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Shasha displayed an expression of confusion upon hearing Leo’s words.
Not only Shasha, but everyone around her shared the same reaction.
“What did you just say…?”
As Shasha asked with a perplexed look, Leo responded.
“I called you an insolent brat.”
Shasha’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“You… dare to speak to Her Highness like that!”
An agitated Bard was about to yell, but Shasha gestured to stop him. Then, gazing intently at Leo with golden eyes, she inquired.
“Is there something about me as your lord that you find unsatisfactory?”
“Why should I care whether you’re satisfactory or not? First off, why am I your subject? Not to mention, my country lies elsewhere.”
“But your maternal family is the ‘Zerdinger,’ right? While you are from the Delrad Kingdom, you are also connected to the Rodren Empire.”
Upon hearing Shasha’s statement, the students inside the hall gasped.
“Leo Flove’s maternal family is Zerdinger?”
“Hold on. Does that mean he is related to Celia Zerdinger?”
“No wonder… Now it makes sense why they’ve been sticking together; they’re relatives.”
Even the students from the Rodren Empire showed signs of surprise.
“Breaking news! Breaking news!”
At that moment, a student who appeared to be part of the newspaper club exited the hall with an excited expression.
‘This rumor will be all over the school by tomorrow.’
Since the Zerdinger family was going to announce the relationship soon anyway, it wasn’t particularly troublesome.
‘That said, it’s not a pleasant experience to have someone else’s business spread around like this. And what if my maternal family is Zerdinger? So what?’
Leo continued to look at the princess before him with an unfazed expression.
The princess, who had lived at the top of the mighty Empire, naturally believed herself to be Leo’s lord.
Crack!
Shasha opened the red fan she pulled out from her bosom and narrowed her eyes.
“Hmm, I see.”
“What is it now?”
“I have never shown my worth as a lord to Senior Leo, have I?”
She nodded in understanding and smiled.
“So, you want me to prove it? That I’m worthy as your lord?”
Thud!
Shasha closed her fan and slightly curled her lips upward.
“Fantastic. To accept an unprecedented entire class of vassals, I certainly need to demonstrate my worth first.”
Shasha firmly nodded with a firm delusion.
“Alright. I will prove my worth to you during the joint class this time. Ho ho ho ho!”
Saying that, Shasha left the hall.
The Rodren Empire students quickly followed after her in a rush.
When Shasha left, the entire hall began buzzing with chatter.
“What? So, if she has the value of being obeyed, she can later pull Leo Flove into her influence?”
“Hmm. Insolent as he may be, with that person…”
Misunderstanding firmly set in, causing some commotion around them.
Seeing this, Chen Sia smiled faintly.
“Lord Leo’s popularity is about to skyrocket.”
“This kind of popularity is unwelcome.”
When lunchtime was nearing its end.
The rumors about Leo and Shasha had spread throughout the school.
The students gathered in the open space for the Summoning class were actively exchanging stories related to them.
Among these, the most tumultuous rumor was about Leo’s family.
“Hey, Leo! Is it true that your maternal family is Zerdinger?”
“So what?”
“Wow. Why didn’t you tell us?”
“There’s no specific reason to walk around announcing it.”
In response to Tied’s question, Leo gave a nonchalant shrug.
Seeing this, Tied clicked his tongue.
‘Ordinarily, one would be unable to contain themselves from bragging. But, well. It’s Leo.’
Tied glanced around at the surroundings.
Especially the female students were reacting enthusiastically.
Being both the class representative and a handsome youth, Leo was quite popular.
Although, despite his popularity, female students surprisingly didn’t give him much attention.
This was due to Celia.
Given the rumors about them dating ever since the start of the semester, most female students assumed they were an item.
With Celia Zerdinger as the rival, the prospects of success were slim.
Moreover, since all the other close female friends of Leo were formidable, the female students had naturally chosen to not look twice.
But now that it was revealed Leo and Celia were relatives, female students couldn’t help but show increased interest.
“Tied! Aren’t you close with your class leader?”
“Yup.”
“By any chance, do you know what your class leader likes?”
A female summoner student asked with a coquettish tone.
‘Arggh! Don’t ask me this stuff!’
Despite inwardly shedding tears of agony, Tied answered the female student’s inquiry.
Just as that was occurring, Yura arrived along with Associate Professor Carlo and the Skoun professors.
The freshmen, who had been chatting amongst themselves, quieted down upon seeing them.
