As Leo was turning to close the door, he was startled to see Roon standing silently.
"Did you really listen to my conversation with Eiran until now?"
"Indeed."
"Ooooh...!"
Roon, with a moved expression, took out a handkerchief from his robe and wiped away his tears.
"How long has it been since that child talked to someone for so long! I heard she couldn't even make proper friends at school!"
Seeing Roon's moved face, Leo clicked his tongue.
"I know you're busy, but you should pay more attention to your granddaughter."
"I wish I could, but I'm terribly busy... My son and daughter-in-law also died in an accident, so I haven't had the chance to pay attention to my granddaughter."
Roon laughed bitterly.
"I wanted to give her a shock, but it seems she has opened up to you more than I thought. So! I want to repay you! I'll do anything I can!"
"…Can a Grand Elder of a nation make such promises lightly?"
"What can't I do!"
'This elf is secretly quite capable.'
"I don't really want anything. I didn't do anything extraordinary."
"Young man, you have no greed, and you're even humble! I like that!"
Roon patted Leo's shoulder.
"But I want to give you a small token of my gratitude as a grandfather. If you don't want anything, I'd like to gift you a magical item that might help you. By the way, Leo, in elf society, refusing a gift is impolite."
"Then I'll accept it gratefully."
Roon really seemed pleased as he smiled.
"Let's go to our family's treasure vault."
'It feels like I'm receiving a gift from the grandfather of a rich friend.'
Leo followed Roon with a bemused expression.
Roon led Leo to the basement of the mansion, opened a magical door, and guided him inside.
As befitting a prestigious elf family, the treasure vault was luxurious.
"I can't give you heirlooms, as they are keys to the world of our ancestors' heroes... But these items can certainly be gifted to you."
Roon pointed to the magical items displayed in the showcase at the entrance of the vault and smiled.
They were all remarkable items.
Leo admired them one by one, amazed.
Then he suddenly stopped in front of a blue gem the size of a fist.
'This is...'
"That's an item obtained by our former family head a thousand years ago. It's a precious gem imbued with fairy power, but its purpose is unknown. Do you like it?"
Roon asked, looking a bit puzzled.
"It's quite beautiful."
"Yes, the piece of fairy inside the gem is beautiful."
As Roon said, there was a small fairy inside the gem, hugging her knees and curled up with her eyes closed, as if she were sleeping.
"I'll take this one."
Roon was surprised at Leo's words.
"Are you sure? It's a precious item, but its use is... more than that."
"It's fine. I like it."
"If you like it, then so be it."
Roon nodded and took the gem from the showcase, handing it to Leo.
Leo took it and fondled the gem.
'It's certain. It's not a piece.'
Leo smiled inwardly.
'This is a real fairy.'
***
After returning from the Ersar family, Leo had dinner first.
'If I release the seal on the gem, I might be able to make a contract with the fairy.'
His mind was filled with thoughts of making a contract with the fairy.
After dinner, Hallind and Senna visited the accommodation to convey some information.
"This is the information to be conveyed. As you all know, the field trip is also part of the education."
Hallind glanced at the students and said.
"I don't think there are any students in our class who came here just to play and have an easy mindset."
Some people looked taken aback at his words.
"From tomorrow, the wake-up time will be six in the morning. After getting up, finish your breakfast and personal preparations, and at 7:30, we'll go to the Fairy Forest for individual training."
"Individual training?"
"We already do enough of that at school."
Some students looked puzzled.
"I know you do individual training according to your class schedule. However, during the field trip, I plan to focus on improving the areas where you are lacking. There are monsters in the Fairy Forest, so practical training is also possible."
"Oh."
"In that case."
"After the morning training, we plan to do mission practice in the afternoon."
"Mission practice?"
"Yes. The role is to solve the problems of the residents of Verkia."
"Ohh!"
"That's all the information to be conveyed."
Hallind left, leaving the enthusiastic students behind, and called Leo and Nella.
"Take good care of the kids."
"Yes."
"I understand, Professor Hallind."
After that, Hallind and Senna left the accommodation.
"Sorry, Nella. I'm a bit tired, so can I go up early today?"
"Huh? Sure."
Leo asked for Nella's understanding, who was the vice-captain, and went up to his room.
At that moment, Karl followed him.
"Leo, going to bed early?"
"Yeah. Do you need something from me?"
Karl showed something from his robe with a sly smile in response to Leo's question.
"Ta-da! Look at this, it's elf honey wine."
Karl said in a low voice.
"Since we've come this far, one cup shouldn't be a problem, right?"
Seeing Karl's subtle request, Leo extended his hand.
"No. I'll keep it for you."
"Huh?"
"First and second-year students are prohibited from drinking, you know?"
"Isn't that a bit too strict? How can students follow the rules so strictly? Sometimes it's good to break the rules."
