Book 1 Chapter 60
【60】59
[Hot!]
Deep in the pre-dawn hours.
Kiran snapped awake, startled.
“You’re awake?”
[Ah, you wicked human!]
Kiran recoiled in fright, dragging his backside away.
Leo rested his chin on his hand, watching Kiran’s retreat.
“For now, I’ll acknowledge that you are the heir to the Fairy King.”
[Wh-what did you say?]
“The pact has been forcibly fulfilled.”
Leo furrowed his brow and looked down at the back of his right hand.
A silver summoning circle was glowing there.
Kiran stared at it in astonishment.
[I-impossible! Are you the Pledging Partner my father spoke of!]
‘The Pledging Partner Silode mentioned? So, that seal was meant to be broken the moment I met the Pledging Partner.’
In Leo’s case, he had obtained the pact through a completely different route, independent of Silode’s will, but it was true that the contract had been forcibly executed due to the pact.
“That would be the case.”
[I can’t believe it! My father would never make a paltry human his Pledging Partner!]
Kiran, who had been pointing an accusatory finger in defiance, suddenly spoke in a flustered tone as he saw Leo pick up his Summoning Magic textbook.
[W-well, thinking about it, contracting with a human might not be so bad after all!]
“How did you end up being Silode’s son?”
[Hmph! What right do you have, a mere human, to speak as if you are close to my father?]
“I know more about Silode than you do.”
During the Age of Calamity, Leo and Silode had fought side by side through countless battles.
Although Silode was Luna’s contractor, his bond with Leo was no less strong.
“Silode has a very gentle nature. He doesn’t have the kind of speciesist tendencies that you do.”
Leo rested his chin on his hand.
“Besides, you were sealed by Silode after committing a grave offense, weren’t you?”
Kiran flinched.
“Royal Fairies have six wings. Only the Fairy King can strip those wings. It’s obvious you committed a great wrong and were banished from the Fairy Land.”
[How can a human like you know such details!]
“I told you. I know Silode better than you do.”
Kiran stared blankly at Leo, who offered a meaningful smile.
[Are you… are you truly the Fairy King’s Pledging Partner? Have you met my father in person?]
“Yes.”
Technically, he had met him in his previous life, but he wasn't lying.
[I-I can’t believe it.]
“So, why were you banished?”
[Since you are the Pledging Partner, there’s no need to hide it.]
Kiran gazed out the window with a sorrowful expression.
[That night, the stars were shining just like tonight.]
As the eldest son of the Fairy King, Kiran was beloved by all the fairies in the Fairy Land.
Living a life where he could have whatever he desired from a young age, Kiran indulged in dissolute behavior.
[That day, those who envied me framed me, and eventually, I incurred my father’s wrath.]
“So, you caused all sorts of trouble and angered Silode? You’re throwing a tantrum like you’re wronged, even though you were kicked out for making your father worry?”
[Hieek?]
Kiran shrieked and fled as Leo brandished his Summoning Magic textbook.
Knowing his friend’s personality, Leo could only imagine how much Silode must have had to resort to drastic measures with his son.
“Tsk. Anyway, since the seal is broken, you can return to the Fairy Land anytime, right? Go and call Silode for me.”
[I cannot do that.]
“Why?”
[I cannot return to the Fairy Land. I can only return once I have found all six of my wings.]
“……”
[It seems you won’t be able to meet my father again. Well, that’s typical of humans.]
Kiran smirked dismissively at Leo and crossed his arms.
[Well, I don’t particularly like humans, but since you’ve been recognized by my father, I’ll tolerate you! I shall bestow upon you the honor of helping me reclaim my wings! I believe the first wing is in the Fairy Forest, our ancestral home. I expect you to guide me there quickly.]
As the smug Kiran stood there, a dark shadow fell over him.
‘Silode, it seems fate has brought your son to me.’
Thwack-! Thwack-! Thwack-! Thwack-!
[Cough! H-help me…! Cough!]
‘I will educate him well and send him back.’
Leo smiled warmly, thinking of his friend who must have suffered because of his son.
***
“It’s cold!”
The next morning.
Class 5 burst into screams upon arriving at a clearing at the entrance of the Fairy Forest.
Despite changing into their winter uniforms and bundling up as warmly as possible, the cold of the Fairy Forest was beyond imagination.
Even students from the northern regions shivered.
Even within the northern regions, the elves’ territory was much further north, making it colder than where humans lived.
While all the students were chattering with cold, Harland spoke.
“Now, I will tell you where you are lacking.”
Sena distributed papers she had prepared beforehand to the class.
As the students received them, their faces naturally stiffened.
“Lack of coordination between swordsmanship and magic? Me?”
Iliana looked incredulous.
“Lack of ability to utilize summoned beasts?”
Tate also looked unconvinced.
“Chelsea. What’s your problem?”
“Lack of understanding of wind magic. Carl?”
“Huh? I can understand why mine is a lack of magical power, but is that really your problem?”
Chelsea’s words surprised Carl.
