Book 1 Chapter 14

【14】13

The morning two days later.

Leo and Celia headed to the pier of Lake Lumeria.

People's eyes were drawn to the two of them, dressed in Lumerun uniforms.

"Oh? They're Lumerun freshmen."

"Oh my, how fresh and young."

The people on the street smiled and cheered them on.

Just then, the fruit store owner tossed them two apples.

Leo, who caught them, smiled and greeted him.

"Thank you!"

"Alright, cheer up and study hard!"

Crunch-! As he bit into an apple and offered the remaining one, Celia shook her head.

"I'm good."

"Lumerun is indeed impressive. Seeing how much people like it."

"Because we are the future."

Heroes are very popular with the public.

And Lumerun students are hero candidates.

They are those who follow in the footsteps of previous heroes, preparing for when a threat looms over the world.

People cheered on such hero candidates.

"Up until recently, Tartaros's movements have been quiet, but we don't know when they'll become a threat again. And."

Celia stopped walking and lifted her chin.

"We can't keep losing to Seirun forever!"

Humans and elves do not get along well.

As such, Seirun, the Elven Hero Academy, and Lumerun often held exchange matches as friendly competitions for racial harmony.

Like students, starting with quiz competitions, then sports.

And even simulated battles where they contended with military might.

They competed in various ways, and this storied exchange match, named 'Lusejeon,' had a history spanning hundreds of years.

Lusejeon had a positive effect, successfully easing relations between the two races to some extent.

However, on the other hand, as their racial pride was at stake, students often participated in the exchange matches risking their lives.

In recent years, Lumerun had been falling behind Seirun.

"Just you wait. I'll flatten Seirun's nose!"

"Alright, alright. Good luck."

Leo, watching Celia clench her fists with burning eyes, half-heartedly cheered her on, then bit into an apple with a crunch-!

As the pier drew near, other freshmen were also visible.

Flying through the sky with staffs or riding summoned beasts was basic.

There were even students armed head to toe with various weapons.

"They're all eager to stand out."

At that sight, Celia shook her head.

Just then, a boy with light orange hair blocked their path.

"Hold on! You well-matched boy and girl! Can we chat for a moment?"

"Who are you?"

"My name is Kal Thomas. I'm from the Kingdom of Moira!"

"And?"

"Nothing much, really."

Kal, with a grin, pulled a business card from his pocket and skillfully handed it to Leo and Celia.

"From weapons to potions! It's Kal's Shop! If you need anything for your academy life, please use it anytime!"

He winked and burst into a cheerful laugh, ahahahaha! then ran off toward another student.

"There really are all kinds of kids here."

Celia, with an incredulous expression, tucked the business card away and said.

"I'm going to meet some of our country's freshmen."

The Lodren Empire is a powerful nation in the western part of the continent.

As such, quite a few of the western region's matriculants were from the Empire.

"Go ahead, I'll be looking around."

"Okay. See you later at the pier."

After Celia left, Leo walked leisurely, watching the people.

The pier was filled not only with freshmen but also with families who had come to celebrate.

The bustling sight of people from various cultures was enough to evoke nostalgia in Leo.

'It's like Guardsrone.'

The city that was called the last line of defense in the Age of Calamity.

It was also the city of origin where Kyle, led by Lysinas, fired the signal flare for a counterattack against Erebus.

As Leo stood, reminiscing about memories.

Thud-!

"Ugh?"

A blonde female student, walking while reading a book, failed to notice Leo and bumped her head against his back.

"Oh, sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going."

"Don't worry about it."

After apologizing to Leo, she started walking again, her gaze fixed on her book.

'If she keeps doing that, someone else will bump into her… Huh?'

He saw a card fallen on the floor.

The student ID, with the female student's photo on it, read 'Chloe Müller'.

He looked around, but Chloe had long since disappeared into the crowd.

'I'll give it back to her if I see her later.'

Since they're both freshmen, they're bound to meet again anyway.

"It's Kal's Shop! Here, take a business card!"

Kal, whom he had seen a little while ago, was handing out business cards to other freshmen.

Then, his eyes met Leo's, and he grinned, approaching him.

"See you again?"

"Is the promotion going well?"

