Chapter 212

212

The final exams signaling the end of the semester have concluded.

Traditionally, when exams finish, students at Lumeran are split into two groups.

The first group consists of students who feel a mix of relief and liberation.

The second group comprises students trembling with fear, worried about receiving a recommendation to drop out.

However, the current atmosphere at Lumeran is different from usual.

Everyone solemnly awaits the closing ceremony.

The same holds true for Class 5.

There is no trace of the usual boisterous ambiance; they quietly wait for Halind to enter the classroom.

Creak –

The door opens, and Halind walks in. The students all wear tense expressions as Associate Professor Sena arrives with the score sheets.

“Everyone has worked hard this year.”

Halind, with his usual emotionless face, scans the students. As their gazes linger on him, tension builds.

“Perhaps some of you are already prepared for what’s coming?”

At this, students with poor grades in the class bow their heads deeply.

It can’t be helped.

Though, miraculously, everyone in Class 5 survived the first semester, Lumeran is known for its harshness. Sometimes, fewer than half of students make it from the 1st to the 2nd year.

Kal groans and scratches his head.

“Is this the end?”

Muttering this bitterly to himself, Kal hears Halind speak again.

“Kal Thomas.”

“Yes, sir!”

Kal immediately stands to attention. His nervousness is palpable; the rest of the class feels sorry for him.

Kal, with his natural charm, had made friends with everyone in Class 5. For the students, the thought of losing him was unbearable.

“This student hasn’t been recommended to drop out. You all understand what that implies, yes?”

Kal blinks in surprise. For a moment, the class, also confused, looks dumbfounded as Sena smiles gently and announces:

“All of us in our class are moving on to the second year.”

“R-really?”

“Is that true?!”

“Whoooaahh!”

Outbursts of disbelief erupt from all over the classroom, and not just from Class 5 — the reaction echoes across the entire first-year classrooms.

Tap. Tap.

Halind lightly taps the desk, and within an instant, the students regroup and sit up straight.

“Consider yourselves lucky. The decision was made at the Lumeran professor’s conference to promote the entire year. Remember that.”

At this, Iliana raises her hand.

“Was there a particular reason for that decision?”

“The professors highly valued the experience you gained from the Ruse Tournament incident.”

Upon hearing this, the students’ expressions freeze.

The invasion of the Demon Queen and the return of Zerdiaq were close calls. Only the timely appearance of the Great Heroes saved them from complete annihilation.

“Had it not been for the Great Heroes, none of you would have survived.”

Halind continues, “Additionally, this semester we managed to finish the syllabus a month early.”

Indeed, Lumeran finished the course a month ahead of schedule and headed straight into the vacation period.

“Do not consider vacation as mere rest time but a period for further growth.”

With that, Halind distributes score sheets and notification letters to the students under his charge.

“I will conclude the second semester of the first year with this. Know that you’ve all been promoted to the next level.”

Halind addresses the students of Class 5 indifferently:

“Congratulations to all on your promotion to the second year.”

“Professor Halind…”

“Without your guidance, we wouldn’t have been able to advance!”

“Thank you!”

The entire class sincerely expresses gratitude to Halind.

Initially, there was despair when Halind was appointed as their homeroom teacher.

Referred to as the Lumeran Wailing Wall, Halind was the epitome of fear — responsible for recommending more students to drop out than anyone else.

But on reflection, it was Halind’s guidance that significantly improved their performance.

Seeing the students’ response, Halind smiles faintly and leaves the room.

Sena, who stayed behind, says with a sense of regret:

“I would love to hang out and celebrate together, but the situation doesn’t permit it. Everyone worked hard this year.”

“Sena Professor!”

“Will you not be handling the second year?”

The female students gather around Sena, who unlike the fearsome Halind, is more like an older sister or sibling figure to the Class 5 students. Many students would have struggled without her help in maintaining the classroom atmosphere.

Sena smiles gently while comforting the students.

“Nothing is decided yet.”

She continues brightly:

“Nevertheless, congratulations on your promotion! Once next year starts, we’ll have underclassmen, so you need to step up and be exemplary students.”

*

The semester has ended.

Ordinarily, Lumerea City would be bustling with activity, but now it is eerily quiet, still mourning the d*ath of Kalyan.

Under this somber atmosphere, Leo journeys to the warp gate with his friends.

“It’s been fun this year, but we’ll likely all be separated by the time second year rolls around,” Iliana said wistfully.

“You’ll still see each other in departmental classes. Starting second year, those classes will be more important,” replied Kal, leaning back with his hand behind his head.

Kal was correct.

During the first year, class-based lessons took precedence. However, from the second year onward, more emphasis would be placed on departmental classes.

“That said, we won’t be able to hang out as a class like we do now,” noted Nella.

“But even if we are in different classes, we can still hang out frequently,” said Telid.

“Exactly! Not a single student is leaving the school,” Telid added with a nod.

The friends joyfully chat all the way to the warp gate.

“Have a good vacation!”

“See you at the end of the break, everyone!”

“Or we could meet up during the break?”

“Let’s do that.”

With that, the friends boarded the warp gates to their respective homes. Leo and Chelsea headed to the warp gate leading to the western region.

“Leo, are you heading straight home?”

“No, I’m going to Rodren Empire this time.”

