Editor : Amethyst00



Leo, having finished his exploration, fell deep into thought.

'If a Hero Dungeon had appeared… it must be out in the far sea, or deep within the abyss.'

At the moment, there was no way to locate the Hero Dungeon.

A full-scale search was possible, but it would take too long.

Before heading to Seiren—

Leo had come to investigate in advance just in case, so he couldn't afford to waste more time on exploration.

"Eliana. Let's go back to Seiren."

At Leo's words, Eliana nodded with a gloomy look.

"Are you that shaken by what that unknown girl said?"

"She called me an old hag! Do I look like an old hag to you? I'm blooming with youth!"

"If you're confident, why be angry? It was just provocation. Why are you so worked up?"

"No! It's not that simple! She genuinely looked at me like I was old!"

Eliana whined, close to tears.

"Do I really look like a grandma to you, Leo?"

"No. You look like a kid."

"That's a problem in its own way."

She pouted her lips in frustration.

"Anyway, next time I see her, I'm going to smack her upside the head."

Leo glanced in the direction where the mysterious girl had disappeared, while Eliana growled fiercely.

'Who is she?'

Eliana's skills were no longer immature.

Though she was still clumsy at times, she was flawless in battle.

And now that she was in her third year and the fastest in Lumene, for someone to slip past her meant they were no ordinary opponent.

'Definitely suspicious.'

Leo debated whether to track her down but quickly shook his head.

If she had fled, she wouldn't be lingering nearby.

"Anyway, let's head to Seiren for now."

"Are we not going to look for the Hero Dungeon anymore?"

"A full search would take too long."

"Ugh. I thought we'd get some alone time."

Leo chuckled at Eliana's grumbling and activated his magic.

Wooong—!

In an instant, a warp magic circle was completed.

Flash—!

With a bright light, the two vanished from the spot.

bl

At the Seiren warp gate, Lunia and Eiran were waiting.

"Welcome back. You're later than I expected."

"We stopped to investigate the northwest sea."

"Did you find a Hero Dungeon?"

"No. It looked like it would take too long, so we returned to Seiren for now."

As Leo and Lunia talked, Eiran stepped forward.

"Leo, let me carry your things."

"No, it's fine."

Leo smiled gently.

"Brrr! So cold! Eiran, can you show me to my room?"

Just then, Eliana appeared behind Leo, shivering.

"Yes, Miss Eliana. I'll guide you to the room where the Lumene guests will be staying."

"Eiran, I'll talk with Leo for a bit before I go."

"Okay."

The matter of the frozen figures believed to be Seiren and Luna was known only to a select few.

If their existence were revealed before the grand event, it could cause major chaos.

'Besides, we're not even certain yet.'

Leo hadn't told Eliana about Luna and Seiren either.

As Leo and Lunia headed to the underground chamber where the ice sculpture was kept, Eliana followed Eiran to the dormitory.

The sun had already set, and the temperature dropped further.

"Hmm! It feels a bit awkward to use such a big room alone… Eiran, can I sleep in your room tonight?"

"Pardon? I'll need to get permission from the teachers… are you sure?"

"Huh? Would it be uncomfortable for you? I'm fine sleeping on the floor."

"No, I'm just worried you might be uncomfortable. And the bed's wide, so we can share it."

"Then I'll take you up on the offer."

"Fufu. I'll ask the teachers first, then."

Eiran led Eliana to her room.

As they entered the dormitory, curious gazes followed Eliana.

After getting permission from the dorm supervisor, Eiran took Eliana to her room.

Once inside, Eliana took off her coat.

"Phew. All my clothes are soaked."

She had been caught in a snowstorm, and the outfit she'd carefully chosen was completely wet.

"Miss Eliana, you dressed up quite a bit."

"Yeah. I thought I was going on a date alone with the class rep."

Eliana grumbled, her eyes lighting up as she looked around.

"By the way, Seiren's rooms have private bathrooms?"

"Yes. Unlike Lumene, we don't have shared baths."

"Wow! There's even a tub! Can I take a bath?"

"Of course. Give me your coat and warm up a bit."

Eiran smiled, took the coat, and hung it up.

"Hmm? This…"

"What is it?"

As Eliana asked curiously while filling the tub, Eiran replied,

"Is this coat Leo's?"

"Yeah, it's his."

At that, Eiran stared at the coat for a moment. Once Eliana fully entered the bathroom, she quickly slipped the coat on.

Then she buried her face in the lining and pricked up her ears.

'Leo's scent.'

"What are you doing?"

"Eep?!"

Startled, Eiran quickly took off the coat.

Eliana, poking her head out from the bathroom, looked at her with a mischievous grin.

"Were you enjoying the class rep's scent?"

"N-No! I mean! That's not—!"

Eliana giggled at the flustered and red-faced Eiran.

"Can I borrow some clothes?"

"Y-Yes! I'll get them for you."

Eiran, hastily hanging the coat, nodded rapidly.

"Thanks!"

Smiling, Eliana washed up and slipped into the tub full of hot water.

"Ahh… This is definitely one thing Seiren does better."

She looked around the luxurious dorm room with envy.

Even the bath felt too large and elegant to belong to a single room.

