LHAHS Chapter 352
"Pffft?!" Assistant Professor Anna, who had been sipping warm tea to shake off the cold, accidentally spat it out.
She had felt nothing but fury when she first heard how Leo had been treated at Seiren.
How dare they treat the student council president of Lumene that way?
But what followed made her doubt her own ears.
"You…taught Seiren students what?"
"I taught them Introduction to Stellar Magic."
A lecture on Introduction to Stellar Magic at the Magic Conference was already causing enough of an uproar among the stubborn elven mages. After all, it was being presented in Seiren—the very heart of elven magic. But now this?
He taught Seiren students Introduction to Stellar Magic?!
A familiar, infuriating voice echoed in her mind like a hallucination.
"Bravo! Bravo! Leo, my boy! You truly are a mage to the core! Such bold decision-making! Such fearless execution! Such a spirit of experimentation! These are the very virtues a mage must possess! Bravo! Bravo! I am overwhelmed with admiration for your audacity!"
A vein bulged on Anna's forehead at the imaginary praise from Len.
Calm down. Just breathe.
She took a deep breath. From the perspective of a co-author on the paper, this was fascinating. Introduction to Stellar Magic had already proven its effectiveness with Lumene's second-years. But this was different.
A different race. The elves, who treated Stellar Magic as their exclusive legacy. What kind of results would this bring?
Deep down, the researcher in her desperately wanted to know. But this was the Magic Conference. And the elven traditionalists were already sharpening their knives, waiting for an excuse to tear her presentation apart. If they found out Leo had personally taught a group of Seiren students—using a text Seiren had outright banned—
It would be a disaster.
Anna's eyes twitched. The diplomatic fallout would be massive.
"…How many students?" she asked, voice tight.
Leo held up both hands, spreading his fingers wide.
Anna let out a relieved sigh. "Ten. That's manageable. At least it won't be discovered immediately."
For now, they had to keep this under wraps until the conference ended. As a professor at Lumene, there was no way she could handle the repercussions of something this huge.
"We'll finish the conference first. Then, when we return to Lumene, we'll…"
"Nope." Leo smiled. "It's a hundred."
Anna's face twitched violently. "…How soon until we're found out?"
"Probably during the conference."
"I should've let Professor Len take this trip instead."
Assistant Professor Anna covered her face with both hands and let out a strangled sob.
Leo patted her back in sympathy. "There, there. I'll handle it somehow."
Even while crying over the impending catastrophe, she still plans on taking responsibility for it.
Seeing that, Leo handed her a folder. "Assistant Professor Anna, this is my analysis of Seiren's first-year students' magical progress. I think you'll find it useful."
Anna's sobbing stopped instantly.
Uh-oh. Leo took a careful step back as she slowly lowered her hands and locked eyes with him. He plastered on an innocent expression, but that wouldn't fool her.
With everything she was already dealing with, now he was dumping more work on her? If the person standing in front of her had been Len instead of Leo, she might have actually strangled him.
Leo, ever the survivor, quickly gave her a bright smile, clenched his fist, and said, "Professor, you got this!"
Then, without another word, he bolted out of the room.
Anna let out a disbelieving chuckle.
Even if he's Lumene's best student in history, he's still just a kid. Cunning as a snake, but still a kid.
Shaking her head, she reached for the documents Leo had left behind.
Rustle—
Her eyes widened as she scanned the pages.
…This is even more groundbreaking than I imagined.
Step. Step.
As Leo walked back to his dorm, he muttered to himself. Someone's following me.
In the quiet darkness of the corridor, something moved stealthily behind him.
An elf.
The presence was unmistakable.
Leo ignored the tail and continued on his way, eventually reaching his room.
Click.
Just as he stepped inside—
Swish—
A hooded figure reached for the doorknob.
"You know, I don't recall doing anything to make someone hold a grudge against me," Leo said.
At the voice behind them, the figure reacted instantly, spinning around with a swift strike.
Smack—!
Leo caught their wrist mid-motion and twisted their arm back. With his other hand, he covered their mouth, then pulled them into the room and shut the door behind him.
Clack.
It all happened in an instant.
With his back against the door, Leo spoke. "I'll let you go if you don't cause a scene."
The hooded figure gave a small nod.
Leo released them, and the person took a few steps forward before turning to face him. Beneath the hood, a pair of blue eyes gleamed. Then, the figure slowly removed the hood, revealing a delicate face framed by cascading blue hair—characteristically elven, yet distinctly different.
A half-elf.
