Editor : Amethyst00



The entire Seiren is bustling with activity.

The reason is simple.

Students from other Hero Academies will soon be arriving through the warp gate.

The scale isn't that large.

At most, only about ten students from other schools visit Seiren.

Lumene, Azonia, and Damien are all sending their student council presidents.

All of them are students who have achieved the remarkable feat of rising to the rank of hero.

And on top of that, they are individuals hailed as successors to great heroes.

Among them, Leo has a particularly deep connection to Seiren.

He restored and passed on Luna's most beloved magic—the magic of blooming flowers.

He was also recognized directly by Seiren, the school's founder, as a Comet Mage.

Decisively…

"He's Sir Kyle's successor! The man Lady Luna loved!"

The first-years who enrolled this year at Seiren buzzed with excitement.

This year's first-year class at Seiren was distinctly unique.

That's because, until last year, only those who could use star sorcery were allowed to enroll at Seiren.

While dual-class students with overwhelming power, like Lunia and Eiran, were present, the school had always treated aura and summoning as less important than magic.

However, due to various incidents, starting this year, even those who couldn't use magic were allowed to enroll.

Thus, Seiren underwent even more radical reforms than Lumene.

Watching all of this from afar, Lunia furrowed her brow.

"Senior, there's something I'm a bit worried about."

Hardin, the vice president and a senior about to graduate this year, adjusted his glasses and looked at Lunia.

"Don't you think the first-years this year have no sense of rivalry against Lumene?"

Seiren and Lumene have a strong sense of rivalry.

Every year, the Lumeiren Competition is held to determine superiority, and they are very conscious of each other.

But this year's first-years saw Lumene not as a rival to overcome, but only as a partner for harmony.

It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but Lunia was worried about their total lack of fighting spirit.

Hardin responded calmly to Lunia's concern.

"It's not that they don't show it. They actually don't have it."

"If we go into the Lumeiren Competition like this, can we win against Lumene?"

"A total defeat."

"Should I put them through the wringer a bit to instill some grit?"

As Lunia grumbled, Hardin chuckled.

"Why are you suddenly smiling so creepily?"

"You're finally worrying about underclassmen like a proper senior."

Hardin slightly lowered his glasses and looked at Lunia.

"I guess you're starting to understand how I feel."

"You only had to deal with me, but I've got seniors causing trouble too, you know?"

"Well, I had Raynia as my senior."

Lunia recalled Raynia, the former student council president who graduated when Lunia was a first-year.

Indeed, Raynia was quite eccentric, even for a Seiren student.

An unpredictable personality that could explode in any direction.

Unable to refute that, Lunia pouted and grumbled.

Watching her, Hardin said,

"When Leo Plov arrives, ask him about it. He's in his third year as student council president—his advice will help you a lot."

Just as Lunia nodded to that—

Magical energy surged from the warp gate, and two beastkin students appeared.

Lunia stepped forward when she spotted Aru, a white-haired cat beastkin at the front.

Whoosh—!

A fierce snowstorm was blowing.

She figured the weather must be tough for Azonia students who were used to living in desert heat.

'That idiot cat didn't even dress warmly.'

As Lunia frowned and prepared thick clothes—

"Oh! What a refreshing day!"

Aru, with her ears and tail perked up, beamed brightly.

Lunia, who had gone out to greet them as student council president, gave her a dumbfounded look.

"Aren't you cold?"

"Not at all. It's actually nice and cool."

Seeing Aru folding her arms and grinning in satisfaction, Lunia let out a dry laugh.

"I brought these clothes for nothing."

Lunia turned her attention to the student who came with Aru.

Dion Den.

A wolf beastkin and the second-ranked senior in Azonia, right after Aru.

He was also the next vice president of Azonia.

'Just the two of them came? Well, that's typical Azonia.'

Beastkin disliked formalities.

So they must've brought only the necessary people.

As they chatted—

Flash—!

A light flared from the warp gate, and another student emerged.

"It's cold!"

Drianna, arms crossed, trudged out.

Behind her were five Damien students who appeared to be fourth-years.

"Lunia. May I borrow your clothes?"

Drianna asked, shivering despite being quite warmly dressed.

Aru watched them both and commented,

"Pathetic! A fire mage so powerless in the face of cold!"

"What's that? You idiot cat. Did you mistake this weather for the desert?"

Drianna shot back, exasperated, and Dion clicked his tongue.

"She wouldn't listen when I told her to dress warmly."

"I like the cold!"

Aru grinned proudly as Drianna scoffed and put on the clothes Lunia had prepared for Aru.

"Pfft! You look like a kid in adult clothes!"

Aru clutched her stomach, laughing at Drianna whose sleeves flapped loosely.

With a frosty expression, Drianna punched Aru in the ribs.

"Gah!"

Aru tumbled into the snow.

After burying her in it, Drianna examined the clothes Lunia had given her.

"What?"

"Lunia, are these your clothes?"

"Yeah."

"Hm. I feel like I now perfectly know your measurements."

"How do you know something like that!"

"I'm an artist, and you're my model, aren't you?"

"I'm not your model!"

"That's why I've always observed you closely. I had a rough idea by eye, but now that I've worn them, I know exactly."

Being able to deduce someone's body size just by sight and trying on their clothes was impressive.

Though to Lunia, it just felt like a creepy, useless skill.

