191
The next morning at dawn.
Leo stepped out of the dormitory, feeling the chilled autumn air.
In the first-year dormitory garden, Lil was waiting.
“I’m sorry to bother you this early, Leo. Shall we go?”
“Yes.”
Leo and Lil immediately headed to the pier to catch the first boat to Rumelia City.
Normally, it wasn’t boat time, but for students who wanted to use the limited weekend time, boats were specially prepared from early morning.
In fact, apart from Leo and Lil, a few others were also at the pier waiting for the boat.
After taking the early morning boat, Lil brought Leo into a nearby restaurant at the pier.
She ordered sandwiches as their breakfast and sat in front of Leo, clearing her throat.
“Hem. I’d like to explain why I asked you to come to Lumeria together.”
“What is it?”
“It’s because of a mission.”
“M mission.”
Lumeran students, as hero candidates, often have missions such as mediating conflicts around the world or solving mysterious cases that heroes should handle.
First-year students had also gone through a large-scale mission practice some time ago.
However, in the case of the mission practice, even though it was close to a real situation, most of the tasks were suitable for the students’ level.
But a real ‘mission’, not a ‘mission practice’, was different.
It was only given to truly skilled students, so usually students started receiving missions from the third year.
However, Lil received a mission in the second year, even though she was only a representative of her year.
‘Definitely impressive.’
“Having missions starting from your second year, Lil senior is truly amazing.”
“T, that’s not true! Stop flattering me! If you calculate that way, Leo is even more amazing! Wasn’t he elected as the Student Council President in his first year? That’s a first in Lumeran history!”
Lil shook her head awkwardly at Leo’s praise.
Looking at such Lil, Leo burst out laughing.
‘Even someone of considerable skill like her has immense pride.’
Currently, the unquestionable number one of Lumeran’s second year.
Even the seniors recognize her nickname ‘Monster’ for the female student who surprisingly considers herself as ordinary.
‘If she gains more experience, she’ll definitely become a remarkable Spirit Mage.’
Thinking about Lil’s future, Leo asked.
“So, are you asking me to join your mission?”
“Yes.”
“Why me specifically among the other seniors?”
“This mission was actually assigned to me alone. The reason I asked Leo to join is because I wanted to form a party with Leo once.”
As the server delivered the sandwiches and placed them in front of them,
Lil took a big bite of her sandwich and said.
“If Leo refuses, then there’s nothing much to be done.”
“I’ll come along with you. I don’t have anything to do this weekend, and I’m curious about the mission you’ve been given, Lil senior.”
At Leo’s words, Lil brightened up.
After gulping down the milk she took out with her, Lil pulled out the mission brief.
“Thank you, Leo!”
“So, what kind of mission is it?”
“I haven’t confirmed the content of the mission yet. It was a direct mission assignment, and since I mentioned wanting to perform the mission with Leo, I was ordered to confirm the mission with you.”
Nodding at that, Leo leaned toward Lil while eating his sandwich.
Lil tore off the wax seal on the mission document and checked the contents.
[escort a distinguished guest located in the ruins of Zerodia Fortress to the east of Rumelia City.]
That was all it said.
Lil looked a bit dismayed as she checked further, but there was nothing written.
“It’ll take about a day to get to Zerodia Fortress. Now I understand why the mission period is set to one-night-two-days. But, there’s a dignitary in those ruins?”
Looking at Lil’s perplexed expression, Leo said.
“There’s no reason for the school to give us a strange request,… so let’s prepare and head out.”
“I guess so! Yes!”
With great enthusiasm, Lil took a big bite out of her sandwich.
Puffing her cheeks while quickly eating her sandwich, Lil gulped down the milk.
“Come on, Leo, let’s go!”
“I haven’t finished eating yet.”
“Oops!”
Lil showed a flustered expression.
“S, sorry. I got too into it.”
“It can happen.”
Leo smiled softly and finished his sandwich.
After standing up and gathering his belongings, he left the shop and said.
“Senior Lil, you have a manly side somewhere.”
