Book 1 Chapter 728

The day after the mock battle.

The students who had been in the infirmary ward didn't return to the clock tower dormitory until evening.

Seeing them, Karl made a puzzled expression.

"Hey, Chelsea. Why were you in the infirmary for almost two full days?"

Most of Lumern's classes are practical.

As such, injuries were inevitable, and the best doctors and healers were always on standby in the infirmary.

It was said that no matter how serious the injury, as long as life remained, they could be saved, indicating how excellent Lumern's medical technology was.

Even though students were injured in the mock battle, none had broken bones, so they thought they would return in the morning.

However, the students who had been in the infirmary didn't return to the dormitory until a full day and a half had passed.

"Were you more injured than I thought?"

As Karl asked with a puzzled face, Chelsea sighed.

"No. Everyone seemed to have overexerted themselves and complained of a subtle dizziness."

"Hmm? Aftereffects of mana depletion?"

"Yeah. It seemed a bit severe."

"I see. You must have had a tough time."

It was as Karl nodded.

"There they are!"

"Stop right there!"

[Hahahahahahaha!]

The first-years were running furiously, each holding a butterfly net.

Normally, it would have been unimaginable for them to run around shouting in the common lounge filled with seniors.

But this time, no one stopped the first-years.

It was because what the first-years were chasing was none other than Kirian.

Kirian's movements, dodging the wildly swung butterfly nets, were almost like acrobatic flight.

[How is it! My splendid movements!]

"Tsk! Is this the power of the Three Great Spirits?!"

"We can't catch him!"

[Kneel before my majesty! You insignificant first-years!]

The first-years wore looks of frustration.

Looking at them from afar, Lissinas smiled bitterly.

'He's making a mockery of the Three Great Spirits all by himself. I heard he's Sillod's son, right? He's having a tough time in his later years too.'

If his contracted partner, the last Phoenix King, had seen this, he might have been furious.

"Wow, Leo. How does your summon always know the timing when there are no senior students and appear out of nowhere?"

"He's not an idiot. He doesn't act up around people who might catch him in the first place."

Leo looked at Kirian, who was acting up triumphantly, and asked Chelsea.

"So? Is your mana depletion any better?"

"Yeah! No problem!"

Chelsea flexed her arm and answered energetically.

"What about you and Chen Xia? You didn't even go to the infirmary."

Leo looked at Chloe, who was reading a book beside him as usual.

He asked Lissinas.

"My and Xia's burdens were a little less."

In the mock battle, Lissinas influenced the magical display that was visible externally.

Because of that, the external professors and students only saw the mock battle screen created by Lissinas.

And the students who participated in the mock battle had their memories temporarily sealed by Lissinas.

Memory sealing using dragon language.

'It's not a powerful restriction, so the duration isn't long, but…'

Lissinas looked at the book.

'No matter how dense this idiot is, he's quick-witted in other aspects.'

It was impossible to hide his identity for a long time anyway.

Squeak-

At that moment, the dormitory door opened and someone entered.

[Hahahahahahaha! Cough?!]

"What are you all doing?"

A fourth-year student from the Summoning Department.

Lil looked at the first-years with a puzzled expression.

In her hand, she held Kirian, who had been acting up until a moment ago.

"Hm? Isn't this a praise sticker?"

Lil, who had taken the praise sticker from Kirian's neck, spotted Leo in the lounge and approached him.

"Brother, have you been well for the past few days?"

"Did you finish your mission well?"

"Yes. I returned safely after completing it."

It seemed she had just returned after a long-term mission.

"Give me that sticker."

"Yes."

Leo took the sticker from Lil and stamped it on his palm.

"Oh! Do you get a praise sticker for catching this fairy?"

"Yeah. There are many other things that earn you extra points, so work hard."

Leo pointed to the status board with his finger.

There were departmental scores and individual scores.

And at the top was an overwhelming first place.

Elena.

In one day, Elena had resolved two problems within the dormitory.

Lil, who had been listening to the explanation about the departmental war that had occurred during her absence, tilted her head.

