Book 1 Chapter 856

856.

Leo silently gazed at Midia's face.

Midia scratched her cheek with a slightly awkward expression.

"Um… if you keep staring like that, it's a bit embarrassing."

At her words, Leo opened his mouth.

"Midia. How long has it been since we met?"

At Leo's question, Midia wore a puzzled expression.

And then she said.

"A little over a year, I guess."

At her words, Leo nodded.

"That long, huh?"

"Why do you ask?"

"No reason. Just suddenly got curious."

Having answered, Leo looked up at the sky.

'If it's been about a year since we met… then there isn't much time left until the Age of Calamity.'

Leo's eyes darkened.

The reason he particularly wanted to forget the memories of this era.

It was because this era was unusually painful compared to other times.

It was natural.

No matter what, the first time is always special.

Whether for good or ill.

For the first time, he lost people who were like family.

He also lost friends and comrades with whom he had built bonds to entrust his life.

What made it even harder in the midst of it all.

Kyle of this era was truly weak.

The early days of the Age of Calamity.

He was literally just struggling to survive.

Until he repeatedly experienced endless partings and came to refuse forming ties with people.

Kyle took on countless things.

The hopes of his comrades.

The dreams of those who had fallen first.

The desperate wishes of those who stood with him on the battlefield.

He thought he had ignored them, but after becoming a surviving hero, Kyle took on what those people had left behind.

It was Lishinas who, knowingly or unknowingly, took on countless feelings that Kyle had carried.

And in the final moments, he took them on again and fought against Erebus.

But…

'At that time, I couldn't bear anything.'

It was because his self in this era was too weak.

He merely received.

Lasha, Kasam, Shen, Midia.

These four sacrificed themselves to save Kyle.

"…"

Leo silently looked up at the sky.

Midia watched Leo, then tilted her head and approached him.

And she asked.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, why do you ask?"

"Well… how should I put it? Your mood seems to have changed a lot."

Kyle of this era was a boy full of dreams.

'Yes. He was like Chelsea and the other kids.'

The frontier city of Lebartin was a land tasked with pioneering new territories, but in reality, it wasn't such a hopeful place.

It was a frontier where one had to risk their life.

Most of those sent for pioneering were criminals.

Although perfectly controlled, its reality was close to a cesspool.

It was also a time when Kyle, Lasha, and Kasam were, knowingly or unknowingly, ridiculed as children of the brothel.

Of course, they weren't openly.

'Because this time is different from now.'

Kyle, Lasha, and Kasam all knew how to use Aura.

They manifested Aura purely through natural talent, not through the advanced Aura Simbeom of the future.

Even Shen, who had received elite education since childhood as a knight aspirant, could not manifest Aura at this point.

Nevertheless, Shen was recognized as having exceptional talent among knight aspirants.

Normally, engaging in mercenary work would warrant expulsion from the knight order, but because the mercenaries he associated with were Kyle's group, the knight order tacitly allowed it.

Kyle's group was that famous in Lebartin.

And… Midia, whom he met a year ago, was even more special.

He actually thought she was someone who didn't fit in with this dirty city.

Her beautiful silver hair captivated people's eyes.

Her beauty made people lose their wits.

She literally seemed like someone from another world.

'Even I stared at her, mesmerized, when I first met her.'

It was the first time he had seen someone so beautiful in his life.

An appearance that seemed a year or two older than him.

But compared to himself, who was more mature than his peers, he felt she was a girl with an unimaginably deep inner world.

He yearned for her.

'Was she close to my first love?'

Lasha liked him, but they had grown up like siblings since childhood, so he didn't feel that way.

Conversely, whenever he saw Midia, his heart would race.

He wondered if it would be the same if they met again, but…

'…Perhaps too many things have happened.'

Now, it's just a feeling of 'that's how it was back then…'

"Kyle."

"What?"

"You're not sick, are you?"

Midia worriedly reached out and placed a hand on his forehead.

"You don't seem to have a fever."

She seemed genuinely flustered by Kyle's suddenly changed demeanor.

Leo stared intently at her, then smiled.

"Huh? Why?"

"No. Because I can see you're trying very hard to look grown-up."

"What?"

Midia wore a flustered expression.

"So you weren't that old either?"

Having said that, Leo took Midia's hand and lowered it.

Midia was flustered seeing Leo casually take her hand.

"Let's go in. It's probably calmed down by now."

Leaving those words, Leo went in first.

Watching him, Midia stared blankly.

'Seriously… did he eat something wrong? He's so incredibly grown-up today.'

The Kyle Midia had observed until now was a rather cute boy.

He felt like a younger brother trying to appear grown-up to her.

From a dragon's perspective, that's inevitable.

But today, his demeanor was completely different.

He looked like a real adult.

Realizing her face was slightly flushed, Midia flinched and shook her head vigorously.

'This is no time for other thoughts.'

Midia looked to the east.

'Investigation is the priority now.'

***

Lili's party quickly moved after using a warp gate near the Forest of Illusion.

The one in charge of transportation was none other than Eliza.

Eliza, a Phantom Beast Summoner, immediately summoned Pegasus and a Wind Wyvern.

Eliza would ride Pegasus Lu.

Chen Shia would ride the Wind Wyvern.

