Book 1 Chapter 87
“Ugh! That was tough!”
Cal collapsed forward after magic class.
“Aaaah! Flight magic class is no joke! Seriously! It’s practically manual labor!”
“What’s so tough about it?”
Cal sighed deeply as Chelsea spoke with a look of disdain.
“Sigh. How would you know our struggles when you passed the test in one go and went to Professor Albi? Senior Torua is no joke! He really pushes us like he’s going to devour us!”
Chelsea was one of the four students who passed the flight magic test with flying colors.
Those four were Chloe, Abad, Chelsea, and Leo.
“Can I help you?”
“What?”
“I can help you practice so you can get better at flight magic.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, we’re friends.”
Cal’s face was filled with emotion.
“I’ll help the students in our magic department practice.”
“*Sniffle* Chelsea! Thank you!”
‘I’m going to be pestered to death.’
“Do you know about Senior Elena?”
Cal made a bewildered expression at Leo’s question.
“Do I know about Senior Elena? Rather, it would be strange if you didn’t know!”
“Is she famous?”
“She’s not just famous! Senior Elena is the class representative for the third year!”
“Is that so?”
“Sometimes I feel like big brother Leo is too indifferent to school matters. I’ll teach you.”
Chelsea cleared her throat with a proud “Ahem!”
“Elena Zeron. Age 18. Currently in her third year. Her skill is currently second in the entire magic department. Even though she’s in her third year, she’s just below Senior Torua.”
“That’s impressive.”
“It’s more than impressive. She’s a genius magic girl who became a dungeon conqueror in her second year!”
Cal exclaimed excitedly.
“It would be nice to meet her sometime!”
Leo tilted his head, watching Cal, who had a slightly dazed expression.
“She’s popular, isn’t she?”
“Yeah. She’s a great beauty. Her nickname is Queen.”
“Queen?”
“Even seniors in their fourth and fifth years can’t afford to be disrespectful to her, and she has many followers. Because of that, even though she’s in her third year, she’s a strong candidate for the next student council president.”
“Thanks for telling me.”
Leo patted Chelsea’s head.
Chelsea, who had been smiling sheepishly, asked, “But why are you asking about Senior Elena?”
“I just, well, I have a reason to meet her.”
“She’s on an assignment until next week, so she’s not at school right now. Well, even if she were at school, it would still be hard to see her face because she’s such a celebrity, but big brother Leo, you’re the class representative. If you want, you might be able to meet her.”
Chelsea’s words made Leo nod.
“Leo, you have to go straight to your summoning class next, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then I’ll see you at the dormitory later.”
After parting ways with the two, Leo headed to the summoning class venue.
‘It’s all outdoor classes today.’
The summoning class venue today was the Island of Bewitched Beasts where they had their first class.
When they arrived near the pier, other summoning class students were preparing to cross the lake.
It was just as Leo was about to use flight magic.
“Who do you think it is?”
Someone crept up from behind and covered his eyes.
“Isn’t this kind of childish for someone who’s 17?”
Leo chuckled and removed his hands, turning around.
Chen Xia was standing there.
“You don’t even consider me an elder, Leo-doryong, anyway.”
Chen Xia shrugged and said, “You’re about to go to the Island of Bewitched Beasts, right? Shall we go together?”
“Sure.”
Chen Xia leaped towards the water.
“Hoop!”
Chen Xia left footprints on the water.
Watching Chen Xia naturally walk on water, Leo floated himself into the air with flight magic.
Normally, summoning students would cross the lake using flying summoned beasts, water-traversing summoned beasts, or wind and water spirits.
However, in Leo’s case, he couldn’t carelessly summon his contracted beast due to people’s eyes, and Chen Xia found it faster to use Aura Steps than to travel using spirit arts, so she didn’t use them.
“Leo-doryong, shall we have a race to the Forest of Bewitched Beasts?”
“Loser buys the meal?”
“Deal.”
Chen Xia lowered her stance, and Leo ignited his magic power.
“Alright, ready, set, go!”
*Pwah! Kwaaaak-!*
Both of them shot off at tremendous speed.
Watching the pier where the water splashed and waves crashed, a summoning student muttered, “If we meet them in the inter-departmental competition, we should definitely avoid them.”
