Chapter 277
Chapter Title: Sword of Animus
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That evening.
Leo, who had arrived early at the meeting place, was contemplating the magic he would teach Lunia.
‘I should teach Eiran Star Magic as well, not just return Erquint.’
Of course, he didn’t plan on teaching her Terminus.
‘Eiran isn’t suited for Terminus.’
He planned to teach Lunia other Star Magic besides Terminus as well.
Star Magic: Terminus.
As the magic publicly known to symbolize Luna, it boasted the greatest power among all the spells she had used.
‘But there was another magic that truly symbolized Luna.’
Star Magic: Stella Radius.
It was created through the Star Magic system, but it was a spell Luna crafted solely for herself.
In terms of raw power, the strongest Star Magic was Terminus, but Stella Radius was far more versatile.
As a spell optimized for Luna’s specific mana characteristics, it was, in a sense, the most quintessential Star Magic.
The reason Stella Radius was special.
It was because it was another unique magic, built upon the foundation of Star Magic—a system that was itself a form of unique magic.
This wasn’t simply a matter of applying a unique magic to create another spell.
‘If unique magic symbolizes a mage’s mana characteristics… Stella Radius symbolizes the mage themself.’
Luna had wanted to become a great mage who shone like a star.
Influenced by that wish, Stella Radius was a magic that held a beautiful starlight within it.
And there was one more spell like Stella Radius.
A Star Magic, but the only one Luna couldn't use.
‘Innocent.’
Kyle’s unique magic, created by Luna.
It was a magic that symbolized Kyle himself.
And Luna newly defined and named this category of magic, which included Stella Radius and Innocent.
‘Origin.’
Magic that signifies what one wants to become, or the very source of that person.
‘And she created several other Origins besides Stella Radius and Innocent.’
Of course, they were never completed.
Luna had only created the basic frameworks for those spells.
Since there were no users for them, they never reached the stage of completion.
‘Among them was a spell made for Verchia.’
Verchia, who had been the joint disciple of Luna, Ar-on, and Kyle.
Magic from Luna.
Martial arts from Ar-on.
And magic swordsman techniques from Kyle.
Through their teachings, Verchia completed a unique magic called ‘Armor of Animus,’ which was passed down to her descendants for thousands of years.
A magic that fused mana and aura.
What Leo would teach Eiran was the Origin magic Luna had created for Verchia.
It was a magic Leo himself couldn’t use, knowing only the theory and formula.
‘Because it was a spell made exclusively for Verchia.’
The activation conditions for the magic were Star Mana, elven mana, and aura.
‘As Verchia’s descendant, Eiran meets the conditions to learn the magic, so it should be possible for her.’
Luna’s sentiment, left behind for the disciple who admired her teachers and wanted to follow in their footsteps.
The succession failed when all the Great Heroes lost their lives on the final expedition.
But in this era, there was Leo.
From the moment he saw Eiran, Leo had thought he must pass this magic on to her.
Leo had a duty to bequeath this magic.
Though Luna, who created the magic, and Verchia, the intended recipient, were both long gone.
Her descendant, who inherited Verchia’s will, still exists.
‘Conveying that sentiment, however late, must be one of my roles in living again in this era.’
As Leo thought of Luna and Verchia, a faint smile graced his lips.
Creeak—
The sound of the auditorium door opening was heard.
Turning with a quizzical look, Leo saw Eiran peeking her head through the slightly open door and wore a puzzled expression.
“Eiran?”
“L-Leo. A-Are you here already?”
There was still time before midnight.
“Yeah. I wanted to prepare a bit. Why are you here so early?”
“I, I also wanted to… m-mentally prepare…!”
“What? Were you that excited?”
“N-Not excited! I just, that kind of, I mean…! Well!”
Her ears turning red, Eiran fidgeted with her hands before ducking her head and replying.
“I… I was looking forward to it.”
Watching Eiran, who looked so embarrassed steam might come out of her head, Leo inwardly clicked his tongue.
‘If Verchia had been half as cute as Eiran, I would’ve doted on her more.’
Remembering his insolent disciple who always gave him sideways glances and rebelled at every turn, Leo shook his head.
‘She couldn't even compare to her own descendant.’
Shaking his head at the thought of Verchia, Leo beckoned.
“Then let’s start early. Come here.”
At his words, Eiran hesitantly approached him.
Watching her, Leo let out a small chuckle and said,
“Could you close your eyes?”
“C-Close my eyes…?”
‘I-I’ve seen this in novels. While her eyes are closed, the male lead steals a k-k-k-k-kiss from the female lead’s l-l-l-lips…!’
The former shut-in recalled the plots of the novels she had read, her misunderstanding growing smoothly.
Not knowing what to do, Eiran soon found herself gazing at Leo’s form, bathed in the moonlight.
‘L-Leo… he’s become more gallant… and more manly.’
Though he was still a boy with youthful features, his aura was serious.
Beneath his white hair were mature red eyes.
And below them, the well-defined features of a handsome young man.
‘And his lips….’
Feeling an unidentifiable sense of thrill, Eiran looked up at Leo and gently closed her eyes.
Thump, thump—her heart pounded as if it would burst.
Closing her eyes seemed to heighten her other senses, like touch and smell.
Rustle, rustle—
She heard the sound of something being taken out of a cloth.
