Book 1 Chapter 497

It has been two days since the commissioned mission period ended.

Students who returned gathered in groups of twos and threes in the lounge, chatting.

"Are you going to get accommodation during the Twilight Festival this time?"

"Of course! I already booked!"

"How did you do it? The reservation competition must be fierce."

The students' main topic of conversation was the Twilight Festival.

A grand festival held once every five years.

It is famous as a world-renowned festival, honoring Sir Twilight Lumern, one of the heroes of the Great Opening and the founder of Lumern Academy.

During this period, it is a grand festival that attracts many races as well as outsiders.

"Twilight Festival!"

At that moment, a door on one side of the lounge burst open.

It was the door connected to the study room.

And the student who burst through the door was Iliana, a student who didn't seem to fit in the study room.

"Me too! Me too! Let's plan our schedule together!"

Iliana enthusiastically tried to join the group of students.

But someone was faster, grabbing Iliana by the scruff of her neck.

"You cannot."

It was none other than Chen Xia.

"Where are you going when Leo-doryeong's special tutoring isn't over yet?"

"B-but!"

"Are you going to disregard Leo-doryeong's sincerity when he's making special time for Iliana-yang?"

"Eek?!"

Iliana flinched at Chen Xia's cold words.

Although she was usually the gentle eldest sister of the second-year students, when she got angry, she was the most frightening among them.

"It's the price for being lazy."

"Study more."

Boos could be heard from the dormitory lounge.

"Hey! You're all dead later!"

Iliana glared and swung her fist.

Chen Xia dragged the struggling Iliana into the study room.

Inside the study room were six students, including Iliana.

Leo stood at the very front, and Chloe, Eiran, and Iliana were sitting in front of him.

Chen Xia stood by the door, and Luna sat next to her, with her arms crossed and legs crossed.

Leo said,

"Then, let's start again?"

Leo pointed to the portable blackboard and said,

"As you can see, Iliana, your magic focuses on destructive power."

"As I said before, overwhelming power for total annihilation! That's the family motto of the Laden family!"

"Wow, that's amazing!"

"Hmph!"

As Eiran exclaimed and applauded, Chloe said coldly,

"Don't think it's amazing. She's a charging idiot."

"President! Chloe called me a charging idiot!"

Iliana whined with a tearful face.

"Well, I agree with Chloe's opinion."

At Leo's words, Iliana's shoulders slumped.

Iliana was considered one of the top students among the second-years.

An absolute, unmoving strongest.

Excluding Leo, there were eight students who were mentioned when discussing the strongest among the second-years.

Celiea, Chen Xia, and Duran from the Knight Department.

Chloe, Abad, and Chelsea from the Magic Department.

Eliza and Warden from the Summoning Department.

Of course, there were differences in strength even among them, but considering their respective specialties and potential for growth, they were considered evenly matched.

Excluding the anomaly that was Leo, it was a golden generation unprecedented in Lumern's history.

Their potential for growth was literally boundless.

And right behind this line of strongest individuals was Iliana, one of the most talked-about.

However, she was also underestimated for her abilities.

This was largely due to Iliana's personality.

"Impatient."

"Gasp?!"

"Simple-minded and brutish."

"Ack!"

"That's why you rush in regardless of the opponent and get your head smashed first."

"Ugh!"

At Leo's words, Iliana fell off her chair.

Eiran, who was startled by Iliana wriggling as if in great pain, took care of her.

However, Chloe let out a deep sigh.

Indeed, if only those aspects were fixed, Iliana could develop much further than she was now.

"The professors, as well as I, have put a lot of effort into correcting those points. You can definitely become much greater."

"President!"

Iliana's eyes glistened with tears, her face filled with emotion.

"However, someone said, 'You don't fix people.'"

"Gasp!"

At Leo's subsequent words, Iliana was completely defeated.

"Sob, I've been abandoned by the President."

"Stop talking nonsense and listen."

"Huh?"

"I've changed my mind."

"If you can't fix that tendency, I thought strengthening the benefits you can gain from that charge would be enough."

"Huh?"

Leo glanced at Luna.

When their eyes met, Luna smiled faintly.

***

"Did you guys train under Arion?"

After returning to Fairy Land.

Luna asked while watching Eiran and Chen Xia sparring in the practice field.

At her question, Eiran and Chen Xia, who were sparring, widened their eyes.

"Did Leo-nim tell you?"

