Book 1 Chapter 312

312

Leo was lost in thought, gazing at the crystal orb where Kiruan's wings were sealed.

'Could that really be the source of magic that allows for the use of that absurd slime ability?'

Kiruan.

The Fairy Prince.

He was a fairy, the next fairy king, as a Royal Fairy.

However, due to his excessive playfulness, he was stripped of all his wings as punishment by the current Fairy King, Silrod, and exiled from Fairy Land.

He had found one pair of wings, but still hadn't located the remaining two pairs.

And now, one of the remaining two pairs was here.

Leo recalled Kiruan.

The Island of Illusory Beasts, located in Lake Lumeria.

It was said that Kiruan, currently residing there, was playing all sorts of pranks on the new students from the Summoning Department.

Of course, the source of this information was Kiruan's rival, Fiora.

'Well, it seems he's not playing *too* excessive pranks.'

As Leo thought to himself,

Chloe was engaged in a heated discussion with Tina about magic theory.

"Hmm. So this is your unique magic formula? Excellent, isn't it?"

Tina was admiring Chloe's unique magic formula for [Ice World].

"Yes. So, for this midterm assignment, I'm planning to apply [Ice World]."

"You're going to apply field magic to familiar magic? That's an interesting idea, isn't it?"

Tina's eyes sparkled.

"What are you planning to do for your exam assignment, Leo?"

"I'm thinking of applying spirits."

"Spirits? Being versatile is certainly good."

Tina smiled faintly.

"By the way, there's something I'd like to ask."

"What is it?"

"Where did you get that?"

Leo pointed at the crystal orb.

Seeing Leo, Tina smiled meaningfully.

"You have good taste, don't you?"

Tina reached out, took the crystal orb, and placed it on the desk.

Chloe, seeing it, tilted her head.

"What are the wings inside?"

"They're fairy wings."

Chloe made a surprised expression.

Tina looked at Leo, observing Chloe.

"As expected, being an All-Class, you reacted sensitively to fairy magic, didn't you?"

"That's right."

"So, do you want it?"

"Will you give it to me?"

When Leo asked with a smile, Tina smiled faintly.

"Would you grant me one favor?"

"What is it?"

"I'd like to examine your body thoroughly."

"M-my body thoroughly?"

Chloe's expression instantly became flustered.

Observing Chloe, Tina said with her characteristic expressionless face,

"I only said that because I'm interested in the abilities of an All-Class, but what on earth were you thinking?"

"Ah, no. I mean, I…"

"Did you perhaps imagine me stripping him naked…?"

"No! It's not like that!"

Chloe waved her hands, her face bright red.

"So? Don't you want to entrust your body to me?"

At Tina's question, Leo shook his head.

"I'll have to decline that."

"That's a pity."

With an unamused smile, Tina returned the crystal orb to its original place.

"If you have any questions, come see me anytime. And if you're interested in dissection, you're even more welcome."

Tina, who had seen the two out of her office, slid back inside without a sound.

Chloe, who had been walking down the hallway in silence, spoke.

"Leo, I just want to say. I didn't imagine such a thing."

"What imagination?"

"I mean. That… ah, it's nothing! Let's go quickly eat dinner!"

Chloe cleared her throat and walked away.

Leo, chuckling, followed behind her.

***

That evening.

In his dorm room, Leo summoned Kiruan.

*Whirrr-*

Kiruan popped his head out from the summoning circle.

[What's up, Leo?]

Starting with Kiruan, Elsi and Ati also entered the room from beyond the summoning circle.

"I found one pair of your wings."

[What? Really?!]

Kiruan's eyes widened, and he shouted, "Yahoo!" as he spun around the room.

Every time Kiruan flapped his wings, silver dust scattered gently.

Fiora, who had taken human form through Kiruan's magic, crunched on cookies and glared.

"Don't kick up dust. You idiotic fairy."

[Binix is saying strange things.]

"Binix? Is that a fool? I'm a Phoenix."

[Yeah. Obese Phoenix. Shortened to Binix. Are you going to eat a bunch of snacks again and get fat like a pig?]

"Who are you calling a pig?!"

An enraged Fiora pulled out a fly swatter from her pocket and wildly swung it at Kiruan.

*Smack - Smack -*

'-Do you think you can catch me with such a pathetic attack?'

Kiruan easily performed aerobatics, toying with Fiora.

Watching them, Ati approached Leo.

"Master."

"Why?"

"Could you also call me a pig and smack me with a fly swatter?"

Watching Ati speak, twisting her body, Leo clutched his head.

"Ati."

"Yes, Master."

"I wasn't going to say this, but…"

"Yes."

"You're a Pegasus, aren't you?"

"That's right."

"The phantom beast I contracted with in my previous life was a Pegasus."

Leo cast a somewhat skeptical look at Ati.

"That one was always serious. I'm not saying you have to be serious all the time, but could you at least stop making such perverted requests every time you see me?"

At Leo's words, Ati's face stiffened.

"…Does that mean… compared to your previous contractor, I'm making excessively vulgar requests to you, Master, and I'm more unsightly than that Pegasus?"

"I didn't say it like that."

"I see. I was disappointing my Master."

Ati hung her head low.

Ati's body trembled slightly.

Seeing this, Elsi wore a worried expression.

[Even so, Ati works hard and is a big help in battle, so that was a bit too harsh.]

At Elsi's words, Leo made a bored expression.

"Isn't she even more excessive for being happy even after hearing words like that?"

[Huh?]

At Leo's words, Elsi looked flustered, then zipped over to look at Ati's face.

Ati's downcast face was flushed, and her eyes were filled with ecstasy.