“Hmm, I think it’s from growing up in a military family. I used to play war games with my older brother when I was a kid.”
Standing up straight, Lil asked with military precision.
Indeed, Lil’s tone was always well-mannered.
“Because of that, people often say my tone and actions are strange.”
“I think it’s charming.”
“Oh, thank you, Leo.”
Lil smiled faintly and walked away with Leo from the shop.
“Hmm.”
Shuffling!
At that moment, a man sitting at a corner of the shop folded his newspaper.
Then, he narrowed his eyes.
“The second year representative, Lil Luche and the first year representative, Leo Flove.”
Dropping coins on the table and tipping his cap low, the man stood up and followed the duo.
“Hey, isn’t it true that Leo and Senior Luce went out early this morning?”
“Isn’t he the first from the first year? The guy who openly declared a sleepover with a girl?”
Since morning, the conversation buzzed through the first-year dorm, focusing everyone’s attention on the rumors about Leo and Lil.
Upon hearing the story, a group of female students gathered around Celia.
“Celia! Celia! Is it true that Leo and Senior Lil are dating?”
“Nah? Isn’t that a lie? Right?”
With tearful eyes, a classmate questioned her.
Celia gave a troubled expression upon seeing her friends’ reactions.
“I don’t know, but why are all of you getting so excited?”
“Why wouldn’t we? We’re Leo’s fan club!”
“…Leo had that? That explains why the student council president is different. Even a fan club came into existence.”
Celia expressed fascination.
‘You have one too, though.’
‘Apparently, she’s subtly dense in this area.’
Seeing her, the students from the first class exchanged looks of exasperation.
By the way, while Leo’s fan club was newly established, Celia’s had existed since the beginning of the semester.
At that moment, Duran, who was having breakfast nearby, snorted.
Currently, the students of Class 1 were gathered separately discussing the selection tournament for the Ruse Contest since from the beginning of the semester Class 1 had consistently held the top average, and thus they were also among the most active classes for the current representative team selection.
Duran wore an arrogant expression.
“Hmph, does it matter who Leo Flove dates? What do you think, Chloe?”
Duran turned toward Chloe, the class leader of Class 1, curling his lips in search of agreement.
“What?”
Chloe’s blue eyes glared coldly.
Witnessing this, the surrounding Class 1 students flinched.
However, Duran, not even glancing at Chloe, curled his lips upward and said,
“What if the guy dates someone? It doesn’t matter as long as he doesn’t neglect practice.”
Ssssh—!
“Yipe?!”
“Chloe? Chloe?”
As the temperature around Chloe rapidly dropped, the Class 1 students gasped and took a step back.
“If it’s Senior Lil, she’s a well-known top student, so dating her would benefit Leo Flove. They seem quite well-suited, don’t they? The higher this guy climbs, the more value there will be in bringing him down…”
Ching!
“Hey! Stop it! Pay attention to the vibe!”
Finally, when the area around Chloe started freezing, Selia jumped in, forcibly covering Duran’s mouth.
Looking at such Selia, Duran frowned and shook off her hand.
“What are you doing?”
“Duran, look over there.”
Hawl sighed and pointed to Chloe’s direction.
Upon noticing Chloe, who looked colder than ever, Duran flinched.
Famous for having terrible temper, even Duran recognized Chloe’s current atmosphere wasn’t ordinary.
“Why is she mad?”
“It’s because of you! Because of you!”
“What did I do wrong?”
“Ugh! You have no tact! No tact!”
Selia showed an exasperated expression.
At that moment, Chen Sia entered the dining hall.
“Chen Sia!”
“Today, I will officially join our club!”
“Yaaaaah!”
Seeing Chen Sia, students from the Department of Knights rushed toward her.
Watching this, the surrounding students wore amused expressions.
Renowned across the first year for her physical skill prowess, Chen Sia was literally the desired talent in sports clubs.
Due to her Student Council activities, she didn’t belong to any specific club, but the sports clubs were always keenly eyeing Chen Sia.