The other students nodded in agreement.
*Kwagagagag-!*
‘It doesn’t seem like she’s just using Aura Steps.’
Leo’s eyes sparkled as he watched Chen Xia sprint ahead of him.
‘Spirit arts?’
Leo accelerated further.
“Eliza. Are, are these guys really not going to attack us?”
“Hmph. Do you doubt Ruri’s control abilities?”
“No way! That’s impossible!”
Eliza, sitting elegantly with her legs crossed on the back of a dolphin, scoffed while tidying her fingernails on the lake.
“Even though our Ruri is still young, she is a genuine Delphinus. With my abilities enhancing her control, she can control these monsters without any problem.”
Delphinus.
It was the highest-ranking aquatic beast in dolphin form.
It was a beast that Eliza, a top-tier summoner in the first year of the summoning department and successor to the renowned Hergin family, could handle.
*Beeeep-!*
“That’s right, Ruri. I’ll give you plenty of top-grade beef when we get back.”
Eliza, who always treated those around her coldly, smiled softly and stroked the Delphinus’s back as it cried out.
‘I wish she would treat us with such kindness.’
It was when the students of Eliza’s faction gave wry smiles.
“Huh?”
One person riding a monster looked back.
“What is that? What’s all that splashing?”
All the students looked bewildered.
“E-Eliza! Something’s coming at an incredible speed! Let’s hurry and get out of the way!”
“Hmph! What are you making such a fuss about…?”
Eliza, who was enjoying her time with her summoned beast, turned around with a displeased expression.
*Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gak-!*
And then, an enormous splash engulfed Eliza.
*Biaaaak! Biaaak!*
Eliza, swept away by the waves and sinking into the lake, was urgently pulled up by her summoned beast, Ruri.
“Pwah! What was that just now!”
Eliza shouted sharply, her eyes wide open, and one of her faction members, who was also caught in the wave, hastily said, “It was Leo Flob and Chen Xia!”
“Leo Flob!”
Flames shot from Eliza’s eyes.
“How dare you commit such disrespect towards me?! Ruri! Follow them!”
*Biiaeaeak!*
*Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gak-!*
“Aaaah! Eliza!”
“Take us too!”
Eliza’s faction students, left behind, were bewildered.
*Grrrr-!*
And then, aquatic monsters, beyond Delphinus’s control, revealed their murderous intent.
“Hey! Hurry and deal with them!”
“Aaaah! Undine, help me!”
“Kyaaak! Get away!”
The screams of students suddenly fighting monsters in the middle of the lake echoed.
***
Leo was the first to reach the pier on the Island of Bewitched Beasts.
“I won.”
“Huff… Huff… That was close.”
Chen Xia, who was just barely late, panted and looked disappointed.
Professor Yura, watching the scene, clapped.
“Well done! But if it were pure summoning magic, I would have praised you more.”
Professor Yura grumbled, “Especially you, Leo! Where did you learn to use magic on your way to summoning class? That’s a 10-point deduction!”
As Yura growled, Leo smiled and said, “But I can’t summon my beast, can I?”
“Perfect logic! The deduction is waived.”
“What was the reason for the deduction in the first place, and why were you persuaded… *cough*?”
Yura punched Vice-Professor Carlo, who was arguing with her, in the side and looked towards the pier.
“Someone else has arrived.”
A giant wave, as if a tsunami had struck, crashed down on Leo.
“Leo Flobbbbbbbbbbb!”
*POW-!*
Water spray swirled in all directions.
Leo, easily defending against the water cannon, looked puzzled.
“Why are you attacking all of a sudden? And why are you so drenched?”
“Whose fault is this?! It’s because of the splash you caused!”
“Ah, did you pass by that on the way? Sorry.”
“Sorry? Is this something that can end with just an apology?! How dare you commit such disrespect to me, the successor of the Hergin family!”
Chen Xia looked apologetic as she watched Eliza fume.
“Miss Eliza. It wasn’t Leo-doryong who caused the splash, it was me.”
“Xia, it was because of you?”
“Yes.”
As Chen Xia apologized with her head bowed, Eliza stepped back with a *Ugh-!*
Chen Xia, one of the oldest first-years and a kind person, was friendly to everyone.
