Book 1 Chapter 743

743.

Led by Leo, the Lumen students prepared to depart for Deviant. Rumors had already spread throughout the school that Leo was leaving for a new mission. And the members were even more luxurious than before. Leo was already considered an outlier among the students. As such, when discussing the strongest in the school, he was naturally excluded from the candidates. Naturally, Elena and Lill. The news that Lumen's official number one and two would participate in this mission expedition created a huge stir. This was because it was very rare for the number one and number two, regarded as the academy's strongest forces, to form a party together.

Leo was also busy preparing in his room. Leo, who had been packing clothes to change into and checking his armaments, paused. And he stared fixedly at Lysinas. Lysinas, who had been humming a tune and eating snacks on the sofa, tilted her head at his gaze. "Why?" "Most of my armaments are in the subspace of my cloak." The Cloak of Jet Black had been with Leo long before the Erebus subjugation force, Arhi, took on its complete form. As such, Leo had stored his armaments in the Cloak of Jet Black from the moment he received it from Lian, after Lumen obtained it as a conquest reward. The reason was simple. It was because he was most accustomed to taking out armaments from the Cloak of Jet Black. Even after reincarnation, he had fought many battles. However, even so, the number of battles he fought as Leo Flobe was incomparable to his previous life. As such, Leo was still most accustomed to storing items in the Cloak of Jet Black, just like when he was Kyle. "But you're using it as a medium for your incarnation." At Leo's words, Lysinas subtly glanced down at her body. Indeed, Lysinas had incarnated using the Cloak of Jet Black, made from her own skin, as a medium. "Luna could freely use Cometes, which was her medium. Can you do that too?" "No. I cannot draw out the abilities of your cloak." "Why?" "Even though Luna and I are both spirit entities, our states are different." "Different states?" "That's right." Lysinas, nodding, walked over to a makeshift whiteboard in a corner of Leo's room and picked up a piece of chalk. "From now on, I'll give you a special lecture on Spirit Evocation." Saying so, Lysinas narrowed her eyes. "It would have been good if you had listened 5000 years ago." "You were the one who told me 5000 years ago that I had no talent for Spirit Evocation." "Still, I told you to learn just in case." "Luna was clamoring for me to learn magic from her. And actually, at that time, learning magic was more efficient for me than learning Spirit Evocation." Indeed, since his talent for Spirit Evocation was zero, learning magic from Luna was more efficient at the time. 'That Luna.' Remembering the events of that time, Lysinas sighed. At the time, Luna, besides magic, might have wanted to somehow create time to be alone with Leo before anything else. That was also why Lysinas had insisted on teaching Spirit Evocation to Leo, who had no talent for it. Remembering old times, Lysinas simply drew a picture of Luna on the whiteboard. "In Luna's case, she had been sleeping in her grave for 5000 years, holding onto a lingering attachment." Lysinas, who wrote "Age of Calamity" at the top of the whiteboard, drew a line between Luna and the Age of Calamity. "And by forming a spirit contract with you, she reappeared on this land using Cometes as a medium." Saying so, Lysinas drew her own picture next to Luna's. "In contrast, I left no lingering attachments when I died 5000 years ago." Lysinas, who drew a line between the Age of Calamity and herself, put an X mark in between. "The reason I could appear as a spirit entity was because of the Hero Record." Through the Hero Record, she spoke with her past self and, with the help of her past self, spoke with Leo. 