"Is there a prize for getting first place individually? Elena-senpai isn't someone who would work this hard."

"She said she'd grant one wish within her power."

"A wish? Wow! You're truly generous!"

Lil, who was admiring, looked at Lissinas, who was staring at her, with a puzzled expression.

"Is there something on my face?"

"It's nothing."

Lissinas smiled and closed the book, then stood up.

"I'm going to my room to sleep now."

Lissinas said to Leo and stood up.

"Today, I feel a mature charm from Chloe."

Karl tilted his head at Lil's remark.

"Leo said something similar, you know."

"Ah. To be able to exude such adult charm. I'm envious."

Meanwhile, Lissinas, who had moved to the hallway, marveled at Lil.

'Amazing.'

Being a summoner, Lissinas's gaze was drawn to Lil.

'Perena in the first year. Shasha in the second year. Runba in the fifth year. Eliza and Warden in the third year.'

They were all talented summoners.

As a summoner, it was inevitable to be drawn to students of the Summoning Department.

However, among them, Lil was the most impressive.

Of course, Warden's impact was stronger.

'That one is too overwhelming.'

The talent for perfectly controlling spirits was enough to impress Lissinas.

But Lil was a little different from Warden.

'Friend.'

Lissinas could feel the spirits around Lil being happy.

There were many powerful spirit users, but few spirit users could make spirits happy like Lil.

'A very charming spirit user.'

Perhaps if she were to be reincarnated again.

Wouldn't she have taken Lil as a disciple?

Lissinas, who had been thinking about Lil for a moment, put on a mischievous expression.

'It's coming soon.'

A little later.

Lissinas hummed a tune, imagining Leo's soon-to-be contorted face.

***

Tap- tap-

Elena walked down the hallway where darkness had fallen with a serene pace.

Curfew had arrived.

However, Elena, the queen and tyrant of Lumern, walked boldly through the hallway.

She didn't try to hide.

Elena, who strode through the hallway as if it were her own living room, said.

"Where are you hiding?"

Elena's voice echoed throughout the hallway.

While searching for problems within the dormitory, Elena didn't stop hunting other students.

For students of departments other than the Magic Department, she was literally the worst hunter.

"Play with me."

Karl clicked his tongue at Elena's voice, heard from afar.

"Wow, that voice is scarier than the voices of the former student council presidents who appeared in a horrible state before."

Elena's voice, heard from afar, was a terror itself, even though she was on the same side.

"Isn't it?"

"It is."

To Karl's question, Eliza answered listlessly.

Although they were together, wearing invisibility cloaks, Eliza didn't even glance at Karl.

"Is something wrong?"

"Not really."

"You seem upset?"

"Who are you calling upset?"

Eliza glared at Karl.

"Come on. Why? What's bothering you? Tell me."

"Don't come close! It's hot!"

As Karl said with a laugh, getting close, Eliza became annoyed.

"Oh? Did I hear Karl's voice?"

At the voice that came from right next to them, Karl and Eliza almost screamed.

Elena had appeared right next to Karl and Eliza.

They wouldn't be discovered thanks to the invisibility cloak and Dweno's artifact that blocked their presence.

Elena, with her hand on her eyebrows, looked around.

Karl and Eliza, covering each other's mouths, calmed their pounding hearts.

Tap- tap-

"Are you going to play tag with me disrespectfully? Where could you be?"

Elena smiled and began to walk with a relaxed pace, tap- tap-.

'I wasn't found, was I?'

Karl, terrified, crouched down with Eliza.

They were on their way to tackle the maze they had scouted earlier.

If they were caught by Elena, it was obvious that Elena would immediately eliminate Eliza and drag him to the maze.

Karl and Eliza moved as far away from Elena as possible.

As they cautiously tried to round a corner of the hallway.

They froze upon seeing a giant, menacing warhammer.

At the corner of the hallway, Lil, who had suppressed her presence, was looking at Elena.

Lil, holding the warhammer firmly with both hands, crouched down.

Currently, the only person in Lumern who could face Elena, besides Leo.