"I only heard from Kyle that Arion had come to the mortal world. And that we had subdued a fragment of Erebus together."

Luna crossed her arms and closed her eyes.

She had heard Arion's story, which Leo had told her.

Her heart ached when she heard Arion's thoughts when he sacrificed himself.

On the other hand, she felt proud hearing the story of Arion, who had finally overcome everything and grown.

'That's Arion.'

Remembering his back that always gave her courage, Luna smiled subtly.

Eiran and Chen Xia thought that her smile somehow resembled Leo's.

"Anyway."

Luna opened her eyes and said,

"I knew you trained under Arion from your movements. I saw traces of Arion's movements in you."

"Wow, you can notice that?"

"Hmph, what do you think I am? I am Luna, the progenitor of constellations."

Luna brushed her hair back with a smug expression.

Indeed, Luna's specialty was, without a doubt, magic.

Of course, as a summoner, she had made a pact with Silod, the heir to the fairy king, so her talent was exceptional.

In addition, Luna's close-quarters combat ability was overwhelming, to the point where she could have fought on the front lines if necessary.

Although she couldn't wield aura, her combat skills were top-notch.

Therefore, she could glimpse Arion's shadow in the two of them.

"Crucially, Arion is a genius idiot."

"A genius idiot?"

Seeing Eiran's bewildered expression, Luna made a blank face.

"He's terrible at teaching others. He does everything as if it's obvious, so he can't explain anything at all."

"Ah…"

"I understand what you mean."

Eiran and Chen Xia smiled brightly, recalling Arion asking, 'How about it? Isn't it easy?'

"So he teaches through practical experience, which is why you naturally learn Arion's movements."

"That's definitely true."

"It was very difficult, but it felt like they were sparring with us in mind."

Chen Xia and Eiran nodded at Luna's words.

Luna laughed sadly at their words.

"It's all thanks to this older sister's sacrifice."

"What?"

"What do you mean?"

Chen Xia and Eiran looked bewildered by Luna's sudden reaction, but Luna gazed into the distance.

In the past, when she wanted to practice close combat like a real fight, she had a one-on-one sparring match with Arion.

And at that time, she suffered a terrible fate at the hands of Arion, who didn't know how to control his strength.

'Come at me without holding back!'

At Luna's always confident shout, Arion hesitated, then left Luna in a mess.

'If Lisinas hadn't arrived even a moment later, I might have developed a trauma.'

She remembered the "damned human" and the "dwarf" laughing while holding their stomachs behind Lisinas, who was advising Arion to control his strength.

'Yeah. I should hit him one more time later.'

"Arion helped the growth of those who wield aura?"

"Yes."

"I can't afford to lose."

Luna chuckled.

"Therefore! I, Luna, will teach you magic! That's what I'm saying!"

"It's a great honor!"

Eiran said with a bright smile.

"But Luna-nim, I'm a knight."

"Yes. But you can use summoning magic, right?"

Luna winked.

"I'm also excellent at summoning. Unlike that fool, I can provide clear and systematic help! So, what kind of spirit do you handle?"

"Ah, I specialize in water spirits."

Chen Xia said with a bright smile.

Learning from the great hero Luna was welcome, no matter what it was.

Moreover, to be taught spirit magic by elves, who are the most proficient race in spirit magic.

Although Luna is famous for magic, her being a powerful summoner is a well-known fact.

At Chen Xia's words, Luna stared intently at Chen Xia and nodded.

"Yes. From today, you shall transition from a spirit user to a spirit contractor."

"What?"

Chen Xia looked bewildered.

Of course, Chen Xia had also contracted with a low-level spirit.

However, the sudden suggestion to change her specialty was bewildering, as she had always thought she had more talent in spirit magic throughout her life.

"Your talent as a spirit contractor is greater than as a spirit user."

"R-really?"

"Yes. You never knew? Don't worry. This older sister…"

"Who are you trying to scam here?"

Leo appeared with a frown.

"Are you trying to convert spirit users to spirit contractors because you can't teach spirit magic yourself?"

"Tsk!"

At Leo's words, Luna clicked her tongue.

Chen Xia looked puzzled by that reaction.

"Can't Luna-nim use spirit magic?"

"I can't. I have no affinity with spirits."

"It's unusual for elves who usually use summoning magic to be bad at spirit magic…"

Leo chuckled at Chen Xia's bewildered expression.

