Editor : Amethyst00



Guided by Lunia, Leo entered the building of Seiren with a peculiar expression.

From the warp gate to the interior of the building—

It was because of the enthusiastic welcome from the Seiren students lined up on both sides of the path.

When they arrived at the central castle where the students took their classes—nicknamed the Castle of Learning—the cheers grew even louder.

Some even scattered petals from baskets of flowers.

After receiving the warm hospitality of the Seiren students, the student council presidents from each Heroes Academy, along with the visitors to Seiren, were shown to their accommodations.

Lunia, who was acting as a guide, was the one to show Leo to his room last.

"Ugh! I'm so tired! It's just lunchtime, so why am I this exhausted?!"

As soon as they entered Leo's room, Lunia slammed the door shut and ran to the sofa in the center of the room, collapsing onto it.

Leo looked around the room.

As expected, it was vastly different from the room he had when he came as an exchange student before.

"This welcome feels way too over the top. It's completely different from last time, right?"

"Well, your status is completely different now, isn't it? And Seiren's changed a lot too."

"Still, this is a pretty drastic contrast, don't you think?"

"When have elves ever been anything but extreme?"

"That's true."

At Lunia's words, Leo nodded in agreement.

Seeing his reaction, Lunia let out a sigh.

Even she occasionally felt exasperated by her fellow elves.

But that was only because she cherished her kin.

That feeling wasn't all that different from Luna's.

That's why she got angry when she saw her people heading down the wrong path—

And why she tried to guide them toward the right one.

No one understands elves better than elves.

A race that is infinitely arrogant at times and infinitely fragile when their will breaks.

Just as easily influenced by anything around them.

Watching Lunia scratch her head, Leo let out a laugh.

Seeing this, Lunia frowned.

"Why are you laughing?"

Sitting across from her, Leo replied:

"You remind me of someone."

"Who?"

"Luna."

"……"

At Leo's words, Lunia unconsciously fell silent.

Now, she knew Leo's true identity.

And not just who he was.

The time she had shared with Leo Plov, King of the Beginning.

Enough time to understand who he was as a person.

That's why she understood the weight of what he just said.

So when he said she reminded him of Luna, she couldn't take it as mere flattery.

It meant that, through her, Leo was seeing Luna.

"……"

Still lying comfortably on the sofa, Lunia slowly sat up, sneaking a glance at Leo.

"What?"

Looking confused, Leo asked.

"It's just… you said I reminded you of Lady Luna."

Lunia gave a graceful smile.

It was the coy expression she used to put on.

"Since you're thinking of her, wouldn't it be better to have this kind of image?"

To that, Leo replied flatly:

"That kind of image doesn't remind me of Luna."

"Huh? R-Really?"

"Luna didn't even have the word 'coy' in her vocabulary."

At that, Lunia let out a hollow laugh.

"Right. She always showed her true self."

She leaned back against the sofa again.

"Leo."

"What?"

"Do you think… I could ever take Luna's place?"

Lunia asked cautiously.

There was worry in her eyes.

Leo Plov, King of the Beginning.

The reincarnation of the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle—the one who saved the world.

And the one now risking everything again to save the world.

Lunia had every intention of standing beside him and saving the world together.

That was her duty now, as Luna's successor… the one who bore the title "The Chaser of the Star."

Of course, it wasn't only out of obligation.

She had admired heroes from a young age.

She was grateful to those who had devoted themselves to the world and hoped to become like them.

The stories of the heroes she had seen were so brilliant that her aspiration was only natural.

Lunia was confident the path she was on was the right one.

'Even if I don't reach my goal, it's okay.'

Just as her predecessors—Luna and Seiren—had once done,

She would believe in the hope that would follow her.

But even Lunia had fears—

Could she really replace Luna?

She stared into Leo's red eyes, so like her own.

Eyes burning as if they might ignite at any moment, filled with unwavering will.

From that resolute gaze, Lunia understood just how much Leo had sacrificed.

Five thousand years ago, he gave himself for the world.

And in the present…

'He gave up the chance to be with the great heroes again—by his own hand.'

Lunia recalled what had happened before.

Leo had traveled to a parallel world.

And there, he saw his reincarnated comrades—everyone except himself.

Having touched that world, even briefly, Lunia understood.

She knew how desperately Leo had wanted that world.

And so, she couldn't even imagine—

What it must have been like for Leo to turn his back on that world and return.

Ever since, she had tried to understand Leo's feelings.

But it was impossible.

And that only increased the pressure she felt.

The weight of being a successor to the great heroes.

At first, she had been proud of being named the successor of the person she respected most.

But as time passed, the burden became painfully clear.

She was astonished by how heavy Luna's name truly was.

