594.
In the fiercely contested Hero’s Festival, the winner was none other than Lumeran.
The Lumeran students gathered around the podium where the trophy sat.
Hark, who could be considered the representative of the Lumeran students, ascended the podium and lifted the trophy high.
“Whooohooooo!”
The Lumeran students cheered loudly at the sight.
Not just the Lumeran students, but also the humans who had visited Lumeran to watch the event rose from their seats and enthusiastically cheered, applauding with great excitement.
Given that this was a clash between hero academies representing their respective races, it was only natural that the entire race would share in the joy of witnessing the victory.
Students from other schools that narrowly missed out on the top prize after a fierce competition wore expressions of frustration.
Watching this, Leo muttered under his breath.
“Hark-sempai seems incredibly happy.”
“He should be. Hark-sempai worked the hardest in this Hero’s Festival. But why did he suddenly become so driven?”
Selia tilted her head in confusion.
Indeed, it was surprising that the one who displayed a frenzied level of effort during the Hero’s Festival was Hark. Up until just before the festival, Hark had been unmotivated, saying he would be used up until graduation, but as soon as the festival began, he lit up with determination and dived right in.
“He mentioned grinding his teeth, saying that if he was going to work hard, he’d do whatever it took to bring home the trophy.”
“Ah.”
Selia nodded in understanding.
Newspaper reporters kept manipulating magical devices to take photos of such a Hark.
“Anyway, shouldn’t your role as Student Council President include addressing something like this?”
As Selia muttered somewhat reproachfully, Leo chuckled.
“I didn’t do anything at all in this Hero’s Festival.”
“True, but…”
Even so, as the representative of the school, Selia couldn’t hide her disappointment with Leo.
“It’s an opportunity to greatly elevate the family name.”
“Isn’t the title of the youngest Lumeran Student Council President and the youngest hero enough?”
“It’s better to seize as much as you can when you have the chance, isn’t it?”
With a sly smile, Selia brushed her hair behind her ear.
“By the way, isn’t it next week already? The second-year is about to end.”
“We still have the final exams.”
After the Hero’s Festival, which was a grand event, Lumeran immediately went into final exams.
It was an incredibly harsh academic schedule, but the students, who were already used to Lumeran’s ruthlessness, accepted it calmly.
“I’m fine since I’ve already finished preparing for the exams.”
Selia smiled confidently.
“Ah, now that I think about it, I heard from the family members who came to watch the event that they’re about to decide the territory you’ll soon receive?”
Due to being part of the direct lineage of the Zerdinger family, Leo was set to inherit a portion of the vast Zerdinger territory.
“You’ll have to visit the Zerdinger family during the winter vacation because of that.”
“Is that so? Got it.”
When the final exams ended,
as always, a mix of happiness and sadness spread among the students.
Some students stayed at the school, while others had to leave.
After the closing ceremony,
the second-year students held closing parties in their respective dormitories.
“Whaaa! Sia! Chloe! You must not pretend you don’t know me later!”
“Why would we pretend not to know you? We were in the same dorm. Even if we won’t be learning in the same space next year, we’re still friends.”
“Big sis!”
Chen Sia smiled wryly as she consoled the weeping female students.
“That’s it for now. It’s not the end.”
“Big sis Chloe!”
“I’m younger than you by a year.”
Chloe wore a troubled expression.
After consoling the female students, Chloe stood up from her seat.
“Let’s put the gloomy atmosphere aside. People are staying, people are leaving, but the important thing is that we all made it through this year safely.”
There were several major incidents this year.
Yet, amidst all that, there were no unfortunate accidents among the students, and everyone managed to arrive safely at this point.
“Together, we overcame adversity. I believe it was possible because we became one as fellow dormitory members. So, let’s remain friends moving forward.”
Even the female students who were sobbing because they didn’t advance and the male students with gloomy expressions managed to shake off their sadness.
“Sia, as the dorm leader, you should say a few words.”
Upon Chloe’s remark, Chen Sia spoke.
“Thank you all for following along well this year. At first, I was worried about whether I could handle it, but thanks to all of you, I’ve successfully fulfilled my duties as the dorm leader. Thank you.”
