Book 1 Chapter 995
994.
Leo, who had finished his search, fell into thought.
‘If a Hero Dungeon has appeared… it would be in a more distant sea or deep in the abyss.’
He couldn't find a Hero Dungeon right now.
He could conduct a full-scale search, but that would take a long time.
Before heading to Seirun.
Leo had come to search beforehand just in case, so he couldn't spend any more time exploring.
“Illiana. Let's go back to Seirun.”
At Leo's words, Illiana nodded with sunken eyes.
“Was what that mysterious kid said so shocking?”
“She called me an old hag! How am I an old hag! I'm so fresh and vibrant!”
“If you’re innocent, you don’t need to get angry, do you? It’s just a simple provocation, why are you getting so heated?”
“No! It’s not just that problem! She really looked at me like I was an old person!”
Illiana made a tearful face and complained to Leo.
“Do I look like a grandma to you too, Class Rep?”
“No. You look like a child.”
“That’s a problem in its own way.”
Illiana pouted her lips and grumbled.
“Anyway, next time I see her, I'm going to give her a good whack on the head.”
Watching Illiana growl in a fierce voice, Leo looked in the direction where the mysterious girl had disappeared.
‘What is her identity?’
Illiana's skills are no longer immature.
Although she still has a clumsy side, she shows no openings in combat.
Moreover, if Illiana, who is now beyond third-year and the fastest in Lumen, could miss her, it means her skills are unusual.
‘She is suspicious.’
Curious about her identity, Leo wondered if he should search for her, then immediately shook his head.
If she had fled, she wouldn't be lurking around here anymore.
“Anyway, let’s go to Seirun for now.”
“Don’t we need to search for the Hero Dungeon anymore?”
“A full-scale search would take too long.”
“Ugh. I thought we'd have some cozy time just the two of us.”
Leo let out a hollow laugh watching the grumbling Illiana and activated his magic.
Woong-!
A warp magic circle was instantly completed.
Flash-!
With a bright light, the two disappeared from the spot.
***
When they arrived at Seirun’s warp gate, Lunia and Eiran were waiting.
“Welcome, you’re later than I thought?”
“I briefly searched the northwest sea region and came back.”
“Did you find the Hero Dungeon?”
“No. I thought it would take too long, so I came to Seirun for now.”
While Leo and Lunia were talking, Eiran approached.
“Lord Leo. I’ll carry your luggage.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Leo smiled warmly.
“Ugh! It’s cold! So cold! Eiran. Could you perhaps show me to my room?”
Just then, Illiana appeared from behind Leo, shivering as she asked.
“Yes. Miss Illiana. I will guide you to the accommodation where the Lumen guests will be staying from tomorrow.”
“Eiran. I’ll talk to Leo for a bit and then go.”
“Yes.”
The matter related to the ice sculpture containing the elves presumed to be Seirun and Luna was currently a secret known only to a very select few.
If the existence of the two were revealed before a major event, it could cause great confusion.
‘Besides, it’s not certain yet.’
Leo also hadn't informed Illiana about Luna and Seirun.
As Leo and Lunia headed to the basement where the ice sculpture was, Illiana was guided by Eiran to the accommodation.
Before they knew it, the sun was setting.
The temperature dropped even further accordingly.
“Hmm! It feels a bit daunting to use that big accommodation all by myself… Eiran! Can I sleep in your room tonight?”
“Pardon? I need to get permission from the teachers… Would that be alright?”
“Huh? Will you be uncomfortable if I sleep there? I don’t mind sleeping on the floor though.”
“No. I was just worried Miss Illiana might be uncomfortable. And the bed is wide, so it’s fine for two people to sleep together.”
“Then I’ll impose on you.”
“Hehe. Then let’s get permission from the teachers first.”
Eiran guided Illiana to her room.
As they entered the dormitory building, curious glances poured towards Illiana.
After getting permission even from the dormitory officer teacher, Eiran took Illiana to her room.
Upon arriving at the room, Illiana took off her coat.
