Editor : Amethyst00



A powerful student council presidential candidate recommending another potential president.

Normally, that alone would be enough for the new candidate to rise sharply in the ranks.

'But still, a first-year? That’s pushing it.'

The position of student council president was reserved for the very best student in all of Lumene.

It was true that Leo was the most talked-about student in the entire academy this year, but even so, he was still a first-year.

Even if the fifth-years graduated, there were still three full grades above him.

Realistically speaking, it made no sense.

The problem was the headstrong person had recommended him.

Elena, the acting director of Lumene’s board and the so-called Queen of the School.

Not only had she completely taken control of the entire third-year class, but she also exerted tremendous influence even over the fourth-years. If someone like her got serious in this matter.

'This could get annoying fast.'

Of course, if Elena tried to push Leo as the next president, she’d face tremendous resistance.

The fourth-years would rage immediately, and even among the third-years, not everyone would support her.

And then there were the second-years, too.

It was bound to throw the entire academy into chaos.

“Who else knows about this?”

“For now, just you, me, and Elena. The three directly involved.”

Leo gave Rhys a pitying look.

“Rough way to spend your final semester, huh.”

Rhys couldn’t help a laugh at Leo’s genuinely sympathetic tone.

At Leo’s attitude as though this had nothing to do with him, Rhys spoke.

“You don’t seem interested in the student council presidency.”

“I’m a first-year. With so many amazing seniors around, it’d be a bit much for me to take that position, don’t you think?”

Leo shrugged lightly.

Truthfully, even if he were an upperclassman, he had no particular interest in becoming student council president.

‘Because it sounds annoying.’

He planned to be diligent in his studies, but he had no intention of taking on more trouble than necessary.

“Still, from my perspective, Elena’s ridiculous suggestion is both absurd and quite tempting.”

Rhys gave a short laugh at Leo’s comments.

“Well, if my younger cousin became student council president, especially the first-ever first-year to do it. That would be great for me, as the Zerdinger successor.”

The Zerdinger name was already highly prestigious.

But if Leo became student council president as a first-year and maintained the position all the way until fifth year, graduating as an unprecedented long-term president—

Then the Zerdinger family’s prestige would soar even higher.

“Besides,” Rhys added, smiling faintly, “in some ways, I think you’re more suited to the position than I am.”

“Me?”

“Yes. Heroes inspire people to follow them…”

Rhys’s smile turned meaningful.

“But the ones who lead heroes are rare. And I think you have that quality, Leo, far more than I do.”

Leo scratched his cheek.

'Well, that’s because I learned from Lysinas, after all.'

The leader of the expedition who once guided the world to salvation.

Leo had naturally been influenced by such a figure.

“In any case, don’t think too negatively about it.”

Rhys smiled softly.

“No matter what it is, there’s no such thing as impossible, right?”

bl

That day after school.

Leo stood up after tidying his desk.

Carl waved from across the room.

“Hey, Leo! We’re heading to the Grand Archives to study for midterms. Wanna come with?”

A few of his close friends were gathered around Carl, including Chelsea and Nella, the class’s honor students.

“Sorry. I’ve got something to take care of after school.”

“Ah, that’s too bad.” Carl clicked his tongue in disappointment.

“Well, we’ll be in the library for a while, so come by when you’ve time later.”

Nella smiled lazily as she said it, and Leo nodded.

After his classmates left, Leo headed alone toward the third-year classroom building.

Usually, unless a first-year had nerves of steel, they rarely went near the third-year building, two grades above them.

First-years were generally intimidated by the older students.

So Leo, striding confidently into the third-year wing, immediately drew attention.

Especially since, unlike first and second years, third years had one extra class period, meaning they were still in class.

'Elena’s in Class Four, if I remember right.'

Leo entered the first floor and made his way to Class 4’s door.

Unlike the first-years, who had ten classes, the third-years only had five.

Meaning that at least half of them had already dropped out or been expelled along the way.

‘If you think about that, my classmates are pretty impressive.’

His was one of only two first-year classes with zero dropouts so far.

A remarkable feat, considering they’d started with the lowest average entrance scores.

Leo sat down in front of Class 4’s door.

He could hear the muffled sound of a lecture inside.

A few minutes later—

Ding-dong-dang-dong—

The bell signaling the end of class rang through the hallways.

Clatter, bang, clack—!

Desks scraped as students got up.

The classroom door opened, and several professors stepped out.

They blinked in surprise when they spotted Leo sitting in the hallway.

'A first-year… in the third-year building?'

‘Leo Plov. As expected, he’s different.’

Even the professors looked impressed at the first-year grade representative’s boldness.

Then—whoosh—! Third-years poured out into the hallway.

When they spotted Leo sitting on a bench, they froze.

“Wait—isn’t that the first-year grade rep, Leo Plov?”

“For real?”

“Where, where!”

Several Class 4 girls rushed over.

“Hello, sunbaes.”

Leo stood up and greeted them politely, and the girls exchanged glances before letting out squeals.

“Kyaa! So cute! So fresh! He’s really a pretty boy!”

“So fresh! I thought so before, but he really is a pretty boy!”

