Chapter 163
Chapter Title: The Princess's Challenge
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Murmur— Murmur—
Evening, after all classes had ended.
Returning to the boys' dormitory, Leo noticed the commotion and asked a classmate passing by.
“What’s going on?”
“Huh? Leo?”
The student looked at him with a thoroughly bewildered expression.
He was a magic department student who often belittled Leo for his family and background.
With so many prestigious families at Lumerne, there were plenty of students who looked down on someone from a frontier kingdom, no matter how great their achievements.
But for some reason, he was now cautiously avoiding Leo’s gaze.
Seeing this, Leo easily figured out why the dormitory was in an uproar.
‘The rumor’s out.’
It seemed the entire academy now knew that Leo's maternal family was the Jerdingers.
As Leo entered the dormitory, the eyes of all the male students turned to him in unison.
Ignoring their stares completely, Leo went up to his room.
He was in a foul mood, unable to rest in the evening and needing to go out later to give the princess her private lesson.
Click—
He opened the door to find his room in a complete mess.
The first thing he saw was a polymorphed Piora hiding behind an overturned bed.
Scanning the room, he spotted Kiruan at the highest point.
Perched atop the wardrobe, Kiruan had piled Leo’s textbooks like a fortress wall.
Finally, he saw Elsie sitting by the window, watching the spectacle.
“What are you doing?”
Piora, who had been peeking over the bed, turned her head at Leo’s question.
“Leo! Join me in defeating that wicked fairy…”
Whoosh—! Thwack—!
Kiruan quickly emerged from behind his fortress on the wardrobe, throwing a small stone that struck Piora squarely on the back of her head.
[Hahahaha! That’s the 89th hit! You’re as clumsy as ever!]
Piora irritably picked up the stone and threw it back, but Kiruan slyly ducked behind his books.
Frustrated, Piora puffed out her cheeks and began to tremble with rage.
“What on earth is going on?”
At Leo’s question, Elsie scratched her cheek.
[It seems Kiruan ate all the snacks Piora had hidden.]
[No! She’s the one who ruined my creations first!]
“Creations? You mean those pathetic toys you made to prank the students on the Isle of Phantasms!”
[This chick dares to call them pathetic!]
“Stupid fairy!”
Watching the phoenix and the fairy bicker childishly, Leo let out a deep sigh.
‘If the summoners out there knew that a phoenix and a fairy act like this, they’d be wailing in despair.’
“Stop fighting and come here, both of you.”
At Leo’s words, Piora and Kiruan approached him, their faces sullen.
“You two are Great Phantasms, known as two of the Three Greats. Stop fighting over childish things. Shake hands as a sign of reconciliation.”
Piora and Kiruan made it obvious they didn’t want to, but after a moment, Kiruan reluctantly extended his hand.
[Hmph! As the elder and the leader, I shall extend my hand first for the sake of harmony! You should be honored to receive an apology from the Fairy Prince!]
Piora stared blankly at Kiruan’s small, smugly offered hand before taking it.
[Hmph! Moved by my magnanimity… Ugh—!]
The moment she grabbed Kiruan’s arm, Piora began to spin him around wildly.
After barely escaping her grasp, Kiruan shouted venomously.
[I knew I shouldn't have apologized to a chick who only cares about food! Prepare yourself!]
“Bring it on!”
Whoosh—! Whoosh—!
The two of them dashed back to their respective fortresses and resumed their standoff.
Watching them, Leo said.
“Finish this by the time I get back.”
With those words, Leo left the room.
He needed to submit a request form for a nighttime outing.
Elsie waved at Leo’s departing back.
[Have a safe trip.]
***
“Celia, Chelsea. Just as you two said, Leo is quite a talented individual.”
In the center of Lumerne.
Sasha spoke with an elegant voice in a high-end restaurant near the Hero’s Tower.
At her words, Celia and Chelsea, who had been glaring at each other, turned to Sasha with puzzled expressions.
“I heard he turned down your scouting offer flatly.”
Chelsea asked, looking bewildered.
Sasha nodded.
“Yes. It seems Leo intends to join a faction led by someone he acknowledges.”
The three were speaking comfortably.
Jerdinger and Llewellyn, the right and left hands of Rodren.
Unlike a typical lord-vassal relationship, the bond between the three was slightly different.
The first Jerdinger and Llewellyn were not just founding contributors but also close friends.
That traditional relationship had endured through the long years.
As a result, the three girls’ relationship was closer to friendship than that of a ruler and her subjects.
