Chapter 226

Giese, who was in charge of all the trainees of Zerdinger, finally received some good news after a long time.

“Excellent. All five of you have been accepted into Lumeran.”

Being a prestigious family, Zerdinger naturally sent many trainees to take the Lumeran entrance exams.

However, even being a Zerdinger trainee was no guarantee of admission to the Hero Academy.

The trainees trained hard daily to become excellent knights, but Lumeran’s standards were high.

Therefore, having five successful applicants this year was truly an encouraging achievement.

“It’s all thanks to Young Master Leo.”

At Martina’s words, Giese chuckled.

“You were the ones who overcame the training. This is an accomplishment you’ve earned yourselves, so be proud.”

“Yes.”

“You are Leo’s knights and now Lumeran’s students too, but remember you are still Zerdinger’s trainees.”

“Hah!”

“That’s right. Zerdinger will handle your admission preparations. You focus on your training.”

“Understood!”

Watching the Slayer Order respond with crisp replies, Gise nodded approvingly.

As the five of them stepped out of the training hall and looked at each other’s faces, they erupted in cheers.

“Hooray!”

“We’ve been accepted into Lumeran!”

“We’re Hero Academy students!”

Martina and Carin clasped hands and spun around joyfully while Austin, Julian, and Valerie cheered by jumping, arms around each other’s shoulders.

It felt like a dream.

“Heh…! Being Young Master Leo’s knight really turned out well! It feels like a dream!”

At Carin’s delighted exclamation, Julian burst out laughing.

“Who would’ve thought we’d become Lumeran students?”

As they were celebrating, a voice came from behind.

“You’ve been accepted into Lumeran, eh?”

Startled, they snapped to attention.

“Celina Lady. Good day!”

Martina greeted her on behalf of the group.

“Congratulations. So you’re my juniors now?”

Looking at Celina’s smiling face, the five beamed with excitement.

Though they were now Leo’s knights, they had trained alongside Celina since childhood and looked up to her greatly.

Celina also felt proud to hear that the five with whom she had practiced swordsmanship had become Lumeran students.

“Good work. Now, come with me.”

“Where to, Celina Lady?”

To Martina’s question, Celina casually brushed her hair aside and replied briefly.

“Palace Magic Archives.”

*

The Palace Magic Archives of Rodren.

It was the heart of Rodren’s magical engineering.

The collection of magic books and research materials held in the Palace Archives rivaled those of the Magic Tower, making it a premier location for wizards.

That said, the innermost sanctum was restricted to Palace magicians, but sections not housing crucial documents were open to Rodren’s wizards and external visitors.

And there, a group had gathered that drew everyone’s attention.

“Isn’t that Abad and Celia? Doing homework? And who’s that kid with them? A school friend?”

“How could you not know key figures in the empire! That’s Leo Flove! Leo Flove.”

“What? Leo Flove?”

The wizards saw Leo with the LeWalyn siblings and were visibly startled.

In the Rodren Empire, Leo Flove was already a well-known figure.

Yet seeing him at the Palace Archives was surprising to Rodren’s wizards.

After all, Zerdinger was his maternal family. Though Leo was both a knight and a wizard, it was still surprising to see a member of the illustrious knightly family studying at the Palace Archives.

Scribble-scribble…

After finishing her homework, Celia stretched with a ‘kyeeeng’.

“All done!”

Celia finished her homework with a satisfied smile.

Abad also closed his book with his usual gentle smile.

“Surprisingly quick.”

“Doing it together is much more efficient, isn’t it?”

Celia grinned brightly and looked at Leo.

‘Not only does Leo have Magic Department homework, but also Knight Department and Summoning homework.’

She marveled anew at his abilities when—

“Lord Abad!”

A group of girls around the same age carrying magic books approached cautiously, wearing what looked like uniforms.

‘Trainee wizards from the Royal Magical Archives.’

The Royal Magical Archives were managed by the Rodren family and also served as an institution to nurture promising mages.

Abad and Celia had studied here before entering Lumeran.

The trainee wizards occupied a position similar to Zerdinger trainees.

The group of girls gathered around Abad, their faces blushing as they presented magical runic formulas.

“Could you help us understand this?”

They had apparently been waiting for Abad to finish his homework, as many trainee wizards gathered around him.

‘While they might have ulterior motives beyond magic…’

Celia rested her cheek on her hand.

She had always been close to Abad since childhood and knew well that he attracted a lot of women.

Unavoidable.

Even she had to admit her brother was handsome, kind, and as the heir to LeWalyn…

“Our big brother really is the top marriage candidate!”

Hmm! Hmm! With her arms crossed, Celia stood up.

“Big brother, Leo, do you want some drinks?”

The facility always had beverages and tea available to assist in concentration for those studying or researching individually.

“Miss Celia, let me get them.”

One of the trainees questioning Abad looked flustered, but Celia smiled.

“Go ahead and ask him your questions. I’ll get the drinks.”

Celia cheerfully hummed a tune as she went to fetch the drinks.

‘Now that the homework is done, shall I invite Leo to the district? I was a guest at the Flove House during summer break, so now it’s my turn to show him around.’

According to Celia’s information, Leo had finished everything he needed to do within Zerdinger and the entrance exams.

Now, he only had the rest of the vacation to enjoy leisurely.

‘Next year will be quite intense, though.’

Celia sighed softly.

As a Hero Candidate, she was well-versed in the geopolitical situation of the continent and anticipated that the second-year departmental activities would be challenging.

‘Now that I think of it, Ar, the representative of Azonia’s first year, finished the entrance exams but why is he still in Lorand?’

