Book 1 Chapter 533
533.
The northern part of the continent is the territory of the elves.
Of course, not all of the northern continental region is elven territory, but it is an undeniable fact that elves occupy most of the vast northern continental territory.
Therefore, innumerable elven nations existed in the northern part of the continent.
“Among them, Eldun is a special country, to put it nicely.”
Heading towards Eldun, Lunia said.
“To put it badly, it's a strange place.”
Hearing Lunia's words, Leo wore a puzzled expression.
“What exactly do you mean?”
“How should I explain it? Ah, right. You can think of it as a place similar to Varharun.”
“So it's a neighborhood full of jerks.”
“That's right.”
As Leo clicked his tongue, Lunia sighed softly.
Hearing the two of them talk, Eiran asked curiously.
“What was Luna like during her school days?”
“From what I heard from Luna, her school days weren't smooth. If it's Varharun, I'd be grinding my teeth first.”
“What was it like?”
“That place was literally a city for nurturing High Elves. And High Elves were the kind of folks who treated even their fellow elves as an inferior race.”
“Ah…”
At those words, Lunia and Eiran naturally recalled a certain group.
‘The Pureblood Society.’
“These days, it seems to be a concept similar to royalty or nobility.”
“Similar. And Luna, who was an orphan, entered Varharun solely based on her pure magical talent.”
In Varharun, where most of the students were children of prestigious families that produced many High Elves, Luna was undeniably an anomalous existence.
‘A type of ecological disturber, I guess.’
Regarding magic, her ideas and application skills transcended common sense.
And the magic power that made it possible.
Indeed, in the history of magic's existence, there is no wizard as great as Luna.
Observing the growth process of such a wizard from close by can be considered an enormous stroke of luck.
Due to the nature of magic, simply observing such a wizard from close by allows one to be influenced and thereby create a foundation to advance oneself.
However, the elves of Varharun simply kept Luna in check.
Another reason for Varharun's existence was the nurturing of the Elf King.
They could not tolerate the possibility, even a slim one, that Luna, a lowly orphan, would become the Elf King.
Chen Xia nodded her head.
She also, though in a different form, was accustomed to the discrimination between heroes and shadows, and thus empathized with Luna's feelings.
“Indeed, since she had such a difficult school life, she must hate that place.”
“Not at all. During her school days, she didn't hate Varharun because the others around her bullied her.”
“Huh?”
“If she was intimidated by such things, she wouldn't be Luna. On the contrary, I heard she'd crash into anyone who picked a fight.”
“Um…”
Chen Xia didn't know what to say and was flustered.
“She was extremely proud of the fact that she was the biggest troublemaker in school, you know?”
At Leo's words, the three girls fell silent.
Certainly, if it was Luna's personality as the three of them knew it, if provoked, she would thoroughly retaliate, not just passively endure.
“Well, and there were good people too.”
Akint.
Previously, the man Leo had possessed had taken good care of Luna, who was alone.
For Luna, I heard he was like a father.
“The reason Luna hated Varharun was because they didn't fulfill their duties.”
When Erebus appeared and Tartarus rose, Varharun, which was the most powerful force, collapsed too easily.
Not only that, but for their own wealth and glory, they even stabbed in the back the elves who risked their lives for the world.
The innumerable acts of betrayal shown by the High Elves to preserve their own power were enough to enrage many.
After the elven forces were annihilated, even when the world was rapidly declining, they caused internal strife and became a major obstacle to inter-racial unity; that was the High Elves.
“They are fellow kin, but in good conscience, I could never say that the Pureblood Society members wouldn't do such a thing.”
Lunia scrunched up her face fiercely and ground her teeth.
In fact, the Pureblood Society had a history of colluding with the Necromancer King.
‘They themselves insisted they weren't, but they kept protesting.’
The evidence is crystal clear.
Within elven society, because the Pureblood Society's influence was considerable, the investigation of those involved was slow, but the investigation network was currently narrowing.
“Their headquarters is Eldun, which you can see right there.”
Lunia slightly scrunched up her face and said, indicating with her face.
In the distance, a towering, high tower was visible.
“An observatory?”
“Yes, Eldun's observatory is famous for being the second-tallest after Seirun.”