Lil, a fourth-year student of the Summoning Department, charged at Elena, who was not paying attention.

CRASH-!

CRUNCH-!

Lil's warhammer struck Elena's shield.

Objects in the surroundings were instantly blown away by the shockwave.

"Hmm?"

Elena opened her eyes lazily and looked at Lil, who was pressing down on her shield.

"My cute Lil. What is this all about?"

"Can't you see? I'm fighting Elena-senpai."

"Do you have a grudge against me?"

As Elena tilted her head, Lil shook her head.

"Not at all. But we have to fight eventually, right?"

CRACKLE-

Elena's shield cracked.

"If it's an unavoidable fight, I should strike first. The wish prize from Brother is mine."

"You coveted the wish? What is it? If it's something I can grant for you, I will."

"It's a wish that only Brother can grant me."

"What do you want from Leo-kun?"

"I want to be alone with Brother for about a week!"

"What will you do for a week?"

"Training, of course! I want to train with Brother without rest!"

"That's just like you."

"Haaaaaah!"

CRACK-!

Lil's warhammer completely tore through Elena's shield.

Magic fragments flew in all directions.

"Now's the time! Run!"

"I don't need to be told!"

"As expected, you were hiding?"

"Huh? Since when were those two here?"

Elena had a knowing look, while Lil looked surprised.

Although Lil's hammer destroyed Elena's shield, it did not directly harm her.

She had avoided the attack just before it hit.

"Hmm. By the way, Lil?"

"Yes."

"You said your wish is your goal, but there's emotion in your hammer?"

Elena smiled.

"Shall we try being a little more honest?"

To that question, Lil smiled.

"Isn't Elena-senpai graduating at the end of this year?"

"And then?"

"I wanted to get back at you for teasing me for the past four years. I thought this was the perfect opportunity."

"Ah."

Elena nodded.

Then she smiled.

"Our Lil has grown a lot? Trying to unleash what you've held inside because you thought it was an opportunity."

"I was originally taller than you!"

Lil charged forward with incredible speed.

Elena, smiling at Lil, snapped her fingers.

SNAP-!

A vast number of magic circles appeared around Elena.

"I understand your feelings, but still, you dared to bare your teeth at this senior."

Elena curled the corners of her mouth.

"No matter how much you are Lil, you'll have to be disciplined, won't you?"

***

CLANG-!

"Ugh?!"

THUD-!

THUMP-!

Under the impact of Elena's magic, Lil was flung through the window and fell inside.

The incredibly heavy warhammer rolled on the floor.

Fortunately, she landed in a soft place and didn't take a major impact.

Lil, getting up, sat on something hard and looked at the broken window.

"As expected, Elena-senpai! You're not easy to deal with!"

Lil's fighting spirit flared up, but she suddenly looked around.

"But where is this? I'm sure I flew out the window towards the dining hall?"

This was clearly someone's bedroom.

And where Lil was, was the bed.

"What is going on?"

"That's what I'd like to know."

"Hk?!"

Startled by the voice from below, Lil looked down.

And she recognized that what she was sitting on was someone she knew, and she was shocked.

What Lil was sitting on was Leo, who had been suddenly subjected to this ordeal while sleeping.

Leo tapped the butt of Lil, who was sitting on him, with his fingertips.

"Can you move this?"

"Waaaaah! B-Brother! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Lil, terrified, quickly moved off Leo.

Leo, grimacing, sat up.

"No, what is this situation…"

WHOOSH-!

At that moment, a giant ball of flame flew in from the window Lil had broken through.

It was magic cast by Elena.

Seeing that, Leo covered his face.

"What is this? Is this a dream? What is this sudden chaos?"

He denied reality, but unfortunately, Elena's magic landed precisely on Leo's head.

And then…

BOOM-!

A massive explosion occurred, devastating Leo's room.

***

BOOM-!

"……?"

Mel, who had been working late in the teacher's building, stared blankly at the massive explosion that occurred on the top floor of the clock tower dormitory, visible from outside the window.

"What is that…?"