“Phew. My clothes are all wet.”
Because she had been in a snowstorm, the clothes she had dressed up in for the occasion were all wet.
“Miss Illiana, you’re very dressed up?”
“Yeah. I thought I was going on a date with the Class Rep, just the two of us.”
Illiana, who had been grumbling discontentedly, her eyes twinkled.
“By the way, Seirun has a private bathroom attached to the room?”
“Yes. Seirun doesn’t have communal bathrooms like Lumen.”
“Wow! There’s even a bathtub! Can I take a bath?”
“Of course. Please give me your coat and warm up.”
Eiran smiled warmly, took Illiana’s coat, and hung it on a hanger.
“Huh? This is…”
“Why?”
Eiran asked as Illiana, filling the bathtub with water, asked with a puzzled expression.
“Is this coat Lord Leo’s?”
“Yeah. It’s the Class Rep’s.”
At that, Eiran stared intently at the coat, then, after confirming Illiana had completely entered the bathroom, quickly put on the coat.
And she buried her face in the coat's lining and pricked up her ears.
‘Lord Leo’s scent.’
“What are you doing?”
“Eek?!”
Eiran was startled and took off the coat.
Illiana, who had poked only her face out of the bathroom, was looking at Eiran with a sly smile.
“Were you enjoying the Class Rep’s scent?”
“Ah, no! I mean! This is…!”
Illiana chuckled, watching Eiran flap her hands, her face bright red, and said.
“Can you lend me some clothes?”
“Yes, yes! I’ll lend them to you.”
Eiran hung Leo’s coat and nodded hurriedly.
“Thanks!”
Illiana smiled brightly, washed herself, and then soaked her body in the bathtub, which was now full of water.
“Phew. Indeed, Seirun is really good in these aspects.”
Illiana made an envious face, looking at the luxurious dormitory room in Seirun.
The bathtub she had just entered was unbelievably large and luxurious for being in a single room.
“Eiran~ If you need to wash too, want to come in?”
“Shall I?”
Eiran also washed herself and then soaked in the bathtub.
And she wore a completely relaxed expression.
As they lived in an extreme region, elves loved soaking in warm water very much.
“So nice~”
“Isn’t it?”
Both of them leisurely enjoyed their bath.
After a moment, Eiran asked.
“By the way, was there anything special in the northwest sea?”
“Hmm. I couldn’t find a Hero Dungeon… Oh! I found a suspicious fellow.”
“Suspicious?”
“Yeah. It was a human girl, not an elf…”
“Huh? Was it perhaps a girl with white hair and red eyes?”
“Huh?! How do you know that?”
Illiana’s eyes widened.
“I also saw that child.”
“Hmm?! This is even more suspicious?”
Illiana narrowed her eyes and stroked her chin.
“I should tell the Class Rep right away and tell him we need to go find her.”
“Tomorrow is the Lumen-Seirun Battle, will there be time?”
“Hmm. There isn’t much time. But we still have to catch her.”
“Why?”
“Because that damn little brat called me an old hag.”
“……”
Eiran forced an awkward smile at Illiana’s words, which were full of resentment.
“But Miss Illiana.”
“Why?”
“Didn’t that girl look familiar somehow?”
“Hmm?”
Illiana tilted her head at Eiran's question, pondered, then nodded.
“She certainly had a familiar aura about her somehow…”
Illiana stroked her chin, lost in thought, then scratched her head vigorously.
“It just won’t come to mind.”
“Hmm. I also couldn’t recall anything specific right away.”
Eiran made a confused expression.
“Ugh! I don’t know! I’ll know when I catch her next time.”
“Will we see her again?”
“Yeah. I somehow have that feeling.”
Illiana made a sullen face.
“I feel like we’ll meet again soon.”
***
Step- Step-
Leo and Lunia reached deep underground in Seirun.
“Welcome, student Leo.”
And when Leo arrived underground, he encountered a familiar figure.
“Professor Tina.”
