Editor : Amethyst00



After the opening match ended and the spectators had watched the Festival of Heroes, they fell into a frenzy of excitement.

“To think I’d live to see a phoenix in real life!”

“It was amazing… but honestly, terrifying.”

“Sheesh! At that level, you might even mistake it for a demonic beast!”

“You fool! How dare you call a sacred mystical beast a demonic one! You’ll incur the wrath of the gods!”

The spectators from outside the academy were chattering excitedly.

Among them, the most eye-catching were none other than the massive groups of boys and girls.

“The way he blew away that lava golem in a single strike—still incredible no matter how many times I see it!”

“If we enroll next year, we’ll be that person’s juniors, right?”

“He looks so small and cute, but that strength… haa~”

The group of what looked to be over a thousand children was being led by Professor Artienne and assistant professors of Lumene’s Department of Summoning, first-year division.

“E-everyone. Please don’t clump together—move in neat lines, okay~”

“I heard Luke Eldar is a commoner. That’s amazing.”

“Aina-nim could probably do that much too.”

“Same with Haviden-nim. He was just the first to step up, right?”

Artienne spoke in a timid voice, almost pleading with the children.

But those who appeared to be nobles ignored her and continued with their own conversations.

“What does nobility or commoner status matter at Lumene? Skill is everything!”

At that moment, one girl flared up and stepped forward.

“What? A commoner. Are you picking a fight with me, a noble?”

“Hmph. From how you’re flaunting your authority, you must be from the West. I knew people under the Lordren Empire’s influence were hopeless.”

“Hah? Are you belittling the Lordren Empire despite being a mere commoner? Don’t tell me you don’t know that Lumene’s student council president is Lord Leo, a direct descendant of the Zerdinger family?”

“Hilarious. So what? Are you Leo Plov himself or something?”

“Grrr!”

“Hey hey, calm down.”

“That girl… she’s the heir to the Rola Merchant Guild.”

“What?”

The Rola Guild.

A colossal merchant guild based in the southern continent. They held control over all human trade routes in the south and used that power to exert influence across the entire continent.

Though a commoner family, their influence was so immense that even the royalty of smaller nations bowed before them.

The noble boy from the Lordren Empire, feeling intimidated, soon lashed out.

“So what? Just a rich commoner! Is there even a single well-known student at Lumene who’s a commoner?”

“There’s the first-year representative, Luke Eldar! And acting student council president, Carl Thomas, too!”

This time, another commoner boy shouted back, unable to hold back.

“Hmph, Carl Thomas is just a parachute case! His grades are terrible anyw—urk!”

Thwack!

The mocking noble boy was kicked in the side by someone and sent flying.

“You punks… are you deaf or what? I told you nicely, didn’t I?”

Artienne’s eerie voice sent chills down the spines of all the children.

“W-what the…?”

“When someone’s speaking, you better listen! You arrogant little chicks!”

“Aaaaah!”

“S-spare m—urk!”

Artienne’s fury rained down on the students who refused to follow orders and kept chattering on their own.

“Why are they getting beat up by Professor Artienne?”

From a window in the classroom building, Eliana tilted her head as she asked, and Carl explained.

“They’re exam candidates.”

“Exam candidates? What kind of exam candidates?”

“This year, while preparing for the Festival of Heroes, they also arranged the entrance exams for next year. Those kids passed the 3rd stage and are the final candidates.”

“How did I not know this? Did you know?”

“I didn’t either.”

“So they prepared new student entrance exams while also organizing the Festival of Heroes?”

The second-years looked shocked.

“Well, it makes sense you didn’t know. You were all busy preparing for the Festival of Heroes. The entrance exams were arranged by Leo, me, Elena-sunbae, and the professors.”

‘Of course, the dragons helped too.’

Carl thought of the Wisdom Academy students Leo had brought along.

Carl knew Leo’s true identity.

Because of that, nothing Leo did surprised him anymore.

But Elena’s reaction to Leo bringing over Wisdom’s students to use as manpower was surprisingly calm.

‘Wow~ We were so overworked preparing for the Festival of Heroes, and now we finally have some breathing room. I’m counting on you all, dear dragons.’

She was simply overjoyed to have new labourers.

‘Hmph. So you’re Elena Zeron? Nice to meet you. I’m Ryden. If anything’s too hard, just let me know. I’ll help you as your guide.’

