LHAHS Chapter 518
Eliza narrowed her eyes at Leo. "You're asking me whether I have life-or-death resolve? Hmph, I already know that you put Celia Zerdinger and Chelsea Lewellin through brutal training." She smirked. "You think I wouldn't have done the same?"
Even now, Celia and Chelsea continued their training, but unlike before, they no longer trained alongside Leo. They had reached a point where Leo didn't need to push them—they trained on their own. And seeing Celia and Chelsea's intensity, the other students had also raised the difficulty of their own training.
As a result, Eliza had undergone training just as grueling as Celia and Chelsea's.
Leo folded his arms, watching Eliza scoff. "I never actually put them through brutal training."
"What?"
"I gave them tough training, sure, but nothing harsh enough to be called brutal."
Eliza's eyes twitched.
This bastard.
She had always acted nonchalant, but she had been pushing herself to the absolute limit. And yet Leo called that just a little tough training.
Her teeth clenched.
"Well, stamina training might help, but the training that requires your life on the line isn't that kind of training."
"Then what are you making me do?"
Eliza asked, and Leo opened his palm.
Crackle—!
A flash of pure white lightning burst from Leo's hand, and Eliza's eyes widened.
"The power of Pegasus? But it's so pure…?"
The Hergin family had always formed contracts with powerful spirit beasts. Those born with the potential to forge a pact with one of the Three Great Summons were identified early and assigned a future partner.
Eliza was one of them. Her spiritual energy was highly compatible with Pegasus.
Because of that, her pact had been determined from a young age, and she had met her future summon several times. Of course, they had never truly spoken. The Three Great Summons were beings of immense pride. Even if someone was their destined contractor, they would not acknowledge someone unworthy in their current state.
Even so, Eliza could tell at a glance.
The power in Leo's hand was on a different level from any Pegasus she had ever encountered.
She swallowed hard, and Leo said, "This is the Essence of Thunder."
"The Essence of Thunder? Wait, that's…!"
Eliza's eyes filled with shock.
"Yeah."
Leo dispelled the lightning in his hand.
"It's the very essence of the Pegasus Kings, lost for 5,000 years."
"How do you have that?"
"It was a reward from the Hero Record."
"When did you even obtain it?"
Eliza asked with a grave expression, and Leo answered matter-of-factly.
"That's a trade secret."
Eliza's eyes narrowed.
She glanced at Carl, who simply shrugged and shook his head.
So even Carl Thomas didn't know, but still… the Essence of Thunder?
It was hard to believe, but at the very least, she knew Leo wouldn't lie about something like this.
Besides, there was precedent—Lunia of Seiren had received the Phoenix Queen's power as a reward from the Hero Record, reviving it after 5,000 years.
So there's no reason Leo Plov couldn't have done the same.
"You really don't have any limits, do you?"
Eliza let out a dry laugh, and Leo replied, "That's not true. That's why I need strong comrades."
Leo looked down at his hand and spoke calmly.
"If it's like Lunia El Lunda's case, why keep it hidden?"
"It's not exactly the same as Lunia's."
"How is it different?"
"Lunia overcame the Phoenix Queen's trial and inherited her flames. She isn't a phoenix, but she's the Phoenix Queen's successor."
That meant Lunia's flames were the Flame Emperor itself. A power passed down through a lineage that had always purified and burned away the unclean.
"In contrast, I got mine purely as a reward."
At first glance, it might not seem like a big difference, but in reality, it was.
Lunia's flames were the Phoenix Queen's own. She could unleash the Phoenix Queen's fire using only her pure spiritual energy. Moreover, she could enhance her phoenix summon's power and even imbue magic with that strength to amplify it further.
Leo, on the other hand, needed a Pegasus to fully wield the Essence of Thunder.
And even then, it would inflict immense pain on the one I made a pact with.
That was the limitation of someone who obtained power through a loophole like the Hero Record rather than through legitimate means.
"Most importantly, Lunia can transfer her power to someone else at will, but I can't."
"Hmm. So? You're offering to help me, and it's obviously related to the Essence of Thunder."
"Yeah. Even if I can't use it perfectly, I can accelerate your growth."
"So, you're saying you can forcibly awaken my potential?"
"Exactly."
"Hah. So that's why you asked if I was ready to risk my life."
Eliza smirked. She understood Leo's intention perfectly.
A shortcut.
Not all shortcuts were good.
A safe shortcut doesn't exist.
Eliza was a summoner. Unlike aura or magic, the core of summoning was contracts.
Because of that, she understood better than anyone, This world was built on balance.
If you took the faster path, there was always a price to pay.
And if you failed to forcefully awaken your abilities, the consequences were brutal.
