Chapter 186
Editor : Amethyst00
After the sparring evaluation ended, Leo approached the spectator seats where the 1st-years were waiting.
Everyone held their breath and focused on Leo.
It was astonishing that a 1st-year had managed to hold his own, even briefly, against the strongest student.
Moreover, Leo was the contractor of the Phoenix.
Soon enough, he would surely gain the strength befitting a true student council president.
Thus, everyone realized—
Even though he was a 1st-year, Leo clearly possessed the qualifications of a student council president.
The 1st-years looked at Leo with tense eyes.
‘Is Leo really going to become the student council president?’s
‘For real?’
‘Won’t we have to be careful around the seniors then?’
‘So that means he’s already the most powerful student in Lumene, even as a 1st-year?’
The 1st-years had complicated feelings.
The upperclassmen were no different.
‘Tch! At this rate, that 1st-year might really become the student council president!’
‘But there’s no reason to stop him. Elena herself recommended Leo Plov for president in the 1st place.’
‘In that case, maybe we should recruit Leo Plov instead? If things go this way, Leo will be easier to handle than Elena Zeron.’
The 2nd-years screamed internally.
The 3rd-years still gauged Elena’s mood.
And even some 4th-years were beginning to think it might actually be better if a 1st-year became the president.
As those complicated gazes crossed—
Peeep-
“Hungry?”
Heading toward Class 5’s seats, Leo frowned slightly and took a chocolate bar from his pocket, placing it on his hand.
Flutter- Fiora flew to Leo’s hand and pecked at the chocolate.
After finishing it in an instant, Fiora looked up at Leo, spread her wings, and hopped around excitedly.
Pya! Pya! Pya!
“What? You want more? There’s none left.”
Pyaaaak-
“If you keep eating like that, you’ll really turn into a pig.”
At those words, Fiora flew up and bit Leo’s white hair, tugging at it.
‘C-cute!’
‘I want one! A Phoenix!’
Seeing Fiora, the students who had just been deep in thought shouted out.
As Leo sat down, Class 5 students swarmed around him.
“What the! When did you make a contract with the Phoenix?”
“That’s insane!”
“Leo! Let me see too!”
Fiora looked bewildered at the students gathering around.
It was the 1st time in her life she’d received such enthusiastic attention.
But her confusion didn’t last long.
She lifted her head proudly while perched on Leo’s head.
“Kyaaa!”
“So cute!”
The girls from Class 5 screamed in delight, and Fiora began striking different poses.
Each time, cheers erupted, making her even more smug.
“Eek! Hey! Professor Harrid is glaring at us!”
“Gasp!”
At Carl’s urgent warning, they hurried back to their seats.
Fiora, who had been showing off, suddenly looked flustered when the crowd dispersed.
Amid the commotion,
From the highest seat, Kalian had been watching Leo.
“In the end, he proved himself worthy of being the student council president.”
At Rivein’s mutter beside him, Kalian nodded and stood up.
“What are you going to do?”
“If it’s been proven, then all that’s left is to make it official, isn’t it?”
Rivein replied, “Amazing. I knew you liked Leo Plov, but I didn’t expect you to push him this strongly.”
“Isn’t he a student with real qualifications for it?”
Kalian smiled faintly at Rivein’s words and descended to the arena.
When the principal suddenly walked to the center of the training ground, all the students were stunned.
Looking around at them, Kalian spoke.
“Good work, 1st-years. I believe you all learned much during these matches.”
Kalian looked at the 1st-years with a serious face.
“Some of you may have realized just how much you’ve grown compared to half a year ago. Some may have directly witnessed the growth of someone you once thought weaker than you.”
At those words, some students smiled proudly, while others looked frustrated.
“This is the path you must walk, an endless competition, endless growth. In this way, you gradually become closer to heroes. It’s the same path your seniors walked and the one I, too, have walked.”
Smiling kindly, Kalian continued.
“And now, let’s talk about the student council president.”
Everyone held their breath.
Kalian looked over the tense faces.
“The motto of Lumene is ‘Surpass your limits.’ In other words, anything can happen.”
He turned his gaze toward the audience where the upperclassmen sat.
“Do any of you believe Leo lacks the qualifications of a student council president?”
No one could say a word.
Leo had fought evenly against the strongest student.
He was also the contractor of the Phoenix.
From what he had shown so far, his qualifications were unquestionable.
Of course, Leo wasn’t yet the strongest student.
But he was only a 1st-year.
He held endless potential, enough to surpass today’s 1st-ranked students in the blink of an eye.
“There are few students with the qualifications to be president. Fewer still have the aptitude for it.”
Harrid smiled.
“I judge that Leo Plov has both the qualifications and the aptitude. Thus, I have accepted Rhys Zerdinger’s recommendation.”
No one responded.
“Therefore, I hereby appoint Leo Plov as the new student council president. Does anyone object?”
Both the students and the professors were shocked, but none objected.
After a brief moment, Kalian said,
“Rhys Zerdinger, Leo Plov—step forward.”
Leo and Rhys once again walked to the center of the arena.
“The formal appointment will be at the end of the 2nd semester, but since the handover should begin now, it’s best to announce it publicly. What do you think?”
“I agree.”
“Me too.”
At their words, Kalian smiled and nodded.
“Good. Then, from this moment, I proclaim Leo Plov as the next student council president.”
At that declaration, the students exchanged looks.
