Book 1 Chapter 517

517.

The lounge of the Noble Dormitory.

Eliza, sitting in her usual luxurious private chair, was filing the tips of her fingernails with her legs crossed.

Around her, students from her Noble's Summoning department were cautiously observing her.

"Um, Eliza. You haven't gone out anywhere recently?"

A female student from the Summoning department cautiously spoke up.

Eliza blew on her nails and checked them.

Seeing Eliza's reaction, the Summoning department students showed looks of frustration.

Eliza was the de facto leader of the second-year Summoning department.

Of course, that didn't mean Eliza was the top honor student in the Summoning department.

In terms of grades, she was indeed one of the top two, rivaling Warden, but she frequently skipped classes.

Her class attendance was low, and she even slept a lot.

She even frequently asked personal errands from the students who followed her.

Excluding her grades, she was undeniably a delinquent student.

Yet, the reason she was the leader of the second-year Summoning department was that Warden was inherently very individualistic.

Even if Eliza was insincere, she was definitely leading the Summoning department students as a leader.

The professors of the Summoning department also acknowledged Eliza due to her excellent grades and her disposition.

And for the past week.

Eliza had been staying in the dormitory doing nothing.

She wasn't attending classes and wasn't participating in the reconstruction work of Lumeria City.

She always had a bored expression, but for the past few days, any expression had disappeared from her face.

As a result, her followers, the students of the Summoning department, felt suffocated.

'Why is she like this?'

'Who knows? Did something happen?'

It was when the Summoning department students were exchanging glances.

"It's annoying."

Eliza, who had been indifferent to her surroundings for days, suddenly opened her mouth.

"What?"

"Disappear, all of you."

"What…?"

"It's annoying, so disappear from my sight."

Seeing Eliza speaking irritably and impatiently, the Summoning department students flinched and then dispersed.

Although she had a tyrannical streak, Eliza, who was usually generous to those who followed her, showed an irritable side that even her faction students had never seen since their enrollment.

Left alone in the lounge, Eliza gritted her teeth and stood up.

'Pathetic.'

The reason she was confined to the dormitory was because of something that happened a week ago.

At a gathering of second-year top students, Eliza felt it.

'I'm the only one who hasn't grown.'

Feeling stifled, Eliza entered her dormitory room.

Creak- Click-

She closed the door and fell onto the bed.

'Before the summer vacation started, I never thought I was behind anyone in the second year.'

Thinking that far, Eliza paused and gave a self-deprecating smile.

'No, there is one person.'

There was one person she had considered out of the equation for some time.

'Leo Froble.'

Leo was the first wall Eliza had ever felt in her life.

Therefore, she was always conscious of him.

'Others might not know, but at least I do.'

Eliza had a nonchalant expression.

For Eliza, Leo was the 'benchmark.'

'As a summoner, and as a hero, Leo Froble is perfect.'

She had no other special feelings.

She could never tolerate someone being above her, but she had no choice but to acknowledge Leo.

'But then…'

Eliza's face contorted horribly.

When the Lord of the Dead attacked Lumern.

She saw the backs of her peers whom she had considered her equals.

Before entering Lumern.

Eliza had no doubt that she was the best.

In fact, her talent was second to none in her era.

Now, she knew well that she couldn't be the best due to the immeasurable monster that was Leo Froble.

But even so, she was confident that she was not lagging behind at least among her classmates.

That confidence was shattered.

'A limit?'

Eliza bit her lip tightly and looked at her palm.

Even if she tried not to think about it, she couldn't help but think about it.

She had seen countless students fall behind in Lumern after being arrogant, believing they were the best their whole lives.

Back then, she had mocked them, but not anymore.

When everyone else was running, she wondered if she was the only one faltering.

She wondered if she would ultimately fall behind like those she had ridiculed.

In the competitive system of Lumern, Eliza felt fear for the first time.

'It's my problem, yet I'm just being irritable with those around me. I'm hopeless too.'

As she buried her nose in her pillow with a bitter smile.

Shhh-!

She heard the sound of something sliding under her dormitory door.

She slightly lifted her upper body and turned her head to see a letter.

'Annoying, at a time like this.'

Eliza scowled.

Although Eliza rivaled Duran for the worst temper in the second year, she was a stunning beauty.

She had many haughty followers.

In addition, she held the position of heir to the Hergin family, the top summoning family in the northern continent.

She had received hundreds of love letters.

Of course, Eliza had never read a single one of them.

All the letters she received were burned.

'Hmph. If you like me that much, then confess boldly.'

She had no interest in confessions made without the courage to face her.

Of course, even if someone confessed to her face, she had no intention of accepting.

There was no way someone she had never paid attention to would catch her eye.

Eliza approached the door and was about to tear the envelope.

Then, she stopped when she checked the name written on the envelope.

'Cal Thomas?'

Eliza's eyes twitched.

'Why did this person write me a letter?'

She scoffed, but curiosity also arose.

Normally, she would have torn it to shreds without hesitation, but Eliza, without realizing it, opened the envelope and checked the contents.

'I have something to say. I'll be waiting at the dormitory training grounds at midnight today. Cal Thomas.'