“Look at those red eyes! So gorgeous—like rubies!”

“Wasn’t he the student council president’s cousin?”

The girls gathered around him, full of curiosity.

Their attitude was completely different from the second-years’, who mostly looked at Leo with wariness or annoyance.

The third-years, though, simply found him adorable.

Even the male students glanced over in mild curiosity.

It seemed they, too, found it impressive that a first-year had boldly entered the third-year building.

“Hey, Leo. Say ‘noona’ once.”

“That’s a bit much.”

“Oh my gosh, look how firm he is!”

“Actually, that’s kind of cool.”

“Wait, you like younger guys?”

The girls laughed and teased him, then asked,

“So, what’s a first-year doing all the way here?”

“I came to see Elena-sunbae.”

At that, the girls’ expressions changed instantly.

Not only the girls, but the nearby third-years watching the scene turned tense.

“You came to see Elena? Why?”

Just then, a male student stepping out of Class 4 smirked.

“I’ve got some business with her.”

“Elena doesn’t just see any first-year who says they’ve got ‘business.’ Who do you think you are? You think being a grade rep makes you someone special?”

'I expected this kind of reaction, but this is a bit much.'

It was well-known that Elena liked to recruit talented juniors into her faction.

Among the first-years, there were many who wanted to join her raid party, Bluemoon.

And Leo was a student she had been showing open interest in.

‘No wonder they’re this hostile… ah, right.’

He recalled their previous practical mission, Elena had abandoned her own scheduled dungeon expedition just to show up where Leo was.

As Lyl said before.

'Queen’s followers are a jealous bunch.'

Leo sighed softly.

The students who seemed to be part of Bluemoon were glaring openly at him now— both boys and girls alike.

At that moment—

“Leo-doryeon?”

A female student walking down the hall noticed Leo and called out to him.

Leo looked toward the one who had called him 'doryeon'(E/D: Young Master).

‘Niel Rhoda. She was Celia’s guard knight, right?’

They didn’t see each other often at school due to the grade difference, but she was someone from the Zerdinger household who had been close with Celia since childhood.

Niel offered Leo a knight’s courtesy.

“I’m not a Zerdinger myself.”

“Even so, you’re the cousin of Rhys-doryeon and Celia-yang. I should show proper respect. But, what brings you to the third-year building, Leo-doryeon?”

“I came to see Elena-sunbae.”

At that, Niel pressed her index finger to her lips and tilted her head slightly.

“Hmm. Elena attended morning classes, but in the afternoon she said they were boring and went off to the club building.”

“I see.”

“I’ll escort you, then.”

Niel smiled sweetly, then shot a glare at the Bluemoon students.

Being a third-year herself, she could easily guess what they’d been thinking.

The Bluemoon members flinched under her glare.

It was no exaggeration to say Elena currently ruled the entire third-year class.

Not only the third-years, but even among the second-years, and some of the fourth-years who disliked her, she still had numerous followers.

But not everyone followed her.

Some remained neutral, and Niel was one of the most prominent among them.

A top-five talent in the Knight Department, too— not someone you could mess with.

As Niel led Leo away, a few of the Bluemoon students ground their teeth.

“Damn arrogant brat!”

“He thinks he’s special just ’cause he’s popular!”

Watching that, nearby students clicked their tongues.

‘As if acting like that would make Elena care about them.’

‘It’s always the mediocre ones who behave like that.’

Several third-years looked on with exasperation.

bl

Leo followed Niel toward the club building.

“Going through the fourth-year building is the shortcut.”

It was the first time he’d been there since the start of the semester.

Niel smiled gently as she explained the clubs.

“I’m in the art club. As you know, Celia-yang is, too. Are you not interested in painting, Leo-doryeon? Someone as talented as you would surely be good at it.”

Celia’s hobby, fitting for a noble lady, was painting—and she was quite talented, too.

“I’m not very gifted in that area.”

“How about sculpture, or any other artistic pursuit?”

“……”

At the word artistic, Leo’s mind drifted to the past.

"Kyle. You, my boy, are forsaken by art. No, not just forsaken, you are cursed and hated by it. You call this a painting?"

Dweno pointed at the Luna picture Kyle was holding, his eye full of both disappointment and pity.

Aaron, standing beside Luna, gave an awkward smile.

"I mean, it’s… kinda resembles, maybe?"

"Wanna die?"

"S-sorry."

"At least better than Luna’s drawing."

When Kyle protested irritably, Dweno nodded.

"True, compared to that ill-tempered elf whose only merits are magic and beauty, you are a drop of an ant’s tear better. But her beauty itself is art. Thus, she cannot be cursed by art."

"You perverted old fossil!"

Luna had tried to strangle Dweno's thick neck with her staff.

Of course, Dweno didn’t so much as blink, as usual.

"Behold! Even when assaulting so violently, her beauty remains undiminished!"

"What’s wrong with my personality!"s

"Anyway, Kyle, abandon any interest in art. For you to dabble in it would be an insult to art itself."

Ignoring Luna chewing on his head in rage, Dweno had said it with utter seriousness.

“My friend once told me I should never take up anything related to art,” Leo said.

