Chapter 80
Editor : Amethyst00
The excitement and fatigue from the school trip hadn’t even worn off by the next day.
The schedule for Lumene’s departments went on as usual.
Most of the first-years, still unable to settle down from the atmosphere, sat through class distracted.
It was just before the last class before lunch ended.
“Everyone, attention. I have an announcement.”
Professor Dreigon, the history professor, gathered the students’ focus.
Once they were attentive, he spoke.
“This afternoon’s schedule has been changed. There will be a joint class across departments. After lunch, gather in the Grand Auditorium of the Hero’s Tower. No exceptions.”
As Dreigon left, the students began murmuring.
“A joint class? We’ve never had joint department classes before.”
Carl rubbed his chin.
“Don’t you think it smells like a new department event?”
Seeing Carl grin, Leo replied.
“Probably. This school never leaves us alone anyway.”
“Leo-oppa! Let’s eat lunch today at a café near the Hero’s Tower!”
“Shall we?”
“Chelsea! Abad is looking for you.”
“Huh?”
At the voice from the back door, Chelsea went over to Abad.
When she returned, she said apologetically,
“Sorry, but I think I’ll have to eat with my brother today.”
“Got it. Enjoy some quiet sibling time.”
“Have a nice lunch.”
As Chelsea went off to lunch with Abad, Carl said,
“Well then, shall we head over toward the Hero’s Tower too? Though it’s a bit intimidating there with all the seniors around.”
The two left the classroom building for the Hero’s Tower.
Within Lumene’s grounds, aside from the student cafeteria, there were many cafés, kiosks, and restaurants lined up.
Of course, unlike the cafeteria, you had to pay, but there wasn’t a bad place among them. Since the food was tasty and varied, students frequented them often.
“I heard getting a spot to open here is crazy competitive.”
Carl looked around at the restaurants near the Hero’s Tower.
“Leo, how about southern cuisine today?”
“Sure.”
“Great! I actually heard there’s a really good southern restaurant near the tower I wanted to try!”
Following Carl, Leo headed toward the famous spot.
As Carl had said, it was packed with customers.
Luckily, a seat had just opened, and Leo and Carl were about to take it when—
“Excuse us.”
“Huh?”
A group of students suddenly cut them off and took the seats.
“Excuse me. We were about to sit there first.”
“Hm?”
At Leo’s words, the students widened their eyes, then burst out laughing.
“Did this first-year just talk back?”
“You’re picking a fight with us? How cute.”
“Wait—white hair, red eyes… this kid’s Leo Plov!”
It was none other than the second-years from the Summoning Department.
Unlike other departments, the Summoning Department’s second-years had a strict seniority hierarchy. They didn’t like Leo, who never even showed his face in their summoning classes.
Of course, Leo wasn’t the type to bat an eye at what upperclassmen thought.
“Arrogant, just like the rumors.”
“What, you think being first-year grade representative makes you special?”
The second-years radiated hostility. Carl gave an awkward laugh.
“Haha, no, it’s fine. We’ll just eat somewhere else. Let’s go, Leo.”
“This is why bumpkins and commoners aren't acceptable. No manners. No respect.”
“Haha.”
Carl forced a smile.
“Leo, let’s just go. Nothing good comes from trouble with upperclassmen—”
Trip!
“Huh?”
Crash!
One of the second-years deliberately stuck out his foot, tripping Carl. As Carl fell, the student tipped a water jug over his head.
“You’d better mind your behavior too. Or you could end up like your friend.”
“Hey, wasn’t that too much? He’s from another department.”
“You think the Magic Department will look after some nameless commoner? He’ll be forced to drop out before the semester ends anyway.”
They snickered among themselves.
“Excuse me.”
Leo gave an apologetic smile to the server, who had frozen mid-step, and then picked up a bowl of soup from the tray.
Splat!
“Guh?!”
Without hesitation, he smashed the steaming bowl across the face of the one who had tripped Carl.
“Oh, sorry. My hand slipped.”
Leo, not looking sorry in the least, pressed the bowl harder into the second-year’s face.
“Gyaaaah!”
The second-year, scalded by hot soup, grabbed his face and screamed.
“Are you insane?!”
“How dare a first-year defy us?!”
The other second-years’ eyes flared with anger.
“Defiance isn’t exactly against school rules, is it?”
Leo smiled coldly.
His aura was so oppressive that the second-years instinctively flinched. But soon, their pride stung, their faces reddened.
“Come outside. You’ll pay dearly for picking a fight with your seniors!”
The situation was about to explode when—
“That’s enough.”
Everyone turned toward a corner of the restaurant.
The second-years immediately snapped to attention.
“U-Ulta-sunbae!”
He was a pale-skinned, light-blond fifth-year male.
Wiping his mouth with a napkin, he looked at the second-years.