“Hmm. Is everyone here?”
The freshmen murmured among themselves at the professor’s uneasy demeanor.
“Why is the professor like that?”
“Maybe because it’s now known that Leo’s maternal family is Zerdinger?”
“True. With that, the chances to choose Summoning studies will likely decrease.”
“It’s true that while 5th year class leader’s summoning skills are amazing, they’re somewhat overshadowed when compared to the knight or wizard prowess they have demonstrated.”
Her eyes twitched slightly at that comment.
‘No way! How could the impact be less? You dummy! He made a contract with the Phoenix on his first day of school! Eng! If we compare impact, even a knight or wizard grandfather would fall short compared to summoning!’
Suppressing her urge to yell, she spoke.
“Before we commence the class, I have an announcement. It’s about the combat evaluation.”
Yura crossed her arms.
“The combat evaluations start next week. The opponents will be chosen via the combat lottery as previously announced.”
At that, tension appeared on various faces around the crowd.
Most students hoped they wouldn’t run into the upper-tier performers.
“Alright students. That concludes the notice to the Lumeran pupils. Now, shall we begin class?”
With Yura’s words, the Skoun students grew tense.
Lumeran Summoning classes.
How long they had awaited them.
Everyone grew tense as Yura crossed her arms and spoke.
“The lessons we will conduct during this joint period will be beneficial not just to the Skoun students but to the returning Lumeran students as well.”
At that, everyone looked puzzled.
“I’ve called upon someone to assist with today’s class.”
“Nice to meet you, students of Skoun.”
As Yura finished her words, a grand voice echoed throughout.
Everyone looked around in surprise.
Meanwhile, Leo and Yura alone had accurately identified the voice and looked skyward.
Crack! Boom!
Suddenly, thunder and lightning rolled through the skies.
Through the storm, a man atop a Pegasus made a grand descent, emanating a powerful presence.
Clack!
Seeing Ulta descend upon his Pegasus, both the Skoun and Lumeran students were utterly astonished.
Pegasus.
One of the mythical familiars among familiars, summoners often dream of it.
There’s even a saying that one might not encounter one of the great three familiars in a lifetime.
Having seen it right before their eyes, the Lumeran students were left awestruck.
“This is the Pegasus of the legendary Ulta!”
“Such luck exists!”
While most students were in awe, Yura asked with an irritated look.
“Why did you have to make such a dramatic entrance?”
“To emphasize a crucial point in summoning. Love, precisely.”
While stepping down from the Pegasus, Ulta’s words earned him a deep sigh from Yura.
Somewhere between resignation, Yura spoke.
“This fellow is Ulta Reglion, an astounding individual who managed to contract with a Pegasus as a student.”
Upon hearing that, everyone started to murmur.
“From today onward, all of you will learn one thing. The method to summon a ‘powerful familiar’ and form a contract.”
Yura’s declaration earned looks of curiosity from the Skoun students.
Summoning and establishing a contract with a powerful familiar.
That was the ultimate goal every summoner chased after.
It was natural for the Skoun students to be puzzled when such a regular topic was presented as something special.
At that moment, a girl raised her hand.
“Professor, I have a question.”
Recognizing the face of the Skoun girl, Yura’s eyes sparkled.
‘Shasha. The candidate for Lumeran enrollment next year, who originally had the ability to enter immediately but opted to take classes in Skoun too. A somewhat peculiar princess with full confidence in her own abilities?’
A girl who was so assured of her abilities was naturally also a standout candidate that Lumeran had their eyes on.
‘If she enters next year, there will be nothing more to wish for in the Summoning Department.’
“Alright, what is it?”
“Isn’t commanding a powerful familiar something obvious?”
With a somewhat dismissive tone in her voice, Shasha earned a sly smile from Yura.
“Yes. It’s obvious. However, what I’m teaching you today isn’t merely how to command such a familiar.”
Crossing her arms, Yura wore a meaningful expression.
“It’s about establishing a contract with a familiar that surpasses your capabilities and learning to handle that familiar.”
At that, every student’s face registered surprise.
“Among you, there is someone particularly in need of this lesson.”
Yura smiled, looking at Shasha.
“Take, for example, the Pegasus of the Rodren Royal Family.”
The Rodren family had, for generations, possessed a Pegasus bound by a covenant with their family.
Shasha smiled slightly at Yura’s words.
“That would be interesting.”
Yura’s class was attended by nearly all the students with great concentration.
