Chelsea, and Aru don't seem to have changed personalities.'

The only difference was whether or not Leo had been born.

His friends' personalities hadn't changed much.

Leo looked toward Chelsea, still chatting with Carl.

'Though, in this world… she seems like someone who hasn't found her own path yet.'

In Leo's world, Chelsea was the same at first.

As a child, she had been satisfied just following in the footsteps of Abad, her ideal hero.

After meeting Leo during the entrance exam, she'd started chasing after his back—the hero she'd only read about in fairy tales.

It wasn't the wrong path, nor was it a bad one.

But Chelsea's talents were too great to just keep walking behind someone else.

That's why both Leo and Abad had hoped she would find her own way— And in the end, she had.

Not following behind, but choosing to stand beside them.

But not this Chelsea.

'She's chasing… not Abad, but Lysinas in my place.'

Having spent so long with her, Leo could tell easily.

'And considering Carl left Lumene on Lysinas' suggestion… maybe it's not such an unusual situation.'

Leo's expression darkened.

Even without needing an explanation, the terms "First Party" and "Second Party" that Carl and Chelsea had mentioned—he could mostly infer what they meant.

Still, a detailed explanation was necessary.

"Um… well… the First and Second Parties are…"

Eliana timidly tried to speak, but Leo cut in.

"You can speak casually."

"Huh?"

"I'm the same age as Carl, and we're friends. You don't have to tiptoe around me just because you're his friend too—it feels awkward."

"Th-then… can I drop the honorifics?"

"Please do."

"O-okay… then I'll call you Leo?"

"Go for it. So, what are the First and Second Parties?"

"Right. The First Party is made up of the top students from each year at Lumene Academy."

'Thought so.'

"In the third-year First Party, we have: Xia, Chloe, Celia, Abad, Duran, Walden, and Eliza—seven people in total. You've probably heard their names before."

"What about Leah?"

"Leah? She's on a whole different level!"

Chelsea suddenly butted into the conversation.

Striking a pose, hands on hips, she gave a smug little ahem.

"Leah's the student council president! She's in a league of her own—you can't even call it the same party!"

"Why are you the one bragging about her?"

Carl let out a wry laugh.

Leo then asked, "And who's in the Second Party?"

"Me, Eliana here, Nella, summoning majors Tade and Jurgen, knight major Howl, and magic major Elrig."

All were top-ranked students.

"Is there a reason to split them into First and Second Parties?"

"Of course! The First Party is the symbol of each grade—the aces. Sure, the Second Party is impressive too, but we're more like the supporters of the First Party, or their reserve members."

From Chelsea's explanation, it seemed that Lumene's entire structure was focused on the First Party.

'This really is a different Lysinas than I knew.'

Unlike the Lysinas who had wanted everyone to realize their potential— This one was clearly different.

Leo let out a soft sigh just as Chelsea spoke again.

"Anyway, Carl! Got any juicy credit-gathering missions? Preferably something easy!"

"As if those exist."

Carl clicked his tongue and stood up, heading to the counter.

He returned with a few mission scrolls.

"These are ones I pulled aside—they didn't seem like something students should take on carelessly."

"I said easy!"

"If you want to rack up credits fast, these are all you've got."

Carl glanced down at the request papers.

"Minimum of four people to start."

Chelsea pouted.

Carl shrugged.

"Getting party members isn't that hard."

"If it were that easy, would I be coming to you? Everyone's busy prepping for exams. Only Eliana can help."

Chelsea picked up one of the scrolls.

"A scouting mission into Land of Death. This one's probably the fastest way to earn credits."

Land of Death.

Once the territory of a nation destroyed 500 years ago by the Lich King Hell Kaiser.

Now, it lay within Tartaros' sphere of influence—a place swarming with undead.

The request mentioned unusual activity in the area recently.

"Should we hire mercenaries to fill the rest of the party?"

Just as Chelsea tilted her head—

"Want me to help?"

"Huh?"

Chelsea blinked at Leo's words.

"I happen to be free. Carl, you want to come too?"

"Huh? Me too?"

Carl pointed at himself in surprise.

Chelsea's eyes sparkled.

"Nice! Carl! You're free too, aren't you?"

"Hey, hey. I've got a business to run, you know."

"Didn't you say your staff was super competent? Leave it to them!"

