Chapter 197

197

“Way too arrogant!”

“So, you think you’ve achieved something now for decoding the magic of Lady Luna that couldn’t be deciphered until now?”

The students of Seirun glared at Leo with displeasure on their faces.

On the other hand, the students of Lumeran wore expressions of great satisfaction.

Amidst all this, Eidin smirked.

“Quite a confidence! Leo Flove. But aren’t you underestimating Seirun’s longstanding barrier, Lumeran?”

“Things will be very different starting this year.”

“You’re awfully cocky… future Student Council President of Lumeran.”

Rienia approached Leo with a click-clack sound, stepping closer to him.

“Does that mean you’re saying this year Lumeran will be different because of you?”

“Yes.”

Rienia licked her upper lip suggestively with her tongue.

“There’s something quite rewarding about defeating an opponent with such unwavering confidence.”

The upperclassmen of Lumeran shuddered at Rienia’s smirking expression.

Rienia.

The Student Council President of Seirun and a student who, for the past five years, had been assessed as the best Hero Candidate within the academy.

Her skills and progress were on par with Lumeran’s Ris.

But it wasn’t just that. The upperclassmen trembled at her presence for another reason.

The reason was her reputation.

Her nickname was “The Hunter.”

Once she set her sights on a target, she had a relentless determination to knock them down no matter what.

Moreover, beneath her delicate exterior lay sadistic tendencies that thoroughly crushed her adversaries.

Through the Ruse Tournament, the upperclassmen had repeatedly experienced her terrifying nature, making Rienia the epitome of fear for them.

Her reaction wasn’t just unsettling the Lumeran students; even the students of Seirun flinched.

She possessed a charisma capable enough to subdue even arrogant and high-nosed Seirun students.

Ever since she became the Student Council President, numerous rebellious students had been mercilessly trodden down.

Rienia, standing before Leo, reached out her hand and lightly grabbed his chin with a sparkling golden gaze.

“You’ve not only restored the Ancestor’s magic but also made breakthroughs in the Ancestor’s world. You’re worth defeating. Hmph, don’t cry to this big sister once you’ve been beaten. Oh, you could even come and study at our Seirun. Since you’ve managed to restore the Ancestor’s magic, you should qualify to enter Seirun. How about coming over to our side? You could even get that trophy you’ve been longing for.”

“That woman, we shouldn’t let her have her way.”

In a corner of the party, Elena, who had been nonchalantly twirling her hair with her fingers, muttered darkly.

“E, Elena?”

Elena’s pink irises emitted an icy light.

“How dare you dare play dirty tricks on Leo-kun.”

“J, calm down! Elena! If you get involved too, there will be chaos!”

“The Student Council President of Seirun is just joking around, right?”

The third-year students were frantically trying to calm Elena, the Queen of Lumeran, but there were few students who could actually restrain her.

Ignoring her peers, Elena tried to approach the two with a serious expression.

At that moment, someone placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Why is our junior so troubled?”

“Toluah-senpai.”

“Let’s see what Leo will do. After all, you’ve chosen him to be the Student Council President.”

At Toluah’s words, Elena glanced sideways at Leo.

Meanwhile, a similar scene was happening among the teachers.

“Eep! Eep!”

“What the heck! Why’re you trying to interfere in students’ affairs?!”

Yura was struggling to restrain Ren, whose eyes were wide open in madness.

Ain sighed deeply, held Ren’s neck with one arm while using his other hand to cover Ren’s mouth.

At that moment, Halind approached.

“Another commotion, is it?”

“H, Professor Halind!”

Yura snapped to attention.

Although Ren would normally have calmed down with the arrival of Halind, there was no sign of him doing so this time.

Halind nodded at Ain with his chin.

“Handle it.”

Uduk!

Without hesitation, Ain tightened his grip, causing Ren to pass out.

The nearby Lumeran teachers looked exasperated.

“What should we do with him?”

Yura asked casually, and in response, Halind answered nonchalantly.

“Throw him outside. Perhaps a bit of cold might bring him back to his senses.”

Without a second thought, Ain and Yura carried Ren outside.

While these three exhibited what could only be described as a painfully endearing mentor-mentee relationship…

Leo chuckled as he brushed off Rienia’s hand from his chin.

“Much appreciated, but I find the act of taking things more entertaining.”

“My goodness, we seem to have similar tastes.”

Rienia smiled.

“So, would you not even touch the trophy of the Ruse Tournament?”

“Why bother when I can simply take it and display it somewhere randomly?”

At Leo’s nonchalant words, Rienia’s expression slightly darkened.

She had spent her entire school life protecting the Ruse Trophy, but this first-year from Lumeran treated it as if it were a mere pebble lying on the road.

Moreover, his consistent and cool responses to her provocations were genuinely irritating.

‘He’s way too composed.’

With a somewhat troubled expression, Rienia approached the trophy, lifted it, and swayed it to taunt him.

“Hmph. You’ll never be able to bring this trophy to Lumeran!”

“President!”

“Why are you being such a kid?”

Embarrassed by her childish taunt, the Seirun students covered their faces.

Watching Rienia vacantly, Leo infused mana into the Polium bracelet hanging from his left wrist, restoring it to its true form.

