Chapter 314

“Did you hear the story?”

“Yeah. I heard the second-years are going on overnight trips these days?”

“They said it’s a dormitory battle simulation. With the entire second-year participating, it must be on a whole other level.”

“When are we going to get to do a large-scale simulation like that?”

Lumeran Academy 1st year training grounds.

During the break in the joint combat studies class, students were chatting.

Thanks to the approaching midterm exams since entering Lumeran, the first-years were having their hands full.

Of course, the stress itself wasn’t as intense when compared to other classes.

The midterms for the first semesters at Lumeran are widely regarded as a threshold of d*ath for students.

However, this year’s first-years won’t receive any withdrawal advice before the end of the first semester.

As a result, they had a little more leisure time to glance around compared to other classes.

“Hmm. Doesn’t it feel like we’ve kind of been relegated to being secondary players?”

Juen mumbled with a slightly disgruntled tone.

Normally, the first-years are under the biggest spotlight during the midterms in the first semester.

It was a schoolwide event where the newly admitted students showcased their abilities to the upperclassmen.

However, this time the spotlight was on the second-years’ practical exam.

It was so rare that it was even opened to external guests.

So many people were coming to Rumelia City already just to witness the all-out fight from the so-called ‘golden generation’ of second-years.

Juen’s muttering made Fritz, from the same class, chuckle.

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“What do you mean?”

“To be overshadowed by the radiant presence of Senior Leo is only natural…”

“Aagh, right, right. My bad for asking you, a devout Leo Flove fan.”

Juen sighed deeply.

“I do have a question though. Why did you become Abad’s mentee instead of Leo’s? Someone who praises Senior Leo so much should naturally become his mentee, right?”

“What!? Are you suggesting I commit such an impertinence as asking to become Senior Leo’s mentee!?”

“You’re really beyond help.”

Just as Juen shook her head, someone called out.

“Juen.”

“Hm?”

“Your mentor is here?”

“Huh? Senior Kal is here?”

Juen’s eyes widened at the other girl’s words.

She burst into laughter.

“To be honest, Senior Kal always takes care of his cute juniors, even amidst his busyness,” Juen said, standing up with a smug look.

The envious gazes of those around her fell on Juen.

Among the second-years, Kal was the one who most zealously carried out the role of a mentor.

Of course, this was why the first-years weren’t jealous of Juen.

After all, Kal was ranked at the bottom of the second-years.

When the first-years were choosing mentors, Kal was the most avoided second-year.

Juen’s decision to pick Kal as her mentor was met with disbelief from most of the first-years.

They whispered that as the successor to the Southern Mage Tower, she wouldn’t bother with mentors.

Some even speculated she had chosen an inferior mentor to make herself stand out.

However, all such opinions changed completely after Kal conquered the Dwennos World.

Once it was revealed that Kal had obtained Dwennos’ alchemy book as a reward for conquering the world, Juen ended up garnering all the envy.

Juen walked lightly toward the entrance of the first-year combat training field.

But, seeing a crowd of first-years gathered there, she hesitated.

Kal was among the first-years.

“Hey! Pick! Pick! Senior Kal’s sundry shop is here!”

Like an open-air market merchant, Kal shouted to the first-years.

The first-years gazed at Kal with interest.

“Exam period study aids! Fatigue recovery potions and candies! Moving practice targets for combat training! Punching bags! Familiar snacks! Spirit-preferred magic stones! We have everything!”

Kal displayed several martial arts props on his stand.

“Hey! And emergency-use bombs, throwing daggers for battle! Antidote potions for status recovery! Emergency-use magic scrolls too!”

“Ooh!”

“That’s good!”

Kal’s promotion made the first-years’ eyes sparkle.

“Decisively.”

Kal smirked and pulled out a card with a snap.

The emblem of Lumeran Academy was emblazoned on the back, and pictures of the second-years were on the card.

“Special offer for premium customers: Second-year cuties’ cards!”

“Ooh…”

“Nella Senior!”

“Wow! Abad Senior!”

The first-years’ eyes lit up at the rare snaps of the second-years.

“By the way, these are photos from their Freshman year — their cute, younger days!”

“Ugh…”

“Too… tempting.”

As the first-years swooned over the rare pictures, Habidden pushed through the crowd.

At his side was Rickyddon Brick, the renowned knight family student from the Vircen household who had taken classes with the first-years at Lumeran last year.

Rickyddon, who had once sparred with Kal, greeted him with a smile.

“Ah, your highness, it’s quite some journey to this humble place.”

Kal grinned while Habidden crossed his arms.

“Senior Kal, this is the first-years’ class break period. Especially during combat study sessions, it’s disruptive for you seniors to visit like this.”

“…You really remind me of your mentor. You look like someone who breaks rules casually, but ends up strictly adhering to them.”

“What intent?”

“Compliment. A model student.”

Always full of authority, Duran still strictly followed the rules.

He was an example of model students.

Although Habidden glanced at Kal with mild dissatisfaction, he didn’t press any further.

It wasn’t simply because Kal was a year older, but also because last year’s experience made Habidden respect Kal as a senior.

