Chapter 121
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Guest
-----------------------------------------------------------------
121.
An unexpected visitor arrived at the Flove estate, coincidentally on the same day Leo attended the Azonia entrance exam.
“Madam.”
Reina, who was enjoying refreshments in the manor’s garden, looked up at the approaching maid with a curious expression.
“What is it?”
“You have a visitor.”
“A visitor?”
*Flip—*
Reina turned a page of the morning paper, her expression still puzzled.
The Flove family rarely had guests.
Though they were a renowned family in delan, the head, Dade Flove, did not participate in high society, and Reina herself seldom attended social parties.
Of course, ever since Leo had become famous, the number of people requesting a meeting had surged.
But she had consistently declined, so there was no reason for news of a guest to reach her directly.
“Who is it?”
“She says she’s a school friend of the Young Master.”
“Is that so? Could you bring her here, then?”
“Yes, Madam.”
Currently, both Dade and Leo were away from the Flove mansion.
Reina was the only one available to receive a guest.
Normally, she would have to receive them formally, but…
*If she didn’t state her family name and just said she’s Leo’s school friend, it must mean she’s here for a purely casual visit.*
Extending formal courtesies to someone on an informal visit would only make them uncomfortable.
So, Reina decided to greet the guest as a friend’s mother.
*To visit so unreservedly means she must be close with Leo. I wonder what kind of child she is.*
At the thought of her son’s school friend visiting, Reina hummed a little tune.
A short while later, she saw a girl in a white dress approaching with the maid.
The girl with light sky-blue hair stood before Reina and bowed her head politely.
“Hello, my name is Chelsea. I’m a classmate of Leo’s.”
After her polite greeting, Chelsea looked at Reina with a slightly nervous expression.
She knew that Leo’s mother was a Jerdinger.
Reina, in turn, looked a bit surprised to see Chelsea, who was clearly a member of the Llewellyn family.
*She’s the one who teamed up with Leo during the entrance exam.*
Reina smiled faintly, recalling how Leo had threatened Chelsea at the time.
“Welcome. Would you like to sit here?”
“Yes!”
Chelsea beamed and sat down opposite Reina.
“Oh, this is a gift I brought.”
Chelsea offered the cake and sweets she had bought before leaving.
They were from a famous brand in the capital of the Rodren Empire.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen this shop.”
“Um… please, speak comfortably with me!”
“Shall I?”
Reina smiled gently and said.
“But my son has been away from home for a few days… I hope I’m not making you wait for nothing.”
“It’s alright! I was planning to stay in delan for a few days during the summer vacation anyway.”
“Is that so? Hehe. That’s a relief. By the way, how is my son doing in school? He doesn’t really tell me about the little things.”
“He’s a model student! Leo is truly amazing!”
Chelsea smiled brightly as she recounted tales of Leo’s school life.
Reina smiled warmly, watching Chelsea’s eyes sparkle as she spoke so cheerfully about Leo.
“Hehe, listening to you reminds me of my own school days.”
“Were you a student at Lumerne as well, Lady Reina?”
“Yes. Your father, Cheid Llewellyn, was two years my senior, so we knew each other well.”
“You went to school with my father!”
Chelsea’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I did.”
“When I get back, I’ll have to ask my father about your school days!”
*He probably won’t have many nice things to say.*
Reina chuckled to herself.
It was true; during her school days, the formidable Reina had caused Cheid Llewellyn, her senior by two years, a great deal of trouble.
“Chelsea, I’m having such a wonderful time talking with you. If you don’t mind, why don’t you stay at our home until Leo returns?”
“Is that really okay?”
“Of course.”
“Then please, make yourself at home.”
“Yes! Thank you so much!”
Chelsea beamed and expressed her gratitude.
Reina watched her, thinking how adorable she was.
***
Upon his return to the Kingdom of Delard, Leo was surprised to find Chelsea chatting with Reina in his home.
“Chelsea? When did you get here?”
“I arrived two days ago.”
“Looks like we missed each other.”
“It’s fine. I had a wonderful time listening to Lady Reina’s old school stories!”
Reina looked fondly at Chelsea, who was smiling brightly as she spoke.
It seemed Reina had taken quite a liking to the cheerful and charming girl.
The relationship between the Jerdingers and the Llewellyns was no obstacle, as Reina had already renounced her family name.
“You’re back earlier than I expected, Leo.”
“Yes. Something came up.”
“Something?”
“I’ll tell you about it later.”
“Alright. Go on up to your room and rest.”
“Okay. Let’s go, Chelsea.”
“Okay.”
Chelsea bowed to Reina and followed Leo up to his room.
“Where were you during the break?”
“I went to Azrek for a bit.”
“Azrek? Why there? Oh! Did you go to watch the Azonia entrance ceremony?”
“No, I went to participate in it.”
“What?”
Chelsea’s eyes widened.
Leo explained the whole story to her.
“Wow, Leo, even your vacation is spectacular.”
“I guess so.”
Leo chuckled, opening his bedroom door.
Chelsea paused at the threshold.
*Leo’s room.*
Being a bright and sociable person, Chelsea had many friends since she was young.
She had been to a friend’s house a few times, but never a male friend’s.
