Vol. 5 Ch. 87

The Poison Winged Butterfly Queen, classified as an A-rank dangerous species, would normally have been no more than a brief distraction for Leon. It was the kind of task he could finish in the time it took to sip a cup of tea.

But since Mevis had insisted that taking the beast down too easily might affect Noa's evaluation, Leon reluctantly held back and worked in sync with her.

As they approached, the Butterfly Queen, sensing intruders, emerged from its nest. Its massive, shimmering wings unfurled, sending out a thick cloud of toxic purple mist as it let out a piercing cry.

“Smile, Prince. Fear not—the mist is harmless,” Mevis quipped.

She spread her own dragon wings and flapped them powerfully, dispersing the poisonous fog.

Leon stood still, hands in his pockets, silently watching the display. But in his mind, he couldn’t help but grumble:

“You show off wings bigger than the Butterfly Queen’s, then nullify its only offensive ability right out of the gate. How is this teamwork supposed to work, lady? You might as well solo this thing!”

After clearing the mist, Mevis retracted her wings and gracefully landed. She turned to Leon.

“Prince, why are you just standing there watching?”

Caught off guard, Leon slowly pulled one hand out of his pocket and gave a half-hearted wave. “Go, Teacher Mevis! You’re amazing!”

His sarcasm was palpable, but Mevis just smiled.

“You’re quite the spectator, aren’t you, Prince?”

She added, “I assume you don’t have a way to handle the mist, correct?”

Leon scratched his cheek awkwardly. “Well… I guess you’ve got a point.”

Thunder magic and poison-based abilities didn’t mix well, so Leon indeed lacked an effective means of countering the mist. However, if it had been up to him, he’d have simply activated his shadow-cloaked mode, punched the Butterfly Queen into next week, and been done with it.

“Alright, let’s coordinate properly from here on,” Mevis suggested.

“Fine,” Leon agreed begrudgingly, stepping forward to join her in battle.

Realizing its mist attack had been rendered useless, the Butterfly Queen took to the air. While flight might normally offer a tactical advantage, this wasn’t the case against dragons.

“Why didn’t Roo come today?” Leon muttered to himself. “I’d punch it out of the sky!”

Mevis tilted her head. “Prince, can’t you fly?”

“I, uh… my wings are injured. Haven’t healed yet,” Leon lied, avoiding her amused gaze.

Mevis let out a soft laugh, lightly shaking her shoulders.

“What’s so funny?” Leon asked, annoyed.

“Oh, nothing. My apologies, Prince,” Mevis said, though her faint smirk lingered.

She crouched slightly and laced her fingers together, offering her hands as a foothold. “Allow me to help you up.”

“Isn’t this a bit unnecessary? You could take it down in one move,” Leon muttered as he stepped onto her hands.

“I dislike unnecessary theatrics,” Mevis replied simply.

With a nod, Leon braced himself, and together they launched him skyward.

The Butterfly Queen, seeing Leon approach, unleashed another burst of poisonous mist. Mevis, still on the ground, swiftly cleared it with a flap of her wings.

Leon, now within striking range, channeled thunder magic into his right hand. A bolt of lightning shot out, striking one of the Butterfly Queen’s wings with precision. The creature let out a screech, its flight destabilized as it plummeted back to the ground.

Leon landed gracefully, dusting his hands off.

“Impressive, Prince,” Mevis said as she approached.

“Flattery isn’t necessary,” Leon replied, smirking.

Mevis chuckled lightly, her smile carrying an enigmatic warmth.

The Butterfly Queen, battered and grounded, gave a mournful cry. It glanced at its nest atop the waterfall before laboriously flapping its remaining wing and retreating into the forest.

“Should we pursue it?” Mevis asked.

Leon shook his head. “No need. Poison Winged Butterfly Queens don’t build nests near water unless they’re laying eggs. It’s probably relocating after this encounter.”

He continued, “Once the mating season ends, it won’t release pheromones anymore. These creatures are part of the ecosystem—important pollinators for larger plants. Killing it unnecessarily would disrupt the balance.”

Mevis nodded, her expression thoughtful. “You’re different from other parents, Prince.”

Leon raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

“Many parents treat these tests lightly. While they technically complete the objectives, they often miss the point of family involvement and education. Your approach, however, was refreshing.”

Leon shrugged. “I just want my daughters to learn what’s worth doing and what’s not. Sometimes, the way you achieve something matters more than the result.”

Returning to the nest, Mevis removed it and retrieved a jade-green crystal from her bag. She placed the crystal into the waterfall’s polluted pool, where it began to glow faintly.

Within moments, the water cleared, the dark purple hue vanishing as the crystal’s magic purified it.

“Objective complete,” Mevis declared, picking up the now-dim crystal. She pulled out a timer stone from her pocket, which displayed the remaining test time.

“We finished in just over four hours. That leaves nearly eight hours to spare. Let’s head back to the forest entrance and wait for Noa and Helena.”

“Sounds good,” Leon agreed.

Back at the forest entrance, Mevis lit a campfire and handed Leon a blanket from her bag.

“Rest up, Prince,” she said.

Leon muttered his thanks, wrapping the blanket around himself as he leaned against a tree. The day’s events had left him slightly fatigued, and the cool night breeze was oddly soothing.

As the fire crackled softly, accompanied by distant chirping and rustling, Leon closed his eyes, intending to rest.

“Prince, are you asleep?” Mevis’s soft voice broke the quiet.

Leon, curious, chose to feign sleep. He remained still, waiting to see what she would do.

Footsteps approached, faint yet deliberate. Mevis crouched beside him, her

movements careful and measured. Leon could sense her presence through the faint shifts in air pressure and the rustling of grass.

She reached out toward him, her hand nearing his knee. Beneath the blanket, Leon discreetly gathered a small charge of thunder magic, ready to act if necessary.

Got you,

he thought, certain this was the moment her true intentions would reveal themselves.

But instead of anything nefarious, Mevis gently tugged at the blanket, covering his chest more securely.

“Such a grown man, yet you sleep so carelessly. You’ll catch a cold,” she murmured softly.

Leon’s thunder magic dissipated in an instant, leaving him feeling slightly foolish. He continued to feign sleep as Mevis stood and walked back to her seat by the fire.

Opening one eye just a sliver, Leon watched her silhouette against the firelight. She seemed serene, gazing into the flames with an unreadable expression.

The enigma of Mevis deepened.

Who are you really, Teacher Mevis?

Leon mused silently, as the gentle sounds of the night lulled him into genuine rest.