Leo was walking through the hallway with Angr.
Even though this was the lower-level class, Laura, a young wizard who had dedicated her whole life to magic, couldn’t possibly provide satisfactory lessons to the students of Seirun, a school renowned for its elite elven students.
Hence, when Laura first met Leo, initially full of enthusiasm, she quickly grew disappointed and sent Leo to study with Angr, as she believed the students would benefit more from self-study.
“Miss Laura is truly an excellent person,” Angr said as he strode ahead of Leo.
“She cares deeply for all the students in our class. She also makes the magic lessons so engaging, making it very easy to understand.”
Angr went on praising Laura endlessly.
“You’ll soon grow to like Miss Laura too,” Angr grinned but his face fell slightly.
“Though, she may be lacking in teaching other subjects…”
Angr’s ears drooped slightly before he awkwardly smiled again.
“Ah, sorry. You’re probably feeling down being in the lower class, and here I am blabbering on…”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Leo’s casual reply made Angr fidget.
“By the way, I have one question. Hearing that you were moved from mid-level to lower-level class, does that mean… someone from the lower-level… well… um…”
Angr awkwardly stumbled over his words, glancing at Leo.
“I know of no case where a student ascended from the lower-level class.”
Leo sighed deeply.
“Guess I was saying something unnecessary. Sorry.”
Angr smiled awkwardly and hurriedly stepped away.
As he followed Angr, Leo found himself lost in thought.
‘This seems to be an immense issue.’
Having a representative-level student in the lower-level was troubling.
Furthermore, having such little attention given to the lower-level classes was another issue.
The problems in Seirun seemed more serious than he had initially thought.
“Though I’ve heard they excessively focus on the magic of the stars.”
Even so, Seirun has never only favored star magicians.
Yet now, the situation practically denies brilliant students in other areas a chance to shine.
Regardless of their outstanding talent and skill, they’re only first years.
How can students effectively learn without proper guidance and rely only on peer teaching?
As Leo narrowed his eyes, Angr announced,
“We’re here.”
Angr led Leo into a dilapidated lecture hall building. Inside the vast auditorium, first-year students were engaged in sparring with various weapons in their hands.
Looking at this sight, Leo asked,
“Isn’t there any theoretical study?”
On hearing Leo’s question, Angr scratched his cheek.
“Yes, we try to include theory as much as possible… but currently, practical training is prioritized.”
“Is that so?”
Leo nodded in understanding.
Watching this, Angr adjusted his grip on his spear.
“Hey, Leo. Since you’re here, how about we do a bit of sparring?”
Angr’s question prompted a faint smile from Leo.
“Today, I’ll just observe.”
“Got it. I see. You must be troubled,” said Angr and turned to spar with others without pressing further.
Some students whispered and turned toward Leo.
“Who is that guy?”
One boy asked, and Angr responded with a wry smile.
“He’s from the mid-level class this year.”
“Really? Another failure like us, huh?”
But as the boy questioned Leo’s inaction,
“Why is he just watching?”
“He said he only plans to observe today.”
“Ha! He hasn’t realized he’s in hell yet.”
The boy sighed and began sparring with Angr.
Observing them from a distance, Leo propped his chin in thought.
‘There are quite a few talented students here.’
Angr, for instance, was easily among the top students in the first year of Seirun.
Most others were also exceptionally skilled.
What they lacked was one aspect: proficiency solely in the magic of the stars.
After watching for a while, Leo got up and left the hall.
Though the lower-level students saw Leo leave, none approached him.
The lower-level students harbored quite a bit of resentment towards the mid-level and upper-level students.
Reason being, all lower-level students are taught by a single teacher without any distinctions.
This situation came about because most personnel have been allocated to improving the capabilities of the upper-level students.
The mid-level situation was relatively better since students can potentially move up to higher levels at any time, and thus they receive more attention.
However, this wasn’t the case for the lower-level classes.
Only Laura taught the lower-level students.
The school had deemed these students as having no potential, and the upper and mid-level students would mock and belittle their lower counterparts.
Therefore, it was no surprise that Leo, who came from the mid-level, would not be viewed favorably by the lower-level students.
As Leo left the lecture hall, he called out,
“Elshi.”
A dark form materialized into Elshi at Leo’s call.
“Yes, Leo?”
“Can you scout the area for places where summoners gather?”
“Just a moment.”
With closed eyes, Elshi concentrated.
After a brief pause, she opened her eyes.
“This way.”
As expected by Leo, the first-year summon students were diligently practicing not far from there.
In an empty classroom, lower-level students communicated with spirits and familiars.
Watching this, Leo let out a small sigh.
‘As expected, the kids’ skills are good.’
Unlike Angr, who showed an overwhelming level of expertise, many students studying summoning were clearly talented, making it difficult to understand why they were in the lower-level class at all.
‘The general issue is understood now.’
Rubbing his chin while walking down the hall, Leo returned to the lower-level classroom.
There, he met Laura, who was reading a lecture book on aura studies at the podium.
“Ah, Leo student. What brings you here? Did you leave something behind?”
Laura asked cheerfully.
Sitting before the smiling Laura, Leo spoke.
“I’d like to attend a lecture.”
“Me?”
“I’d like to listen to your lecture. Can’t I learn on my own?”
“How could you not!”
Cheerfully, Laura stood before the podium and cleared her throat.
“I shall begin the lecture on aura studies.”
Tap-tap.
The second-year classroom area.
A girl with vibrant, fiery red hair was walking down the hall.
Upon spotting her, all second-year students stiffened.
The top student of the second year, Lunia El Rundah herself was finally back in the classroom zone.
