After managing to escape from the two cats... that seemed to be fighting over something... or someone, Leo finally reached his classroom.
The door rattled loudly as it opened, grabbing everyone's attention.
The happy, buzzing room filled with chattering voices and laughter suddenly dropped into eerie silence.
Leo stepped inside and paused at the entrance, scanning the room with a cool, indifferent glance. He could feel their stares burning into his skin, hear the hushed murmurs circling around yesterday's chaos—but he didn't flinch.
He didn't care.
He walked forward calmly, his presence so quiet it made the silence louder. Not a single person dared to move. It was like the classroom itself was holding its breath—until Leo did something completely unexpected.
He placed his bag right on... Kai's desk.
A faint, sharp sound of someone gasping echoed in the tense atmosphere.
Kai, who had been quietly brooding, slowly looked up. His brows furrowed deeply as he stared at Leo's smug, amused expression.
"How are you... my dear friend?" Leo said, dragging the words like a velvet rope around Kai's neck. He glanced down at Kai's crotch with a wicked grin. "Is your thing healed yet? Your little brother is waking up, right?"
A muffled snort broke out somewhere, followed by suppressed laughter. Someone nearly choked on their water. The entire class trembled between laughter and fear.
Kai's face twitched. Veins bulged across his forehead and neck as he clenched his jaw, barely restraining himself. His fists were tight, knuckles pale white.
Leo, satisfied as if he had just taken revenge, smirked to himself and walked to his seat. He sat down slowly, gracefully, like a king returning to his throne.
The class returned to its routine, but everyone kept stealing glances at him—curious, confused, whispering behind his back.
The mysterious shift in Leo's behaviour kept them on edge.
Leo, however, paid them no mind. He sat with a proud, almost arrogant expression, lost in thought. His mind wandered to this ridiculous war, and soon, time passed quicker than he realised.
The bell rang, signalling lunch break.
He opened his bag and took out the lunchbox Raphael had prepared for him. As he looked at it, a small frown tugged at his lips.
He knew what she had said earlier...
Honestly, that was all he could manage. There was no way—absolutely no way—he could ever see her as his aunt.
Not after everything that happened.
Even if she begged him, even if she cried… this Leo wasn't connected to her. Not anymore.
Just as he unwrapped the lid, a soft, stammering voice called out from the hallway.
"L-Leo...?"
Leo's eyes widened slightly. He looked toward the door and blinked.
It was Valra. She stood outside, peeking in with a strangely timid expression, her fingers fidgeting nervously as she held her own lunchbox tightly against her chest.
She caught his gaze, flinched a little, and then raised her hand with an awkward wave. Her lips curled into a sheepish smile, cheeks slightly flushed.
She motioned him to come outside.
It was such a contrast from her usual confident self that Leo couldn't help but smile a little.
He picked up his lunch and casually walked out.
As he exited, the classroom burst into whispers again.
"D-Did you see that?!"
"Did the Great Valra... ask him to eat together?"
"What is even going on these days? First he bullies Kai, now this? Miracles everywhere!"
Kai's jaw tightened as he clenched his teeth in frustration, watching Leo leave.
On the rooftop,
Valra sat down behind the large metallic water tank, the sunlight catching the soft blush dusting her cheeks. Her back was straight, but her fingers nervously tapped on the lid of her lunchbox. As soon as Leo arrived, she looked up and quickly patted the spot beside her.
"Come on... here. No one will disturb us. Especially that big... meathead," she muttered with a pout, her eyes narrowing slightly at the memory.
Leo chuckled and sat beside her, a teasing smirk still on his lips.
"Why were you two fighting again?" he asked, amusement clear in his voice.
Valra groaned and gritted her teeth. "It's that useless meat getting in my way..." She caught herself and waved her hand dismissively. "Forget it. Doesn't matter right now."
She turned to Leo and smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling. Her expression was warm and open, but inside, her heart pounded like crazy.
He was sitting so close.
/Tsk, don't act like a simp,/ Envy's voice growled in her head.
/I'm not a simp!/ she snapped back inwardly.
Leo looked at her curiously. "So?"
"Hmm?" Valra blinked, opening her lunchbox slowly.
"You called me up here for a reason, right?" he asked, his tone soft but curious.
