Book 1 Chapter 160

160

Chelsea was a girl who had grown up without wanting for anything since she was little.

Born into a good family, with wonderful parents and a good environment.

And even outstanding talent.

She was the apple of her family's eye and truly lived doing everything she wanted.

An environment where it wouldn't be strange for her to go astray.

However, the reason she was able to grow up without going astray was because there was someone admirable right beside her.

Abbad Ruallyn.

Chelsea's older brother and the successor to the Ruallyn family.

Chelsea did her best to follow and help Abbad.

At first, she pursued becoming an all-rounder mage like Abbad, but she changed her aspiration after realizing she had more talent as a battle mage.

Everything was to help her family and brother in the future.

Then one day.

She met a boy.

A white-haired boy with Celia Gerdinger, with whom she had been competing since childhood.

At first, she thought he was unpleasant and annoying.

Because she thought he would be an obstacle to Abbad becoming the best, given his association with Celia.

But those thoughts soon changed.

That day.

His back, challenging the impossible without hesitation, was enough to captivate Chelsea's eyes.

Like a hero from a fairy tale she had read since childhood.

Leo's figure strongly captured Chelsea's gaze.

Chelsea's dream was not to be a great hero.

Admiring and aiming to be a hero was merely an effort for her respected brother.

She had put in all her efforts purely out of a desire to help her brother.

Therefore, in a way, the boy named Leo was the first time Chelsea had been truly smitten.

'I still admire my brother.'

Chelsea gripped her staff tightly.

'I want to be a great help to my brother and my family.'

That thought remains unchanged.

'But can't I pursue what I want to pursue while doing that?'

The boy who had taken a corner of her heart at some point.

The more she looked at him.

The more she admired him.

The object of her admiration, which made her want to follow him even more deeply, soon came to hold as much weight in Chelsea's life as the object of her respect.

'Leo is like a hero from a fairy tale.'

The girl who vaguely dreamed of being a hero was no more.

'My heart flutters when I see him.'

It felt like meeting a real-life hero story, which she had only encountered in books.

'I want to be like Leo. A great person worthy of admiration for someone.'

Though not yet concrete, Chelsea was slowly, little by little, in her heart.

And surely, she was sketching out the future self she wanted to become.

Abbad, who was watching her from a distance, smiled gently.

"Hoo-wah. Your sister is no joke, huh?"

Jureden, the vice class president of Class 8, approached Abbad, the class president of the same class, and gasped in surprise.

"She wasn't that strong, was she? Even if she's a battle mage, to be on par with Habiden in close combat."

"Yeah. She's changed surprisingly much."

Kwagagagak-

Chelsea's wind raged.

Wheeeooo-!

The wind that reached even outside the training ground swept through Abbad's hair.

'Yes, Chelsea. The wind doesn't just blow in one direction. You have to be free. You can be anything.'

Abbad smiled softly, watching his sister who was pursuing her dream.

The female students around him shrieked, "Kyaa- kyaa-," at Abbad's smile.

Abbad glanced towards Class 5.

He saw Leo, resting his chin on his hand, watching Chelsea.

Abbad knew that Leo was the reason his sister had changed.

'I'm a little jealous.'

Abbad chuckled and looked back at Chelsea.

'Show me your changed self, Chelsea.'

***

Whoosh-!

"Ugh!"

Habiden's eyes shot open.

Habiden, regripping his spear, swung its blade towards Chelsea.

Kwagagak-! Chang-!

The wind aura scattered.

Along with it, Habiden's attack was blocked by Chelsea's staff.

"How dare you! A mage imitating a knight?!"

Habiden let out an enraged shout.

Chelsea grinned at him.

"Imitating a knight? I don't recall ever doing that?"

Whirly-whirly-whisk-

Wind magic swirled around Chelsea.

"I told you, didn't I? That's not how you handle the wind."

Chelsea's body moved swiftly, repeating the words someone had once told her.

Kwagagak-!

"Huh!"

As Chelsea suddenly vanished from his sight, Habiden gasped and deployed his Aura Armor.

