Editor : Amethyst00



Evening, as the sun set.

All the students were gathered at the Erek grand training ground for the entrance ceremony.

The current students were seated in rows arranged by grade level around the perimeter of the training ground.

In the center of the Erek training ground, 500 new students stood in lines according to region.

Every current student had once stood there when they were freshmen.

That's why, during the entrance ceremony, everyone would fall into a strange sense of nostalgia.

It had always been that way…

"How on earth did you scare all the freshmen like that?"

In the 3rd-year section.

From the magic department seats, Chelsea spoke reproachfully.

“I only committed the sin of working hard.”

“You should do things in moderation. What are you going to do if you completely crush the kids’ spirit?”

Chelsea frowned with her arms crossed.

Usually on entrance ceremony day, the eyes of the new Lumene students sparkled.

'Like they owned the world.'

Just being accepted into the Hero Academy, the best educational institution in the world, was something to be proud of.

Dreams and hope.

The freshmen should have been full of excitement about their upcoming school life.

But the faces of the new students were all clouded with gloom.

Carl, the one responsible for the atmosphere, wore an expression of unjust accusation.

"What happened?"

Chloe also asked, puzzled.

"I just laid some meticulous traps and tricked the first years. Since I helped prepare the entrance exam, I had rough profiles of all 500 in my head."

Carl pulled out a potion bottle from his coat and gently shook it.

"A Change Potion. You can temporarily take on someone else's appearance."

"That's that party trick potion you made, right?"

"It's a toy, yes."

Carl smiled smugly.

Since the effect didn't last long, it was a surprise potion made for parties, just as the name suggested.

"I tweaked it to last a bit longer. Then I disguised myself and snuck in among the first years. I stirred up confusion among them."

The result was clear.

They didn't know each other well.

And because they viewed each other as rivals, it was a tactic that worked.

"Later on, I even transformed into someone while they were right there and approached them."

"You didn't get caught?"

"Hmph. I'm a politician, you know."

Knowing the entire first-year group well was an advantage.

Pinning mistakes on the real but unskilled ones wasn't hard for Carl.

"That's a bit underhanded."

"When 500 people are trying to take me down, I have to be underhanded."

Carl shrugged.

Divided and fighting amongst themselves, the first years had basically self-destructed.

It was only natural they were intimidated after being thoroughly played by a single person.

And to be blunt, Carl only really fought properly during the first battle.

In other words, he had toyed with them all by himself.

Chelsea shook her head.

"Honestly, you need a new epithet."

"To what?"

"King of Tricks."

"Ooh… I kind of like that."

Chelsea giggled at Carl's sly grin.

"Well, the first years must have learned a lot."

Abad said with his usual gentle smile.

Power isn't everything.

It's an obvious truth, but a hard one for freshmen to learn.

Having learned that bitterly through Carl, the first years had gained a valuable experience.

No one worried about them being discouraged from hitting a wall like that.

'If they can't get through that much, they're not worthy of being Lumene students.'

That was the shared sentiment among the upperclassmen.

["Now, there will be a speech by the freshman representative. Freshman representative, Freyna Hergin. Please come forward."]

At the name called, all the 3rd-years' eyes turned to Eliza, sitting at the very front of the Summoning Department.

Eliza, who had been trimming her nails as if she didn't care about the ceremony, opened her fingers and said,

"What are you all looking at?"

Blowing on her nails with a puff, Eliza looked at her peers with bored eyes.

Sitting next to her, Jurgen, 3rd in the Summoning Department, asked, "You have a little sister who enrolled this year?"

"Yes."

"Is she just as nasty as you?"

"Pfft!"

"Pffhaha!"

"Ahahahaha!"

"You really just went there!"

Stifled laughter echoed from all around.

Of course, Chelsea and Eliana were holding their stomachs, laughing openly.

"You have a death wish, don't you?"

As Eliza stood up and yanked her whip taut—!

"3rd-years. All of you who just laughed and made noise, plant your heads in the ground of the training ground."

A cold voice from Harrid rang out.

With that, the 3rd-years made faces like they were about to cry as they trudged down to the field and planted their heads.

Everyone sent blaming looks at Jurgen, who had started it all.

"What? I just asked a question."

Jurgen looked aggrieved.

Thus unfolded a curious scene of a large number of 3rd-years being punished.

No one tried to sneak away.

Because the punishment had come from Harrid, and if they got caught pretending later, it would be literal hell.

"Pathetic."

At Duran's mutter, Celia spoke up in agreement.

"They really don't have any sense of tension."

After that minor commotion—

Freyna stepped up to the podium.

["Honored professors and upperclassmen of Lumene. We, the new students, sincerely thank you for welcoming us…"]

In a modest demeanor, Freyna began reading the speech shyly.

["Freshman representative, Freyna Hergin."]

When the speech ended and Freyna was about to step down, the host spoke.

["Freyna, do you have anything to say as the representative?"]

At that, Freyna paused and then smiled shyly.

["I'll be a student who always does her best."]

With that final line, she quickly stepped down as if embarrassed.

Watching her, Chloe murmured, "Eliza's little sister is really quiet. That's surprising. Carl, how was she during the exam?"

"…"

Carl thought of Freyna.

He remembered how she'd charged at him ferociously, like her life depended on it.

'A total hypocrite.'

"Well, just from how she looks, she's a noble lady… but she's not nearly as innocent as she seems to be if she got into Lumene."