Most of the students expressed doubts about the weaknesses assigned to them.
Chelsea raised her hand.
“Professor! I don’t understand! My wind magic is at the highest level in our grade, so why is my weakness a lack of understanding of wind magic?”
“You think so?”
“Yes! I am confident that my understanding of wind magic is as high as my brother’s!”
As a member of a heroic family whose primary element was wind, this was unacceptable.
It wasn’t just Chelsea.
The areas Harland pointed out as lacking were all areas that the Class 5 students individually considered their ‘strengths.’
Fields they were confident they excelled in compared to others.
Since the conclusion was a lack of skill in those very fields, it was natural for them to show resistance.
Responding to everyone’s reactions, Harland said.
“Can you not admit that you are not properly utilizing your strengths?”
“We cannot!”
Chelsea replied with a slightly sulky expression.
“So, you think so.”
Harland’s lips curled upwards.
“Chelsea Lewalin. Forward.”
Surprised by the sudden summons, Chelsea stepped forward with a puzzled look.
“Leo Flove. Forward.”
Leo was then summoned.
“From now on, the two of you will engage in a duel using only wind magic.”
“……!”
“If you are confident it’s the highest level in the grade, then prove your skills here and now.”
“Professor, no matter how great Leo oppa is, it’s obvious I’ll win if we only use wind magic.”
The other students thought the same.
“If Chelsea Lewalin wins, it means my judgment was wrong. In that case, you will have free time as you please during the school trip.”
At Harland’s words, the entire Class 5 glared.
‘That means…’
‘We won’t have to suffer like this in the cold this early in the morning!’
‘If Chelsea just beats the class representative!’
“Instead, if Leo Flove wins, you will obey my words without complaint.”
“Yes!”
“Chelsea, fighting!”
“Crush the class representative!”
“Chelsea! We’re counting on you!”
With the entire class turning against him, Leo let out a wry laugh.
“Not a single person is cheering for me?”
“Sorry, Leo! I can’t cheer for you this time!”
At Carl’s words, Leo shook his head and walked towards the center of the clearing.
Stomp- Stomp-
“Come to think of it, this is the first time we’re fighting with magic, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it is.”
Although Chelsea’s training sessions were held weekly and they sparred, it was always physical training.
They had never sparred using magic like this.
‘I don’t think I’ll lose to Leo oppa in a duel using only wind magic.’
Chelsea glanced between Leo and Harland.
‘Professor Harland wouldn’t have said that for no reason.’
Chelsea bounced on her toes, warming up.
“No matter how great Leo is, this is impossible.”
“Right.”
“Professor Harland seems to be pushing it too hard.”
Everyone wore relaxed expressions, but Carl was tense.
‘Objectively speaking, Chelsea has too much of an advantage. But Leo has always exceeded expectations. He might have a trump card.’
“Begin.”
As soon as Harland gave the order, Chelsea began chanting.
“Wind Breaker!”
“Wind Breaker.”
Simultaneously with Chelsea’s incantation, Leo also chanted.
Chelsea, who expected him to dodge, looked surprised.
CRASH-!
The blades of wind collided and canceled each other out.
WHOOSH-!
Naturally, fragments of Chelsea’s Wind Breaker, which couldn’t be fully canceled, struck Leo.
“Wind Shield!”
WHOOSH-!
The powerful storm of blades blew away the wind shield Leo created, leaving scratches on Leo’s body.
“……!”
“I-impossible!”
Tate looked panicked as Iliana cried out in disbelief.
“What? Why? Isn’t Chelsea at an advantage?”
“You idiot! Chelsea’s high-speed incantation is the best among first-years! But Leo countered with the same spell as Chelsea! What does that mean!”
‘Leo oppa’s casting speed… is faster than mine.’
Leo had shown weakness in activation rituals, which could be considered the latest trend in magic.
‘It wouldn’t be strange if Leo oppa had quickly overcome that weakness. But is it possible for his wind magic casting speed to be faster than mine?’
Chelsea’s high-speed incantation ability was undoubtedly the best in the first year.
Even Chloe and Abad were surpassed by Chelsea in this area.
While Leo’s high-speed incantation spell was overwhelmingly weaker than Chelsea’s, the fact that his speed was slower was a blow to Chelsea’s pride.
‘Casting speed doesn’t change the outcome of a battle!’
It was only slightly faster!
There was no significant difference.
‘Besides, I can use a much wider variety of magic with high-speed incantation than Leo oppa!’
“Wind Chain!”
CLINK-!
While Wind Breaker was a spell that swept away enemies in a straight line, Wind Chain was a spell that subdued enemies using chains of wind.
As Chelsea’s magic targeted him, Leo completed his incantation.
“Wind.”
‘As expected, Leo oppa’s spell variety is lacking!’
Chelsea shouted with a triumphant smile.
“You can never beat me with just wind magic!”
At those words, Leo chuckled.
“Do you remember what I told you the first day I met you, Chelsea?”
“What?”
“That’s not how you use wind magic.”
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