Book 1 Chapter 134

It was the first day of the first-year students' mission practical training.

Classes were not held during the week of the mission practical training.

Therefore, students who finished their mission practical training early could return to school and have free time.

In addition, students who underwent mission practical training with their seniors sometimes departed for their training a little later.

The first-year students who were leaving for mission practical training were talking in front of the warp gate.

"It seems you're the only one going towards the Garan region."

"I think so."

"I know you'll do well on your own… but still, why are you doing a mission practical training that doesn't even have high scores?"

Celia made a face of incomprehension.

Then, when it was her turn, she waved her hand.

"Anyway, I'll see you after the mission practical training."

"Have a safe trip. Be careful."

"Who do you think I am? Don't worry."

Smiling brightly and sweeping her hair with her usual confidence, Celia stepped onto the warp gate.

As the students boarded the warp gate one by one.

Leo was the last to board the warp gate.

Flash-!

With a bright light, his vision changed.

Arriving at the warp gate in the Garan region, Leo could see the empty interior of the gate.

Warp gates were usually ornate wherever they were.

However, since the Garan region itself was a backward area, even the warp gate seemed to be in disrepair.

"What brings someone to this region using the warp gate?"

An old mage looked surprised and then exclaimed as he recognized Leo's uniform.

"Hoh! Are you perhaps a student from Rumelune?"

"Yes."

"What brings a candidate for a great hero to this backwater?"

Leo smiled as he looked at the old mage who was asking with a look of wonder.

"I've come to resolve a request in the Garan region."

"A request? Ah! You mean those bandits!"

The old mage's face brightened.

"That's great! Those scoundrels have been making things difficult for the people of this region!"

The Garan region, located between the western and southern parts of the continent, was a neutral territory ruled by a lord who did not belong to any kingdom.

The lord of the Garan region claimed to be a kingdom, but in reality, it was at a level that could not be called a kingdom.

Given the circumstances, even if large-scale bandits appeared, the state did not have the ability to suppress them.

Leo clicked his tongue at the old mage's reaction.

'It seems the bandits are causing more trouble than I thought.'

Although his purpose in coming to the Garan region was to investigate the ancient fortress of Gardslon, he had no intention of neglecting the request.

'I should just wipe out these bandits completely.'

Leo detested bandits.

In his past life, while the world was ending, there were those who tried to save and help many people no matter what, and there were also those who did not hesitate to trample on others for their own sake.

To Leo, bandits were that kind of person.

The old mage explained the way to the lord's castle in detail to Leo.

Receiving his hospitality, Leo left the warp gate.

As he stepped out of the warp gate, the city landscape unfolded.

As expected, it was a city that felt very backward, fitting for the countryside.

'In the past, this whole area was Gardslon.'

Leo muttered to himself as he surveyed the cityscape.

As Gardslon, known as the last line of defense on the ground, the city's scale was unimaginably large.

As Leo headed towards the lord's castle, people's gazes were drawn to him.

Since outsiders were rare, everyone looked at Leo with curious eyes.

When he arrived in front of the lord's castle, the guards looked at Leo strangely.

"Who are you? I haven't seen you before."

"You look like an outsider. What business do you have at the lord's castle?"

"I came to meet the lord."

Hearing that, the guards looked at each other and burst into laughter.

"What business does an outsider have with the lord?"

"Do you think you can just meet the lord?"

At their reaction, Leo took out the request form from his pocket.

"I've received a request to subjugate bandits."

"Subjugate bandits? Ha! What kind of brat is going to subjugate bandits."

"What exactly is this piece of paper that makes you claim to subjugate bandits…"

As the guards scoffed at the request Leo handed over, their faces began to turn pale.

Seeing the words written on the request, their bodies trembled.

"Ru, Rumelune Academy?"

"Hero candidate?"

Leo said as he glared at them, alternating between the request form and Leo.

"Could you call the lord?"

"P, please wait!"

One of the guards hurried inside.

The remaining guard said with a pale face.

"I, I apologize! I didn't know you were a student from Rumelune!"

"There's no need to apologize that much. It's understandable if you didn't know. However, from now on, don't judge people hastily based on their appearance."

Leo said calmly.

Meanwhile, someone who appeared to be a servant hurried out from inside.

"We greet the great hero candidate!"

Leo sighed inwardly at the excessive reaction.

'The title of a Rumelune student seems to be quite significant.'

All the people around Leo were influential figures, so he had never directly felt the external status of a Rumelune student.

However, coming out for mission practical training alone, he felt it distinctly.

Leo was politely guided by the servant and headed to the lord's office.

"Oh my~ a great Rumelune hero candidate has graced this humble place! It is an honor!"

The emaciated lord repeatedly bowed to Leo, rubbing his hands together.

"Come, come! Mr. Rumelune student! Please sit here."

The lord pointed to the guest sofa by the office window.

As he sat there, the lord quickly sat in front of him and said.

"Aren't you tired from your long journey? We can arrange rest for you immediately…"

"No. That's fine. Just tell me where the bandits are."

Leo's words made the Garan lord pause.

Then he gestured to a waiting servant.

The servant hastily brought a map and spread it on the table.

A familiar terrain unfolded at a glance.

The giant city that used to be there had disappeared without a trace, but the terrain had not changed.

"The bandits have made their base in the ancient fortress."

"Ancient fortress?"

"Yes. We don't know which era the building is from, but there is a fortress remaining at the eastern end of the Garon region. Well, it's almost a crumbling ruin."