"So-so. But the high-nosed young masters and ladies from noble families don't even look."

"Aren't there more nobles than commoners at Lumerun, so most don't even look?"

"Exactly. Khuhuhu."

Kal, shrugging his shoulders, laughed cheerfully.

"Let me reintroduce myself. I'm Kal Thomas. I'm fifteen!"

"My name is Leo Plov. I'm from the Kingdom of Delard, and I'm the same age as you."

"You're a noble, right?"

"Yes."

"Wow, but you don't seem to care that I'm a commoner?"

Leo smiled, looking at Kal, who spoke as if amazed.

"By the way, if it's the Kingdom of Delard, isn't that the Western Exam? I heard that exam was no joke, so it's amazing you passed it!"

"It wasn't easy."

Afterward, Leo and Kal chatted.

Thanks to the friendly Kal, they quickly became close.

"What are you going to choose as your major? My family has been alchemists for generations! So I'm aiming for the Magic Department."

"I'm also planning to take the Magic Department."

"Really? Then let's be really close friends from now on, Leo!"

Kal smiled broadly, delighted.

Of course, Leo planned to study not only magic but also knighthood and summoning.

As they chatted for a long time, a gigantic ship emerged, piercing through the mist over Lake Lumeria.

It was a vessel traveling between Lumerun and Lumeria.

"Ooh! It's big!"

Kal exclaimed in admiration.

A moment later, a silver-haired man in a uniform disembarked from the docked vessel.

"All freshmen, gather!"

The freshmen, who had said goodbye to their families, gathered in front of the man.

"Confirm attendance."

Those waiting behind the man used magic checkers to verify the students' IDs.

As Leo took out his student ID, he saw a female student fumbling with her body, searching for something.

"Just a moment."

"Huh? Where are you going?"

Kal followed behind.

Chloe, who had been wearing a troubled expression, looked at Leo approaching her with a puzzled look.

"Here."

"Huh?"

"You dropped this earlier."

"Oh, thank you!"

Chloe, receiving the student ID from Leo, smiled brightly.

"I owe you one, don't I? My name is Chloe Müller!"

"Chloe Müller?"

Kal made a surprised expression.

"Chloe Müller, the top student of the Northern Exam?"

"Yes. And you?"

"I'm Leo Plov, and this guy is…"

"Kal Thomas! From weapons to potions! We handle everything you need for academy life! Here, take a business card!"

Kal quickly handed a business card to Chloe, swiftly making a sales pitch.

Chloe, who received it, said with interest.

"A shop? So you're planning to mainly work as a supporter?"

"Haha, indeed, the top student is different, aren't they? Figuring it out in one go."

"I've overheard a few things from the senior students at the Magic Tower."

All Lumerun students are called hero candidates and are individuals with outstanding talent.

However, even among them, differences are bound to exist.

There are those who, while living their academy life, come to feel that their talent is insufficient.

Such individuals transition to become supporters who assist heroes.

Starting with combat support, then supplying materials, and so on.

Literally, they are necessary beings for heroes, but most students weren't very interested in being supporters.

Because once admitted to Lumerun, the only goal is to become a hero.

But Kal seemed to have chosen the path of a supporter early on.

"Anyway, my entrance exam scores were barely passing."

"If your goods are good, I'll patronize you."

"Ohh! To already connect with one of the top students! I'm lucky, aren't I?"

Kal burst into laughter, puhaha!

"This is fate too, so let's be close friends from now on! Since we're all in the Magic Department!"

"Magic Department?"

Chloe tilted her head.

"Well, you're obviously in it, but are you in the Magic Department too?"

"Yes."

"Not the Knight Department?"

Chloe, true to her skill as the top student, had seen at a glance that Leo possessed aura.

"I'm hoping to double major."

"What! You were a magic swordsman? That's amazing!"

Kal made a fuss.

Though rare, those with two unique ability talents are called dual classes.

In fact, there were quite a number of dual-class students at Lumerun.

At Leo's words, Chloe made a 'so that's how it is' expression.

Meanwhile, a staff member approached and checked the three students' IDs.

As the staff members who finished checking attendance stepped back, the silver-haired man in uniform stepped forward.

"I am Ayn Ellandor, a professor at Lumerun."

