Editor : Amethyst00



After class ended.

Leo headed toward the Tower of Heroes in the center of the academy, where the student council resided.

When he arrived before the Tower of Heroes, he looked up at the towering building.

“So damn tall.”

Leo exclaimed in awe.

“A first-year?”

“What’s he doing here?”

“Oh my, how cute.”

Upperclassmen passing by noticed Leo and muttered in surprise.

The Tower of Heroes was a place often frequented by seniors.

First-years naturally carried a kind of instinctive fear of older students who had gone through countless battles and trials.

Because of that, younger students tended to avoid areas where upperclassmen usually gathered.

“Oh? Leo?”

At the sound of someone calling his name, Leo turned his head.

There stood Torua, a fifth-year student of the Department of Magic.

“What brings you all the way here?”

“I have business with the student council president.”

“With Rhys?”

Torua tilted her head, then nodded.

“You want to follow me?”

She led Leo inside the Tower of Heroes.

“So, Leo. When are you planning to drop the other majors?”

“I don’t plan on dropping any of them.”

“Leo, as I’ve told you before, time is limited. I know you’re outstanding in multiple majors, but from what I saw, you’re most specialized in magic.”

Torua grumbled with displeasure but didn’t press further.

She had already been called in by the professors once and reprimanded.

Meanwhile, Leo marvelled at the interior of the Tower of Heroes.

At the building’s entrance, portraits of countless heroes were displayed.

Every one of them had graduated from Lumene.

The facilities here were leagues ahead of the first-year buildings.

It wasn’t that the first-year facilities were lacking, but the Tower of Heroes was simply overwhelming.

Riding the levitating elevator with Torua, they quickly ascended to the upper floors.

They reached the level used by the student council.

“Hello, Vice President. Who’s this first-year?”

“This is Leo.”

“Leo? The famous first-year representative?”

The third-year student council officer’s eyes lit up.

“Yeah. He came looking for the president.”

“Interested in the student council already as a first-year? How admirable.”

Smiling, the officer left carrying documents.

The student council atmosphere was altogether very busy.

“Come to think of it, wasn’t your first-year midterm assignment the development of an unique magic?”

“Yes.”

“Have you thought of an idea yet?”

“A magical formula system based on non-attribute mana.”

“Non-attribute mana? That’s a concept I’ve never heard before. Explain?”

“Mages usually have a main elemental attribute, right?”

“Right. That’s why oppositions exist. Even if you can use multiple attributes, you can’t cast opposing ones simultaneously.”

“Yes. By using non-attribute mana, I want to freely manipulate all elemental spells, increasing versatility.”

“Interesting idea. But it’s absurd.”

Torua chuckled.

“There’s a reason people don’t try that.”

“I know.”

Leo smiled and nodded.

“But if I’m going to do it anyway, I’d prefer something unique.”

Torua crossed her arms and chuckled softly.

This junior of hers wasn’t just skilled at magical formulas.

‘For mages, new attempts are always important. What a waste, really.’

That such a promising mage was in all classes.

‘Talented kids should be steered firmly onto their path from the start. I’ll have to discuss this seriously with Professor Len.’

Determined to somehow guide Leo fully into magic, Torua stopped in front of the student council president’s office.

Knock, knock—

“Come in.”

Click—

“Hello, Rhys. I brought Leo since he wanted to see you.”

“Leo?”

Rhys, seated at his desk writing with a quill pen, rose with a pleased expression.

“Well then, Leo. What business do you have with me?”

“Student council president.”

“When it’s just us, you can call me brother.”

Rhys smiled kindly, and Leo nodded.

“Then, Brother Rhys, I have a request.”

“What is it?”

“I want access to the Forbidden Archives.”

“I don’t know what reason you’d have, but students can’t freely enter the Forbidden Archives.”

Torua, reaching for a snack on the side, asked,

“Even the student council president can’t enter at will?”

“Unfortunately, it’s beyond my authority too.”

Rhys leaned his chin on clasped hands, smiling.

“Of course, it’s not impossible for a student to get in.”

“What way?”

“By conquering a Hero Dungeon.”

“Hero Dungeon?”

“Yes. Pages retrieved from Hero Dungeons must be returned to the Hero Record personally by the conqueror. That’s the tradition.”

“Of course, even then, you can’t freely read the books inside the Forbidden Archives. So give it up.”

Torua grumbled.

Summing it up: in first year, he wouldn’t have a chance to enter, and even if he did, getting the information he wanted would be nearly impossible.

‘Then I’ll just sneak in.’

If you tell someone not to do something, and they’ll want to do it even more.

Unaware that Leo had reached that conclusion, Rhys and Torua both gave him a meaningful smile.

“How’s your exam preparation going? Aren’t you nervous, since it’s your first?”

“I’m managing well enough.”

Leo answered calmly.

“Will that suffice? You know at Lumene the student representative changes every exam, right?”

“Yes.”

“There’ll be plenty aiming for your spot.”

Torua crunched on cookies as she spoke.

It was still early in the semester, so it wasn’t obvious yet, but the representative position carried great advantages.

