Chapter 534

534.

Sshling-!

Leo, who had drawn Bihar’s dagger, gazed silently at the blade.

Leo inspected the sword from all angles and swung it through the air.

Hsssh-!

A sharp sound echoed as it cut through the air.

It was none other than Dwenno’s masterpiece.

Even after thousands of years, the dagger had not forgotten its essence as a weapon.

After swinging the sword through the air a few times, Leo looked again at the blade in his hand.

‘It wasn’t a mistake.’

Just a moment ago, in an instant.

Bihar’s dagger had definitely reacted to something.

At the same time, he sensed Bihar’s presence.

But as if nothing had happened, the dagger remained silent.

As Leo silently stared at the dagger, there was a knock.

Knock knock-

“Lord Leo, may I come in?”

“Come in.”

Creak-

Chen Sia opened the door and entered.

Seeing Leo standing motionlessly in the center of the room, she made a subtle expression.

“Aren’t you going to change clothes?”

Leo was still wearing Lunia’s school uniform.

“I have something to think about.”

Leo crossed his arms and said calmly.

As Leo, wearing Seirun’s white school uniform, bowed his head slightly, a cascade of pure white hair fell before his face.

The hair he had grown for disguise with magic sparkled like snow.

Coupled with his snow-white skin, his crimson eyes that seemed ready to burn at any moment were more striking than usual.

“I’ve noticed this before, but Lord Leo, you look so refined when made up like a young beauty.”

Saying this, Chen Sia approached behind Leo and braided his hair.

“What are you doing?”

“I thought silver hair would suit you too.”

At that, Leo shook his head.

The hair scattered.

Using magic to open an aetheric space, Leo retrieved pants and put them on.

Tying the loose, long drawstring of the pants, Leo threw off the skirt and tossed it onto the bed.

Next, he removed his school top and threw it on the bed as well.

The sturdy muscles and abs hidden beneath the school uniform were revealed.

Leo massaged his shoulders, cracked his neck from side to side, and manipulated his aura.

Crrack! Crrrck! Crrack! Crrack!

The sound of bones echoed throughout the body.

Then Leo’s figure began to grow.

Eventually returning to his original build, Leo stretched lazily as he muttered.

“Hurts like hell.”

To Leo’s grumbling, Chen Sia expressed admiration.

“I felt it earlier too, it’s incredibly amazing. Changing the very skeleton using aura… Is this a technique created by Lord Leo?”

“Does it look like I’d make something so frivolous?”

“Then?”

“There’s only one person among us capable of creating something like this.”

“Lord Dwenno?”

“Correct.”

‘The true beauty must transcend the time of the body! There’s no need for an appearance from the past created by magic and illusion! That’s why I created this technique that can rewind the body’s time using aura!’

“This technique started from that master’s perverted ideology. The problem is, learning it is extremely difficult, so not just anyone can master it hastily.”

“Hmm.”

Using Dwenno’s aura skill, Leo returned to how he looked several years ago.

Thanks to going back to a time when his build was similar to Lunia’s, he could borrow her school uniform without much discomfort.

Chen Sia, who had good sewing skills, adjusted Eiran’s clothes to fit herself.

“Can I learn this too?”

“Of course, I think you could definitely learn it. Why?”

“I thought it would be convenient for various reasons if I learned it.”

“Do you really need to? Even now, you look younger than the first-years.”

“Are you saying I look like a kid right now?”

Chen Sia, narrowing her eyes, poked Leo’s ribs with her fingers.

Looking at such Chen Sia, Leo said nonchalantly.

“It means ‘youthful appearance.'”

“Where do you see youthful appearances in the teens? Youthful?”

Being teased for looking the same age as Chelsea, Chen Sia found this comment unpleasant.

Leo lightly flicked Chen Sia’s forehead with his finger.

Chen Sia, rubbing her forehead, laughed lightly and turned her head sharply.

“Are you pouting?”

“I don’t know.”

Seeing Chen Sia’s sassy reaction, Leo said.

“Stop that and come over here. There’s something I want to consult with you.”

“With me?”

Chen Sia looked puzzled.

As Leo pulled up a chair and sat, Chen Sia sat on the bed in Leo’s room.

Showing Chen Sia Bihar’s dagger, Leo said.

“This is the dagger I gifted to Bihar.”

“Ah…”

Upon hearing it was the dagger used by her ancestor, Chen Sia’s eyes widened slightly.

“And at the moment we entered Eldon, this dagger reacted. Though briefly, I also sensed Bihar’s presence. What do you think about that part?”

In response to Leo’s question, Chen Sia thought for a moment before speaking.

“Bihar fell due to battling Lady Berkiya, correct?”

“That’s right.”

It wouldn’t have been strange for the Shan Empire and the Eresar family to have become sworn enemies.

However, due to the nature of the Shan Empire, it had no choice but to conceal everything about itself.

“…Does Bihar harbor resentment towards Lady Berkiya?”

“If I know Bihar, there wouldn’t be any.”

Leo’s eyes slightly dimmed.

“Instead, she must have felt remorse.”

“That’s also a part of lingering attachment.”

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Chen Sia said.

“Perhaps Lady Berkiya being here, it was the activation of Lord Leo’s Spirit Magic?”

“Do you think so too?”

“Yes.”

Leo doesn’t have deep knowledge about Spirit Magic.

Of course, he knows more than your average summoner, but since Leo lacked the ability as a spirit mage, his understanding wasn’t particularly deep.

However, things changed after Lissinas’ spirit magic ability awakened.

