Editor : Amethyst00



Chelsea and Chloe stared blankly at Carl.

To both of them, Carl was one of their closest classmates.

For Chelsea, they'd been in the same class during their first year and often hung around with Leo.

For Chloe, they had always sat together in nearly every magic class alongside Leo.

Considering Leo's presence, Carl was arguably their closest and most familiar friend—even closer than Leo in some ways.

Leo was the one who always led from the front. A dazzling figure they couldn't help but admire.

A presence they had to chase after with all their might. Someone they wished to stand equal with someday.

Carl, on the other hand, had always been the one standing behind them—supporting them from the rear. And that was precisely why they could be so at ease around him and treat him without pretense.

Because of that, both Chelsea and Chloe thought they knew Carl well.

Which is why they now stared at him with dumbfounded expressions.

Carl's face was the same as always. That familiar, kindly smile spread across his lips.

'Did Carl… really just…'

'…curse? Did he actually say that?'

Ask any third-year who had the most easygoing, friendly personality among their peers, and the answer would unanimously be Carl.

By default, he was kind to everyone.

Charming, sociable, and even when faced with people who disliked him, he never stopped smiling.

He didn't care if he was insulted or mocked—he laughed it off effortlessly.

He never made enemies if he could help it.

That was the Carl they knew.

Even when Emio was still attending Lumene and constantly picking fights, Carl had never risen to the bait.

In fact, it was Carl's unflappable attitude that often infuriated Emio even more.

And now, that Carl had just sworn.

And not just any curse—he'd spat out something incredibly crude.

It wasn't strange, then, that Chelsea and Chloe questioned their own hearing.

"Were you talking to me just now?" Zephard asked in disbelief.

"Is there another mutt in heat around here besides you?"

Carl replied with the same calm smile, his tone razor-sharp.

"You little—! Do you have a death wish?! How dare you say that to—!"

Before Zephard could finish, Emio stormed toward Carl and grabbed him by the collar in fury.

But the moment he did, Carl's smile vanished.

He looked at Emio coldly.

That sudden change made Emio flinch without realizing it.

"Let go," Carl said flatly.

"…What?"

"I'm counting to three. One. Two."

"You bastard! Think you can do whatever you—"

"Three."

THUD!

Without waiting, Carl swept Emio's legs and twisted his body, grabbing his neck and slamming him down hard.

Thud! Crack!

"Guhk?!"

The impact drove the wind out of Emio's lungs.

Carl pressed a knee into Emio's back, pinning him without hesitation.

Emio, face twisted with rage, began to raise his mana— But Carl was faster.

A dagger was already drawn from beneath his sleeve, its cold edge pressed against Emio's throat.

"Use your mana, and I'll stab you."

Carl's chilling killing intent made Emio grit his teeth.

"A mage using cowardly tricks…!"

"And you're a soldier whining about cowardice in a fight? What, you planning to ask for a fair duel on a battlefield?"

Carl's scorn cut deeper than the blade.

Emio was left speechless.

"I get that you've always looked down on me. I even understand why you're bitter about getting expelled from Lumene. I mean, magically, I couldn't hold a candle to you."

Carl's voice lowered as his expression darkened.

"But if you're here to serve your master, you should act the part. Or is it that your master's such a dog that you've become one too? Who gave you the right to bark that filth at my friend?"

Carl's gaze shifted to Zephard.

And under that chilling stare, Zephard went pale and instinctively ducked behind his attending knight.

"Y-you dare?! Do you even know who I am?! You're just a lowborn peasant threatening the crown prince of the Gedwan Kingdom!"

Carl gave a dry chuckle.

"It's always the useless ones who hide behind titles. So, what if you're a crown prince? I'm a Hero with my name recorded in the Hero Records. What about you, Your Highness? What's your greatest achievement—being born lucky?"

"You insolent cur! How dare you throw such vulgar insults—like some back-alley scoundrel—at me!?"

Prince Zephard's face turned beet red.

Chelsea and Chloe continued to stare at Carl with dazed expressions. It wasn't just Carl's anger that felt unfamiliar—it was the words he used. They were far removed from the speech style they were used to.

But for Carl, who had been born into a family of alchemists and spent his early childhood playing in the marketplaces among commoners, those words were second nature. As he matured and entered more noble-dominated spaces thanks to his recognized talent, he had gradually polished his speech.

Yet seeing his friend insulted had clearly popped the lid off that refined exterior.

Still trembling, Zephard screamed at his attendants.

"What are you doing?! Bring that insolent commoner to his knees before me!"

If it had been any other Hero, such an order would've been unthinkable. Even the most arrogant princes knew better than to provoke a Hero.

But when it came to Carl, they weren't overly concerned.

The moment Carl's name was added to the Hero Archives, academia had exploded with research papers analyzing him.

His academic performance at Lumene was public knowledge— especially in the magic department, his grades were among the lowest.

By raw combat power alone, he was below average.

So when that Carl rose to Hero status, no one in the scholarly world could ignore it.

