Book 1 Chapter 712

712.

Having skipped breakfast, Leo, who had left the Clock Tower Dormitory, headed towards the Hall of Summoning, where the professors' offices of the Summoning Department were located.

"Oh, Leo! What brings you here so early in the morning? Did you come to ask me something?"

Professor of third-year Summoning studies.

Yura greeted Leo with a cheerful voice.

"I came to see Professor Artian."

"Artian? He'll probably be in the professors' dining hall right now."

Yura, who had told Leo where Artian was, approached Leo and put her arm around his shoulder.

"Anyway, Leo. There's something I wanted to ask you."

"What is it?"

"The dormitory management professors. Shouldn't we increase their numbers? There are quite a few professors in charge of majors who are as free as I am, you know?"

"I think if that happens, it won't be just a fight between students anymore."

Leo smiled faintly and shrugged off Yura's arm.

At that, Yura clicked her tongue, "Tch-".

The current dormitory professors were selected through a thorough screening process by Halind and Sedgen, who could be called the pillars of Lumern.

Other departmental professors.

In other words, if professors like Yura or Len obtained dormitory management authority, the outcome was obvious.

Bonus point stamps and deduction point stamps would be rampant.

Since the departmental war was declared, the overheated competition led to an increase in departmental professors eyeing dormitory management positions.

'If I carelessly hand out stamps, Professor Halind will scold me.'

Leo shook his head inwardly and headed to the professors' dining hall.

Entering the dining hall, Leo spotted Professor Artian, who was just about to start his meal, and approached him.

"Oh my? Leo. What brings you here so early in the morning?"

"I came to ask you something."

"That's unexpected. For an honor student like Leo to have something he doesn't know and come to ask."

Artian, surprised, smiled faintly.

"It's a good habit to ask when you don't know something. Ahem. Ask this professor anything."

"It's related to first summoning. Yesterday…"

"Leo. You came early in the morning, so you haven't eaten yet, right? The professors' dining hall has better food than the students' dining hall. Here, try some."

Artian quickly pushed the untouched food into Leo's mouth.

Leo chewed the meatball that had entered his mouth.

"I'll go get some new food."

Artian, smiling faintly, went out to get another serving.

In the meantime.

"Peep peep."

"The professors' dining hall is tastier? Give me some too."

"Master. I want to eat an apple pie."

Leo's spirit beasts, who had appeared, showed interest in the food on the tray.

Leo's summoned beasts had eaten all the food sold in Lumern, but they had never encountered the food in the professors' dining hall.

On the table, Fiona, in the form of a red chick, pecked at a piece of bread.

Kiran stirred and ate soup with a spoon as big as his body, and Arti poked at the food with a fork.

As the three great spirit beasts gathered together, coveting the food on the tray, professors, as if curious about the rare scene, gathered around Leo.

Among them, some felt self-loathing watching Fiona and Kiran fighting over food.

"Ugh… I've dedicated my life to the study of the three great spirit beasts, yet…"

"Phoenixes and fairies are clearly noble and pure spirit beasts…"

"My thesis on the three great spirit beasts was wrong… My honor will be sullied!"

"Just clean it up, then."

Professors studying the three great spirit beasts felt self-loathing.

"Still, the Pegasus is elegant."

Watching Arti daintily eat food with a fork, the professors nodded, "Mmm, mmm!"

'If they knew Arti's true form, they'd cry.'

Leo lightly clicked his tongue.

Unable to shatter the illusions of the professors studying the three great spirit beasts any further, Leo reached out his hand.

Slam-!

"Peep-hoo?!"

"Cough!"

Leo, grabbing Fiona and Kiran with one hand, reached his hand into the air.

As a black hole appeared in the air, Leo shoved the two immature spirit beasts into it.

"Arti. You go in too."

"Yes."

Arti, in the form of a child, floated up and entered the black hole.

Leo said,

"They're the strange ones, so don't get discouraged. They're also children."

At Leo's words, the professors specializing in the research of spirit beast summoning nodded.

"As expected, spirits are the best."

"Great spirits are truly dignified."

At this sight, professors studying spirit magic praised the nobility of great spirits, as if wanting to be heard.

'They're even more vulgar, though.'

Recalling the great spirits of water and fire subdued by Elsie, Leo shook his head.

He decided to keep quiet, still not wanting to shatter the professors' illusions.

In the midst of that.

The returned Artian said,

"Professors. I have something to discuss quietly with Leo, could you please give us some space?"

Artian spoke cautiously, but the other professors didn't listen.