"How arrogant?"

Eliza gave a look of disbelief at the simple content.

"Is it funny? Who is he to tell me to come and go? He needs to know his place."

With her characteristic sneer, Eliza carefully folded the letter inside the envelope.

Click- click-

Swish- Eliza threw the letter onto the desk and was about to lie down on the bed when she stopped in front of a full-length mirror in the corner of the room.

Glancing at her reflection in the mirror, Eliza adjusted her hairstyle.

For some reason, she felt her gloomy mood lift slightly.

Without realizing it, she hummed a small tune and sat at her vanity.

And smiled sweetly.

'It would be fun to crush him mercilessly.'

***

"……"

Eliza's face crumpled as she saw the person standing at the meeting place.

"I was waiting for you, Eliza."

At Leo's words, Eliza crossed her arms.

"To think the student council president would be waiting for me. I don't know where to put myself. But wasn't it Cal Thomas who summoned me?"

"I'm here too!"

Cal, who appeared from behind Leo, gave a thumbs-up and smiled playfully.

"So, the one who had something to say to me was not Cal Thomas, but you, Leo Froble?"

"Yes."

"Haa. I should have just slept."

Eliza muttered irritably.

Seeing Eliza like that, Leo said,

"It's important."

At those words, Eliza paused and then scoffed.

"It better be an important story to call me out at this late hour."

Of course, Eliza knew well that Leo was not someone who would say nonsense, so she knew it was a truly important matter.

She just said it because it was in her nature to speak her mind.

Seeing Eliza like that, Leo nodded.

Cal said to Eliza,

"By the way, Eliza, you look beautiful today?"

"I'm the same as always."

Eliza replied indifferently.

However, unlike usual, her tone was slightly softer.

"Perfect full makeup at this hour of the dawn… I get it! Are you planning to meet a guy after this…?"

Whip-crack-! Snap-!

"Gasp? Kekekekekekek!"

"Do you see me as a promiscuous woman who goes out to meet guys at dawn?"

"You, you're popular, so you might be going out on a date if you're already out…"

"I don't do that kind of thing."

Whack-!

"Kekekekek!"

Eliza, who always carried a whip, wrapped it around Cal's neck and pulled him towards her, then began to choke him hysterically.

Seeing that, Leo said indifferently,

"You guys still have a good relationship."

"Who says we have a good relationship?"

Eliza replied sharply, pushing Cal aside, and said,

"So? What is this important story?"

"I heard from Cal. He said you were quite impatient."

"So what? Are you going to mock me for stagnating while I'm stuck in place?"

Eliza reacted sharply.

After all, Eliza saw Leo as someone she needed to catch up to.

As such, she couldn't accept Leo's concern or help as is.

Leo looked at the 'competitive spirit' in Eliza's eyes and burst into laughter.

"Yes, laugh all you want, Leo Froble."

"That's not what I meant."

Leo shook his head.

"Sometimes I forget you guys are still kids."

"…You're saying something very strange. I know you have a mature side, but first of all, I'm older than you."

Eliza, taken aback by the sudden remark, let out a disbelieving laugh.

Seeing Eliza like that, Leo said,

"It's not that you're lacking compared to others. It's just that your environment is a little different."

"……"

"Chloe and Abad unconsciously stimulate each other. They have similar aspects and often debate. They are certainly good rivals."

"There's also Chelsea. Well, in Chelsea's case, she grits her teeth, vowing not to lose to Celia."

Cal, having escaped Eliza's whip, put his hands behind his head and said.

"Celia and Duran. In Chen Xia's case, they also consider each other rivals."

Leo, citing examples from the Magic and Knight departments, said.

"But you don't have a rival."

Although Warden exists, Warden is not particularly competitive.

He is simply the type who chases after 'strength' and runs forward diligently.

When Eliza had provoked him several times at the beginning of their first year, he had simply ignored her.

"I'm not exactly considered a rival… Do you understand what I mean?"

"Tsk!"

Eliza gritted her teeth.

Seeing Eliza like that, Leo said,

"Crucially, summoners also grow slowly."

"Are you advising me not to be impatient because time will solve it? That's a truly grateful piece of advice."

Eliza sneered.

Seeing Eliza like that, Leo, who had slumped onto a nearby bench, said,

"Well, you'll likely break through the wall soon. But besides breaking through the wall, wouldn't it be good to learn how to forcefully shatter it?"

"What do you mean?"

Leo smirked.

"How long are you going to make me wait?"

At those words, Eliza's face immediately stiffened.

She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.

The gaze looking down at her from a distant height.

It was the look Leo had shown her before.

'I really don't like that attitude of waiting for me!'

Flames shot from Eliza's eyes.

Seeing Eliza like that, Leo said,

"Cal worries about you a lot."

"Cal Thomas?"

Eliza glanced at Cal.

Cal shrugged.

After watching Cal for a moment, Eliza took a deep breath.

"So? How can you help me?"

"Are you prepared to do whatever I tell you?"

"If you don't ask me to do anything strange."

"Then."

"Are you prepared to die?"