As Drianna fiddled with the chest area of the clothing, she muttered,

"I knew it'd be average, but it's even more lacking than I imagined."

"Hey."

"Don't be too discouraged. You're still better than that idiot cat. You're average."

At that, Aru emerged from the snow and grabbed Drianna from behind.

Lunia cracked her knuckles.

"Hold her tight. I'm going to hit her in the stomach."

"The solar plexus. Aim for the solar plexus."

"Don't worry. I'll hit that too."

"Go for it. You'll just hurt your hand."

Watching from a distance, Eiran asked Hardin nervously,

"Senior Hardin… Shouldn't we stop them?"

"Why?"

"Um… Lunia is the student council president. Shouldn't she maintain some dignity?"

"It's fine."

Hardin smiled.

"Everyone knows her true nature by now."

Seeing how calm he was, Eiran looked sympathetic.

'Senior Hardin has truly reached enlightenment.'

Hardin had long since let go of the hope that Lunia would become a proper honors student.

"So what if she's a little embarrassing? She's still one of Seiren's finest students."

He smiled gently as he watched Lunia.

"Ah! You damned dwarf! You just tried to bite me! Are you the idiot cat now?!"

As the three continued bickering, Hardin's face grew more rigid.

"Ugh…"

He pulled out antacid from his pocket and swallowed it.

"Once I graduate, I won't have to see this anymore…!"

Grinding his teeth, Hardin muttered while Eiran thought,

'He hasn't reached enlightenment after all.'

Just then— The warp gate pulsed again, and the Lumene students arrived.

Leo silently observed his friends rolling in the snow.

Elena, who had arrived with him, looked on with amused interest.

Lunia and Aru scrambled to their feet in a hurry.

Drianna calmly said, "I'm the victim here."

"Really?"

"Yes. In that sense, please pose nude for me."

"Hm."

At the sudden request, Elena tilted her head.

But in typical Elena fashion, she wasn't fazed at all.

Instead, she smiled and responded smoothly.

"That'll cost you."

"How much?"

"About a quarter of the Damien Academy's shares?"

"Hm…"

Drianna looked genuinely thoughtful.

A fourth-year Damien student asked nervously,

"Hey. What are you thinking about?"

"If you'd lower it to a fifth, that might be feasible under student council authority…"

"Hey!"

"You lunatic!"

The Damien fourth-years freaked out and tackled Drianna.

"Guys! We can get Elena Zeron nude for just one-fifth of the academy! That's a bargain!"

"Shut your insane mouth!"

"Do you really think selling off academy shares for something that vulgar makes any sense?!"

"Vulgar? This is a sacred act! It's art!"

"Art, my ass!"

The furious voices of Damien's fourth-years echoed.

Elena smiled and said, "These guys are totally ruining your image as great heroes, huh, Leo?"

Lunia and Aru looked like they wanted to crawl into a hole.

Leo said as he watched them,

"Not really."

"Huh? Defending your friends?"

Elena asked, eyes wide, and Leo smirked.

"There's no honor to ruin in the first place."

"Oh."

Elena looked genuinely sorry.

"Well, it's not quite what I imagined."

"That's how we grow up."

Elena smiled at Leo's words.

Then she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Get off. You're heavy."

"You're strong. Why are you complaining?"

Elena half-closed her eyes and said,

"By the way, about what we just talked about."

"The nude modeling?"

"Yeah, that."

Wearing a seductive smile, Elena whispered into Leo's ear.

"You know, right?"

"Know what?"

Elena pouted as Leo pinched her cheek.

Letting her go, Leo turned to Lunia.

"Lunia. Please lead the way."

"Sure. Alright everyone! That's enough! Follow me, I'll guide you to your lodgings!"

Lunia took control of the situation.

Thus, the students of Lumene, Azonia, and Damien were welcomed by Seiren students and moved to their lodgings.

bl

A small and beautiful boy stared at the man before him with trembling eyes.

The man was short.

He was a dwarf—naturally, he was.

But to the boy, this dwarf seemed enormous.

"Sir… Dweno…"

With a face full of awe, the boy spoke the name of the great hero he admired.

It was a miracle.

Dweno looked at the boy seriously and said, "You."

"Yes, Sir Dweno!"

"Would you consider being a nude model?"

"Gyaaahhh!"

A beautiful dwarf, tormented by a terrible nightmare, jolted awake.

Panting, Damien grabbed his head and looked around.

'Where…?'

He was sure he'd been fighting the primordial evil.

Caught in an endlessly repeating struggle.

But now his consciousness had awakened in a different place.

'…Somewhere in my records.'

Damien quickly assessed the situation.

His own memories—records—that could serve as an opening for Erebos to escape.

'I have to seal it quickly.'

Just as Damien frowned in concern—

"Ugh."

Someone stirred beside him.

Turning his head, Damien's face stiffened.

There was a familiar sleeping face.

"Azon… ia?"

With that thought, Damien quickly grasped the situation.

"You've got to be kidding me…"

A curse escaped his lips.

Then—

Azonia opened her eyes.

Her hazy expression sharpened instantly.

Moments later—

Their eyes met. Azonia paused, then asked,

"Just to be sure…"

"Shut it. Don't say anything indecent."

"Did we… sleep together just now?"

"You son of a—… Wait. Just now?"

"Your reaction tells me everything."

Azonia also quickly understood the situation.

"You're the real one too, huh? Not a memory?"