Book 1 Chapter 997

997.

Young Luna's eyes sparkled as she looked at the flower Leo gave her.

Seirun, who was watching Luna from behind, muttered.

"Wow. That human, seriously… They pretend not to, but they enchant women incredibly well, don't they?"

Seirun had conquered the world of the Great Heroes multiple times.

In doing so, she had naturally seen Kyle countless times.

The conclusion she drew from that process was that Luna and Lisinas had good reason to fall for Kyle.

Kyle definitely had a bad personality.

He was pessimistic, cynical, and had a twisted side, often bickering with Luna or Lisinas.

But he had never once ridiculed Luna's or Lisinas's dreams.

Kyle's personality, too, was less about being inherently that way and more about having changed after losing much over a long period.

Even so, he sometimes said wonderful things that resonated with people's hearts.

Even if she were Luna, she would have fallen for him.

'The problem is, he has no self-awareness.'

Seirun sighed deeply and looked sideways.

Runia, who was like her direct junior, was smiling softly as she watched Leo and Luna.

"I'll try to believe it for now."

Luna said, a little primly.

Even if Luna was a genius, this was a time before her talent had fully blossomed.

She couldn't understand the mechanism of 'Flower Blooming Magic,' which could be called the essence of magic accumulated by her future self.

Even so, she understood that this magic transcended common sense, reaching the realm of miracles.

Therefore, while she didn't fully believe in the possibility of magic that could interfere with space-time, she didn't completely deny it either.

Leo stroked his chin as he watched such a Luna.

Just then, Runia approached Leo and asked.

"Why?"

"No. I just realize anew that a genius is a genius."

"What do you mean?"

"Seeing magic she can't understand and gaining inspiration to shift her way of thinking."

In Leo's eyes, who knew Luna well, it was clear.

Luna, whose switch had been flipped by seeing the Flower Blooming Magic, was completely changing her understanding of magic.

It wasn't that she lacked conviction.

She was quickly reviewing her magical knowledge and expanding her worldview.

While Leo was dumbfounded by that sight,

Luna asked Leo.

"You said this is a school too, right? Surely, in the future, elves and humans won't study at the same school?"

"Well, it seems like such an era is coming, but for now, this is a school where only elves study."

"Then why are you here, being human? Do you perhaps have elven blood?"

"No. I'm like a representative from a human school. Starting tomorrow, there will be an exchange event between the elf and human schools."

"Exchange event?"

Luna's eyes sparkled with interest.

Young Luna didn't know the world outside of elf society.

She knew through books that various races existed, but only through books.

Moreover, even those books were written exclusively from an elven perspective.

Therefore, Luna didn't particularly trust the knowledge of other races she gained through books.

She only imagined them as objectively as possible.

For young Luna, the cultures of other races were close to unknown.

Luna, her eyes shining with curiosity, asked.

"So elves and humans will study together?!"

"No. It's a festival, so we'll be playing."

Of course, it's not just playing.

Since it's an exchange between schools, there are things like debates and skill-based competitions.

But there's no studying.

Both Rumerun and Seirun have finished their final exams and are about to start winter vacation.

It was obvious that there would be enormous resistance if they were made to study in such a situation.

At Leo's words, Luna's face clouded with disappointment.

At that reaction, Seirun reflexively said.

"Immediate special classes…"

At that moment, Leo covered Seirun's mouth.

"Don't talk nonsense."

Then he looked at Luna.

Her desire to satisfy her thirst for knowledge rather than play was characteristic of Luna.

"Enjoying the festival won't be bad either."

At Leo's words, Luna nodded.

Then she asked a question about a doubt that had arisen a little while ago.

"By the way."

Luna tilted her head.

"Why do all of you know my name?"

At that question, Leo smiled broadly.

"Because you are the great elf who saved the world."

"Huh?"

At Leo's words, Luna looked bewildered.

She looked at Leo with a "Is this some kind of joke?" expression.

"Keep things about Luna and Seirun a secret for now. I'll leave the Northwest Sea exploration to Melina."