Swinging it tauntingly, Leo replied.

“Don’t you have anything like this in Seirun?”

Rienia was taken aback at Leo’s equally childish but effective counter.

“Ahem! U, well, since both Student Presidents have expressed their determination, let’s move on to the next event!”

Realizing that allowing this to continue would plunge both sides into an overly childish squabble, Eidin hurriedly shifted the topic.

Lunia shook her head as she watched Leo casually fashion the Polium into a bracelet.

“Our president is childish, but you’re no better, really. You’re not even a kid, so why act like one?”

“Both you and I are still kids.”

“I’m different though. Do you really think I’d lose it over someone mocking me for not having something?”

With a sneer, Lunia glanced at Leo who then revealed his palms.

Poof!

Fiora appeared in a puff.

As Leo teasingly shook Fiora before Lunia,

“You don’t have something like this, do you?”

Lunia’s shoulders trembled uncontrollably.

Had it not been for the party setting, she might have immediately reached for Leo’s collar.

Her fists clenched tightly as she gnashed her teeth. Seeing this, Leo smirked.

“The effect is quite excellent.”

“You! We’ll see at the Ruse Tournament! I’ll crush you into dust!”

Lunia stomped off abruptly.

Then, she dragged Eiran away when she approached Leo.

“L, Lunia-sama?!”

“Eiran! That guy is the enemy! The enemy! Stay away from him!”

“It can’t be…! Leo-sama!”

Eiran frowned deeply and anxiously called out to Leo.

Leo waved at the two.

“O! Leo! You perfectly provoked her!”

“That’s right! It’s a victory in the morale!”

Kal and Teid approached, laughing.

“My surroundings might be better off without me during the first-year match.”

“Huh?”

“Why?”

“I feel like Lunia will recklessly charge at me without considering anything.”

Recalling how Lunia had gone berserk and grabbed Leo’s collar during the school trip, Kal and Teid involuntarily trembled.

*

“Kalvan. All the first-years from Lumeran this year seem anything but ordinary. Impressive.”

Late night.

At the highest point of Seirun.

The Star Plaza.

Seirun’s principal, Benedict, spoke calmly.

At that, Kalyan laughed loudly.

“What’s so impressive about me? It’s the kids and professors who’ve worked hard.”

Kalyan, the Swordmaster.

Benedict, the first star of the Ancestor.

They were heroes from the same era—two great figures among the most celebrated heroes of the current age.

And they had once been battle comrades.

“So, what do you think now that you’ve seen them yourself?”

Kalyan sipped his tea and gazed at the sky.

This highest point of Seirun, elevated by magic above the academy, was originally created purely for observing stars.

Naturally, this wasn’t a place accessible to everyone.

Since it existed since Seirun’s early days, the space was primarily used for important meetings.

On clear nights, the endless stars would be visible here.

Kalyan always marveled at the sight when he came here.

To Benedict’s inquiry, he replied calmly.

“I see why you and Professor Riven chose them.”

Benedict recalled the boy, Leo, he had just seen passing by.

“A material worthy of carrying the times. He’s exactly the type of talented individual Nerzia would covet.”

Nerzia.

The vice-principal sent from Dragonia to Seirun.

Above all, she was highly invested in nurturing heroes, a dragon with a vision to personally create the greatest of heroes.

“Nerzia covets him, huh.”

Kalyan chuckled lightly but didn’t seem overly worried.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s Lumeran or Seirun; if Leo Flove has a place to grow, I don’t care which one.”

Though not the correct attitude for a principal, Kalyan and Benedict had lived far too long to be overly attached to just one school.

They merely hoped that true heroes could emerge to shoulder the times ahead.

“So, why did you ask me to meet before the Ruse Tournament?”

“The recent movements of ‘Hero Hunters’ in the northern provinces aren’t normal.”

Kalyan’s eyes twitched.

Hero Hunters.

The ones who betrayed the land and sided with Tartarus.

Among them, there were quite a few who inherited the powers of Hero Records.

They were literally groups created by Tartarus to hunt down heroes.

“Of course, they wouldn’t dare encroach upon the Elfs’ domain, but they are definitely a threat.”

“Wasn’t that mentioned in the letter?”

As Kalyan furrowed his brow, Benedict sighed deeply.

“I wanted to ensure the message was delivered personally. Letters or magical transmissions between Seirun and Lumeran can always be intercepted.”

“Indeed. That’s why you requested a gathering of heroes from Lumeran as well.”

There were certainly Elvish heroes on the side of Seirun.

Even so, Lumeran was also asked to summon their heroes.

Originally, the request was made to watch for Tartarus’s movements, but Kalyan thought involving Lumeran’s heroes might be a bit excessive.

However, there was a reason for it.

“Pass the word among the Lumeran professors and heroes. There shouldn’t be much trouble, but there’s always the possibility.”

The Ruse Tournament couldn’t be canceled.

Canceling a traditionally annual event due to concerns over Tartarus or Hero Hunters could only cause greater chaos and unease.

Benedict believed that the right move was to gather sufficient strength to deter any attempts.

Kalyan nodded and gazed at the star-filled sky.

Gazing at the vast expanse of stars that seemed to pour down, Kalyan sighed deeply.

‘I hope nothing extraordinary happens.’