Chapter 335

A fierce wind howled through the air.

At that moment, mana surged from the warp gate.

Flash—!

As the blinding light faded, Leo stepped out. Though it was spring, the frozen northern land remained indifferent to the changing seasons, its chill undisturbed.

"Hah."

Leo exhaled lightly, his breath instantly turning white in the frigid air. Carrying a bag filled with his belongings, he stepped off the warp gate platform. He was the only traveler from Lumene to Seiren.

It's not time for the academy conference yet, so Assistant Professor Anna will probably arrive according to the schedule.

He walked across the marble floor, his footsteps echoing in the vast chamber. The day's classes had long since ended, leaving only the warp gate operators in the vicinity.

Lunia or Eiran—I thought at least one of them would come to meet me.

Leo had expected little welcome from Seiren, but he still found it odd that no one had come. Lunia and Eiran were close friends, and among the faculty, Herdium had spoken highly of him. The complete absence of a reception was unexpected.

Approaching one of the elven mages overseeing the warp gate, he said, "Excuse me."

The elf glanced at him, unsurprised. They had clearly been informed in advance that a student from Lumene was arriving.

"What is it?"

"My name is Leo Plov, an exchange student from Lumene. Was someone supposed to meet me here?"

"No, there isn't." The elf shook his head before pointing toward the distant academy grounds. "If you go to the entrance, a faculty member should be waiting for you."

Leo nodded and turned to leave.

As he walked away, the elf hesitated, then added, "Um… good luck."

Leo stopped mid-step and turned back, but as soon as their eyes met, the elf quickly averted his gaze and busied himself sweeping the snow-covered ground.

He's highly skilled as a mage, but his proficiency in Stellar Magic is lacking.

Stellar Magic—Luna's unique magic system—had become the defining trait of the elven race. Every elven mage could wield it, yet not all achieved mastery. Some excelled in other forms of magic but struggled with Stellar Magic, a flaw that did not go unnoticed.

And in Seiren, that means they aren't treated well, right?

Seiren, founded by the Comet Mage, held Stellar Magic above all else. No matter how gifted someone was in aura or summoning, they couldn't enter Seiren unless they first proved themselves in Stellar Magic. As a result, every aura user and summoner within the academy was inherently dual-classed.

Their reverence for Stellar Magic bordered on obsession.

Leo's reputation was well known, not just among humans but across the world. That elven mage had likely foreseen how Seiren would treat him and still chose to speak up.

Judging from his reaction, just talking to me might get him in trouble.

Yet, despite the risk, he had still offered encouragement.

There are always good people, no matter where you go.

Leo smiled faintly as he walked toward Seiren. Lysinas had once said that the mere existence of such people made the world worth fighting for.

Crunch, crunch.

His boots left fresh prints in the snow as he crossed the academy's front gates. There, a stern-looking elf awaited him.

Adjusting his glasses, he greeted, "Welcome, Leo Plov from Lumene. I am Orlen Azel, responsible for Seiren's second-year etiquette education."

"My name is Leo Plov. I look forward to your guidance over the next month."

Before he could even finish speaking, Orlen turned sharply on his heel and strode away.

Leo followed him through the castle gates into Seiren's inner sanctum. The vast halls stretched endlessly before him, silent and empty. No staff, no students—only the echo of his own footsteps.

After a long walk, they arrived at a small room. Orlen finally turned to face him.

"Even if your stay is brief, as an exchange student, you must abide by Seiren's strict regulations."

With a flick of his fingers, a wardrobe swung open, revealing a neatly folded uniform and a stack of textbooks.

"External books and personal belongings are not permitted. Leave everything here."

Leo nodded and set his bag down on the table.

"One more thing, Leo Plov. You came here to study, correct?"

"Yes."

"In that case, do not draw attention to the fact that you are an exchange student." Adjusting his glasses, Orlen continued, "To learn in Seiren, you must act accordingly. While you are here, I expect you to conduct yourself as an elf—appearance included."

He narrowed her eyes. "The reason is that your presence could disrupt the students."

Leo frowned slightly. "But isn't it common knowledge among Seiren's students that I'm an exchange student?"

"No. It isn't."

Leo tilted his head. "Even so, changing my appearance won't stop them from recognizing me."

"Your self-regard is unnecessarily high, Leo Plov." Orlen smirked. "This is Seiren, not Lumene. This is elf society, not human society. I don't know how famous you think you are in Lumene and among humans, but if you believe that your reputation carries any weight here, then you're gravely mistaken."