"Ayn Ellandor? The Knight of the Frozen Sea?"

"That Ayn Ellandor, you mean."

"I want an autograph!"

"Silence!"

Ayn quieted the excited students.

"From now on, we will move to Lumerun. Everyone, board the ship."

***

Before the entrance ceremony, the freshmen were busy admiring the scenery on the deck.

True to a ship operated by Lumerun Academy, the deck was the epitome of luxury.

The deck was, quite literally, a social party atmosphere.

Traditional dishes from various countries, prepared by a first-class chef, were delighting the freshmen's tongues and noses.

Even Professor Ayn was sitting on the deck, leisurely enjoying wine.

Neatly dressed, silver-clad waiters diligently moved about the deck, serving the students, and the noble students, satisfied with the treatment, laughed heartily and busily built friendships.

"As expected, Lumerun Academy is different."

"I'm looking forward to academy life from now on!"

The freshmen spread their wings of imagination for the school life that lay ahead.

At that sight, Leo furrowed his brows.

"Something feels off?"

"What?"

Kal, who had brought a plate full of food, asked with a puzzled expression.

"It's supposed to be a hero academy, yet it feels like a social party."

"Well, it's before the entrance ceremony. More importantly, Leo! I brought back some information."

"Information?"

"Yeah! Look over there!"

Kal grinned and pointed to a large male student with light brown skin, quietly eating on one side of the deck.

"Waredden Tydan! He's the top student of the Southern Exam, and his major is summoning!"

"A spirit user."

"That's right. You looked into it beforehand too, huh?"

Rather than having looked into it, he had recognized him at a glance, but he didn't bother correcting it.

"And over there is Chen Shia, the top student of the Eastern Exam!"

The small-framed female student with black hair and black eyes and an exotic appearance was tasting dishes from other countries with a curious expression.

"Her major is knighthood, and I heard she beat all her competitors in the exam with her fists?"

Kal, shaking his head in disbelief, pointed to the opposite side this time.

"And over there is the top student of the Central Exam. Duran Moira, the third prince of our kingdom. His major is knighthood."

The light-haired male student was gently swirling a wine glass.

His surroundings were filled with students who were friendly with him.

Kal, with an annoyed expression, pointed next to Leo.

"And the Northern top student."

Chloe was munching on cake and reading a book.

"There are two top students for the Western Exam, the famous Celia Zerdinger and Abbad Rwallin."

"Leo, you were here?"

Just then, Celia approached.

"Welcome, Celia."

"Celia? Gulp! You don't mean Celia Zerdinger, do you?"

"That's right."

"Leo, the girl you're close with was Celia Zerdinger? That's amazing!"

Kal grinned and extended his hand to Celia.

"As I introduced myself earlier, I'm Kal Thomas!"

"Hmm? Looks like you've become close in that short time? I'm Celia Zerdinger."

Celia, who took Kal's hand, looked towards Chloe.

"And you?"

"I'm Chloe Müller."

"Chloe Müller, as in the Northern top student?"

"That's right."

Chloe smiled confidently.

Celia, who had watched her with interest for a moment, asked Leo.

"What are you thinking so hard about?"

"Just… the academy's image is different from what I expected."

Lumerun is a place that selects the best talents and cultivates them into heroes.

As such, academy life was famous for being incredibly tough, and the dropout rate was also incredibly high.

It was simply perplexing that such a place was offering such a luxurious cruise trip.

"No matter how much it's Lumerun, would they make students work hard even before the entrance ceremony?"

"Exactly. You're overthinking it a bit."

It was then that Celia agreed with Kal's words.

Thump-!

The hull shook violently.

"It doesn't seem to be the case, though."

"Wh-what is it?"

Simultaneously with Leo's muttering, something shot up from the lake.

Splash!

"Kyaaaaaa! What is this?!"

"C-could it be a Kraken?"

"A Kraken all of a sudden! What on earth is happening?!"

The party quickly became a mess as giant squid tentacles covered the deck, and the students fell into a panic.

"Ah, Professor Ayn! Please help!"

A female student frantically ran to Ayn, asking for help.

Professor Ayn frowned at that.

"Help, you say? Why should I?"

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