Chapter 91

【91】90.

In preparation for the Interdepartmental Competition, special training had been conducted separately by departments.

The students who suffered the most were none other than those from the Department of Summoning.

“Wow, look at them.”

“They look utterly ragged.”

“I heard they couldn’t even perform summoning magic and were stranded on the Island of Beasts for two nights and three days?”

As students from the Department of Summoning entered the dormitory entrance, students from other departments murmured amongst themselves.

“They say they’ll be doing this every week until the Interdepartmental Competition… How are they going to handle this?”

Teid muttered pitifully.

It was nearly impossible to get accustomed to the wild in just two nights and three days.

While the vast majority of the students looked ragged, some appeared relatively fine.

Namely, Leo, Chen Sia, and Warden stood out.

A few groups of students snickered as they watched the students from the Department of Summoning.

“Ugh! They stink!”

“Their appearances are beyond bad!”

As the students watched them amusedly, the summoning department students began to glare with fierce expressions.

“What’s so funny?”

“Wh-what?”

“It’s… Eliza.”

The ragged appearance of Eliza, who asked coldly, startled the students.

“Are you implying our condition is amusing?”

“A-ah, no! That is… we… well!”

“Sorry!”

Eliza’s sharp reaction caused the students who were teasing the summoners to quickly disperse.

The students fled for fear of complications in school life, as Eliza was renowned as a top-tier first-year and hailed from a hero’s lineage.

With Eliza’s glare, the rest of the students scattered in a panic.

Leo immediately bathed and headed down to the dormitory lounge.

Kal was there as always, selling items to the students.

“Hey! Leo, you’re back?”

Kal greeted Leo with a smile.

“I’ve heard you suffered a lot?”

“I found it interesting, though.”

“You would! I hear Teid was nearly out of it?”

Kal chuckled for a moment before suddenly saying,

“Speaking of Leo, you asked about Senior Elena?”

“Yeah.”

“I heard she returned to school this morning. All students are supposed to gather in Erech tomorrow morning; you’ll probably see her then.”

“Good.”

Leo’s eyes lit up.

The next day,

At 7 AM, the entire student body gathered in Erech, the massive training ground located at the center of the school.

The first years, standing in lines by their grades, had tense expressions on their faces.

It was the first official event in Erech since the opening ceremony.

Especially because all students were gathered.

“Senior students keep staring at us.”

“It’s nerve-wracking.”

Senior students smirked at the first-year students who were stiff with nervousness.

“First years are so cute.”

“Look how nervous they are. How shall we show some affection?”

Most of the first-years were frozen like mice in front of cats.

However, there were exceptions to the typical senior-junior dynamic.

“Miss Celia, I should’ve greeted you sooner, but regulations prohibit upperclassmen from entering the first-year area during the first semester. Thus, I greet you now.”

Niel Loda bowed respectfully to Celia.

Celia sighed at the sight of Niel.

“Niel, stop this! It’ll look strange for a third-year to do this to a first-year.”

“Isn’t that remarkable, Miss Celia? You’re so thoughtful!”

Niel Loda,

Four years Celia’s senior, was a third-year student in the Department of Knights from Lumera. As the heir to the Loda family, the vassals of the Zerdinger family, she had trained in swordsmanship alongside Celia since childhood and served as her personal bodyguard.

“That uniform suits you so well, miss! I must take a picture of this moment!”

“Magic items are prohibited during events.”

“Yes, but I was caught sneaking one in.”

“…”

“Ugh, those pesky professors.”

Celia felt a headache coming on.

Normally composed, Niel turns into a force to be reckoned with when it comes to Celia.

‘You’ll get penalty points for breaking the rules!’

It’s predictable she would respond, ‘For Miss Celia, those points mean nothing!’

“Anyway, it’s a bit much, isn’t it, Miss? To have never even once sought me?”

“I wanted to spend time with my classmates.”

Actually, Celia deliberately avoided Niel knowing she would focus solely on her, disregarding everything else.

Just as the two were speaking,

“Celia, isn’t it improper for a noble and her vassal to be on such familiar terms? The master-servant relationship should be strictly upheld.”

A boy with black hair and red eyes similar to Celia’s approached.

Celia said expressionlessly,

“It’s been a while, Barden.”

Barden Zerdinger,

A cousin from a collateral line of the Zerdinger family, three years Celia’s elder.

“So, this is the first time we’ve met since winter break last year?”

While smiling and approaching Celia, Barden frowned.

“What? You’re not going to greet me?”

“Why should Niel greet you?”

Celia’s icy tone made Barden flinch.

“Niel is the vassal of the main Zerdinger household. She has no obligation to show respect to you from the collateral line. Rather, shouldn’t you, a second-year, respect Niel as an elder?”

Celia brushed her hair back, her red eyes flashing.

With that, Barden broke a cold sweat and said,

“Alright, I see I might’ve overstepped! Sorry about that. Hahaha!”

Despite pretending to laugh it off, Barden did not show proper senior’s respect to Niel.

Niel looked down on Barden with disdain.

In Lumera, Barden was notorious for flaunting the Zerdinger lineage and acting arrogantly.

‘Even though you haven’t mastered the Phoenix Breath, you seem to think you’re a real Zerdinger because people around you flatter you.’

In the Zerdinger family, anyone, regardless of the main or collateral line, who hasn’t mastered the Phoenix Breath cannot hold an important position.

“Congratulations on ranking first in the Department of Knights!”

Barden quickly changed the topic.

Hearing that, Niel’s eyes lit up,

“Of course, I expected Miss Celia to come in first!”

“What’s the point of coming first in the Department of Knights? You’ve been outranked by someone else for the overall class representative.”

