Editor : Amethyst00



The Student Council President's Office at Lumene didn't quite have the same view as the Principal's Office, but it still offered a decent overlook of the classroom buildings.

Carl had dragged a chair over to the window and was sitting cross-legged on it.

With binoculars pressed to his eyes, he kept reaching into the popcorn bucket wedged between his legs with his free hand.

'Crunch—! Crunch! Oh! Freyna won easily, didn't she?'

"Hey! Everyone else is working, and you're just relaxing like it's a vacation!"

"Guh! Gak! Cough!"

Startled by Celia's angry outburst, Carl began choking on his popcorn and pounded on his chest.

Watching this, Chelsea smiled.

"Want me to pound on it for you?"

"Wow, for once we're in sync."

Celia gave a cold smile at that comment.

As Chelsea approached while cracking her knuckles, Carl frantically waved his hand and took a gulp of water.

"Whew! Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not slacking off."

"Then what are you doing?"

"Analyzing the first-years."

"Didn't we already finish assessing the first-years' capabilities? We've even compiled their strengths and weaknesses."

Chloe placed a document on Leo's desk and asked with a puzzled expression.

Carl shrugged.

"We finished evaluating them as hero candidates, yes."

"Huh?"

"But we haven't finished evaluating them as shadows."

The three girls' eyes widened in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"Shadows?"

Chelsea and Chloe looked stunned, while Celia seemed to be piecing things together.

"Almost half of this year's incoming students were originally shadow candidates."

"No wonder. I always thought the combat styles of some of the first-years in the knight department were strange—it's because they were shadow candidates."

Celia nodded in realization and turned to Carl.

"But Carl. When did you find that out? Did Leo or Xia tell you in advance?"

"Nope, I knew from the first day of school."

"What?"

Celia was clearly shocked by Carl's answer.

"I fought some of the first-years on day one, remember? There were a few with some odd movements."

"But you haven't had much direct experience fighting shadows, right?"

"True. But they felt strangely similar to Xia. That's how I figured it out."

The three girls couldn't help but click their tongues in admiration.

Carl's sharp instincts impressed them anew.

"You know, sometimes I really think you're amazing."

"Really?"

Carl scratched his head at Celia's praise.

It was hard for him to gauge just how sharp his observational skills were.

"You really are amazing. Show a little more confidence. You're a full-fledged hero representing us."

"Heh."

As Celia praised Carl, Chelsea suddenly laughed with a smug look.

"What's with that creepy smile?"

Celia frowned.

Chelsea brushed her hair back like Celia often did and said,

"It just sounded really nice hearing you say it—'a hero representing us.'"

Celia's expression turned murderous.

"This Wind Witch is, after all, one of the figures representing Lumene, just like Leo."

"Yeah, yeah. Good for you."

"A hero candidate shouldn't talk to a hero like that! Show some respect. Hero candidate Celia Zerdinger, you're beneath me now."

"Bring it on. I'll smash you right now and prove that I'm not beneath you."

"Hmm."

"What? Scared?"

"No. But if a hero fights a hero candidate recklessly, it's basically bullying. Fine, I'll give you a lesson. Say, 'Please fight me, Miss Hero.'"

"You little brat!"

"Those cheap provocations won't work on me anymore. I'm tall in the future, you know."

Floating cross-legged in the air, Chelsea laughed haughtily as she looked down on Celia.

Infuriated, Celia looked ready to draw her sword.

"Celia, why are you getting so worked up over a joke?"

"Let me go, Chloe! I'm gonna wring that little pest's neck!"

Celia shouted like she was ready to breathe fire, having been provoked.

Carl munched on his popcorn and said,

"Chelsea, is that how you treat your future sister-in-law?"

"Who's my sister-in-law?!"

Chelsea glared at Carl.

As the shouting match escalated, Leo walked into the Student Council Office.

"Everyone's as lively as ever today."

"Leo! Give me a mission worthy of accomplishing a great feat right now! I'll go and complete it!"

Celia grabbed Leo and shook him violently.

Leo, being tossed back and forth, replied blandly,

"If great feats were lying around everywhere, everyone would be heroes."

"Exactly! That's why only special people become heroes! But so what if you become one? I'll still have beaten you to it!"

"KYAAAARGH!"

Provoked, Celia screamed and lunged at Chelsea.

But Leo lifted Celia up by the waist before she could attack.

"Hey! Of all the ways to stop me, why this humiliating one?! Put me down!"

"Ahahahahaha!"

Dangling off the floor, Celia's face turned red as she shouted. Chelsea burst into laughter, pointing at her while clutching her stomach.

"Ow! Owowowowow!"

Then she got her cheek pinched by Leo and screamed.

As Leo easily defused the situation, Chloe turned to Carl and said,

"Carl, don't you think Leo seems really mature sometimes?"

"Yeah."

"Like an old man."

"He is one."

"Huh?"

"Exactly that."

Carl chuckled playfully.

Once the chaos calmed down, Leo sat on the sofa and asked Carl,

"Carl, did you watch all the first-year matches?"