Ryden, the dragon, spoke with a slightly arrogant smile.

And then…

‘Carl! Tell that witch to stop blowing things out of proportion! How does she create more work the more she works?!’

Not long after, Ryden and the other Wisdom dragons were clinging to Carl’s pants, begging him for help.

Of course, Carl himself wanted to cry too.

Elena’s truly frightening trait wasn’t that she forced people to work, nor that she squeezed them dry to the last drop.

It was her instinctive action to immediately start more work the moment she had any spare energy.

Carl shuddered as he recalled Elena smiling upon seeing the Wisdom students and saying, “Now we can hold the entrance exams during the Festival of Heroes too,” with a joyful grin.

“Seriously, Elena-sunbae’s ability is amazing. I want to learn that aspect from her.”

“No, Nella.”

“Huh?”

“Listen closely, Nella.”

Carl placed his hands on Nella’s shoulders and leaned in.

“That woman’s a witch. Never try to emulate her.”

Carl’s fearful voice made the students go silent.

“Leo! Say something too.”

“Well, I think she’s kind of cute, in her own way.”

Leo, sitting by the window, said with a smile, causing the surrounding second-years to click their tongues.

“Wow, Leo is just… Leo.”

“How can anyone see Elena-sunbae and say she’s cute?”

“Class rep, are you treating Elena-sunbae like a child too?”

Leo shrugged in response.

In truth, having suffered under the far more vicious Lysinas, Leo found Elena almost endearing in comparison.

“Anyway! That witch is someone you should never try to emulate…”

Carl, speaking in all seriousness, suddenly realized everyone was looking past him—behind his back—and went silent.

Cold sweat trickled down his back.

“…She’s behind me, isn’t she?”

When Nella nodded, a small, pretty hand tapped onto Carl’s shoulder.

“Carl. What were you so passionately discussing? Perhaps gossiping behind my back?”

Though it was a gentle touch and a lovely voice pleasing to the ears, Carl collapsed to his knees instinctively upon hearing it.

And when he turned his trembling eyes, there stood Queen of Lumene, gazing down at him with pink eyes.

“F-forgive me…”

“It’s okay. You’re allowed to gossip about your seniors.”

Elena said with a sweet smile and patted Carl’s head.

“But I’m canceling my promise to let you rest after the Festival of Heroes.”

“W-what!” Carl despaired, his face pale.

Elena turned with a slight smile and walked out of the classroom.

Watching that, Leo rose from his seat.

“Well then, everyone, be prepared.”

Leaving those words behind, Leo exited the classroom.

Elena, waiting by the door, followed after him.

“Seeing them like that, Elena-sunbae looks like a secretary.”

“They’re the student council president and vice president. It makes sense.”

“Lately, Leo really doesn’t feel like someone in our grade. He gives off the air of someone with experience.”

The students murmured as they watched the two walk off.

“Feels like the class rep’s drifted far away from us.”

Eliana drooped her shoulders and muttered.

Lately, the second-years were increasingly feeling a distance from Leo.

And it wasn’t just them.

Even the various department heads were growing uneasy at how far Leo seemed to be from them.

Chloe gripped the magic tome she was reading harder, Celia clenched the sword at her waist, Duran clicked his tongue, and Walden, arms crossed with eyes closed, let out a rare small sigh.

Watching them, Chen Xia murmured internally.

‘Everyone feels the growing distance from Young Master Leo.’

It couldn’t be helped.

Leo was fundamentally different.

The years he’d lived and the experiences he’d endured were not the same.

They could never stand on equal footing.

But while Chen Xia knew this, others didn’t.

Chelsea, who knew Leo’s true identity, spoke up, flustered.

“Why’s everyone so down?”

“We don’t want to show weakness, but… honestly, Chelsea, watching Leo… it makes me feel hopeless.”

Abad said with a wry smile, patting his younger sister’s head.

“Even you, brother?! Hey! Celia! Stop looking like a soggy campfire!”

“…That’s an oddly vivid metaphor.”

Celia frowned and glared slightly at Chelsea, but didn’t erupt like she normally would.

Seeing this, Chelsea stamped her feet in frustration.

She knew.

Leo wanted comrades who would stand with him until the final battlefield.

And they—were his chosen ones.

That’s why Leo had quietly encouraged their growth.

But they couldn’t rely on him forever.

‘What should I do?’

Chelsea bit her lip.