As she became aware of it, Leo’s scent seemed to grow even clearer to her.
Step—
She felt Leo step closer.
Clasp!
“……!”
When Leo grasped her wrist, Eiran felt as if an electric current had shot through her entire body.
Holding her wrist, Leo brought it forward and placed Erquint in her small hand.
“Alright, you can open your eyes now.”
At his words, a flustered Eiran opened her eyes.
“It’s a gift.”
And seeing the sword placed in her hand, Eiran blinked her large eyes.
“From now on, I’m going to teach you Star Magic.”
Hearing Leo’s words, Eiran, who had fallen silent, began to tremble.
She had realized she’d been indulging in a ridiculous fantasy.
The tutoring Leo had offered wasn’t some secret rendezvous, but actual, real tutoring.
Overcome with a wave of shame, Eiran trembled, crouched down, and buried her face in her knees.
Looking down at her, Leo muttered,
‘Looks like she was having another strange fantasy.’
Knowing that saying this to the innocent yet knowledgeable-in-weird-things elven girl would probably break her beyond repair, Leo decided to let it slide.
***
Having barely recovered, Eiran put on the brightest expression she could manage.
“L-Learning Star Magic from you, Leo! It’s truly an honor!”
Leo gave the overly joyous Eiran a brief, pitying look before speaking.
“Take a closer look at the sword I gave you.”
Eiran looked again at the uniquely shaped sword Leo had given her.
“Th-This is… Erquint?”
Seeing a sword identical to the one used by her family’s founder in the distant past, Eiran was astonished.
The Ersar family also had an Erquint that had been passed down.
But that one was from the distant past, a reward her ancestor received for conquering the World of Heroes.
It wasn't the genuine article, but a replica.
And since a Hero Weapon loses its power when its conqueror dies, it was merely an empty shell.
“That one is the real thing.”
At Leo’s words, Eiran was even more surprised.
“B-But! They say Lady Verchia lost Erquint during the Age of Calamity, didn’t they?”
“She did. But, the imperial family of the Shan Empire was keeping it.”
Leo pulled up a nearby chair and sat down.
“And it’s said that the founder of the Shan Empire was also a disciple of the Great Hero, just like Verchia.”
“What?”
Eiran was startled.
It was an unknown fact, but Leo decided to tell Eiran this story.
‘Eiran is tight-lipped.’
He had already told Chen Xia that he would give Erquint to Eiran and inform her of its origin.
Hearing this, Chen Xia had shown no particular reaction.
‘Yes. Do as you wish, Young Master Leo.’
‘Are you sure it’s alright to readily give away an item you’ve kept for thousands of years to another family… and another race at that?’
‘Young Master Leo is the benefactor of Shan and myself. I have already sworn to live my entire life for you. So please, use Shan and me as you see fit.’
“It seems the founder of Shan found the sword Verchia had lost.”
“I-I see.”
Eiran stared at the Erquint in her hand with trembling eyes.
She could already feel an extraordinary amount of mana emanating from the Erquint in her hand.
As one who inherited Verchia’s blood, Eiran felt it instinctively.
That this sword was the real thing.
“This is… the founder’s sword.”
Watching Eiran gaze at Erquint with moved eyes, Leo spoke.
“Right. First, you need to learn how to use that sword.”
“How to use the sword?”
“Yes. Can you give it back for a moment?”
Eiran returned Erquint to Leo.
Taking the sword, Leo channeled his mana into Erquint.
Vwoom—!
Erquint began to resonate with a hum.
Zhiiing—!
Simultaneously, a blade of pale silver light shot out from Erquint.
Eiran watched in awe as the mana blade extended to the length of a longsword.
‘It’s exactly as described in the texts!’
Seeing the true form of the weapon used by her most revered ancestor, Eiran was deeply moved.
Leo handed Erquint back to Eiran.
“Here, you try.”
At his words, Eiran grasped Erquint with both hands.
‘I’m sure Leo channeled his mana like this….’
She channeled her mana into Erquint just as Leo had done a moment ago.
Zhiiing—!
A pale silver blade shot forth.
“Leo! I did it!”
Seeing Eiran’s bright smile, Leo chuckled.
“Well done. Shall we move on to the magic now?”
“Yes!”
Leo opened his palm.
“This is a magic that perhaps only people from your family can learn.”
“A magic only our family can learn?”
Eiran blinked her large eyes and tilted her head.
“Yes.”
As Leo nodded, a magic formula materialized above his palm.
Eiran’s eyes widened.
She realized it instinctively.
This was….
‘It’s a magic related to the Ersar family.’
And not just any family magic.
‘It resembles the Armor of Animus.’
“D-Don’t tell me you created this magic, Leo?”
To that question, Leo shook his head.
“No. The one who created this magic was likely Luna, the founder of Nebula.”
“What?”
“It’s a magic I also found in an ancient text discovered in the Shan Empire.”
Eiran’s jaw dropped.
The magic left behind by Luna, the founder of Nebula, for her disciple, Verchia.
A magic Luna created during her final expedition to support the wish of the young girl, Verchia, who admired the Great Hero and followed in his footsteps.
Luna’s final creation.
“Sword of Animus.”
Leo gazed intently at Eiran.
“It’s the final magic left by the founder of Nebula for your ancestor.”