At worst, I'd be crippled. At worst… I'd die.
Forced awakenings were inherently dangerous.
It was an unnatural method, deviating from the proper path—there was no way it could be safe.
If it were, it would be nothing but a scam.
Eliza stared down at her own hand.
Should I really accept Leo Plov's help?
For her, it was humiliating. It was a blow to her pride, but…
I hate the thought of being left behind even more.
Maybe time would solve everything, just as Leo said, but by the time she overcame her wall, what about the others?
Perhaps they would struggle like she had, allowing her to catch up, but what if they broke through their walls first?
What if they shattered them entirely and kept moving forward?
That's worse than dying.
Eliza's eyes flashed.
I am the heir of the Hergin family.
Celia, Duran, Chen Xia, Chloe, Abad, Chelsea, Walden—all of their faces flashed through her mind.
Finally, she looked at Leo, standing before her.
If I'm not the best, then it's meaningless.
This wasn't some childish, arrogant stubbornness.
I have to reach the highest stage, both as a summoner and as a hero.
That was the life goal of Eliza Hergin, a hero candidate. However, standing before her was an opponent she might never reach, no matter how long she chased. A towering wall of despair, but from another perspective, it meant she had a goal she could keep running toward for the rest of her life.
I don't have time to hesitate. Even at this very moment, this bastard is moving further away.
She had a clear way forward, yet if she stood still just because it was dangerous, That, more than accepting help, would be the greatest humiliation.
"What do I need to do?" she asked.
Leo extended his hand.
Crackle—!
The Essence of Thunder flared to life.
"Take it," he said.
Eliza took a deep breath and grasped Leo's hand.
"Ugh?!"
In that instant, Her body stiffened as if struck by lightning, her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed.
As her consciousness faded, she dimly heard Carl's panicked voice.
Even as she blacked out, Eliza muttered inwardly, This… won't be easy.
"Isn't this too dangerous?" Carl asked after carrying the unconscious Eliza back to the dormitory.
Leo was sitting alone on a bench when Chen Xia appeared from behind, her expression tinged with concern.
"It is dangerous," Leo answered bluntly.
"You don't plan on adjusting the difficulty a bit?"
"No. If I went easy on her, Eliza would only take it as an insult."
Leo turned to Chen Xia, who had sat beside him.
"Put yourself in Eliza's shoes. If I personally trained you, would you be happy?"
"…No. I'd probably be pissed."
"See? You brats are always in such a hurry to act like adults."
"You're really leaning into the old-man act, huh? And we're not acting like adults—we are mature. Stop treating us like kids."
Chen Xia squinted at Leo in mock irritation.
Leo cut her off flatly. "Adults don't throw tantrums over consideration, kid."
He reached out and pinched her nose.
Chen Xia covered her nose, pouting.
"It's late. Aren't you heading in?"
"My head's a mess. I want to feel the night breeze a bit longer."
Chen Xia smiled wryly.
He must be struggling after Lady Luna left.
How could he not be?
He had met a friend who had once risked her life to save the world, transcending 5,000 years to reunite—only to part ways again.
And Luna had held special feelings for Leo.
Sir Leo's feelings… I can't say for sure., but Leo undoubtedly carried complicated emotions regarding Luna.
He must be hurting too. Should I try to comfort him?
Even if he was a Great Hero, Leo was still human.
If his heart was heavy, there was no doubt he would feel vulnerable.
How do I console him?
"Luna's making me ask you for a bit of a difficult favor."
A difficult favor because of Lady Luna?
Chen Xia's eyes shifted slightly.
Eiran, this book you own—'When the Heart is Lonely, the Body Follows'—this is definitely banned in Lumene, you know.
H-how did you find that?!
And this one—'History is Made at Night'—same deal.
Kyaaaah!
Chen Xia recalled the books she had found while visiting Eiran's dorm.
Then, subtly, she scooted closer to Leo.
"Sir Leo, I'm an adult. You can ask me for anything. No, if it's Sir Leo's command, I'll obey without question."
"That so? I need the Xian Empire's help."
Chen Xia blinked a few times before flashing a small smile.
"…So this is work for the Shadows."
"Yeah."
Oh no. Have I been spending too much time around Eiran? My brain's getting weird.
Chen Xia clicked her tongue and sighed.
"Velkia has apparently been resurrected as an undead."
At Leo's next words, her face hardened.
"Velkia…?"
"Yeah."
Leo's expression grew grim.
"She's been operating from the shadows. And if she's come back as an undead… she's not doing anything good. Can you track her down?"
"Yes. Understood."
Chen Xia immediately melted into the darkness.
Left alone, Leo gazed up at the full moon and took a deep breath.