Book 1 Chapter 14

[14]13

Two mornings later.

Leo and Celia headed to the dock of Lake Rumelia.

People's gazes fixed on the two, dressed in Lumerne uniforms.

"Oh? It's Lumerne's freshmen."

"My, how fresh-faced they are."

The people on the street smiled and cheered them on.

At that moment, the fruit vendor threw two apples.

Leo, catching them, smiled and thanked him.

"Thank you!"

"Yes, do your best and study hard!"

Crunch-! As Leo took a bite of an apple and offered the other, Celia shook her head.

"I'm good."

"Lumerne is truly amazing. Seeing how people like you."

"We are the future."

Heroes are immensely popular with the public.

And Lumerne students are hero candidates.

They follow in the footsteps of past heroes, preparing for the day the world faces threats.

People cheered for these hero candidates.

"Tartarus has been quiet recently, but we don't know when they'll become a threat again. And."

Celia stopped walking and tilted her chin up.

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

Humans and elves do not get along well.

Because of this, there were frequent exchange matches between Seirune, the elf hero academy, and Lumerne, for the harmony of their races.

Starting with quiz competitions, like students, followed by sports.

And mock battles, where they clashed with force.

They competed in various ways, naming it the Rusette Wars, a prestigious exchange match with hundreds of years of history.

The Rusette Wars had a positive effect, successfully easing the relationship between the two races to some extent.

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

In recent years, Lumerne had been falling behind Seirune.

"Just you wait. I'll humble Seirune!"

"Yes, yes. Do your best."

Leo, who was indifferently cheering on Celia as she clenched her fists with burning eyes, crunched-! took a bite of the apple.

As they approached the dock, other freshmen were visible.

Flying in the sky with staffs or riding summoned beasts was commonplace.

There was even a student armed with various weapons all over their body.

"They can't wait to show off."

Celia shook her head at the sight.

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

"Wait! You two, a boy and a girl who look good together! Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Who are you?"

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

"So?"

"It's nothing much."

Cal smiled and took out a business card from his pocket, skillfully handing it to Leo and Celia.

"From weapons to potions! It's Cal's Shop! Please use it anytime you need something for your school life!"

He winked and let out a cheerful laugh, "Ahahaha!" and ran towards another student.

"There are really all sorts of people."

Celia, with a bewildered expression, put the business card in her pocket and said.

"I'm going to go meet some freshmen from my country."

The Rodren Empire is a powerful nation in the western continent.

Therefore, there were quite a few imperial students among the western applicants.

"Go ahead, I'll just look around."

"Okay. See you at the dock later."

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

Besides the freshmen, the dock was filled with families who came to congratulate them.

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

'It's like Gardesron.'

The city called the last line of defense during the Age of Calamity.

And it was also the city where the counterattack against Erebus began, with Lisinas leading and Kyle firing the signal flare.

As Leo stood reminiscing, it happened.

Thump-!

"Oof?"

A blonde female student walking while reading a book didn't notice Leo and bumped her head into his back.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I was walking without looking."

"Don't worry about it."

After apologizing to Leo, she resumed walking, her eyes focused on her book.

'If she walks like that, someone else will bump into her… Huh?'

He saw a card dropped on the floor.

The student ID, with a picture of the girl from a moment ago, read Chloe Mueller.

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

'I'll return it if I meet her later.'

After all, if they're all freshmen, they're bound to meet.

"Cal's Shop! Here's a business card!"

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

Then, his eyes met Leo's, and he approached with a smile.

"We meet again?"

"Is business good?"

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

"Lumerne has more nobles than commoners, so most don't even look, right?"

"That's right. Khahaha."

Cal shrugged and laughed cheerfully.

"Let me introduce myself again. Cal Thomas. I'm fifteen!"

"I'm Leo Flob. From the Kingdom of Delad, and I'm the same age as you."

"You're a noble, right?"

"Yes."

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

Leo smiled as he watched Cal say it with surprise.

"By the way, the Kingdom of Delad is a western exam, isn't it? I heard that exam was no joke, so it's amazing you passed!"

"It wasn't easy."

After that, Leo and Cal chatted.

Thanks to Cal's friendly nature, they quickly became close.

"What major will you choose? My family has been alchemists for generations! So I want to major in magic."

"I'm planning to take magic as well."

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

Cal said, beaming with joy.

Of course, Leo plans to study not only magic but also knight studies and summoning.

As they were talking for a while, a huge ship emerged from the mist on Lake Rumelia.

It was a vessel that traveled between Lumerne and Rumelia.

"Wow! That's big!"

Cal exclaimed.

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

"All freshmen, gather!"

The freshmen, after bidding farewell to their families, gathered in front of the man.

"Confirm attendance."

Those waiting behind the man checked the students' IDs using a magic scanner.

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

"Just a moment."

"Huh? Where are you going?"

Cal followed behind him.

Chloe, who had a distressed expression, looked surprised to see Leo approaching her.

"Here."

"Huh?"

"You dropped it earlier."

"Ah, thank you!"

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

"I owe you one? My name is Chloe Mueller!"

"Chloe Mueller?"

Cal exclaimed in surprise.

"Chloe Mueller, the top scorer of the northern exam?"

"Yes. And you two?"

"I'm Leo Flob, and this guy is…"

"Cal Thomas! From weapons to potions! We handle items needed for school life! Here's a business card!"

