Editor : Amethyst00



Eliza stayed up all night with Carl, gathering as much information as she could about the world of Lumene that she had entered.

It was late at night, and although she couldn’t move from the room, she was able to gather more information than expected.

‘First of all, it was fortunate that Claric Jessian—whom Carl Thomas possessed—was the student council president.’

Claric’s room was filled with documents essential to the student council president.

Through those documents, they were able to get a general grasp of the events currently occurring within Lumene.

‘Start with Rodia, the Dawn Dragon, followed by Seiren, the Comet Mage, Azonia the Grand Warrior, and even the Unyielding Damien…….’

Luminaries hailed as successors to the Great Heroes were now gathered in Lumene.

“If something big enough to bring together the Heroes of Dawn is happening, it should definitely be in the records. But as far as I know, there was never a time when all of them gathered in Lumene.”

“Huh? Really?”

“You. Isn't knowing the history of your own school just basic sense?”

“Kind of strange hearing that honor-student talk from you.”

“Hmph. It’s basic. You know all sorts of useless stuff but you're clueless about this?”

“Well, yeah.” Carl shrugged.

“Anyway, after the Return of Calamity ended, it was extremely rare for the Heroes of Dawn to gather in one place.”

Eliza fell into thought.

“For such an important event to have happened in Lumene Academy and yet left no trace in history… that must mean the reason itself is the key to clearing the Hero’s World.”

“Exactly.”

Eliza gave a satisfied smile.

Then, sitting on the edge of the bed with her legs crossed, she said,

“First, we need to figure out how many players are involved.”

That was essential when caught up in a Hero Dungeon.

“First of all, all second-year competitors from Lumene should have entered this world.”

Eliza recalled the moments before entering the Hero’s World.

The waiting area where Lumene students had been gathered was definitely within the activation range.

“Not just us—other schools' second-year competitors who were waiting would’ve been dragged in too.”

“How do you know?”

“I checked just before.”

“In that sudden chaos, you had time to check that?”

“Yup.”

“Hmm…” Eliza narrowed her eyes.

“You’re certainly good at improvising.”

“Oh? Was that a compliment?”

“Did it sound like one?”

Carl chuckled.

“Anyway, let’s get some sleep while we can.”

Carl checked the time.

There was still a little time left to rest.

Nodding at those words, Eliza asked,

“Where are you going to sleep?”

“Obviously on the bed. This is the room of the guy I possessed.”

“Don’t be stupid. The bed’s mine.”

“Want to sleep together?”

“That kind of low-quality joke—are you asking to die?”

As Eliza asked coldly, Carl grinned and lay on the floor.

Eliza looked down at him with a snort and lay on the bed, pulling the blanket over herself.

Turning her body sharply away from Carl, Eliza tried to sleep. Carl asked, “By the way, Eliza. How’s your training been lately?”

“You ignored me until now, and you’re just asking that?”

Eliza snorted without turning around.

“Even without you, there haven’t been any problems with training. It’s going well. I’ve gotten used to that damned pain to some extent.”

“Weren’t you already used to pain? You’d sometimes laugh like a lunatic, remember?”

“I told you never to bring that up again, didn’t I?”

Eliza turned around and glared at Carl with a scowl.

Carl laughed at the sight of her.

“Sorry I couldn’t be there for you. I got caught by senior Elena and kept getting my labor exploited. I really wanted to help, but it was impossible.”

Still lying down, Carl clasped his hands behind his head and crossed his legs.

Looking up at the ceiling, he murmured, “Well, even without me, you’ll do just fine.”

“Knowing that, why did you overestimate yourself and try to help?” Eliza snapped.

“Instead of worrying about me, you should’ve taken care of your own situation. Maybe then you’d have improved enough to avoid expulsion.”

“Hmm. To be honest, that wouldn’t have helped.”

“I suppose that’s true.”

“……You agreed too fast.”

Carl gave a dry laugh and said, “I just wanted to help.”

“Why?”

“Because you weren’t acting like yourself back then.”

“Huh?”

Eliza’s eyes widened slightly.

“Eliza Hergin, the one I know, isn’t someone who doubts her own potential.” Carl smiled gently.

“You might seem arrogant and dismissive of others, but you’re actually responsible and take care of those around you.”

Eliza was the leader of the second-year Summoning Department.

And the entire department followed her loyally.

If she were simply haughty and dismissive, she wouldn’t have earned such respect.

Since enrollment, she’d led her peers with the goal of making the Summoning Department the top of the academy.

“When you hit a wall, you’ll do whatever it takes to break through. That’s what suits you best. That’s why I wanted to help.” Eliza looked at Carl with blank eyes.

After a moment, she clenched her fists and said, “Carl Thomas.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry. For the harsh words back then.”

“Oh, that? Don’t worry about it. I didn’t take it to heart. It was true, after all.”

“It wasn’t true.” Eliza tilted her head slightly.

“There’s no one among us who doesn’t think you’re amazing. Especially since you’ve helped us so much. I said what I did just now… but without your help, I wouldn’t have endured the training.”

Eliza looked into Carl’s eyes.

Carl, flustered, stared back.