It was unfamiliar—losing confidence in herself.

And when she felt just how lacking she was, she could only shrink inward.

To her question, Leo responded flatly:

"Absolutely not."

"Ah…"

To those obvious words, Lunia's ears drooped involuntarily.

Seeing that, Leo looked at her in disbelief.

"So you do make expressions like that."

"What?"

Startled, Lunia instinctively touched her face.

Leo let out a snort of laughter as he watched.

"You really are like Luna. Or maybe it's just a trait of your race?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You said it yourself—elves are always extreme."

Leo rested his chin on his hand and looked at her.

"I guess you're an elf through and through."

"So you're saying I didn't seem like an elf until now?"

"Who would think you're an elf, looking at you?"

"You little…!"

A vein twitched slightly on Lunia's forehead.

Leo chuckled at her reaction and said,

"Don't be so hard on yourself. No one can replace Luna."

"……"

"The same goes for Aru, Drianna… and Melina."

"The same?"

"Yeah."

Leo's crimson eyes looked straight at her.

"They couldn't replace Aaron, Dweno, or Lysinas either."

Leo spoke as if explaining:

"You're you, Lunia."

"Ah…"

"I didn't choose you as Luna's successor because you resembled her."

To the elf walking the same path, Leo spoke gently:

"And Luna didn't choose you because you reminded her of herself either."

"……"

"It's because you are you."

It was true they had similarities.

'But that doesn't mean she's like Luna.'

More accurately, Lunia had the same direction and values Luna once pursued.

"Before Luna, countless elves walked that same path. And after her, Velkia and Seiren tried to follow it. Now, you're the one going that way."

"……"

"We didn't choose you. You earned it."

Lunia let out a deep sigh at Leo's encouragement.

"What is it now?"

"I was just thinking… is this the wisdom comes with age?"

She flopped back onto the sofa.

"Ugh, I'll probably spend my life being encouraged by you."

"Why?"

"Even if I one day stand beside you, you'll always be way older than me."

"Wow. You say it like it's a given you'll catch up to me?"

"Hmph. Just wait. It won't be long."

Her discouraged demeanor from earlier was now long gone.

"Looks like you're back to yourself."

Leo smiled faintly.

Lunia, watching from the sofa, sighed again.

"What is it this time?"

"I don't know. I suddenly feel envious of Lady Luna."

"Why?"

"Because she must've been the one to encourage and comfort you."

Lunia thought—she was different from Luna.

She might always be less mature than Leo.

But Luna was different.

She had always stood equal to him, no matter where or when.

When Leo struggled, Luna must have helped him rise again.

At her murmuring, Leo clicked his tongue.

"Luna never encouraged or comforted me."

"Huh?"

"I was the one who consoled her. She got cocky more easily than you, and also got discouraged just as easily."

"Hah, yeah… I can kinda see that."

Recalling the Luna she knew, Lunia burst into laughter.

"Oh, right. I almost forgot—I had something to ask you."

"Ask?"

"Yeah. Can you teach a special class on star sorcery here in Seiren?"

No one in this world knew star sorcery better than Leo.

Even if Lunia was learning it quickly, Leo was there from its inception and completion.

"Professor Herdium personally requested it."

"When?"

"He said if you agreed, he'd set up a special class starting tomorrow."

"Alright."

Leo nodded, and Lunia stood from her seat.

"Great. Then I need to get to class."

"Lunia."

"Yeah?"

Just as she was about to leave, Leo called her.

"Don't worry about the parallel world."

"……"

"It was my choice."

If he said he didn't regret it, that would be a lie.

No, he would probably live with that regret for the rest of his life.

But…

Even if he regretted it hundreds or thousands of times—

"If I could turn back time, I'd still make the same choice."

He had braced himself for it the moment he made that decision.

"Leo…"

"So don't worry about it."

"Still, I can't help it…"

"Save it for when you're older. You can't even take care of yourself yet."

Leo gave a soft chuckle.

He was treating her like a kid, but she couldn't deny it.

"Yeah, yeah. Got it, you bastard."

With those words, Lunia left Leo's room.

'Seriously, how long is he going to treat me like a child?'

In the past, she would've bristled at that treatment.

But now that she knew who he really was, it was hard to argue.

Grumbling, Lunia suddenly paused.

Something strange flashed through her mind.

A scandalous novel she once read, where an older human man teased a younger elf woman, popped into her head.

'Ugh, seriously. Reading that weird stuff is messing with me.'

Shaking her head furiously to clear the thought, Lunia froze again.

'Now that I think about it, that human kind of resembled Leo…?'

As soon as she thought that, she let out a dry laugh.

'What the hell am I even thinking?!'