Chapter 556

Book 1 Chapter 556

556.

Within the estate of the Zerion family, Leo was treated with the highest level of respect and warmth. This exceptional treatment was not merely due to his status as a guest invited by Elena.

“The moment Sir Flobe discovered the keepsake belonging to Lady Alia, I wept so deeply that words cannot fully describe it,” the elderly mage said. Resting at the dining table, he used a handkerchief to dry his eyes while repeatedly bowing in gratitude toward Leo.

Positioned at the head of the long table, Elena sliced into her steak with her utensils and addressed the crying elder. “You are embarrassing yourself in front of our visitor, Berewyn.”

“I am aware, young lady. Yet, whenever my thoughts wander back to that period, this old soul… I simply cannot help myself…”

The man was Berewyn Berak. His legendary deeds were immortalized within the Hero Records. As an eminent archmage, he had served as the mentor not only to the reigning patriarch Altech Zerion—widely recognized as the Infinity Speller—but also to Alby, who held the title of the Eye of Magic Professor at Lumerin. Furthermore, he was the instructor who guided Elena in the mystic arts.

Given that he had instructed the main bloodline of the Zerion clan, it stood to reason that he had also tutored Alia Zerion, whom Leo had rescued within the heroic realm during his freshman midterm examination.

‘Wasn’t her title ‘Demonic Blood’?’ Leo mused.

Going solely by that moniker, she must have been a spellcaster who manipulated blood. This reminded Leo of Fritz Edgon, a student from the freshman Magic Department. As a former operative of the Shadow organization who deeply respected Leo, Fritz was likewise proficient in the arts of blood magic.

“Lady Alia possessed such a gentle and benevolent soul,” Berewyn continued. “During her lifetime, both the patriarch and Lord Alby carried themselves with far greater joy. She was gifted with incredible natural ability as well.”

“Right, right, I have listened to stories regarding my aunt so often that I am sick of them,” Elena replied, leaning her chin upon her palm as a weary sigh escaped her lips.

“Naturally, if we are speaking strictly of innate capability, Lady Elena surpasses everyone,” Berewyn remarked, turning his gaze toward her. “Your sole flaw is that you lack diligence.”

Elena merely looked away with a look of utter boredom at his assessment.

“Would you not agree, Sir Flobe?”

Prompted by Berewyn’s inquiry, Leo shifted his eyes toward the young woman. “Senior Elena is undeniably indolent.”

“My, is that how you talk to someone in a higher grade than you?” she countered.

“I am merely stating a fact,” Leo responded calmly, continuing to slice his food.

When evaluating raw potential alone, Elena ranked among the most exceptional prodigies Leo had encountered across both his previous existence and his current life. Looking back at the annals of heroic legends, certain figures defined their respective generations. In the modern epoch, that foundational figure was the Sword Saint Kalian.

“Judging by pure potential, she possesses the capacity to eclipse the Sword Saint,” Leo remarked.

“Is that so?” Berewyn murmured, his voice laced with sudden intrigue.

As a veteran who had breathed the very same air during the era of the Sword Saint, Berewyn’s own reputation had naturally been overshadowed by the legendary swordsman’s immense fame. Even so, he had stood side-by-side with the Sword Saint Kalian as a brother-in-arms through numerous conflicts, providing mutual support on the battlefield. Consequently, Leo’s bold assertion that Elena could exceed such a figure caught his full attention.

“What leads you to such a conclusion?” the old man inquired.

“I once knew someone who possessed an extraordinary eye for assessing others,” Leo said, his thoughts momentarily drifting to Licinas. “I picked up a few insights from him.”

“Then you possess great faith in your own perception.”

“Not quite to the level of my companion,” Leo replied with a subtle grin.

Elena kept her gaze fixed firmly on Leo as the meal drew to a close.

In the dead of night, Leo lay fast asleep beneath the sheets.

Rustle, rustle…

The quiet sound of creeping footsteps broke the silence.

Swoosh.

Sensing the shifting weight of someone sliding onto his mattress, Leo snapped his eyes open.

“Ah, you are awake, Leo-kun?” Elena asked, a delicate grin gracing her face.

Beholding her unexpected presence, Leo observed, “Senior, the hour is incredibly late, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I am well aware,” she replied with a casual shrug. “I simply dropped by because I wished to converse.”

Clad in a thin negligee, Elena crossed her legs as she perched upon the mattress. Known to many as the Queen of Lumerin, or feared by the student body as a menacing witch, she currently shed those intimidating titles, appearing as nothing more than an ordinary young girl of her youth.

“Tell me, Leo-kun, do you understand the reason I surrendered the mantle of student council president to you without a fight?”

“Due to your sheer laziness,” he replied.