Crossing her arms, Celia snorted derisively.

Seeing Celia’s dissatisfied reaction, Barden chuckled,

“Because of Leo Flove, right? That guy’s nothing to worry about.”

Barden sneered,

“Who knows what that ‘All Class’ even means. He’s just some no-name guy from the countryside who’s bound to show his limits sooner or later. Besides, I heard from my friends in the Department of Summoning that he rudely picked a fight with a sophomore. Acting all high and mighty just because he’s the class representative for first years.”

Celia’s face turned as cold as ice.

Unaware of this, Barden continued talking when,

“Master Ris, please come.”

“Niel, long time no see.”

“Yes.”

“Brother Ris!”

“It’s been a while. Barden.”

Ris smiled and pointed beside him.

“I noticed you were here so I came to introduce someone. This is Leo Flove, a cousin of both Celia and me.”

Upon hearing Ris’s words, both Niel and Barden looked surprised.

“Leo may not bear the name of Zerdinger yet, but he has mastered Phoenix Breath.”

Barden’s eyes widened in shock.

‘This guy knows Phoenix Breath! How!’

For years, Barden had appealed to the family estate to be granted the ability to learn Phoenix Breath but was continuously rejected.

And now this stranger, who he had never even seen at the family gathering, was suddenly rumored to have inherited the technique. It was infuriating.

‘Now he might finally stay quiet.’

Niel smirked at the trembling Barden.

Since entering Lumera, Barden’s reputation hasn’t been great.

‘Constantly flaunting he’s a Zerdinger while bossing around other students. Though, are his grades even decent? Barely managing to stay out of the bottom tier.’

Being a Lumera student might seem impressive from the outside,

But it only truly matters from the outside.

In Lumera, it’s no big deal.

‘That’s why he relies on family prestige. Pathetic. Compared to…’

Niel’s eyes sparkled.

‘This master is quite extraordinary.’

Leo had been the center of focus this semester ever since the enrollment ceremony.

However, when someone becomes too outstanding, there’s inevitably jealousy.

Especially due to his relatively unknown family, several people underestimated Leo.

However, the rumors connecting Leo to the Zerdinger name were unfamiliar to all.

“Miss, is Master Leo concealing his Zerdinger connection?”

“Yes. He does. It’s not just concealing but excessively so, which can be problematic.”

“I see.”

As Niel marveled at this, the professor overseeing the event spoke through a microphone enchanted with amplification magic.

[The student council president, please come to the front of the podium immediately. Representatives are to gather at the tent beside the podium.]

“We must go now. See you all later.”

“Celia, I’ll see you.”

“Alright.”

Leo and Ris promptly headed toward the podium.

“Leo, go over there.”

Ris pointed to what looked like a preparation room under the tent beside the podium.

“Yes.”

“See you in a bit.”

After parting ways with Ris, Leo entered the tent.

Inside were two individuals.

The first thing he noticed was a short-statured student with wavy light brown hair.

The badge on his left chest indicated he was in the fourth year, and the emblem of a sword and shield embroidered on his right shoulder clearly showed he was from the Department of Knights.

The peculiar detail was that he wore an eye patch, snored slightly, and was sound asleep.

Before this fourth-year representative was a female student who appeared to be a second-year representative, kneeling respectfully.

The girl with light green hair and blue eyes had the emblem of four elements on her right shoulder, signifying she was from the Department of Summoning.

Seeing Leo, she stood up.

“Are you Leo Flove, the first-year representative?”

“Yes.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Lil Luche, the second-year representative.”

Lil extended her hand gracefully, almost like a soldier.

With an odd expression, Leo shook her hand,

“I’m Leo Flove.”

“The gentleman here is our fourth-year senior, Harc Ligard. As you see, he’s asleep. He almost always sleeps, so don’t mind him. Frankly, I’ve rarely ever seen him awake.”

“Yes. And feel free to speak casually.”

“I’m comfortable speaking this way. Nonetheless, Leo, I’ve wanted to meet you.”

“Why?”

“An ‘All Class’? Is that true?”

Lil asked with a slightly excited face.

“If it’s not too much trouble, would you kindly demonstrate using all three powers simultaneously?”

Upon the request, Leo simultaneously summoned Aura, Magic Power, and Spirit Power.

Seeing this, Lil looked impressed initially but then dropped her shoulders in disappointment.

“I’m so envious.”

“Why?”

“I’m a grade representative but just an ordinary, unremarkable Spirit Master.”

“You’re already a remarkable talent for being a grade representative.”

“No! There’s no impact! Senior Harc is almost always asleep, giving him a definite character! Senior Ris undoubtedly holds the highest skills! Even you, a first-year, can wield all powers! Aaah! Too normal! I’m just too normal! So mundane!”

‘He doesn’t seem ordinary no matter how you look at it…’

People who claim to be ordinary themselves tend to be the most extraordinary.

Watching Lil crouch and clutch her head, Leo asked,

“How’s Senior Elena?”

“That senior is… somewhat dangerous.”

“Dangerous?”

“Hmm? What’s dangerous about me, Lil?”

“Ah!”

Leo turned towards the voice.

There by the tent stood a third-year female student.

Luxurious blonde hair, sparkling pink eyes.

Porcelain skin and distinct features.

She was truly a beautiful person beyond description.

“It’s been a while, Senior Elena. How was the assignment?”

“It was boring.”

Plain and direct, Elena approached Leo.

“You’re the famous first-year representative, right?”

Elena’s eyes gleamed as she approached Leo,

Then, she poked Leo’s cheek gently,

“Oh my, so cute.”

Elena chuckled,

“Leo, darling, would you like to do something with me?”