Having said that, Leo left the basement.

Runia spoke to Seirun and Luna.

"First, I'll set both of you up as external guests."

***

The next day.

Rumerun students arrived at Seirun.

Seirun's students spent busy time welcoming guests.

"There are invited external guests here, but Seirun will officially open to external guests starting tomorrow. We have to finish preparations by then."

"Time will be tight!"

"Let's prepare for the exhibition!"

"Where's the musical stage?"

Club students, guided by Seirun students, moved busily to prepare for their respective exchange event preparations.

"Welcome!"

Meanwhile, in the accommodation Seirun had prepared for Rumerun students, Iliana greeted her friends.

Nella looked at Iliana like that and asked.

"Iliana. Was everything alright?"

"Last night with the class president…!"

"Nothing happened?"

When Nella smiled broadly and got ahead of her, Iliana made a "Tch!" face, looking bored.

Amidst the commotion, Eiran came looking for Chloe.

"Miss Chloe."

"How have you been, Eiran?"

"Yes. More importantly, about what I inquired about."

"Yes. I've prepared everything."

As Chloe nodded, Iliana made a puzzled expression.

"What did you prepare?"

"Idiot. Chloe was supposed to hold an exchange student briefing this time."

"Huh? She was?"

At Chelsea's words, Iliana's eyes widened.

"So, from now on, we'll regularly exchange students?"

Last year, Leo and Eiran had come and gone as exchange students at Seirun and Rumerun, respectively.

At the time, there were many positive aspects for both schools, so this year, exchange students were seriously discussed, and the exchange student program was decided to be piloted starting next year.

Chloe was scheduled to give a presentation to Seirun students about Rumerun's curriculum, philosophy, and classes during this exchange event.

"Ooh! Ooh! So, from next year, we'll be able to see Seirun students at our school."

Iliana made an expression of wonder.

"Pay a little more attention to school matters."

At Chelsea's words, Iliana merely shrugged her shoulders.

"By the way, where's Leo oppa?"

"The class president is looking around Seirun's interior."

"I see."

Chelsea nodded and moved to the stage where the musical would be held, along with her club members.

"Wow…"

Luna's eyes widened as she looked at Seirun's library.

Currently, in the library were Leo and Luna.

And only Seirun and Runia.

"To receive one-on-one tutoring from Lady Seirun… It's an honor for my family!"

"Heh heh. I'm also honored to teach such an excellent junior."

At Runia's words, Seirun smiled proudly.

"That's interesting."

Leo, seeing that, folded his arms and made a curious expression.

"What is?"

When Seirun asked back with a puzzled face, Leo said.

"Azzonia and Damian, they each had really bad relationships with their successors at first, you see."

Azzonia and Ar.

Damian and Driana.

Seirun sighed, looking at Leo who recalled the four who had quite a bit of trouble.

"Both of them have rotten personalities, you know. One's a beast, the other's a short-tempered dwarf."

Seirun elegantly swept her hair back.

"Unlike those two, I am an elegant and cultured sorceress. It's only natural that I get along well with my cute junior."

"You have a rotten personality too."

"Oh my, what a joke."

Leo clicked his tongue at Seirun's shameless demeanor as she chuckled.

Leaving the two who had started tutoring behind, Leo wandered through the library, following Luna.

It was a vast library in Seirun, but currently, Leo was almost monopolizing it.

Luna moved, her eyes shining, looking through bookshelves here and there.

It looked as if she was casually flipping through, but in those fleeting moments, she understood the essence of the books.

Soon, Luna's footsteps stopped.

In front of her were books filled with stories about the Great Heroes.

"I heard from Seirun and Runia all night."

Luna glanced at Leo.

"That in the future, I will become one of the Great Heroes who defeated Erebus, the primordial evil."

"Really?"

"Yes. And I also heard that you are one of those Great Heroes. That you and I were comrades who saved the world together, and that you are his reincarnation."

Luna reached out and took a book from the shelf.

It was a book containing the records of Kyle, the Hero of Beginnings.