“Well, that certainly played a role,” Elena admitted with a soft giggle. “However, the true reason was my desire to witness the rise of a flawless champion.”

She shifted her gaze directly toward him, her vibrant pink eyes gleaming with intensity. “I believed that you possessed the capability to grow into that flawless champion.”

Within her expression, one could detect a faint trace of youthful naivety.

“What made you long to see such a flawless champion?” Leo inquired.

“Do you recall the conversation we had following our victory over Erebus within Luna’s world?”

Leo searched his memories, recollecting her past words: As a child, I found myself drawn more to the captive princess in storybooks rather than the savior. Ultimately, I grew to admire that role instead.

Addressing those memories, Leo spoke, “You mean your admission that you favored princesses over champions?”

“Precisely,” Elena said, chuckling softly. “Ever since my childhood, I was barraged with constant expectations. Everyone insisted that I was destined to become a savior.”

Regardless of any external opinions, Elena undeniably stood as one of the most gifted prodigies of this generation. She possessed a formidable family lineage, matched by an even more staggering level of personal ability.

“From my earliest years, I grew completely weary of the constant reminders that I must follow in the footsteps of Lumerin,” Elena remarked with a dry chuckle. “Are you aware that Lumerin actually fell into despair after colliding with her own limitations?”

“Is that so?”

“Indeed. It is explicitly documented within the journals of the founding chairman.”

“How fascinating,” Leo muttered blankly.

Observing his detached demeanor, Elena slightly compressed her gaze. “Your response is remarkably detached.”

“Did you hold a deep reverence for the Knight of Twilight, Senior Elena?” Leo asked.

A brief silence enveloped her before she gave an affirmative nod. “I hold her in high esteem to this very day.” A faint, bittersweet laugh escaped her. “My upbringing during my younger years was exceptionally rigorous.”

Ever since her youth, Elena carried the heavy title of the foremost prodigy across the entire lineage of the Zerion household. People anticipated that she would not only eclipse the Sage of Twilight, but potentially even match the monumental stature of the Knight of Twilight. She was practically worshipped as the rightful heir to the legacy of creation itself. Because of this, her formative years were defined by absolute strictness.

“Whenever the pressure became too much, I would immerse myself in the legends of Lumerin,” she recounted.

It was the tale of a warrior who refused to yield. Lumerin’s grand journey, ascending from the depths of bondage to become the savior of the realm, represented a perpetual struggle against adversity.

“Her unyielding spirit provided me with solace. In my youthful eyes, Lumerin represented the ideal champion.”

“And then you discovered the truth,” Leo added, “the account detailing how Lumerin ultimately succumbed to hopelessness.”

“Did that bring you disappointment?” he asked.

“It wasn’t exactly disappointment… it was closer to utter despair,” Elena replied, her gaze darkening. “The old journals of my forefather described it in graphic detail. They depicted Lumerin weeping and completely broken by misery.”

This realization dealt a heavy psychological blow to the young girl.

“Discovering that the very icon I strived to emulate fell short of being a flawless champion left me completely untethered.”

Her existence had been grueling, masked under terms like ‘rigorous cultivation.’ To be fair, the Zerion household did not inflict this grueling regimen upon Elena out of malice; they acted entirely out of profound faith in her destiny. Elena, too, had shared that faith in herself, anchoring her youthful sanity to the legends of Lumerin.

“Once Uncle Alby came back to the estate, that exhausting regimentation finally ceased. For that, I am profoundly thankful,” she expressed with a gentle smile. “Though following that, my personality took quite a turn for the worse. I transformed into a haughty girl who takes pleasure in mocking others, wouldn’t you say?”

“That is accurate,” Leo agreed.

“Aren’t you supposed to politely disagree with me?” Elena countered, her brow furrowing as she cast a brief glare in his direction. Letting out a soft sigh, she continued, “Just a short while ago, the underlying cause of her hopelessness became clear to me.”

Leo remained silent.

“Ultimately, Lumerin succumbed to misery because she realized the impossibility of conquering Erebus.”

Shifting her position, Elena straightened her legs and stared upward at the ceiling, venting her sorrow. “It feels utterly pointless. For what purpose was I straining myself to become a savior?”

Thud.

Sinking fully back onto the mattress, Elena turned her head to look straight at Leo. “I transferred the leadership of the student council to you, Leo-kun, because I hoped to fashion you into the ideal champion that I failed to become. Though in truth, you would likely achieve that status regardless of my involvement.” She let out a soft, self-deprecating laugh. “Now that my drive has entirely evaporated, perhaps I should simply withdraw from the academy?”

“That would present an issue. Your presence is required to fulfill the role of vice president,” Leo countered.

