Chapter 407

Book 1 Chapter 407

Later that night.

Leo made his way back to his living quarters after wrapping up his daily academic tasks.

Right in the middle of the room, five summoned beasts had crowded themselves around a round table, each grasping two playing cards and deeply engrossed in a game.

-Hah. Looks like victory is mine this time.

Kirian wore an arrogant smirk, pushing forward the stacks of sweets and chocolates piled next to him as if they were gambling chips.

“Don’t make me laugh, you ridiculous fairy.”

Piora scoffed, readily matching Kirian’s wager.

With tension crackling between the pair, the remaining summoned creatures had already folded their cards long ago, content to just watch the drama unfold.

Moments later, five cards hit the table, and the final hands were shown.

“I have a full house.”

-Bwahaha! Four of a kind! Take that, you pudgy little bird!

Kirian erupted into a loud roar of laughter, reaching out to sweep up the mountain of treats piled on the table.

Right then, having just watched an entire week’s worth of snacks vanish in a flash, Piora’s face twisted into tears.

“Hey, fairy royalty.”

Larael, the Great Spirit of Light, glared down at Kirian with a terrifyingly frosty look.

-What do you want?

“Are you using magic to cheat?”

Smash-!

-Screeech?!

Larael stomped her foot directly onto Kirian’s hand before reaching down to grab the deck.

“I will wager everything I own that you altered these cards using illusions. What are you willing to risk?”

The moment Larael made contact with Kirian’s cards, the values on them shifted.

Spotting this, Piora’s gaze turned incredibly hostile.

“Chop off his hand! Chop off his hand!”

Elsie let out a heavy groan, observing Piora shouting at the top of her lungs in absolute frenzy.

“Ms. Piora, you really shouldn’t use such violent language.”

“Severing it is a bit extreme, but snapping it… ah… just imagining it gives me chills… cough-!”

Elsie, unable to restrain her, instead directed her glare at Arti, who was rambling nonsense nearby, burying a small fist straight into Arti’s ribs.

Arti, receiving the blow to the side, tumbled onto the rug with a sharp ‘Ahng!’ and writhed around, yet seemed oddly pleased by the experience.

Taking in the entire chaotic scene, Leo’s expression became incredibly strained.

‘If regular summoners witnessed this, they would probably break down in tears.’

And they would undoubtedly curse the miserable reality of it all.

To be fair, even Leo found it difficult to normalize this kind of conduct from his own summons.

Five millennia ago, the Flame Emperor Katariu and Luminus, who served as contractors to Rishinas alongside the other great spirits, were exceptionally noble and majestic entities.

Silrod, who was Luna’s contractor and the Fairy Prince at the time, might have been youthful, but he was never as loud and obnoxious as Kirian.

Even the Great Spirit of Light hadn’t possessed such a warped and intimidating demeanor back then.

‘Could this be because of me?’

He briefly pondered if his own personality had shaped how his summons turned out, but quickly dismissed the notion.

‘Albus was a remarkably dignified Pegasus. He wasn’t a complete degenerate like Arti.’

If there was at least one stable creature among Leo’s current partners, it was Elsie.

Elsie essentially functioned as the sole anchor keeping Leo’s eccentric summons from completely losing their minds.

In short.

‘The problem lies with the modern summoned beasts, not with me.’

Leo mentally established that boundary and walked over to the group currently disciplining Kirian.

As Kirian, who was paying dearly for his deceptive antics, lay twitching on the rug, Leo extended his arm.

He hoisted him up by both wings, much like picking up an insect, and questioned them.

“Who exactly started this unauthorized casino?”

“The brainless fairy.”

Piora pointed a finger straight at the dazed Kirian without a moment’s hesitation.

Leo clicked his tongue at the sight, tossing Kirian carelessly back onto the tabletop before speaking.

“It pains me to point this out, but you all are technically my summoned beasts, aren’t you?”

The group blinked up at Leo in silence.

“How about showing a shred of self-respect?”

“Finding a phoenix as cultured and well-mannered as myself is practically a miracle.”

Piora puffed out her chest, offering a thoroughly self-righteous look.

Glancing at Piora, Arti chimed in.

“When you were just a round ball rolling across the floor, there wasn’t anything cultured about you.”

In response, Piora aggressively yanked at Arti’s hair.

“Ahng!”

