Editor : Amethyst00



The next dawn.

Clock Tower Dormitory's communal training grounds.

Connected to each department's dormitory, this was a place where students from different departments could spar casually.

Whooooosh! Crashhh!

Chelsea was moving at high speed there.

She aimed her wand at Chen Xia, who was pressing in on her.

Chen Xia, who had closed the distance to right in front of Chelsea, swung her fist.

Boom!

The water aura surrounding Chen Xia's hand exploded, scattering water in all directions.

The shockwave flung Chelsea's body backward.

Her body rose high in the air, then began falling like a feather toward the ground.

"Phew. Still as brutal as ever."

Chelsea joked, prompting a soft smile from Chen Xia.

"You've improved your movement a lot, Chelsea."

"Hmph. Of course. I'm probably the best in the Magic Department when it comes to close combat."

"I think you've surpassed that. Your stamina's better than most students in the Knight Department."

"Yeah. Stamina is national power, after all."

"You handle the wind-magic-forged weapons really well now. Your swordsmanship is especially impressive."

"I swing my wooden sword a thousand times a day!"

"Sometimes when I talk with you, I can't tell if I'm talking to someone from the Magic Department or the Knight Department."

"But Lady Luna told me to train in swordsmanship too. And honestly, her sword skills were amazing."

"True. Her swordsmanship was definitely more than just basic self-defense."

Luna hadn't learned swordsmanship in any formal way.

But to Chen Xia, Luna's swordplay was the product of harsh real-world experience.

It was obvious at a glance that her skills came from fighting on battlefields.

'Even Leo-doryeong said that if Luna had talent in aura, she could have reached Aaron's level in melee combat.'

Unfortunately, Luna had a talent for summoning, not aura.

After finishing their morning training, the two wiped their sweat and headed to the showers inside the training grounds.

Though summer had passed, the weather still wasn't cool.

They were drenched from their intense movements that early morning.

"Ah~ So refreshing! A shower right after sweating is the best!"

Chelsea beamed as she dried off with a towel.

Chen Xia, who had finished first, smiled as she looked at Chelsea towel-drying her hair.

"Let me help you."

"Sure."

Chen Xia gently began drying Chelsea's hair with a dry towel.

"By the way, if this incident wasn't Leo oppa's doing, where has he been since the start of the semester?"

"Who knows? If it were a mission, there'd have been an announcement. But there's been nothing."

"Then unexcused absence? That's not like Leo oppa."

Chelsea looked puzzled.

"Even as student council president, wouldn't he be disciplined for that?"

"He would. But I'm sure he has a reason."

"Yeah. Leo oppa isn't the type to skip school without a reason."

As Chelsea chatted away, she suddenly made a strange expression at the softness she felt from behind.

She lightly patted her own chest, then frowned.

"Hey, Xia."

"Yes?"

"You're about my height… so how come there's such a difference?"

"Because I'm older than you, Chelsea."

"Is that it?"

"……"

"Why no answer?"

"Because body shape isn't only about age difference."

Chelsea made a grumpy face at that answer.

Chen Xia chuckled and finished drying her hair.

The two walked out of the shower room.

And stopped in surprise when they saw a female student standing at the entrance.

"Surprising. Eliza, coming to the communal training grounds in the morning?"

Chen Xia looked puzzled.

Although it was public, many students didn't use the communal training grounds.

Eliza was a prime example.

She was one of the few who hadn't visited since the third year began.

Eliza scoffed at Chen Xia's question.

"I only came to deliver this."

She handed them each a letter with the Lumene Academy seal.

Chelsea and Chen Xia opened their eyes wide.

"A mission?"

"An emergency mission. You're to prepare everything within the hour and gather at the warp gate."

Eliza relayed the message and turned back toward the Summoning Department dorm.

Chelsea checked the mission order.

"Issuer… Carl Thomas?"

Eyes wide, Chelsea checked the party list.

"Party leader: Lyl Luce, Chen Xia, Eliza Hergin, me. And Carl Thomas?"

"The mission location is Fairyland? The objective… support Leo-doryeong?"

Both of their expressions turned serious.

"We should go get ready."

"Yeah."

Chen Xia and Chelsea each headed to their dorm rooms.

bl

"This makes no sense."

"What doesn't?"

Carl frowned as he quickly packed while Elena spoke.

"Why am I not the party leader? No, more than that—why am I not even included in this mission?"

Elena looked annoyed.

Carl scratched his cheek, glancing at her.

"Wow, I never thought you'd actually care about that kind of thing."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Elena narrowed her eyes.

"Anyway. Unless you give me a reason I can accept, I'll spill the beans to the whole school about you and Eliza."

"Isn't that a bit too far?!"

Carl flinched in alarm.

"Hmph!"

Elena snorted.

'Man, she's even harder to deal with like this.'

Carl scratched his cheek and said,

"First, I made Senior Lyl the party leader because we're heading to Fairyland. She may be an elementalist, but she's the student who understands summoning magic the best."

He packed potions as he explained.

"Her skills are top-notch too."