Chelsea grinned.

Carl narrowed his eyes at her.

"You're just trying to save money 'cause you're broke again, aren't you?"

"Yep."

Chelsea nodded shamelessly.

Carl let out a tired sigh.

"Leo, are you really okay with this? Land of Death's no joke."

Leo gave a small smile.

"I won't slow you down."

"I-I'll protect you if things get dangerous!"

Eliana said with slightly more courage.

"Thanks."

"I-it's nothing!"

Leo smiled, and Eliana smiled back brightly.

"Alright! Let's head for Land of Death, right away!"

Eliana rolled the mission paper like a baton and waved it.

"Now?!"

"Of course now."

Chelsea gently tapped Leo's shoulder with the scroll and walked out.

"I've got everything ready. Just follow me."

Eliana followed after her like a second-in-command.

Leo stood and looked at Carl.

Carl gave his staff a few instructions, then entered a room that looked like a supply closet. A moment later, he returned, dragging a large pack.

Leo silently followed behind the two of them.

bl

Crackle—crackle—

That evening.

The group, having reached a location not far from Land of Death, was preparing to camp.

Leo stirred stew over the campfire and served it to the students.

The moment the three saw the stew, their expressions turned oddly strained.

"What?"

"It's just… this looks exactly like the stew Leah used to make us."

Carl suspiciously poked the meat in the stew with his spoon.

Chelsea leaned in, cautiously sniffed it, then furrowed her brows.

"Smells the same too."

Eliana let out a muffled groan—"Uuuugh…"—her face contorting as if reliving a trauma.

Watching their reactions, Leo calmly took a spoonful and ate it.

"Sounds like your student council president's cooking is a disaster."

"Yeah. You could say it's Senior Leah's one and only flaw, really."

Seeing Leo eat it without flinching, Chelsea hesitated—then reluctantly took a bite.

Her eyes went round, and she cupped her cheeks.

"It tastes amazing—even though it looks like that!?"

Seeing Chelsea break into a blissful smile, Carl and Eliana cautiously followed.

Then their eyes widened too.

"Wow, it really doesn't look like much, but the flavor's incredible."

Carl said in amazement. Leo looked down at the stew he had made.

From his perspective, it looked visually impressive—but apparently not to them.

'Whether it's in my past life or after reincarnation, that cursed cooking sense of hers really doesn't change, huh.'

She might've tried to copy the outward appearance of his cooking. If the smell matched too, then it was certain.

But the flavor… thanks to her catastrophic cooking skills, it was still beyond terrible.

To the point of being traumatic.

Leo clicked his tongue and continued eating.

bl

After the meal.

Eliana and Carl had gone off to scout the surroundings.

Sitting face to face by the fire, Leo tossed a log into the flames and asked, "Was Eliana always like that?"

"Hm? Like what?"

"I mean… she seems like the cheerful type, but now she's so timid, like she's shrunk into herself."

"Huh? How'd you know Eliana was originally cheerful?"

Chelsea looked genuinely surprised.

She rested her chin on her hand and narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Now that you mention it… it's kind of strange. You talk like you know us really well."

"Do I?"

"Mhm."

With a soft smile, Chelsea picked up a fallen twig and snapped it before tossing it into the fire.

"Eliana used to be super cheerful. Always talking, always full of energy. A bit lazy, too, maybe?"

She gave a wry smile.

"But I guess that didn't sit well with Senior Leah."

"Didn't sit well?"

"Yeah. She put Eliana through really harsh training."

"……"

"Thanks to that, Eliana became really strong. Strong enough that I might even lose to her if I'm not careful. But… she trained so hard it kind of changed her personality. She got a bit timid. It's hard to watch sometimes."

"It must've been rough."

"It was. But Senior Leah did it all for Eliana's sake."

'…For Eliana's sake, huh.'

Leo narrowed his eyes slightly and turned his head.

A moment later, Chelsea blinked, then looked toward the same direction Leo was staring.

Moments later—

Flash! KWA-GA-GA-GANG—!

A burst of mana surged forth—Eliana's power tearing through the night air.

Chelsea shot up from her seat.

"Something's wrong!"

With an urgent look, she sprinted toward where Carl and Eliana had gone.

Leo clicked his tongue as the intense energy reached him loud and clear.

'Hell Kaiser…'