Editor : Amethyst00



Whoooosh! Bang—! Bang—!

Fireworks exploded high in the sky.

At the same time, the massive main gates of Seiren opened, and countless elven visitors arrived to see the academy.

And they were astonished at the changed appearance of Seiren.

In elven society, Seiren had always been a symbol of authority.

Simply being from Seiren was enough to inspire awe among elves.

Because of that, Seiren's students were not seen as approachable by ordinary elves.

However, that sentiment began to change last year—ever since Luna revealed herself to the world.

"Somehow… doesn't it feel like the expressions of those looking at us are very different from before?"

When Leah, the top second-year student at Seiren, spoke with curiosity, the second-ranked Elric adjusted his glasses and replied.

"They're treating us with familiarity now, so of course it feels different."

"Looking at this, things really have changed. And honestly, I like this better."

At Leah's words, Elric nodded in agreement.

"Here, take a guide pamphlet!"

"Ooh… thank you very much!"

A naive-looking elven boy received a pamphlet from Leah and cautiously asked,

"Um… I heard there's an admissions briefing held inside Seiren?"

During this year's Lumeiren Exchange, Seiren was holding a large-scale admissions briefing.

But even at a glance, the elven boy didn't seem like a mage.

Leah glanced at the boy's hand holding the pamphlet.

It was covered in calluses.

"Knight aspirant?"

"Ah, yes! I heard since last year you can enroll at Seiren even if you don't study magic."

As he said, the most dramatic change at Seiren was none other than—

The requirement to learn "magic," once essential for admission, had been removed.

Though this news had spread widely since last year, the actual number of knight and summoner applicants remained low.

Because even if the requirement was removed, it was hard to believe that Seiren's thousand-year-old tradition would change so easily.

However, among this year's admitted students, several who hadn't learned magic made striking achievements.

Thanks to that, students like the boy in front of her—those aspiring to become knights—came to Seiren full of hope.

Smiling warmly at the nervous applicant, Leah unfolded the pamphlet.

"This is the Milky Way Plaza you see here. The admissions briefing is happening there. They'll explain in detail what kind of training knight aspirants receive and guide you kindly through what's needed for enrollment. I think it'll help you a lot."

"Ah! Th-thank you! But, how did you know I was a knight aspirant?"

"It's obvious when you look."

The boy stared in awe at the smiling Leah.

'Wow, Seiren students really are different.'

Bowing his head, the boy headed toward his friends.

"Guys! This way! Huh? Why are you all frozen like that?"

"Don't you… know who she is?"

"That kind lady? Who is she?"

"Read a newspaper once in a while! That's Lady Leah Tingel! Top second-year at Seiren!"

"Gasp!"

The boy who had just asked Leah for directions froze in shock.

The fact that the heir to Tingel, one of the most prestigious elven families, was personally greeting visitors and handing out pamphlets—such a thing was unthinkable in the old Seiren.

Watching them, Leah giggled.

"This is nice. I like this."

The rigid elven society was beginning to change.

And Leah thoroughly enjoyed witnessing that change.

bl

Chloe asked with a displeased face to the elf friend beside her.

"Hey, Lunia."

"What?"

"That elf you came in with earlier—why is she glaring at me like she wants to kill me?"

This was the Milky Way Plaza where the Seiren admissions briefing would be held.

Lunia, set to give the presentation as student council president, looked in the direction Chloe was pointing with a tired expression.

Since the briefing hadn't started yet, the plaza was mostly empty.

The only elf occupying a seat—

Was Seiren.

She was glaring intensely at Lunia and Chloe.

Lunia scratched her head awkwardly and looked away.

"She's just pleased to see a promising mage."

"She looks like she's about to attack me."

"She just expresses emotions a bit… strongly."

Lunia tried her best to spin it in Seiren's favour.

In truth, Seiren despised Chloe because Luna had once gifted her a unique magic.

At that moment—

"Oh? It's Leo."

Chloe spotted Leo entering the plaza.

Leo walked over to Seiren, smacked her on the head, and dragged her out.

Moments later—

Applicants hoping to enroll at Seiren began entering the Milky Way Plaza.

Guided by Seiren's students, they took seats from the front row onward.

Of course, not just applicants but current students were also present.

Once everyone was seated, Lunia spoke into a microphone enchanted with amplification magic.

["Hello, applicants and current students. I'm Lunia El Lunda, president of the Seiren Student Council. It's a pleasure to meet you."]

Ooooooh—!

Cheers erupted from the applicants.

Lunia El Lunda, the Chaser of the Star.

Successor to Luna, the Poet of the Star, and one who rose to hero status early on.

Though still a student, it was clear she would become the hero to lead the elves after graduation.

For students hoping to attend Seiren, she was naturally an object of admiration.

["We will now begin Seiren's admissions briefing."]

With that, Lunia began explaining Seiren's curriculum.

From magic, to aura studies, to summoning—

She declared that Seiren would strive to offer classes equal to those in magic, and mentioned they were researching the class structures of other hero academies to do so.

Chloe listened, impressed.

'Seiren really is trying to change.'