Valra stared at him blankly for a second. "Oh… right… yeah. I did. For a reason... definitely." She looked away, cheeks heating up, as she grabbed a sandwich from her box. Her confident smile began to falter, giving way to nervousness.
Leo noticed the shift but said nothing. He opened his own box—filled with a neat arrangement of healthy food.
Valra's eyes immediately flicked over to his box. "Hmm? That's something... Did you prepare it?"
Leo shook his head. "Raphael made it."
"Oh right… that infirmary doctor," she said, nodding to herself. Her eyes lingered longer on his box before glancing down at her own. "I made this one," she added with pride, though her tone was softer now.
Leo chuckled. "Why don't we share then?"
Valra blinked in surprise. "You... don't mind?"
Leo smiled and handed her half his portion. "Not at all."
Valra's face lit up, though she quickly looked down to hide the blush rising on her cheeks. She cut her sandwich carefully, her hands slightly trembling, and handed the half to Leo.
He took it and took a bite.
Valra leaned in a little, voice cautious. "Is it good?"
/Sigh… Master, you're acting way too weird right now,/ Envy groaned again in her head, but she blocked him out.
Leo nodded, chewing. "Hmm... It's good."
Valra smiled in relief and took a bite from his food. Her eyes softened as the flavours hit her tongue. "Hmm... I haven't tasted home-cooked food like this in years..."
Leo blinked, eyebrows lifting. "Oh... I'm so—"
Valra quickly waved her hands. "No, no! My parents are alive! It's just... I've been living alone for a while now. So, I usually cook for myself."
Leo nodded, understanding in his gaze. "Well, your cooking's good too. Really."
Valra beamed. "Thanks… that means more than you think."
A small breeze passed, ruffling her hair. She brushed it aside shyly, glancing at him, their knees nearly touching.
Leo nodded with a small smile. "Anyway, did you see the news today? Machine problem? Are they serious?"
Valra nodded, her tone serious, "We mages usually have some connections with the local governing bodies and the Magic Association, so we have the authority to control how stories are reported to the public. If we don't manage the truth carefully, it could spiral into something worse."
She took another small bite of her sandwich, chewing slowly as her gaze wandered out over the school's courtyard far below.
Leo hummed thoughtfully, pausing between mouthfuls. The rooftop breeze was light and pleasant, and the sun was soft, making the metal water tank behind them radiate a gentle warmth. The sound of birds mixed with the faint noise of students below, but up here, it was peaceful—almost like another world.
Leo wiped his fingers on the side of his uniform pants and asked, "Do you know who the Master is? Or the Champion? Have they found them yet?"
Valra blinked, her long lashes fluttering slightly as she shook her head. "No idea yet. The Association is still investigating. They're moving cautiously but aggressively now that there have been casualties. And trust me, with people dying, they're going to turn every stone. That means they could come for all of us."
Her voice lowered, becoming a warning whisper. "You better not reveal anything to them—not about your mana circuits, not about your Champion, not even the fight. Say nothing."
Leo blinked and looked at her with a raised brow, swallowing the bite in his mouth. "Nothing?"
Valra nodded, her tone firm. "Nothing. Just tell them you're a Stage 2 Independent Mage. Don't even mention that we fought together. I've already told them I encountered the enemy alone."
Leo stared at her, impressed and surprised. "You really covered for me...?"
She looked away with a slight blush. "It's nothing. Just follow my lead."
Leo gave a slow, appreciative nod before frowning. "Stage 2… what's that, anyway?"
Valra shifted her position, now sitting cross-legged as she turned to face him more directly. "Right, right. I forgot. You're not technically a mage. But you should still know how our world works. No harm in learning."
Leo nodded eagerly, already intrigued.
Valra raised her fingers one by one, clearly in teaching mode now. "There are five official stages in mage development. It's pretty structured."
"Stage 0: Mundane. These are regular people, even with mana circuits, they couldn't use it... Most of the population fits here."
She smiled faintly and gestured toward the city far below. "All those people? Mostly Stage 0."
"Stage 1: Awakened. This is the first spark. Your mana circuits begin conducting ambient mana. You gain the ability to feel mana and use small spells—light a candle, create wind, simple stuff, increase in strength slightly, etc."
She took a bite and continued, talking between small chews.
