Chapter 17 : To The Academy

“You must go there to begin your revenge.”

Ophelia, watching Luen who still didn’t seem to fully understand her words, continued speaking.

“As you might have guessed, Calcento is gaining support from the surrounding nobles. Even now, he’s still searching for you.”

“Yes.”

That was something Luen already knew.

It was impossible for him not to know.

When Luen had sought help from the nobles of the surrounding territories, they didn’t send help; they sent swords to capture him.

As he recalled the memories of that time, Luen answered in a low voice.

Ophelia nodded and continued speaking.

“This means that Calcento is building his own power. Therefore, the two of us alone won’t be enough. You also need to build your own force.”

“And the easiest place to do that is the Academy.”

The Academy, located in the empire’s capital, gathers not only many nobles but also talented commoners.

It was a place where the future leaders of the empire are nurtured.

So, Ophelia wanted Luen to establish connections with the nobles’ children and others at the Academy.

“And the Academy is not a place Calcento can easily touch. So, it’s as safe as this place.”

Taking down Calcento alone was something Ophelia and Luen could achieve with just their strength.

Calcento’s military power was not that impressive, and although he had focused all his efforts on fully absorbing Kalbrandt in the past three years, Kalbrandt’s military strength was still lacking compared to before.

It would take at least ten years for Kalbrandt to fully recover from being torn in two.

But the problem was the nobles around Kalbrandt, and the noble society itself.

To challenge such a massive society, Luen’s strength alone wouldn’t be enough.

“So, go to the Academy. I’ll stay here and prepare to help you.”

Luen, facing Ophelia’s red eyes, could only nod reluctantly, as if he had no other choice.

“Alright.”

Standing on his own was something Luen wanted too.

Over the past three years, Luen had also opened his heart to Ophelia.

He could vaguely understand the reason why she couldn’t come to Kalbrandt.

That’s why he had to stand on his own.

He also realized how dangerous it was for Ophelia to take the lead.

‘How long will I rely on others?’

He couldn’t lean on others forever.

At this point, Ophelia wasn’t just another person to him—he truly considered her like family.

But…

‘This is my fight.’

At the same time, it was Kalbrandt’s fight.

So…

‘I will succeed with my own strength.’

It was a period of preparation for that, and a time for the blossoming of talents needed for that success.

Thus…

“I’ll go to the Academy.”

Luen, having made up his mind, glowed coldly with resolve.

“The children grow up too fast,” he thought.

The forest where Gigarious had made his dwelling was a place where the sun rose and set earlier than in other places.

Therefore, in the quiet forest where the sun had disappeared, Ophelia looked up at the sparkling stars in the dark night sky and smiled softly.

“Don’t you think so, Luana?”

She had never raised a child in her lifetime.

This was, of course, because she had never been married or even been in a relationship.

As a child, she had been absorbed in the study of magic.

Her brilliant talent and burning thirst for learning led to an enormous growth, to the point that she had no time to worry about anything else.

By the time she had grown, she had become such an extraordinarily great figure that there was no precedent for it.

People didn’t easily approach her.

And even those who did, their intentions were so obvious that they never satisfied her.

In any case, she had never loved anyone, nor had anyone loved her.

So, the past three years had been a very special and unique memory for her.

It was a time when she had begun to seriously explore the art of spirit magic, and it was also a time when she had felt what it might be like to be a parent raising a child.

Perhaps she might have somewhat understood Luana’s feelings.

With a crackling sound, the bonfire blazed brightly.

As she stared blankly at the flames, Ophelia felt someone approaching her and turned her gaze.

“Hello.”

It was Nia.

With her white hair fluttering and a detached expression, Nia approached.

She gave off such a cold atmosphere that it was hard to believe she was the same spirit that had been with Luen.

However, it was nothing unfamiliar to Ophelia, so she responded with a similarly indifferent expression, raising her hand to greet Nia.

Nia, unfazed by Ophelia’s greeting, walked toward her with a detached demeanor.

“You’re still so cold, aren’t you?”

Nia was the only spirit with whom Ophelia could communicate, but Nia never opened her heart to Ophelia.

No, to be more precise, Nia didn’t open her heart to anyone except Luen.

Around Nia, there were four spirits who had contracted with Luen.

Although Luen had fallen asleep, they didn’t leave the mortal realm.

In other words, Luen had reached a level where he could maintain the summoning of spirits even in his sleep.

Nia, who had settled near the bonfire, rolled a small twig between her fingers and looked at Ophelia.

“Are you planning to send Luen to the Academy?”

When she spoke to Luen, Nia was always full of affection, and her voice carried emotion.

But when addressing Ophelia, she showed no emotion at all.

However, Ophelia took this naturally and nodded her head.

“I told you.”

“There’s no need for Luen to go there. With just our strength, it wouldn’t be hard to deal with that insignificant wizard.”

“That’s impossible.”

Ophelia looked at Nia with a strange gaze.

Nia had always hated the idea of Luen interacting with others.

Ophelia didn’t know the exact reason, but she could guess it might be…

“And, if you help him so that he doesn’t get hurt anymore, that should be enough.”

Nia probably worried about Luen being hurt.

Frowning slightly at Ophelia’s words, Nia exhaled deeply, gently caressing the spirits resting at the tips of her fingers.

“People always get hurt by other people. Luen shouldn’t get hurt anymore.”

Ophelia didn’t know it, but Nia knew.

She knew because she was bound to Luen by their contract as spirit and summoner.

She could sense how fragile Luen’s heart was.

If even a small crack started to form, it would eventually cause him to collapse completely.

“But staying here, Luen will just keep falling apart.”

What was holding Luen together now was nothing but his thirst for revenge.

He sought revenge against Calcento, and against the nobles who had betrayed him and Kalbrandt, with the ultimate goal of reclaiming Kalbrandt.

That was Luen’s only objective.

If that failed, Luen would completely fall apart. But if it succeeded…

“In the end, Luen will become an empty shell.”

That’s what revenge does.

Ophelia looked at Nia with her deep, red eyes.

Nia, in turn, met Ophelia’s gaze with her cold, green eyes.

“So, help Luen. Help him grow into the right person.”

Luen had Ophelia by his side, Nia was with him, and the spirits were there too.

The only people he trusted were them.

Therefore, it was only they who could guide him to the right path.

Among them, Nia’s role would be crucial.

Nia, who understood Ophelia’s words, frowned as if displeased but couldn’t help but accept them.

Luen must never fall apart.

She would make sure of that.

“I’ll ask you just one thing.”

It was Ophelia who broke the brief silence.

Ophelia looked at Nia seriously and spoke.

“Are you… by any chance the Spirit King?”

Ophelia knew that Nia was the first spirit to form a contract with Luen.

She had suspected it from the way Nia commanded the highest-level spirits beneath her, but it hadn’t yet become a certainty.

Nia let out a small laugh at Ophelia’s question, brushing her white hair behind her ear.

“The Spirit King, what that means… You humans don’t know.”

“The Spirit King, as the name suggests…”

A being who rules over all spirits.

It was similar to the title of king among humans, but it was something entirely different.

It was a being who…

“Could be a spirit, or could not be. In the end, it means the one who exists above all things.”