It wasn’t just the prestige of being “the best among the best” in Lumene.

Representatives attended all major events, inside and outside, with considerable benefits.

In other words, they were the face of their cohort.

Most importantly, the representative position was the closest stepping stone to becoming the next student council president.

“You know your grade has especially high expectations from the higher-ups, right? Think you can defend that seat against all those rivals?”

“I’m not particularly interested in the representative seat. But…”

Leo smirked.

“I don’t plan on giving up the seat either.”

“Such confidence. I’ll look forward to it.”

Rhys smiled with satisfaction.

bl

The first exams after enrollment were enough to make all students nervous.

But at the same time, the first-years were excited.

Sitting in the stands of the training field, Chelsea swung her legs.

“Just like Professor Harrid said. In just a few months, they’ve changed so much.”

She spun her staff lightly in the air and muttered softly.

Runes infused with mana spread in the air, and in an instant, a formula was completed.

Watching this, her classmate Tade clicked his tongue.

“Fast as always.”

“Quick-casting is my specialty. Though, I have gotten a lot faster.”

As Harrid had predicted, the first-years’ abilities had rapidly grown.

Even Chelsea, who as the heiress of a heroic family had received top-level training since childhood, had grown remarkably.

The freshmen felt a strange confidence and thrill in measuring their changed abilities.

“But I’m worried about Leo.”

Chelsea looked at the training ground. Tade sighed.

“True, there are a lot targeting him.”

Since most classes so far had been theory-heavy rather than practical, Leo’s brilliance stood out.

He was the honor student recognized by all professors.

But even Leo had weaknesses.

“Lumene’s exams weigh heavily on practical ability. Will he be alright?”

Aura, mana, spiritual power.

Leo’s foundational strength in such powers was weak.

And since he was taking three majors at once, the gap with students who specialized deeply in one field was unavoidable.

Because of that, many believed Leo was all theory, lacking in real combat ability.

“Of course, mid-tier students won’t even compare to him. But against top-tier ones, it might be tough.”

“Maybe this is the time he should choose one major.”

As Tade murmured, Instructor Ain in the center of the field spoke.

“From now on, the first-year Knight Department practical exam will begin.”

His aura-amplified voice rang through the wide training field.

At once, whistles and applause erupted.

Though there were still two weeks left before the full exam period, the Knight Department’s practical test began today.

The field was crowded with students eager to watch, not only first-years but upperclassmen as well.

“Is Carl seriously trying to make money out of this?”

“Where the crowd goes, money gathers. That’s his motto.”

Chelsea spoke incredulously, and Tade chuckled.

As expected, Carl had gone off to sell snacks.

“Professor Sedgen.”

With floating stalls suspended by levitation magic, Carl approached Sedgen, the homeroom professor of Class 1.

“What is it, Carl?”

Sedgen gave him a disinterested look.

As Harrid’s student, Carl was considered something of a rival, so Sedgen wasn’t eager.

“How about some popcorn and drinks?”

“Hmph, do you think I’d buy that? Sell it to your own homeroom and classmates.”

Carl pulled a disappointed face at Sedgen’s scoff.

“I thought a professor with leadership like you would buy to lift your class’s spirits. My mistake.”

“Hmph. If you thought I’d fall for such a shallow ploy, you’re mistaken, Carl.”

Just then—

“Professor! You’re buying us popcorn?”

“Yay! Looks delicious!”

Class 1 students cheered.

Sedgen’s ears perked up.

“See? A professor with leadership who knows how to raise morale.”

Currently, all of Class 1 was out cheering together under Sedgen’s guidance.

Hearing their cheers, Sedgen’s lips curled into a broad smile.

“Well, if my students want it, I have no choice. Hand them out.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Caramel-coated, please.”

“Thank you, professor!”

After the payment, Carl smiled kindly and handed out popcorn and drinks.

He even slipped dried fish to the ones who had just cheered for him.

“Alright everyone, let’s shout elegantly! Class 1, fighting!”

“Class 1, fighting!”

The students shouted energetically, the atmosphere heating up.

Meanwhile, Carl glanced toward Chloe, sitting alone in a corner, reading a black magic tome, and sighed.

“Chloe.”

“……”

“Hey, Chloe!”

“Hm?”

Chloe lifted her head.

Seeing his friend’s tired face, Carl sighed again.

“Take a break. You’ll collapse at this rate. You need to know how to enjoy sometimes too.”

“I don't have time for that.”

Chloe frowned.

Carl scratched his head, then pulled out a fatigue recovery potion.

“I didn’t bring money.”

“Forget it. I’m giving it because I’m worried as a friend.”

“Here! Popcorn and drinks!”

“Coming, coming! Take it easy, alright?”

Waving at Chloe, Carl ran off toward an upperclassman who’d ordered snacks.

Chloe gave a small smile as she sipped the potion.

At that moment—

“The first duel: Class 1’s Haowl Neif versus Class 5’s Leo Plov. Step forward!”

“Leo.”

Clenching her fists, Chloe stared at him.

“I won’t lose.”