At Leo's mumble, Eiran nodded and replied.
Watching that, Lunia crossed her arms and muttered.
“The problem starts now.”
“Problem?”
As Chen Xia tilted her head, Lunia tsked and clicked her tongue.
“Eldun is a city-state, but its influence was immense. It's special, being the headquarters of the Pureblood Society. It's not special in the sense that it's just full of jerks.”
“Then?”
“Eldun is a country where only users of Star Magic can live.”
It means all citizens are mages, and specifically Star Mages.
The Pureblood Society considered even fellow elves who couldn't use Star Magic as inferior, which is why this situation arose.
“Moreover, there's one more problem. Races other than elves can absolutely not enter Eldun.”
“In the case of outsiders, they conduct inspections to a horrifying degree.”
“If it's young master Leo and I, wouldn't it be possible to sneak in?”
“It might be possible, but it wouldn't be easy.”
At Leo's answer, Eiran nodded.
“That's right. The entire city is protected by magic, so sneaking in is almost impossible.”
The fact that everyone in the country could use magic also meant that magic had developed tremendously.
“Now that you mention it, I think I heard it's called the Elven Magic Tower.”
As Leo spoke indifferently, Lunia nodded.
“That's right, though I hate to admit it. Anyway, it's true that Eldun's Star Magic is incredibly advanced. Among the elves from that country, they even produced Seirun's principal.”
“Then what should we do? Even if we disguise ourselves, it doesn't seem like it'll be easy.”
Even Berkhia, though he hadn't mastered Star Magic, I don't think he would have been unable to enter.
Even though swordsmanship was his main forte, his magical talent was personally hinted at by Luna.
Moreover, doesn't he possess an overwhelming power that cannot be compared to theirs?
Lunia approached Leo and asked.
“Leo, with your power, can't you do something?”
“Well, if we have to sneak in, it'll be difficult to do quickly.”
If the magic protecting all of Eldun is Star Magic, then dispelling it itself is easy.
However, if it's about secretly infiltrating, it's a different story.
‘Usually, such magic spells are very sensitive.’
No matter how proficient Leo is in Star Magic, he's not as good as Luna herself.
‘If my magic power was at Seirun's level, it would be possible, but currently my magic power is not at that level.’
Leo looked down at his hand.
“If not quickly? How much time do you need?”
“The exact time I'd only know after seeing the barrier directly, but considering the city's size, wouldn't it take about a week?”
A spell of city scale is vast in scope, so it takes a long time to decipher.
“So, at least that much time is needed, right?”
As Lunia pondered seriously, Chen Xia asked.
“Can you two enter Eldun immediately?”
“Yes. It's possible.”
Lunia took off her coat, then showed her Seirun school uniform underneath and said.
“Seirun students don't particularly need an access pass to enter Eldun… Ah!”
Lunia snapped her fingers.
“Leo! With magic, it's possible to disguise yourself as an elf, right?”
“Hmm? There was such a method.”
As Leo stroked his chin, Eiran tilted her head.
“But isn't there a high chance of disguise magic being exposed during entry inspection?”
“Who do you think is standing here?! Leo is second only to Luna-nim in proficiency in Star Magic!”
Lunia gave a trustworthy look.
“Those magic tools used for entry inspection can be easily fooled, you know?”
“What about me?”
As Chen Xia pointed to herself and asked, Lunia answered.
“If Leo casts an illusion spell on you, you can easily fool them. Because of the Star Magic power on you, the entry inspection magic tool will recognize you as having Star Magic power. Of course, if you completely change your entire appearance, you'll be found out. But just changing your outer appearance to an elf's will be enough to fool them!”
No matter how elaborately crafted a magic tool is, in the end, it's merely a tool containing elaborate magic.
If so, with a more elaborately crafted magic, it can be easily fooled.
At Lunia's words, Chen Xia fiddled with her ear.
Lunia's eyes sparkled.
“If we wear our school uniforms, we'll be perfect Seirun students, so we won't be questioned too deeply! How about it?”
“That sounds like a good idea!”
Eiran smiled brightly.
“Great! Leo! You still have the school uniform you received when you came as an exchange student last time, don't you?”
“I returned it?”
“Ugh! It was a perfect plan!”
Lunia grabbed her head.