Then, when Rhys began clapping, others slowly followed.
Clap—clap—clap—clap—
As the unprecedented 1st-year student council president was announced, countless gazes intersected.
Elena rested her chin on her hand and smiled faintly.
‘Now I should help Leo perform well as president.’
Even as she thought that, she narrowed her eyes toward the 3rd-years.
‘And what should I do about anyone who has complaints?’
Among the 3rd-years, some would obey Elena absolutely—
But there were also plenty who acted on their own.
‘I should manage them before they do something stupid in my name.’
Elena smiled, the smile of a tyrant.
Meanwhile, the 4th-year section remained calm.
“Not bad, Leo Plov.”
Hark’s eyes burned with fighting spirit.
“It’ll be fun to fight him someday.”
His peers sighed deeply at Hark who thought of nothing but fighting, when he wasn't sleeping.
“Leo. Would you share your thoughts as the new president?”
At Rhys’s words, Leo took the microphone, enchanted with a sound amplification spell.
As he held it, everyone tensed.
Leo swept his gaze across them and said,
“I’ll make sure the fact that a 1st-year became president won’t be a disgrace to the school.”
It was the perfect model answer, and the professors nodded.
“And if anyone’s unhappy after seeing me in action, come challenge me. If you beat me, I’ll hand over the position.”
“……!”
“……!”
Everyone’s mouths fell open.
It was practically a provocation toward the upperclassmen.
Even Rhys looked at Leo in disbelief.
“Pfft! Puhahaha! Hahahahaha!”
In the 4th-year section, Hark burst out laughing, clutching his stomach.
“I like it! Yeah! If you’re the so-called strongest student as president, you should have that kind of guts!”
“You think this is funny? This could lead to a power struggle next year!”
Some 4th-years scolded him.
The student council president wielded tremendous authority.
If abused, it could plunge the academy into chaos.
And yet Leo had publicly declared that anyone who beat him could take the position.
Naturally, the upperclassmen’s interest was piqued.
“Let him be. He’s not stupid—he must be confident to provoke like that.”
Arms crossed, Hark stared at Leo with fiery eyes.
“The fifth year’s going to be fun.”
Then Leo added,
“Oh, and I’ve already decided on the vice president. 4th-year Hark Rigard.”
“Huh?”
“Hark-sunbae will handle all the student council administrative work.”
As Leo continued calmly, everyone looked shocked.
The president’s real power came from handling administrative affairs.
And he was giving that power source to Hark?
‘Wait, there’s no way he would do something that troublesome, right?’
All eyes turned to Hark.
And as expected, he jumped up.
“Why should I do such a bothersome job?”
Leo gave him a look that said, What are you talking about?
“Hark-sunbae, I’ll be student council president starting next year, right?”
“Yeah.”
“The president has appointment authority, right?”
“That’s right.”
“That’s why I’m assigning you.”
Hark’s face twisted violently.
He wasn’t well-known due to his constant napping, but his temper wasn’t exactly good.
As his expression grew fierce, everyone tensed.
The new president and vice president clashing from the start—what a sight.
And the content of the argument was absurd.
‘Wait, he’s refusing because he doesn’t want to do paperwork?’
“As if I’d do that! I refuse.”
“I refuse your refusal.”
“Who do you think you are?”
“I’m the student council president.”
Leo smiled.
“Do as you’re told.”
“Wh-what!? That brat…!”
Hark grabbed his neck in frustration.
It felt like his chronic drowsiness-induced low blood pressure was suddenly cured.
“Hey! Say something, you guys! That brat just became president and he’s already stepping all over a senior!”
But the 4th-years looked intrigued.
“If Hark holds the real power, that’s good for us, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. The student council’s real power comes from admin work anyway.”
“Considering how lazy he usually is, he kinda deserves it.”
No one sided with Hark.
“You guys…”
Hark trembled.
Leo smiled faintly.
“Power really is nice.”
At that, Hark grabbed his neck again.
Seiren.
“A student council president? A 1st-year?”
“Leo Plov… wasn’t he the one who cleared the Poet's Hero Dungeon recently?”
The elf students were shocked.
Seiren students usually didn’t care much about other hero academies.
They were confident that they were the best hero candidates.
But the fact that a 1st-year became president was big enough to shake even Seiren.
“I heard he made a contract with the Phoenix.”
“…We might have to be careful at the next Lumeiren Competition.”
The upper-year students of Seiren were wary of Leo.
Meanwhile, in her classroom, Lunia looked down at the newspaper and clenched her fist.
“Leo became student council president?”
Just when she thought she was catching up, he’d pulled ahead again.
“Fine! I’ll make a contract with the Phoenix too, and chase after him!”
Lunia’s eyes blazed with determination.
Next to her, Eiran was happily cutting out Leo’s photo from the paper.
“Leo-nim looks so cool in this issue.”
Eiran, who loved collecting hero-related items, had recently started keeping records of Leo’s achievements.
“…He’s doing well. A 1st-year president, huh.”
“I heard he made a contract with the Phoenix?”
“I’d love to fight him once.”
Voices full of competitive spirit rang out everywhere.
Among them, a beastkin girl with a white cat tail swayed it lightly as she looked at the newspaper.
‘Black Rabbit!’
Aru looked up, her ears twitching at the news of the boy she’d declared her rival.
As the world’s eyes turned toward him—
Lumene was moving forward in a new direction.