367
After the mission practice announcement.
The first and second-year students busily prepared for the mission practice.
The students of the Department of Magic gathered in the second-year lecture hall to discuss the upcoming mission practice.
“So, I thought it would be some kind of secretive mission, but we’re openly entering as Lumeran students without hiding it.”
Kal, sitting with one leg crossed over the other and leaning back on his chair, rested his interlocked hands behind his head while sticking out his lower lip. A pen rested at the base of his nose.
“I imagined something more covert, like secretly gathering information.”
Kal’s muttering drew a nod of agreement from Juen.
“That’s right. It would have been much more exciting that way.”
After overhearing their conversation, Chloe clicked her tongue.
“All the first and second-year students are entering Aleham together; there’s no way it could stay concealed.”
She was right. Even if they tried to hide their identities, when hundreds of people warp gate into Aleham simultaneously, keeping it a secret would be nearly impossible. And when those hundreds are teenagers, it would be nearly impossible to keep it hushed.
“Besides, openly acknowledging that we’re Lumeran students might help put pressure on Aleham.”
Abad, sitting with his legs crossed at the front, smiled faintly and added his input.
Upon hearing his words, the female first-year students let out small screams of admiration. As one of the most popular upperclassmen, every action Abad took drew the highest attention from underclassmen.
A first-year male student raised his hand to ask, “Why reveal our identity and pressure Aleham? Wouldn’t an official investigation give them a better chance to hide their secrets?”
“If Aleham is truly trying to conceal the Hero Dungeon, they wouldn’t appreciate people digging into their country’s secrets.”
The first-year students nodded in agreement.
“So wouldn’t they want to stop anyone trying to uncover those secrets, even by killing them?”
Abad’s expression was still pleasant, but the content of his words was chilling. The first-years visibly shuddered at the implication.
“Even then, would they go so far as that with Lumeran students?”
The boy who asked sounded incredulous. Abad replied,
“That’s just it. If we sneak in, officially we aren’t Lumeran students.”
He rested his chin on his hand.
“Concealing the existence of the Hero Dungeon is a very serious matter. Depending on which hero’s Hero Record, this could threaten the world. The recent surge in Hero Records makes this point painfully clear. Last year and this year, the chaos in Seirun from the rampant Hero Dungeon should be fresh in your minds.”
With Abad’s words, the first-years swallowed hard. No one was unaware of the incident during last year’s Ruse Tournament, where a distant past hero appeared in Seirun via the Hero’s World. And the invasion of the Demon Queen.
“If not for the miraculous appearance of Hero of Beginning, Kyle, and the Progenitor of Star Cloud, Lady Luna, we might not be here at all.”
This made the first-years more tense.
“A rampage of the Hero Dungeon could put the survival of the nation at risk, and yet Aleham is concealing its existence despite all those dangers.”
Abad casually remarked,
“Do you think people like that would care if we were Lumeran students?”
The first-years broke out in cold sweat.
“Having the title of Lumeran students makes it absolutely untouchable. If they touch us, Lumeran will directly intervene. The same will apply to the country where those students are from.”
Abad stared, narrowing his eyes.
“You, me, whoever it is, most professors have decided we’re still protected by the name of Lumeran. Remember that.”
With that, the excited first-years hung their heads solemnly. The first-year students tasked for their first field mission were perhaps thinking that they would represent Limern in this mission.
It’s easy to make mistakes when one gets carried away with overconfidence.
Abad’s intention was to tighten the atmosphere and remind the underclassmen to stay vigilant.
“You can tell Abad’s no joke, huh.”
Kal whispered his admiration and beside him, Chelsea crossed her arms and beamed arrogantly.
“Obviously, he’s going to be the next Lord of LeWalyn. But what about Leo? Isn’t he supposed to be preparing with the Department of Magic today?”
Mission preparations were being done by department.
To Chelsea’s question, Kal replied,
“I heard he went to Professor Tina for a bit.”
Whirring… Whirring…
-My wings!
Inside Professor Tina’s office, Kiran was flying around recklessly in a loop, seemingly delighted.
Polymorphed Fiora muttered dryly as she watched him.
“There really isn’t a better moth in existence.”
“Ahh! Calling me a moth, Miss Fiora! How dare you!”
“Elshi said not to play with Arti. You’re learning all the wrong things.”
“Ah, so adorable. But what is this harsh word?”
Arti covered her face with her many arms while clutching her chest with the remaining hand.
“Oh, so cute. What harsh words could you utter like that?”
Fiora, still young and immature, could not understand this pegasus at all.
“One thing is clear, Arti is not in her right mind.”
Fiora’s big, red eyes rolled as she observed Kiran, flying around chaotically.
“That fairy’s a moth.”
With her arms crossed, Fiora nodded vigorously.
“Yes, Leo is the only one who can truly help me.”
Fiora moved her feet elegantly like a grown-up pretending to be an adult.
Kiran zoomed above such Fiora and flapped his doubled wings violently.
Shiny, luminous powder showered down onto Fiora’s nose.
“Ah-choo!”
Fiora sneezed.
“Grgh! What do you think you’re doing?”
-My wings are cool, aren’t they?
“They look like a moth’s.”
Fiora’s straightforward opinion made Kiran flap his wings even more wildly.
Enlightened by the dust from his frenzied wings, Fiora raised a thin book and tried to catch him like a bug hunter.
– Hahahaha! Little chick! What makes you think such a shabby attack can affect this body with its wings back?
“There! You naughty moth!”
Clang!
Tina’s research room fell into chaos.
And then.
Whish! Crack!
Accompanied by a sharp sound cutting through the air, a sharp scalpel flew in and precisely pierced between Fiora and Kiran.