Carl shrugged.

She was hiding her true nature in public—no reason for him to expose that.

'Might come in handy later.'

["That concludes the entrance ceremony. Please follow your assigned guides by grade level to the dormitories."]

bl

"Professor Artienne!"

"Wow! You're our assigned guide, Professor!"

The 3rd years greeted Artienne cheerfully.

"Did you all enjoy your vacation?"

Artienne welcomed the 3rd years with a smile as warm as spring sunlight.

She was one of the most popular professors at Lumene.

Kind and gentle, she was also known for being generous with grades.

But she was also someone to fear.

Because if you didn't behave, the spirits she summoned would possess her.

Don't cross Harrid or Artienne, the Wailing Wall and the Hammer of Punishment.

It was common sense at Lumene.

"This semester, I'll be in charge of 3rd-year Hero Studies and Combat Studies!"

"Combat… studies?"

"Weren't you only teaching Hero Studies?"

The 3rd years froze.

"Yes!"

Artienne, who had joined Lumene when the current 3rd years enrolled, had been a professor of the Summoning Department and only taught Hero Studies.

But starting from the second semester last year, she also took on Combat Studies.

Since she could summon both knight and mage hero spirits into her body, Principal Rina had decided she was ideal for practical lessons.

Rina's judgment had been spot on.

Even if Artienne's Combat Studies was basically "conversations with fists."

Because of that, the second years' Combat Studies last year had been filled with constant screams.

As the 3rd years stood frozen, Artienne's closed eyes opened.

"Huh? Got a problem with that?"

"Yay! How exciting!"

"Haha! I can't wait!"

At her terrifying glare, the 3rd years let out joyous cheers.

"Oh, my… You're all so happy."

With a flutter, Artienne closed her eyes again with a moved expression.

Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, the 3rd years followed her toward the dorms.

"By the way, where will we be living this time?"

Last year, the 3rd years had been split into three dormitories.

Classes were divided not by class groups, but by dormitory, and dormitories competed against each other.

"Will it be the same this year?"

"Class rep! Pick me! Me! Again this time, too!"

Eliana stood next to Leo, pointing at herself with her finger while dragging a suitcase.

"Hmm. Leo, is Carl doing anything?"

At Chloe's question, Leo shook his head.

"We in the student council don't know anything about dorm assignments."

"Hmm. I wonder if they'll use the mentor system for the second years again this year? It wasn't bad."

"It was decent."

As the 3rd years huddled to discuss dorms and departments—

"Everyone, do you see that? That's the new dormitory building!"

Artienne pointed to a massive clocktower.

"That whole thing's for the 3rd years?"

"Wow! It's super luxurious!"

Cheers broke out among the 3rd years.

Watching them, Artienne said,

"This year, dorms are assigned by department. So there are three dorms total."

"Ahh, so that's why the building is shaped like a triangle?"

"The towers at the ends must be the dorm buildings?"

"And the rest is all shared facilities? That's awesome."

The 3rd-years gasped in awe.

"Professor Tina designed the dorm buildings."

Professor Tina Tingel, who had joined as a visiting professor last year, became a full professor this year.

"The ever-experimental Professor Tina designed them? I'm already nervous."

At the mention of Tina, Carl muttered with a worried expression.

"Professor! I have a question."

"Yes, Chelsea?"

"Which dorm building will Leo be using?"

At that, all the 3rd-years looked curious.

Where would Leo, an "All-Class" student, be assigned?

It was certainly a topic of interest.

"After a faculty meeting, we decided Leo will be given a private room, unaffiliated with any dorm."

It was special treatment, but no one questioned it.

No one would complain about Leo getting special treatment at Lumene.

"What? Class rep's an outcast?"

"Looks like it."

Eliana giggled as she looked at Leo.

"I'll come visit often."

She gave him a big thumbs-up.

"Alright, everyone. I'll now hand out your dorm keys."

Artienne called out names and handed out keys.

The 3rd-years who received them looked puzzled.

"Everyone, spin your key in the air."

Without question, the students spun the keys.

At that moment—

"Oh?"

Leo exclaimed.

Before he knew it, he was in a spacious room.

It was far too big to be called a dorm room.

Looking around in amazement, Leo stepped out to what seemed like a terrace.

Click—

WHOOOOOOSH—!

A strong wind blew.

He could see all of Lumene, including Lake Lumeria and the city in the distance.

"A penthouse at the top of the clocktower."

Admiring the view, Leo stepped back inside.

Then, spotting another door in the room, he tilted his head.

"Another room?"

Even this one room was massive.

And yet, another?

Puzzled, Leo opened the door and entered.

Then—

"Huh? Oh! President!"

"Leo-doryeong?"

"Gasp! Class rep! How did you get in here?"

Leo frowned slightly upon seeing the girls from the Knight Department.

"Where is this?"

"Sir Leo, I believe this is the Knight Department girls' dorm. But why did you come out of the storage room?"

At her words, Leo exited the door he came in through.

The scene changed back to Leo's room.

He opened the same door again.

"Leo? Why are you coming out of the bathroom?"

This time, Carl greeted him with a surprised face.

"Is this the boys' Magic Department dorm?"

"Yeah, I think so. Looks like the entire dorm building is interconnected."

At Carl's words, Leo clicked his tongue.

'Looks like my room connects all the way through each dorm's facilities.'