Editor : Amethyst00



Early dawn.

At the dormitory of the Summoning Department of the Clocktower Dormitory.

Within the building, there was a vast garden accessible only to students of the Summoning Department.

Rustle—rustle—

‘It’s quite vast for a garden though.’

Eliza stepped into the garden barefooted and took a deep breath.

Though it was spring season, but the dawn air was still cold.

Breathing in the crisp early spring air, Eliza opened her eyes.

A vast natural landscape unfolded before her.

Though it was called the garden of the Summoning Department dormitory, this place was, to be exact, one of the islands on Lake Lumeria.

Originally, students were forbidden from entering this island.

It had now been designated as the dormitory garden.

It wasn't just the Summoning Department that had such a space.

Both the Knight and Magic Departments were also each assigned an island as their own garden.

Each assigned island had distinct features suited to its department.

The Knight Department's island was ideal for training, the Magic Department's for magical experiments, and the Summoning Department's for its well-maintained natural environment.

Summoners are those who live alongside elementals and phantom beasts, the beings of nature.

As such, an environment where they could feel nature up close and receive its energy was essential.

This was where they resonated with their summoned beings and honed their summoner skills.

And Eliza was among the earliest risers of the Lumene Summoning Department students.

"Oh! Eliza! Good morning!"

"Good morning, Lyl-sunbae."

Eliza gave a slight bow in greeting as she saw Lyl waving cheerfully.

After exchanging greetings, Eliza walked toward one side of the garden.

There, she began tending the soil.

It was a modest hobby of hers—as a member of the gardening club.

Even in her second year, Eliza had helped maintain Noble's garden.

"Ohh… So that was your little vegetable patch, Eliza!"

"W-Well… yes."

Lyl looked impressed as she watched Eliza tend the soil.

"What kind of crops are you going to grow?"

Lyl's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"I'm not making a vegetable patch. I'm turning it into a flowerbed."

"Huh? A flowerbed? You mean you're growing flowers?"

"Yes."

"Eliza? Growing flowers?"

"What do you mean by that?"

Seeing Eliza suddenly bristle, Lyl looked flustered.

"But you can't eat flowers, right? Wouldn't crops be more efficient?"

Eliza felt a pounding in her head.

'That's exactly what someone from a military family would say.'

Seeing Lyl's emphasis on efficiency—typical of someone from a military household—Eliza spoke.

"It's a hobby."

"A nice hobby."

"I didn't expect you of all people to understand, Leo Plov."

"It doesn't suit you though."

"You really…!"

Eliza turned her head sharply, eyes glaring and then recoiled in shock.

"Hyung?"

"W-Wait! Where did you come from?!"

Even Lyl, who didn't flinch easily, looked surprised as she turned to Leo.

"My room has a door that connects to anywhere in the dorm."

The door in the student council president’s room would, if opened without thought, lead to a random location.

However, Leo had verified through experimentation that if he thought about a place and opened it, he could go exactly where he wanted.

“Oooh! The authority of the student council president!”

"That's convenient… Wait. Anywhere?"

Eliza's face turned stiff.

"Don't tell me you can get into bathrooms or other people's rooms?"

"No way. Not even Lumene would go that far…"

"Sunbae, you know that's exactly what this school would do."

"…"

Lumene was one of the world's most prestigious educational institutions and yet, at times, it displayed a level of madness to match its reputation.

"Don't worry. I won't use it for anything indecent."

"This school really is crazy."

Eliza looked completely exasperated.

For a moment, she thought of reporting it to the school authorities, but knowing it wouldn’t make a difference, she let out a small sigh.

'Leo Plov. He's not the kind of guy to pull anything indecent anyway.'

She knew Leo well enough after working hard to catch up to him as her goal.

And for that reason, she trusted him.

"So, what brings you here at this ungodly hour before sunrise?"

"I have business with you, Eliza."

"With me?"

Arms folded, Eliza raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. I've received a mission request."

"And?"

"I want to include you in the party."

"Who's the request from?"

"Damien."

"…"

Eliza's expression grew serious.

So did Lyl's, upon hearing the name Damien.

Both instantly sensed that this was no ordinary request.

"Hyung. Don't you need my help too?"

"You're heading out on a mission soon yourself, aren't you?"

"Mmm! I wanted to be of help though!"

Lyl looked slightly disappointed.

"Let's hear the details, then."

"Good. Let's head to my room."

"Your room?"

"Yeah. We're departing tomorrow."

"Only a day to prepare, huh. But curfew's still in effect. Leaving the dorm now would violate the rules."

"Rules exist to be broken, aren't they?"

"Hmph."

Eliza snorted.

"Lyl. Keep this a secret."

"Of course!"

Lyl clenched her fist and nodded firmly.

Leo opened the garden door and stepped back.

Eliza walked through it.

Flash—!

Her surroundings changed—she now stood in a vast, barren room.

"Sit on the sofa and wait. I'll go get the others."

