Book 1 Chapter 156
156
“Did you call me to confirm whether or not I am Kyle?”
“I only thought Leo-nim might be the Hero of the Beginning a few minutes ago. It was when I first met Leo-nim.”
Melina replied courteously.
“The moment I faced Leo-nim, Lisinas-nim’s magic power went beyond my control.”
“I see.”
Dragon Lord.
Her demeanor, who was called the King of Dragons, was very polite.
Although he looked like a fifteen-year-old hero candidate, Leo was a great hero who had once saved the world.
Among them, as the last hero, he was a great figure who single-handedly subjugated Erebus.
No matter how great the Dragon Lord was, she could not be compared to Kyle.
“I still can’t believe it. To think I would have a conversation with a great hero in reality, not in the world of heroes.”
Melina, speaking in an emotional voice, asked Leo several questions.
Most of them were stories related to the great hero.
Like a dragon who craved knowledge, Melina focused on every single word Leo said.
“Ah. I wish I could keep listening to Leo-nim’s story like this.”
Melina let out a lamentable sigh.
She wanted to continue talking with Leo.
To be able to hear stories directly from a legend of a distant past, not from records, something she didn't know?
‘As one who craves knowledge, could there be greater joy than this?’
However, she couldn’t keep Leo for a long time.
Today’s meeting was, quite literally, sudden.
‘I can’t put Leo-nim in a difficult situation out of my own greed.’
Melina, who gave a wry smile, said.
“I will explain the reason why I brought Leo-nim here.”
“Alright.”
“As Leo-nim might already know, Tartarus’s minions have infiltrated the Hero Academy right now. Among them are traitors.”
Melina sighed deeply.
“We are pursuing them, but it’s not easy.”
‘I suppose so.’
Leo too, ever since he noticed Tartarus’s presence within Lumerne, had been carefully observing everyone.
But they were, quite literally, perfectly hidden.
‘There’s not even a suspicious aura, let alone a suspicious sign.’
From his past life as Kyle, Leo had subjugated countless demons of Tartarus, so he was more sensitive to Tartarus’s aura than anyone else.
Even such a Leo couldn’t find any clues.
It’s not strange that they couldn’t catch the tail of the traitors in Lumerne.
“But Tartarus’s objective is clear.”
“To cut off the sprouts of talents who could grow into heroes.”
“Yes. So, I was going to ask Leo-nim to act as bait to uncover the traitors.”
For Tartarus, Leo’s current existence was clearly a thorn in their side.
An All-Class like Kyle.
Furthermore, his continuous unusual actions.
To them, he was a dangerous element that had to be eliminated by any means necessary.
“Bait, not bad.”
Melina showed a flustered expression as she watched Leo speak with a slight chuckle.
“Dare I ask such a favor of Leo-nim?”
“It’s fine. Honestly, I wanted to find them too, but I couldn’t do it properly because of my student status.”
Leo chuckled.
As a student, his actions were bound to be restricted in many ways.
Moreover, Leo had to hide the fact that he was Kyle's reincarnation.
Lumerne had many renowned skilled individuals.
If Leo found the traitors that even they couldn’t find, it might rather arouse suspicion.
‘I refuse to be treated as a spy trying to infiltrate Lumerne.’
In the midst of that, Melina, the Dragon Lord, had contacted him.
Reuben had probably arranged this meeting because he judged Leo to be a ‘trustworthy individual’.
‘Thanks to that, my identity was inadvertently exposed.’
Leo glanced at Melina.
When their eyes met, Melina smiled faintly.
“I’ll be the bait. But I have one request.”
“You mean not to tell anyone else about Leo-nim’s identity?”
“Yes.”
Melina also guessed why Leo had hidden his identity.
‘It’s not good for too many people to know a secret.’
Even if they were trustworthy people, the secret Leo held was one that no one could handle.
‘This person is still fighting.’
There are many easy paths.
It is, after all, an era of peace now.
So, even if one turns a blind eye and enjoys life, no one would point fingers.
Nevertheless, the reincarnated great hero chose to fight.
Melina fiddled with the corner of her left eye.
A long time ago, Melina had fought Erebus.
‘It wasn’t the real one, but a fake.’