"Eiran~ if you need to wash too, want to come in?"

"Shall I?"

Eiran also washed and joined Eliana in the tub.

She let out a relaxed sigh.

Living in such a cold region, elves loved soaking in warm water.

"This feels nice~"

"Right?"

The two leisurely enjoyed the bath.

After a while, Eiran asked,

"By the way, did anything unusual happen in the northwest sea?"

"Hmm. We didn't find a Hero Dungeon, but… oh! We did run into someone suspicious."

"Suspicious?"

"Yeah. A human girl—not an elf—"

"Wait, was she a girl with white hair and red eyes?"

"Huh?! How do you know that?!"

Eliana's eyes widened.

"I saw her too."

"Hmm?! Now this is getting fishy."

Eliana narrowed her eyes and stroked her chin.

"I'll have to tell the class rep and ask him to go look for her."

"But tomorrow's the Lumeiren Exchange. Will there be time?"

"Hmm. Not really… but we still have to catch her."

"Why?"

"That little brat called me an old hag."

"…"

At Eliana's words, dripping with grudge, Eiran forced an awkward smile.

"But Miss Eliana."

"What?"

"Didn't the girl seem… somehow familiar?"

"Huh?"

Eliana tilted her head, then slowly nodded.

"Now that you mention it, she did feel oddly familiar…"

She scratched her head, still puzzled.

"But I can't place it at all."

"Same here. I couldn't figure it out either."

Eiran looked genuinely confused.

"Whatever! If we catch her again, we'll figure it out."

"Will we see her again?"

"Yeah. I just have a feeling."

Eliana frowned.

"I feel like we'll meet her again soon."

bl

Step— step—

Leo and Lunia reached the deep underground of Seiren.

"Welcome, Leo."

There, Leo encountered a familiar face.

"Professor Tina."

Tina Tingel, an elf who taught magical engineering at Lumene.

As a descendant of Seiren and a genius in magic engineering and analysis, Seiren had asked her for help, just like Leo.

Tina waved her arm through the loose sleeve of her lab coat.

Leo approached her and stood before the ice sculpture.

He gazed at the figure trapped inside.

"I'm pretty sure it really is Seiren… but to confirm it…"

"You're not planning to dissect her or anything, right?"

"…What do you think I am, Leo? Even if I like dissection, I wouldn't cut open my ancestor."

"Good to hear."

"I just wanted to take a little blood… well, maybe a lot."

"…"

Lunia recoiled in horror, and Leo sighed.

"Well, I can't melt the ice anyway, so it's not possible."

Shrugging, Tina walked toward the basement exit.

"Leaving?"

"Yeah. I can't do anything about this ice right now."

She glanced back at Leo, tilting her head.

"Maybe you can?"

"Who knows. I'll try."

"Let me know if you melt it."

Waving, Tina left the basement. Leo silently stared at the ice.

"The seal is made with Star Sorcery, but I couldn't interpret it."

"Of course not. It's original star sorcery."

"Huh? You mean—?"

"It's not a reinterpretation like Seiren usually uses. This is the original formula Luna and I use."

"Then the one who cast the spell was Lady Luna?"

"No. It was Seiren herself."

Magic cast by Seiren, who inherited Luna's power via Hero Record.

"If you grow a bit more, Lunia, you'll be able to interpret it too."

As Leo encouraged her, Lunia sighed softly.

"So I'm still lacking."

"You're doing great already. Don't be too hard on yourself."

"Thanks. But more importantly… if that's true…"

"Yeah. That's really Seiren."

Leo narrowed his eyes, looking at the unconscious Seiren in the ice.

"Then the person she's holding… is that Lady Luna?"

"That I don't know."

Though the face was hidden, the silhouette resembled Luna.

But until the seal was undone, Leo couldn't be sure.

He placed his hand on the ice, and it began to glow.

Woooong—! Crack—!

The seal was instantly analysed, and cracks spread.

Lunia's face brightened.

Woooong—! Cra-crack—!

But at that moment.

A strong chill burst out, and the cracked parts refroze.

"W-What's going on…?"

Lunia panicked.

Just then, Leo began pounding the ice with his fist.

Bam— Bam— Bam—

Startled, Lunia looked at the ice beside Leo.

"Lady Seiren?"

And inside, Seiren had opened her eyes—staring at Leo.

"She's conscious! But why isn't the seal breaking?"

"She re-sealed it herself."

"What?"

"Probably because of what I said when I saw Lumene before."

"What did you say?"

"I said next time I saw her, I'd shave off her damn pointy-haired head."

Of course, Rodia was included in that threat too.

Bam— Bam— Bam—!

Leo pounded the ice harder.

"Come out now, you damn pointy-ears. I'm gonna shave your head."

Watching him mutter to himself, Lunia came to a realization.

'Ah. He's got a nasty personality.'

The Comet Mage staring fearfully at her senior, and the Hero of the Beginning yelling at her through the ice.

From the look of it, Seiren must have done something to upset Leo.

Lunia watched the scene with a bittersweet expression.

'Lady Seiren isn't quite what I imagined either.'

Once again, she faced reality—and took another step into adulthood.

With that thought, Lunia let out a sigh.