“You guys started the fight, didn’t you? If you cause more commotion, as your department senior I can’t just watch. So why don’t you stop it here?”
“Y-Yes, sir! Of course!”
“Understood!”
“Sorry about that. Let’s end it here.”
The second-years, changing attitude instantly, scrambled to apologize and fled the restaurant.
Ulta stood and helped Carl up.
“On behalf of the Summoning Department, I apologize. Sorry about that.”
“It’s fine.”
Carl scratched his head and laughed awkwardly.
Ulta then turned his gaze to Leo.
“Sorry for interfering. No matter how lousy they are, if juniors get beaten to a pulp by first years, it hurts to see as a senior.”
With a meaningful smile, Ulta left the restaurant.
“Who was that?”
“You don’t know Ulta Rygdician? The fifth-year vice president! He’s been Rhys Zerdinger’s rival for all five years! I heard he was away on a mission—when did he get back?” Carl said excitedly.
Leo smirked.
As expected. A fifth-year vice rep being the Pegasus contractor makes sense.
Ulta was the contractor of Pegasus—one of the three great mystical beasts alongside Phoenix and Fairy.
After lunch, as Leo headed toward the Hero's Tower auditorium, Celia approached.
“Leo.”
“Hi, Celia. How was the trip?”
“Of course, it was great.”
She brushed her hair back with a sly smile.
“We swept away the bandits breaking the law in the elven territory.”
Puffing out her chest proudly, Celia then narrowed her eyes.
“Well, compared to what your Class 5 did, it was nothing.”
Since word spread that Class 5 had joint classes with Seiren during the trip, they had become the envy of the entire first year.
“I heard you even met Seiren’s first-year rep? How was it?”
Knowing that Seiren’s rep, Lunia, was from the Lunda family, wielders of Phoenix’s power, Celia was full of curiosity.
“She was ferocious.”
Carl chuckled from the side.
“An elf, ferocious? Hard to imagine it.”
Celia looked intrigued.
As they chatted about the trip, teaching assistants entered the auditorium.
“Alright, everyone! Gather by department!”
The students looked confused.
“Not by class, but by department?”
“Yes. Preparation for the Departmental Tournament begins today.”
“……!”
“……!”
The first-years’ faces paled.
The Departmental Tournament!
Every year, Lumene chose the best department of the grade.
Since it was tied to departmental pride, the tournaments were always fierce, regardless of year.
“Leo! Over here!”
Celia grabbed Leo’s hand.
“Hey! Wait a sec! Why are you dragging Leo away?”
Carl quickly held onto him.
“Why? Because Leo belongs to the Knight Department.”
“What? He’s more Magic Department if you’re being technical! You heard he decoded the Poet of the Star’ spell during the trip, didn’t you?”
“So what?”
Just then, Chelsea rushed over.
“Don’t drag Leo-oppa around without asking!”
“You know what family his mother’s side is from, don’t you?”
“That doesn’t make him a Zerdinger!”
Tension sparked again between Celia and Chelsea.
Meanwhile, everyone’s eyes turned to Leo.
“Leo Plov…”
“A force who shows top-level skills in Knights, Magic, and Summoning alike…”
“We need to recruit him no matter what!”
The departments were at odds over Leo’s placement.
“Anyone can see Leo-doryeong belongs with the Knights, isn't he?.”
“That’s just your Knight bias.”
Chen Xia laughed, while Chloe shook her head.
“Leo Plov. If you’re my rival, then be a proper one—join the Knights.”
“When did he become your rival?” Chelsea snorted at Duran’s pompous declaration.
“Doesn’t matter. He’s in my department.”
“The Knights already have you, Chen Xia, and Duran as top entrants! Adding the year rep too is unfair, don’t you think?”
“And isn’t it rich coming from the Magic Department, who also has two top entrants? Walden! Say something!”
Celia snapped at Walden, who just sat back, uninterested, alongside Abad and Eliza.
“Leo! Choose! Which department are you joining?”
In the end, Celia threw the choice to him.
Leo responded flatly.
“The solution’s simple.”
Once the first-years finished gathering by department, the auditorium buzzed noisily.
Then, three figures appeared on stage.
“Wait—that’s Torua-sunbae!”
“And Jamua-sunbae?”
“Oh! And Ulta-sunbae!”
The fifth-year department leaders of 5th years.
They were true hero candidates, near-heroes in their own right.
Their rare appearance sent excitement coursing through the first-years.
Just then, Torua spotted something.
The first-years were split into four sections: Knights, Magic, Summoning… and one wide, empty space occupied alone by—
“Hey, Leo. Why are you sitting there all by yourself like you’ve been ostracized?”
“Correction, Torua-sunbae.” Leo smirked.
“I’m the one ostracizing the entire year.”