Free walked alone down the academy corridor. His steps were slow, each one echoing through the empty hallway.
Yesterday, the duel between Free and Sieba had ended with Free's victory. Yet, Free couldn't shake off his worries about the Jurga family. He felt uneasy, especially towards Hedra.
Since that day, Free had started to gain fame. Time passed, and students began flooding the halls of Crenia Academy—some chatting with friends, others on duty. Along his path, many students tried to greet him or strike up a conversation. Free felt distracted, particularly since Gil and Seria weren't with him. He had no choice but to respond to those who were now fascinated by him.
Today's classes were routine. Free hurried to his classroom, quickening his pace to avoid the crowds. He finally reached the room, where a girl was sitting, eyes fixed on a book. It was Seria. Free exhaled and approached her, attempting to greet her.
He waved his hand.
"Hey!" Free called out.
Seria glanced at him, expression flat, eyes showing no expectation of his presence. She returned to her book, ignoring him completely.
Free froze. He didn't understand what had changed. The relief he had felt yesterday felt heavy again. His chest tightened, hurt by the cold treatment of just one girl. He walked closer and sat beside her.
Seria still stared at her book.
"How have you been?" she asked softly.
"Huh??" Free barely registered her words, still trying to figure out why Seria was ignoring him.
Seria clicked her tongue, slightly annoyed but trying to control it.
"I'm asking how you've been since your duel with Prince Sieba yesterday," she said more firmly.
Hearing that, Free's spirits lifted. His energy returned, though he remained a bit confused.
"Oh… I'm fine. Honestly, it's nothing," he replied casually.
Seria looked at him with eyes full of concern.
"You put yourself in danger, Free… next time, avoid situations like that," she murmured.
Free smiled with relief, meeting Seria's gaze, trying to ease her worry.
"You're right. Next time I'll be careful. But what happened yesterday… it couldn't be avoided, right?" he said softly.
Seria crossed her arms, staring out the window.
"True. If you hadn't stepped up, something worse might have happened. At least you were strong enough to endure it all."
Free smirked proudly.
"Strong enough…? I came back with a victory, just like you told me to."
Seria's cheeks flushed slightly, embarrassed by the compliment, though she hid it well.
"I just… hate to see you lose because I can't fight him. You know my family is tied to the royal family. That's all," she said, frowning, a hint of sadness beneath her anger.
Free sensed her emotions. He understood. She wanted to fight, but her family's ties held her back.
"I know. It was best that I fought. So don't worry anymore," Free replied gently, his voice soft enough to reach her heart.
The classroom began to fill. Gil arrived, joining Seria and Free. Like Seria, he asked about Free's condition, and Free responded similarly.
Class started. Today's lesson covered history and an introduction to creatures from other dimensions. Free found dragons, gods, and demons fascinating. He paid close attention, his enthusiasm contagious, making the teacher just as spirited in their teaching.
The bell rang for a break. After class, a few students unknown to him invited Free to the cafeteria, admiring him after his duel became widely known.
Seeing this irritated Seria. Gil, noticing her frustration, only gave a small smile and encouraged Free.
"Keep it up!" he said with a laugh.
Free declined all invitations, quickly heading toward his friends and bringing them to the cafeteria.
At the cafeteria, Gil remained quiet, deep in thought, fists clenched tightly.
"What about Hedra… she's a good person. She didn't attend class today," Gil worried aloud.
Free and Seria simply ate in silence. There was nothing they could do—this was a matter for her family alone.
After returning from the cafeteria, class resumed. Today's lesson focused on Summoning Techniques, used to assist others in various ways.
Seria looked up, resting her chin on her hand.
"This class is outside, probably in case something unpredictable happens," she noted.
Gil's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"I wonder what we can summon? I hope it's something amazing!" he said excitedly.
Free, unfamiliar with summoning, asked innocently,
"Summoning… what exactly? Do we call animals to be our pets?"
Gil and Seria exchanged glances. Gil approached Free.
"You don't know? Well, summoning has several types—Summoner, Conjurer, and some who can control beasts, called Beast Tamers. For summoning, Summoners and Conjurers are the most sought after. Conjurers, in particular, are very advantageous."
Seria added, continuing Gil's explanation.
"Conjurers can summon beings from other dimensions, even wielding magic and curses. That's why they're highly valued. If you become a Conjurer, you may even be recommended for royal wizardry."
Free nodded.
"Oh… I see," he replied briefly.
They continued walking to their next class, explaining more as they went.
"But there are also Necromancers, summoners who control souls as their servants. Sometimes, when they defeat enemies, they can extract them into followers." Seria explained.
Free looked at Seria, impressed by her knowledge.
"You know a lot, Seria. Amazing… you guys really are talented." he praised.
"Huh? That's just common knowledge." Seria replied quickly as they kept walking.
Arriving at the field for summoning class, they found their instructor waiting. The class began with a lecture on summoning, followed by practice.
Students took turns summoning. Many called rare, powerful monsters. Most tamed their summons as familiars, though some failed and were attacked. No one so far had obtained two types of summoner classes.
Time passed. Gil summoned a bio-alchemical monster, a large biped with a unique head. He tamed it successfully as a Summoner, but failed to summon as a Conjurer.
Next was Seria. She summoned a mystical Phoenix, which absorbed her mana and evolved into a stronger form. All eyes were on her. She tamed it successfully. Attempting Conjurer, her massive energy disrupted the surroundings. A portal appeared, summoning a talking giant serpent. Seria mastered Conjurer, impressing the instructor. Seria became recognized as a dual-class Summoner-Conjurer.
Finally, it was Free's turn. He lacked confidence, having previously been unable to use magic.
He stepped into the field, trying to control his mana and imagine a summon, but nothing appeared.
Then a series of words came to mind. He uttered them aloud, forming a command unlike any other student had spoken.
He extended his hand, eyes serious, filled with determination.
"I summon you… and obey your master!" he said loudly.
Chaos erupted. Dimensional energy collided, distorting reality. From the chaos, a massive, terrifying creature emerged, threatening everything nearby. Its aura was so fearsome that no one dared move.
Free was shocked by what he had summoned. The creature was visible even from the city, causing astonishment and panic among the onlookers. Its aura was so immense that neighboring countries felt it, even briefly.
And then…