Editor : Amethyst00



Late at night.

Leo, walking down the eerie dormitory hallway, arrived at the section where portraits of graduates were displayed.

Numerous portraits lined the hallway.

All of them were graduates of Lumene.

Usually, students whose portraits are hung on school walls have brought great honor to the school.

These individuals too, after graduating from Lumene, had shown heroic qualities.

However, they hadn't succeeded in bringing renown to the school.

They never rose to the status of heroes nor had their names etched in history.

No matter how exceptional their abilities were.

Even if they had lived noble lives based on those abilities.

Even if they saved many through noble sacrifice.

Without accomplishments, it was not easy to be remembered for long.

Because most people only remember the victors.

The owners of these portraits had all met their ends before realizing their potential.

They might not have brought glory to the school, but—

They had never forgotten the Hero's Headquarters and met their end with dignity.

To ensure their deaths were not in vain—

To show future students that such great seniors once existed, Lumene displayed their portraits within the school.

When the dormitory was restructured, this hallway of portraits was created as a space to honor and remember these seniors.

"It's kind of creepy coming here at night."

Eliana said, hiding behind Leo.

Chelsea, standing beside Leo, recalled how the portraits had all seemed to look at her simultaneously just moments ago.

She shivered and stepped closer to Leo.

Then she reached out and gently tugged on the hem of his clothes.

Watching this, Eliana muttered,

"Ugh. Since when do you act all dainty?"

"Huh? Who said I was acting dainty?"

Squeeze—!

Tap tap tap—

"Surrender, surrender! I misspoke!"

As Chelsea came up from behind and put her in a headlock, Eliana hastily tapped Chelsea's forearm.

After being released, Eliana gasped for breath.

Step, step—

Leaving the two behind, Leo walked to the center of the hallway.

Chelsea and Eliana quickly followed him.

Standing in the middle, Leo used a light magic spell to illuminate the portraits and began inspecting them carefully.

'I don't sense anything suspicious…'

While scanning the portraits, Leo suddenly paused when he spotted one from the Knight Department.

"Chelsea."

"Yeah?"

"This armor. Isn't it the same armor from earlier?"

Chelsea widened her eyes and examined the knight in the portrait, who wore a stern expression.

"Oh? The shoulder design is the same!"

She clapped her hands in surprise.

"Let's see… Class of 991… That means this senior graduated about 2000 years ago."

Leo was in the Class of 3021.

So, as Chelsea said, this was a senior from roughly two millennia ago.

Hearing their conversation, Eliana also widened her eyes.

"Look at this! This mage! Isn't that the red cape we saw earlier?"

Just as she said, the graduate in the portrait was wearing a red cape.

"This one's a Class of 992 graduate."

Apparently, the spirits that had been summoned were from the same era.

"That confirms it. Leo summoned the spirits of the seniors."

"But, class president—what kind of spirit were you trying to summon that those great seniors showed up instead?"

Eliana asked with a puzzled expression.

"A con artist."

"Huh? A con artist?"

Eliana looked confused.

Unlike her, Chelsea immediately understood what Leo meant and gasped.

"No way… Ly—mmph!"

She cut herself off, covering her mouth.

Eliana tilted her head at the sight.

"'Ly'? Ly what?"

She narrowed her eyes.

"You know something, don't you?"

"I really don't."

As Chelsea feigned innocence, Eliana pouted.

"What is it? That's so unfair! Leaving me out like that."

Though she didn't press further, her feelings were clearly hurt.

While Chelsea looked troubled seeing Eliana's disappointed face—

"Hey Eliana, want a cookie?"

Leo pulled a cookie from his pocket.

"You think I'll be consoled by just this?"

She pouted, snatched the cookie, and took a crunchy bite.

"Mmm? It's Professor Mel's handmade cookie!"

Humming contentedly, she beamed in delight.

'Thank goodness she's simple,' Chelsea sighed internally.

Meanwhile, Leo brushed his hand across the portraits of the summoned spirits.

"John Fredis. Elisa Roan."

The moment Leo murmured their names, his mana reacted.

At the same time, the locations of the two spirits became clear to him.

'Did saying their names establish a pseudo-contract?'

It wasn't a formal pact, but knowing the name of a summoned spirit allowed for a temporary bond.

After confirming their locations, Leo said, "Let's go."

At his words, Chelsea and Eliana followed.

The bloodied armored knight, John, scoffed as he looked at the mage and summoner before him.

"Hmph. Are you wandering this world as spirits out of lingering regrets? You both look pathetic."

It was true.

Elisa had no head, and the other summoner—

Redin Sugmer, the most senior summoner graduate present—was missing his lower half.

At John's sarcasm, Elisa retorted with a sneer.

"I could say the same to you. At least we have bodies—you're practically dust!"

Redin chimed in,

"Why are you all so proud? Fools. You ran from a mere fledgling student."

John and Elisa protested.

"That kid was the one who summoned us!"

"Exactly! If we weren't careful, the summoning could've been undone and we would've vanished."

Redin smirked.

"Then why not persuade the student? We're still vastly senior to them."

"You think modern kids listen to us?"

"Right. You were summoned in the garden so you didn't see, but this place is nothing like it was 2000 years ago."

Redin's eyes twitched.

"How is it different?"

"They talk back even to seniors from the same department."

Redin clicked his tongue.

