Chapter 344
Chapter Title: A King's Burden and a Prince's Lies
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344
Tap— Tap— Tap—
Leo tapped his fingertips on the desk.
'I see. So there was a reason Silroad couldn't leave Fairy Land all this time.'
A fragment of Erebos, sealed by the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle.
The endlessly burning flames of calamity.
-Kyle, shortly after you ended the Age of Calamity, I discovered one of the fragments of Erebos.
Silroad said with a deep sigh.
-I was the only one in this world who knew of its existence.
Silroad couldn't just leave the fragment of Erebos unattended.
If Tartaros were to discover it, the world would surely be engulfed in the flames of calamity once more.
-I moved Fairy Land and established a new home. I sealed the fragment deep beneath Fairy Land, suppressing it to keep it from awakening.
And so, he had endured for 5,000 years.
“Are there any signs of the fragment awakening?”
-None for now.
Leo nodded at Silroad's words.
That was a relief, at least.
'But it's still a ticking time bomb.'
Leo narrowed his eyes.
5,000 years ago, during the final battle, sealing Erebos was the best Kyle could do.
'Now, it's possible to find and destroy each of those scattered fragments.'
The first was the Erebos being held back by the Heroes of Genesis.
“One day, we'll be able to completely destroy Erebos and find peace. The world they wished for will come.”
Leo looked at Silroad.
“It must have been hard to bear that burden alone for 5,000 years... Thank you.”
Progenitor of the Nebula, Luna's contractor.
But back then, he was just a young fairy.
Leo could only imagine the mental toll this kind-hearted little fairy had endured for 5,000 years.
Especially since he had faced Erebos directly.
The fear must have been that much greater.
At Leo's words, Silroad replied.
-Kyle, I... I still regret letting Luna go alone 5,000 years ago.
“It wasn't your fault.”
-No. But I've lived my life thinking that if only I had been braver, if I, in my inexperience, had stepped forward instead of Luna... maybe she would have lived.
“...”
-In the end, I was the sole survivor of those who set out to subjugate Erebos. Therefore, it was my duty, something I naturally had to do.
Silroad said seriously.
-I'd rather you not thank me. You're the one who should be thanked, not the one giving thanks, are you not?
Silroad smiled brightly.
“Because you're the Great Hero who saved the world.”
“...5,000 years is a long time, it seems.”
Leo rested his chin on his hand.
“To think that little fairy would become so mature.”
“Playing king for 5,000 years gives you some gravitas.”
Leo replied to Silroad's words.
“Right. You've become stern enough to boldly kick out your problem-child son.”
“Problem-child son?”
Seeing Silroad's puzzled expression, Leo reached a hand into the air.
A summoning circle opened.
Normally, Kiruan would have zipped through the moment the circle appeared, but not this time.
Leo forcibly shoved his hand into the summoning circle and grabbed onto something.
Grasp—!
'A ball of fluff?'
When Leo pulled it out, a red chick popped out.
-Peep.
Leo placed Piora on the desk and shoved his hand back into the summoning circle.
Grasp—!
“Ah, Master's rough touch~”
A voice that sounded strangely pleased.
Leo roughly yanked Arti out of the circle and tossed him onto the floor.
Just as a hint of annoyance crossed Leo's face.
-Let go! Let me go!
-What kind of familiar in this world refuses its contractor's summons?
With a click of her tongue, Elsie, who had Kiruan tightly bound in shadows, stepped through the summoning circle.
-Miss Elsie?
Silroad stared at Elsie with surprised eyes.
Elsie looked at Silroad, lifted the hem of her skirt slightly, and gave a polite curtsy.
-A pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty the Fairy King. I am the shadow spirit, Elsie.
-Good heavens, how is Miss Elsie in the present world?
Tilting her head at Silroad, who flew before her with a shocked expression, Elsie smiled brightly.
-Ah, so you know the other me?
-The other you?
Flustered, Silroad examined Elsie more closely.
She was undoubtedly Elsie, the shadow spirit who had contracted with Kyle 5,000 years ago.
The spirit who had perished in the battle against the Lich King.
But there was a difference.
The Elsie that Silroad remembered had an overall dark aura.
She had questioned the journey to save the world and exuded a gloomy, unapproachable air.
But the Elsie before him was different.
-I came to the present world through the Hero Record.
-The Hero Record?
-Yes, I was Leo's reward for clearing it.
Silroad looked astonished.
To think it could bring a person from the past, existing within the Hero Record, into the present world.
-Indeed, it is worthy of being the gods' final legacy.
Silroad, who remembered the age when the gods lived, let out a sound of admiration and accepted it.
Then, he glanced at Kiruan, who was subdued by Elsie.
Kiruan hastily averted his gaze.
-I never imagined you would become Kyle's contractor, Kiruan.
Seeing Silroad display the dignity of the Fairy King, Elsie released Kiruan.
Shnk—!
Kiruan hurried before Silroad and knelt.
And he said.
-Father, have you been well? It is I, Kiruan. Seeing your noble face after so long, I am at a loss for what to do.
Leo rested his chin on his hand as he watched Kiruan prostrate himself in a deep bow.
-In that regard, Father. I have been reflecting on my actions a great deal!
Kiruan clenched his fists and shouted.
-I haven't been playing any pranks! I have been helping Leo every day, dedicating myself to the future of the world.
“...He's lying through his teeth.”
Elsie whispered softly in Leo's ear.
Leo let out a dry laugh.
-Is that so?
-Yes! I even lent my strength to defeat the monster queen!
Watching Kiruan shout confidently, Silroad looked at Leo.
“Well, it's true he's achieved great things by being with me.”
