Book 1 Chapter 914

Leo returned to Lumern immediately after finishing his short schedule in Seirun.

"How was the meeting between the student council presidents?"

Celia, who happened to be in the student council president's office to submit the disciplinary committee's log, asked with a curious expression.

Instead of answering Celia's question, Leo averted his gaze.

Elena, with her arms crossed, asked with a bewildered look.

"What is Chelsea doing?"

"Ah, this one?"

Celia let out a small sigh.

"She's someone who might become my sister-in-law, so I told her she should try to be nice, and she lunged at me?"

"Ag! Ag!"

Chelsea was biting Celia's right hand.

"Chelsea. Are you an animal? Maintain your dignity as a Rodren noble."

At Celia's reprimand, Chelsea opened her mouth.

Then, with a very angry face, she glared at Celia.

Celia was using her aura to protect herself.

It was obvious that if she were to cast magic rashly, she would be scolded by Abad, so biting was the extent of Chelsea's attack.

"Who's your sister-in-law!"

"Don't worry, if Abad can't defeat me, it will never happen."

"Brother can beat you!"

"Then I will become your sister-in-law."

"It won't happen like that!"

Seeing Chelsea, who reacted negatively no matter which direction it went, Celia said to Leo.

"Leo. You always spoil her, so she's gotten bad habits."

At that remark, Leo chuckled softly.

"So? What kind of test did you decide to take?"

Celia asked with a curious look, and Leo hung his school blazer on a hanger and loosened his tie as he spoke.

"Nothing has been precisely decided yet. Can you call Shia?"

At that remark, Celia, who had submitted the report, nodded her head.

"Let's go, Chelsea. Your sister-in-law will buy you something delicious."

"So who's your sister-in-law!"

Celia and Chelsea went outside, bickering.

Elena, who was sitting on the student council president's office sofa and watching them, asked.

"Does Celia really intend to marry Abad?"

"It seems she's been thinking about it seriously since she started having feelings for Abad."

"As expected, nobles of the Rodren Empire are conservative."

Leo chuckled at Elena's remark.

Indeed, the nobles of the Rodren Empire paid a lot of attention to the gaze of those around them.

This was because they placed great importance on the dignity and honor of nobility.

As such, they never took relationships with the opposite sex lightly.

Of course, not all imperial nobles were like that.

However, since both Celia and Abad were from families representing the empire, they greatly valued those values.

At that moment, there was a light knock, and Ril entered.

"Excuse me."

Ril, who entered the student council president's office, placed numerous documents floating in the air using an elemental being on Leo's desk.

"This is data summarizing the shortcomings of the first-year students before their practical evaluation."

"Ril. I asked Cal to do this, but did you do it all?"

"No. Elena-senpai. I was asked by Cal to deliver it to the student council president in his stead."

Ril replied with an orderly tone.

His attitude was somehow like a soldier addressing a superior.

Although his speech and attitude were usually stiff, they had never been this distant, so Leo tilted his head in confusion.

"Then, President. I will be going now."

As Ril, who bowed his head, was about to leave the student council president's office, Leo said.

"Come here for a moment."

At the call, Ril, who turned his body with military precision, stood before Leo with a blank expression.

"Are you still sulking?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Are you still sulking because I said the epithet 'Monster Lady' suits you?"

Ril glared at Leo with a blank expression.

"It does suit you."

"Brother. If you keep teasing me like this, I'll really become corrupted."

Ril said with a rebellious gaze.

At such a threat from Ril, Leo narrowed his brows.

Then, the corners of his mouth turned up.

"How will you become corrupted?"

"Now, now, both of you, stop!"

At that moment, Elena intervened between the two.

"Ril, you have a generous heart, so please understand. This old man has a mean streak, and he'll tease you more if you react that way."

Despite Elena's words, Ril was serious.

"Don't stop me, Elena-senpai. I will truly become corrupted! I will become a delinquent student who rebels against professors and bullies juniors!"

"How will you rebel against the professors?"

"I won't do my homework."

"……."

Seeing Ril answer with a serious face, Leo momentarily thought he was being teased.

Elena, perhaps thinking similarly, looked at Ril with an expression of disbelief.

However, Ril's face was infinitely serious.

The extent of rebellion that the upright Ril could conceive was very low.

"How will you bully the kids?"

At that question, Ril smiled coldly.

"I will make them run errands."

"He's really cute sometimes."

"C-cute?!"

Ril was flustered by Leo's remark.

His face was slightly flushed, and he seemed both happy and bewildered that his act of rebellion wasn't working.

'If Berchia and Vihar were like this, it would have been even cuter.'

Berchia was too arrogant, and Vihar was excessively mature.

Leo, recalling his disciples, chuckled.

"When you said you'd become corrupted, I thought you'd fight with professors and extort money by scaring kids."

"No! How could you have such malicious ideas, like Elena-senpai…!"

Ril was horrified.

Seeing Ril like that, Elena laughed.