With a smile, Chen Sia turned her gaze to Leo.
“Now it’s your turn, Lord Leo.”
“Everyone worked hard this year.”
At Leo’s straightforward words, the Glory students chuckled softly.
“The class leader’s toast is always so short.”
Iliana shook her head side to side.
“Anyway!”
Iliana, raising the glass of juice she held in her hand, declared.
“Let’s enjoy this moment today!”
Everyone shook off their gloomy moods and enjoyed the party.
“Ah! Professor Sena!”
“Why did you arrive so late? You said you’d come quickly!”
“Sorry, everyone. The faculty meeting ran late.”
Sena, the headmaster of the Glory dormitory, arrived late to the party.
To which, Iliana spoke to Sena.
“Professor Sena! It’s vacation now, right? No penalty points for violating school rules or anything, right?”
With sparkling eyes, Iliana asked, and Sena looked troubled with a slight smile.
“We can technically say ‘yes’… but what rule do you plan to break?”
“We aren’t planning to break any rules; we just want to relax a bit.”
Iliana carefully pulled out a bottle from under the table.
“When else but now would we drink alcohol in the school?”
“Wait… when exactly did you bring that into the dormitory?”
“Huh?!”
Chloe widened her eyes, prompting Iliana to flinch and quickly hide behind Chen Sia.
“I-I got permission from Sia!”
“Sia!”
“What’s the big deal? We haven’t drunk anything yet, right?”
“Really.”
Chloe sighed deeply.
While Chloe was strictly adherent to dormitory rules, Chen Sia occasionally indulged the students.
Upon this, Sena said,
“It’s not usually allowed, but since today is special, I’ll overlook it once. But remember, you shouldn’t drink too much, okay?”
“Ooooh!”
Seeing Sena wink with one eye, the students erupted into cheers.
“What? Everyone acts like they couldn’t drink without your permission.”
“Isn’t Miss Chloe going to drink?”
“……I’ll drink.”
Chloe pouted slightly.
Once the drinks flowed, the party became livelier.
“Kyle-sama, it was really amazing! So, I’ve decided! I will create the Kyle Church!”
“Illiana, you’ve had too much. Calm down.”
Under the influence of alcohol, Illiana’s face reddened as she exclaimed loudly, trying to regain her composure through Chen Sia.
“Leo, have a drink.”
Chloe approached Leo with a bottle of alcohol.
“You look tipsy.”
“What nonsense? I’m not drunk at all.”
Chloe shook her head while opening her eyes wide.
Watching this, Leo glanced at her briefly, noticing the large drink in Chloe’s hand.
‘She’s drinking this hard alcohol like it’s beer.’
As Leo drank the drink Chloe served, he chuckled lightly.
“Leo! Take my drink too!”
“Me too! Me too!”
The dormitory students gathered around Leo.
“I plan to finish all my vacation homework and go on a cultivation trip.”
“I’m going to visit my clan’s villa.”
“What about the class leader during the break?”
“Hmm, I might visit the territory I’m set to inherit from my maternal family?”
“Huh! An inheritance?”
“At this age? Leo really is from the main line of the Zerdinger family.”
“To inherit that young…how enviable.”
Exclamations of surprise echoed everywhere.
“Class leader is totally a bourgeoisie!”
“The Laden family is a renowned lineage, too. You’re the clan heir, so why are you so envious?”
“Why shouldn’t I be envious?! Father said he wouldn’t leave me a single cent until I inherit the family! Until then, I’ll have to depend on pocket money!”
“How much will you inherit?”
“Given the Zerdinger family, it’s bound to be large, right?”
“Envious. My father split up the family and I’ll have to divide the land with my older brother, so the land I’m set to receive has decreased.”
“Even so, having land means a steady income from taxes. Leo won’t have to worry about money during school.”
Attending Lumeran involves various costs, and seeing students murmuring with envy, Chen Sia tilted her head in confusion.
“Is inheriting land really such a big deal?”
“Of course!”
“In noble families, it causes internal strife to the point of civil war within the family.”
“Is that so? If the land isn’t the size of a small kingdom, is it really a problem?”
Upon Chen Sia’s puzzled expression, the students fell silent momentarily.
