Chapter 127

127.

Opening Ceremony.

The students were lined up by grade, but only the first-year students stood with particularly grim faces.

The second-year students standing next to the first-years looked on curiously at their expressions.

“What’s their problem?”

“Apparently, they were put through their paces on the first day of the new semester.”

“Just being pushed around a bit on opening ceremony day and they’re like this? They were hyped up as the golden generation, but they’re nothing special.”

“I heard that the vice-principal did it herself.”

“What? The vice-principal?”

The second-year students who had been mocking the first-years from nearby were now startled.

The vice-principal.

Even to the senior students, she was a figure shrouded in mystery.

When the second-years heard the story about how the vice-principal herself had trained the first-years, they felt resentment.

“Is this some kind of special treatment for the first-years?”

“It’s discriminatory. I’m gonna be miserable going to school.”

During the break, no matter where you went, everyone was talking about the first-year students of Lumeran.

In the midst of all this, it was naturally the second-years, who were one grade senior, who were being held as the comparison.

Upon hearing that the vice-principal had trained the first-years, it seemed like only the juniors were getting special treatment, and discontent started to spill over among the second-years.

On the other hand, Leo was changing into his year representative uniform inside the waiting room.

The other representatives from different grades had not yet arrived, so Leo was alone in the waiting room.

Just as he finished changing and stepped out of the dressing room:

“So, you don’t like Elena, huh?”

“Senior Harc, you’re from one of the Three Noble Houses, right? You should just borrow the power of your family like Senior Elena.”

“Like I’d do something so embarrassing.”

Second-year Lil and fourth-year Harc entered the waiting room.

“Leo! How was your break?”

Upon spotting Leo, Lil smiled widely.

“Yes.”

“Your performance in the inter-class tournament left a deep impression! Sandwiched between brilliant seniors and juniors. I must really be unlucky.”

“Tsaaaah,” Lil sighed deeply, causing Harc to shake his head at him.

“What are you saying? Number one in the second year, unwavering.”

As the grade representative, Lil considers himself too ordinary, but Lil has been a student whose position has never been threatened since entering the academy.

First in the written exam, first in the practical test.

First in various combat evaluations and mission assessments. A one-hundred percent success rate in the Hero’s World strategy; he’s a top student setting astonishing records.

There hasn’t been a single student among the senior years who has maintained their grade’s top spot like Lil.

Ris competed fiercely with Urta, and Harc and Elena gave up their grade leader positions to other students for short periods.

Unlike them, Lil alone has continued to monopolize the grade leader position long-term.

In other words, he’s a solid wall.

“So, you know that the students call you a monstergirl, right?”

“Senior Harc! Why are you bringing up such a strange nickname in front of Leo?”

As Lil made a grimace, Harc chuckled and tousled his hair.

Lil, who always gives his best in everything, is also beloved by his senior grade leaders.

Even Harc, who doesn’t usually care much for others, would often tease Lil.

Seeing Lil, Harc burst out laughing.

“Really sleeps a lot, doesn’t he?”

“Exactly.”

Upon Leo’s remark, Lil sighed deeply. Of course, Leo could see past Harc’s act of being a simple sleepyhead.

‘The Ora attribute is accumulation. Such a rare attribute,’

Accumulation attribute.

An ability that stores power during regular times and unleashes it all in battle.

‘He really does sleep a lot it seems, though.’

While Leo mumbled to himself, Lil quickly interjected, his face turning red.

“Leo! The monstergirl nickname is something the seniors came up with to tease me! I have a proper nickname called ‘The Gale Spirit Master’…”

Just as Lil was trying to shake off the strange image painted on him and be a solid and cool senior in front of his juniors:

“The Gale Spirit Master is too ordinary, isn’t it?”

Elena, who had entered the waiting room, smiled widely and floated towards Lil.

She then embraced Lil’s head.

Lil stiffened like a mouse in front of a snake.

Watching her junior like this, Elena giggled and continued,

“So, monstergirl fits you perfectly.”

Seeing himself teased by Elena, Lil made a miserable face.

As she patted Lil, who thought of himself being teased, Elena turned towards Leo and said:

“Leo-kun, I heard about you during the break. Weren’t you at Azonia’s opening ceremony?”

At her words, Lil widened his eyes and looked at Leo.

“My junior is amazing, isn’t he? No matter where he goes, he causes unusual incidents. Is he considered a big shot?”

Eyeing Leo with interest, Elena made Lil hold his breath.

Elena has an unpredictable personality.

While she’s called the Queen of Lumeran, she’s also referred to as a witch.

An unpredictable person, she’s famously harsh in her evaluations of others.

‘Precisely speaking, she looks down on those she doesn’t recognize.’

As far as Lil remembers, the only student Elena evaluated as a “big shot” was Ris Zerdinger.

Her pink eyes shining with a smile were a stunning sight, even to another woman like Lil.

However, Leo simply smiled coolly in response.

“It’s an honor to be seen kindly.”

Watching Leo’s calm smile, Elena squinted her eyes.

“Leo-kun, I heard you wanted to ask me for a favor?”

“Yes.”

“Perhaps I’ll grant your wish now. In exchange.”

Elena smiled broadly.

“Would you do a favor for me then?”

‘What favor is Leo asking from Senior Elena?’

Just as Lil was alternating his gaze between Leo and Elena,

“Alright, now you’re pestering the first-years?”

Harc, who had been lying down, stood up with a cold gaze towards Elena, mask in hand.