"Stage 2: Mage. This is where real training kicks in. Mages here are capable of using intermediate spells, enhancing physical abilities, casting barriers, and controlling more advanced elements. It takes serious dedication and years of study."
Leo nodded along, watching her eyes light up with passion as she spoke.
"Stage 3: Summoner. This is where you form a bond with a spirit, usually through a summoning ritual. Because of this connection, your mana flow is massively amplified. A Summoner can perform powerful spells beyond the scope of normal mages."
She looked at him and smiled proudly. "Like me."
Leo chuckled, nodding again. "So it's like: 0 is nothing, 1 is waking up, 2 is walking, and 3 is running?"
Valra tilted her head before grinning. "That's… actually a cute way to remember it. Yeah, not bad."
He smirked, then raised a brow. "So what's the last one? The fifth stage?"
Valra paused, her smile fading. She looked off into the sky, her tone shifting. "There's no need to talk about that one."
Leo sensed the change in mood and didn't push her. He leaned back on one arm, staring up at the drifting clouds. "Then... I must be a Stage 3 Summoner too, right?"
Valra turned to him with a completely deadpan expression. "Leo. You don't even have functioning mana circuits. You're below Stage 0. Like... Negative One. LITERALLY!!" she almost screamed, last word.
When comes to him, the magic felt... wrong... really wrong!!
Leo burst into laughter. "Negative One?! That sounds like a cursed number!"
Valra shrugged, smirking. "Just being honest."
He wiped a tear of laughter from the corner of his eye. "Fine, fine... I get it. But I heard Spirit Ranks exist too. Like, titles or something?"
Valra nodded and reached for her drink. "Yeah. Spirits are classified based on their achievements, power level, history, and legacy. Their fame plays a part too. Here's the common ranking system:
Ex: Mythic – legendary and ancient beyond imagination.
S: Legendary – famous through generations.
A: Heroic – spirits known for heroism or great feats.
B: Renowned – strong but more locally famous.
C: Lesser Hero – barely known but recognised enough to qualify."
Leo let that sink in. "So mine... is Legendary, right?"
Valra's eyes sparkled. She gave him a sly look, clearly anticipating the next question.
Leo noticed and grinned. "Alright then... What's yours?"
Valra proudly puffed up her chest. "Since you asked so nicely... I'll tell you."
/Master, don't.../
"Mine is a Mythic-rank spirit!" she declared with dramatic flair.
/..../
Leo blinked. "Seriously? Envy is Mythic?"
Valra nodded firmly. "Yep. But don't assume that means he's stronger than yours."
Leo tilted his head. "Isn't it ranked higher?"
Valra's eyes narrowed as she explained. "Yes, but strength isn't just rank. In the history, the sin that won most often wasn't Envy. It was Pride. Pride's sin bearers always emerged victorious more times than anyone else.... even though some were C rank... That's why every major faction wants Pride."
Leo blinked in realisation. "You mean... my spirit?"
Valra nodded slowly, "There is a chance you might win the war..."
She looked away, a shadow crossing her face. "Everyone wants Pride. But not everyone can bear it."
There was a long pause between them as the wind blew softly, carrying the scent of city smoke and school cafeteria snacks up to the rooftop.
Valra shook her head, snapping herself out of the gloom. "Anyway, enough about that. One more thing—you can't silence me or cut me off from Envy. Even if you tied my mouth shut and locked me away, I could still connect to him. We're bonded. Telepathically."
Leo blinked in shock. "Wait, for real?!"
Valra chuckled, amused by his expression. "Yup. Unlike you, I can use mana"
Leo let out a small sigh, slightly disappointed. "It feels like I'm the only one playing with lots of disadvantages"
He took a slow bite of his lunch, now mostly gone. "So... what about Kai? Could he be the Master?"
Valra rolled her eyes. "He's barely Stage 1. No chance."
"I see..." Leo muttered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "So Kai's off the suspect list."
He turned to her again. "Are there any other mages in school?"
Valra leaned back, tapping her box. "Not that I know of. Most mages keep it a secret. I only know about Kai because he's a loud, arrogant idiot."
Leo laughed softly. "Yeah, that checks out."
They both fell into a comfortable silence, the last bites of lunch being enjoyed slowly.