The reason Leo had brought Eliza first was simple—among third years, she woke up the earliest.

Sitting cross-legged with arms folded and eyes closed, Eliza waited for the rest of the party.

Soon, Chelsea appeared with Leo.

"Chelsea, wait here a bit."

"Okay~!"

As Leo disappeared again, Chelsea turned to Eliza.

"What, Eliza?"

"Got a problem with it?"

"Not really."

Chelsea casually sat on the sofa.

"If you and I were picked, then the next must be that guy."

"Yeah. Only that guy."

Guessing who Leo's next pick would be, Chelsea and Eliza waited for Leo to return.

But as time passed and there was no sign of him, they exchanged puzzled looks.

Bang—

“What’s this~ I said I need to sleep. Who drags a lady out at this ungodly hour? Can’t we talk later?”

"Shut it, Eliana Raden."

Came Eliana's whining and Duran's irritated voice.

Leo entered behind them and closed the door.

Apparently in the middle of training, Duran was in workout clothes, dragging Eliana by the scruff toward the sofa.

"What's she doing here?"

"We've got an impurity in the mix."

Chelsea widened her eyes, leaning on the sofa, and Eliza furrowed her brows.

Thud—

Duran casually dropped Eliana next to Chelsea and flopped down onto the opposite sofa.

"Don't ask me. Leo Plov picked her."

At Duran's words, Chelsea shrugged and sat up.

"Sorry to call everyone so early."

"Skip the apology. What's the mission request details, Leo Plov?"

Duran got straight to the point, and Leo scratched his cheek.

"First, we might want to wake Eliana properly."

Seeing her dozing off, Duran snapped his fingers.

Crackle—

Eliana's eyes flew open.

Her hair frizzed from static, she blinked around with suddenly sharp clarity.

It was a gentle electric shock—just enough to clear her head.

'Whoa. When did he get this level of control?'

Leo was silently impressed by Duran's fine aura control.

Then Leo spoke.

"Recently, in the border region of Tartaros in the eastern continent, sightings of monsters have increased. Damien dispatched a survey team to investigate."

Leo explained the request.

"So it's a reconnaissance mission to confirm the surveyors' survival and the presence of a Hero Dungeon?"

Chelsea asked, and Leo nodded.

"Right. That's why I chose all of you for your mobility."

"I get that. But why Eliana Raden?"

"Because I'm faster than all of you!"

Eliana replied proudly, now fully awake.

"Oh?"

Duran gave a dangerous smile, and Eliana quickly hid behind Leo.

"I picked this team because I think it's the best for this mission."

They were certainly the most mobile among the third years.

"What do you all think?"

"Hmph. No reason not to go."

"Sounds like a great experience."

Duran and Eliza replied immediately.

"Of course I'm going!"

Chelsea nodded as if it were obvious.

"Heh. Class rep needs me—how could I refuse?"

'Might even rack up some free mission points. Hehehe.'

Eliana grinned slyly but nodded without hesitation.

"Great. Then spend today preparing for the mission."

Lumene students had to complete several tasks before missions.

First, since they'd miss class, they needed to submit an absence form.

Then came preparations for supplies.

"Leo-oppa, since we're acting as a party, we need a name for the form. What should I write?"

Chelsea asked while filling out the paperwork.

"Can I decide?"

"Hmph. It's your team, so you name it."

At that, Leo glanced at a coat rack in the room.

He looked briefly at the black cloak hanging there, then spoke.

"Arhi. Write the party name as Arhi."

Chelsea's eyes widened.

“You mean ‘Arhi’—as in ‘the beginning’? Come to think of it, class rep, didn’t you say you were going to change your successor nation’s name to that too? So you’re going with that for the party name too?”

"That's not why."

Chelsea shook her head.

"Huh?"

"Arhi was the name of the Great Heroes' party led by Lady Lysinas."

"What?!"

Eliana's eyes went wide.

Duran and Eliza were equally surprised, they hadn't known that fact.

"Chelsea, how do you know that?"

"Well…"

"It was when Lady Luna visited our world. She told me."

Leo answered instead.

"She said the Great Heroes' party was called Arhi."

Hearing this, Duran's expression turned serious.

"Are we even allowed to use such a name lightly?"

Using a name once borne by Great Heroes implied an intention to inherit their will.

To the people of this time, those heroes were sacred.

As candidates who hadn't even taken their first real steps, they hesitated at the weight of the name.

Not only Duran, but Eliza and Eliana felt the same.

Seeing this, Leo spoke.

"I already got permission. But if it still bothers you—"

He looked at the party.

"Then let's become heroes worthy of that name as soon as we can."

"…"

The four were silent for a moment—then each, with resolute expressions, wrote the name "Arhi" in the blank space.

Before they knew it, dawn had broken.

As sunlight poured through the window, Leo murmured to himself:

'This is where it begins.'

The same dazzling sunlight as that morning he had barely reclaimed.

'Your will—I'll make sure it's passed on to the next generation.'