The lord pointed to a location at the end of the map.

Leo's eyes shone as he stared intently at the location.

'This is where Gardslon's defense line was.'

The defense line built to block Tartarus's army.

It was the area where Kyle had spent the most time in the past, and it was outside this wall that Kyle and Lisinas met.

It was when Leo was concentrating on the map.

Creeaak!

"L-Lord! It's a big problem!"

"What is it! We're entertaining an important guest right now!"

"A g-guest has arrived!"

"A guest? What guest?"

'What guest could be more important than a Rumelune student!'

The servant who burst into the office said, making the lord's face contort.

"S-Students from Seirune are here to see the lord!"

For a moment, the lord couldn't comprehend the servant's words.

'Students from Seirune? The Elf Hero Academy? No. Why would Seirune come to such a rural place? Then what exactly are these Seirune students?'

He pondered for a moment, but he couldn't think of any Seirune other than the Elf Hero Academy.

Leo got up from his seat and looked out the office window next to the sofa.

"It really is Seirune."

"Yes?"

The lord made a foolish sound and looked out the window.

And when he saw five elves at the entrance of the mansion, he gasped.

"Wh-Why is Seirune here!"

"Who knows. There must be a reason. Lord, go and greet your guests."

Leo said with a smirk, tucking the map into his pocket.

"I have a general idea of where the bandits are. I'll go deal with them now."

There was no reason for him to stay at the lord's castle for long.

Leo's reason for coming to this region was to explore the ruins of Gardslon.

This region was the base city of Leo and Lisinas in the past, a place where ancient heroes lived and breathed.

He came here with a small hope of finding something related to that time.

Since the mission practical training had to be completed within a week, Leo wanted to finish the request as quickly as possible and find the ruins of Gardslon.

At Leo's words, the lord looked flustered.

He desperately wanted to form a connection with Leo, a hero candidate.

Seeing Leo, who was so busy that he was getting straight to the point, he couldn't help but be flustered.

'This boy has no intention of staying here any longer! Hmm!'

The lord rolled his eyes.

'Perhaps it would be better to be seen by the Seirune students!'

Although they were of a different race, they were still a hero academy.

Building connections would undoubtedly be helpful.

"Understood! Then please take care of the bandit group!"

'This lord, his attitude changes so quickly.'

Leo let out a hollow laugh.

'Well, it's better than him clinging to me annoyingly, isn't it?'

Thinking so, Leo left the office.

"Prepare to receive the Seirune students! Quickly!"

Leaving behind the sounds of busyness from inside, he headed towards the mansion entrance.

The guard who had apologized to Leo earlier was in even more of a panic than when Leo arrived, due to the sudden appearance of the Seirune students.

It was understandable, as in such a rural area, it was rare to see even ordinary elves, let alone Seirune students.

This was because elves themselves did not want to come into human territories.

The townspeople also gathered, murmuring at the appearance of the elves.

Amidst this, Leo emerged from the mansion gate.

"Oh?"

A gasp of surprise erupted from the Seirune students' side.

Leo turned his head.

And he found a familiar face, making him wear a similar expression to the girl.

"Leo?"

"Lunia?"

The first-year representatives of Rumelune and Seirune wore slightly surprised expressions.

And at Lunia's reaction, the gazes of the other Seirune students also turned to Leo.

"Rumelune student?"

"Miss Lunia. Didn't you just say Leo?"

Leo Flob.

Although it had not yet been publicly announced, Leo was already famous among the Seirune students for deciphering the magic of the progenitor of the constellations, the magic that blooms flowers.

Hadin's cold gaze was directed at Leo.

'Is this human Leo Flob?'

"What brings you here?"

Lunia asked Leo with a bright smile.

Seeing such Lunia, Leo wore a strange expression.

And he glanced at Lunia's companions.

There wasn't a single person who looked like a first-year.

'It looks like a situation where I need to play innocent.'

Leo smiled at Lunia.

"Just act as you normally do."

"I don't know what you mean, Leo."

"If you hold back your personality, you'll get sick."

Snap-!

Seeing Leo teasing her, a vein popped on Lunia's forehead for a moment.

"Hohoho- Leo. I thought this before, but you have a mischievous side."

'Agh! I really want to! There are too many eyes on us, I can't grab your collar and shake you!'

"So, Leo. What brings you here?"

"I'm on mission practical training. I have to clear out bandits in this area."

At those words, Lunia's eyes sparkled.

'This is it!'

Lunia exclaimed inwardly and said.

"Oh my? Bandits? That's terrible."

Leo tutted as he watched Lunia, covering her mouth and exclaiming elegantly.

Lunia was once again provoked by his gaze, but she managed to hold back.

Then she put on a worried expression.

"The residents here must be having a really hard time."

Lunia, who was undeniably pitiful, kind-hearted, and strong inside, like a flower, was acting as a typical Seirune female student, which didn't suit her at all. The townspeople exclaimed in admiration.

"Leo, I will help you too."

"Miss Lunia, what are you talking about?"

"But seniors, aren't the residents here suffering because of the bandits? As students of Seirune, we can't just stand by and watch!"

Lunia said firmly, meeting Leo's eyes.

"Leo! So I will help you!"

'Take me! Take me! Take me! Please take me! Please! Take me!'

Leo let out a hollow laugh at Lunia's seemingly desperate gaze and said.

"If you want to help, then, fine."

'Great!'

Lunia rejoiced inwardly and looked at her seniors.

'Goodbye to these stuffy guys!'