‘Ah, that’s right. She’s the heir to the Empire of Shan.’
Among the two human empires, the Shan Empire covering the eastern continent and Rodren Empire, Chen Sia is set to become the next ruler of the Shan Empire. Therefore, noble family-level land isn’t something she can deeply relate to.
“Ah~ Your future Majesty!”
Illiana quickly sat next to Chen Sia, rubbing her hands together.
“Please take good care of me when you become Emperor! Could you perhaps grant me a little land?”
Seeing Illiana’s playful remarks, Chen Sia wore an awkward smile.
“Even if I become Emperor, I can’t just freely give away land.”
“Why not? When you’re Emperor, it’s all yours anyway.”
“No, it belongs to Lord Leo.”
“……”
“……”
Watching Chen Sia’s gentle smile, the students muttered.
“Sia’s tipsy too.”
“So, Leo, when you grow up, you’ll own the entire Shan Empire?”
“Totally envious!”
“Class leader! No, Class President, please grant some land!”
“Leo! Don’t forget me too!”
The students laughed loudly, taking it as a joke.
‘But it doesn’t seem like a joke, does it?’
Leo narrowed his eyes and looked at Chen Sia.
Meeting his gaze, Chen Sia smiled and waved her hand.
As the pleasant time passed,
it was nearing the dead of night, and Leo and Chloe were the only students still awake.
The drunken students lay asleep in various spots around the lounge.
“Mmm… It really feels like it’s all over now that we’re playing like this.”
Stretching her arms, Chloe mentioned, and watching her, Leo let out a deep sigh.
“You can handle your drink well, can you?”
“I guess?”
Chloe tilted her head, her face flushed red as she smiled.
“Anyway, Leo. Thank you for all your hard work this year. Counting on you again next year.”
Seeing this, Leo chuckled.
“Thanks, count on me too.”
Arriving at the capital of Delrad Kingdom, Delan, via the warp gate, Leo immediately headed to his residence.
‘It seems we need to come home discreetly. What a headache.’
The first Hero in Delrad Kingdom’s history, and after becoming the first all-class Hero following Kyle Hero of the Beginning, Leo’s fame within the Kingdom of Delrad had long surpassed that of the royal family.
Although Leo hadn’t particularly done anything explicitly for the Kingdom of Delrad,
by simply enhancing the kingdom’s prestige, he had become a national hero, celebrated across the kingdom.
‘Leo, be sure! Be sure to come home quietly!’
Recalling Reina’s instructions, Leo nodded and adjusted his hood to ensure his identity remained hidden.
Not even one person from the Flove family attended this Hero’s Festival.
He was always in the spotlight just by being related to himself.
‘They say that the Delrad Kingdom royal family blocked it?’
With the revelation of his maternal family as the Zerdinger family,
the Kingdom of Delrad was wary of the Flove family seeking asylum.
After all, there was a risk that the Kingdom’s only Hero, who had just emerged, could be lured to the Empire.
The Rodren Empire was a country capable of providing treatment that Delrad Kingdom couldn’t.
‘This must be a headache for Father.’
Recalling his father, Leo arrived at the residence with a wry smile.
“Father, Mother. I’m home…”
“Oh my. Leo! Welcome home dear.”
“…Where are you going?”
Leo asked, dumbfounded, seeing the busy movements around the house.
“Yeah, we’re going to my hometown tomorrow with the entire family.”
“My mother’s hometown is Zerdinger, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
Smiling at Leo’s question, Reina replied.
“This time, they will grant you your land.”
“Yes.”
“It’s going to be a prolonged negotiation.”
There were many vested interests involved within the Zerdinger family. Whenever territory was granted to members of the direct bloodline, quite a bit of noise was caused.
“Those old men of the family are bound to interfere.”
Leo immediately understood that Reina was referring to the Elder Council of the family.
“The mother here was a direct line of Zerdinger, wasn’t she? So I know which lands are truly valuable.”
“You wouldn’t do something like that, would you?”
“Son.”
“Yes?”
“You need to claim as much as you can.”
With that, Reina burst into laughter.
Shaking his head at his mother’s laughter, Leo sighed.
![[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")