"Of course!"

"We've already talked with Seiren, Azonia, and Damien, so you can head out now."

"Ooooh! Business trip! AHAHAHA!"

Carl stood up with energy and laughed heartily.

But despite the laughter, his face looked somewhat forlorn.

Seeing that, Leo offered a slightly apologetic smile.

"Sorry. Hang in there, Carl."

"No, no. I'm fine! This is part of what I do as a supporter, after all!"

Carl gave a thumbs-up.

At that moment, the Student Council Office door opened, and Elena entered.

"If you're ready, let's head out."

"I'm not ready yet."

"What have you been doing all this time?"

"The first-year matches just finished."

"You should've finished earlier."

"Even if you say that…"

Carl pouted at Elena's unreasonable attitude.

"I'll give you five minutes. Get ready."

Carl trudged out of the office.

"Well then, Leo. We'll be off."

"Thanks for your help."

Elena gave a bright smile and closed the door behind her.

"Are Carl and Elena going on a trip?"

"They're going to observe first-year duels at other schools."

"Why?"

"Carl will be forming the test party. This semester's joint practical assignment is conquering The Book of Shadows."

"The Book of Shadows?"

Chloe's eyes widened in surprise. While all schools had assessed their first-years, none had yet formed hero–shadow parties. Even the matches held today at Lumene between first-years had secretly been between hero candidates and shadow candidates.

"We'll need a fresh analysis. But… is Carl really up to it alone?"

Chloe asked, and Leo tapped the corner of his eye.

"Carl's judgment is solid."

That's why Leo had entrusted him with the task.

"Carl's always buried in work."

"Going with Elena means he'll be bossed around again."

Celia and Chelsea shook their heads.

"Elena really trusts him. I heard she's thinking of making Carl pick the next Vice President."

"Huh?"

At Leo's comment, Chelsea and Chloe's eyes sharpened.

'Oh? Carl gets to choose, huh?'

'Carl…'

Meanwhile—

"Ughhh!"

"What is it?"

Elena looked curiously at Carl, who suddenly shuddered.

"Nothing, just got chills all of a sudden…"

"The weather's cooled down. Be careful not to catch a cold in Seiren especially."

Elena looked at him with concern. Carl gave a sad smile.

"Because if I catch a cold, I can't work, right?"

"Oh? Is that all you think I care about?"

Elena widened her eyes.

"Even if you catch a cold, I'll just give you painkillers and make you keep working. I just said be careful because it'll be more miserable for you."

"……"

Carl gave a sorrowful smile.

'I should've just dropped out instead of moving up to third year…'

bl

Freyna was sulking as she washed a mop.

Since this was punishment cleaning, she wasn't allowed to use her summons.

After finishing the restroom cleaning, she was organizing the tools when Zerev approached.

"Hard at work, huh."

"Hmph."

"You noticed it too, didn't you?"

"Notice what?"

"That today's matches were set up between hero and shadow candidates."

"Hmph."

"Don't act like you don't care."

"Why should I? And why ask me?"

"Because you're the first-year shadow leader."

"Says who?"

"I bet you've figured out exactly which of the first-years are shadows, haven't you?"

Freyna gave Zerev a look of disbelief at being called a leader. But just as he suspected, she had already identified all the shadow-origin students.

With a sigh, she said,

"You're right. Today's duels were all between hero and shadow candidates."

"Damn."

Zerev's uncertain hunch now confirmed, his face showed concern.

"Why?"

"Maybe the school's trying to discriminate based on our background?"

"Are you stupid?"

"What?"

"They've known we were shadow candidates since before we enrolled. You forgot who the principal here is?"

"……"

"If they wanted to discriminate, they would've done it from the start. The fact that our principal came to Lumene probably has something to do with the shadows. That's why there are shadow students even among the second-years."

"What? There are shadows among the second-years?"

Zerev looked shocked—that was news to him.

Clicking her tongue, Freyna finished putting away the tools and said,

"And even if they did discriminate?"

"What?"

She gave a cold smile.

"We've always been treated that way."

"……"

Zerev's face stiffened slightly.

"You came to Lumene without even that much resolve?"

As she spoke cynically, Zerev said,

"But… the Student Council President said there's no big difference between heroes and shadows…"

"Yeah. He really believes that. And he's working hard to make the world like that."

"……"

"But nothing changes overnight."

"But… Chen Xia-sunbae became a hero too…"

"That's because she's special. She was born to be a hero. Wake up."

"……"

"A hero is a hero. A shadow is a shadow."

"Then why did you come to Lumene? Didn't you think you could become a hero?"

"A hero? Pfft. You're really naive. That kind of thing is a privilege for the special few. You're dreaming."

Freyna chuckled.

"I came to Lumene so I could serve my sister more closely."

"Oh dear."

Both Freyna and Zerev flinched.

"Eliza's little sister may have a cute face, but her heart's quite twisted, isn't it?"

Suddenly, between them, Chen Xia appeared with a gentle smile.