The striking young woman adjusted her attire, then knelt before Leo. Bowing her head, she spoke in a respectful tone. "It is an honor to meet you, Leo Plov. I am Anya Becks, daughter of the Northern Tower Master."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "The Tower Master's daughter?" He narrowed his eyes. "Why did the Northern Tower Master's daughter follow me? And why are you acting so…formal?"
Leo had released her for a simple reason—though she had trailed him in secret, he hadn't sensed any killing intent. She was suspicious, but not dangerous.
Even more baffling than her identity was her excessive formality.
The Magic Towers were the governing bodies of magic across different regions. Their masters were the strongest mages of their era, most of whom had achieved such great feats that they were recorded in the Hero Record.
As rulers of the Towers, their power and influence were comparable to that of kings.
Leo may have been Lumene's student council president and a direct descendant of Zerdinger, but the daughter of a Tower Master held authority equal to his own. Moreover, despite being a half-elf, Anya still carried elven blood.
For someone of such high status to bow so deeply to him…it made no sense.
"So? What's your reason?" Leo asked.
Anya remained unfazed. "It is only natural to show respect to the true ruler of Xian."
Leo stared blankly. "The true ruler of Xian? That's the Emperor, not me."
Anya's expression remained calm. "I apologize if my words have offended you, but there is no need to hide it. The Xian Emperor has already convened the Shadow Lords and informed them of the Book of Shadows—and of you, Leo Plov."
The Shadow Lords.
Chen Xia had mentioned them before. Xian had long supported the Shadows, maintaining a connection with them for centuries. However, the empire did not hold absolute influence over the Shadows worldwide.
Every race had its own factions, and among them, the Shadows of elves, beastkin, and dwarves each had their own leaders.
So those leaders are the Shadow Lords, huh?
Anya continued. "The Book of Shadows recorded the great deeds and accomplishments of the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle. That knowledge has now been shared among all the Shadow Lords."
Leo's gaze sharpened. "So, are you telling me that you are a Shadow Lord?"
"No. My father, Algren Becks, is one. As his heir, I am merely his successor."
Leo crossed his arms. "Fine, let's say I accept that the Book of Shadows exists, that I found it in Xian, and that I happen to be an all-class like Kyle. But why does that make me worthy of this ridiculous level of respect?"
Anya, who had kept her head lowered until now, finally looked up.
"Because you saved all of the Shadows."
Where there is light, there are always Shadows.
For 5,000 years, while heroes fought on the surface, it was the Shadows who eliminated the evils that could not be openly dealt with. They had been a pillar of the peace that the world enjoyed. Yet, simply because they were never recorded in the Hero Record, they were dismissed and scorned.
It was the Book of Shadows that had saved them from being forgotten.
"Of course, some of the Lords still doubt your ability. I, too, was uncertain…but after tonight, I understand now."
Anya met Leo's gaze, her blue eyes burning with fervor. "You are both a Hero and a Shadow."
The darkness was the Shadows' domain.
And within that darkness, Leo had effortlessly overpowered her. Had he willed it, Anya would already be dead.
"You are the rightful successor to the great Hero of the Beginning!"
…Her eyes are crazy.
Leo had seen that look before. It was the same blind fanaticism that some elves had toward Luna.
Seriously, what is it with elves and their extreme worship tendencies?
Clicking his tongue, he sorted through his thoughts.
So the Xian Emperor told the Shadow Lords about the Book of Shadows and about me. And he even declared that the empire was now mine.
Leo's expression soured.
I've somehow ended up as the ruler of a vast empire. At this point, I could start a war against the entire world if I wanted.
He let out a dry chuckle. "So, were you following me to test my abilities?"
"Yes. I apologize for the offense." Anya bowed again.
Leo sighed. "Fine. I get it. Now can you stop kneeling and just sit properly?"
Anya rose and sat where he gestured, maintaining perfect posture.
Leo studied her carefully. "One thing—does the Northern Tower have any ties to the Shadows?"
"No, it does not."
"Then are you here as a representative of the Tower, or as a Shadow?"
"Both."
Leo narrowed his eyes. "The Pureblood Society, huh."
Anya's expression turned serious. "You are perceptive." She hesitated, then spoke firmly. "Leo, there is no need for you to dirty your hands. My father and I will handle it as soon as we secure the evidence…"
Leo cut her off. "I've never once thought of it as dirtying my hands."
"…What?"
His face was expressionless as he met her gaze. "If someone dares to exploit the name of the Nebula Pioneer while betraying Luna's ideals, I will tear them apart myself."
Anya instinctively flinched.
"Because that's my duty."
Anya's face flushed slightly, eyes glazing over in pure admiration, and a breathless sigh escaped her lips. "To think…you consider walking the bloodstained path of the Shadows a duty…how noble…"
Leo's expression stiffened.
…She's completely gone now.