“Can't we just make fake uniforms?”
At Chen Xia's words, Leo shook his head.
“A fake would be exposed. It's not for nothing that the Seirun uniform itself is an access pass. The uniform has all sorts of magic cast on it.”
“Ah, indeed, Lumern's uniforms too aren't made ordinarily.”
“That's right. But the Seirun uniforms, from the start, weren't made by a uniform shop but by the school itself and supplied.”
“That's troublesome.”
It was when Chen Xia wore a regretful expression.
“Me! Me! Excuse me.”
Then Eiran raised her hand.
And then she hesitated before speaking with a courageous expression.
“I, I have an idea.”
Swallowing dryly as she spoke, watching Eiran speak, the party wore puzzled expressions.
***
In front of Eldun's checkpoint.
Outsiders were undergoing inspection to enter Eldun.
Two girls whose turn it was walked up to the checkpoint officer, who was performing inspections with sharp eyes.
“What is the matter… Huh?!”
The checkpoint officer, who had been asking routinely, flinched.
“S-Seirun students?”
“You're working hard.”
The silver-haired girl, Eiran, smiled sweetly and greeted him.
The black-haired girl next to her, Chen Xia, just followed Eiran's lead and smiled sweetly.
“We're visiting Eldun to study magic.”
The checkpoint officer checked the crystal ball on his table.
Due to the magic power in the uniforms the two were wearing, a golden light indicating they were Seirun students had appeared.
“Ah, yes! Your names…?”
“I am Eiran Ersar. This is Sirin Rell.”
“Oh! M-Madam Eiran!”
At the visit of the student who was the second-ranked in the second year, the checkpoint officer's gaze was fixed on Eiran.
“I sincerely welcome your visit to Eldun!”
He stood up abruptly, bowed, and opened the entrance gate for them.
To that checkpoint officer, Eiran smiled gently and said.
“Please take good care of my friends who will arrive later. Let's go, Miss Sirin.”
“Yes.”
Eiran, along with Chen Xia, who was using a pseudonym, entered Eldun.
‘At a time like this, for Seirun's top honors student to visit! It seems like something good is going to happen in Eldun!’
It was then that the checkpoint officer wore an excited expression.
“Heav…en… will…pun…ish…them.”
Muttering incomprehensible words softly, a red-haired girl walked over.
The checkpoint officer, confirming her appearance, gasped.
‘C-Could it be?! Seirun's student council president Lunia El Lundua!’
At an early age, not only becoming Seirun's student council president, but also rising to the position of a hero!
Considered the successor to Luna, the progenitor of the Nebula, at Lunia's appearance, the checkpoint officer was trembling.
“Aren't you going to check us?”
Behind Lunia, a white-haired female student peeked her face out and asked with a puzzled expression.
“Gasp! Y-Yes, sir! You two students! Y-Your names?”
“My name is Leona. And this is Lunia.”
“Lu-Lunia-nim and Leona-nim! Confirmed! I sincerely welcome your visit to Eldun!”
“Let's go.”
“You'll be punished by heaven. You'll be punished by heaven. To make a great hero look like this. The gods will surely be angry.”
“Let's hurry.”
Leo pushed Lunia's back.
After passing through the checkpoint, Lunia asked with a flushed face.
“Why are you so calm?!”
“Is there a problem? Thanks to this, we passed easily. It's efficient and good.”
Leo, wearing Lunia's uniform, shrugged as if it were nothing.
Watching such a Leo, Lunia was trembling.
“L-Leo-nim… You're beautiful… Haa… haa… P-Picture! Must take a picture!”
“Because Lady Reina is so beautiful, perhaps that's why, when dressed up, Young Master Leo also looks very beautiful. Should we call you Young Miss Leo now?”
Eiran muttered, covering her face, while Chen Xia smiled sweetly and teased, but then received a rap on the head from Leo.
“As expected, those guys are weird. They're weird!”
Only Lunia, with a flushed face, pulled at her hair.
“Let's quickly find accommodation first. I need to change clothes quickly.”
Leo, who had been walking calmly, stopped in his tracks.
Hmm-!
A small vibration from his waist was felt.
At that moment, at the familiar aura he felt, Leo's face slightly stiffened.
‘Bihar?’