Editor : Amethyst00



“Related?”

“That’s right. Since your admission… no, even before that, I’ve been investigating you all along.”

Kalian smiled faintly.

“You entered as a knight candidates, didn’t you? Given that your maternal side is the Zerdinger family, that was only natural.”

The fact that Leo’s maternal family was Zerdinger wasn’t public knowledge yet.

But for Lumene’s principal, uncovering a student’s family connections wasn’t a difficult matter.

“But what’s strange is that you never showed any All-Class ability before you enrolled. It was only after entering Lumene that you began to excel in magic and summoning. No, more than just excel—you stood out far beyond that.”

In theory, Leo was equal to, or beyond, the honor students of every department.

As a knight, he displayed overwhelming skill and aura control.

As a magician, his grasp of spell structures was extraordinary, and in summoning, he went so far as to contract with a Phoenix in his very first class.

Even just one of those would be too much to chalk up to mere genius.

Yet Leo possessed all of them as an All-Class.

Amidst all that—

Proof of the actual existence of the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle, was being uncovered one after another.

It started with the entrance exam at Azonia during summer vacation.

Up until then, academia largely believed the Hero of the Beginning and the Surviving Hero were two different people sharing the same name.

But once Kyle’s name was found to truly exist in history, it didn’t take long before the existence of the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle, was confirmed.

“The statue you saw—what era it belongs to, and whether it’s based on historical fact—opinions are divided among scholars.”

The only one who knew the place was Godthrone was Leo.

Ruina, Elena, and Hardin didn’t know the exact location.

“But at the very least, the probability that Kyle, the Hero of the Beginning, truly existed has skyrocketed.”

Kalian smiled faintly.

“And so, since you possess the same abilities as Kyle, I began to wonder if you might be connected to him.”

“Connected, how?”

“Tell me… have you ever cleared Kyle’s Hero World?”

At Kalian’s question, Leo showed a surprised expression, then suddenly burst out laughing.

“No.”

He lied without hesitation.

If Leo admitted to clearing Kyle’s world, Kyle’s existence would be undeniable.

Only two people in history had ever possessed All-Class abilities.

Kyle and Leo.

‘Though in the end, they’re both me.’

Leo sighed inwardly.

‘It’s good that my existence has been revealed, but it’s still not the right time.’

Erebos and Tartaros despised Kyle.

On top of that, it was known they were hunting down and destroying the pages of the Hero of Kyle’s World.

If it became known now that Leo had inherited Kyle’s power, there was no telling what would happen if Tartaros began to actively target him.

‘They’re surely watching already. If I became a direct target in this state, I wouldn’t be able to handle it.’

His strength was still lacking.

‘At the very least, I need to recover a certain portion of my past life’s power before I reveal any connection.’

“So, you’re saying you were simply born an All-Class?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve shown a deep interest in Kyle, haven’t you? I heard you even planned to start a club to study the Hero of the Beginning.”

During the first semester, he hadn’t been able to engage in club activities because of his schedule, but he had already submitted the application.

At Kalian’s words, Leo shrugged.

“Of course I’m interested. After all, the only person in history known to be an All-Class is the Hero of the Beginning.”

“Hm.” Kalian let out a sigh.

After watching Leo for a moment, he nodded.

“Understood. That was what I came to ask.”

With a grunt, Kalian rose to his feet.

“Your body hasn’t fully recovered yet, but you can’t skip your curriculum forever. Starting tomorrow, attend classes again.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then take care of your health.”

Kalian left the infirmary.

Elena, who remained, smiled faintly.

“Leo, you’re really not connected to the Hero of the Beginning?”

“No.”

Seeing Leo answer so flatly, Elena narrowed her eyes.

“Feels like you are, though.”

“And why do you think that?”

“Woman’s intuition.”

Smiling faintly, Elena leaned back in her chair, speaking with a feigned aloofness.

“Well, if you don’t want to tell me, I won’t press.”

With that, Elena rose from her seat.

“Leo, you once told me you had a request for me. What was it?”

“Would you really hear me out?”

“Yes.”

Elena nodded readily, and Leo tilted his head slightly.

“What about the price?”

“There isn’t one.”

Her reply left Leo looking puzzled.

“Really? Why so suddenly?”

“I just became curious.”

Crossing her legs and resting her chin on her hand, Elena smiled.

“About where you’re headed from here.”

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Leo—so different from the Elena of before.

There was a certain innocent quality to her now.

The pure gaze of someone simply admiring another.

Not her usual self, but Leo found it fitting for their age and chuckled.

“Now you’re acting your age.”

“And you—do you realize you act like an old man?”

Elena scowled and grumbled.

“So? What is it you want from me?”

“I want to enter the Forbidden Archives.”

At that, Elena stiffened.

“The Forbidden Archives?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I want to learn about the history of the Hero Records.”

“Because of this incident?”

“No. I’ve been thinking about it from before.”

Elena gazed silently at him.

He’d planned to investigate the Hero Records even long before the current crisis.

‘Could that really be coincidence? Or…’

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

“…Fine.” Elena nodded.

“It’s not something I can decide on my own. But I’ll try to get you access.”

“Thank you.”

As Leo bowed politely, Elena tilted her head.

‘Leo Plov… just what are you really?’

bl

The next morning.

Discharged from the infirmary, Leo headed to his class.

His body was still not in perfect condition.

The burns from Erebos’s flames wouldn’t heal so easily.

Feeling pain all over, Leo let out a deep sigh.