They maintained etiquette in public, but in private, they spoke freely.
That was why Celia and Chelsea wore strange expressions upon hearing Sasha’s words.
‘He wants to work under someone he acknowledges? That doesn’t sound like him at all.’
Celia, who knew her cousin’s personality well, was lost in thought.
Chelsea seemed to be thinking along the same lines, letting out a small sigh.
It appeared this delusional princess had interpreted Leo’s words in her own convenient way.
“So, I’ve arranged to meet with Leo in a little while.”
“What? Just the two of you?”
Celia’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Yes, he said he’d give me some advice on summoning. Isn’t that a little cute?”
Resting her chin on her hand, Sasha smiled sweetly.
“Offering me advice on summoning, of all things. Even if he is an All-Class, I’m still a member of the Rodren family.”
Sasha wore a smug expression.
The Rodren Imperial Family was not only the ruler of the empire but also a world-renowned family of summoners.
All those of Rodren blood were born with the aptitude of a powerful summoner.
Some even said that if they weren't the imperial family of an empire, they would have become a mighty summoner hero family—their abilities were that genuine.
And Sasha had inherited that Rodren blood in a very potent form.
“Besides, for him to make up such an excuse just to meet me, could it be that he’s fallen for me?”
Covering her mouth, Sasha giggled, and Celia and Chelsea exchanged glances.
Though they were famous for being rivals, right now, they were both worried about their childhood friend, Sasha.
Moreover, hadn't they both stubbornly challenged Leo in swordsmanship and magic, only to be taught a ‘harsh’ lesson?
“Still, for the Crown Princess to meet a boy of her age late at night… don’t you think it’s a bit much?”
“Right, right. Should we come with you?”
At Celia and Chelsea’s words, Sasha shook her head firmly.
“No, that won’t do. I’m planning to study summoning with just Leo tonight.”
Once Sasha got an idea in her head, it was hard to dissuade her.
In the end, the two could only offer their own pieces of advice.
“Don’t let your pride get you into some weird bet.”
Said Celia, who had spent a week playing maid.
“And don’t refuse an offer just to save face.”
Said Chelsea, whose rear end had nearly been scorched.
Despite her two friends’ warnings, Sasha’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.
“Hmph. He’ll surely be surprised by my skills, won't he?”
As she hummed a little tune, Celia and Chelsea watched her with uneasy expressions.
***
Late at night, in the Great Archives.
This space, open to all students, also offered private study rooms for those who wished to study at night as well as during the day.
When preparing for complex assignments or needing many reference materials, students often had to use the Great Archives until late.
As a result, some students occasionally misused this for romantic purposes.
‘Though if you get caught, all hell breaks loose.’
Of course, this was a place used by spirited teenagers, so the librarians were always on high alert, and few students were brave enough to engage in public displays of affection.
Leo looked at Sasha, who was sitting across from him, and spoke.
“Why do you think you can’t form a formal contract with Pegasus, even though you have a provisional one?”
“That’s because my abilities are lacking, of course.”
At Sasha’s words, Leo said.
“Your ability is sufficient. Have you ever considered that you're the one who can't manage it?”
Hearing Leo's words, Sasha’s eyes narrowed.
“Leo, the Three Great Phantasms are mighty beings. Without powerful spiritual energy, you can’t even summon them, even with a pact.”
“I’m well aware of that, of course.”
Leo said nonchalantly.
“I’m just asking if you’ve considered that your effort is lacking.”
“Leo, I am not like other geniuses who rely on their talent and become lazy.” Sasha lifted her chin.
“I am destined to lead the Rodren Empire, one of the world's superpowers. I believe I must always be the best in my field. That’s why, even though I could have entered Lumerne at fourteen like Chelsea, I chose to go to Scoun instead. To dominate Scoun for a year.”
Sasha sat up straight, her eyes radiating a domineering aura that didn't match her youthful appearance.
The eyes of a girl educated from a young age to become an empress blazed with fierce ambition.
“At Scoun, there are few summoners who can match me, not just among the first-years but even among the upperclassmen. So, my next target is Lumerne.”
Sasha’s eyes sparkled.
“I will become the class representative, the top student, and then the student council president. And I will make Lumerne the best among the four great hero academies. Because I’m not satisfied unless I am the best.”
Leo rested his chin on his hand.
“Wouldn’t it have been easier if you had enrolled this year? With Celia and Chelsea here?”
