158
Aaah-!
The regular ship cut through Lumeria Lake, heading toward Lumeran.
Students from each academy gathered on the deck, chatting with one another.
But their overall atmosphere wasn’t good.
That was because they had just witnessed a student being expelled moments ago.
“Excuse me.”
An Eikote student cautiously approached Chen Sia, one of the students who led them.
“What is the matter?”
“What’s the name of the professor who sent Sirina away just now?”
“That’s Professor Ain Elrangdu.”
“Huh!”
The Eikote students were shocked by what Chen Sia had said.
Ain Elrangdu, the famed Knight of Glacial Seas, was someone they could never have imagined would come as merely an escorting professor.
“Does that mean that the presence of such a person as our escort teacher indicates we’re learning under him?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Amazing! So this is Lumeran!”
“Imagine learning under the Knight of Glacial Seas!”
The dreary atmosphere that pervaded just moments ago completely disappeared.
Where in the world would one get the chance to take classes from someone like Ain?
Exclamations poured out not only from Eikote but also from Emerald and Skoun.
This reaction was likely due to them hearing that Ren and Yura had come to oversee their journey.
The students from the three major academies were filled with excitement.
As the stiff atmosphere began to ease, the ship gradually approached Lumeran.
As the dense fog cleared, the massive silhouette of the Lumeran Academy appeared before the students of the three major academies, prompting exclamation after exclamation of amazement.
“That’s Lumeran Academy.”
“The place where hero candidates study.”
Some people audibly swallowed.
Among them, some even had a yearning look in their eyes.
These were the students who had prepared to enter Lumeran.
Arriving at the pier, the students disembarked from the ship and entered the school premises in a bustling crowd.
“Nothing really special.”
“Pretty ordinary.”
“I think our academy is better.”
Amidst the sounds of some murmuring voices, the first-year lecture hall was entered.
On the podium stood Sedgen, and seated by classes were the first-years of the Lumeran Academy.
“Greetings, students from the three major academies. My name is Sedgen.”
As Professor Sedgen began to speak, the atmosphere became lively again.
“Sedgen? Isn’t he the revered professor of Lumeran?”
“I’ve heard numerous heroes have been trained under this individual…”
“Amazing… Incredible!”
Exclamations of admiration rang out from all corners, prompting Sedgen to chuckle softly.
“Take your seats. Eikote on the left, Emerald in the center, and Skoun on the right.”
Following Sedgen’s instructions, students from other academies sat down with nervous expressions.
“Sharing a seat with Lumeran students…”
“Who’d have thought such a day would come.”
Just sitting alongside students lauded as hero candidates was enough to get their hearts racing.
Meanwhile, others were lost in different thoughts.
“Just how different am I from these guys?”
Among the students of the three major academies, there were those preparing to apply for Lumeran and those who, despite multiple attempts, ultimately drank the bitter cup of failure and ended up in one of the other three top academies.
Not a few of them found it hard to come to terms with their current standing, having been called the best among their peers from a young age.
Amid the intertwining emotions of admiration and jealousy, Sedgen spoke.
“Nice to meet you all. I am very pleased that we have such a meaningful event. It’s a short time, but it is a great opportunity to exchange values with each other, so I hope everyone uses it to leap towards a better path.”
As Sedgen looked around at the students, he continued.
“I hope you all take this time to gain much. That concludes my words.”
The students of Eikote, Emerald, and Skoun strictly followed the schedule of Lumeran Academy.
Even though they were invited as guests, Lumeran had no intention to adjust its schedule for their sake.
The first thing they did was to mix all 600 students and divide them into new classes.
Though grouped under the three major prestigious academies, students from Eikote, Emerald, and Skoun surprisingly had very few points of contact.
This was because while students from Lumeran were interconnected through classes across different departments, the other academies rarely engaged with one another.
Though there was a sense of competition between them, interactions were extremely limited.
Thus, when 60 students from other academies were brought together in one place, an awkward atmosphere was naturally formed.
“Wow, look at how awkward the atmosphere is.”
In the classroom, Kal sat slouched in his chair with his back against the seat, his hands cradling the back of his neck as he muttered.
He leaned back and grinned.
