Book 1 Chapter 991

991.

A place where the vast interior of Seirun can be seen at a glance.

The student council president's office of Seirun.

Runia, seated in the president's chair, unfolded the newspaper on her desk.

For any race, newspapers are the easiest way to understand world affairs.

Of course, it wasn't just the elf newspaper on Runia's desk.

Humans, beastmen, dwarves.

Newspapers from other races were also all there.

"Last year, I couldn't even read newspapers from other races. Considering that, hasn't our Seirun improved a lot? Senior Hardin."

As Runia asked with a grin, the former student council president Hardin nodded while reading the distributed elf newspaper.

"Yes. It's all thanks to Luna-nim."

"Wait a minute. I was the one who eased the unnecessary censorship."

"Yes. But it wouldn't have been possible without Luna-nim."

The original Seirun.

Strictly speaking, not only newspapers from other races but even books from other races were not allowed into elven society.

This was because the elf supremacists, who held immense power, the Pureblood Society, thoroughly censored books from other races.

The absurd reason was that it was inferior culture with no value outside of elven culture, which would lower the level of elven society.

However, as Luna denied the elf supremacy held by the Pureblood Society, extreme censorship also disappeared.

Immediately after becoming the student council president of Seirun, Runia allowed various books to be brought into Seirun.

Of course, some level of censorship still remained.

There were common forbidden books for all races, and there were books that could instill twisted values in students during their growth period.

Especially for elves accustomed to static culture, the cultures of other races could be excessively stimulating.

'Looking at Airan alone…'

Runia sighed softly and turned the page of the newspaper.

The world had entered an era of drastic change.

As such, information was a very important power.

'There's nothing like a newspaper for quickly grasping world affairs.'

Considering the elven society that had been isolated until now, there was a greater need to quickly access outside news.

As Runia turned the pages, she paused.

It was a well-known story that the heroic noble families of humans formed the Heroic League, with Leo as its leader.

It was a major issue in Seirun at the time.

While the article about the meeting of noble families was nothing new, there was one article that bothered Runia.

[The once heroic noble family, Jeltian, hired the assassin Kal Thomas, who is preparing for his beginning. The mastermind is Sigas, the King of Desire?]

As the successor of the Lundia family, who had contracted with a Phoenix for generations, Runia was well aware of the Jeltian family, famous for being a summoning family.

'Even a family like this is making a deal with Tartarus.'

Runia's face turned serious.

'Well. We're not in a position to talk about others either.'

Even the Pureblood Society, which had a vast influence over elven society, was colluding with the Necromancer King Hel Kaiser.

Although the Pureblood Society's power was expelled, it did not mean they had completely disappeared.

'Besides… we can't say that only the Pureblood Society was dealing with Tartarus.'

Darkness is rooted all over the world.

'We must also be vigilant.'

It was at that moment that Runia was reading the newspaper.

Tick, tick-

A white bird perched by the window was pecking at the glass with its beak.

It was a Snow Bird, a low-level mythical beast living in the northern part of the continent.

When Runia opened the window, the Snow Bird that entered extended its leg.

Runia untied the letter bound to its leg.

"Is this a report from Airan?"

"Yes."

Giving the Snow Bird a small piece of jerky, Runia opened the letter and read it.

Seeing Runia's expression change drastically, Hardin looked surprised.

"What's wrong?"

Runia silently handed the report to Hardin.

Upon checking the contents, Hardin's expression changed drastically.

'Found a woman who looks exactly like Seirun-nim?'

***

"Kal."

"Oh! Eliza!"

Kal, who was studying with Chelsea in a private library room to prepare for the magic department's theory exam, smiled happily as he saw Eliza, who had come to find him.

"Didn't the summoning department's theory exam end? What's up?"

Chelsea asked with a puzzled expression, and Kal replied with a smug face.

"Because she came to see me, her boyfriend! My beloved girlfriend!"

Kal approached Eliza with both arms spread wide, acting overly dramatic.

Chelsea was disgusted by his overly affectionate actions.

"…Disgusting."

"Eliza doesn't think so, does she?"

"Disgusting."

Eliza said it without hesitation, but Kal didn't care and tried to hug her.

Although Kal had a playful personality, Eliza glared at him when he tried to hug her in front of Chelsea, something he usually refrained from doing in front of others.

It wasn't that she disliked it.

She knew why Kal was acting this way.

Eliza shoved the newspaper she was holding into Kal's face.

"What is this?"

"Ugh! Puh-huh-!"

Kal flailed around, his face covered by the newspaper.

"Don't pretend."

Eliza, folding her arms and speaking coldly, made Kal pause before looking sheepish.

"What's going on?"

Chelsea checked the newspaper's contents with a puzzled look.

And was horrified.

"What? An assassination attempt? At the meeting of noble families? Assassins visited the heart of Lewalin's territory?!"

Seeing Chelsea's wide-eyed stare, Kal scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah."

"How did these guys infiltrate! No, more importantly, are you okay? Were you hurt?"

As Chelsea expressed her concern, Kal chuckled.

"Did you forget who I am? The one who prepares for his beginning! Kal Tho—"

"Kneel."

"…Yes."

Eliza said coldly, and Kal, shrinking his shoulders, immediately knelt before Eliza.

Eliza pulled up a chair and sat down, crossing her legs in front of Kal.

"Since when did you know about the assassination threat?"

"Uh… right before the meeting of noble families."

Seeing Kal speak timidly, a vein bulged on Eliza's forehead.