“Oh dear…” Niel looked genuinely sympathetic.

Then, out of nowhere—

“Well, well. What’s the Zerdinger tomboy’s lackey doing here?”

“Huh? And what’s your problem pick fight for, you scrawny lackey of the Lewellin family?”

The air turned fierce as Niel’s face hardened, and Leo looked at the man who’d spoken.

Judging by the badge on his chest, he was a fourth-year.

But despite being her senior, Niel showed not the slightest hint of intimidation.

His nametag read Marcel Rugia.

‘Wait, Marcel Rugia, that’s one of the Lewellin family’s vassal houses, right?’

Equivalent to the Rhodas under the Zerdingers.

Chelsea had mentioned it once before.

‘No wonder they don’t get along.’

Even Celia and Chelsea themselves were bitter rivals.

And Celia and Abad weren’t openly hostile but saw each other as rivals to surpass.

Naturally, their vassal houses would also have poor relations.

“In this midterm exam, Lady Celia will prove she’s superior to Abad Lewellin! There’s a sparring evaluation after all!”

“Oh? For once, we agree. I think so too—except I believe Abad-doryeon will defeat Celia Zerdinger.”

The two upperclassmen were busy boasting about their masters.

“To be honest, Lady Celia is way more amazing! She’s even more popular! If she wanted, she could be a femme fatale! Just one look and she’d captivate any guy!”

“Hmph. Our Abad-doryeon is a true Casanova! No girl could resist his gentlemanly charm!”

“He’s just buttery, if you ask me.”

“Hmph! Says the tomboy here!”

Growl—

The two glared at each other, their tempers flaring.

Because of that, the attention of the fourth-years leaving their classrooms naturally focused on them.

“There they go again.”

“Do they have no shame fighting in front of juniors?”

“Honestly, I wanna bring Celia and Abad here just to show them this.”

“That’d be hilarious.”

“Hey! Wanna bet who wins?”

The fourth-years leaving the classrooms chuckled among themselves.

Apparently, this was a regular occurrence.

Watching the quarrel between the two foolishly loyal vassals, Leo asked,

“When will this end?”

“Ah!”

Remembering Leo’s presence, Niel flinched.

“I'm sorry, Leo-doryeon. This annoying guy picked a fight first.”

Niel smiled as she stood beside Leo.

“Shall we go?”

“Wait.”

Marcel blocked their way.

Niel frowned at him, but he ignored her and looked at Leo.

Being unusually tall for a mage, he was literally looking down at Leo.

‘Does he dislike me because my maternal side is Zerdinger?’

“I’m Marcel Rugia, Leo-doryeon. Chelsea-yang often speaks highly of you.”

Contrary to Leo’s expectation, Marcel greeted him with extreme politeness.

“My maternal family is Zerdinger, though.”

“I don’t mind. You’re Chelsea-yang’s close friend, after all.”

He smiled gently—nothing like how he had looked at Niel.

“Please visit Lewellin sometime. The lord would be honored to meet you—”

“Hey! Who said you could try to cozy up! Move it! Shoo! Shoo! Leo-doryeon! Let’s go!”

Niel cut him off with a fierce glare, stepping between them.

“You ignorant Zerdinger lackey!”

“Better that than a scheming Lewellin lackey!”

The two started bickering again, and Leo silently turned to the nearby fourth-years who were watching.

They looked puzzled as Leo approached.

“I’ll bet on a draw.”

Deciding he wasn’t getting anywhere anytime soon, Leo chose to enjoy the spectacle instead.

“Sorry, junior, but that’s not an option.”

“That’s a shame. Then I’ll bet on Niel-sunbae.”

“Ohhh! Come here, Leo Plov!”

The fourth-years who bet on Niel’s side cheered for Leo.

“Duel!”

“Duel!”

In the end, Niel and Marcel actually ended up dueling..

bl

“……Niel, what happened to your face?”

“Things happened.”

Niel, pouting, dabbed a potion-soaked handkerchief onto her wounds.

Her duel with Marcel had ended in a draw.

It was impressive, considering she had faced a fourth-year, but in truth, their skills had been evenly matched since childhood.

Elena chuckled at her classmate’s condition, then turned her glowing eyes toward Leo.

“So Leo came looking for me. What a surprise.”

“I heard something interesting from the student council president.”

“Oh my.”

Elena covered her mouth in a delighted exclamation, then smiled brightly.

“I’d like to talk alone in private.”

At that, the other students in the room frowned.

“If it’s about the student council president, it must be important. Shouldn’t we hear it too?”

“Yeah.”

Elena smiled sweetly.

“Don’t make me say it three times.”

At that, the Bluemoon members flinched and left the room.

None of them dared to glare at Leo on their way out.

No one foolish enough to risk offending Elena over something petty.

Even Niel, looking puzzled, obediently stepped out.

Once only the two of them remained, Elena stretched comfortably with a yawn.

“Before we talk about the student council, there’s something I need to tell you first.”

“What is it?”

“It’s about the Forbidden Archive.”

Elena smiled faintly.

“You've been granted permission to enter the Forbidden Archive.”