"And why was I excluded?"

"Because someone has to be ready for a worst-case scenario."

Carl looked serious.

"No matter what, Lumene's students are a powerful force."

Professors were near-hero level in power and knowledge.

But they were educators, first and foremost.

"Realistically, the student council handles student affairs. That's why it has so much authority."

"Right."

"That makes the student council president the head of the hero candidates. The de facto master of Lumene."

"True."

"But right now, that master is absent. This mission is to support that master."

"Hmph?"

"If the lady of the house—that is, the vice president—also leaves, who will control Lumene's students in an emergency?"

Elena stared at Carl.

"If Leo went to Fairyland, something serious might be happening. In that case, you'd need to fill in for him."

"As vice president, I'm not the lady of the house. I'm the second-in-command."

"Close enough, let's not get hung up on semantics."

"Not even close. You said that just to flatter me."

"Yes."

"Shameless flattery, huh?"

"Want me to kneel too?"

Carl rubbed his hands together jokingly.

Elena snorted again, but didn't seem displeased.

"I also chose the party carefully. It's the best combo to support Leo."

The members Carl selected could adapt to various situations.

Lyl could handle frontline, support, and rearguard roles as a versatile summoner.

Chelsea and Eliza could move quickly and respond flexibly, perfectly supporting others.

'Chen Xia is the most agile vanguard in the Knight Department, with plenty of real combat experience.'

Carl believed this team could support Leo flawlessly.

After hearing his explanation, Elena rubbed her chin.

"Huh."

"What?"

"I suddenly understand why you earned the title 'The Herald of Beginning.'"

"Hmph. I am good at preparation."

"Want to be the vice president?"

"I nominate Chloe wholeheartedly!"

Carl replied seriously.

"Hmph."

"Don't look at me like I'm prey!"

Carl yelped and ran out of the room.

"Ah! Carl! Wait up!"

Chelsea's voice rang out—she had finished preparing too.

Elena, closing Carl's door behind him, looked out the window at the Lumene landscape.

"Fairyland, huh…"

Knowing Leo's true identity, Elena understood all too well what Sylord meant to him.

"Our president never gets a moment's peace."

She sighed softly, her face tinged with sympathy.

bl

Fwoosh—!

Scarlet flames burst from Leo's sword.

Crashhh!

The flaming sword cleaved through the demons before him.

Swish—! Tap—!

Leo sheathed his blade.

Moments later, Melina emerged from the entrance to Fairyland.

"I'm sorry, Lord Leo."

Melina looked ashamed.

To unlock Fairyland's entrance, one had to find the key within an illusion.

But those illusions had no effect on Leo.

Thus, Melina had no choice but to be the one to search.

However, she kept failing.

"Don't blame yourself. It just means Sylord's magic is that strong."

"But still…"

Melina looked anxious.

Leo responded calmly.

"Don't worry about me."

"……"

Sylord didn't have much time left.

Knowing this from Leo, Melina felt even more urgency.

Before Sylord closed his eyes for the last time, she wanted to help the King of Beginnings see off the Fairy King.

She trembled in frustration at her helplessness.

Leo reached out and ruffled her hair.

"Huh?"

It was rare for Leo to treat Melina like a child.

"Stop beating yourself up. If his magic is this strong, it means he's still hanging on."

"I'm sorry."

"I said don't apologize. What are you sorry for?"

"For not earning your trust yet."

"……"

Melina gently touched Leo's cheek.

Leo smiled faintly at her.

"I trust you."

"……"

"You're oddly casual with me, you know?"

"I've experienced the future many times. I met the future you there, too. I think that made me feel closer to you."

She quickly pulled her hand away from his cheek and coughed.

"So? Another future vision this time?"

"Yes."

Melina nodded, but then looked puzzled.

"But why is it always the future? Aren't these illusions supposed to be spatially and temporally twisted?"

If time was distorted, seeing the past wouldn't be strange.

Yet she always saw the future.

As Melina pondered, Leo thought and replied, "It's probably because of you."

"Because of me?"

"Yeah."

Leo's voice was calm.

"You have more hope for the future than attachment to the past. That mindset makes you see the future. Illusion magic shows what the heart wants to see."

"Ah."

Melina nodded in understanding, but then frowned.

"Then why are the illusions manifesting demons and monsters from the past in reality?"

The illusion magic spread across Fairyland was out of control.

The magic's persistence showed that Sylord's power remained strong—but it was beyond his control.

And through that chaos, past demons were manifesting in the real world.

While Melina searched for the key within the illusion, Leo defended from outside.

After a moment of silence, Leo spoke.

"Maybe… it's because of Sylord."

"The Fairy King?"

"Yes."

Leo looked toward Fairyland.

'Sylord probably isn't conscious right now.'

The rampage came from the subconscious.

'And in that subconscious… he may be longing for the past.'

Perhaps that longing was what brought the past into the present through illusion.

'How ironic. From the brightest age, he longs for the darkest time.'

Leo gave a bitter smile.

'Though… maybe I'm in no position to judge.'