Book 1 Chapter 743

743.

Led by Leo, the Lumern students prepared to depart for Debian.

News that Leo was leaving for a new mission had already spread throughout the school.

And the members of this mission were even more luxurious than before.

Leo was already considered outside the discussion among students.

As such, when discussing Lumern's strongest, he was naturally excluded from the candidate pool.

Naturally, Elena and Lil.

The news that Lumern's official first and second strongest were participating in this expedition caused a huge sensation.

This is because it was extremely rare for the academy's strongest and second strongest to form a party together.

Leo was also busy preparing in his room.

As Leo, who was packing clothes to change and checking his weapons, paused.

He then stared intently at Lisinas.

Lisinas, who was humming a tune and eating snacks on the sofa, tilted his head at Leo's gaze.

"Why?"

"Most of my weapons are in the subspace of my cloak."

The cloak of the jet-black cloak was an item that had been with Leo long before the Erebus Expeditionary Force and Archih had become fully formed.

Therefore, from the moment Leo received the jet-black cloak, which Lumern obtained as a quest reward, from Lian, he stored his weapons in it.

The reason was simple.

It was because he was most accustomed to retrieving weapons from the jet-black cloak.

Even after reincarnation, he had fought many battles.

However, even so, the number of battles fought as Leo Flov was incomparable to his past life.

Therefore, Leo was still most accustomed to storing items in the jet-black cloak, as he did when he was Kyle.

"But you're using it as a medium for manifestation."

At Leo's words, Lisinas casually looked down at his body.

Indeed, Lisinas was manifesting through the jet-black cloak he had made from his own skin as a medium.

"Luna could freely use Comet, her medium. Can you do that too?"

"No. I can't draw out the abilities of your cloak."

"Why?"

"Luna and I are different in our state as spirits."

"Different in state?"

"Yes."

Lisinas nodded and approached the makeshift blackboard in a corner of Leo's room, picking up chalk.

"I'm going to give you a special lecture on spirit arts from now on."

Saying that, Lisinas squinted his eyes.

"I wish I had heard this 5,000 years ago."

"You were the one who told me 5,000 years ago that I had no talent for spirit arts."

"Still, I told you to learn it just in case."

"Luna was nagging me to learn magic! In fact, it was more efficient for me to learn magic than spirit arts back then."

Indeed, since he had zero talent for spirit arts, learning magic from Luna was more efficient at the time.

'That Luna.'

Lisinas sighed, recalling the past.

At that time, Luna might have wanted to spend time alone with Leo, not just magic.

That was also why Lisinas insisted on teaching Leo, who had no talent for spirit arts.

Recalling the past, Lisinas drew a simple picture of Luna on the blackboard.

"In Luna's case, she slept for 5,000 years by her grave in a form of lingering attachment."

Lisinas wrote "Age of Calamity" at the top of the blackboard and drew a line between Luna and the Age of Calamity.

"And by forming a spirit contract with you, she reappeared in this world through Comet as a medium."

Saying that, Lisinas drew his own picture next to Luna's.

"Conversely, I didn't have any lingering attachment when I died 5,000 years ago."

Lisinas drew a line between the Age of Calamity and himself and put an X mark in between.

"The reason I could manifest as a spirit was because of the Hero Record."

Through the Hero Record, he talked to his past self and talked to Leo with the help of his past self.

'That's when I developed a lingering attachment.'

A lingering attachment to want to be with the man in front of me.

Lisinas clicked his tongue inwardly and said to Leo,

"Do you understand the difference between me and Luna?"

"Luna is a naturally occurring spirit, and you are not?"

"Yes. That's exactly it."

Lisinas nodded and drew a simple picture of Leo under the pictures of himself and Luna.

"And I gave you the Dragon Heart at the last moment 5,000 years ago. In the end, my mana is yours. That doesn't change even if I became a spirit."

Lisinas looked at Leo.

"Therefore, even in the same spirit state, Luna can do much more freely. The reason Luna could freely handle Comet is probably because she stayed in this world using her own mana that resided in Comet, not your mana."

Indeed, Leo only provided the opportunity for Luna to stay in this world through the spirit contract with her.

Luna was no longer able to stay in this world because she had consumed all of her mana within Comet.

It was not because she had completely let go of her lingering attachment and worry for Verkia.