“There’s no way I can just stand by and watch!”
Kal, ever the extrovert, jumped up from his seat.
The students of Class 5 looked on with a “What’s he up to now?” expression, while students from other academies, having no idea what was going on, fixated on Kal’s actions.
Clack-clack, as Kal reached the front of the podium, he said,
“Nice to meet you all! My name is Kal Thomas! I’m 15 years old and I’m from the Department of Magic!”
Kal grinned.
“We’re classmates now, even if it’s just for a short time. Please treat me well! That being said…”
Kal opened a small dimensional space, pulling out a potion bottle and placing it on the teacher’s desk with a clang!
“This is a special fatigue recovery potion I’ve made, and it’s something that’s quite popular among the seniors, not just the first-years.”
Kal’s fatigue recovery potion had been a hit right from the beginning of the semester and had already gained quite a reputation for its effectiveness.
Because of this, not only first-years but also second and third-year students sought it out and became regular customers.
“It’s going to be tough to study in this short period, so I’ve decided to sell you all this at a specially discounted price. Don’t miss out on this rare opportunity!”
Kal’s statement left the students from other academies dumbfounded.
For someone lauded as a hero candidate to suddenly start selling something was quite unexpected.
However, the students of Class 5 simply wore expressions of familiarity.
“Kal, are you going to sell these to us cheaply too?”
Iliana asked with a sparkle in her eyes, but Kal shook his head.
“Nope.”
“Hey! Where’s the discrimination?”
“Whoo!”
“Businessman!”
“Have you lost your initial spirit?”
A chorus of jeers rose from the Class 5 students.
Kal laughed it off with a carefree “Can’t hear you!”
Watching this, the students from the other academies, who had been tense, started laughing, the atmosphere beginning to ease.
That’s when it happened.
“Is your name Kal Thomas?”
From the back, a male student dressed in the Eikote uniform smirked dismissively.
“First, let me clarify: I’m set to enter Lumeran Academy next year, so I’ll soon be your senior—allow me to address you with proper respect.”
“That’s quite an honor, isn’t it? So, who are you?”
“My name is Habidden Bursen.”
“Prince Habidden of the Bursen Kingdom?”
Kal’s expression turned one of surprise.
The Bursen Kingdom, a powerful nation in the northern continent, was renowned for possessing many famous knight regiments.
In particular, the Winter Knights and Snow Knights were led by knights whose names were recorded in the Hero Record, making them famous heroes.
Habidden, under the tutelage of these knights from a young age, was a prince known for his knighthood talents.
In short, among the current Eikote students, Habidden could be considered the most prestigious student.
“Wow, that’s quite an honor.”
“Yes. Please consider it as such. However…”
Rubbing his cheek and awkwardly smiling, Kal listened as Habidden continued.
“I didn’t come to visit Lumeran to meet merchants; I came to see the seniors. Besides, our senior here seems to hail from the common folk.”
“Yeah? So what?”
“Hmph. Seeing common folk acting so arrogantly, I wonder if there is even a proper noble or royal in this class?”
“Look like you’re annoyed by me, Prince.”
Kal smirked.
“Ignorant commoner, don’t act like you’re something.”
Habidden gave a haughty sneer.
“Even though you’re a Lumeran student, don’t get too cocky. Pretty soon, I’ll be one too.”
“I wasn’t being cocky at all.”
“Hmph. Truly, it’s common folk like you making a fuss.”
Habidden’s expression suggested his disbelief, and he smirked ferally.
Habidden’s attitude was markedly different from that of Sirina earlier. He had no intention of challenging the professor’s authority, nor did he consider violating any school rules. He didn’t even plan on mingling with the renowned students, knowing well enough that using his status to an advantage while aiming for entry into Lumeran was foolish.
However, he found Kal to be too easy to provoke and wasn’t about to restrain himself.
‘With such an amount of magic power, it’s a wonder you ever entered Lumeran. By the time I do, you’ll probably be long gone. And even if you’re still here, you’re in the Department of Magic, so we won’t cross paths anyway.’
The wisest decision would have been to avoid trouble, but Habidden, accustomed to ruling over others for his entire life, wasn’t about to back down from Kal, who seemed weak.