Arti let out a high-pitched squeal, seemingly enjoying Piora’s retaliation.

Watching this unfold, Leo let out a massive sigh.

Because word had already spread that Leo was the master of the Three Great Beasts, constant appeals from the Summoning Department were arriving, begging Leo to allow them to study the creatures.

Naturally, Leo had to keep denying those appeals.

‘Imagine how devastated they would be if their grand expectations were shattered by seeing this.’

It was simply Leo’s specific contractors who were bizarre, rather than the entire race of the Three Great Beasts being flawed.

Leo had no desire to crush the romantic notions of hopeful young academics.

While the creatures continued to make fools of themselves, Leo commanded.

“Regardless, get yourselves ready to head out.”

“Head out?”

Elsie tilted her head to the side.

“Correct. There is something I must verify. We are making a trip to the Island of Summoned Beasts.”

“But curfew has already passed. We shouldn’t be traveling to the Island of Summoned Beasts at this hour.”

Though the Island of Summoned Beasts was located within Lumen’s grand domain, technically speaking, it sat outside the academy boundaries.

Even taking into account Leo’s status as the student council president, sneaking past the gates after hours was a direct breach of the institution’s regulations.

Furthermore, even with his executive authority, entering the Island of Summoned Beasts without official clearance was highly problematic.

Hearing Elsie’s protest, Leo countered.

“Don’t worry about it. We will simply slip away undetected.”

“Isn’t the student council president supposed to serve as a role model for the student body?”

Larael squinted her eyes at him.

“I am serving as an example.”

“By actively violating the academy code?”

Piora joined Larael in narrowing her eyes, pressing for an answer.

“If nobody catches you, no wrongdoing has occurred.”

At Leo’s entirely unbothered reply, Larael exhaled heavily, looking utterly defeated.

Piora, on the other hand, blinked rapidly, clearly struggling with the logic.

“Does that actually make any sense to you?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“Then why aren’t you arguing against it anymore? My mother always told me the Great Spirit of Light is a champion who upholds righteousness and balance in the realm.”

“That’s true. However, I’ve lived a very long time, and I’ve figured out how to make concessions with the real world.”

Larael gently patted Piora’s head and prepared herself for the journey.

Piora, mulling over Larael’s explanation, gave a slow nod.

“So, when it comes down to it, it isn’t wrong unless someone sees you do it, correct?”

“Precisely.”

Elsie, completely overwhelmed by the absurdity, could do nothing but let out another weary sigh.

Awaiting Leo’s arrival at the designated spot on the Island of Summoned Beasts was none other than Mel.

“Greetings, Lord Leo. Everything has been prepared as requested.”

Hearing Mel’s confirmation, Kirian tilted his head in confusion.

-What exactly is prepared?

“I have an experiment to conduct.”

The destination Leo had chosen was a massive, vacant clearing situated right in the heart of the Island of Summoned Beasts.

It was the most isolated zone, a place rarely trodden by pupils or instructors alike.

It was precisely then, as the summons perked up with curiosity at the mention of an “experiment,” that Leo spoke.

“Arti.”

Hearing her name, Arti’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“Are you going to test something on me, Master? Will it cause me pain?”

Leo looked down at Arti, who was staring up at him with an oddly hopeful expression, and replied.

“Well, I can’t promise it won’t.”

Upon hearing his words, Arti’s face fell in disappointment.

Witnessing her reaction, Leo shook his head and ordered.

“Reveal your true shape.”

“Understood.”

Arti shifted back into her grand Pegasus form.

Leo smoothly climbed onto Arti’s back.

Observing this, Mel began chanting an incantation.

She erected a powerful concealment boundary, ensuring that no one from the outside world could detect them, even if an immense surge of energy was released.

The moment Leo gripped the reins, Arti launched into the heavens at a breathtaking velocity.

Zzzzt-!

Arcs of electricity began to crackle wildly around Arti’s form.

-What is it you intend to analyze?

“I plan to test one of the prizes I acquired from conquering the Hero’s World recently.”

-A conquest prize?

Right at the moment Arti voiced her confusion.

Crack-!

-…?

Arti, who was soaring through the air powered by Leo’s mana, suddenly shuddered from the sheer intensity of the energy originating from Leo’s spiritual core.

-This sensation is…?

It was the raw majesty of a Pegasus.

An energy far more concentrated and pristine than any Pegasus alive could boast.