'Luna's feelings for Verkia were like a mother's.'

It is not easy to easily let go of the worry for one's child.

It must have been even more difficult for Luna, who had surprisingly many weak points and felt a lot of anxiety.

'Still, at the last moment of departure, she overcame that feeling.'

She trusted Verkia and trusted Leo.

Leo looked at Lisinas.

Lisinas must have been worried about Bihard just as much.

However, Lisinas had strong faith in Bihard.

"Unlike Luna, I am manifesting with someone else's mana. So, I'm not as free as Luna. The reason I can't activate the cloak's functions is probably for that reason."

"In a way, I'm your master too."

"Who considers someone like you a master?"

'The you in your subconscious.'

Leo muttered inwardly as he looked at Lisinas, who was grimacing.

Of course, out of pride, Lisinas would never consider Leo his master.

Leo also refused such a relationship.

He and Lisinas were on equal footing.

After looking at Lisinas for a moment, Leo said,

"Then what about me?"

"Huh?"

"Wouldn't I be able to use the cloak's functions?"

"In theory, it seems possible?"

At those words, Leo stood up and approached Lisinas.

He then reached out and took Lisinas's hand.

However, the subspace did not open.

To that, Leo tilted his head.

"There's no reaction."

"Hmm? Is it because your hand is not where the core that forms me is located?"

"Where is the core?"

"Where the Dragon Heart is."

"If so."

Leo's gaze briefly rested on Lisinas's right chest.

Lisinas smiled faintly.

"Do you want to die?"

"You touched it before."

"That was then."

"It's not like it'll wear out."

"How lewd."

"I'm not thinking anything lewd at all? Hmm? Then can't it be with your back?"

Leo tried touching Lisinas's back.

However, there was still no reaction.

As Leo showed a perplexed expression, Lisinas sighed and took Leo's hand, pulling it towards his chest.

The first thing felt was the texture of the cloth.

And before he could feel the sensation beyond that, Leo's hand dug into Lisinas's chest.

"Wha?!"

Lisinas's body stiffened slightly.

Leo exclaimed in admiration.

"It's amazing. Even though the appearance is different, it feels like I'm putting my hand inside the cloak!"

Feeling surprised, Leo twisted his wrist and fumbled around inside the subspace, grabbing various weapons.

Thump!

Finally, when he grabbed a sword.

"P-pull it out quickly!"

Lisinas said urgently.

At that, Leo quickly pulled out the sword.

Then, he supported the swaying Lisinas.

"Are you okay?"

"It will take some time to get used to this feeling."

Lisinas, panting heavily, got up with Leo's support.

"I can feel your soul too vividly."

"I didn't feel anything special."

Lisinas took a deep breath.

Sweat glistened on his forehead.

"It seems this is also a kind of soul communion. It felt like your soul was entering my soul."

It was an unprecedented experience for Lisinas as well.

"Are you okay? I took out Posteritas, though."

Leo showed the sword made by Duweno and said.

"It's not that difficult. I was just surprised by the unfamiliar feeling."

Lisinas had returned to his usual self.

And sat on the sofa.

Leo, who had prepared various things for Lisinas, sat opposite him.

Then, he suddenly looked down at his hand.

"What are you looking at so intently?"

At that moment, Lisinas's sharp voice was heard.

At those words, Leo said,

"No, Luna's words suddenly came to mind."

"Why Luna suddenly?"

"That guy said she was rich and you were poor. I wondered what that meant, but now I understand…"

Leo couldn't finish his sentence.

Before he could, Lisinas landed a dropkick to Leo's solar plexus.

Lisinas grabbed Leo by the collar and growled menacingly.

Despite the late night, the student council president's room was noisy for a long time.

***

In a sense, the war with Tartaros was a glorious battle every moment.

Of course, those who participated in the battlefield fought fiercely against fear, staking their lives every moment.

But they were beings beyond human.

Fundamental enemies of the world.

The Tartaros army harbored no greed.

They had only one objective.

the annihilation of the world.

Therefore, they met death in battle with joy.

Because they firmly believed that their deaths would bring them closer to the world's destruction.

For them, the war with the world was a holy war.

Chasing a single objective.

Therefore, in the war against Tartaros, only one thing had to be thought of.

Defeating the enemy.