At Leo’s declaration, Chelsea lit up with excitement but then grew puzzled.

“Wow! Then we can work on homework together!”

“Hmm… I was supposed to visit my family’s place. Not sure if I’ll have the time.”

“Ah…”

Chelsea sighed, disappointed upon learning Leo’s visit to his family’s side.

Leo’s family belongs to the Zerdinger. While they were casual friends at school, the Zerdinger and the LeWalyn families are rivals in the Rodren Empire.

“Still, if I have a chance, I’ll visit the LeWalyn family as well.”

“Alright!”

Chelsea nodded eagerly and cheered at Leo’s comment.

“Are you here?”

Waiting at the warp gate were Celia and Abad.

Leo walked over to Celia, while Chelsea joined Abad. Abad, already informed by Celia that Leo was visiting Rodren, greeted Leo with a smile.

“Maybe we will run into each other during the break.”

“I just mentioned that to Chelsea.”

Leo chuckled as Abad nodded in agreement.

“Then we will leave first.”

“Leo-bro, take care! Celia… Pfft!”

Chelsea waved at Leo before sticking her tongue out at Celia with a grin.

As their figures disappeared in a bright light, Celia mumbled.

“I should catch her one of these days and give her a good spanking.”

“You don’t want to end up in the same class next year, do you?”

“Stop saying such terrible things.”

At Leo’s comment, Celia gave him an icy glare.

Leo couldn’t help but laugh as he mounted the warp gate.

“Let’s go!”

“Right.”

The two boarded the warp gate.

Once the gate coordinates were set and the wizards activated their magic force, a bright light erupted.

Soon, they arrived at their destination.

The warp gate, bathed in bright light, led them into the warp station at the Zerdinger estate.

The grandeur of the facility was awe-inspiring—it was one of the major warp stations within Rodren Empire, and a symbol of wealth and power.

Leo whistled in admiration, gazing at the exquisite marble knight statues.

“This is far more luxurious than the capital’s central warp gate.”

“It is another main entrance to the Zerdinger household,” Celia replied, looking smug at Leo’s surprised reaction.

As they stepped down from the gate and walked outside, several knights awaited their arrival.

“Welcome back, Lady Celia! Congratulations on advancing to second year!”

“Congratulations!”

A round of cheers greeted Celia’s arrival.

“Celebrating this is a bit excessive, isn’t it?”

Celia calmly brushed her hair aside as the knights offered their congratulations.

While most students would genuinely rejoice at this achievement, Celia showed indifference.

It made sense.

Celia’s brilliance had been acknowledged throughout Rodren Empire and across the continent—it was only natural for her to proceed to the next level.

“Don’t overdo it.”

The knights respectfully bowed at Celia’s command.

Next, attention turned to Leo.

“Miss, who is this gentleman beside you?”

At this, Celia glanced briefly at Leo before casually responding.

“Leo Flove. He is my cousin. Don’t you know him?”

“Huh?”

“Master Leo?”

The knights looked thoroughly bewildered upon recognizing the young master of the famed Flove family.

“What is this? Didn’t you tell them I was coming even though you sang praises of how you would spend the break at the Zerdinger estate?”

Leo asked, amused at their reaction.

“Yep. I didn’t want to spoil the surprise,” Celia grinned.

Leo chuckled at his cousin’s antics.

Celia confidently boarded the waiting carriage, followed promptly by Leo.

As the carriage began to move, pulled by griffins at high speed, Leo marveled out loud.

“I can’t even see the end of it!”

They were traveling through the extensive grounds of the Zerdinger estate, a territory so sprawling that even though it was the home of one family, its expanse far surpassed that of many kingdoms.

“Didn’t I tell you our estate is several times larger than your country’s royal palace?”

Leo rested his chin on his palm, reflecting.

“Rich is rich, alright.”

“Treating the Zerdinger as merely rich shows how little you understand.”

Celia smiled at Leo’s reaction.

The carriage approached the Zerdinger fortress at lightning speed, drawing Leo into admiration. The ancient castle loomed large before them, a fortress in its own right.

“Amazing, isn’t it?”

As Leo stood in awe, he noticed a crowd waiting before the main residence, much larger than the group at the warp gate. Among them stood Zerdinger’s second-in-command, Giese, along with several elders lined up.

As their carriage arrived, Leo and Celia disembarked and walked toward Giese.

“Shouldn’t you have informed them you were coming with Leo?”

“To surprise everyone,” Celia responded with a grin.

Giese chuckled and looked to Leo.

“Welcome to Zerdinger, Leo.”

“Thank you for the warm welcome. Isn’t it a bit too much?”

Giese smirked.

“Since you’re now considered a direct heir of the Zerdinger family, the occasion calls for a celebration. I restrained it knowing you don’t prefer grandeur.”

“True.”

Celia patted Leo’s shoulder lightly and asked,

“Dad?”

“Your brother is in the capital and will return this evening.”

Understanding this, Celia nodded.

“Before then, though, we have business to attend to.”

Giese turned to Leo.

“Leo.”

“Yes, Uncle Giese.”

Halind hesitated then said,

“It seems we need to have a somewhat complicated discussion, though I apologize for bringing it up so soon after your arrival.”

“About what?”

Gazing at the confused expression on Leo’s face, Giese replied:

“The matter of succession.”