Book 1 Chapter 79
[79]78.
The next day.
After fully enjoying their granted free time, Class 5 boarded the teleportation gate in the evening, leaving their lingering feelings of regret behind.
“Still, it was a fun school trip!”
“Yeah. It was fulfilling.”
As Iliana stretched, Nela agreed with her characteristic languid smile.
“I bet no other class had as fulfilling a school trip as we did.”
“Right. Right. Who else gets to do joint classes with Seirun students?”
Karl chuckled and agreed with Taeide’s words.
“It was fun, wasn’t it, Leo oppa?”
Seeing Chelsea ask with a giggle, Leo nodded.
“Yes.”
Just as the entire Class 5 was boarding the teleportation gate.
Seirun students appeared at the teleportation gate.
They were also planning to return to Seirun via the teleportation gate.
“To the Rumerun students. Please return safely. We look forward to seeing you again.”
Heridiem said with a smile, and Class 5 also smiled brightly.
“See you next time! Teacher Heridiem!”
“The classes were fun!”
Besides Heridiem, Seirun students with whom they had formed friendships also greeted them.
Leo smiled and waved at Luna, who had returned to her diligent student appearance, and Ailan, who stood beside her.
Ailan smiled back and waved, while Luna scoffed and turned her head away.
Even so, she glanced at Leo and waved.
“Everyone, do you have anything forgotten? We will depart now.”
“Yes!”
In response to Sena’s words, the Class 5 students answered energetically.
Woong-!
The teleportation gate activated, enveloped in a bright light.
***
As night fell, Rumerun’s first-year dormitory bustled with students.
“Hey! How was yours?”
“Ours? Heh heh! Don’t be surprised! We actually hunted monsters!”
“Wow, we just did volunteer work or something.”
They were busy talking about their school trips with other students they were acquainted with.
Karl burst into laughter as he headed to the men’s dormitory bathhouse.
“Heh heh. How pathetic. No other class had as fulfilling a school trip as ours.”
After rinsing his body in the public bath, he immersed himself in the large bathtub.
“Ah. I missed this warm feeling.”
During the school trip, they could only take showers at best, so Karl reveled in the luxurious dormitory bathhouse.
Leo was also soaking in the bath.
“Move aside, Warden Tyden. I’m using this tub.”
“You don’t know your place. Duran Moira.”
“What did you say?”
“I just stated the facts. If my words offend you, prove it with your skills.”
“Interesting. I was thinking of defeating you anyway.”
One side of the bathroom became noisy.
“Oops. They’re finally going at it.”
Karl clicked his tongue.
The men’s dormitory, accommodating a large number of students, had a very spacious bathhouse.
And many bathtubs were arranged.
Among them was a particularly luxuriously decorated bathtub that was smaller than the others.
It was large enough for four or five people, but for nobles, it was the perfect size for a personal bath.
However, very few students used that bathtub.
It was someone’s reserved seat.
It was Duran Moira of Class 1 and Warden Tyden, the class president of Class 7.
The two strongest individuals among the first-years used this spot as their personal reserved seat.
“Those guys used to have different showering times, so they never ran into each other.”
As Karl said, the two, who had different showering times, had no reason to encounter each other in the bathhouse.
However, with both returning from their school trips on the same day, students flooded the bathhouse, leading to this encounter.
The male students watched nervously due to the menacing atmosphere emanating from the two.
Duran and Warden.
They were both known as top-tier fighters among the first-years and were famous for their rough personalities.
As an unusual tension flowed between the two.
Splish splash.
“Why don’t you just wash together amicably?”
All eyes turned to Leo.
Leaning his back against the bathtub, Leo watched the two, tilting his head all the way back.
“Why are you fighting over a bathtub spot? Are you children?”
“Are you interfering to mediate the disturbance as the class representative, Leo Phlov?”
In response to Duran’s question, Leo wore a bored expression.
“Do you think it’s for such a grand reason? I’m just telling you not to cause trouble.”
“If you don’t want that situation, you can join in too.”
Duran smiled aggressively.
“Wow! As expected, our prince interprets things the way he wants to hear them!”
As Karl exclaimed, Duran’s fierce gaze turned to Karl.
“Oops.”
Karl nonchalantly turned his head.
The tense atmosphere continued when suddenly.
Creak-
“Huh? Why is the atmosphere like this?”
The bathroom door opened, and someone entered.
It was none other than Abad Rwalin.
As the top 4 first-year male students gathered, the nervous male students swallowed dryly.
Splash-
“……”
“……”
Abad entered the spot where Duran and Warden were locked in a standoff.
Abad also used this place as his reserved seat.
Of course, he didn’t intimidate other students into not using it like Duran and Warden.
Rather, other students were reluctant to share a bath with Abad.
After all, nobles disliked bathing with others.
Everyone stared at Abad with blank eyes.
“Why?”
Seeing Abad ask with his usual smiling face, Duran and Warden contorted their expressions.
“Heh heh!”
Leo let out a low chuckle.
With his laughter, Duran and Warden’s faces became even more menacing.
‘Hey! Don’t laugh!’
All the male students screamed inwardly.
Thus, the bathhouse incident, which felt like the eve of a storm, ended anticlimactically.
***
[Wings! Wings! Yay! I got my wings back!]
