Chapter 060
Chapter Title: Fairy Forest's Secret
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KRA-KOOM-!
The Wind Chains flying toward Leo went astray in all directions.
Chelsea's eyes widened.
'Wh-what! What in the world just happened!'
The turbulence flowing around Leo had thrown the Wind Chains' trajectory off course.
Leo pointed a finger at Chelsea.
"Wind Bolt."
"W-Wind Shie—!"
BOOM-!
"Agh!"
Chelsea was sent flying backward.
Leo quickly closed the distance.
"Wind Sword!"
Chelsea, hastily using a close-combat spell, swung her blade of wind at Leo.
WHOOSH-!
But the wind swirling around Leo lifted his body into the air.
Entrusting himself to the flow of the wind, Leo remained completely unaffected by Chelsea's wind magic.
Chelsea's eyes went wide.
'This is wind magic?'
The idea of shrouding oneself in wind to let wind magic flow past was something Chelsea could never have conceived.
It was too reckless a method in the first place.
"Wind Sword."
In that time, Leo had also completed his spell.
Leo's blade of wind touched Chelsea's neck.
Chelsea gritted her teeth.
A complete defeat.
All the students in the class wore expressions of disbelief.
As a knight, Leo hadn't used any martial arts.
He had subdued Chelsea purely with wind magic alone.
"What do you think was the reason for this outcome?"
At Halind's question, Chelsea couldn't answer and simply lowered her head.
"What do the rest of you think?"
"..."
He asked the other students in the class, but no one could answer.
Because none of them could believe what had just happened.
"In terms of pure magical prowess, Chelsea Llewellyn is by no means inferior to Leo Flove. In a duel using only wind magic, it would be normal for Leo Flove to be no match for Chelsea Llewellyn. If it had been a life-or-death battle, Leo Flove would have lost."
Halind crossed his arms.
"However, in a contest of skill, Leo Flove was victorious. The deciding factor was the difference in their understanding and application of wind magic."
Everyone focused on Halind's words.
"As students of Lumerne, you are always learning—knights learn more powerful techniques, mages learn higher-tier spells, and summoners learn how to summon high-ranking phantom beasts."
Halind looked at the class.
"Because of this, you tend to focus on acquiring new powers. Before you've even properly utilized the powers you've already learned."
Halind threw a punch into the air.
"To use a simple punch as an example, which is more lethal to an opponent: swinging with brute force, or swinging by using only the necessary muscles for the situation?"
"Using only the necessary muscles for the situation is far more lethal."
Halind nodded at Nella's answer.
"Correct. It's the same with abilities. You tend to think that acquiring a variety of techniques is technical advancement, but that's merely increasing your power. That's why a situation like the one just now occurred."
Having seen Chelsea, the most skilled student in their class, be subdued by Leo, the students couldn't argue.
"To move to the next level, increasing your skill is essential. That alone will cause your abilities to improve by leaps and bounds."
"Yes! Understood."
"Good. Then, from now on, you will all begin individual training."
***
"Haaack!"
"S-Save me..."
"U-Ugh!"
"Hey! If you're gonna puke, do it in the bathroom!"
"To think we have to do this for the entire school trip!"
The morning passed.
The exhausted students of Class 5 were all sprawled on the floor of their lodging.
"Hey, Leo. You made this training schedule, didn't you?"
Leo nodded in response to Karl's question, who was stretched out on the floor.
"Yes."
"Agh! I knew it!"
Karl, who had seen Celia and Chelsea train with Leo every weekend, let out a scream.
"Everyone, rest during the lunch break. I will now announce the mission practicum you'll be undertaking."
Halind posted the mission practicum on the first-floor wall.
Though exhausted, they were curious about the mission details, so everyone struggled over to check the board.
"Gathering herbs in the Fairy Forest? What? You want us to pick grass all day? I refuse!"
"Goblin subjugation? This one's not bad."
"Training with elven soldiers. I'll do this one!"
Each of them chose a mission they liked.
"Leo, what are you going to do?"
In response to Karl's question, Leo picked up a mission slip from the corner.
"This one."
"Hmm? Gathering herbs? Are you really going to do that?"
"Yes."
'This is perfect for investigating the Fairy Forest alone.'
It was a mission other students had dismissed as boring, but for Leo, who needed to investigate the Fairy Forest, it was perfect.
"Well, if you like it... Anyway, Chelsea. How long are you going to stay so down?"
Karl let out a deep sigh as he looked at Chelsea, who was squatting on a chair in the corner.
Although Chelsea adored Leo, losing in a field she was confident in was still a shock.
A few students tried to console Chelsea, but she couldn't easily shake off the shock.
"Leo. Could you try talking to her?"
Nella said with a troubled expression, and Leo approached Chelsea.
"Chelsea."
"Yeah."
"Should I buy you something delicious for dinner?"
'Hey! Is she a kid? You think food will solve it?!'
'Ugh! That guy, seriously! Is there anything he's good at besides studying and training?!'
The boys in the class wore frustrated expressions.
Chelsea, the youngest in the class, was someone the boys treated like a little sister, subtly looking out for her.
"Something delicious?"
But Chelsea's eyes sparkled as if she were tempted.
"What will you buy me?"
"Anything you want."
"Wow!"
"..."
"..."
Seeing Chelsea's bright smile, the boys in the class looked dumbfounded.
"Should we have tried to cheer her up with food too?"
Dade scratched his head and said, prompting Karl to give him a pathetic look.
"As if that little fox would be placated by you guys offering food—Aaaargh?"
"Hmm? Karl? What was that? Care to say it again?"
Chelsea was suddenly stomping hard on Karl's foot.