Thinking of Ar, Celia looked thoughtful when—

“Mr. Leo Flove?”

“Hm? What is it?”

“I’ve heard that you have an exceptional grasp of magic theory. I’d like to discuss it with you.”

A trainee wizard from the Palace Magical Archives approached Leo with a refined smile.

‘Isn’t she the one who used to follow big brother around last year? After making some unsavory rumors last time, now she wants to follow Leo?’

Celia’s temples began to twitch.

Crunch!

Just as an ominous sound came from the tray Celia was holding—

“Dear niece, why are you angry again?”

A cheerful spring breeze-like voice made Celia turn around eyes wide.

“Aunty.”

Behind her stood the Chief Administrator of the Palace Magical Archives, Cherna LeWalyn.

Cherna smiled brightly while placing her hands on Celia’s shoulders.

“Isn’t that your cute nephew?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm?”

Cherna made a sniffing sound while scrutinizing Leo before beaming.

“You do look a lot like Reina.”

“Does aunty know Lady Reina?”

“Of course. Reina was famous, after all.”

Shrugging, Cherna walked toward Leo, her heels clicking.

The trainees were startled by her arrival, stepping back and bowing.

“Leo Flove.”

“Yes.”

“Welcome to the Palace Magical Archives, Leo Flove. I’m Cherna LeWalyn, the head administrator here.”

“Leo Flove.”

Bowing respectfully, Leo saw Cherna touch her cheek and smile radiantly like a spring breeze.

“My, what a polite boy. I’m truly glad to meet you. I’d mentioned to your uncle in Zerdinger multiple times that I’d like to meet you, but that wimp kept refusing. Hoho.”

Indeed, showing her lineage from the LeWalyn family, Cherna didn’t hesitate to criticize Gise from Zerdinger.

“Leo, listen carefully. If you ever see an awful witch at the palace, don’t even greet her.”

Of course, Gise had shown a similar reaction before Leo came to the palace.

She was the deputy head of the LeWalyn family before being chief administrator of the Royal Archives.

Cherna’s cheerful expression shifted slightly.

“Seeing you makes me think I should have met you earlier. I should have officially invited you without worrying about the relationship between LeWalyn and Zerdinger.”

“It’s an honor meeting you.”

Leo smiled gently.

“Yes. Since we’re here now, let’s have a little chat.”

At this, Celia moved to stand beside Leo.

Looking at Celia, Cherna smiled.

“Celia, I’d like to talk to Leo alone this time.”

“Huh?”

Celia’s eyes widened in surprise, glancing around before nodding hesitantly.

“Alright.”

‘Why does aunty want to see Leo alone?’

Celia watched in puzzlement as Leo followed Cherna.

Walking behind Cherna, Leo narrowed his eyes slightly.

‘Is she one of the people from the shadows?’

Cherna LeWalyn.

The deputy head of the LeWalyn family and chief administrator of the Palace Magical Archives.

At first glance, she seemed like a woman who lived in the spotlight.

But Leo could sense something deeper.

The strong bl**d aroma Cherna exuded.

She wasn’t someone who operated in the light.

From the time of the Great Heroes.

Similar to Kyle, who had hunted and buried traitors.

“Let me say this with concern.”

Cherna said softly.

“I’d rather you didn’t talk about me to Celia. She’ll find out eventually…but not now.”

“What about?”

“Stop pretending.”

Cherna continued smiling as she spoke.

“I won’t go around telling others either. I just thought you looked like someone who’s in the same line of work as me.”

Stopping in a shadowy corridor, Cherna turned around.

Her light blue eyes, similar to Abad and Celia’s, were shining with an eerie light.

“Even at just fifteen.”

The skilled hunter Cherna saw a similar darkness in Leo that she herself possessed.

Something only those who had stepped into this world could recognize.

‘Seems even deeper than mine.’

Feeling creeped out by Leo, Cherna smiled.

“The reason I called you separately is because we have a guest who is related to you.”

Leo looked surprised.

Arriving at the office, Cherna opened the door and saw the visitors seated inside and looked puzzled.

“Welcome, Black Rabbit.”

Arha let out a snort and greeted Leo.

Beside her stood a large beastman, arms crossed.

He also appeared to be a student from Azonia.

The closed-eyed beastman opened them and looked at Leo.

The wolf beastman spoke in a solemn voice.

“Nice to meet you, President of Lumeran.”

Swoosh-

He stood up.

He was two heads taller than Leo, requiring him to tilt his head way up.

“My name is Dorveman Kales. I’ve become President of Azonia’s student council. We’ll be seeing each other often.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Leo Flove.”

“Hmph.”

Dorveman looked down at Leo with dissatisfaction in his expression.

“Pathetically frail. Both you and Hark from Lumeran, why are your warriors all so frail?”

Looking up at the sky, Dorveman lamented.

“Leo, if you had come to Azonia, you could have…”

“Excuse me, yes. Let’s not try recruiting other school’s students here.”

Cherna smiled.

“Shall we get to the main topic?”

She placed a box sealed by magic on the desk.

“A short while ago, Rodren had an encounter with a Hero Hunter. And we obtained a trophy from that battle.”

Creak-

The magical seal was undone.

Inside was a broken piece of metal.

Leo’s eyes widened significantly.

“You called us all the way here just for this?”

Dorveman looked confused.

“I heard this was related to Lady Aron, but what is this piece of metal?”

“Brave.”

“…!”

Dorveman and Arha turned to look at Leo.

Cherna narrowed her eyes.

“You recognized it immediately, didn’t you? Just a piece of a sword.”

Cherna nodded.

“You’re right, Leo. This is a fragment of the Hero’s sword, Brave.”