The world of heroes, unconquered for thousands of years.
‘The Advent of the Great Catastrophe.’
Melina, inheriting Lisinas’s power, bravely challenged the Advent of the Great Catastrophe with her companions.
And failed.
Most of her companions, who were praised as great, either died or became incapacitated.
Melina, who was relatively intact, barely managed to recover, but after recovering, she dared not challenge again.
Her companions were gone now.
She was left alone, and no one acknowledged her.
Despite being in a similar situation, Leo was preparing to fight alone.
‘This is why he is a great hero.’
The man chosen by the Great King of Wisdom.
“Leo-nim.”
“Hmm?”
“Please do not use the word ‘request’. I am a being living in the era of peace you achieved. If I didn't know who you were, perhaps. But now that I know your identity, I will serve you.”
Melina bowed her head respectfully.
“As the Dragon Lord, as the one who carries on the will of the King of Wisdom. I am ready to offer my life at any time. So please command me whenever necessary. For that would be my destiny.”
Melina said solemnly.
“Destiny and all that, it’s a bit much.”
“Yes?”
“I didn’t save the world for some grand reason. I was just dragged along by Lisinas’s hand.”
Leo chuckled.
“So, I’m not fighting for some grand reason now either. I’m fighting just because I want to.”
Leo gently tapped Melina’s forehead.
“So, you live the way you want to live. That’s enough.”
Melina looked up at Leo, her eyes wide.
Then she soon smiled faintly.
“Then I will do as I wish.”
“Alright.”
The appearance of the great heroes she heard directly was different from what she had imagined.
‘But it doesn't change the fact that he is a great person.’
It must be because he was such a person that he could save the world.
So the Dragon Lord made a resolution.
‘Let’s lighten this person’s burden even a little.’
***
After Leo returned to Lumeria, Melina sat back on her throne.
“My Lord. How was Leo Frob?”
“He was a remarkable boy. Just as you said. He was a person worthy of a great hero.”
Reuben had initially introduced Leo to Melina as a promising great hero.
‘You seem to be in a good mood.’
Reuben smiled faintly as he watched the Lord tap her foot and hum a tune.
“Sir Reuben.”
“Yes.”
“Please take care of Lumerne’s first-year students.”
“……”
“They will surely grow into wonderful heroes.”
“You don’t have to worry. I’ve already made up my mind.”
Reuben smiled.
“Let’s bet our future on them. So, I will do my duty to the fullest.”
Melina smiled bitterly, watching the old dragon laugh passionately.
“Please, Sir Reuben.”
***
Leo, having left the Clock Tower, entered Kuraju, the main street of Lumeria City.
The atmosphere on Kuraju Street was a little different from usual.
Peers could be seen everywhere on the street.
‘Students from other academies.’
Leo looked at them, who were dressed in uniforms and sightseeing, with an intrigued expression.
Seeing Leo, students from the three major class academies began to whisper.
“Lumerne uniform?”
“Is that a Lumerne Academy student? Doesn’t look like much.”
“What class is she? Knight? Mage? Or Summoner?”
“Yeah. I heard Lumerne students wear emblems.”
Curious glances reached Leo.
‘There’s still a little time until the assembly.’
Leo checked the time and stroked his chin.
‘Where are the other kids?’
“Hello? You’re a Lumerne Academy student, right?”
Someone spoke to him.
He turned his head to see girls standing there, dressed in white short-sleeved blouses with frills, black skirts, cloaks, and wizard hats.
The girls, whose attire seemed to advertise ‘I am a mage’ to anyone, were female students from Emerald Magic Academy.
“By the way.”
“Do you happen to take magic classes?”
“I do.”
“That’s great! My eyes were right! You exuded a strong mage-like aura!”
The girl smiled brightly and clapped her hands.
“My name is Shila. I’m a first-year at Emerald.”
“My name is…”
“Never mind the introduction! Could you come here for a moment?”
Shila, cutting off Leo's introduction, led him with a friendly smile into a nearby cafe.
Leo paused as he entered the cafe.
The entire cafe was occupied by Emerald Academy students.
“Our academy students can’t quite control their academic enthusiasm, you see. Once a discussion starts, they have to resolve it to feel satisfied.”