'That's when a lingering attachment formed.' The lingering attachment of wanting to be with the man in front of her. Lysinas clicked her tongue inwardly and said to Leo. "Do you understand the difference between Luna and me?" "Luna is a naturally occurring spirit entity, and you are not?" "That's right. Exactly." Lysinas nodded and then drew a simple picture of Leo below the portraits of herself and Luna. "And I handed you my Dragon Heart at the very last moment 5000 years ago. That ultimately means my mana is yours. That hasn't changed even after I became a spirit entity." Lysinas looked at Leo. "As such, even in the same spirit entity state, Luna can do much more freely. The reason she could freely control Cometes was probably because Luna stayed in this world using her own mana, which resided in Cometes, not your mana." Indeed, Leo had only provided the impetus for Luna to remain in this world through the spirit contract with her. For Luna could no longer remain in this world because she had exhausted all her magic power in Cometes. It wasn't because she had completely shed her lingering attachment, her concern for Berkia. 'Because Luna's feelings for Berkia were like a mother's heart.' A parent's concern for their child is not something that can be easily cast aside. Especially given Luna's surprisingly fragile nature and her tendency to feel a lot of anxiety, it would have been even more difficult. 'Still, in her final moments of departure, she overcame that feeling.' She trusted Berkia and trusted Leo. Leo looked at Lysinas. Lysinas too must have been equally worried about Bihard. But Lysinas firmly believed in Bihard. "Unlike Luna, I am incarnating with another's mana. I am not as free as Luna. The reason I can't draw out the cloak's functions is probably because of that." "Well, in a sense, I am your master." "Who would consider someone like you a master?" 'You, in your subconscious.' Leo mumbled inwardly, looking at Lysinas, who was scowling. Of course, given Lysinas's pride, she would never consider Leo her master. Leo, too, rejected such a relationship. Because he and Lysinas had an equal relationship. Leo, who had been looking at Lysinas for a moment, spoke. "Then what about me?" "Huh?" "Couldn't I use the cloak's functions?" "Theoretically, it seems possible?" At those words, Leo stood up and approached Lysinas. And he reached out and took Lysinas's hand. But no subspace opened. Leo tilted his head at this. "There's no particular reaction?" "Hmm? Is it because the hand isn't where the core that forms me is located?" "Where's the core?" "Where the Dragon Heart is." "In that case." Leo's gaze lingered for a moment on Lysinas's right chest. Lysinas smiled faintly. "Do you want to die?" "You touched it before." "That was then." "It's not like it'll wear out." "Perverted." "I have no perverted thoughts whatsoever? Hmm? Then, what about the back?" Leo tried touching Lysinas's back. But there was still no reaction. As Leo wore a troubled expression, Lysinas sighed, took Leo's hand, and pulled it towards her chest. The very first sensation transmitted to his palm was the texture of fabric. And before he could feel the texture beyond that, Leo's hand plunged into Lysinas's chest. "Ugh?!" Lysinas's body stiffened slightly. Leo exclaimed in admiration. "That's amazing. The appearance is different, but it feels like putting my hand inside the cloak?" Feeling amazed, Leo twisted his wrist, rummaging through the subspace and grasping various armaments. Clink-! When he finally grasped a sword. "Q-quickly, pull it out!" Lysinas said urgently. In response, Leo hastily pulled out the sword. And he supported the swaying Lysinas. "Are you okay?" "It'll take some time to get used to this feeling." Gasping for breath, Lysinas, supported by Leo, stood up. "Your soul feels too vivid." "I didn't feel anything particular?" Lysinas took a deep breath. Sweat beaded on her forehead. "It seems this is also a kind of soul communion. It felt like your soul was entering mine." It was a new experience even for Lysinas. "Are you okay? I took out Posteritas, by the way." Leo showed her the sword made by Dweno and spoke. "It's not particularly difficult. I was just surprised by the unfamiliar sensation." Lysinas had returned to her usual self. And sat on the sofa. Leo, who had attended to Lysinas with various things, sat opposite her. Then, he suddenly looked down at his own hand. "Why are you staring like that?" At that moment, Lysinas's sharp voice was heard. At her words, Leo spoke. "No, Luna's words suddenly came to mind." "Why Luna suddenly?" "She said that she was rich and you were poor. I wondered what that meant, but now I get it…" Leo couldn't finish his sentence. Because before he could finish, Lysinas drop-kicked Leo in the solar plexus. Lysinas grabbed Leo by the collar and growled fiercely. Despite it being late at night, the student council president's room remained noisy for a long time.