She then pressed her temples and said,

"Why didn't you tell me?"

'If Kal knew, Father must have known too.'

"I tried to handle it alone."

"Alone? Didn't Father help you?"

Eliza asked in surprise, and Kal nodded.

Chelsea, who was listening, was also surprised.

"Even though the Jeltian family has fallen from their position as a heroic noble family, they are still an influential one. And you tried to handle it alone?"

"Well, if I had been defenseless, it would have been really dangerous, but the first assassination attempt was within the Rodren Empire, and after that, I was constantly in Lumern."

Kal shrugged.

"At first, I tried to catch evidence within the Rodren Empire and deal with it. But even for a family like Jeltian, I thought ordinary evidence wouldn't bring them down."

"So?"

"After that, I intentionally showed vulnerabilities and kept provoking assassination attempts."

Kal became a bait himself.

No matter how much they moved in the darkness, they would inevitably be caught if they attacked.

"With my information network, I found evidence that Jeltian was targeting me. Evidence that they were involved with Tartarus. I did get a little help from Sia in the process."

Kal was the one who drew the big picture and grasped the core.

With that, Jeltian's entire family was ruined.

Chelsea gasped.

'Sometimes he seems so timid, but at crucial moments, he's so bold.'

Even though he was in a safe place, he maintained his composure while people were targeting his life.

It was an operation that would be impossible without considerable boldness.

'Intentionally exposing himself to assassination threats.'

Even against those colluding with the commanders of Tartarus.

He finally understood why Kal had become a hero.

"Still, it was too reckless! What if you had been hurt!"

Then Eliza shouted angrily.

"Father too! You called him your son-in-law, why didn't you help him!"

Seeing Eliza raging, Kal said,

"If I had asked, he would have helped me anytime. But…"

Kal recalled the letter from Elkan that arrived this morning.

While praising Kal's abilities, the letter ended with a grumble, "He has no cute side."

"But?"

"I wanted to try and solve it myself, because it was my own problem."

"What?"

"If I just received help from you, it would feel like… I couldn't be proud in front of you."

Kal scratched his head with a sheepish expression.

"Because it's something I can do on my own. I wanted to solve it myself. Even though my family… and my power are less than yours, I wanted to be your equal, out of pride."

"Haa."

Eliza held her head and sighed.

'Even though he doesn't seem like it, he has his pride.'

And the only person he showed that pride to was Eliza.

Although she felt hurt and annoyed, she also understood his feelings.

"Get up."

At that remark, Kal sprang to his feet.

"Whatever the case, the Jeltian family is finished."

It wasn't just a simple assassination attempt.

With evidence of their collusion with Tartarus revealed, they were completely finished.

As a giant family, there would be much to gain.

It was certain that Jeltian would be divided among the numerous surrounding powers.

"It's outrageous. Kal, you were threatened but gained nothing."

"Hmm? Why wouldn't I have gained anything?"

Kal said with a wide grin.

"What?"

"Do you really think Jeltian family was the only one who disliked me?"

There were undoubtedly families who sided with Jeltian, even if they didn't attempt assassination.

There would be families who secretly supported Jeltian.

Kal deliberately prolonged the affair to catch all of them.

"It's like finding a weakness."

'Well, they probably didn't expect Jeltian to make a deal with Tartarus. But what do I care? My life was threatened.'

Kal muttered to himself and chuckled.

"I'll take everything I can."

Kal, who had risked his life to finish Jeltian, had no intention of benefiting others.

"What's next?"

"We must send them to the abyss."

Kal said with a serious expression.

His life was threatened.

Therefore, they must pay the price, shouldn't they?

"Eliza. Is there anything you want?"

Seeing Kal ask with a beaming smile, Eliza and Chelsea thought of Hergin Family's city, Hersia, in the future.

A future metropolis that had developed to a level comparable to Lumern.

Looking at Kal's skills, they felt that it was not an unrealistic future.

***

Thump- thump-

When Runia heard that Airan had returned from his mission, she quickly headed underground.

She wanted to see the ice sculpture that Airan's party had brought back.

"Principal, Teacher Herdium. Is this it?"

"Yes, student Runia."

Rune, the principal of Seirun, nodded with a serious expression.

Runia hurriedly stood before the ice sculpture.

She saw Seirun embracing a girl as if protecting her.

Runia's eyes widened.

"Whether the person trapped inside is Seirun-nim or not, we cannot be sure… but it is clear that the two elves trapped in the ice are alive."

Herdium adjusted his glasses and wore a grave expression.

"And this ice is a seal made with the magic of stars. It seems to be magic hastily used to protect themselves from external attacks."

"You failed to break the seal."

"Yes."

Runia's expression became serious.

If this was truly Seirun, it was a grave matter.

It meant that a hero's dungeon had appeared somewhere it was discovered.

As Runia examined the ice sculpture with a serious face, her gaze shifted to the girl being held in Seirun's arms.

Runia's eyes widened as she looked at the girl whose face was unrecognizable.

"Huh?"

"What's wrong, student Runia?"

"The clothes that girl is wearing."

"Clothes?"

"That's definitely the uniform of Barharun!"

"Barharun…?"

"Are you referring to the educational institution of the High Elves during the Age of Gods?"

"Yes, that's right."

It was the uniform that Runia had seen in Luna's world before.

"Wait. Then this girl…?!"

Everyone looking at the girl wore expressions of shock.

"Could it be Luna-nim?"