Shila shrugged and smiled faintly, then pointed to a portable whiteboard occupying one side of the cafe.
“We happened to be discussing a magic formula. And then you, a Lumerne student, just happened to pass by! So I wanted to hear your opinion since you’re taking magic classes at Lumerne, and I took the liberty of bringing you here! Sorry, sorry.”
Shila chuckled and apologized, then asked Leo.
“What do you think of this formula? It’s a very popular formula in our school right now.”
Leo looked at the formula.
‘It’s an incomplete formula.’
At first glance, he could tell it was a formula that wouldn't activate.
Moreover, it was unnecessarily complicated.
‘What is this? This formula looks like it was made to give people a headache, let alone elicit an opinion.’
Leo glanced at Shila, then surveyed the Emerald students seated in the cafe.
They all seemed to have serious expressions, but he noticed them subtly glancing at Leo’s expression.
Shila was no different.
Leo easily understood the situation.
‘Looks like they’re trying to humiliate me.’
It was a well-known fact that while students from the three prestigious academies admired Lumerne, they also envied Lumerne students.
‘Should I just play along?’
He sighed softly and was about to open his mouth when he felt a presence near the cafe entrance.
He turned his head to see Yura and Len standing at the entrance.
‘They came for supervision.’
The Emerald students hadn’t noticed the two yet.
Yura also looked inside the cafe, sighed softly, and was about to enter.
But Len, who was next to her, stopped Yura.
Len saw Leo, smiled faintly, pointed at the Emerald students with his finger, made a throat-slitting gesture, and then took Yura out.
‘To crush them?’
Leo chuckled and decided to follow Len's command.
“It’s an interesting magic. I think it could activate with a few corrections.”
“Oh? Really?”
Shila’s eyes sparkled.
It was like the gaze of a snake eyeing its prey.
“Yes.”
Leo nodded nonchalantly and approached the whiteboard.
Seeing this, the Emerald students suppressed their laughter.
‘How ridiculous. That formula is absolutely impossible to activate!’
‘It’s impossible unless you rewrite the formula from scratch.’
‘To fall for such a simple formula error trap. Lumerne kids aren’t all that either.’
Leo rotated the whiteboard in his hands and said.
“My interpretation is this.”
***
“Hey! If something like that happens, you should stop it! Emerald Academy is your responsibility, isn’t it?”
Yura punched Len’s back with a thud!
“Go and stop them! Do you want to discourage the kids before the joint class?”
“Yes. I will discourage them.”
‘This crazy bastard. He was talking about taking good care of the Emerald kids just a moment ago, why is he suddenly like this?’
“Why?”
“Hohoho. Senior Yura. Why are you so dull?”
“I don’t know if I’m dull, but I know you want to die.”
Yura, with a vein throbbing on her forehead, tried to grab Len’s neck.
Len blocked Yura’s hand and said.
“Emerald students also need to know. That Leo student is a human of a different caliber than them!”
Len burst into laughter, “Hohoho.”
“And if they are mages, they must appreciate the greatness of Leo student! They will admire Leo student’s genius and praise him! I am not trying to crush them! I am trying to broaden their horizons! Isn’t there a saying that to break out of an egg, one must first break the eggshell?”
“……”
Yura blinked.
She tried to understand Len’s words for a moment.
But Yura couldn't understand it at all.
“What are you talking about, you crazy lunatic.”
“Hoho. As expected, Senior Yura, with your incredibly narrow vision, could not understand my grand intentions. I will explain it in a specially simplified way so that Senior Yura can understand.”
“……So you’re saying you want to die by my hand? If that’s your wish, I’ll kill you.”
Yura pulled out a whip from her pocket and choked Len.
Even while being choked, Len did not stop lecturing about Leo’s genius.
Choking Len, Yura thought.
‘Among all the kids, Emerald kids had no one else to provoke but Leo. And for him to be their supervising professor. They’re pathetic.’
She made a pitiful expression, thinking of the Emerald students.
Meanwhile, as his neck was being choked, Len thought.
‘The Scoun students are also pathetic. For their supervising professor to be the ignorant Senior Yura.’
The two professors were thinking the exact same thoughts about each other.