And assisting Yura in this class was none other than Ulta.
Having contracted with Pegasus in the third year, Ulta was the prime example of a summoner who established a contract with a familiar far beyond his capabilities.
Of course, Ulta’s rather incomprehensible explanations were clarified with assistance from Yura’s interpretations, which helped the lessons progress smoothly.
Of course, not everyone exhibited fervent interest in this class.
In the case of Leo, Wardens, and Eliza, while they paid attention, they didn’t follow with rapt attention.
Leo was the contractor of the Phoenix, and although Wardens and Eliza weren’t at a similar level, they had both contracted with powerful familiars far beyond their capabilities in their youth.
Understanding the concept through firsthand experience, this class wasn’t particularly attention-grabbing for them.
“In conclusion, love alone isn’t enough.”
“…There’s a risk that requires staking one’s life.”
Elaborating on Ulta’s words, Yura rubbed her temples, apparently distressed.
“Now that everyone has heard the story, let’s proceed to practical exercises.”
“Practical exercises?”
“We’re going through the contract with Ulta’s Pegasus.”
At that, everyone’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“Can we really do that?”
An agitated student from Skoun asked.
“Of course.”
“If by some chance the contract succeeds…”
“Then you’ll become the vow keeper of Aeria.”
Ulta gently stroked the nose of the Pegasus and smiled.
“Of course, assuming that’s possible.”
Replacing the vow of a familiar already bound by a vow keeper meant surpassing the existing summoner, indicating overwhelming superiority.
Taking the vow of the Pegasus from its existing vow keeper was almost impossible—not just for students but also for summoners who had ascended to the rank of heroes.
Thus, students gathered around Ulta.
“Leo, come here for a moment.”
“Yes?”
“Must be a pretty meaningless class for someone like you, right?”
“Indeed.”
For someone who was the vow keeper of the Phoenix, this was an inconsequential lesson.
“Then, take her under your wing.”
Pointing towards Shasha, who looked nonchalant, Leo fanned himself leisurely.
“You know, the Rodren Royal Family is the vow keeper of the Pegasus. At first glance, they resemble the Runndar family, but fundamentally, they’re different. While Runndars brokered the contracts between Phoenixes, the Rodren family has maintained a contract with the same Pegasus through generations.”
Every Rodren Emperor in history has been a vow keeper of the Pegasus.
This was a bl**d-bound contract.
Yet, not all Rodren Emperors have had the ability to summon the Pegasus simply because they had the contract.
“It’s a kind of pre-contract. So, you’ll need your expertise.”
“I understand.”
Leo nodded and approached Shasha.
Seeing this, Shasha smiled.
“Hello, Senior Leo. Is there something you need?”
“Professor Yura said you could use some help.”
“Me?”
“Indeed. Aren’t you already the Pegasus’ vow keeper?”
“Yes.”
“She wants you to help her summon Pegasus.”
“Ah, how kind of Professor Yura to care so much for me. But, how exactly will Senior Leo assist me in summoning Pegasus?”
The fact that Leo is the vow keeper of the Phoenix was a secret.
Thus, Shasha eyed him dismissively.
‘Everything about him seems so arrogant.’
“It will be helpful. You see, I’ve made a contract with a powerful familiar, though not a Pegasus.”
“Hmm, so it’s an individual private lesson, huh? I can already sense the Summoning Department of Lumeran cares deeply for me, considering I’m next year’s top candidate.”
Confidently grinning, Shasha raised a corner of her mouth.
“Though I do not wish to be a spectacle in front of everyone.”
“Then, I’ll tell the professor that your help isn’t needed.”
“You truly are a haughty man, Senior Leo.”
Shasha frowned.
“Fine. To honor your goodwill, I’ll accept your help.”
“This isn’t my goodwill but the professor’s.”
“You’re also curious, aren’t you, Senior? About my worth?”
“Not at all.”
“But I don’t want to be a spectacle here, so please give me special tutoring at night. I’ll inform the professor.”
Setting her own terms and acting on her whims, Leo quietly sighed seeing Shasha.
‘She keeps doing what she pleases.’
It seemed that this princess would only feel content once Leo addresses her as lord.
Unfortunately, Leo knew only one way to discipline this type.
‘I guess I’ll need to give her some education.’
![[TS] The Protagonist is Conquered](https://i3.wp.com/novelhitam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1743806812-5548-TS-The-Protagonist-is-Conquered.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The Protagonist is Conquered")