"A vulgar and unsightly Pegasus… Ahh! Who in the world would say such harsh things to me…!"

Elsi covered her face and sobbed.

Leo sighed, watching Elsi.

"…Are you crying?"

[It's so embarrassing that people like this are my companions.]

"Ah-heung!"

Hearing Elsi's words, Ati clutched her heart and fell to the floor.

"Even Miss Elsi slandered me… I love it so much."

'She's getting more and more severe as time goes on.'

It was then that Leo sighed, looking at the perverted Pegasus.

[Hahahaha! Binix! Binix!]

"Stop right there!"

Kiruan, who had been wildly flying through the air with dazzling aerobatics, turned towards Elsi.

Fiora, with her eyes narrowed in anger, raised her fly swatter and swung it at Kiruan.

*Swish-! Whack-!*

[Huh?]

"Ah?"

Fiora's fly swatter struck Elsi.

Elsi, who had fallen to the floor, was silent.

Fiora quickly hid the fly swatter behind her back, and Kiruan hid behind Ati.

And simultaneously they shouted:

"It's that fairy's fault!"

[It's that Phoenix's fault!]

Elsi rose to her feet.

A black glow flashed through her black hair.

'She's angry.'

Leo clicked his tongue inwardly.

Fiora, Kiruan, and Ati had never seen it, but Leo knew this appearance well.

Not the current Elsi, but the distant past.

Elsi from the time when she lost everything and burned with hatred.

The hidden side of herself, unknown even to Elsi, had awakened.

*Swoosh-!*

Elsi, who had transformed into an adult's size using Leo's spiritual power, stretched out her hand.

A shadow had already swallowed the fly swatter from Fiora's hand.

Elsi, having snatched the fly swatter, wildly hit Kiruan with it.

[Cough? W-wait! Ugh?]

Elsi, who had miserably thrashed Kiruan with an unchanging expression, spoke to Fiora.

"Roll up your calf."

"It's not my fault! And I've never even been hit by my mom…"

"Roll up your calf, I said."

Fiora, making a tearful face, rolled up her calf.

Elsi held the fly swatter upside down and wildly hit her calf.

Elsi, who had instantly subdued the Phoenix and the Fairy, the dream of all phantom beast summoners, said in a chilling voice,

"If you act childish again, I won't let it slide, so be aware."

[Yes, y-yes…]

"Yes…"

Kiruan, squirming like a mosquito squashed by a fly swatter, and Fiora, sniffling and clutching her calf, replied in hushed voices.

The young phantom beasts couldn't even make a sound under Elsi's chilling intensity.

Leo, watching the scene, turned to Ati, who was hiding behind him, and said,

"Why don't you ask her to scold you too? You like that kind of thing, don't you?"

"I don't want to be scolded by Miss Elsi when she's like that."

Leo sighed softly, looking at the unnecessarily quick-witted perverted Pegasus.

***

[So some elf has my wings?!]

Kiruan made an excited expression.

Kiruan, who had lost his power, had long wanted to retrieve his wings.

This was because only by regaining all his wings and returning to his original state could he recover his status as the Fairy Prince.

In such a situation, Leo's words about finding one of his lost pairs of wings were enough to excite Kiruan.

[Then what are we waiting for! We have to go right now!]

"It won't be easy to get it, you know? After all, the current owner is that visiting professor."

[Hmph! I'm the owner of the wings, so why is that elf the proprietor!]

Kiruan, with his hands on his hips, looked fiercely determined.

"Regardless, Professor Tina is the one keeping it, that's why."

[Hmph! It'll be helpful to you too, Leo, when I get my power back, so why are you acting so timid?]

Kiruan snorted, spread his wings wide, and flew towards the window, saying,

[Just you wait! I'll get my wings back!]

Leo rested his chin on his hand, watching Kiruan confidently shout.

"It won't be easy, though."

[What kind of person is that Professor Tina, the elf?]

Elsi, who had returned to her palm-sized form, asked with a curious expression.

"She's an eccentric."

[Hmm. I can't imagine. There won't be any problems if Kiruan gets caught, will there?]

Elsi, holding a spoon as long as her own height, asked as she put sugar into her tea.

"Well. She might try to dissect him."

At Leo's words, Elsi let out a deep sigh.

'I hope nothing bad happens.'

***

The next day.

The second-year dorm cafeteria.

Most second-year students usually ate breakfast here.

As such, it marked the beginning of the day.

It was also a place where all dorm students gathered.

That day, Leo was eating breakfast alone.

Leo noticed that there were fewer students eating breakfast than usual.

"Leo oppa! Good morning!"

Chelsea, carrying her tray, greeted him cheerfully and sat in front of Leo.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah!"

Dorm 1. Glory.

Dorm 2. Harmony.

Dorm 3. Noble.

These three dorms were fundamentally in a competitive relationship.

As such, when classes were over or in the evening, it might be different, but…

During breakfast, when all dorm residents gathered in one place, ordinary students might be an exception.

But dorm leaders almost never ate together.

Celia, too, had never eaten breakfast with her cousin Leo or her close friend Chloe.

However, Chelsea often ate breakfast with Leo and Abad.

"Mmm~"

Chelsea covered her face, making a happy expression, as if the strawberry jam served this morning was delicious.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she said,

"Speaking of which, Leo oppa, did you hear the story?"

"What story?"

"They say a fairy appeared around the second-year dorm last night."

At her words, Leo raised his head and looked at the students who were eating.

He had thought there were fewer than usual, but the number of students from the 'Summoning Department' was almost at the level of total annihilation.

"They say there weren't just one or two witnesses. So now it's chaos."

At Chelsea's words, Leo covered his face.

'That bastard, really.'