Cal quickly handed Chloe a business card and enthusiastically pitched his services.

Chloe, receiving it, said with interest.

"A shop? Are you planning to be a supporter primarily?"

"Haha, as expected of a top scorer, you notice things right away."

"I've heard a thing or two from seniors at the magic tower."

All Lumerne students are called hero candidates and possess outstanding talent.

However, even among them, differences are unavoidable.

Some students, as they go through school, feel that they lack talent.

These individuals switch to becoming supporters who help heroes.

From combat assistance to supplying materials, and so on.

They are literally essential to heroes, but most students are not very interested in being supporters.

After all, their sole goal upon entering Lumerne is to become a hero.

But Cal seems to have chosen the path of a supporter early on.

"After all, my entrance exam score was just barely passing."

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

"Oh! To already have a connection with one of the top scorers! You're lucky!"

Cal laughed heartily.

"Since we're meeting like this, let's be good friends from now on! We're all in the magic department!"

"Magic department?"

Chloe tilted her head.

"You, I understand, but you're in the magic department too?"

"Yes."

"Not knight studies?"

Chloe, with her skills as a top scorer, instantly recognized that Leo possessed aura.

"I'm hoping to double major."

"What! You're a sword mage? That's amazing!"

Cal exclaimed.

Although rare, individuals with two distinct talents are called dual classes.

In fact, there were a considerable number of dual-class students at Lumerne.

Leo's statement made Chloe's expression seem resigned.

Meanwhile, a faculty member approached and checked the student IDs of the three.

After the attendance check was complete, the silver-haired man in uniform stepped forward.

"I am Ain Elangdu, a professor at Lumerne."

"Ain Elangdu? The Knight of Glacial Seas?"

"That Ain Elangdu."

"I want an autograph!"

"Silence!"

Ain quieted the excited students.

"We will now proceed to Lumerne. Everyone, please board the ship."

"Yes!"

***

Before the entrance ceremony, the freshmen were busy enjoying the scenery from the deck.

As expected of a ship operated by Lumerne Academy, the deck was luxurious.

The deck was literally a social party atmosphere.

Traditional dishes from various countries, prepared by a top chef, delighted the students' tongues and noses.

Even Professor Ain was sitting on deck, leisurely enjoying wine.

Impeccably dressed waiters busily moved around the deck, attending to the students, and noble students, satisfied with the service, were busy socializing with laughter.

"As expected, Lumerne Academy is different."

"I'm looking forward to school life!"

The freshmen let their imaginations run wild about their upcoming school life.

Leo frowned at the sight.

"Something's strange."

"What is?"

Cal, who had brought a plate full of food, asked with a bewildered expression.

"For a hero academy, this is quite a social party atmosphere."

"It's before the entrance ceremony, though. More importantly, Leo! I got some information."

"Information?"

"Yes! Look over there!"

Cal grinned and pointed to a large, dark-skinned male student quietly eating on one side of the deck.

"It's Warden Titan! The top scorer of the southern exam, and he's majoring in summoning!"

"He's a spirit master."

"That's right. Did you do some research beforehand?"

It was more like he recognized him at a glance, but he didn't bother to correct him.

"And over there is the top scorer of the eastern exam, Chen Xia!"

A small-statured female student with exotic features, black hair, and black eyes was tasting foods from different countries with a curious expression.

"She's majoring in knight studies, and they say she beat down her rivals with her fists during the exam!"

Cal, shaking his head in disbelief, pointed to the other side.

"And over there is the top scorer of the central exam. He's the third prince of our kingdom, Duran Moira. Majoring in knight studies."

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

Around him were students he was friendly with.

Cal, with a look of annoyance, pointed next to Leo.

"And the northern top scorer."

Chloe was reading a book while munching on cake.

"There are two western top scorers, Celia Zerdringer and Abad Lewallin, I heard."

"Leo, you were here?"

Just then, Celia approached.

"Welcome, Celia."

"Celia? Huh! No way, Celia Zerdringer?"

"Yes."

"Leo, the female student you're close with is Celia Zerdringer? This is incredible!"

Cal grinned and extended his hand to Celia.

"I introduced myself earlier, but I'm Cal Thomas!"

"Hmm? You've gotten close already? I'm Celia Zerdringer."

Celia shook Cal's hand and looked towards Chloe.

"And that one?"

"I'm Chloe Mueller."

"Chloe Mueller, the northern top scorer?"

"Yes."

Chloe smiled confidently.

Celia, who had been watching with interest for a moment, asked Leo.

"What are you thinking so hard about?"

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

Lumerne is a place that selects the best talent to train them as heroes.

As such, school life was known to be incredibly difficult, and the dropout rate was extremely high.

It was puzzling that they were providing such a luxurious cruise trip.

"Even for Lumerne, would they overwork students before the entrance ceremony?"

"That's right. You're thinking a bit too much."

Just as Celia agreed with Cal's words.

Rumble-!

The hull shook violently.

"It seems that's not entirely the case."

"W-what is it?"

As Leo muttered, something shot up from the lake.

Splash!

"Kyaaaaaa! What is this!"

"N-no way, a Kraken?"

"A Kraken all of a sudden! What in the world is happening!"

With giant squid tentacles covering the deck, the party instantly turned into chaos, and the students fell into a panic.

"Pr-Professor Ain! Please help us!"

A female student rushed to Ain, desperately asking for help.

Ain frowned.

"Ask for help? Why should I?"