Book 1 Chapter 856

856.

Leo stared at Media's face without a word.

Media scratched his cheek with a slightly awkward expression.

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

At those words, Leo opened his mouth.

"Media. How long have we known each other?"

Media made a puzzled expression at Leo's question.

Then he said,

"A little over a year."

At those words, Leo nodded.

"Is that about right?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Just because. I suddenly became curious."

Answering like that, Leo looked up at the sky.

'If it's been about a year since we met… how much time is left until the Age of Cataclysm?'

Leo's eyes sank.

The reason he specifically wanted to forget the memories of this period.

It was because this period was unusually painful compared to other periods.

It was natural.

Firsts are always special, no matter what they are.

Whether for better or for worse.

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

He lost friends and comrades with whom he had built bonds of trust.

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

Kyle was truly weak during this period.

In the early days of the Age of Cataclysm.

He was literally struggling to survive.

Until he repeatedly experienced farewells and refused to form relationships with people.

Kyle shouldered countless things.

The wishes of his comrades.

The dreams of those who had fallen before him.

The unspoken desires of those who stood on the battlefield together.

Even though he thought he had turned away, Kyle embraced what those people had left behind after becoming a surviving hero.

And it was Lysinas who indirectly carried those countless emotions that he had unknowingly borne,

And at the final moment, he shouldered them again and fought against Erebus.

But…

'I couldn't bear anything at this time.'

It was because he was too weak during this period.

He only received.

Rasha, Kasam, Shen, Media.

These four sacrificed themselves to save Kyle.

"…"

Leo looked up at the sky without a word.

Media looked at Leo, tilted his head, and approached him.

And asked,

"Is something wrong?"

"No, why do you ask that?"

"No… it's like, your atmosphere seems to have changed a lot."

Kyle of this era was a boy full of dreams.

'Right. He was like Chelsea or the others.'

The pioneer city of Lebatine was a land tasked with pioneering new territory, but it wasn't a particularly hopeful place.

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

Most of those sent to pioneer were criminals.

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

Kyle, Rasha, and Kasam were also being implicitly ridiculed as children of a brothel during this time.

Of course, they didn't show it outwardly.

'It's different from now.'

Kyle, Rasha, and Kasam could all use aura.

They manifested aura through pure talent, not through the developed aura techniques of the future.

Even Shen, who had received elite training from a young age as a prospective knight, couldn't manifest aura at this point.

Nevertheless, Shen was recognized as having exceptional talent among prospective knights.

Normally, it would not be strange for him to be expelled from the knights' order for working as a mercenary, but since the mercenaries he associated with were Kyle's group, the knights' order overlooked it.

That's how famous Kyle's group was in Lebatine.

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

In fact, he thought she was out of place in this dirty city.

Her beautiful silver hair captured people's eyes.

And her beauty made people lose their senses.

She was literally like someone from another world.

'I was also captivated when I first met her.'

It was the first time I had ever seen someone so beautiful.

Her appearance seemed to be one or two years older than me.

But compared to me, who was more mature than my peers, I thought she was a girl with an unimaginably deep inner self.

I admired her.

'Was it close to my first love?'

Rasha liked me, but we grew up like siblings, so I didn't feel that way.

On the contrary, my heart would pound when I saw Media.

I wondered if it would be the same if we met again, but…

'…Too much has happened.'

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

"Kyle."

"Why?"

"Are you not feeling well?"

Media tentatively reached out and touched his forehead with concern.

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

She seemed genuinely flustered by Kyle's sudden change in atmosphere.

Leo stared at her and then smiled.

"Huh? Why?"

"No. I can see you're trying hard to appear very mature."

"What?"

Media looked flustered.

"You weren't that old either, were you?"

Saying that, Leo took Media's hand and lowered it.

Media was flustered by Leo holding her hand so casually.

"Let's go inside. It should have calmed down by now."

Leaving those words, Leo went in first.

Watching him, Media stared blankly.

'Seriously… did he eat something wrong? He's incredibly mature today.'

The Kyle Media had observed so far was a rather cute boy.

He felt like a younger brother trying to appear mature to her.

From a dragon's perspective, it was understandable.

But today, the atmosphere was completely different.

He looked like a real adult.

Realizing her face was slightly red, Media gave a startled shake of her head.

'This is not the time for other thoughts.'

Media looked to the east.

'Investigation is the priority now.'

***

Lil Party quickly moved after using the warp gate close to the Forest of Welcome.

It was none other than Eliza who was in charge of the transport.

Eliza, a beast tamer, immediately summoned a Pegasus and a Wind Wyvern.

And the Pegasus, Ru, would be ridden by Eliza, while the Wind Wyvern would be ridden by Chen Xia.