Chelsea reappeared behind Habiden.

Chelsea poked Habiden's back with her staff.

Wheeeooo! Pang-!

Suddenly, the wind protecting Habiden scattered.

Chelsea narrowed her eyes.

"Wind Break!"

Kwagagagagagak-!

"Kuh-eok!"

Hit directly by the magic at close range, Habiden was sent flying back with his spirit.

Chwaaaak-!

"Ugh!"

Habiden's eyes shot open.

'She's neutralizing my wind? How?'

The wind aura had no effect on Chelsea.

It was proof that his ability to control wind was incomparable to Chelsea's, but Habiden couldn't accept it.

'My aura output is insufficient!'

Kwagagagagak-!

A gust of aura raged.

But Chelsea deflected Habiden's attack using the wind, as if it posed no threat to her whatsoever.

"H-how…"

"I've always dealt with people who handle a far more powerful wind aura than you, you know? Attacks like this are laughable to me."

Sparks flew from Habiden's eyes as he watched Chelsea look down on him with her chin raised.

"Then try to block this too!"

Gooooooh-!

Aura condensed at the tip of Habiden's spear.

Chelsea's eyes moved quickly at the sight.

Armed with wind, Chelsea blocked Habiden's continuous close-range attacks as he charged in atop a wind spirit.

The faces of the knight-major students began to harden at the sight.

"Hey, seriously, does that even make sense?"

"That level of close combat skill is almost knight-major level, isn't it?"

It was a well-known fact that Chelsea aspired to be a battle mage.

And everyone knew she diligently trained in close combat.

But Chelsea's close combat skills were enough to shock the knight-major students.

Because Chelsea's movements, blocking Habiden's attacks head-on, were clearly extraordinary at first glance.

"Was she a magic swordsman?"

It was then that one of the knight-major students said with a flustered look.

"Class President! What kind of magic did you cast on Chelsea?"

Illiana asked, startled.

"I didn't really cast any magic?"

"Then?"

"We just sparred diligently every time we trained together."

It was already a well-known fact that Leo had been training Chelsea since the beginning of the semester.

However, everyone was unaware of the extent of her training.

Until now, only Chelsea's magical abilities had been highlighted, and there had been no occasion to show her close combat skills.

That was because there had been nothing that would truly showcase Chelsea's close combat skills, such as midterm exams, school trips, inter-departmental competitions, practical missions, or internal department sparring.

But from the second semester, things were different.

It was literally a time when she had to display all her capabilities.

The results of her training with Leo during the first semester were also now shining brightly.

"Awesome."

Illiana's mouth dropped open as she watched Chelsea.

In truth, despite the surprise, no knight-major student thought they would lose to Chelsea in martial arts.

The problem was that Chelsea was a mage.

'If she starts using magic in earnest, it'll be nothing short of a disaster for the knight-major kids!'

Especially with the sparring evaluations approaching, many knight-major students couldn't help but feel nervous.

"N-no way."

"No way, my foot."

Chelsea scoffed.

"Learn that the world is wide. You're a frog in a well."

Chelsea thrust her staff into the ground.

Kwagagagak-!

Then a powerful whirlwind raged.

Kigigik-! Kigigigigigik!

"Kuaaaah!"

Caught in the whirlwind, Habiden spun around like he was in a threshing machine and started getting thrashed.

Whoosh-!

Thud-!

His magic dispelled, Habiden, who had crashed to the ground, covered his mouth.

"Ugh! Bleargh!"

It felt like the world was spinning madly.

Chelsea snorted at the sight of Habiden's tragic defeat and descended from the training ground.

"Ooh-ooh-ooh!"

"Chelsea! Chelsea!"

"You're amazing! Big sis!"

"Small and strong!"

Cheers erupted among the Lumern students.

Especially among the male students, the reaction was enthusiastic.

Naturally, Chelsea was one of the most popular female students.

Chelsea smiled confidently at her classmates' reactions, made a V-sign, and then ran towards Leo.

Groans erupted from various male students.

"Leo Flobe."

"Envious fellow!"