She was Professor Tina Tingel, an elf who taught magic engineering in Lumen.
As a descendant of Seirun, her abilities in magic engineering and analysis were immense, so Seirun had requested her help just like Leo.
Tina waved her arm from within the loose sleeve of her lab coat.
Leo went to Tina's side and stood before the ice sculpture.
And he looked at Seirun, trapped inside the ice sculpture.
“It seems like it’s really Seirun-nim… but to confirm it’s Seirun-nim…”
“You’re not thinking of dissecting her or anything, are you?”
“…What do you take me for, student Leo? No matter how much I like dissection, I wouldn't dissect an ancestor.”
“That’s a relief.”
“I just wanted to take her out of the ice and take a little bit of blood… No, a lot of blood.”
“……”
Hearing that, Lunia was horrified, and Leo sighed.
“Well, it seems impossible since I can't melt the ice.”
Tina shrugged and headed for the basement entrance.
“Are you leaving?”
“Yes. As I am now, I can’t do anything about this ice.”
Tina said that and tilted her head, looking at Leo.
“I wonder if student Leo can do it?”
“Well. I’ll have to try.”
“Okay. If the ice melts, give me a call.”
Leaving Tina, who waved her hand and left the basement, behind, Leo silently stared at the ice sculpture.
“It’s a seal made of Star Magic, but I couldn’t decipher it.”
“Of course. This is original Star Magic.”
“Huh? If it’s original…?”
“It’s not the Star Magic formula that Seirun reinterpreted, but the original formula that Luna and I use.”
“Then, it means Luna-nim used this magic?”
“No. The user is Seirun herself.”
Magic cast by Seirun, who inherited Luna’s magic power through the Hero Record.
“Lunia, if you grow a little more, you’ll be able to decipher it easily.”
Leo added, and Lunia sighed softly.
“So I’m still lacking.”
“You’re doing well enough already, so don’t blame yourself too much.”
“The consolation is over. Rather, if what you say is true…”
“Yes. This is the real Seirun.”
Leo narrowed his eyes and looked at Seirun, who was unconscious inside the ice.
“Then the person in Seirun-nim’s arms is… Luna-nim?”
“I don’t know that either.”
Her face couldn't be confirmed, but her silhouette certainly resembled Luna.
However, Leo wouldn't know until the seal was broken.
As Leo placed his hand on the ice, the ice sculpture began to glow.
Woong-! Crackle-
Cracks appeared in the sealing magic, instantly deciphered.
Lunia’s face brightened at the sight.
Woong-! Crackle, crackle-!
But at that moment.
A powerful cold current surged again, and the cracked parts froze over once more.
“W-What is this…”
Lunia was flustered.
At that moment, Leo, who was glaring into the ice sculpture, began to pound the ice sculpture with his fist.
Thump-thump-thump-
Lunia, looking perplexed, came to Leo’s side and looked into the ice.
“Seirun-nim?”
And she could see Seirun, who had opened her eyes inside the ice and was looking at Leo.
“You’ve regained consciousness! But why isn’t the seal completely broken?”
“She re-sealed the seal herself after it started to break.”
“What?”
“It seems it’s because of what I told Lumen when we met before.”
“What did you say?”
“I said next time we meet, I’d shave all the hair off this damn pointy-eared jerk.”
Of course, Rodia was also included in the target whose hair would be shaved.
Thump- thump- thump-!
Leo began to pound the ice even more violently with his fist.
“Come out right now, you damn pointy-eared jerk. I’ll shave all your hair.”
Watching Leo quietly utter those words, Lunia realized anew.
‘Ah, his personality was bad.’
The Comet Magician looking at her senior with fearful eyes, and the Hero of Beginnings shouting at her junior to come out.
Seeing that scene, it was clear that Seirun had done something wrong to Leo.
Lunia, watching the scene, made a slightly sad expression.
‘Seirun-nim is also different from the image I imagined.’
Today too, she realizes reality and grows into an adult.
Lunia sighed bitterly, thinking that.