Blinding white currents of lightning completely encased Arti’s entire frame.

Crackle, crackle, flash-

-Aaaaargh?!

Arti’s physical form spasmed violently within the raging electrical tempest that trapped her, looking as though she were being torn apart by pure current.

Simultaneously, Arti’s inherent strength began to surge and multiply.

At that exact peak, Leo cut off the flow of his mana.

Sssss-!

Wisps of dark vapor drifted off Arti’s skin.

“Hey, are you holding up alright?”

Leo inquired with a hint of concern.

The force Leo had unleashed just moments ago was the Essence of Lightning, earned as his reward for clearing the trial.

It was the condensed legacy containing the raw power of Albus, the final pure white ruler of the Pegasi and Leo’s previous partner.

That very legacy now rested deep within Leo’s own spiritual reservoir.

Initially, Leo had attempted to summon the Pegasus authority through this Essence of Lightning on his own, but the relic refused to answer his direct commands.

Through a series of trials, he eventually realized it only awakened in tandem with his Pegasus contract.

‘To be exact, it appears to activate specifically through a Pegasus aligned with me.’

Regardless of Leo possessing the Essence of Lightning, he himself was human, not a Pegasus.

The Essence of Lightning was an ancient power meant to be inherited strictly through the bloodline of the Pegasi.

Because of this limitation, it was fundamentally impossible for a human being like Leo to wield it directly.

‘Therefore, I reasoned that it might be viable to channel the majesty of the Pure White King into a contracted Pegasus utilizing this artifact, and my theory proved correct.’

The primary obstacle was that an ordinary Pegasus could not easily absorb the sheer weight of the Pure White King’s energy.

It was a divine gift reserved solely for the elite, chosen rulers of their kind.

While Arti was undoubtedly a formidable Pegasus who possessed immense intellect from her extensive lifespan, directly taking in the Essence of Lightning seemed to push her past her limits.

“Are you alright?”

-Wh-what on earth was that?

“It is the Essence of Lightning.”

-The Essence of Lightning… That is the sovereign’s authority that vanished ages ago.

Arti’s voice trembled with emotion.

Five millennia in the past.

As a member of the Pegasus race, Arti was profoundly shaken by the resurrection of the monarch’s power, an element that had faded into myth once the royal line was severed.

“A Pegasus bound to me can tap into the power of the Pure White King… however, the strain it inflicts on the body appears severe.”

-Quite true. It was easily a completely different level of agony compared to anything I have faced before.

“It will likely cause permanent damage if we push this energy any further, so we should call it a day…”

-It is absolutely magnificent!

“…”

-To wield the majesty of the legendary Pure White King, combined with such an exquisite, piercing pain. Ah. It is perfection.

Leo stared blankly up at the sky, absorbing Arti’s genuinely ecstatic response.

‘I was an absolute idiot for worrying about her.’

Zzzzt, crackle, zap!

-Kyaaaahng~

Every time Leo channeled a fraction of the Essence of Lightning, Arti let out cries of pure bliss.

After some time had passed.

Leo, having pushed Arti to her absolute limits, finally guided her back down to the earth.

“I am so deeply content.”

Arti, sprawled out on the turf, murmured in a daze.

Taking note of their return, Mel walked over to them.

“Were you able to determine Ms. Arti’s threshold?”

“Yes. This data will prove invaluable for our upcoming conflicts.”

Mel offered a bright grin in response to Leo’s confirmation.

“I believe it is an immense stroke of luck that Ms. Arti ended up as your contractor, Lord Leo.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Because I doubt there is any other Pegasus in existence besides Ms. Arti who could endure the crushing weight of the Essence of Lightning like this.”

It was an undeniable truth; this was a power completely useless to anyone who didn’t harbor a twisted infatuation with physical torment.

There Arti lay on the ground, limbs twitching and vibrating, wearing a massive, content smile.

Elsie immediately stepped forward to cover Piora’s eyes, instructing her.

“Do not look over there.”

“Why not?”

“It is corrupting.”

Listening to their banter, Leo let out a long, weary sigh.

“He would weep if he could see what has happened here.”

“Who would?”

“My former partner.”

Leo’s mind drifted back to the memory of Albus.

The proud creature would undoubtedly have broken down in tears, lamenting that his pristine, sacred power had been thoroughly degraded.