And the moment they survived the battle.

Honor awaited them.

They were praised as those who risked their lives for the world.

But there was none of that in battles between humans.

As with most wars.

Wars arise from the greed of the powerful.

The battle against Tartaros is honorable.

Therefore, those who participate in the battle proclaim honor to strengthen themselves.

But it was not so in battles with humans.

Someone else proclaimed honor.

Forcing honor upon others.

Perhaps it was because the ones who went to the battlefield were different.

Most of those who died on the human battlefield were ordinary people protected in the war against Tartaros.

They were mostly farmers who were not normally involved in combat.

They were not dragged onto the battlefield because they wanted to fight.

Perhaps that is why they were forced to accept honor that they did not want and that had no meaning.

"The enemies are retreating! Pursue and defeat those evil villains who follow the wicked second prince!"

"Waaaaaah!"

The knight at the forefront raised his sword high and shouted.

He was a prominent figure of the First Princess faction, having gained fame by beheading nearly 100 knights in this war.

And with such skill, the number of soldiers he cut down was endless.

Among those he cut down were several friendly soldiers who retreated, refusing to be coerced into courage.

Whoosh-!

A clear aura emanated from the knight's body.

"For Princess Treniconi's honor…"

Flash-!

Clang-!

"Kyak?!"

The knight, wielding his sword while riding a griffin, was flung off the griffin.

The knight, rolling disgracefully on the ground, glared up at the griffin.

The griffin, which should have been wild when its master fell, was quietly carrying someone.

"It's okay… It's okay."

Silvery hair that seemed to flow down.

And a beautiful woman with lake-deep eyes.

Clad in pure white armor, she resembled a goddess of war from a story.

Crucially, her ears were pointed.

"Elf!"

The knight's eyes widened, and a murderous intent appeared.

Towards such a knight, the elf woman, Eiran, said,

"This battle is your victory. The Second Prince's soldiers will retreat. Therefore, there is no point in shedding more blood."

"Shut up! Wicked elf! How dare you interfere in a human war! Have you no shame!"

The knight shouted, revealing his murderous intent.

Seeing such a knight, Eiran dismounted from the griffin.

"I'll show you how vast the world is! You elf in a well! I, who have experienced real war! I will make you kneel before the sword of Lecarit!"

Having cut down 100 knights, he was intoxicated by his achievements.

He was not a graduate of the Hero Academy.

He had once dreamed of it, but his talent did not allow him to enroll.

Therefore, his eyes were filled with deep inferiority.

'Even if she's from Seirun, she's still a hero candidate!'

He scoffed and activated his aura, about to charge.

Crack-!

His sword, along with his aura, snapped in two.

"What…?"

As he was astonished.

Clang-!

Eiran struck the knight's helmet with the flat of her sword.

Seeing the knight, who had rolled his eyes and fainted, Eiran was flustered.

"Are, are you okay? You called me an elf in a well, so I thought you had great skill and unintentionally went all out… H, hello? Are, are you breathing?"

Eiran, completely flustered, called out to the knight.

But he didn't budge.

"Waaaaaah!"

"A witch! A witch has beheaded Sir Lecarit!"

"Retreat!"

Seeing that sight, the soldiers of the First Princess faction screamed and fled.

"W-witch? You're saying I killed this person! It's a misunderstanding! Look! He's breathing here! Take him away!"

Eiran, sobbing, lifted Lecarit and chased after the soldiers.

Eiran did not want to be called by the ominous epithet "witch."

However, chasing soldiers while holding the limp, unconscious Lecarit had the opposite effect.

"Hiiik! A witch who controls corpses!"

"P-please save me! Save me from that terrifying witch! Oh, progenitor of the constellations! Oh, brave hero! Oh, hero of the beginning!"

The peasant soldiers were terrified by Eiran's appearance.

Seeing those peasants, Eiran cried out as if it were unfair.

"Luna-nim, Arion-nim! And Kyle-nim, they all dote on me!"

But that cry echoed in vain on the battlefield.

Meanwhile.

The Second Prince's soldiers, who were retreating while watching that scene, trembled.

"Seirun's elves… they play with corpses like that…"

"Thank goodness they're on our side!"

"They're scary even if they're on our side!"

In a single battle, Eiran earned the nickname "Witch of Corpses."