“H-Hey, what’s with you all of a sudden?”

“So don’t give up.”

“Huh?”

“You’re still very useful.”

“……”

Carl scratched his cheek.

Then gave a small laugh.

“I’m not giving up. I’ll struggle as much as I can. Though I don’t know if it’ll work.”

“Hmmm?”

“If I get expelled, don’t pretend you don’t know me. Connections are everything once you're out of school.”

At that, Eliza chuckled.

“If you’re that worried, should we be friends?”

“Huh?”

Carl’s jaw dropped.

“Consider it an honor. The heir to the Hergin family is acknowledging a lowly commoner like you as her equal.”

Carl scratched his head, then gave a big grin.

“Wow. I’m so honored I don’t know what to do.”

“Good. As long as you know.”

Eliza giggled.

Carl looked at her with a curious expression.

‘Speaking casually feels weird somehow.’

“Now that it’s like this, make sure you get promoted to 3rd year.”

“I told you, it’s not something effort alone can fix.”

Eliza glanced sideways at him, then lifted her chin.

“For someone who claims not to have given up, you have a shockingly low level of motivation.”

“Well, maybe I’ll get more motivated if there’s some kind of extra reward.”

“You’re pathetic.”

Eliza clicked her tongue.

Carl grinned shamelessly at her.

“If you’re really grateful for my help with training, how about repaying the favor by granting me one wish if I make it to 3rd year? Who knows—it might spark more motivation.”

At those words, Eliza sat up.

Thinking punishment was coming, Carl flinched in fear.

But the expected lashing didn’t come.

“Fine.”

“Huh?”

Carl looked up.

There was Eliza, sitting cross-legged with her elbow on her knee and chin in her hand, smiling.

“I’ll grant your wish—whatever it is. So show a little more drive.”

“Really?”

Carl looked stunned.

“People of the Hergin family don’t go back on their word.”

“For real? Really? You’ll do whatever I ask?”

Carl grabbed Eliza’s hand and asked.

“You… What are you planning to make me do?”

Eliza narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but Carl jumped to his feet.

“Alright! I’ll get to 3rd year no matter what it takes!”

Eliza, staring at Carl’s enthusiasm in disbelief, looked down at the hand he had grabbed and let out a chuckle.

“Well, before that, we need to clear this Hero’s World.”

Carl, brimming with motivation, suddenly spoke seriously.

“Yeah, you’re right. At least I know the most basic strategy for an incarnation-type world.”

“Of course.”

Carl grinned confidently.

“You have to act like the person you’re possessed. Well, Eliza, you probably don’t have enough clues to understand the person you’re possessing, but I’ve already got it all figured out.”

“Oh? How?” Eliza looked intrigued.

“From the dorm manager’s reaction earlier, and the fact that your possessed character, Megan Shell, broke school rules to be here at night. And most importantly—”

Carl opened a drawer and took out a small wooden box.

He had found it while rummaging through the desk earlier.

Click—

Inside were an array of luxurious women’s hairpins.

“All different women’s styles. Based on collecting things like this…”

Carl clicked his tongue.

“This guy’s a total womanizer.”

“Your deduction skills are impressive. So? Can you play the part?”

“No reason I can’t.”

bl

‘Wow, he’s good.’

Eliza gave a frosty smile.

‘He flirts with any girl he sees, huh? It’s his calling.’

Claric Jessian was the second prince of Jessian, the Magic Kingdom located in the center of the continent.

He was also the first-ever student council president of Lumene—a man of overwhelming ability and background.

Combining that with his personality, he was a full-fledged Casanova spreading romantic scandals everywhere.

Carl did his best to act like Claric.

Which only made Eliza’s eyes grow colder.

‘ I might actually die when we’re alone later.’

He was just doing what had to be done!

Carl was about to cry when—

“I heard rumors, but this guy’s nothing but a rutting colt, isn’t he?!”

A voice full of contempt rang out from afar.

An elf approached with arms boldly crossed.

As the confident elf strode closer, the female Lumene students surrounding Carl began to whisper.

“That’s Seiren’s student council president.”

“Is this a provocation before the exchange match?”

Carl narrowed his eyes as he looked at Seira Tingel, the student council president of Seiren.

‘Seira Tingel. The Comet Mage, Seiren’s younger sister.’

And she would later become the actual progenitor of the Tingel family, which bore no children at present.

“This colt bastard! You’ve got one dumb face!”

Seira shouted with arms crossed, looking completely fed up, and the students murmured.

“Doesn’t Seiren’s student council president seem kind of different?”

“Right? Her tone’s rough. I heard she was super elegant.”

‘This girl… don’t tell me…’

As Carl looked at Seira, finding something oddly familiar, it happened.

“Right, Azonia?”

“Beastkin books… they’re surprisingly… in-in-interesting…”

“NYAAAAH! I told you not to do that with that face!”

“Eek?!”

Seira lunged at Azonia.

Azonia flinched, panicked by Seira’s reddened, flailing face.

Seeing that, Eliza facepalmed as she understood the situation.

Carl muttered blankly.

‘Seira is Aru. And Azonia is Eiran.’