Recently, she declared, “If a classmate manages to hit me once in physical combat, I’ll join that club. Let’s meet every Saturday morning.”
Since then, Chen Sia’s being ambushed on Saturday mornings has become routine.
Of course, no one has succeeded so far.
Thanks to that, the younger students who receive harsh training from the seniors are doing their utmost to land a blow on Chen Sia.
Shh—
Chen Sia lightly shook her hand.
Crunch!
“Grkk?!?”
BOOM!
“Keuhk!”
Crack!
“Aahhh!”
With movements akin to miracles, Chen Sia evaded attacks and unleashed merciless counterattacks.
Punches flying, bodies flying from kicks, joints dislocating, etc.
As Chen Sia, with her serene smile, displayed a horrifying counterattack, a first-year observer muttered.
“Today, her strikes seem even more brutal than usual.”
“Y…yeah.”
Swoosh! Koom!
“…yeah.”
Seeing a fellow student land beside him, the observer broke into a cold sweat.
“Chen Sia is terrifying today.”
While her usual smiling face scared the first-year classmates, who trembled.
“Why are they so hyped up from the morning?”
Chelsea, who was having breakfast with the Class 5 students, muttered indifferently.
“Does it not affect you?”
Tied asked curiously.
“What?”
“About Leo going on a date with Senior Lil.”
To this, Chelsea smiled.
“Since when am I near Leo, and I’ve never seen Senior Lil approaching Leo in a romantic way?”
“Huh?”
“Yes. And if Leo dates someone, then so be it.”
“…”
Chelsea calmly shrugged off the matter while sipping her spoon.
Seeing this, Tied averted his gaze.
The two who teased Chelsea this morning — Karl and Iliana— were lying pitifully to one side.
Nella was healing them using her healing aura.
They were paying the price for bothering the irked Chelsea.
‘Leo, come soon and clarify this.’
Tied, inwardly calling his classmate, let out a deep sigh.
Leo and Lil traveled for half a day outside Rumelia City and arrived at the ruins of Zerodia Fortress.
Looking at the ruined grounds filled with rubble, Leo tilted his head.
‘Definitely doesn’t feel like there would be someone important waiting here, as mentioned in the school’s information.’
This place was a fortress in the central continent 300 years ago.
The fortress where Zerodia, who was once the Principal of Lumeria, alone stopped the advancement of a Legion Commander.
She was famous for summoning countless spirits and preventing the Legion Commander’s dark magic assault.
Thus, this place was akin to a sacred ground for spirit mages.
Before entering the fortress ruins, Lil straightened her uniform.
As both a student of Lumeria and a spirit mage.
There was every reason to pay respect to the great past hero who visited this location.
Leo also followed Lil’s lead, tidying his clothes before entering the fortress grounds.
“Look at that, Leo. This is the trace where Lady Zerodia summoned the Great Spirit of Wind and blocked the Legion Commander’s black magic!”
Pointing to huge scars on the castle walls, Lil’s excitement was evident.
“I hope someday I can summon the Great Spirit of Wind just like Lady Zerodia.”
As she watched the girl, her eyes glowing with dreams, Leo smirked.
At that moment,
Whooshhhhh!
A wind blew.
Leo’s eyes twitched.
Lil, too, hesitated for a moment.
With a loud roar, a strong blast of wind surged over Leo and Lil.
Swiftly avoiding the attack, Leo stood up straight and narrowed his eyes at the gathering wind.
The summoned wind spirit was glaring balefully at Leo and Lil.
“Be that as it may, this is quite a prank.”
Lil frowned and summoned her mana.
“Show yourself! Spirit Mage!”
Whooshhhhhh!
A powerful wind swirled around Lil.
Seeing this, Leo gazed at the wind spirit.
‘This is not a spirit summoned by a spirit mage.’
Leo also summoned his mana.
‘A spirit under the command of the upper spirits.’
And the spirit before his eyes was a considerably high-level spirit.
If this spirit was under the command of any spirit…
‘Great Spirit.’
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