Leo, despite being unprecedented, still made sense. His long list of accomplishments and unmatched strength justified the title.

But Carl? He was different.

The most anomalous Hero in the entire 5000-year history of the Age of Heroes.

That was Carl Thomas—The Herald of the Beginning.

As more researchers tried to understand him, Carl's combat capabilities became widely known.

So it was only natural that many people underestimated him— especially those who viewed Heroes as simply powerful warriors.

Prince Zephard was one of those people.

As his attendants began to move, Chelsea and Chloe instinctively stepped forward.

There was no point in trying to de-escalate now. The crowd's attention had long since turned to them, and Zephard clearly wanted a fight.

Just as they were about to act—

"Don't step in. I'll handle this myself."

Carl's calm voice stopped them.

Chelsea blinked.

"Whoa. That was kinda cool."

"Hah. I can be cool sometimes."

Carl grinned back, business as usual.

But Emio let out a snort of derision.

"So you've become a Hero and now you think the world revolves around you?! Carl Thomas! You think we'd be intimidated by your pathetic reputation?!"

Carl narrowed his eyes at Emio… and then without hesitation, thrust the dagger at Emio's neck.

"Gghk?!"

Emio clutched at his throat, choking, frozen in shock.

The oncoming attendants also froze, eyes wide.

Then Carl, with perfect timing, stabbed his dagger into his own palm— or so it seemed.

"Relax. It's a toy."

He showed the dagger—its blade had retreated inward like a prop. The hilt had sunk harmlessly against his hand.

Leaving Emio stunned in place, Carl got up with a casual shrug.

"Yeah, my magic is trash. I'm not even close to Chloe or Chelsea. Probably not even you."

He scratched the back of his neck.

"But combat ability isn't determined by magic grades. Not saying I'm stronger than Chelsea or Chloe, of course."

He glanced at Emio, who was scrambling to his feet with a look of wounded pride.

"But someone like you? Expelled in your second year? I can handle you just fine, Emio Luchan."

"You bastard!"

Head-on, Carl wouldn't stand a chance against Emio. But only fools charge into a fight with no plan.

Whether through exploiting a weakness or laying a trap, there were countless ways to decide a battle—and Carl excelled at every one of them.

Tricks?

Sure. Call them that.

But if tricks keep you alive, what's the problem?

Even Lysinas acknowledged Carl's ability to read the flow of battle and assess situations precisely.

And Carl had watched—watched countless legendary fights. He had learned.

Even if his power was lacking, his presence on the battlefield could turn the tide.

It was a truth Carl himself didn't like to admit, but when he was serious—Carl was strong.

Just as the tension in the air reached its peak—

"Oh my~? Since when did our dear little Carl get so gallant?"

A cheerful voice rang out.

Clack. Clack. Clack.

For a moment, it was as if time had stopped.

The atmosphere shifted completely as Elena entered the scene, effortlessly becoming the center of attention.

Everyone turned, as if spellbound, to gaze at her.

"Today was supposed to be such a nice day," Elena said sweetly, her smile radiant like the spring sun.

But then—

"But you lot really know how to ruin it, don't you?"

Her smile curled, mischief gleaming behind it. Yet even that impish grin was breathtaking.

Her overwhelming beauty made even that expression feel lovable.

Prince Zephard felt his heart squeeze. He'd have given up his liver and spleen just to make that smile return.

But those who knew Elena understood one thing above all else—

When her face turned mischievous like that, it meant death was near.

The capricious Queen of Lumene.

If she said she wanted your guts to brighten her mood, you'd best start preparing to hand them over.

That was Elena ZĂ©ron.

"You bastards really ruined my day."

"Gah—!"

Elena's eyes gleamed with magic.

Zephard's body suddenly floated into the air.

"Y-you can't…! D-do you even know who— guhk!"

"And who the hell are you, exactly?"

"Th-the crown p-prince… of the G-Gedwan Kin— khuok!"

"Gedwan? And? So what?"

Her voice was emotionless, cold as a blade.

Zephard's face turned pale.

"Miss Elena! We were only here to meet Leo Plov— guhhak!"

"Miss? Did I say you could call me that? You're not even a Lumene student. You have no right."

Her eyes shimmered with a frightening light.

"And what was that? You tried to seduce a Lumene student and then asked to meet the student council president? Are you stupid or something?"

The Gedwan attendants were also swiftly subdued. As the three students stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do—

"You're all getting demerits."

Leo appeared. Chelsea, Chloe, and Carl all flinched.

"Chloe."

"Hm?"

"What do you want me to do?"

Chloe glanced toward Leo and replied, "I'll handle my own anger, thank you."

Leo gave a nod, then glanced at Zephard.

"But looks like I won't need to step in."

"Eh?"

"Yeah. Doesn't seem like Elena's planning to leave anything for me."

Chloe scratched her cheek with a small smile.

Leo chuckled as he turned to Elena.

"As expected… Nothing beats one rabid dog dealing with another."