At Leo's words, Kiruan gave an innocent smile.
-Pwek!
Seeing Kiruan, Piora, in her chick form, made a gagging motion.
-You're helping Kiruan out, surprisingly.
Elsie tilted her head.
To which Leo replied nonchalantly.
“Because there are plenty of others who will tattle on him even if I don't.”
-Peep. Peep.
Piora waddled over to Leo and peeped at Elsie.
Piora was curious about why that troublemaking fairy was pretending to be good in front of Silroad.
Elsie responded to Piora's reaction.
-Right now, Kiruan is asking the Fairy King for forgiveness, claiming he has turned over a new leaf and been living a good life.
Piora's eyes flashed open, and she ran toward Silroad as if she were rolling.
-Peep! Peep! Peep! Peep! Peep!
She then flapped her small wings frantically, crying out to convey something to Silroad.
Kiruan's face twitched.
Silroad used magic to turn Piora into her human form.
Piora greeted Silroad politely.
“I am the phoenix, Piora. Elder. I am here to report on this fairy's evil deeds.”
-Speak, young phoenix.
“This wicked fairy's day begins with stealing and eating my snacks! And after that, he schemes about how to prank the diligent hero academy students of Lumerne!”
Silroad's expression grew colder and colder, while Kiruan's face turned pale.
“Finally, he is a malicious fairy who ends his day by stealing and eating the Lumerne students' late-night snacks!”
Having tattled on every single detail of Kiruan's day, Piora wore a look of immense satisfaction.
“And also...!”
“Yes, yes. That's enough, Piora.”
Arti slipped his hands under Piora's arms, lifted her up, and carried her to a corner of the room.
Piora struggled, wanting to say more, but she quieted down when Arti stuck a lollipop in her mouth.
-It seems you still have a long way to go before you mature.
-Ah, Father...!
-I shall maintain the order of your banishment from Fairy Land.
Kiruan despaired.
Watching him, Elsie sighed.
-This is why one's usual conduct should be proper.
Leaving that sharp remark, Elsie flew over to Piora, who was eating her candy, and said.
-Piora, you were bad too.
While Elsie was chiding the familiars.
Silroad flew over to Leo.
-It seems you won't be bored.
“Not bored in the slightest.”
Leo let out a low chuckle and said.
“You can't leave Fairy Land for long, can you?”
-No. I would like to talk more... but we'll have to save that for another day.
Leo nodded at Silroad's words.
-Kyle, I'm so happy I could meet you again.
“Me too.”
-Do you have a goal in this life?
Silroad knew.
That in his time as Kyle, Leo hadn't had any particular, clear goal.
At Silroad's question, Leo let out a smirk.
“I don't know how I was reincarnated and born again. But there must be a reason.”
Leo looked at Silroad.
“You and I both lived through the 5,000-year Age of Calamity. Being reborn and seeing this era of reclaimed peace made me realize something. That journey I took with my friends, simply following Lisinas without a purpose... it wasn't meaningless after all.”
-It was the greatest achievement in the world.
“So, in this life, I've set a clear goal.”
Leo glanced at Piora, Kiruan, Arti, and Leah lying on the bed, then looked out at the scenery beyond the window.
“To settle the ill-fated ties of the past in this life, no matter what it takes.”
Leo smiled faintly.
“The terror of the primordial evil... I've vowed to ensure it doesn't last beyond this era. That's my goal.”
***
The next morning.
Leah's eyes flew open.
'Where am I...? Huh?!'
Leah shot up.
She cupped her cheeks, not knowing what to do.
'I passed out from mana exhaustion while summoning the Fairy King... and I slept in Senior Flove's room?!'
Leah got out of bed, completely flustered.
Then she froze, seeing Leo asleep in the chair by the window.
“S-Senior Flove... Um.”
“You're awake?”
Opening one eye, Leo stood up and stretched.
“Sorry for making you overexert yourself.”
“N-no. I'm the one who should be sorry for fainting so unsightly...”
Leo looked at Leah, who was scratching her head with an awkward laugh, and said.
“I tried to wake you, but you wouldn't get up, so I let you sleep here. I didn't know where your room was. Nothing happened, so don't worry.”
“Yes, sir!”
Leah replied sharply.
Still, the thought of having slept in a boy's room made her heart flutter strangely.
'Phew! This is a huge violation of the school rules!'
Glancing at the scenery, she guessed it was still early morning, before the official wake-up time.
“I'll head back quickly.”
“Ah, it's probably better if you don't go right n—”
Before Leo could finish, Leah, still without her socks on, rushed out of his room.
Click— Creak—
Just as Leah, having carefully left the room, was about to head back to her dorm.
“Leah?”
She turned around at the voice from behind her.
Leah panicked when she made eye contact with the girl.
“Um... that... This is...”
Standing there was the third-ranked first-year student, the class representative and her close friend, Eclair, her mouth agape.
“Leah... you... you stayed out all night? In a boy's room, no less?”
“Look... just come here! I'll explain!”
Leah grabbed Eclair's wrist and hurriedly dragged her back to her room.
Creak—
Leo opened his door and shook his head.
“I told you not to go.”
Clicking his tongue, Leo glanced to the side.
“Are you going to keep hiding there?”
At his words, a flustered presence was felt, and then Anre peeked out from the end of the hall.
“You... you... what's your relationship with Leah Tingel?”
Leo gave a bored look to the blushing Anre.
“We were just talking about summoning, that's all.”
Seeing Leo speak so matter-of-factly, Anre gave an awkward laugh.
“R-right?”
“What on earth are you imagining? Why are elves these days so shameless?”
“I-I'm not shameless!”
Anre retorted hotly.