“I have no intention of borrowing Celia’s or Chelsea’s power. It only has value if I achieve it on my own.”
Sasha lifted her chin high.
“I can say with confidence. In terms of pure summoning skill, I could take the top spot in Lumerne’s first-year summoning department right now.”
At those words, a corner of Leo’s mouth curled up.
“Unfortunately, that’s impossible for two reasons.”
“What?”
“First, you can’t beat Woreden, the current top of the summoning department. That guy is a monster.”
Leo thought of Woreden.
In Leo’s view, Woreden, known as the monster of the south, was skilled enough to be firmly in the top three of all first-years in terms of combat power alone.
“Second, there are two first-years who could summon Pegasus right now with just a provisional contract.”
Sasha’s eye twitched.
The reason she had maintained such a relaxed demeanor until now was due to her absolute confidence in her abilities.
But Leo was refuting that.
To top it off, he claimed there were other students who could summon Pegasus under the same conditions as her, which naturally soured her mood.
“Who are these two people?”
“One is Eliza Hergin. And the other one is me.”
The corner of Leo's mouth curled up.
“I could probably even form a formal contract, not just a provisional one.”
Provoked by Leo, Sasha’s expression turned indignant.
“Are you saying that your skills as a summoner are superior to mine, Leo?”
“Why ask something so obvious?”
“Having pride is good, but I don’t think arrogance is.”
“You can judge for yourself whether this is pride or arrogance.”
The moment she heard those words, Sasha realized something.
She wasn't even on Leo’s radar.
‘His refusal of my offer wasn’t to test my abilities, but because he had no interest at all?’
Realizing this, Sasha felt a sense of humiliation.
‘This man, really!’
“I have no intention of learning anything from someone less skilled than me!”
Her stubborn pride flared up, and she rejected Leo’s offer.
“Is that so? Then I’m leaving.”
Leo stood up from his seat without a hint of hesitation.
Seeing this, Sasha became even more incensed.
“Fine! Then prove it! Prove that you’re a better summoner than me!”
“How?”
At Leo’s question, Sasha unleashed her spiritual energy.
A summoning circle materialized in the air.
“You said you could summon Pegasus under the same conditions as me, didn’t you? Go on, try it.”
The passage was complete.
It was a state where anyone qualified could perform the summoning.
“If I succeed, Rodren’s Pegasus might form a contract with me, you know?”
“Hmph. Then I’ll acknowledge the contract. But.”
A smirk formed on Sasha’s lips.
“If you fail to summon it, you will be my attendant for the duration of the joint classes.”
Her stubborn pride had led her to make a strange bet with Leo.
Sasha had done everything Celia and Chelsea had warned her not to, but she was confident.
‘He’ll never be able to do it. This man’s spiritual energy is far inferior to mine.’
Sasha’s spiritual energy was immense.
In terms of pure spiritual power, she was on par with Eliza.
It was logically impossible for Leo to summon Pegasus when even she couldn't.
“If you’re not confident, you can back out now.”
“Not at all.”
Leo chuckled and was about to place his hand on the summoning circle.
In that instant—
Fwoosh—!
His vision went black for a moment.
Flicker— Flicker—
Then, the magic stone lamps began to flicker.
“Huh?”
Sasha looked up at the ceiling with a puzzled expression.
In contrast, Leo’s face hardened.
‘The Curse of Severance? No. This is slightly different.’
Whatever it was, he was certain it was Tartaros.
Leo hurriedly placed his hand on the summoning circle.
Crackle—!
Sparks began to fly from the circle.
“……!”
Sasha’s eyes widened.
Crackle! KRRRRRRAAAAAACK—!
A massive thunderclap ripped through the air.
Flash—!
KRRRRAAAAAACK—!
The inside of the study room was thrown into chaos by a powerful light and sparks.
And what appeared was a woman with pure white hair and white eyes.
She was clad in pristine white armor.
“This feeling… it’s not Sasha.”
The woman’s lips curled into a smile as she looked at the boy standing before her with his arms crossed.
“It’s surprising enough that someone outside the Rodren bloodline summoned me… but to do it with such pathetic spiritual power?”
A strange light glinted in Pegasus’s eyes.
“Who are you?”
“Sorry to do this before we get to introductions.”
“Hm?”
Crackle—!
Sparks flew from Leo’s body.
In an instant, Pegasus’s body reverted to its true form.
[What? You interfered with the contract?]
Looking at the startled Pegasus, Leo said.
“It looks like we have to fight right now. Can you lend me your strength?”