Class time was already cutting close, so the hallways of the classroom building were quiet.

Clatter—

When Leo opened the door to Class 5 and stepped inside, the eyes of all his classmates turned to him.

“Gasp! It’s the class rep!”

“It’s Leo!”

“Hey! Leo! They say you cleared the Poet of the Star’s world!”

Rumble—!

His classmates swarmed toward him in a rush.

Their eyes brimmed with curiosity.

After all, clearing a Great Hero’s world was every student’s dream.

Having experienced it, Leo naturally became the subject of envy and admiration for first-years.

“Did you meet Lady Luna?”

“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”

“Come on, say something!”

Leo glanced at the crowd blocking his way.

“…Can I sit down first?”

“Hey! The Class 5 rep’s here!”

“Where? Where?”

“Leo Plov! Tell us all about it!”

Soon, students from Class 4 and Class 6 poured out too, filling the corridor.

When the news first spread, many had been dying to hear his story, and since his hospital stay had dragged on, their curiosity had only grown.

Lumene’s upper ranks had restricted the information.

And no one dared approach Elena, the other conqueror, to ask.

So everyone had just been waiting for Leo’s discharge.

The entire first-year classroom wing was in chaos.

Seeing it, Leo sighed.

“Hmph! Wasn’t it Elena-sunbae who did most of the conquering?”

“Getting praised just because he happened to be there? What a joke.”

“If I were with Elena-sunbae, I could’ve cleared it too.”

Grumbling, disdainful voices rang out.

As other class students snickered mockingly, Class 5 students’ faces hardened.

“That’s nonsense.”

A cold voice cut through.

Everyone’s gaze turned.

There was Duran from Class 1, pushing through the crowd.

He glared at those mocking Leo with eyes full of scorn.

“Funny, coming from the same cowards who tucked their tails during the Gigantes incident.”

“What did you say?”

“You wanna repeat that?”

The students who had sneered at Leo bristled, but Duran just grinned savagely.

“Wanna try me?”

Crackle—!

Violent sparks leapt from Duran’s body.

Those who’d been flaring up shrank back, sneaking away into their own classrooms.

Duran was infamous for his foul temper.

If angered, he’d throw down without hesitation right there in the hallway.

Scoffing at them, Duran broke through the crowd and stood before Leo, narrowing his eyes.

“Leo Plov. I’ve heard the news. You cleared the Poet of the Stars’s world?”

“It just happened that way.”

Leo shrugged.

The students nearby grew tense.

Duran was notorious for treating Leo as his rival.

With overwhelming skill and strong pride, he refused to ever fall behind him.

“Isn’t he about to challenge Leo to a duel to prove his strength?”

“With him, it’s possible.”

“He’s usually cool, but when it comes to the class rep, he’s unpredictable.”

“…Eliana, is that your type?”

“Wh—! No way!”

Class 5 students whispered nervously.

In the heavy silence, Duran spoke.

“So… what was the Poet of the Star like?”

“What?”

“I asked, what was it like.”

Though his tone and expression were intimidating, Duran simply wanted to hear about Luna.

The Class 1 students who had followed nervously, expecting a fight, looked deflated.

“Come to think of it, on the school trip Duran bought every elf item related to the Poet of the Star.”

“Seems like he personally admires her.”

“Guess the prince can’t rest until he gets what he wants.”

As his classmates whispered, Duran’s icy gaze swept toward them.

They fell silent at once.

Just then, with the entire building in an uproar—

“What are you all doing in the hallway?”

A chilling voice rang out.

Everyone froze.

“You have ten seconds. If you’re not back in your classrooms by then… today will become a very enjoyable day.”

“Eek!”

“Out of the way! Move!”

“Duran! Don’t leave us behind!”

At Harrid’s arrival, all the first-years panicked.

The one known as the “Wall of Wailing” of Lumene—sheer terror embodied.

Though no student of this first-year cohort had yet been expelled by his hand, his reputation was unchanged.

Anyone who had witnessed the punishments he’d dished out for rule violations never dared cross him.

Class 5 students scrambled to their seats.

The problem was the crowd of students from other classes who had spilled into Class 5’s corridor—too many to funnel back quickly.

Meanwhile, Duran dashed along the wall, lightning-quick, slipping back to Class 1.

When ten seconds passed, Harrid flicked his hand.

Students’ name tags ripped off and flew into his grasp.

“Nooo!”

“Please! Just this once, Professor Harrid!”

Their desperate cries filled the corridor, but Harrid didn’t so much as blink as he stepped into Class 5 and closed the door coldly.

Bang—!

Step—step—step—

With Class 5 students sitting tensely, Harrid walked to the front and placed the attendance book on the desk.

Casting a glance at Leo, he then addressed the class.

“There’s an announcement.”

Everyone wore puzzled expressions.

“Joint lessons have been scheduled with students from another school.”

At his words, the entire class gasped.

“What? With other hero candidates?”

At Teid’s question, Harrid shook his head.

“No. Not other hero academies.”

“Then who?”

He picked up a piece of chalk.

Tap—tap—

After writing on the board, he set the chalk down with a thunk.

“With students from the Three Great Class Academies.”

At that, the class erupted into murmurs.

The Three Great Class Academies—

The knight academy, Icott.

The magic academy, Emerald.

The summoning academy, Skarn.

The pinnacles of each discipline.

However…

“For you, they were your second-choice schools,” Harrid said icily.

“And… they may well be the schools you end up at, if you’re expelled.”