Book 1 Chapter 277

277

That evening.

Leo, who had arrived early at the meeting place, was contemplating the magic he would teach Lunia.

'I shouldn't just give Airan back Erquint; I should teach her the magic of the stars too.'

Of course, he wasn't thinking of teaching her Finality.

'Airan isn't suited for Finality.'

He also planned to teach Lunia other star magic besides Finality.

Star Magic: Finality.

As magic known to publicly symbolize Luna, it boasted the greatest power among the spells Luna had used.

'But the magic that truly symbolized Luna was a different one.'

Star Magic: Stella Radius.

Although it was created through the Star Magic system, Luna had created it solely for herself.

While Finality was the most powerful star magic in terms of destructive power, Stella Radius was far superior in versatility.

As magic optimized for Luna's mana characteristics, in some sense, it was the most "Star Magic-like" of all Star Magic.

The reason Stella Radius was special.

It was because another unique magic was created based on Star Magic itself, which could be considered unique magic.

It wasn't merely the concept of applying unique magic to create another spell.

'If unique magic symbolizes a wizard's mana characteristics… Stella Radius symbolizes the wizard herself.'

Luna wanted to become a great wizard, shining like a star.

Stella Radius was magic imbued with beautiful starlight, influenced by Luna's wish.

And there was one more magic like Stella Radius.

Star Magic, yet the only magic Luna couldn't use.

'Innocent.'

Kyle's unique magic, created by Luna.

It was magic that symbolized Kyle himself.

And Luna newly defined and named magic of the same kind as Stella Radius and Innocent.

'Origin.'

What one wishes to become.

Or magic that represents a person's source.

'And I created several Origins besides Stella Radius and Innocent.'

Of course, none of them were ever completed.

Luna had only created the basic framework for those spells.

Since there were no users to use them, they hadn't reached the completion stage yet.

'Among them was magic created for Berchia.'

Berchia, the joint disciple of Luna, Arion, and Kyle.

From Luna, she learned magic.

From Arion, martial arts.

And from Kyle, the techniques of a Magic Swordsman.

Through their teachings, Berchia completed the unique magic called 'Animus's Armor' and it was passed down to her descendants for thousands of years.

Magic that fused mana and aura.

What Leo was going to teach Airan was the Origin magic Luna had created for Berchia.

Even Leo only knew it in theory and formulas; he couldn't use it.

'Because it was magic created solely for Berchia.'

The activation conditions for the magic were star mana, fairy mana, and aura.

'Airan, as Berchia's descendant, has the conditions to learn the magic, so she should be able to learn it.'

Luna's heartfelt intention, left for a disciple who admired her masters and wished to follow in their footsteps.

In the final expedition, all the great heroes lost their lives, and the succession failed.

But in this era, Leo exists.

From the moment he saw Airan, Leo had thought he should pass on this magic.

Leo had an obligation to pass on this magic.

Even though Luna, who created the magic, and Berchia, who intended to pass it on, were both gone.

There was her descendant, who inherited Berchia's will.

'Passing on that sentiment, even belatedly, must be one of my roles living in this era again.'

It was then, as Leo thought of Luna and Berchia and smiled faintly.

Creak-

The sound of the grand hall doors opening was heard.

Turning his head with a puzzled look, Leo spotted Airan peeking her face through the slightly open door and made a bewildered expression.

"Airan?"

"M-Master Leo. H-Have you already arrived?"

There was still time until midnight.

"Yes. I wanted to prepare a bit. Why are you here so early?"

"I-I also wanted to p-prepare my heart…!"

"What? Were you looking forward to it that much?"

"N-Not exactly looking forward to it! But I-I was like that, like! That…! So…!"

Airan, her ears red, moved her hands back and forth before bowing her head deeply and answering.

"I-I was looking forward to it."

Seeing Airan so embarrassed that steam might as well be coming from her head, Leo inwardly clicked his tongue.

'If Berchia had even half of Airan's cuteness, I would have doted on her more.'

Leo shook his head, recalling his cheeky disciple who always gave him sideways glances and rebelled at every opportunity.

'She's not even as good as her descendant.'

Shaking his head as he recalled Berchia, Leo gestured.

"Then let's start. Come here."

At his words, Airan hesitantly came before Leo.

Looking at Airan, Leo chuckled and said.

"Would you like to close your eyes?"

"M-My eyes…?"

'I-I saw it in novels. While the eyes are closed, the male lead's li-li-lips touch the female lead's…!'

The former shut-in steadily cultivated misunderstandings, recalling the contents of the novels she had read.

Airan, unsure what to do, then gazed at Leo's form illuminated by the moonlight.

'M-Master Leo… has become even more dignified… and more manly.'

He was still a boy with a youthful appearance, but his aura was serious.

Mature red eyes beneath white hair.

Below that, the well-formed features of a handsome young man.

'And his lips…'

Feeling a somewhat stimulating sensation, Airan looked up at Leo and gently closed her eyes.

Thump-thump- Her heart pounded as if it would burst.

She felt as if her sense of touch and smell had become more acute with her eyes closed.