“Harc, don’t worry about it.”

Even though her face was smiling, her eyes weren’t.

Harc Liguard.

One of the few students capable of standing up to Elena, called the Queen of Lumeran.

While the Jeroon family has been running the board of directors for Lumeran for a long time, the Liguard family has ruled over Rumelia City.

As an heir to one of the three great families of Lumeran, Harc was on equal footing with Elena.

Seeing the two seniors glaring at each other, Lil flustered to say,

“Senpai! Fighting is not allowed!”

“Right. What’s the problem making a scene in front of the juniors?”

A man lent his strength to Lil’s words, none other than the student council president, Ris.

With Ris’ appearance, Elena reverted to her usual composed self. She smiled at Leo once and gently pushed Lil’s back.

“Lil, let’s prepare.”

“We can’t do strange things like before.”

“Watch what you do.”

Lil sighed deeply and went into the changing room.

“Harc, let’s prepare.”

“Understood, Senpai.”

Ris went in first and as Harc followed, he looked at Leo and said,

“Leo Flove, right?”

“Yes.”

“Watch yourself a little.”

“?”

Harc made a pained expression.

“That person has a tendency to see others as toys from a young age.”

“Got it. She’s unpredictable.”

“That’s correct. The problem arises when there’s a ‘special toy.'”

Harc sighed.

“She generally gets bored quickly, so normally nothing serious happens. Since it seems she’s interested in you, you should be careful.”

“Thank you for the advice.”

“Exactly. Anyway, I also place my expectation on you.”

Harc grinned at Leo.

“Expectations?”

“That’s right. Talented juniors are always welcome.”

With that, Harc entered the changing room.

Leo once again realized how many people were paying attention to him.

Until the first semester, people were mainly watching Leo out of curiosity, but now this attention had turned into acknowledgment.

‘From now on, Tartarus will also likely start paying attention to me.’

Being in the same top class as Kyle and already beginning to display unusual actions, Leo would be a figure of suspicion to Tartarus.

‘The traitor within Lumeran might directly harm me.’

Leo took a deep breath.

‘From now on, I need to stay sharp.’

*

After the opening ceremony ended, the first-years immediately moved towards their classes.

While typical schools usually take it easy on the first day back after break, Lumeran started classes without a break.

The first lesson, without a doubt, was Heroics.

Gathering by classes in the lecture hall after a while, each first-year student wore an exhausted expression.

It was the aftereffect of the “Nightmare” curse.

It was then.

“Everyone! Long time no see! Did you spend your vacation well… Oops!”

Artian tripped over her leg with her usual cheerful smile while entering the lecture hall.

She remained awkwardly the same as the first year, fumbling around.

Of course, the first-years who vividly remembered Artian’s terrifying nature didn’t even think about laughing but instead tensed up.

Groaning while standing in front of the lecture hall, Artian smiled brightly.

“Did you rest well during the break? I’ve been counting down the days to meet you all again!”

At her words, some students looked touched.

Undoubtedly, Professor Artian was a scary teacher.

But her attitude towards students was sincere.

Because of this, despite her terrifying nature, she was very popular among the students.

“Hmm? You all feel that way too.”

Artian suddenly began talking to herself.

She was communicating with the spirits with whom she had contracted.

“My spirits were also longing to meet all of you!”

“Really?”

“Even the spirits like us despite their harsh talk!”

The original perpetrator of Artian’s terror. Upon hearing that the spirits missed the students, they became ecstatic.

Getting fond of them while getting beaten.

“Yes! They were certain that some students must have rushed through their Heroics homework and were eagerly waiting for this day to punish them!”

Watching Artian’s innocent smile, the students’ faces turned stiff.

Artian, who was innocently telling the spirits’ story, eventually became embarrassed and went to the corner to admonish the spirits.

“Everyone! The kids are scared! How can you say such things?”

Seeing this, Kal spoke up.

“I really worked hard on my Heroics homework.”

“Me too.”

Teid sighed deeply.

After calming the spirits, Artian cleared her throat and stood back in front of the podium.

“In any case, submit your homework after the class. Today’s lesson is about the issues in the Heroics academic field during the holidays!”

Hearing Artian’s words, the students looked puzzled.

“Heroics academy field has new issues?”

“Could it be, a new Hero Dungeon discovered?”

“Or maybe some Hero relics were unearthed.”

Issues in the Heroics academic world could be major events that might alter the world’s situation.

“Certainly, you all will be shocked! Everyone knows that during the Azonia entrance ceremony, a page of [Brave] Aron’s scroll, which has never been cleared until now, was conquered.”

Since it made headlines in the newspapers, all the students were aware.

The first-years were especially concerned since students of their generation at another Hero Academy had already cleared a Great Hero page.

However, no details of the content and rewards from the Hero’s World were revealed.

In the midst of all this tension,

Artian continued,

“Another name came up during this clearance session.”

With chalk in hand, Artian began writing something on the blackboard.

The clacking sound of the chalk resonated throughout the entire lecture hall.

The students began murmuring as the name appearing on the blackboard became visible.

Leo recalled an event from inside the Hero’s World.

‘Now that I think about it, Arga mentioned my name to Agon back then.’

The name written on the blackboard was one Leo knew very well.

[Hero of Survival Kyle]

Setting the chalk down, Artian turned around and said,

“It’s unclear if the Hero of Beginning and Survival are the same individual… but for the first time in the Great Hero’s World, the name ‘Kyle’ was officially mentioned.”