"Tsk, tsk. Kids these days… They don't know how to respect their elders. Sneaking off for romantic trysts at dawn, no less."

"Oh my!"

Elisa reflexively tried to clutch her cheeks.

But with no head, her hand swung through empty air.

"Romance? In a sacred school?! Back in my day, such a thing was unthinkable! Disgraceful!"

John looked appalled, and Redin pounded the floor with his hand.

"Even worse—a lowly magic department student!"

"I can't tolerate that. A romance with someone from a lesser summoner department?"

"What did you just say?"

Redin narrowed his eyes, but Elisa didn't flinch.

Not that she had any eyes to narrow.

"Anyway, the one who summoned us—isn't he the current student council president?"

"Yes."

"A summoner student council president, huh. Then I'll talk to him."

"We couldn't get through to him. Why would you be any different?"

Redin curled his lips.

"Do you think all presidents are equal? I'm not some low-level knight or magician like you."

John raised his sword.

"I think I'll cut out your tongue instead of your legs."

"I agree. Maybe I'll just roast it—bet it's greasy enough to burn well."

As the three spirits growled at each other—

Bang—!

"Stop right there, evil spirits!"

The door slammed open as Eliana burst in.

"If they're not ghosts, nothing to be scared of—"

Before she could finish, John hurled his helmet at her head.

Thunk—!

"Ugh?!"

"You disrespectful brat! Do you not realize we are your seniors? You've clearly learned no chivalry from that magic nonsense!"

He shouted, but the reckless Eliana, who always charged in headfirst, was knocked out cold.

And since the helmet wasn't materialized until the moment of impact, she hadn't been able to defend herself.

"When is this charging idiot going to fix that habit?"

Chelsea poked the unconscious Eliana with her staff.

Elisa looked at Chelsea and spoke.

"Hey junior, could you tell your student council president to show us seniors some respect?"

"Yes, yes. We were council presidents of Lumene 2000 years ago, you know. Chasing away your seniors is very rude."

As John nodded beside her, Chelsea blinked her big eyes.

'Wow. Such boomers.'

It was like dealing with her elders who were obsessed with manners.

But unfortunately, they had picked the wrong target.

"Uh… Leo is actually your senior. He's older than even Lumene himself."

In a way, he was the origin of all existing heroes.

"A junior magic brat making up legends, huh?"

Redin sneered.

"It's not a joke."

The one who replied was Leo, stepping forward.

Seeing him, John and Elisa flinched, but Redin held his ground.

"You're the current student council president who summoned us?"

"So what?"

"So what? That's a disrespectful tone. I'm your senior."

"…How old were you when you died?"

"Twenty-three."

"Why do you sound like a grandpa then?"

Leo gave him a look of disbelief.

Redin snapped.

"How dare you! I died in my prime! Kneel and apologize at once!"

Leo smiled.

Seeing that, Chelsea spoke.

"Excuse me, sirs."

"What?"

"Just some advice—Leo is the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle."

"What? I thought Kyle was just a legend?"

"He hates hearing that, so don't say it out loud. It's best for your health to treat him with utmost respect."

Before Chelsea even finished, Leo grabbed one of Redin's arms and yanked it.

"Think you can still crawl around with one arm?"

"AAAAAAAH?!"

Redin screamed in agony.

"Leo doesn't go easy on people who act up."

Chelsea said honestly, rubbing her still-sore butt from when Leo almost burned her alive during their first meeting.

Even if they threatened her, they were still great seniors.

It hurt a little to see them in such a pitiful state.

bl

In front of the chessboard, Chloe sat with a tense expression.

If this was one of Leo's puzzles—

It would surely be highly difficult.

As Chloe sat down, swish—

A human silhouette formed in the chair opposite her.

Chloe flinched at the sight.

No face—just a shadowy human figure.

From the body shape, it appeared to be female.

And even without facial features, it was clear she'd be very beautiful.

Her straight posture gave off an intellectual air.

As they faced each other—

Clatterclatterclatter—!

The chess pieces floated and automatically arranged themselves.

White pieces in front of Chloe.

Just as she reached to move her piece—

Click—!

The black pawn moved first.

Chloe panicked.

"Um… white's supposed to go first…"

The silhouette lifted her head.

"If black moves first, that's a rule violation. That's an automatic loss."

Hearing that, the opponent tipped her own king over with a flick.

'…That's it?'

Chloe was stunned by the abrupt ending.

Then—

The black silhouette reset the board.

Then—

Swoosh—!

The board spun halfway around.

Now black was in front of Chloe.

Click—!

The opponent moved a white piece.

'Ah, this must be the real match.'

Despite the strangeness, Chloe moved her piece.

A short time later—

"Checkmate."

She easily won.

Chloe blinked, surprised by her opponent's weak level.

Tap-tap-tap—

The shadow reset the pieces by hand.

Then moved white again.

Chloe played seriously again and won.

They repeated this about ten times.

She thought it might get harder with each round—but the opponent had no real skill.

Only enough to understand basic movement.

To Chloe, Lumene's current chess champion, she was no match.

Click—

As Chloe won the 11th time—

Fwoosh—!

The shadowy figure flipped the board. And kicked Chloe out of the room.

Chloe landed on her butt and gaped at the door.

Slam—!

The black silhouette slammed the door shut—and it vanished.

Chloe sat stunned.

"W-what the heck was that?!"