"Why do the guys in our class dote on her so much!"
Chelsea grinned as she watched Karl rolling on the floor, clutching his foot.
"Because I'm cute?"
"You're not cute at all!"
***
Leo entered the Fairy Forest.
[So this is the Fairy Forest... the former homeland of us fairies.]
Kiruan, floating in the air, muttered in a solemn voice and then wrapped his arms around himself.
[It's cold! I'm going back!]
Thwack-!
[Why'd you hit me!]
"Is that all you have to say after seeing the sanctuary of the fairies?"
[I hate the cold!]
Leo clicked his tongue and stepped deeper into the Fairy Forest.
"Kiruan. There's something I need you to do."
[Something you need me to do?]
Kiruan paused.
Then, he put on a smug expression.
[Leo. It seems you've finally recognized my true worth. Fine, as your contractor, I'll grant your request. What task do you have for the noble Fairy Prince?]
Though he was grumbling, Leo was his first contractor, so Kiruan was secretly looking forward to what his contractor's first request would be.
"Go gather some herbs from the forest."
Leo tossed a pouch for the herbs to Kiruan.
[I am a noble Fairy Prince! You want me to do such a trivial chore?]
"You won't do it?"
[Of course not!]
Kiruan scoffed, throwing the leather herb pouch to the ground.
A moment later.
Kiruan, having been beaten with the leather pouch, flitted about in the air, gathering herbs.
Having pawned the mission off on Kiruan, Leo ventured deeper into the Fairy Forest, investigating the woods.
'They said the northern region, which was warm before the Age of Calamity, grew cold, right?'
The ice spirits, which had originally settled in the east, made a great migration to the north, changing their home.
The fairies, who disliked the cold, naturally had no choice but to leave their homeland in search of a new one.
'And in this place the fairies left behind, monsters began to appear one day.'
And to this day, they haven't been able to completely drive out the monsters.
'Is there something that's generating the monsters?'
Monsters can occur naturally, but they can also be artificially created by Tartaros.
The latter was what came to mind now.
[Leo! Look! I've gathered this much!]
"Hm? Oh? That's impressive. Well done."
Leo was impressed.
Befitting a fairy, he had gathered a large amount of high-quality herbs in a short time.
[Hmph. A trivial task for someone like me.]
Kiruan, who had been displeased at first, now wore a smug expression, clearly happy with the praise.
He placed the herb pouch into his subspace.
Kiruan sat on Leo's shoulder.
A moment later, Leo stopped at a certain spot.
[Hm? Why'd you stop?]
"It's illusion magic."
Kiruan was startled by Leo's words.
[This is the magic of a Fairy King, isn't it? But it doesn't seem like my father's magic?]
'The magic of the previous Fairy King, Grawin.'
The one who was the Fairy King during the Age of Calamity.
For Kiruan, it was the magic of a fairy who was like his grandfather.
'The magic was only activated about 100 years ago.'
Leo felt a sense of doubt as he gauged the flow of mana.
Grawin, who had passed away at least several thousand years ago, had his magic activated 100 years ago.
He stroked his chin as he slowly analyzed the type of magic.
'Since this is the Fairy Forest, it wouldn't be strange for a predecessor to have left behind a magical formula or two, but...'
"Kiruan. When were you kicked out of Fairy Land?"
[100 years ago.]
'So the power source that activated the magic was Kiruan's wings. Why would they activate a protection spell in this place, where no fairies remain, using Kiruan's power?'
They could have stripped Kiruan of his power as a punishment, but there was no reason to use their son's power to activate a barrier spell.
'Does this mean there's something inside worth protecting?'
Just as Leo was lost in thought, looking at the illusion magic.
Clank- clank- Shaaaaaa-!
The sound of scraping metal could be heard.
Kiruan pinched his nose with his fingers.
[Ugh-! What a stench! What is that thing?]
"An undead."
Leo furrowed his brow at the appearance of a hooded undead.
Seeing Leo, the undead let out a low laugh.
"Why is a human in the domain of elves?"
"I'd say it's less strange than an undead like you being here."
"Hehe! Insolent whelp! This place has long been under the influence of us, Tartaros."
[This is the sanctuary of us fairies! What nonsense are you spouting!]
"A fairy? Do fairies with such pathetic power even exist?"
[What did you just say? You reeking corpse!]
Crackle-!
Kiruan, wreathed in silver mana, charged toward the undead.
"No!"
The undead hastily tried to defend against the sudden attack.
BOOM-!
But Kiruan slammed into the undead before it could.
[Hmph! Don't get cocky, you weakling!]
Kiruan wore a triumphant expression after shattering the undead in a single blow.
"For a fairy, you sure fight like a brute, just ramming into things."
[As long as it's effective, who cares!]
Indeed, since the source of a fairy's power is life force, they were the natural enemy of the undead, who wielded the power of death.
[How's that! The power of yours truly!]
Leo pointed behind Kiruan, who was circling in the air as if showing off.
"Look behind you."
[Hm? Behind me?]
Woooooosh-!
"Indeed, even a low-class one is still a fairy, it seems."
[Ugh- you smelly thing, you're persistent!]
Kiruan mocked it, pretending to gag.
"A fairy with such a vulgar way of speaking!"
As crimson eyes flashed from within the hood, a crimson greatsword materialized in the undead's hand.
Seeing that, the color drained from Leo's face.
"Kiruan! Get back!"
[Huh? H-Haaack!]
As the undead plunged its sword into the ground, crimson bone blades shot up from the earth.
Fwoosh-!
Leo ignited his fiery Aura.
Leo narrowed his eyes as he watched the knight exuding a crimson aura.
"A Death Knight?"