Rustle-rustle-

She heard the sound of something being taken out of cloth.

As she became aware of it, Airan's sense of smell seemed to pick up Leo's scent even more clearly.

Thump-

She felt Leo drawing closer.

Grab!

"…!"

When Leo grabbed her wrist, Airan felt as if electricity was coursing through her entire body.

Leo held Airan's wrist, brought it forward, and placed Erquint in her small hand.

"There, open your eyes now."

At his words, Airan opened her eyes in confusion.

"It's a gift."

And seeing the sword held in her hand, Airan blinked her large eyes.

"From now on, I will teach you the magic of the stars."

Airan's body trembled silently at Leo's words.

She had realized she had indulged in absurd fantasies.

The tutoring Leo promised was not some secret something, but genuinely actual tutoring.

Trembling with overwhelming shame, Airan crouched down and buried her face in her knees.

Looking down at Airan, Leo muttered.

'She must have had some strange fantasy again.'

Knowing that saying anything to this innocent yet unnecessarily knowledgeable elf girl would render her irrecoverable, Leo decided to let this matter lie.

***

Having barely recovered, Airan put on the brightest expression she could.

"To learn Star Magic from M-Master Leo! It's truly an honor!"

Leo, who looked at Airan's excessively delighted expression with a moment of pity, said.

"Look closely at the sword I gave you."

Airan looked at the uniquely shaped sword Leo had given her once more.

"T-This is… Erquint?"

Airan was surprised to see a sword identical to the one her family's progenitor had used in the distant past.

Erquint had also been passed down in the Ersar family.

But that was in the distant past. An achievement reward obtained by an ancestor who had conquered the hero's world.

It was an imitation, not the real thing.

And when the conqueror died, the Hero Weapon lost its power, so it was merely a shell.

"That's the real one."

Airan was even more surprised at Leo's words.

"H-How can that be! It was said that Sir Berchia lost Erquint during the Age of Calamity?"

"Yes. But it was being kept by the imperial family of the Shan Empire."

Leo pulled a chair nearby and sat down.

"And the progenitor of the Shan Empire was also a disciple of a great hero, just like Berchia."

"What?"

Airan was startled.

Though it was an unknown fact, Leo decided to tell this story to Airan.

'Airan is tight-lipped.'

He had already told Chen Xia that he would give Erquint to Airan and reveal its origin.

Upon hearing that, Chen Xia showed no particular reaction.

'Yes. Do as you wish, Young Master Leo.'

'Are you sure about giving an item stored for thousands of years so readily to another family… and to another race at that?'

'Young Master Leo is Shan's and my benefactor. I have already sworn to live my entire life for Young Master Leo. So you can use Shan and me as you please, Young Master Leo.'

"It seems Shan's progenitor found the sword Berchia had lost."

"I-I see."

Airan gazed with trembling eyes at the Erquint held in her hand.

She could already feel an unusual magical power emanating from the Erquint in her grip.

Airan, who inherited Berchia's blood, instinctively felt it.

That this sword was the real thing.

"This is… the Progenitor's sword."

Seeing Airan look at Erquint with emotional eyes, Leo said.

"Yes, first, I think you need to know how to use that sword."

"How to use the sword?"

"Yes. Can you give it back to me?"

Airan returned Erquint to Leo.

Receiving the sword, Leo channeled mana into Erquint.

Whoosh-!

Then Erquint began to hum.

Zing-!

Along with that, a silver blade of mana erupted from Erquint.

Airan gasped in admiration at the blade of mana that had lengthened to the size of a longsword.

'It's just like in the texts!'

Airan felt immense emotion seeing the true form of the sacred weapon used by her revered ancestor.

Leo returned Erquint to Airan.

"Here, try using it."

At his words, Airan gripped Erquint with both hands.

'Surely, Master Leo used mana like this…'

She channeled mana into Erquint in the same way Leo had used mana a moment ago.

Zing-!

Then a silver blade erupted.

"Master Leo! I did it!"

Seeing Airan smile brightly, Leo chuckled.

"Well done. Shall we move on to magic now?"

"Yes!"

Leo spread his hand.

"This might be magic that only people from your family can learn."

"Magic that only our family can learn?"

Airan blinked her large eyes and tilted her head.

"Yes."

A magic formula appeared above Leo's palm, who nodded.

Airan's eyes widened.

She instinctively realized.

This is…

'It's magic related to the Ersar family.'

And not just ordinary family magic.

'It resembles Animus's Armor.'

"D-Did Master Leo perhaps create this magic?"

Leo shook his head at the question.

"No. The one who created this magic was probably Luna, the progenitor of the Nebula."

"What?"

"I also found this magic in an old ancient text discovered in the Shan Empire."

Airan's mouth hung open.

The magic left by Luna, the progenitor of the Nebula, for her disciple Berchia.

Magic Luna created during the final expedition to support the wish of the small girl, Berchia, who admired the great heroes and followed in their footsteps.

Luna's final work.

"Animus's Sword."

Leo stared intently at Airan.

"It's the last magic the progenitor of the Nebula left for your progenitor."