Watching Luna, Leo said.

"If you're curious about the path you'll walk in the future, I'll tell you."

"It's a tempting offer… but it's okay."

Luna smiled brightly.

"I'll find that out on my own."

Luna's eyes were full of intellectual curiosity, like a child facing an interesting puzzle.

Hearing the story from Leo was, quite literally, like being told the answer.

For Luna, the process of achieving great deeds was as important as the answer itself.

Therefore, she enjoyed learning about her own path through books.

It was incomplete information, but she could imagine her future self.

The distant future.

The countless stories she would experience someday.

Leo watched Luna silently.

'As expected, she's different from the Luna I know.'

If it were the Luna Leo knew, she would have been overly conceited.

But young Luna was cautious about everything.

'She did have a cute side when she was little, after all.'

As Leo thought to himself.

"By the way, they say I'll fall in love with you…"

Luna narrowed her delicate brows.

Then she frowned and looked at Leo.

"Why are you looking at me with that face?"

"You. Your face is to my liking, but your personality is definitely not."

Luna, who was looking at Leo with a somewhat very displeased gaze, tilted her head.

"Did something happen to my head in the future?"

Watching Luna, who was literally sincerity itself, Leo muttered to himself.

'Should I just punch her?'

***

"Miss Celia, is this a painting you drew?"

"Yes."

"Wow! It's really wonderful. Could you perhaps draw my coronation portrait too?"

"Hmm? It's not difficult… but are you sure I'm good enough?"

"Heh heh. With this level of skill, it would be my honor."

Chen Shia, who came to check the art club's exhibition preparations, admired Celia's painting.

Celia's hobby was painting, and her skill was also very good.

"By the way, Worrden's sculpture is also really wonderful."

"The art club president pleaded and pleaded to get him to make a sculpture. I don't know why he won't join the art club even though he's so skilled with his hands."

As Celia said, Worrden's hobby was sculpting.

He was even exceptionally skilled with his hands, and the art club had been trying to recruit him since his first year.

"Worrden is always busy with training, you know. When I asked him before, he said sculpting was a form of mental discipline."

At those words, Celia made a fed-up expression.

Celia also dedicated herself to training to the point where others grew tired of it, but not as much as Worrden.

Just then.

Someone entered the exhibition hall.

White hair and red eyes.

And she was a girl with pointed ears.

"Huh? She doesn't seem to be a Seirun student…"

"Could she be an external guest?"

Although the opening to external guests was from tomorrow, they had heard that some invited guests arrived today.

Celia approached the elf girl.

"Excuse me, is something wrong?"

"Gasp? By any chance… Lady Celia?"

"Do you know me?"

"Yes, it would be strange not to!"

The elf girl made an excited expression.

Then she took out a paper and pen from her pocket and handed them to Celia.

"Um, excuse me! Could you please give me your autograph?"

'I heard that elves these days are very interested in human society… but for her to know me, who isn't even a hero. That's surprising.'

Celia signed it.

"Please write 'To Lena!'"

"Oh, okay."

Celia smiled awkwardly, signed it, and handed it to Lena.

Then Lena quietly exclaimed, 'Zerdinger version signature!' and was delighted, making an incomprehensible sound.

"Wow! Miss Celia is popular even among elves."

Chen Shia smiled brightly and stood by Celia's side.

"You don't need my autograph?"

It wasn't that she was particularly jealous that Celia had been asked for an autograph, but she asked jokingly.

To Chen Shia's question, Lena replied with a bright smile.

"I don't need Grandma's autograph."

A vein popped on Chen Shia's forehead.

The word 'Grandma' from a girl she had never met before felt strangely unpleasant.

'Huh? She's angry.'

Chen Shia was smiling, but her eyes were trembling.

Celia was slightly intimidated by her friend's rare display of anger.

Whether she was aware of Chen Shia's reaction or not, Lena left the exhibition hall happily with Celia's autograph.

Even after Lena left, Celia couldn't help but keep an eye on Chen Shia's mood.