Book 1 Chapter 909

909.

Guided by Lunia, Leo entered the Seirun building with a peculiar expression on his face.

From the warp gate to the interior of the building.

It was because the enthusiastic welcome from the Seirun students lining both sides of the path continued.

Upon arriving at the castle in the center where classes were held, known as the Castle of Learning, the students' cheers grew even louder.

They even scattered flower petals from baskets.

After receiving the warm welcome from the Seirun students, the student council presidents from each hero academy and the visitors to Seirun were escorted to their accommodations.

Lunia, who had taken on the role of guide, finally showed Leo to his room.

"Ugh! I'm tired! It's only lunchtime, why am I this exhausted already!"

As soon as she entered Leo's room, Lunia closed the door and dashed to the sofa in the middle of the room, flopping down onto it.

Leo surveyed the room.

Naturally, it was worlds apart from the room he'd had when he came as an exchange student before.

"Isn't the welcome a bit too much? It's completely different from the last time I came to Seirun."

"Your status now is entirely different from back then, isn't it? Seirun has changed a lot too."

"Even so, isn't this going from one extreme to the other?"

"When have elves ever not been extreme?"

"Well, true."

At Lunia's words, Leo made a face as if he'd conceded the point.

Seeing Leo's reaction, Lunia let out a sigh.

Even Lunia sometimes felt exasperated watching her fellow elves.

But that was precisely because she cherished her kin.

And that sentiment wasn't much different from Luna's.

That's why she got angry seeing her kin stray down the wrong path.

And why she tried to lead them toward the right one.

No one understands elves better than elves themselves.

A race that could be endlessly arrogant when prideful and endlessly fragile when their will broke.

That made them susceptible to being swayed by anything.

Watching Lunia scratch her head vigorously, Leo burst into laughter.

Seeing that, Lunia scowled.

"Why are you laughing?"

To her question, Leo, who had sat down on the sofa opposite hers, replied.

"You're reminding me of someone."

"Who?"

"Luna."

"……"

At Leo's words, Lunia unwittingly closed her mouth.

Now, Lunia knew Leo's true identity.

It wasn't just knowing his identity.

The time shared with the King of Beginnings, Leo Phroeb.

Time enough to know and understand the person named Leo.

That's why she fully grasped the weight behind what Leo had just said.

So she couldn't dismiss the words "you're like Luna" as mere flattery.

Because seeing Luna through her meant Leo was thinking of Luna.

"……"

Lunia, who had been lounging comfortably on the sofa, slowly raised her body while stealing glances at Leo.

"Why?"

Looking at Leo's puzzled expression, Lunia said.

"Well, you said I reminded you of Luna."

Lunia flashed an elegant smile.

The same pretentious demeanor as before.

"Since you're thinking of her anyway, wouldn't this look be better?"

To that, Leo replied flatly.

"If you're like that, she wouldn't come to mind."

"Huh? R-Really?"

"That girl Luna doesn't have a shred of pretension in her dictionary."

At his words, Lunia let out an awkward laugh.

"You're right. She always showed her true self."

Lunia leaned back against the sofa again.

"Leo."

"Yeah?"

"Could I… ever take Luna's place?"

Lunia asked cautiously.

Worry was etched in her eyes.

The King of Beginnings, Leo Phroeb.

The reincarnation of the Hero of Beginnings, Kyle, the one who saved the world.

And the one who had staked everything once more to save the world again.

Lunia would gladly stand by such a Leo's side to save the world together.

That was the duty of the one who bore the epithet of [The One Who Pursues the Star's Wake], the successor to Luna.

Of course, it wasn't just out of obligation.

From a young age, she had admired heroes.

She felt gratitude toward those who devoted themselves to the world and left so much for future generations, and she wished to become like them.

The stories of the heroes Lunia had witnessed were more brilliant than anything, so it was only natural.

Lunia was convinced that the path she was now treading was the right one.

'Even if I don't reach the desired destination, that's okay.'

Just like her predecessors… like Luna and Seirun had.

She would believe in the hope that would carry on after her.

But even Lunia had her fears.

Whether she could stand in for Luna.

Lunia stared straight into Leo's red eyes, so much like her own.

Those eyes, seeming ready to blaze at any moment, held unyielding resolve.

Within that resolve, Lunia knew well how much Leo had sacrificed.

Five thousand years ago, he had devoted himself for the world.

And in this era…

'…He let go of the chance to be with the great heroes with his own hands.'

Lunia recalled the incident from before.

Leo's journey to the parallel world.

There, what he had seen were his reincarnated comrades, excluding himself.

Having briefly touched that world herself, Lunia knew.

How much that parallel world's reality was the one Leo had longed for.

That's why she couldn't imagine it.

What state of mind Leo must have been in to turn his back on that world and return to the original one.

Since then, no matter how she tried to fathom Leo's heart, Lunia simply couldn't.

The more she tried, the heavier the pressure felt.

The pressure of being a successor to a great hero.

At first, the fact that she had become the successor to the person she respected most in the world had filled her with nothing but pride.

But as time passed, she felt it acutely.