“Go sell that merchant’s racket in the marketplace!”
As Habidden spoke irritably, Kal shrugged, about to clear away the potion bottle when…
“Hey, if you don’t like it, then leave! This is our class, and you aren’t even a student here. Who asked you to start acting like the boss?”
Habidden’s eyes twitched.
The girl who stood up was none other than the very famous Chelsea LeWalyn.
“Chelsea LeWalyn.”
The tip of Habidden’s mouth curled.
Chelsea wasn’t someone he could mess with easily.
Despite the difference in nationalities, the divide between royalty and nobility is vast.
However, Chelsea’s homeland, the Rodren Empire, took up most of the western continent, a vast empire indeed.
Moreover, the LeWalyn family was one of the twin pillars holding up the Empire, placing her at the head of the lineage.
Not to mention, she held a prestigious status in her own right, and her skills were equally renowned.
Worldwide, she was one of the remarkable first-years.
Still, Habidden didn’t plan to back off.
With great confidence in his own abilities, and knowing that Chelsea, who was also a magic user and of the same age, had garnered competitive respect.
“Are you taking sides because we’re classmates?”
“Tch. It’s just that I’m annoyed you’re being rude to my friend.”
“Friend? A commoner?”
“Do you even see the difference between ‘friend’ and ‘commoner’? Ugh, you’re really annoying.”
Chelsea rolled her tongue in mock distaste, giving Habidden a disdainful look.
Habidden’s eyes twitched at her reaction.
“Chelsea.”
Kal wore an expression of admiration.
“I’ll give you a 50% discount coupon.”
“Hey! You’re ruining the mood again!”
Chelsea let out a sharp screech and started kicking Kal’s b*tt.
“Really tasteless.”
Just as Habidden curled his lip, another voice sounded.
“If you’re so dissatisfied, why don’t you test each other’s strength?”
Habidden turned to look.
There stood Leo.
Habidden’s eyes twitched.
“Are you talking about ‘strength’?”
“Yes. Looks like you’re underestimating Kal.”
Leo curled the corner of his mouth.
“If you’re so sure of yourself, why don’t you witness Lumeran’s strength with your own eyes?”
“Ho.”
Habidden let out an exclamation of admiration.
“That sounds great, but I won’t be dueling Kal.”
Habidden glanced at Chelsea and said,
“Instead, I’d like to duel with Chelsea LeWalyn.”
“You’re kidding me. Don’t even know your place.”
“Do it.”
“Huh? Brother Leo!”
Chelsea’s eyes widened as she looked at Leo.
“Chelsea, fight hard! Show Lumeran’s strength!”
“But not me! You show it!”
Chelsea, glaring daggers, threw a punch toward Kal.
“Instead, Kal will be fought by my friend.”
Habidden glanced at another Eikote student sitting beside him.
The boy was quite a head taller than Kal.
“Alright.”
Leo nodded.
As he stared intently, Habidden curled his lips.
“I would also like to witness the skills of Senior Leo Flove, and just how incredible this famous ‘all-around’ talent truly is.”
Habidden’s words made Leo burst into a laugh.
“Isn’t it excessive for someone like me to move just to deal with someone like you?”
“What do you mean…”
“I mean I don’t want to waste time dueling someone who isn’t skilled.”
“!”
Habidden’s eyes flashed with anger.
“I’ll take you down after I’ve defeated Chelsea LeWalyn!”
“My, aren’t you ambitious.”
Chelsea stuck her tongue out then yelled sharply.
“You’ll regret underestimating us, so be prepared!”
“I think this kind of situation is inappropriate, aren’t we getting too much attention lately?”
“I’m aware. So cut to the chase.”
“Just say it, please.”
“At once, tell me the exact location of the target.”
A sinister voice made her smile derisively.
“Seems like this tedious mission will soon conclude. Excellent.”
Relieved, she spoke with a chilly tone.
“It’s at the very center of the Grand Archive’s relic storage. I’ll draw you a map soon to give its precise location.”
“Good. May the blessings of the great Black Flame be upon us.”
“May the blessings of the great Black Flame be upon us.”
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