"Leo. Would you like to do some research with me? You just stay still. I'll put your name first as the author of the paper."

"Rather than this person, with me…"

"Oh, come on! I was first."

The summoning professors, who mainly conducted research, showed great interest in Leo.

Artian hesitated, overwhelmed by his senior professors.

Among the summoning professors, Artian was the youngest.

He couldn't possibly raise his voice to his respected seniors.

As for Artian.

"These old geezers! This is a student who came to ask me something!"

Suddenly, Artian widened his eyes and shouted.

At his words, the startled professors scattered in a rush.

Artian's spiritual presence seemed to instill fear not only in students but also among senior professors.

"S-sorryyyyyyy!"

Artian made a tearful face and repeatedly bowed his head.

Yura burst out laughing, seeing his expression.

It seemed she found it amusing that the stern and dignified seniors were being swayed by Artian, the youngest.

Leo chuckled, seeing Yura's expression.

'He must have been picked on a lot by Professor Halind during his school days.'

Artian, sitting next to Leo with an embarrassed face, said,

"Leo. You really shouldn't mention that you're receiving private tutoring from me in front of the other professors."

There were still many professors eyeing Leo.

If it became known that he was receiving private tutoring from Artian, it would definitely become noisy.

"Yes."

That was why Artian had quickly cut off Leo's words.

"So? What are you curious about regarding first summoning?"

As Artian started eating and asked, Leo, eating alongside him, replied.

"Does it ever happen that an unspecified number of spirits are summoned when first summoning fails?"

"I've never heard of such a case."

Artian tilted his head.

Then, after a moment of contemplation, he said,

"Usually, a spiritmancer struggles just to summon a single spirit. First summoning is the very foundation of spirit magic. Therefore, summoning an unspecified number of spirits through first summoning is extremely difficult. There has been no spiritmancer like that in the history of spirit magic."

"I see."

"But…"

"But?"

"Although it's not properly documented and only comes down as a legend, I wonder if it would be possible for a summoner on the level of Lord Licynas, the King of Wisdom."

Listening to Artian's words, Leo looked down at his palm.

His power was that of Licynas.

"Why are you asking that?"

"Because rumors were circulating among students yesterday that they saw a ghost."

"A ghost?"

"Yes."

At Leo's words, Artian's eyes sparkled.

"That's interesting!"

***

Last night.

The story of magic students seeing a ghost seemed to be a big issue for all students.

But it was overshadowed by an even bigger scandal.

"No. I saw a ghost yesterday…"

"Ah. Stop it. I'm sick of it!"

"No. I barely said anything…"

"More than that! I told you, didn't I? Those two weren't ordinary! Eliza, who always used polite language with other classmates and strictly drew lines, spoke informally to Kal!"

The third-year magic students chattered excitedly.

The third-year summoning students were also shocked.

Even though she was a delinquent student, within the Summoning Department, Eliza was a definite leader and a focal point.

It was no exaggeration to say that most summoning students were her followers.

A proud, delinquent lady, whose conduct was not proper, but who was untouchable.

Such an Eliza having an overnight stay with Kal, a commoner?

"Does this even make sense?"

As Tade, Kal's best friend, shook his head, Juraiden, a third-year summoning student, said indifferently.

"What's not to make sense? Kal's a good guy."

"No. But considering Eliza's usual personality…"

"It is strange."

"You're surprisingly quick to accept reality, aren't you?"

Students from the Magic and Summoning Departments, to which the individuals belonged, showed the most excited reactions.

Of course, the Knight Department also showed an interesting reaction.

"Popcorn would be perfect for times like these!"

"That Kal! He's neglecting his duties!"

"But if they're in the disciplinary room, are they locked in the same room?"

"Wow. It's going to be hot for two days, isn't it?"

Celia frowned, watching the third-year Knight Department students who were busy chattering and giggling.

"How vulgar. Are you even Knight Department students who value chivalry?"

"Ah, no. Just joking…"

"You shouldn't make fun of others like that. Do you want to be scolded?"

Chen Xia also smiled sweetly and reprimanded her classmates.

At that, the Knight Department students, who had been chattering about Kal and Eliza's relationship, looked towards Duran for help.

"What are you looking at?"

Crackle-

A faint aura even emanated from Duran's body, who among the three monster students of the Knight Department seemed to be in the worst mood.

Nella looked at Duran with a puzzled expression.

"Duran seems to be in a very bad mood?"

"He was seeing Kal as a potential husband for his younger sister."

"Ah."