“Oh? Does that mean you find me indispensable, Leo-kun?”

Displaying a peculiar, mischievous smirk, Elena rose from her spot and moved closer to him. “How do you perceive me, Leo-kun?”

“What exactly are you asking?”

“I possess striking beauty, do I not? My heritage within the Zerion line is impeccable, and my skills are peerless. Those qualities are precisely why I intend to secure the vice presidential seat.”

In a swift movement, Elena crept across the bed and positioned herself directly over Leo. “A princess uniting with the champion who rescued her to offer her enduring backing—isn’t that the classic conclusion to a fable?”

Her rose-colored eyes gleamed with mischief as strands of her cascading hair lightly brushed against Leo’s face. “What is your verdict?”

Remaining in his recumbent position, Leo simply extended his hand forward. The pad of his finger made contact with Elena’s midriff, causing her stomach to instinctively tense and retract. As his fingers traced a path across her midriff toward her flank, her frame quivered slightly with every movement.

Then came a sharp tweak.

“Ouch?!”

“Stop playing these games. Why are you putting on the airs of a mature woman when you are still just a child with baby fat?” Leo chided, firmly squeezing Elena’s flank as if dealing with a troublesome toddler.

“Is this how you treat your superior? This is outright rebellion!” she cried out.

“While on academy grounds, I hold the rank of student council president, making me the ultimate authority, remember?”

Having effortlessly halted her antics, Leo gave a light click of his tongue and stepped away from the mattress. Left behind, Elena clasped her pinched flank, her body shuddering slightly from the lingering sting.

“Did you employ such rough measures when dealing with Lil as well?” she grumbled.

“Refrain from making statements that invite severe misunderstandings,” Leo replied, folding his arms across his chest. “Should you orchestrate another jest of this nature, the consequences will be far more severe, so heed my warning.”

“Goodness, you are completely devoid of humor. What sort of underclassman behaves with the exhaustion of an elderly man? You ruin all my attempts at teasing,” she complained.

‘I actually am a weathered old soul, you precocious brat,’ Leo thought to himself, suppressing an internal chuckle before addressing her aloud. “The Knight of Twilight undoubtedly experienced hopelessness and walked away from the fight.”

Elena offered only a somber, melancholic expression.

“However, it is highly likely that she rallied herself once more,” Leo continued.

“Pardon?”

“Is there any individual alive who has never faced despair or surrendered at some point? If such a being exists, they would be utterly unhinged,” Leo remarked with a scoff.

Reflecting on the Era of Disaster, he himself, as a surviving champion, had encountered greater hopelessness and capitulation than almost anyone else in existence. Yet…

“The true measure of a person lies in their ability to rise after a fall,” he asserted.

In the end, he had pulled himself back up. To Leo’s mind, perseverance did not merely equate to stubbornly hammering away at a hopeless endeavor until the bitter end. Gathering one’s strength to pivot toward an alternative route, thereby bypassing an impassable barrier, likewise constituted a refusal to yield.

“She abandoned the notion of vanquishing Erebus with her own hands, yet she never abandoned the ultimate goal of Erebus being overthrown. It is precisely for this reason that the Knight of Twilight has maintained her vigil against Erebus within the heroic realm for three millennia.”

‘In her own mind, she likely views her actions as a surrender,’ Leo pondered, considering his successor—a figure he had never interacted with directly.

‘Do not succumb to defeatism, Kyle. The reason you bear the title of a surviving champion is because… even if you fell into despair and surrendered during that dark hour, you ultimately rose repeatedly to forge a new path forward. That is the essence of never giving up.’

The old wisdom imparted by Licinas resonated in his mind: If you hold me in high regard… you do not have to mirror my flaws as well.

Leo allowed a bittersweet smile to cross his features as he observed Elena’s stunned, blank expression.

“If your admiration for the Knight of Twilight is genuine, there is no reason for you to lose hope simply because Lumerin met her limit. Therefore,” Leo stated, locking his gaze with Elena’s. “Continue to stand back up, time after time, my immature princess. Stand up and—”

“Stand up and do what?” she pressed.

“—transform into an authentic monarch. How long do you intend to hide behind youthful tantrums just because your early life was demanding?”

Elena stared back, completely speechless. Shortly after, a self-deprecating chuckle slipped from her lips as she inquired, “I suppose you aren’t in the market for another servant?”

“An additional servant is a benefit I will never turn down,” Leo responded.

Hearing this, Elena laughed softly. “Honestly… I have been saddled with an entirely ridiculous underclassman.”

Releasing a profound sigh, she moved away from the bed and crossed her arms. “However, I intend to manage things entirely on my own terms.”

Leo gave an understanding nod. “Do as you please.”