Regardless, Chelsea, standing before Leo, her eyes sparkling, asked.

"Leo Oppa! Leo Oppa! How was it? I did well, didn't I? I was excellent, wasn't I? Praise me like a sword."

Leo laughed, watching Chelsea chatter and push her head towards him, then reached out and ruffled Chelsea's hair.

"Yes, yes. You did well. You've grown astonishingly."

"Hehehehe."

"Looks like you don't need to train with me anymore?"

"Huh?"

Leo chuckled.

"Because I feel like you've found your path."

As a battle mage, Chelsea seemed to have perfectly completed her style.

She was at a level where she could be called a fully-fledged mage without blemish.

Hearing Leo's words, Chelsea became extremely flustered.

"I-I'm still not good enough! And I still have so much to learn from Leo Oppa! So… that… you know, that thing."

"You want to train with Leo."

"Yes!"

Chelsea nodded as Karl chimed in from the side.

"Oh, Chelsea. Seeing you want to undergo that tough training, it seems you've awakened to that kind of…"

"What nonsense are you spouting?! Do you want to die?!"

Chelsea, with furious eyes, full-swing punched Karl in the side.

"Kuh-heok!"

Chelsea mercilessly kicked Karl, who was clutching his side and rolling on the ground.

It was then that Leo burst out laughing at the sight.

"Chelsea Ruallyn!"

Habiden wiped his mouth and staggered closer.

His wide eyes and clenched teeth suggested he was fighting dizziness.

'This is humiliation!'

It was the first time he had been so utterly defeated by a peer of the same age.

Moreover, he had thrown up in front of everyone.

As a prince of a nation.

And as a knight praised as a genius, this was a humiliation he had never experienced in his life.

His body trembled at the thought.

Liquid sighed softly, supporting Habiden.

"What now? Haven't you had enough?"

When Chelsea spoke in a bored voice, Habiden widened his eyes and shouted.

"I admit defeat! This experience is a first!"

"Huh?"

"From today, I will redouble my efforts in training to catch up to you!"

"You're funny. I don't even care about you."

Chelsea said in an annoyed voice.

"Hmph… I suppose so. You were overwhelmingly strong. But I will try to make you look my way!"

"Hey. Heh-heh- She must be smitten with you."

Karl, who had been groaning while clutching his side, snickered.

Chelsea fiercely stomped on Karl.

"Yes. As Karl-senpai said, perhaps he is smitten."

But Chelsea frowned sharply, seeing Habiden admit it so readily.

Along with that, boos erupted from Class 5.

"Ohh~ our youngest, as expected. Even getting confessions in front of everyone."

"It's a fresh young love."

"Kids are cute, I tell you."

Chelsea wore a menacing smile at the playful voices from here and there.

"Do you all think you can handle the consequences?"

"Gasp!"

Everyone was terrified and ran away.

Chelsea was about to chase them but then looked at Habiden and stuck out her tongue.

"If you want to confess to me, at least get as strong as Leo Oppa and then come back!"

And then, with furious eyes, she chased after the classmates who had teased her.

"You guys are dead!"

Screams erupted here and there, along with Chelsea's fierce voice.

Habiden clenched his fist, watching Leo's back as he approached to stop it.

"If I can just catch up to that person…!"

Watching Habiden, Karl got up, clutching his side.

"This kid doesn't know anything."

"What do you mean?"

"When she says to get as strong as the Class President, she means…"

Illiana clucked her tongue, "Tsk-tsk-tsk!", and wagged her finger from the side.

"It's practically saying you'll never hear a confession from her in your life."

Illiana grinned, and Teide shrugged, taking her words.

"It means don't even look at a tree you can't climb, I guess."

Habiden looked dumbfounded at their words.

"No matter what, they're the same person…"

"Same person?"

Karl, Illiana, and Teide shook their heads.

"His caliber is different."

Nella, with her characteristic languid smile, said while looking at Leo's back.

"Sometimes he seems like someone from another world."

Habiden looked blankly at the Lumern students who spoke in unison.

'Just how amazing is he?'