Chapter 214

214

The five Zerdinger knight students sitting in the lounge glanced repeatedly at Leo and Celia.

“You can restore your fatigue here with drinks and some simple snacks, and meals, too.”

“Is it similar to our school’s snack bar?”

“Not quite. It’s not like you buy and sell things here, and the menu is always fixed.”

Celia shrugged and explained about the lounge.

Since Leo would be staying at the Zerdinger manor during the early vacation period, he would be using the training ground a lot.

Nodding at Celia’s words, Leo fetched a drink and returned to where the trainees were.

Seeing this, the trainees panicked and hurriedly stood up.

“Le, Leo Young Master! We’ll take care of it!”

“Huh? But it’s fine.”

“Please, let us do it!”

“Alright! We’ll take care of it!”

Apparently burdened by the fact that Leo was considering them, they even begged him. Watching them, Leo nodded and handed over the tray.

A girl who seemed to be the leader among the trainees set up the drinks for Leo and Celia first, then distributed them among the knights.

“Well, this meeting of sorts is also the first time we’re meeting, so how about we start with some simple self-introductions? Before that…”

Leo spoke to Celia who was sitting beside him, sipping her drink through a straw.

“What are you doing?”

“Huh?”

“How long do you plan to stay here?”

“Are you telling me to leave?”

Celia frowned deeply.

As the noble direct heir and the hope of the Zerdinger family, when Celia frowned, the trainees became restless.

Especially since they had practiced swordsmanship together with Celia at the training ground since they were young, they were even more shocked to see Celia make such a face.

With Celia’s reaction, Leo gave an indifferent look.

“Why are you even here? I’m having a meeting with my knights.”

“Hey, that’s unfair! I can watch, can’t I? Why are you being so stingy?”

Watching Celia flare up, Leo waved his hand.

“Leave.”

“Fine! I’ll go! Go! You’re really unfair!”

Swoosh! As Celia stormed off, Leo chuckled.

“She’s throwing a tantrum.”

“Um… Leo Young Master… Is it alright to send Miss Celia away like that?”

At that moment, the girl who seemed to be the leader cautiously asked.

“Isn’t she awfully angry?”

“It’s fine. She’ll get over it on her own.”

While smirking, Leo looked at her.

“In that case, why don’t you introduce yourself first?”

Leo immediately saw through the fact that this girl was the most skilled among his knights.

‘She’s the leader for that reason.’

Upon Leo’s words, the girl introduced herself.

“My name is Martina Herran. I’ve been training as a Zerdinger student for five years. I’m fifteen years old.”

Martina, who was the same age as Leo, stood up and bowed respectfully.

“My name is Austin Mare. I’m sixteen.”

“I’m Carin Lothe. I’m fourteen years old.”

“Julian Kariven. Same age as Carin, fourteen.”

“Valerie Thom. I’m also fourteen.”

After that, Austin, Carin, Julian, and Valerie introduced themselves in order.

As Leo remembered each of their names one by one, he nodded his head.

“I’m Leo Flove. I’m fifteen years old.”

At Leo’s introduction, the five looked at him with eyes full of admiration.

It was inevitable.

Leo was one of the most famous hero candidates this year.

Not just in Lumeran, but throughout all hero academies, he was called the best student.

Lunia of Seyrun.

Ar of Azonia.

Dildan of Damian.

This year’s most outstanding first-year students representing each race who entered school.

Among them, no student had achieved as much as Leo.

Moreover, he had ascended to the position of the youngest student council president.

He was bound to be the object of admiration for his peers.

But soon, the expressions of the knights darkened.

Seeing that, Leo said,

“Though chosen by the family, since you’re now mine, you’ll fulfill your duties thoroughly.”

“No. We all volunteered to become Sir Leo’s knights.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Before the summer, the family recruited those who wanted to become Sir Leo’s knights.”

It was an immense honor to become a knight of a direct bloodline.

It was also a path to higher positions within the Zerdinger family.

Additionally, since being a knight of Zerdinger’s direct bloodline meant many opportunities to elevate one’s name, it was an incredible opportunity for Zerdinger trainees.

“I personally witnessed Sir Leo’s entrance exam.”

Martina shyly smiled and spoke.

Last time, during the entrance exam, when Celia visited the Flove family, Martina had come along in her apprentice knight capacity.

“Sir Leo’s fight against the monster without using aura was very impressive.”

Martina said it was like watching a storybook hero who turned the impossible into the possible.

That’s why, upon hearing that Leo would become part of the direct bloodline, she had immediately expressed her desire to become Leo’s knight.

The other trainees also voluntarily wanted to become Leo’s knights for various reasons.

Hearing this, Leo nodded.

“Then, it seems like you’ve chosen me?”

Leo smirked.

However, Martina didn’t look pleased.

Seeing her expression, Leo looked curious.

“What’s wrong?”

“Please forgive us, but all of us are planning to resign from the position as Sir Leo’s knights.”

At that statement, Leo furrowed his brow.

“Why?”

In response to Leo’s question, Martina hesitated.

Instead, Austin carefully responded.

“We all feel that we are inadequate to become knights for Sir Leo.”

Austin explained:

Martina, Austin, Carin, Julian, Valerie.

All five of them were only at the middle level among the current Zerdinger training knights.

In Martina’s case, even though she was in the upper-middle class, it was still insufficient to be selected as a knight for the direct bloodline.

With that, Leo rested his chin.

“If that’s so, how did you become my knights?”

“There was something else….”

Slowly checking the atmosphere, Carin cautiously opened her mouth.

“At the time when Sir Leo’s knights were recruiting, the competition wasn’t that fierce.”