How immense the weight she bore was.

Whenever she felt the gravity of Luna's name, even she was surprised at herself.

The loss of confidence felt so foreign.

But when she felt her own boundless inadequacy, she couldn't help but shrink back.

To Lunia's question, Leo replied flatly.

"You absolutely can't."

"Ah……"

At the obvious answer, Lunia unwittingly let her ears droop.

Seeing that, Leo made an incredulous face.

"You can make that kind of face too, huh?"

"What?"

Startled, Lunia touched her face.

Watching her, Leo chuckled.

"You look just like Luna. Or is it a trait of the elf race?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You said it yourself. When have elves not been extreme?"

Leo rested his chin on his hand and gazed at Lunia.

"You're an elf through and through, after all."

"So you're saying I didn't seem like an elf before?"

"Who'd think you're an elf just looking at you?"

"You damn jerk…!"

A vein slightly bulged on Lunia's forehead.

Giggling at the sight, Leo said.

"Don't be so down on yourself. Luna can't be replaced by anyone."

"……"

"Same goes for Ar and Driana… Melina too."

"Same?"

"Yeah."

Leo's red eyes met Lunia's directly.

"They can't replace Aron, Dweno, or Lishinas either."

Leo spoke as if imparting knowledge.

"You're you, Lunia."

"Ah……"

"I didn't choose you as successor because you resemble Luna."

To the elf walking the same path as him, Leo spoke in a warm voice.

"Luna didn't choose you because you resemble her either."

"……"

"She chose you because you're you."

It's true they shared similarities.

'But that's not what makes you Luna-like.'

More precisely, the direction Luna had pursued and the one Lunia aimed for were the same.

"The path countless elves trod before Luna… the path Berkia and Seirun sought after her… that's the one you chose to walk."

"……"

"It wasn't us who chose. You seized it for yourself."

At Leo's encouragement, Lunia let out a deep sigh.

"Why?"

"Well… I guess this is what they call maturity."

Lunia flopped back onto the sofa with a thud.

"Ah, I'll probably just get encouraged by you my whole life."

"Why?"

"Even if I end up standing shoulder to shoulder with you someday, you'll always be eons older than me."

"Oh? Saying it like it's a given that you'll stand shoulder to shoulder with me?"

"Hmph. It's coming soon, so just wait."

The dejected look from moments ago had long vanished.

"Looks like you've perked up."

Leo chuckled.

Lunia, still lying on the sofa, looked up at him and let out another heavy sigh.

"Why sigh again?"

"Well, suddenly I'm jealous of Luna."

"What for?"

"Luna must have encouraged and comforted you at times."

She was different from herself, being led by Leo.

She might always remain immature compared to Leo her whole life.

Luna had been different.

Equal to Leo anytime, anywhere, Luna probably helped him stand whenever he struggled.

At Lunia's mutter, Leo clicked his tongue.

"Luna never encouraged or comforted me."

"Huh?"

"If anything, I was the one soothing her. She was even more prone to getting cocky or cowed than you."

"Ah, somehow that feels right."

Recalling the Luna she knew, Lunia burst into laughter.

"Oh, right, there's something I wanted to ask you."

"A request?"

"Yeah. Could you give a special lesson on star magic here at Seirun?"

No matter what anyone said, in this world, no one knew star magic better than Leo.

Lunia was learning it quickly too, but after all, Leo was the one who had witnessed and assisted its inception and completion firsthand.

"It's a direct request from Professor Heridium."

"When?"

"If you agree, Professor Heridium said she'd arrange the special lesson time starting tomorrow."

"Got it."

As Leo gave his okay, Lunia nodded and rose from her seat.

"Alright. Then I have to go to class."

"Lunia."

"Yeah?"

As she moved to leave the room, Leo called out to her.

"Don't worry about the parallel world stuff."

"……"

"It was my choice."

It'd be a lie to say he had no regrets.

No, he'd probably live with regrets forever.

But…

Even if he regretted it hundreds, thousands of times.

"If I could turn back time, I'd make the same choice."

It was the resolve he'd steeled himself for in that moment of decision.

"Leo……"

"So."

Looking at Lunia with her sad eyes, Leo said.

"Don't worry about it."

"But I can't help worrying…"

"We'll talk about bigger things later. Can't have someone who can't even handle what's in front of them worrying."

Leo let out a soft laugh.

It was childish treatment, but she couldn't retort.

"Fine. Got it, you jerk."

With those words, Lunia left Leo's room.

'Really, how long is he going to treat me like a kid?'

Before, such treatment would have irked her, but now that she knew his identity, it was hard to get upset.

Grumbling to herself, Lunia suddenly paused.

Something flashed through her mind.

A scandalous novel about an older human man toying with a younger female elf crossed her thoughts.

'Argh, seriously. Reading that weird stuff makes me feel off for no reason.'

Shaking her head vigorously to clear it, Lunia suddenly froze again.

'Come to think of it, that human in the novel kinda resembles Leo?'

At that thought, Lunia let out an awkward laugh.

'What the hell am I even thinking!!'