***

The war with Tartarus was, in a sense, a battle of honor every single moment. Of course, those who participated in the battle fought fiercely against fear, staking their survival every single moment. But they were beings beyond human. The fundamental enemy of the world. Greed did not exist in Tartarus's army. Their purpose was only one. The destruction of the world. Therefore, they met death in war with joy. Because they had no doubt that their deaths would hasten the world's demise. For them, the war against the world was a holy war. Rushing towards a single objective. Therefore, in the war against Tartarus, only one thing needed to be thought of. Defeating the enemy. And the moment they survived the battle. Honor awaited. Praises poured down upon those who risked their lives for the world. But in battles between humans, there was no such thing. As with most wars. Wars arise from the greed of those in high places. Battles with Tartarus are honorable. Therefore, those who participate in battle cry out for honor to steel themselves. But battles against humans were not like that. Someone other than oneself cries out for honor. They force honor upon others. Perhaps it was because those who went to war were different. Most of those who died on human battlefields were ordinary people who were protected in the war against Tartarus. In normal times, most were farmers unrelated to combat. They were not dragged onto the battlefield because they wanted to fight. That's why they might have been forced to accept an unwanted and meaningless honor. "The enemies are retreating! Pursue and defeat those wicked foes who follow the insidious Second Prince!" "Waaaaaaaaah!" The knight at the forefront raised his sword high and shouted. As a prominent figure of the First Princess Faction, he was enhancing his reputation 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, there were also many allied soldiers who refused to be forced into bravery and retreated. Whoosh-! A vivid aura emanated from the knight's body. "For the honor of Princess Treniconi…" Flash-! Crash-! "Gah?!" The knight, who had been wielding his sword while riding a griffin, was flung off the griffin. The knight, who had tumbled disgracefully on the ground, stared wide-eyed at the griffin. The griffin, which should have rightfully gone wild after its master fell, was quietly carrying someone. "It's alright… It's alright." Flowing silver hair. And a beautiful woman with eyes as deep as a lake. Clad in pure white armor, she resembled a goddess of war from a story. Crucially, her ears were pointed. "An elf!" The knight's eyes widened, revealing murderous intent. Towards such a knight, the elven woman, Eiran, spoke. "This battle is your victory. The soldiers of the Second Prince's faction will retreat. So, shedding any more blood is meaningless." "Shut up! Treacherous elf! How dare you meddle in a human war! Have some shame!" The knight roared and revealed his murderous intent. Seeing such a knight, Eiran dismounted from the griffin. "I will show you how vast the world is! O elf in a well! I, who have experienced true war! I will make you kneel before Rekarit's sword!" He, who had cut down 100 knights, was intoxicated by his own achievements. He was not from a hero academy. He once dreamt of it, but his talent wasn't enough to gain admission. That's why deep inferiority complex was etched in his eyes. 'Even if it's Seirun, aren't they just hero candidates after all!' The moment he snorted, activated his aura, and was about to charge. Crack-! His sword, along with its aura, split in two. "What in the…?" As he stared in shock. Thwack-! Eiran struck the knight's helmet with the flat of her sword. Eiran was flustered, seeing the knight passed out with his eyes rolled back. "A-are you alright? You called me an elf in a well, so I thought you had amazing skills, and without realizing it, I used too much strength… H-hey? You're, you're still breathing, right?" The thoroughly flustered Eiran called out to the knight. But he didn't stir. "Aaaaah!" "It's a witch! The witch beheaded Sir Rekarit!" "Retreat!" Seeing this, the soldiers of the First Princess Faction were terrified and fled. "W-witch, you say! I killed this person, you say! It's a misunderstanding! Look! He's breathing! Take him away!" Eiran, on the verge of tears, lifted Rekarit and chased after the soldiers. Eiran did not want to be called by the wicked moniker of "witch." However, chasing after the soldiers while holding the unconscious and slumped Rekarit ended up being counterproductive. "Heeheeek! It's a witch who controls corpses!" "S-save me! Save me from that terrifying witch! O Progenitor of the Nebula! O Brave One! O Hero of the Beginning!" The soldiers, composed of farmers, were struck with terror at Eiran's appearance. Seeing those farmers, Eiran cried out as if wronged. "Lady Luna and Lord Arion! And, and Lord Kyle find me incredibly cute!" But her cries merely echoed emptily across the battlefield. Meanwhile. The soldiers of the Second Prince's faction, watching her and retreating, trembled. "The, the elves of Seirun… they toy with corpses like that…" "Ah, thank goodness she's an ally!" "Even if she's an ally, she's terrifying!" With just one battle, Eiran earned the nickname "Witch of Corpses."