"Ril, aren't you picking a fight with me all the time these days?"

"What? Me?"

Ril tilted his head.

"You big monster."

"…! Brother! Elena-senpai called me a big monster!"

"That's right. A big monster."

"Brother! Scold her!"

Seeing Ril complaining with a tearful face, Leo sighed softly.

"Are you two children?"

Leo shook his head at the childish fight between Elena and Ril, who could be called the best students in Lumern.

Knock knock-

When he heard a knock, Elena and Ril straightened up as if they hadn't been bickering.

Creeak-

"Leo-dono, you called?"

"You're here. You two can go now."

Ril bowed his head and left the room, and Elena left the room with a bored yawn.

Before closing the door, Elena winked at Leo and blew him a kiss.

"What is it?"

Chen Shia, who came before Leo, asked with a bewildered look, and Leo said.

"I want to talk to Emperor Shau about the Book of Shadows."

"The Book of Shadows?"

"Yes. There was an opinion to use the Book of Shadows for this first-year practical training."

"If it's about that, you can do as you please, Leo-dono, anytime. The Book of Shadows will soon be yours."

"However, the Shan Empire is in possession of it, so we should speak to Emperor Shau."

"In that case, I will convey Leo-dono's words to my father."

"I'll ask you to do that."

That night.

Leo, who was sleeping in his room, opened his eyes.

The shadow cast by the moonlight created a shadow in the room.

Leo sat up, yawned, and scratched his head.

"-Leo, what should we do?"

Elcy asked with a bewildered face.

Currently, Elcy was the only summoned beast by Leo's side.

The other great elementals and mythical beasts were helping with Kirian's coronation ceremony in Fairy Land.

It was because they had requested so, as grand preparations were needed for the birth of a fairy king after thousands of years.

At Elcy's question, Leo got out of bed and said.

"He's a guest, so we can't kick him out."

At that remark, Elcy glanced at the terrace door.

Click- The lock was released, and the terrace door slowly opened.

With that, a middle-aged man entered the room.

"It's been a while, King of Beginning."

Emperor Shau said with a hearty laugh.

Then, looking around the room, he said.

"It's a rather bleak room."

"I don't like ostentatious things," Leo said indifferently, pointing to a sofa in one corner of the room.

"Sit down."

"Then, excuse me."

If others saw it, they would have found it somewhat strange.

Even if Leo was a hero and had become the king of the Arhi Kingdom, Shau was the emperor of Shan and the head of all shadows.

He was at the apex of shadow lords.

It was no exaggeration to say that he ruled the darkness of the world.

His casual use of informal address towards Shau was indeed strange.

However, Shau had not come to find Leo, the King of Beginning, but the primordial shadow.

The god of shadow before him was the teacher of Shan's progenitor, so it was only natural for him to be treated informally.

"I felt awkward coming empty-handed, so I brought my own liquor."

Shau said with a smile and placed a bottle on the coffee table.

Swish- Elcy, who revealed herself, showed curiosity.

After opening the lid and smelling the contents, Elcy frowned.

"-Agh! The smell of alcohol!"

"Oh. You must be a shadow elemental. It's nice to meet you."

"-Nice to meet you too, Emperor of Shan."

Seeing Shau greet them with a friendly smile, Elcy also greeted him brightly.

Shau smiled faintly and said, holding the liquor bottle.

"May I pour myself a drink?"

"You don't have to be so formal."

"Haha. As the Emperor of Shan, I cannot do otherwise."

Shau answered jovially, took out a glass, and poured Leo a drink.

Leo also poured Shau a drink.

The two downed the liquor.

"Kuh- This is liquor personally brewed by the former emperor 1000 years ago. It tastes very good."

"It's expensive liquor."

"Of course, I have to bring something good."

Seeing Shau burst into laughter, Leo asked.

"But how did you manage to get here?"

The Shan Empire and Lumern were very far apart.

Of course, it was quick if you took a warp gate.

But even so, you had to pass through Lake Lumelia.

Lumern was protected by all sorts of magic to prevent external invasion.

Even if you reached Lumern, it was not easy to reach the Clock Tower dormitory, and it was even more difficult to reach this top floor.

You had to pierce through all sorts of magical spaces to reach here.

Furthermore, Shau was not a mage.

At Leo's question, Shau smiled faintly.

"Do you think I lead the current shadows for nothing?"

Saying so, Shau took something out of his pocket.

[Hero Record - Book of Shadows]

"I heard from Shia. This belongs to you, so you can use it as you wish."

"You didn't have to deliver it in person."

"It is not anything else but the Book of Shadows that I am giving to you. To visit you, one must be either the Shadow Lord or the successor to be not disrespectful."

Shau put on a serious expression.

"Of course, before that, there is something I must ask of you."

"What is it?"

Leo asked, and Shau fell silent.

After a moment.

He opened his mouth heavily.

"Primordial Shadow."

Shau looked into Leo's eyes.

"I beg of you… please allow me to challenge your world."