Editor : Amethyst00



Leo silently looked at Medea's face.

Medea scratched her cheek with a slightly awkward expression.

"Uh… it's kind of embarrassing if you keep staring like that."

At those words, Leo finally spoke.

"Medea. How long has it been since we met?"

Medea made a puzzled face at Leo's question.

Then she said,

"A little over a year, right?"

Leo nodded at her reply.

"So it's been that long."

"Why do you ask?"

"No reason. Just suddenly wondered."

Leo answered casually and looked up at the sky.

'If it's been about a year since we met… then the Age of Calamity is not far off.'

His eyes darkened.

The reason he wanted to forget this particular time so badly—

It was because this period had been far more painful than any other.

And it made sense.

The first time for anything is always special.

Whether good or bad.

It was the first time he lost people who were like family.

He lost friends and comrades who had built bonds strong enough to entrust their lives to one another.

And what made it even harder—

Was that Kyle, in this era, had been truly weak.

At the start of the Age of Calamity,

He had been desperately struggling just to survive.

Before he came to reject forming bonds due to endless farewells—

Kyle had borne too much.

His comrades' wishes.

The dreams of those who fell first.

The silent hopes of those who stood with him on the battlefield.

Even though he thought he had turned away from them, the Kyles who became surviving heroes ended up shouldering all of what those people left behind.

It was Lysinas who silently carried those countless burdens Kyle bore.

And in the end, fought against Erebos bearing them once again.

But…

'Back then, I couldn't shoulder anything.'

Because he had been too weak at the time.

All he did was receive.

Lasha, Kasam, Shen, Medea.

Those four sacrificed themselves to save Kyle.

"……"

Leo looked silently up at the sky.

Medea tilted her head at his behavior and approached.

Then she asked, "Is something wrong?"

"No. Why?"

"Well… I don't know. You just seem really different all of a sudden."

Kyle, in this era, was a boy full of dreams.

'Yeah. He was like Chelsea and the others.'

The frontier city Revatain was tasked with pioneering new lands, but it wasn't a hopeful place.

It was a land where you risked your life.

Most of those sent to pioneer it were criminals.

Though it was strictly controlled, in truth, it was closer to a sewer.

Kyle, Lasha, and Kasam were also subtly mocked as children from the brothel.

Though no one said it openly.

'Things were different back then.'

Kyle, Lasha, and Kasam all knew how to use aura.

Not through the advanced aura-heart training of the future, but purely by natural talent.

Even Shen, who had received elite training as a knight aspirant since childhood, couldn't manifest aura at this point in time.

Yet Shen was still recognized as exceptionally gifted among knight aspirants.

Normally, working as a mercenary would mean expulsion from the knight order, but since Kyle's group were the ones he associated with, the order overlooked it.

That's how famous Kyle's group was in Revatain.

And… Medea, whom they met a year ago, was even more special.

Honestly, she seemed like someone who didn't belong in this filthy city.

Her beautiful silver hair captured everyone's eyes.

Her beauty left people speechless.

She seemed like someone from another world.

'I also stared blankly when I first saw her.'

He had never seen someone so beautiful in his life.

She looked a year or two older than him.

But compared to himself, who was considered mature for his age, she had a depth of atmosphere he couldn't imagine.

He admired her.

'Was it something close to first love?'

Lasha liked him, but since they had grown up like siblings, he never had feelings for her.

But whenever he looked at Medea, his heart would race.

He had wondered if he'd feel the same way meeting her again…

'…I guess too much has happened since then.'

Now, all he felt was a distant memory of how he felt back then.

"Kyle."

"What?"

"You're not sick, are you?"

Medea reached out in concern and touched his forehead.

"You don't have a fever…"

She looked genuinely flustered by Kyle's sudden change in demeanor.

Leo stared at her intently, then smiled.

"Hmm? What?"

"It's just… I can see you're really trying to act grown-up."

"What?"

Medea looked flustered.

"You're not that much older than me, are you?"

Leo said as he gently lowered her hand from his forehead.

Medea was startled by how casually Leo took her hand.

"Let's go in. Things should have calmed down by now."

With those words, Leo headed inside first.

Medea stood there, watching him blankly.

'Seriously… did he eat something weird? He's way too mature today.'

To Medea, Kyle had always seemed like a cute younger boy.

Like a little brother trying to seem grown-up.

From a dragon's perspective, that was understandable.

But today, something about him felt completely different.

He really looked like an adult.

Realizing her face was blushing a little, Medea flinched and shook her head vigorously.

'Now's not the time for daydreaming.'

She turned her gaze east.

'The investigation comes first right now.'

bl

Lyl's party quickly moved after using the warp gate closest to the Forest of Welcome.

The one in charge of the transportation was none other than Eliza.

As a beast summoner, Eliza immediately summoned a Pegasus and a Wind Wyvern.