Because of that, even the always arrogant Eliza was subdued in front of Chen Xia.
“Yes, yes. We should all get along as students of the summoning department.”
“I’m not in the summoning department.”
“Me neither.”
“Oh? Look at these guys?”
Yura narrowed her eyes.
“Well, it was me who raced without caring about others, so it’s not entirely Chen Xia’s fault. I’m sorry.”
As Leo sincerely apologized, Eliza, who had been staring intently at him, snorted.
“If you apologize like this, it would be narrow-minded not to forgive you. Alright. I accept your apology, Leo Flob.”
“It’s not much of an apology, but I’ll dry your wet clothes. It’s embarrassing to see a girl so drenched.”
Leo ignited his magic.
He used a magic to remove moisture.
Suddenly, Eliza’s wet clothes dried.
As the moisture suddenly vanished, static electricity arose in Eliza’s hair.
“Pfft!”
“Tsk!”
Chen Xia and Yura couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Eliza, who took out a mirror from her pocket and checked her hair, trembled slightly.
Her once lustrous hair had puffed up messily.
Eliza, who had become a ridiculous sight, glared at Leo with terrifying eyes.
“I’ll fix it quickly. Do you have a comb?”
Leo sighed, took the comb from Eliza, and fixed her hair.
***
The first-years gathered in the Forest of Bewitched Beasts.
The entire first-year class of the summoning department was in a strangely excited atmosphere.
This was because rumors that the knight and magic departments had entered special training in preparation for the inter-departmental competition had spread throughout the school.
The students of the summoning department also thought that they would undergo training in preparation for the inter-departmental competition today.
Indeed, the class was held on the Island of Bewitched Beasts.
As everyone looked at Yura with zealous faces, Yura scratched her head.
“Why isn’t that guy coming?”
“Professor, who are you waiting for?”
Teid raised his hand and asked, and Yura sighed.
“Today’s class, as you all expected, was going to be special training in preparation for the inter-departmental competition. However, Ultar proposed a special class.”
“Senior Ultar?”
“Yes. He said he had thought of a perfect training method and suggested holding the class on the Island of Bewitched Beasts.”
The students marveled.
At the same time, they looked worried.
Ultar of the summoning department.
He was the rival of Rhys Zerdiger, considered the strongest student, and a renowned summoner with a pact with Pegasus.
However, he was also known for being eccentric.
On the day of the inter-departmental competition announcement, he even showed his presence by talking about love.
‘Even so, he wouldn’t make us do strange training.’
The students tried to shake off their anxiety.
“It’s Senior Ultar.”
A student spotted Ultar walking from the pier and said.
“Hey! Why are you so late!”
“I apologize, Professor Yura.”
Ultar bowed elegantly like a stage actor.
“The supplies for the first-years were delivered late.”
“Supplies?”
*Clack-!*
Ultar snapped his fingers, and a giant eagle appeared in the sky.
*Whosh-! Thump-!*
The eagle, creating a strong wind, dropped a cloth-wrapped bundle next to Ultar and soared away.
“Was that a Wind Eagle just now?”
“To use a high-ranking wind beast for simple transport… As expected of Senior Ultar!”
The students looked at Ultar with admiration.
“What kind of training is he going to do to the first-years that he even needs supplies…”
Yura’s face turned grim as she unpacked the contents of the bundle.
“What are you trying to make the first-years do with this?”
What Ultar had brought was none other than a butterfly net.
“Professor, you must have heard too. On this Island of Bewitched Beasts!”
Ultar spread his arms wide.
“That fairies have appeared!”
“Fairies?”
“No way?”
The first-years’ eyes widened.
A vein throbbed on Yura’s forehead.
“So? You’re going to have the first-years catch fairies?”
“That’s right.”
“That’s right my ass! You crazy bastard! We’re swamped with preparations for the inter-departmental competition, and you’re starting this pointless nonsense? You’re going to get beaten by me today! No, just dieeeeeee!”
Yura hooked Ultar’s head with the butterfly net and pulled him towards her, yelling.
Carlo and the students, horrified, tried to restrain Yura.
Meanwhile, Leo pressed his temples.
‘That guy… Why couldn’t he just stay quiet!’