Seeing Karl's disappointed face, Leo laughed.
"It's the beginning of the field trip, so bear with it. If you get caught at the beginning, what will happen? I'll keep this until the last day, and we'll drink then."
If he entrusted it carelessly and Hallind found out, it would be a big problem.
Hallind had also conducted a baggage inspection before departure, designating some students.
Karl was included in that list.
Leo had avoided the inspection because Hallind trusted him.
"Che, I have no choice. Then, let's have a drink on the last day?"
"Sure."
Karl handed the honey wine to Leo, looking disappointed.
Leo immediately went to his room after returning to the accommodation.
He took out the gem he received from Roon and released his spiritual energy.
Hum! Leo narrowed his eyes at the gem glowing with a golden light.
'It's sealed with the magic of the Fairy King.'
This was the reason the Ersar family thought the seal was just a gem imbued with fairy power.
The magic of the Fairy King.
After the Age of Catastrophe, the Fairy King's contractor disappeared.
Elves also lost the opportunity to encounter the Fairy King's magic, and eventually, it disappeared from the records.
'The magic of the Fairy King and the magic of the fairies are different.'
The magic of the fairies is merely a branch derived from the magic of the Fairy King.
'It's not for nothing that the Fairy King, Phoenix Lord, and Elder Pegasus are called the three strongest familiars.'
Moreover, the power he felt from the gem was very familiar to Leo.
'Sylord's magic power.'
The fairy who was the Fairy King's successor during the Age of Catastrophe.
The fairy Leo had seen several times as Luna's contractor.
A fairy who still held the position of Fairy King in the current era.
'But why is this fairy sealed without wings?'
Leo felt puzzled about the sealed fairy.
If the Fairy King sealed it personally, there must be various reasons.
However, the only thought that came to mind was that the fairy was a 'criminal.'
Leo released more spiritual energy, looking puzzled.
Leo concentrated and moved the spiritual energy embedded in the gem.
As if unlocking a lock.
He used his spiritual energy to gradually undo Sylord's magic.
A method only Leo, who knew about the Fairy King's magic, could use.
A moment later.
Whirr!
A magic circle appeared on the surface of the gem.
'Unsealed the first stage.'
Leo clicked his tongue at the magic circle that appeared on the surface.
'With my current power, it seems difficult to unseal it completely.'
Although he had the knowledge, he lacked the power to unseal it.
Leo saw his right hand glowing in surprise.
Looking at the back of his hand, he saw a summoning circle made of fairy language.
'The Fairy King's contract?'
The contract with the Fairy King, which he obtained as a reward for conquering the world of heroes during the entrance exam, reacted.
Whoosh!
The gem emitted a strong golden light.
"Grk?"
Blinded by the light, Leo instinctively closed his eyes and stepped back.
After a moment, when the light faded, Leo opened his eyes and looked at the gem.
Crack!
The surface of the gem began to crack, as if an egg was hatching.
"Is the seal broken?"
Whirr!
The gem floated in the air.
The cracked fragments continued to fall.
Crack!
The gem shattered like a glass ball.
The fairy who had been curled up inside the gem slowly stretched.
If he were a human, he would look slightly younger than Leo. The fairy boy yawned and stretched.
[Has Father finally released me from the seal?]
The fairy, with a playful tone, crossed his arms upon seeing Leo.
[What kind of human is standing before me?]
"What are you?"
[Me?]
The fairy laughed mockingly at Leo's question.
[Hmph. You insignificant human, trying to know my identity. How dare you. But since I feel good being released from the seal, I'll tell you. You'll faint when you know who I am.]
"Who are you?"
[I am the first son of the great Golden Fairy King Sylord and the successor to the Fairy King! I am the Silver Fairy Kieran!]
Kieran, with a solemn face, raised his chin.
[You look surprised. Well, what can you expect from an insignificant human. Even elves couldn't see the Fairy King in the age when they dared not, and now you see me, the successor of the Fairy King. How...]
Smack!
[Choke!]
"Why is Sylord's son so arrogant when Sylord himself was polite to me?"
Leo frowned and slapped Kieran as if swatting a fly.
Kieran, who fell onto the table pitifully, raised his head in anger.
[Dare you use violence against me, the successor of the Fairy King! I won't let you off...]
Smack!
[Choke!]
This time, Leo hit Kieran with the textbook he had taken out earlier.
It happened to be the Summoning Magic textbook.
"Want to be arrogant?"
[I! I! Impudent! How dare you use violence against me, the Fairy Prince...]
Smack!
[The fairies won't forgive you...]
Smack!
[Are you not afraid of the consequences...]
Smack!
[I won't let you off...]
Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!
Before long, Kieran was foaming at the mouth and unconscious.
"What kind of brat is so arrogant? Are you really Sylord's son?"
Leo looked at the unconscious Kieran with a bemused expression.