"This kid has a destructive personality, so spirits absolutely refuse to come near her."

"Who has a destructive personality? Who has a destructive personality?!"

Luna, with widened eyes, grabbed Leo by the collar and shook him violently.

Ignoring Luna, Leo said,

"So? You want to teach the kids magic?"

At that question, Luna nodded.

"Arion also left behind various things while staying in the mortal world."

Luna crossed her arms.

"I also want to be of some help, even if it's just a little."

Luna's expression was serious.

"Do you have anyone in mind?"

"The one who caught my eye the most was a child named Chloe."

Luna thought of Chloe.

From the perspective of a senior mage, Chloe was commendable.

Moreover…

"That child seems to have a talent she hasn't realized yet."

"Talent she hasn't realized?"

"Yes."

Luna smiled faintly.

"I got inspiration seeing that child."

"Inspiration, you say."

Leo and Luna had different perspectives on magic.

Therefore, Chloe must have a talent that not only Leo but also she herself hasn't realized.

"In addition, there's a child named Iliana. A sword mage, right? That child also doesn't fully understand her mana's characteristics."

"I thought Iliana was sufficiently utilizing her talent."

"Certainly, light-attribute magic is flashy and powerful. However, I think she needs to develop her magic in a different direction."

"In what direction?"

At Leo's question, Luna smiled faintly.

"Speed."

***

"I'm already plenty fast."

Iliana looked puzzled at the suggestion to strengthen her speed.

"Your light mana characteristic seems more suited to speed than destructive power."

"Hmm?"

"If you do it right, you might be able to reach speeds faster than Duran."

"What?!"

Iliana's eyes widened.

She knew Leo never said things lightly.

"Iliana, the Speed of Light Sword!"

Seeing Iliana snorting with sparkling eyes, Chen Xia muttered,

"Iliana-yang is really simple-minded."

"Huh? I think she's childlike and cute?"

Luna laughed.

Leo taught Iliana a magic formula created by Luna.

'Luna is different from Arion.'

Magic is a realm of research and exploration.

It is an academic discipline that requires 100% understanding of what one uses.

In that sense, Luna's genius was evident not only in her personal strength but also in her ability to teach others.

In particular, her ability to discern others' mana talents and create magic was exceptional.

"How did you come up with this?"

Chloe was marveling when Leo said,

"Chloe."

"Huh?"

"Luna wants to talk to you."

At those words, Chloe's eyes widened and she turned to Luna.

Luna waved at Chloe.

'I wanted to discuss magic with that child, so this is perfect.'

Chloe also approached Luna with shining eyes.

Leo watched them intently.

"Luna-nim, you look happy."

"Of course. For Luna, having passionate magic discussions like this is one of her greatest joys."

Leo stared at Luna's form and murmured.

"Leo-nim?"

'…What is Luna's lingering regret?'

Looking at Luna, who was happily chatting with Chloe, Leo looked down at his hand.

Luna is not staying in this world through divine power.

She is staying with the mana left behind in Cometes.

The mana in Cometes is not insignificant.

Furthermore, the amount of mana used to manifest Luna is extremely small.

'It's amazing that Luna can continue to exist as a heroic spirit with a body.'

Perhaps with Luna's existence alone, magic in this era will advance.

But…

'Is it the right thing to keep Luna in this world?'

Leo's eyes blurred.

Heroic Spirit.

A manifestation of the residual mana left by a powerful soul with lingering regrets, powered by the spiritual energy of a heroic spirit user.

However, it is by no means a natural state.

5,000 years ago.

The reason Lisinas sent the heroic spirits to nirvana without holding them back was also for this reason.

'The residual echoes in heroic spirits fade with time. Ultimately, it's because of the lingering attachment to this world. The attachments of old heroic spirits soon become obsession. And they forget themselves.'

Lisinas smiled wryly.

'Heroic spirits are those with such strong egos that they remain with a lingering attachment to the world. As such, heroic spirits have strong self-love. There is nothing more miserable than losing oneself. That's why heroic spirit users honor the spirits of heroic spirits and soothe their souls. Heroic spirits can never be happy.'

Recalling Lisinas's words, Leo opened his eyes.

At that moment, his eyes met Luna's.

Luna looked at Leo and gave a bright smile as if she was happy.

Seeing that smile, Leo smiled back.

'It must be enjoyable for Luna to be together now.'