Tina, who had thrown the scalpel, told the stunned two familiars,
“If you keep making noise, I’ll dissect you.”
She said it in her usual languid tone. Still, the fact that her eyes were gleaming with madness was sufficient enough in effect.
The two familiars gasped and hid behind Arti.
And with that, Arti sighed reproachfully.
“Be scared from a little threat like that? Don’t you know shame? Aren’t you disgracing the Three Familiars?”
Fiora and Kiran flared up in indignation, “We don’t want to hear THAT from you.”
Meanwhile, Tina was watching Cometes with an interested expression.
“As expected, amazing that someone outside Tingel’s family would get a reaction from Cometes.”
Leo, who came to retrieve Kiran’s wings with the exchange students returned from Seirun, was showing Cometes to Tina. It was originally Seirun Academy’s treasure, but since Seirun itself had handed it to Leo,
The ownership was clearly Leo’s.
“Indeed, you seem to be a research subject, Leo student.”
As Tina sipped strongly brewed coffee, she smiled faintly.
“Wouldn’t you like to play in the hospital with this professor?”
Somewhere, a dangerous smile emerged as Tina licked her lips.
“You don’t need to be scared. I won’t eat you.”
“I refuse. Please forgive me, concentrate on Cometes.”
“That’s disappointing.”
Upon hearing Leo’s words, Tina smacked her lips but did not excessively dwell on it.
“With how things are going, the Pureblood Society is cleaned up and Seirun is set for a transformation. Isn’t it about time I take up a position as a teacher in Seirun?”
“That might not be bad either. There’s a student I want to dissect in Seirun.”
‘…Lunia, perhaps.’
If there’s a student that can stimulate Tina’s curiosity immediately, it would be Lunia, who handles the Fire of Saltpeter.
“Well, for now, I would like to research more about the magic contained in Cometes.”
Currently, Tina’s interest lay in researching why Cometes, which had only reacted to Tingel bloodlines for thousands of years, reacted to Leo.
Of course, although Leo had received Seirun’s approval as Cometes’ rightful owner, even that could not suppress the fascinating magical fluctuation Cometes radiated to someone like Tina.
While humming a tune as she observed Cometes, Tina said,
“Speaking of which, I remember you’re going to Aleham?”
“Yes.”
“If you’re going to Aleham…”
Tina wrote something small on a sheet of paper.
“Visit this place in Uargela.”
“Uargela? Isn’t that Aleham’s largest oasis city?”
“Correct.”
Leo took the paper Tina handed over.
“House of Pleasure.”
“It’s a tavern run by someone who plays a significant role in Aleham’s underworld.”
Tina maintained her usual lazy expression.
“Showing this piece of paper will greatly help you with this mission practice.”
“Thank you.”
Leo carefully stored the note.
The following Monday after the mission practice preparation period ended.
The first and second-year students gathered in clusters in front of the warp gate.
“Where are you heading?”
“As for me, I want to extensively survey the capital first.”
“I’ll be around the Monster Forest. Since mercenaries gather there, it would be a conducive place to collect information.”
The students appeared to have already determined their investigation areas.
Of course, their investigation wouldn’t be limited exclusively to those locations.
Since the entire country of Aleham was the target of investigation, there would inevitably be active use of warp gates.
Additionally, collaboration between teams was also possible.
Primarily, this mission focused on cooperation rather than competition.
The sharing of information was crucial, and there was a necessity to keep track of each student’s movements.
The first-year students listened attentively to the mentors with serious expressions, considering they might become mentors and guide underclassmen next year.
It was at this point of enthusiastic discussion before the departure that someone shouted.
“Men! Are you all prepared?”
Sedgen appeared.
Sedgen, standing in front of the warp gate installation, dramatically spread his arms.
“This mission practice isn’t just ordinary practice! Representing Lumeran, you’ll be investigating Aleham! Your results may influence international relations, or perhaps even bring comfort to the neighboring countries of Aleham! So approach this mission mindful of its significance!”
“Yes!”
The students responded strongly.
“Moreover, Aleham as a country might still be ‘stimulating’ for you! Be sure not to lose your way or be blinded by excessive stimulation!”
Sedgen’s comment drew a hand raise from Kal.
“Professor Sedgen! If we do something that’s too undignified for students or use a facility, what punishment will be exacted?”
In response to Kal’s question came an unexpected answer from Halind, standing below the podium.
“There’s no punishment.”
The students were astonished at hearing this unexpected statement from Halind, who was known for being strict about school rules.
Seeing the students’ surprise, Halind continued.
“You are not just students but Hero Candidates. You must take responsibility for your actions.”
Halind flashed a cold smile.
“Experiencing various things isn’t a bad thing. But if you get too carried away and your life derails, it’s none of the school’s concern.”
Hearing Halind’s words, the students gulped.
After sweeping his gaze over the students, Halind announced.
“This mission practice will last two weeks.”
“Huh?”
“Two whole weeks?”
The unexpected duration of the mission practice startled everyone.
“Correct. As it’s a long-term mission, we’ll hand out the necessary funds now. Since this is also part of the lessons, you’re forbidden from using your family’s influence or your own money. And remember, there will be no further support for the next two weeks.”
After speaking, Halind handed out the money bags to the students.
Upon inspecting the bag, Kal’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Wow! What if there’s leftover mission practice money?”
At the realization of the considerable amount of money inside, Kal was astonished.
“Handle any leftover funds on your own. That’s all.”
The money allocated for the mission practice was substantial enough to shock even the noble students.
Once all preparations were complete, Sedgen spoke.
“Then! Good luck, everyone!”
And so, the first-semester joint mission practice for the 1st and 2nd year students began.
![[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")