Whoosh-!
When Leo returned to his room after showering, Kiran was flying around above the room.
Each time, small, sparkling powder scattered around.
“You’re so annoying. How long are you going to do that?”
[Leo! Look! Wings! My wings!]
Kiran flew to Leo and flapped his wings behind his back as if to show them off.
“I’ve seen them enough, haven’t I? And it’s just one pair of wings out of three.”
Leo’s reaction was lukewarm.
[The great Fairy Prince has regained his power, so be a little more amazed!]
Fairies, as powerful mythical beasts, were treated like pets by summoners.
However, expecting such a reaction was misguided.
[Well, Leo, you might not have experienced my power yet! Alright! Then I’ll show you my power specially!]
“How are you going to show me?”
As Leo asked indifferently, Kiran gracefully circled in the air and flew to Fiore, who was sitting in a corner of the room, eating chocolate with no interest whatsoever.
Peep?
[There is a haughty red chick here!]
As if a magician performing a trick, Kiran pointed at Fiore with exaggerated movements.
Peep-
[Kyaak!]
Fiore pecked Kiran’s head with its beak.
Then, holding its head, it stomped on Kiran, who was rolling on the floor.
[Get your foot off me! I’m going to show you something amazing!]
Peep?
Kiran, who had barely gotten up, evoked his magic.
Then, he raised his hand and sprinkled light powder over Fiore’s head.
Then, Fiore’s body began to glow with a faint silver light.
“Polymorph?”
Polymorph.
It was a magic that allowed those with high-level minds to summon their other selves.
Dragons were a race that famously enjoyed this magic.
However, fairies rarely learned it.
The highest-level mythical beasts like fairies could summon their other selves using their power, even without magic.
It was too difficult for Fiore, who was still young, but with the help of Polymorph, she could summon her other self.
“Why did you learn this?”
[To play around.]
‘Right, this guy was banished by Silod for causing trouble.’
As Leo clicked his tongue, the light faded.
What appeared was a cute girl about five years old, wearing a red dress.
Her hair and eyes were a vibrant scarlet, as if they could ignite at any moment.
Her doll-like appearance was so exquisite that it elicited admiration.
[Hmph! How is it! My power!]
Leo, ignoring the boastful Kiran, rested his chin on his hand.
Fiore, whose eyes widened at the change in height, approached the mirror.
Seemingly pleased with her appearance, she even did a light turn in front of the mirror.
Then, she walked towards Leo.
“This is the first time I’ve greeted you like this.”
She seemed to be trying her best to put on a dignified and solemn expression, but unfortunately, combined with her appearance, it only gave an impression of cuteness.
“Your pact…”
Flap flap-
[How about it! My amazing power!]
Fiore, about to greet him, was interrupted by Kiran flying around frantically in front of her.
“Don’t bother me.”
[Hmph, clumsy movements.]
She reached out her small hand to catch Kiran, but he nimbly dodged.
Frustrated, Fiore forgot to greet Leo and chased after Kiran.
Then, she suddenly came to her senses, returned to Leo, and gracefully lifted the hem of her dress, bending her knees.
“I am Fiore, your pact-holder.”
It looked like a child imitating an adult, so Leo burst into laughter.
“You are polite.”
“My mother told me to treat my pact-holder politely.”
[Oh~ What a diligent little one.]
Kiran, who flew and perched on Fiore’s head, slapped her forehead with his palm.
Fiore, whose eyes widened, tried to catch Kiran again.
However, Kiran just slipped away.
“There!”
Fiore, chasing him as if she were angry, tripped and fell, seemingly unaccustomed to her human body.
[Hahahaha! Do you think you can catch me with those short limbs!]
Kiran flew in front of Fiore’s eyes and teased her relentlessly.
Fiore, clenching her fists, puffed out her cheeks.
Like a child getting angry, her large eyes were slightly teary, and her body trembled.
[Puhahahaha! Go peck some more grains… Cough-!]
Kiran, who had been teasing her annoyingly, was stepped on by Leo.
Fiore, not missing the chance, slapped Kiran with her palm.
Fiore, with a relieved expression from her successful revenge, said,
“Leo, I want to show this to Mom too, please open the way.”
“Alright. Take this guy with you while you’re at it.”
Leo picked up the trembling Kiran from the floor and gave him to Fiore.
He didn’t know what kind of trouble this fairy would cause if left in the dormitory.
‘I should have them stay in Pirina-ssi’s domain for now.’
“Also, tell her that some etiquette training might be necessary.”
“Yes.”
Fiore nodded and passed through the summoning circle Leo opened.
‘Finally, it’s quiet.’
Leo shook his head with a towel as the chatty fairy, who had been flying around and babbling incessantly, disappeared.
Now he could finally organize his thoughts.
‘My Hero Record and dagger found in Bercea are currently entrusted to Seirun.’
Leo looked out the window.
Rumerun had the Demon Queen Silatuna.
Seirun had the Undead King Hel Kaiser.
The threat of Tartarus continued in unseen places.
Leo squinted his eyes, looking at the Rumerun scenery visible outside the window.
‘Seirun had a direct traitor named Lauta.’
There was no reason why Rumerun wouldn’t have such a traitor.
‘First, eradicating the Tartarus forces infiltrated in Rumerun will be the priority.’