Orlen scoffed and said coldly, "Change into your uniform and put on the necklace provided. I'll give you a campus map. Do note, you must stay within the designated area."

With that, he turned on her heel and left.

What is she even talking about? The entire second-year class already knows my face.

Leo frowned, baffled by the pointless charade. As he reached for the Seiren uniform, his gaze drifted toward the stack of books on the table. He paused, then let out a quiet chuckle.

"So that's what he meant?"

Orlen's intentions became crystal clear. The books he had given him weren't for second-year students.

They were first-year textbooks.

I see. She really doesn't want me around the others.

Clearly, Seiren wanted to keep him from attending classes with his peers—and, more importantly, from interacting with Lunia and Eiran.

Do they think I'll be a bad influence on them?

Back during the smith contract negotiation, Lunia had already fallen out of favor with Seiren's higher-ups. From their perspective, she had tarnished the school's reputation and defied its authority. They had even threatened to exclude her from the next student council election.

But then she cleared Dweno's world, and everything changed.

She had claimed a divine artifact crafted by Dweno himself. On top of that, she inherited the Phoenix King's flame—a lineage thought to have been extinguished in the Age of Catastrophe.

Simply put, Lunia had become too valuable to discard.

Now, Seiren would do whatever it took to mold her into their ideal.

"…It's funny how they never learn the right things, but they pick up all the worst habits so well."

Leo smirked at the familiar tactics—ones that had once belonged to the High Elves five thousand years ago.

With a resigned sigh, he changed into Seiren's uniform and fastened the necklace, enchanted with a Stellar Magic illusion spell, around his neck.

He stepped in front of the mirror. His ears had elongated into those of an elf. Dressed in Seiren's white uniform, he looked indistinguishable from any other Seiren student.

"So I'm playing a first-year now?" Leo chuckled at his own reflection. "This could be interesting."

He hadn't come to Seiren to study. Tina had sent him here in exchange for Kiran's wings, hoping he could leave a positive impact on Seiren in the process. She had also asked if he could mentor her niece.

Might as well take this chance to size up the first-years here.

Grabbing the books, Leo left the room.

Following the map Orlen had left behind, he made his way toward his assigned dormitory.

It was clear he had been left to fend for himself. Not that it mattered—he had no trouble reading a simple map.

Before long, he arrived at the dormitory district. Despite the late hour, voices drifted from the lounge.

Two students were sitting on the couch, deep in conversation.

"Did you hear?" A male student, arms crossed, leaned forward. "The student council president from Lumene made quite a show in their midterms."

"You mean Leo Plov?" A female student took a sip of tea, tilting her head curiously.

"Yeah. Apparently, he summoned a fairy during the exam."

"Pfft!" The girl burst into laughter. "And you actually believe that?"

The others chuckled as well.

"Isn't he already a phoenix contractor? And now, suddenly, a fairy? Does that even make sense?"

"That's not all." The male student remained serious. "They say he also summoned a pegasus."

"Oh, come on." She rolled her eyes. "Do you really think a second-year could contract all Three Great Summons?"

Tsk, tsk. The girl shook her head in exasperation.

Her friend, however, remained unfazed.

"Even if it sounds ridiculous, we should at least keep an ear out. We need to prepare for the next Lumeiren Games. Information about Lumene is scarce—we should collect whatever we can."

He's a cautious strategist, Leo thought.

Seeing the boy's concern, the girl chuckled. "Fine, I get it. Leo Plov is impressive. But among Lumene's first-years, I haven't heard of anyone particularly outstanding. The only one with a name worth mentioning is that Sword Saint's great-granddaughter."

She took another sip of tea, smiling meaningfully. "And besides, do you know who ranks first in our year?"

A smug grin spread across her face.

"Lea Tingel."

The atmosphere shifted at the name.

"The first person in thousands of years to successfully summon the Fairy King." She leaned back confidently. "With Lea, plus Lunia and Eiran in our ranks, this year's Lumeiren Games is already ours."

"Sorry to interrupt."

"Ugh?!"

The sudden voice from behind startled the girl. She whipped around, wide-eyed.

Leo, lounging against the couch, smirked. "Who did you say summoned what?"

His interest had been piqued.

After all, there was only one person in this world who shared his experiences from 5000 years ago.