"I know Xia also took Summoning classes from the first year… but shouldn't Lil senpai, who is in the Summoning department, be the rider?"

Chelsea asked with a puzzled expression as they prepared to board.

Then Chen Xia scratched his cheek.

"Well… Lil senpai, you see."

"I'm not friendly with the magical beasts."

"That's because you're an elementalist. But doesn't Chen Xia also focus on elementalism in Summoning?"

As Chelsea looked puzzled, Chen Xia whispered in her ear.

"The magical beasts are afraid of Lil senpai."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because the power of the spirits is too strong. Low-grade magical beasts are completely subdued and obey, but high-grade magical beasts like the Wind Wyvern strongly resist."

"Wow. That much?"

Chelsea looked amazed.

And she muttered involuntarily,

"Monster."

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

As Lil, with half-closed eyes, leaned in, Chelsea quickly turned her head.

"So? How are we going to ride?"

Eliza asked, filing her nails.

Pegasus and Wind Wyvern.

Both are considered high-grade magical beasts at the pinnacle of speed.

"I'll ride Pipi. I'm familiar with riding it since I've ridden it a few times."

Kal approached the Wind Wyvern.

In his hand were special snacks that magical beasts liked.

"Hmm?"

Eliza narrowed her eyes.

Although she seemed slightly displeased, no one noticed it.

"Wouldn't it be better for someone familiar to ride, considering it would be sensitive if someone other than Eliza rode it?"

Kal approached the Wind Wyvern, Pipi, giving a plausible reason.

"Hello, Pipi. Want some of this?"

Kal gave a good-natured smile.

Seeing Kal like that, Pipi opened its mouth.

"Then Chelsea, you ride behind Eliza."

"Me?"

"Yes."

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

So it was right for two to ride the Pegasus and three to ride the Wind Wyvern.

"Okay."

Chelsea nodded.

Crack!

"Kyahhhhhh?!"

Kal started screaming.

"Gasp!"

"Wh-what!"

"Kal! What did you do!"

Pipi's eyes narrowed menacingly, and it swung Kal around in the air, biting his head.

"S-save meeeeee!"

"Pipi!"

As Eliza rushed forward with her eyes wide open, Pipi simply flung Kal away with a whoosh!

Beep-!

Pipi lowered its body and glanced at Eliza.

Kal, who was flying, landed precisely behind Ru.

"Ugh…"

Kal's eyes, covered in saliva, spun around.

At that moment, Ru said,

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

Ru made a somewhat displeased expression.

At Ru's words, Kal said,

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

Whoosh!

"Huh?"

Swish-! Thud-!

"Oof?!"

Ru, who had shaken Kal off its back, snorted and walked away.

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

It didn't seem to have attacked him directly.

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

Chelsea looked puzzled at the reactions of the two magical beasts.

"It's surprising that Eliza can't control her magical beasts."

Although Chelsea and Eliza had a rivalrous relationship, they acknowledged each other's skills.

It was definitely strange that they didn't listen to Eliza, who had perfect control over the magical beasts she contracted with, regardless of their rank.

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

Lil also said in a slightly surprised voice.

Watching them, Chen Xia clapped his hands.

"Well, then, it can't be helped. Eliza and Kal will ride the Pegasus together, and we'll ride the Wind Wyvern."

Saying that, Chen Xia approached the Wind Wyvern, gently stroked its neck, and said,

"Please take care of us, Pipi."

Grrr-

The Wind Wyvern made a sound as if giving permission.

Eliza also got on Ru and approached Kal, extending her hand.

"Get on."

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

With that minor commotion behind them, the party set off.

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

Chelsea, riding behind Chen Xia, looked amazed.

"Because Eliza is controlling it perfectly. It would be difficult for me to handle the Wind Wyvern so perfectly with my own skill."

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

Chelsea tilted her head.

"Who knows. It was probably in a bad mood then. Ah, Eliza is picking up speed. Let's catch up."

Whoosh-!

"Eek?!"

As Chen Xia suddenly accelerated, Chelsea flinched and instinctively hugged Chen Xia tightly.

"Chelsea. Grab around the waist, not the chest."

Chen Xia said calmly.

"Mmm."

Chelsea slightly moved her hand away and had a strange expression.

"I'll hold you."

Lil, who was riding behind Chelsea, pulled Chelsea towards him.

And feeling the presence from behind, Chelsea's face became even stranger.

"What do you guys usually eat?"

"Huh?"

As Chelsea asked, Lil tilted his head, and Chen Xia burst into laughter.

"Time is the answer. Time."

At Chen Xia's answer, Chelsea pouted.