She would ride the Pegasus, Rue.

The Wind Wyvern would be ridden by Chen Xia.

"I know Xia has been taking summoning classes since her first year, but… shouldn't Lyl-sunbae, as a summoner major, be the one riding?"

As they prepared to mount, Chelsea asked with a confused expression.

Chen Xia scratched her cheek.

"Well… it's because Lyl-sunbae…"

"I'm not close with summoned beasts."

"Right, you're an elementalist. Still, don't you focus more on elemental-based summoning even in your summoning classes, Xia?"

When Chelsea looked puzzled, Chen Xia whispered to her, "Summoned beasts are scared of Lyl-sunbae."

"Huh? Why?"

"Her spiritual power is too strong. Low-tier summons are completely suppressed and obey her, but high-tier ones like Wind Wyverns strongly resist."

"Wow. That much?"

Chelsea looked fascinated.

And muttered unintentionally,

"Monster."

"Chelsea. That sounds like a rather rude thing to say."

Lyl narrowed her eyes and leaned close to Chelsea's face.

Chelsea quickly turned away.

"So? How are we riding?"

Eliza asked while filing her nails.

The Pegasus and Wind Wyvern were both top-tier in speed.

"I'll ride Pipi. I've ridden it a few times before, so I should be used to it."

Carl approached the Wind Wyvern.

In his hand was a special treat that summoned beasts loved.

"Hmm?"

Eliza narrowed her eyes.

She seemed slightly displeased, but no one noticed.

"If someone other than Eliza rides, it might be sensitive—but at least someone familiar is better, right?"

Carl offered a logical explanation as he approached the Wind Wyvern, Pipi.

"Hey there, Pipi. Want this?"

Carl smiled warmly.

Pipi opened its mouth.

"Then Chelsea, ride behind Eliza."

"Me?"

"Yes."

The Wind Wyvern was larger than the Pegasus.

So two on the Pegasus, three on the Wyvern was ideal.

"Alright."

Chelsea nodded just as—

CRUNCH!

"AAAAAAAHHHHHH?!"

Carl suddenly screamed.

"Gasp!"

"What the—?!"

"Carl! What did you do?!"

Pipi had viciously grabbed Carl's head and was wildly shaking him in the air.

"Save meeeee!"

"Pipi!"

When Eliza rushed over, Pipi flung Carl into the air.

Piiii!

Pipi crouched low and watched Eliza cautiously.

Carl landed right behind Rue.

"Ughhh…"

Covered in spit, Carl's eyes spun.

Then Rue spoke.

["I don't really like carrying women other than Eliza on my back."]

Rue looked subtly displeased.

To which Carl replied,

"Hey, you're male. Do you like guys or something? Otherwise, you'd prefer carrying girls…"

WHOOSH!

"Huh?"

THUMP—WHAM!

"Guh?!"

Rue dropped Carl off his back with a scoff and walked away.

Despite Pipi's rough bite, there were no bite marks.

It hadn't been an attack—just a refusal to carry Carl.

Chelsea looked puzzled at the beasts' reactions.

"Eliza failing to control a summoned beast? That's unexpected."

Though Chelsea and Eliza had a rivalry, they acknowledged each other's kill.

It was odd that Eliza's summoned beasts disobeyed her, considering she perfectly controlled contracted beasts of all ranks.

"Looks like they're just in a bad mood today."

Lyl sounded slightly surprised.

Chen Xia clapped her hands.

"Well, can't be helped. Eliza and Carl will ride the Pegasus, and we'll take the Wind Wyvern."

She approached the Wind Wyvern and gently stroked its neck.

"Please take care of us, Pipi."

Krrrr—

The Wyvern let out a sound of agreement. After mounting Rue, Eliza reached a hand to Carl.

"Get on."

Carl took her hand and climbed behind her. Leaving the minor chaos behind, the party departed.

"I was a little worried, but it's really gentle."

Chelsea, riding behind Chen Xia, looked amazed.

"Eliza has it fully under control. I wouldn't be able to manage a Wind Wyvern this well."

"Hmm. But why was it acting out earlier?"

Chelsea tilted her head.

"Who knows. Maybe it was in a bad mood. Oh, Eliza's speeding up. Let's keep up."

FWOOSH—!

"Whoa?!"

As Chen Xia suddenly accelerated, Chelsea instinctively hugged her tight.

"Chelsea. Please hold my waist, not my chest."

Chen Xia said flatly.

"Mm."

Chelsea awkwardly moved her hands.

"I'll hold you."

Lyl, sitting behind Chelsea, pulled her closer. Feeling the pressure from behind, Chelsea's expression grew more awkward.

"What do you two eat every day?"

"…Huh?"

Lyl tilted her head, while Chen Xia burst into laughter.

"Time is the answer. Just time."

Chen Xia said, while Chelsea pouted.