Following her exclusive contractual course with the Smith Department, the high-ranking elves who deemed Lunia needed adjustment, didn’t just assign additional classes.
They decided she was to handle all her courses alone.
Officially, this was a special courtesy for the top second-year student, but realistically, it was to prevent any potential influence on other students.
On a rare visit to the classroom, Lunia opened the door.
Creak –
The class door swung open and the second-year students preparing for a lecture brightened at her return.
“Lunia, you’re back! How were the special lessons?”
A student approached Lunia warmly.
Glancing sideways, Lunia responded coldly.
“Stop talking to me, will you?”
Startled by Lunia’s sharp voice, the student paused.
Lunia disliked this student, who had taken the place of Luca, an excluded half-elf, simply because of his lineage.
Furthermore, this student was a classic proponent of elf purism.
Lunia wanted nothing to do with him.
Noticing this, he quickly stepped back.
Lunia walked to her usual seat by the window, at the back, and slumped into it.
A few students gathered around her.
“How were the special classes?”
“It was pretty empty without you.”
With a faint smile, Lunia replied,
“Nothing special, just elf philosophy classes.”
“Ah…”
Her friends sighed, understanding Lunia’s slightly rough mannerisms but recognizing it wasn’t a major issue.
‘Because she’s Lunia.’
‘She’s just outspoken and a bit rough but that doesn’t mean Lunia has problems.’
As students reflected on this,
Creak –
The door opened, and Eiran entered.
Upon spotting Lunia, Eiran’s eyes grew wide and he rushed to grasp her hand tearfully.
“You’re back!”
“Did you do okay while I was gone?”
While patting her crying friend’s head with a smile, Lunia asked,
“Did anything special happen while I was away?”
“Something big happened yesterday! That’s why the entire school is in an uproar.”
“Who’s causing all the commotion?”
“One of the first-year students, Lea Tinggel.”
“Lea Tinggel? What did the top student do?”
“Something happened alright… quite a scandal.”
A female student gossiped,
“Yesterday, she had a conversation with the Fairy King Silrod.”
“WHAT?”
“Caused quite the ruckus.”
“Seems like a major incident.”
“Coincidentally good timing! We were planning to visit Lea Tinggel after school.”
While students chattered, the elf teacher entered.
Students quickly returned to their seats.
“The teacher has a public announcement. As all of you know, the mid-term is approaching.”
The teacher swept his eyes across the students,
“It’s the first mid-term for the first-year students. And, this exam matters, especially for the lower-levels.”
The teacher smiled faintly.
“No matter how weak the students, they must prepare during the mid-term. To give these students some focus, higher-grade students are forbidden from interacting with the first-year, lower-level students.”
Hearing this, the students began murmuring.
Why were they suddenly barred from contacting only the lower-level first-year students?
At this, Lunia raised her hand.
“Yes, Lunia El Rundah student.”
“The juniors could likely benefit from guidance by students like us, so why forbid it?”
“The reason is simple — even our advice at this level might confuse them or cause more chaos, given their current level.”
‘…There’s definitely something going on with the first-year lower-level students.’
For a while now, Lunia had noticed something amiss in Seirun.
‘Whenever the upper administration tries to manipulate students, they come up with such absurd excuses. It’s clear they’re covering something up.’
Lunia’s eyes narrowed.
‘If they tell us not to meet, then I’m more inclined to go.’
Lunchtime.
After attending Laura’s aura, spirit, and mana classes, Leo reflected.
‘She’s a wonderful teacher.’
As Angr had evaluated, Laura was an excellent educator.
Even teaching subjects outside her expertise, her efforts for the students in aura and spirit studies were evident.
‘Still, these lessons won’t really help the current lower-level students much.’
While musing, Leo headed to the cafeteria.
As soon as he entered, his expression turned perplexed.
Even the cafeteria was graded.
Upper-level students enjoyed an elegant buffet; mid-level students had decent dining arrangements.
For the lower section, there were only bread and water.
Not a single student from the lower-class was present at their table; it appeared Leo was the sole person to come for lunch.
“What’s his deal? New face.”
“Lower-level, perhaps?”
“It’s rare for a lower-level student to even come to the cafeteria.”
Derisive laughter from the first-year elves filled the air.
‘Our students from Lunern Academy would have raised a ruckus seeing this level of discrimination in meals.’
Lunern students were accustomed to delicious school meals, with the option to eat at some of the best local eateries, making every one of them a gourmand.
Hence, Lunern students were particularly sensitive about food.
Though dissatisfied with the menu, one can’t ignore hunger.
Ignoring the jeers from upper and mid-level students, Leo sat alone at the lower-level table, munching on bread and water.
Upper-level students like Eclere, enjoying their lunch, noticed Leo.
“Hey? Isn’t that the person we saw last night?”
“Who?”
“Aren’t you curious? I mentioned there was a peculiar lower-level student earlier.”
Eclere grinned at her friend.
At this, Lea Tinggel, the top student of the first year, took a sip of her drink and lazily glanced at the direction her friend indicated.
But seeing a familiar face in the Seirun uniform, with pointed ears, she was shocked.
“Huff?! Cough! Cough!”
Surprisingly startled, Lea began to cough.
Eclere worriedly patted her friend’s back.
Once she regained composure, Lea once again confirmed the face.
The school uniform and pointed ears aside, it was unmistakably the face she had seen in the ‘human’ newspaper, one rarely seen in elf society.
‘Why is the student council president of Lunern Academy dining at the first-year Seirun cafeteria?!’
![[TS] The Protagonist is Conquered](https://i3.wp.com/novelhitam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1743806812-5548-TS-The-Protagonist-is-Conquered.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The Protagonist is Conquered")