So, even though it was just a schoolmate’s room, she felt a strange flutter of excitement being in a boy’s room.
Following Leo inside, Chelsea slowly looked around.
She thought there might be something different about the room of the unprecedented all-class genius and top student of the academy, but it was nothing special.
“Do you and my mother get along well?”
“Of course! I told you, didn't I? That she’d find me adorable!”
Chelsea puffed out her chest with a proud *huhu!* before tilting her head.
“By the way, what about your homework, Leo?”
“I’m working on it. You?”
“I finished it all at once.”
Chelsea shrugged.
Her strategy, she explained, was to get her homework out of the way at the beginning of the break so she could relax for the rest of the vacation.
Although the amount of Lumerne’s homework was vast, Chelsea was also one of the top students in the first year.
With her characteristic drive, she had finished it all quickly.
“Want me to show you?”
“The professors will know in an instant if you copy.”
“True.”
Chelsea nodded.
“Anyway, how was the Azonia entrance ceremony?”
“It was chaotic. Ar-on’s World of Heroes opened.”
“What? During the ceremony?”
Chelsea was startled.
“Yeah. The entrance candidates entered Ar-on’s world, so the desert-crossing marathon was postponed for a day.”
“No way! So? What happened to Lord Ar-on’s World of Heroes?”
“The entrance candidates cleared it.”
“Whoa! The Azonia kids are no joke, either. To think they cleared a Great Hero’s world!”
Leo considered telling her that he was the one who had cleared it but held his tongue.
Ain and Yura had made him promise not to tell anyone.
“Ugh! Vacation is already half over.”
Chelsea stretched languidly.
“It feels like time is flying by… but also not.”
Chelsea swung her legs, reminiscing about the hectic first semester.
“Anyway, let’s hang out for the next few days! You have to take me to some good restaurants here!”
“Alright.”
Leo chuckled and nodded, and Chelsea began to hum happily.
***
Late that night.
Leo sat in his room, holding the Luminous Orb in his hand.
Within the orb, he could clearly feel the presence of the shadow spirit, Elsie.
*How on earth did this happen?*
Leo had received impossible rewards from clearing Worlds of Heroes before.
But bringing Elsie, a being from the past, into the present was on an entirely different level.
*Is this happening because… I’m Kyle?*
He pondered deeply, but no answers came to him.
*First, I need to check on Elsie’s condition.*
To awaken Elsie, who seemed to be in a deep slumber, Leo channeled his spiritual power.
*Woooong—*
The Luminous Orb was momentarily dyed black.
The black light soon escaped the orb and coalesced on Leo’s palm.
It was as if a living shadow was writhing there.
A moment later, the small darkness receded, revealing a palm-sized Elsie.
Elsie’s closed eyes fluttered.
[Where… am I?]
“You’re awake?”
[Huh? Where are your rabbit ears?]
Elsie tilted her head as she looked at Leo.
Hearing her words, Leo realized that the Elsie he had met in Ar-on’s world had truly crossed over into reality.
“What in the world.”
[I feel so stuffy for some reason! It feels like I can’t use my full power.]
Elsie wore a frustrated expression, as if she were trapped in a confined space.
Leo assessed her condition.
*I see. She’s not in a complete state.*
Elsie’s power was so faint it was hard to call her a great spirit.
Of course, she hadn’t lost her power.
The might of a great spirit still lay dormant within her.
However, Elsie couldn't draw out her abilities to their full potential.
To do so, she needed the help of her contractor, Leo.
*Is she bound to me?*
Leo glanced at the back of his hand.
Elsie was completely bound to him.
She was like a spirit dwelling within a specific object.
If his contract with her were to be broken, she would vanish.
Literally, Leo’s existence was the only thing anchoring Elsie, a spirit from the distant past, to the present.
*Haha. I never imagined the World of Heroes held such a hidden ability.*
The power to manifest abilities from the distant past into the current era.
Amazingly, that category included spirits and mystical beasts.
While Leo was still in shock, Elsie, who had been flying around with a frustrated look, glanced out the window.
She saw something and froze.
[Huh?]
Elsie’s expression turned to one of bewilderment.
The night sky was filled with countless specks of light she had never seen before.
Pressing herself against the windowpane, she stared intently up at them before turning to Leo in excitement.
[Kyle! The moon isn’t red! And there are strange specks of light in the night sky! What are they? They look like… the starlight I’ve only ever heard about in stories!]
Leo looked at Elsie, who was pointing at the sky with one hand while waving her other arm around wildly as if trying to explain something.
“Those are stars.”
Elsie’s eyes widened.
“Listen carefully, Elsie.”
Leo took a deep breath.
“It might be hard to believe… but you are now in the future.”
[What?]
“This is the world 5,000 years after Erebos was defeated.”
Elsie wore a look of utter disbelief.
[Is that even possible? If so, that means you brought me to the future… Kyle, who are you?]
“My name now is Leo Flove.”
[Leo Flove?]
“Yes. And 5,000 years ago, in the Age of Calamity, I was known as Kyle, the ‘Surviving Hero.’”
[……!]
“I was reincarnated in this era after defeating Erebos.”