"I know Shia has been taking summoning classes since freshman year… but wouldn't it be better if Lili senior, who is in the Summoning Department, took the rider's role?"

Chelsea wore a puzzled expression as she prepared to board.

At that, Chen Shia scratched her cheek.

"Well… Lili senior, you see."

"I'm not close with phantom beasts."

"Of course, because you're a Spirit User. Still, Chen Shia, don't you also focus on Spiritology in your summoning studies?"

As Chelsea wore a puzzled expression, Chen Shia whispered to her.

"The phantom beasts are afraid of Lili senior."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because her spirit power is too strong. Lower-grade phantom beasts are perfectly suppressed and obey, but high-ranking phantom beasts like Wind Wyverns strongly resist."

"Wow. Is it that bad?"

Chelsea wore a surprised expression.

And she mumbled to herself without realizing it.

"Monster."

"Chelsea. I think you just said something very rude."

As Lili, with narrowed eyes, leaned her face closer, Chelsea quickly turned her head.

"So? How will we ride?"

Eliza asked, filing her nails.

Pegasus and the Wind Wyvern.

Both are high-ranking phantom beasts, regarded as pinnacles of speed.

"I'll ride Pippy. I've ridden it a few times, so it should be used to me."

Karl approached the Wind Wyvern.

In his hand was a special snack that phantom beasts liked.

"Hmm?"

Eliza narrowed her eyes.

She seemed slightly displeased somehow, but no one noticed.

"If someone other than Eliza rides it, it might be sensitive, but wouldn't it be better for someone it's at least familiar with to ride?"

Karl gave a plausible reason and approached the Wind Wyvern, Pippy.

"Hello, Pippy. Want this?"

Karl flashed a friendly smile.

Seeing Karl, Pippy opened its mouth.

"Then Chelsea, ride behind Eliza."

"Me?"

"Yes."

In terms of size, the Wind Wyvern is larger than Pegasus.

So, two on Pegasus and three on the Wind Wyvern would be right.

"Okay."

Just as Chelsea nodded.

*Crunch!*

"Aaaaaaaaargh?!"

Karl began to scream.

"Gasp!"

"Wha- what?!"

"Karl! What did you do?!"

Pippy, with fierce eyes, was wildly swinging Karl's head around in the air, holding him in its mouth.

"S-save meeee!"

"Pippy!"

As Eliza, with raised eyes, ran forward, Pippy just *whoosh*! threw Karl.

*Chirp!*

Pippy lowered its body and furtively watched Eliza.

The flying Karl landed exactly on Lu's back.

"Ughhh…"

Karl's drool-soaked eyes spun.

At that moment, Lu spoke.

-I don't particularly want to carry any woman other than Eliza on my back.

Lu, wearing a somewhat displeased expression.

At Lu's words, Karl said.

"Hey, you're a guy. Do you perhaps like men? Otherwise, you'd want to carry a woman…"

*Whoosh!*

"Huh?"

*Thump-! Splat-!*

"Gasp?!"

Lu, who had dropped Karl from his back, snorted and walked away.

Even though Pippy had bitten quite roughly, there were no teeth marks.

It didn't seem like a real attack.

It just seemed to refuse to carry Karl on its back.

At the reactions of the two phantom beasts, Chelsea wore a puzzled expression.

"Eliza can't control the phantom beasts? That's surprising."

Chelsea and Eliza, though friendly rivals, acknowledged each other's skills.

It was certainly strange that Eliza, who perfectly controlled her contracted phantom beasts regardless of their grade, was not being obeyed.

"It seems the phantom beasts are not in a good mood today."

Lili also spoke with a slightly flustered voice.

Chen Shia, who was watching, clapped her hands.

"Alright, then there's no helping it. Miss Eliza and Karl will ride Pegasus together, and we'll ride the Wind Wyvern."

Having said that, Chen Shia approached the Wind Wyvern, carefully stroked its neck, and said.

"Please take care of us, Pippy."

*Grrrk-*

The Wind Wyvern made a sound as if giving its permission.

Eliza also got on Lu, then approached Karl and held out her hand.

"Get on."

Karl took Eliza's hand and got on behind her.

Leaving that small commotion behind, the party departed.

"I was a little worried, but it's incredibly docile."

Chelsea, riding behind Chen Shia, wore a surprised expression.

"Because Miss Eliza is perfectly controlling it. With my skill, it's hard to handle a Wind Wyvern so perfectly."

"Hmm. But why was it like that earlier?"

Chelsea tilted her head.

"Well, I guess it wasn't in a good mood then. Oh, Miss Eliza is picking up speed. Let's follow her."

*Whoosh-!*

"Woah?!"

As Chen Shia suddenly sped up, Chelsea flinched and instinctively hugged Chen Shia tightly.

"Miss Chelsea. Grab my waist, not my chest."

Chen Shia said calmly.

"Mmm."

Chelsea slightly loosened her hands and wore a subtle expression.

"I'll hold you."

Lili, who was riding behind Chelsea, pulled Chelsea towards herself.

And at the presence she felt on her back, Chelsea's face became even more peculiar.

"What do you two usually eat?"

"Huh?"

At Chelsea's question, Lili tilted her head, and Chen Shia burst into a fit of laughter.

"Time is the answer. Time."

At Chen Shia's answer, Chelsea pouted her lips.