Understanding the situation, Leo lightly nodded as Carin spoke in a low voice.

“That’s right.”

Initially, when Leo’s knights were recruited, Leo was relatively unknown, being known only as the one who achieved top scores in all classes and graduated at the top of his class.

Moreover, there were many people within the family who didn’t view Leo, who suddenly appeared and became a candidate for the direct bloodline, favorably.

Therefore, upper-level trainees thought that becoming Leo’s knight wasn’t a good choice and hesitated to apply.

Thanks to this, these five became Leo’s knights.

However, starting with the interdepartmental competition in the first semester, followed by the world conquest in the second semester, and his ascension to the position of the youngest student council president, Leo’s evaluation completely turned 180 degrees from before the summer.

Now, there wasn’t a single person in the family who saw Leo unfavorably.

‘So, other Zerdinger trainees must also be coveting the position as my knight.’

Leo smirked.

‘Probably, not a single one of them comes from a good family.’

From lesser noble families.

Or even commoner trainees could be among them.

In essence, all Zerdinger trainees are equal.

But that didn’t mean they were unaffected by skill and family background.

For those who were at the middle level in skill and didn’t receive family support, the bullying from other trainees must be quite troublesome.

“There are plenty of more capable trainees than us. Therefore, we believe the appropriate action would be to resign.”

Martina and the other trainees deeply bowed their heads.

Watching them tightly clench their mouths and fists, Leo spoke.

“Why go through the trouble of doing that?”

“Yes?”

“Couldn’t you just continue as my knights?”

Hearing this, Martina was bewildered.

“But, Sir Leo! We are not skilled enough! Surely, we will tarnish Sir Leo’s reputation.”

“Skills can be improved. Moreover, there’s no need for you to worry about my reputation.”

Leo smiled while looking at the five trainees.

“You chose me from the start for your own reasons. That’s enough.”

Watching the surprised knights, Leo stood up.

“How about we start training tomorrow if you think you’re lacking in skill?”

“My training with Sir Leo?”

“Yes.”

‘To train in swordsmanship with the Student Council President of Lumeran…’

‘This might be an opportunity!’

The five trainees looked at each other then nodded.

“We’ll do it!”

Hearing Martina’s words, Leo smiled.

“Good. I’ll talk separately to Master j*rk.”

If Celia had been there, she might have tried to persuade the trainees to stop.

“You’ll train with me from tomorrow onward.”

Unfortunately, Celia wasn’t there at that moment.

*

The campus of Lumeran, emptied of students, was very quiet.

Meanwhile, a faculty meeting was being held at the Hero’s Tower.

“So, the next agenda relates to the entrance exam.”

At Halind’s words, in charge of this year’s overall entrance exam, the professors focused.

“Soon we’ll have the entrance exam. We’re planning to conduct it differently than previous years.”

Lumeran was entering a period of transformation.

The long-time sword saint who was at the heart of Lumeran had left.

Additionally, last year, spies had infiltrated within Lumeran.

It was a time to take greater care in selecting new students.

At Halind’s words, Ain asked,

“When you say we’re proceeding differently… Are you referring to the ‘joint exam’ you mentioned last time?”

“Yes.”

Halind nodded.

Until now, the Lumeran entrance exams had been conducted at the discretion of individual examiners for each region.

But this year was different.

“I plan to send out the official documents tomorrow.”

“Where will we hold the exams?”

Yura asked curiously, and Halind casually responded,

“Rodren Empire will do.”

At this, the professors nodded.

There aren’t many countries that can handle the massive influx of people from around the world all at once.

The most suitable option among them is undoubtedly Rodren, the western hegemon.

“Of course, the exam content will also be unified.”

“Yes.”

Halind was flipping through the documents without even glancing at the other professors.

“What is the exam content?”

At Ain’s question, Halind answered nonchalantly,

“Fight with the current students.”

“What?”

The professors looked dazed.

For a moment, they thought they might have misheard.

“Fight with current students?”

“Yes. The current students will ‘hunt’ the incoming freshmen candidates.”

“…”

The professors’ faces changed oddly.

“Isn’t that too harsh, even if it’s true?”

Yura cautiously asked.

At this, Halind raised his head with an emotionless expression.

“Do you think I would create unreasonable exams?”

‘If it’s Professor Halind…’

‘Isn’t that exactly what he’d do?’

Given that no students from the first-year class 5 he handled this year were recommended for withdrawal, both the current students and faculty referred to his work as a miracle.

But his real nature was actually the Wall of Wailing that ruled over the students with fear in Lumeran.

To students without merit, he showed no mercy and recommended them for withdrawal, making him a professor of terror.

“The students involved in the exam will be second-year students.”

“Ah, that’s somewhat comforting if it’s the second-year students.”

“Professor Yura, summon these students to the Rodren Empire as per the list.”

Halind handed the list over to Yura.

As Yura’s face froze while receiving the list,

“Chloe Mueller, Duran Moira, Celia Zerdinger, Leo Flove, Chelsea LeWalyn, Abad LeWalyn, Eliza Hergin, Warden Tyern, Chen Sia?”

At the mention of these nine names, the professors’ faces also hardened.

“Hey, are you really calling these ones?”

“Yes.”

Halind, continuing to glance at his documents, casually said,

“If they’re unable to survive even against second-year students, then eliminating them is the answer.”

‘Are they really just second-year students?!’

At Halind’s words, Yura inwardly screamed.

The reactions of the other professors were not much different either.

But none dared to speak it out loud.

That’s because Halind himself was sheer terror to the professors.

Thus, the professors deeply sighed while sending pity to this year’s incoming freshmen candidates.

It was certain that this year’s exam would be of unprecedented difficulty, they believed.