‘I promised Lord Aaron…’

To be someone who could help Leo.

To support him.

She couldn’t do it alone.

Seeing her lost in thought, Eliza spoke with sarcasm.

“How strange, Chelsea Lewellin. Why so anxious?”

“Who was it that trained with Leo early every morning out of anxiety?”

“Kyaaaaa?!”

Eliza screamed as Carl suddenly appeared behind her and whispered.

She ground her teeth and quietly strangled Carl with her whip.

“I told you not to spread that!”

“T-that’s why I said it quietly—urk! S-spare me…”

Eliza, letting Carl go, huffed with a red face.

“Eliza, that was too much. Look, there’s a mark.”

Chen Xia gently scolded her.

Eliza clicked her tongue, paused, then pulled out a small container from her pocket and tossed it to Carl.

“Sorry, I went too far. That’s a really good ointment I use myself. Apply it.”

“……”

“……”

Chen Xia and Carl stared blankly at her.

“What?”

“Eliza just admitted she went too far and gave ointment for the wound?”

“You’re not dying of some terminal illness, are you?”

Eliza’s hands trembled and she lashed her whip furiously at Carl.

“Why always me?!”

“Because Chen Xia will never gets hit anyway!”

After the commotion, Carl applied the ointment and spoke.

“What’s wrong with all of you? It’s not like Leo feeling distant is anything new.”

“Hmph. Easy for you to say—it’s not your problem.”

Eliza replied coldly.

“You’re just a constant failing student hanging on by a thread. That’s why you can laugh and joke around with Leo Plov so easily. Do you even understand how we feel?”

She blurted it out, more harshly than usual, and realized it too late.

Carl, seeing her expression, smiled faintly.

“You’re right. It’s not my problem.” He shrugged.

“I am a failing student barely clinging on. It wouldn’t be strange if I fell out of this race any day.”

“No, I mean…”

“Well, I’ll never be a hero, that’s for sure.”

Carl shrugged again.

“But that doesn’t mean I’m not trying. I’ve been clawing to survive all this time. And honestly, seeing you guys not give up and keep chasing Leo gave me courage too.”

“……”

Eliza fell silent without realizing it.

“I’m sure the others are the same. Just like you chase Leo, the rest of us chase you. As long as you don’t give up, we won’t either.”

Just as Leo guided them, they had become guides to those behind them.

“So don’t show weakness. I’ll keep cheering you on, always.”

Leaving those words behind, Carl clenched his fist and left the classroom.

“Where are you going?”

To Chelsea’s question, Carl exaggeratedly shrugged.

“Bathroom.”

Clack—thud!

As Carl left, everyone stared at Eliza.

“I-I mean…”

“That was harsh, Eliza.”

Chen Xia scolded gently, and Eliza bit her lip before leaving the classroom.

Watching her go, Chelsea tilted her head.

“Where’s she going?”

“To apologize to Carl, probably.”

“That prideful girl?”

“Eliza may be proud, but she’s kind. A little too reserved, though… but that’s what makes her cute.”

“Xia, your definition of ‘kind’ is a bit broad.”

“Of course~ I even say Chelsea is kind.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

“So kind~ very kind~”

“Don’t treat me like a kid!”

Chelsea burst out, and Chen Xia giggled.

bl

Shaa— Creak—

Carl, washing his face at the sink, shut off the water and laughed bitterly.

“What’s wrong with you, Carl? Just laugh it off like usual.”

He spoke to his reflection and took a deep breath.

“Still lingering regrets, huh? Hey, you. You’ve come far. You weren’t even supposed to survive the first semester of first year, and now you’re finishing second year? Know your place. Don’t cling to foolish hope.”

As he shook his hands dry…

“So strange.”

“Gah?!”

A voice behind him, without a hint of presence, startled Carl.

“G-God?!”

“Truly mysterious.”

Rian, holding a street snack packet in hand, looked up at Carl while munching on a cracker and said,

“In all of Lumene Academy’s history, you’re the first student so completely unlike Lumene, Carl Thomas.”

“Haha.” Carl laughed awkwardly.

Rian, licking the crumbs from his palm, continued.

“But what’s truly mysterious…”

He smirked.

And when Carl met his eyes, goosebumps spread all over his body.

Those were the eyes of an absolute being looking down from a place beyond comprehension.

“You possess something Lumene never had.”

“Sorry?”

“Not just one, but two things.”