He started studying spirit magic, and Chen Sia, who could handle elemental magic, also began studying spirit magic with Leo.

The reason was simple.

To be helpful to Leo in any small way.

“First, there was the time when Lady Luna was summoned.”

Hearing Chen Sia’s words, Leo nodded while lifting the dagger.

“Are you going to summon her now?”

“Yes.”

Nodding, Leo summoned his spiritual power.

Vroom!

Absorbing Leo’s spiritual power, Bihar’s dagger began to resonate with a humming sound.

‘…If Bihar appears as a spirit, what should I tell her?’

Should he reprimand his disciple who never emerged from the shadows?

Or should he praise his disciple who sacrificed herself for the world her whole life?

‘Or… should I console her if she blames herself for not stopping Berkiya?’

Leo looked at Bihar’s dagger with dimmed eyes.

A moment later.

Flash!

Bihar’s dagger emitted a bright light.

As Leo let go with his hand, the dagger floated in the air.

A contract circle created by Leo’s spiritual power surrounded it.

The contract circle was soon absorbed into the dagger.

Then,

Thud!

Bihar’s dagger fell powerless to the floor.

“…”

“…”

Leo and Chen Sia silently looked at the dagger.

“Nothing happened?”

Chen Sia approached the dagger, crouched down, and poked it a couple of times with her finger.

Indeed, there was no reaction.

Seeing this, Leo furrowed his eyebrows.

“Strange? I definitely sensed Bihar’s presence?”

Chen Sia carefully picked up the dagger.

The dagger remained unresponsive.

“Lord Leo, here.”

Chen Sia hurriedly approached Leo and handed over the dagger.

Looking at it silently, Leo said,

“It’s yours now.”

“Mine?”

“It was your ancestor’s, wasn’t it?”

Leo said while putting on his top.

“You can use dagger techniques, right?”

“I can, but the killing intent is too strong, it’s a problem.”

“Practice controlling it.”

“Yes.”

Responding with vigor, Chen Sia carefully stored Away Bihar’s dagger.

After getting fully dressed, Leo asked,

“Lunia and Eiran?”

“The two went to the Eldon Council. They said they need to make an impression since they’re big shots of Seirun.”

“Do we need to go?”

“Lunia said that it’d be fine just the two of them. They asked us to scout the city.”

“Is that so?”

Leo, in his coat, looked out the window.

It had started snowing sometime ago.

“Then, let’s scout the city.”

“Yes!”

Leo and Chen Sia left the lodging.

In the midst of late-night exploration of the city, Leo and Chen Sia continued their investigations.

And they learned a few things.

“Extremely wealthy city, isn’t it?”

As Chen Sia said, it was indeed so.

The elves walking through the streets looked wealthy at a glance.

Despite the harsh weather, everyone was dressed lightly.

It wasn’t just because they were mages.

The clothes they wore were made of mana-spun cloth, ‘Mana Cloth.’

The highest-grade Mana Cloth is used as uniforms at the Hero Academy.

That very Mana Cloth-made garments were worn by all walking the streets.

That was why despite the thin clothing, they weren’t affected by the cold.

The highest-grade Mana Cloth was a rare item even for nobles in human society.

Considering that they weren’t in the wealthy district where Leo’s group was stationed, it showed how prosperous this city was.

“Moreover, it’s incredibly lavish… Different from the elves I know.”

She looked at the streets with a perplexed expression.

This city looked very respectable on the surface.

The streets were incredibly clean.

With all citizens being star mages, the area was filled with shops related to magic.

The people walking around all exuded the air of mages.

However, all elves were adorned with gemstones that showcased their status.

Their faces bore the mark of “privileged class”.

Moreover, the streets transformed entirely at night.

The streets where seekers of arcane knowledge were seen in the day turned into a sea of bars by night.

The entire street was drowned in luxury and indulgence.

Seeing this, Leo realized.

‘This city is fundamentally the same as Barharun.’

Glamorous on the outside, but rotten inside.

Leo wrinkled his nose.

It felt like an indescribable stench was lingering.

‘Had this been in the old days, Berkiya would have probably burned this city at a glance.’

But the city was intact.

While Leo was deep in thought,

“Let’s investigate a bit more, shall we?”

“That’s right. Let’s split up for now?”

“Okay. As we’ve been together the whole time, let’s now part to scout the city.”

During the day, they mostly stopped people wandering the streets and asked if there was anything unusual about the city.

In response to that question, every elf smiled and replied that Eldon was peaceful.

But how about at night?

‘With some liquor, they might open up a bit.’

As Chen Sia parted ways with Leo and walked down the street muttering to herself,

Boom!

A distant explosion sound made her stop in her tracks.

‘Explosion sound?’

The moment she turned her head instinctively toward where the sound came from,

“Beautiful black hair.”

“!”

The monotone voice from behind made Chen Sia’s hairs stand on end.

Swish-swash-

A cold hand touched Chen Sia’s hair.

Even so, Chen Sia couldn’t move a muscle and remained frozen.

The hand felt devoid of vitality.

Chen Sia’s body trembled.

The hand that was touching her hair soon reached her pointed ear.

Swish-

At that moment, Leo’s magic was undone.

The owner of the hand touched Chen Sia’s shoulder.

And made her turn around to face them.

Chen Sia, her face pale as paper, looked up at the figure standing under the snowy night sky.

“Bihar’s descendants remain unchanged.”

A voice filled with nostalgia.

Her eyes held deep grief and repentance.

Chen Sia called out the name of the most beautiful elf anyone could imagine.

“Ber…Lady Kiya.”