Regardless, it was Habidden’s duty to drive away this noisy peddler who disturbed his juniors’ break.

“Among the four most promising freshmen, you’re ironically the most disciplined one,” he internally reasoned.

“Please pack up your stall.”

“That’s rather rigid.”

Kal complained as Habidden looked at him coolly.

“I’ll call Professor Halind.”

Hearing this, Kal quickly approached Habidden.

Habidden stared at Kal without batting an eye.

“Can you not do this, huh?”

“What is the meaning of this…”

As he saw Kal subtly slip something into his pocket, Habidden winced.

It was a card with Chelsea dressed in a summer outfit, cheerfully making a “V” sign.

“Isn’t it for the good of both sides?”

“Krk!”

Habidden’s conflicted expression was watched from afar by Juen, her face turning cold.

“Ooo, Juen! Want to buy something?”

Kal greeted Juen, his mentee, with a bright smile while waving.

“Juen Thorbina? Senior Kal’s calling you.”

At Fritz’s words, Juen responded coldly.

“I don’t know who he is. That fool.”

Juen turned and walked away.

Kal made his way through the crowd toward Juen.

“Wow! You came to greet your senior! Good job! Good job!”

“Who are you?”

Though Juen pretended not to recognize him, Kal didn’t seem fazed, pulling something from his pocket.

“C’mon, stop pouting! Here.”

“What is it?”

“A power core made from magic for your energy.”

Juen, who specialized in sniper magic and used magic cores separate from her own, now had custom cores made by Kal that matched her magical patterns.

“It’s a test piece. This one’s for close-range suppression and elemental attributes.”

“Hmm, well done, Senior.”

“For my mentee, duh.”

Kal grinned.

Juen smiled in return.

“Thank you, Senior!”

Smiling cutely, Juen clung to Kal’s arm.

“So, in that sense, Senior~ Can I have a recovery potion for this cute mentee of yours?”

Kal, amused by Juen’s coquettish behavior and baby talk, handed over a potion.

“Hmph, look at that. My mentor personally ensures my fatigue recovery potion needs are met! Jealous?”

As Juen gloated in front of her classmates with a haughty chuckle, she took a sip from the potion.

Kal suddenly held out his palm.

“What’s that?”

“Only five shillings, please.”

“Are you serious? Charging your cute mentee?”

“We need to separate work from pleasure. Once drunk, no returns.”

Juen’s face twisted at Kal’s firmness.

“Give me a discount.”

“Can’t be helped. You’re the daughter of the Mage Tower Master after all. You’re wealthy.”

“Tch!”

Juen pulled out the five shillings from her pocket.

Kal chuckled at Juen’s pouted lips.

“Seriously, are you here to peddle goods, Senior?”

Kal, shaking his pocket as he saw Juen’s sulk, replied.

“No. I came to give you the test cores.”

Kal smirked.

“Actually, I’m here to gather some information.”

“Information?”

Juen hesitated.

‘What is this guy plotting now?’

Juen’s eyes lit up. This was why she had chosen Kal to be her mentor.

Kal was talented in collecting information and using it to devise numerous strategies.

This was a skill Juen lacked, having received lifelong elite education as a Master Mage Tower’s daughter.

Juen kept observing Kal, who was interacting with the first-years nearby.

Kal knew most of the first-years by face.

‘Hold on.’

Juen realized something.

‘He knows who’s mentored by whom?’

Juen’s eyes widened. Kal had a comprehensive grasp of the mentorship connections within the first-year class.

Using this, he subtly and naturally guided conversations about the second-years.

As the break neared its end, Juen whispered a question to Kal while he was packing up his stall.

“You’re using the first-years to gather intelligence on the second-years, aren’t you?”

Juen’s twinkling eyes met Kal’s nonchalant shrug.

“Caught me? We’re not there yet, just laying down bait naturally.”

Kal smirked.

“Mentors and mentees are close, right? Casual conversations about academy life. Someone might even talk about the inter-class battles.”

Starting off by directly asking for simulation information would only raise suspicions among the first-years.

Thus, Kal chose the natural approach of leading them into mentor conversations to lower their guard.

“Well, whether or not we’ll get useful information, doing nothing isn’t better, right?”

Kal’s playful wink made Juen admire him.

“Senior, you seem kind of cool today, do you notice?”

“Hmm. Took you long enough. In that sense, I’ll offer a discount on the fatigue recovery potion.”

“Half-price?”

“Not quite. Four shillings.”

As Juen burst into laughter, a cold voice spoke.

“Haven’t you only grown in audacity since becoming a second-year, Kal Thomas?”

Kal’s face went pale.

“Combat class requires significant physical effort. Taking away the break and hindering my class—how much you’ve grown.”

Turning his head, Kal’s trembling body faced an icy-smiling Professor Halind.

“Sorry! Very sorry! That wasn’t my intention! Professor Halind, I’m sorry!”

Kal’s waist bent to a continuous 90-degree bow.

The first-years chuckled at Kal’s predicament.

Juen turned away from his plight.

“Juen, what were you talking about with Senior Kal?”

“Kal? Who’s that? I don’t know him.”

Juen responded coldly to her classmate’s question.