It no longer felt like a school solely for star sorcery, but one truly for elves.

["Of course, for a long time, Seiren prioritized star sorcery. That's why there are many shortcomings when it comes to supporting knight and summoner aspirants."]

Lunia frankly admitted Seiren's weaknesses.

["To address this, starting next year, we plan to implement a large-scale student exchange program in partnership with Lumene. And to explain the details of this new program, we've invited Lumene's vice student council president, Miss Chloe Müeller."]

At her cue, Chloe stepped up to the stage.

"I'm Chloe Müeller."

"Wow, she's so pretty…"

Chloe, from the northern magic tower, was fairly famous even among elves.

As a race known as masters of magic, elves naturally took note of Chloe's prominence in the magical academic world.

Seeing the enthusiastic welcome from Seiren applicants and students, Chloe cleared her throat.

["Hello, I'm Chloe Müeller."]

Chloe then detailed the classes exchange students at Lumene would receive.

Not just applicants but current students busily took notes, eyes sparkling.

Seeing their enthusiasm, Chloe smiled faintly.

'Maybe I should suggest to Leo that Lumene also hold an admissions briefing?'

["That concludes my presentation. Are there any questions?"]

At her question, Seiren students began raising their hands.

Chloe pointed to one female student.

"Hello! I'm Zehina, a first-year student. I have a question for the vice president!"

["Yes?"]

"I heard at Lumene, the male and female dorms are combined… is that true?"

["Yes. All Lumene students live in the same dorm building. But male and female spaces are separated—"]

Before she could finish, the Seiren students began murmuring.

"Whoa, at Lumene, if you're in a relationship, can you really share a room with your partner?!"

"As expected of Lumene!"

"So the rumors were true!"

'No! There's no way mixed-gender rooms are allowed! And what do you mean, "as expected"? What kind of rumors are even going around?!'

Chloe panicked internally.

["W-Wait a moment! The spaces are strictly separated. Entering the opposite gender's room is a violation of school rules and is punishable."]

At that, the Seiren students murmured again in confusion.

"Oh, so that's how it is?"

"Didn't they say at Lumene you can date freely?"

"I heard from upperclassmen that public displays of affection aren't frowned upon…"

'Seriously, what kinds of rumors are circulating about our school?! Most of you even visited last year during the exchange program!'

Chloe felt her head ache from the rampant misinformation in Seiren.

Then a male student, probably a fourth-year, cautiously asked,

"Um… if I go as an exchange student, can I date a Lumene student?"

["…Do you mean as a friend? Or… romantically?"]

"Uh… both?"

["Well, if you both feel the same, then yes."]

With that, the mood among the Seiren students flared up again.

"I want to fall in love at Lumene! I've dated a few people, but elves just aren't exciting. I'm definitely applying next year!"

"There are so many cool people at Lumene…"

"If we start dating during the Lumene Exchange, maybe we can have a long-term relationship!"

Watching the conversation veer wildly off track, Chloe looked back at Lunia with a stunned expression.

Lunia had buried her face in her hands.

"Lunia. Could you explain what's going on here?"

"Well… in Seiren… no, in elf society, because of Lady Luna and Kyle, love with humans has become this huge romantic ideal."

"I know that much. But weren't elves kind of conservative?"

Looking at the current situation, it seemed like Seiren students were desperate to date.

"Elves are just like humans. But in elven society, repressing those impulses because of tradition and customs was considered a virtue. Now that those customs are suddenly gone…"

"All those repressed impulses exploded at once?"

"…"

Lunia couldn't respond, and Chloe could only stare, dumbfounded.

"Miss Vice President! Have you ever had a boyfriend?"

A second-year girl asked brightly, and Chloe sighed.

"No."

"Huh? But you're human?"

'What do elves think humans are, exactly?'

Chloe felt her head spinning.

If she didn't correct the deeply rooted misconceptions spreading among Seiren students, there could be serious trouble later.

'This Lumene Exchange… won't be easy.'

bl

Luna perked up her ears and wandered the festival alone.

'This world is far more abundant than in the age of gods.'

With great interest, Luna strolled through Seiren's campus and stopped in front of a souvenir stall.

The shop was selling masks of the Great Heroes.

Luna blinked as she stared at the five types of masks.

One was herself, and another was Kyle.

And then…

'These must be my future comrades…'

Among them, what caught Luna's eye was the mask of Lysinas.

Luna reached for the Lysinas mask.

At that moment—

A small hand grabbed it at the same time.

Turning her head, Luna tilted it in confusion.

An elven girl her age with white hair and red eyes.

'She's… not an elf. And also…'

Though the girl had disguised herself flawlessly as an elf with sophisticated magic, Luna, who was beloved by magic itself, could sense the truth.

And she felt something else—something strange.

'She's not from this era, just like me?'

The aura surrounding the girl told her so.

Then Rena mumbled,

"Gran—ma…?"

Swiish—

Luna lifted the Lysinas mask.

Crack!

"Ow!"

And promptly smacked Rena on the head with it.

As Rena rolled on the ground clutching her head, Luna smirked coldly.

"Who are you calling grandma, you damn brat?"