From Duran's perspective, having to rule the country after graduation, it was natural for him to be in a bad mood, as a talented individual of his nation who had risen to the position of a hero might be lost overseas.

Even with the power of the Moira Kingdom, dealing with Eliza was difficult because she was also the heir of the Hergin family.

Although not a kingdom, the Hergin family was a great family with immense influence in the northern part of the continent.

In terms of history and prestige, it was deeper and higher than the Moira Kingdom, and its power was also comparable to the Moira Kingdom.

Meanwhile.

Second-year students were also busy talking about Kal and Eliza.

"Hey. Juen. We promised to spar today, didn't we? Let's do it now."

Aina approached Juen, who seemed to have her soul missing, and said with an expressionless face.

"Juen?"

Aina tilted her head, seeing Juen spaced out, and waved her hand in front of Juen's eyes.

"Do you hear me? Juen. I said let's spar?"

"Yes, yes~ That's enough."

"Aina. Read the room right now."

Shasha and Luke, grabbing Aina's arms from both sides, pulled Aina away.

The first-year students felt unable to speak carelessly as it was a story about seniors two years above them.

But the fourth and fifth-year students were surprisingly calm.

"I thought it was too quiet recently."

"There are always those who cause trouble, I tell you."

To the upperclassmen who had seen all sorts of hardships and unpleasant things, such scandals did not seem so unfamiliar.

Even after school, the talk about Kal and Eliza was boisterous, and soon it was night again.

Curfew, Magic Department Dormitory Lounge.

"Hey! Everything's been raided!"

"That Leo's fairy must be responsible!"

"No! Looking at how all the food was cleared out, it must be that Phoenix!"

The Magic Department dormitory, attacked by spirit beasts, was in an uproar.

Seeing this, Chelsea grabbed a butterfly net and stepped out.

"Going to catch them?"

Chloe, who was sitting in the lounge reading a magic book as if it didn't concern her, asked with a puzzled face, and Chelsea nodded with a serious expression.

"Yeah. They cleared out all my expensive cookies I had hidden."

Chelsea pulled out a red feather from her pocket and showed it.

Her hand was trembling with anger.

"I'm going to catch them and pluck their feathers."

Chelsea snarled and left the dormitory.

Rustle rustle-

With her characteristic light footsteps, she quietly walked down the corridor.

Unable to use magic lamps or lanterns, she had to rely on dim light.

The night corridor, as expected, had something eerie about it.

But Chelsea didn't bat an eye.

'Where are you, you damn chick!'

Chelsea's eyes narrowed.

At first, she was friendly because it was Leo's Phoenix, but if it stole cookies like this, it was a different story.

Chelsea walked down the corridor, snarling fiercely.

Portraits of students who had made a name for themselves in Lumern throughout history hung in the corridor.

Clang- clang-

The sound of metal friction came from the far end of the corridor.

Chelsea's eyes twitched.

Clang- clang-

"Wizards… I'll kill youuuu!"

A blood-stained armored knight revealed murderous intent towards Chelsea with an eerie voice.

Chelsea, who was looking at the armored knight a head taller than herself, struck the knight's helmet with her butterfly net.

Clang-! Whirrrrrrr-!

The knight's helmet spun in place.

"I don't know who you are, but you have a peculiar concept."

Chelsea snorted and said.

"If we fight in the corridor, professors might find out, so let's go our separate ways."

There's no such thing as a ghost!

Chelsea, convinced of this, thought of the opponent as a malicious Knight Department student and walked past him, *whoosh*!

Normally, she would have knocked him down to score points.

But today, Chelsea's prey was Fiona.

"Gwaaaah! Wizard! I'll kill you!"

"Ah! Seriously!"

But seeing the knight chasing her and shouting, Chelsea's eyes widened, and she charged directly, delivering a dropkick to the knight's helmet.

Clang! Thunk! Clatter!

The sound of the knight's helmet, detached from its neck, flying and rolling on the floor, echoed throughout the corridor.

"…"

Chelsea silently looked at the opponent she had dropkicked.

It had no head.

"…Magic? Summoning?"

It was when Chelsea muttered with a sour expression.

Whoosh-!

An aura surged from the sword of the headless armored knight.

At that moment.

All the paintings in the portraits simultaneously stared at Chelsea.

Chelsea, whose eyes met with the portraits, nodded.

'Run.'

"Gwaaahhhhh!"

The armored knight roared, chasing after Chelsea.

"What in the world is thissss?!"

Chelsea's scream echoed throughout the corridor.