Book 1 Chapter 173

Another student council president candidate recommended by a powerful student council president candidate.

Naturally, that should have propelled them to become a strong contender.

'But still, not a freshman.'

The student council president position is only for the best students of Lumene.

While it's clear Leo is the most talked-about student in all of Lumene this year, he's still a freshman.

Even if the fifth-year students graduate, there are three more grades above him.

It's an unrealistic story.

The problem is that the one who recommended Leo is none other than Elena.

The acting chairman of Lumene and a strong-willed individual known as the queen of the school.

If Elena, who not only controls the entire third year but also has immense influence over the fourth years, is serious about this.

'This is going to be troublesome.'

Of course, if Leo were to be nominated for class representative, Elena would undoubtedly face considerable resistance.

The fourth years would be furious, and not a small number of third years would object.

On top of that, the second years too.

It would clearly cause immense chaos throughout the school.

"Who knows about this?"

"For now, just you, me, and Elena. Only the three people involved."

At Rhys's words, Leo gave him a sympathetic look.

"You're not having a good end of your term."

Seeing Leo genuinely pitying him, Rhys let out a hollow laugh.

Rhys, sensing Leo's indifferent attitude, said,

"You don't seem interested in the student council president position."

"I'm a freshman. There are many strong seniors; wouldn't it be a bit much for me to become president?"

Leo shrugged.

In fact, even if he were an upperclassman, he wouldn't have been particularly interested in the student council president position.

'It seems like it would be troublesome.'

He intended to be diligent in his school life, but he had no intention of taking on troublesome tasks.

"Actually, from my perspective, Elena's proposal is absurd, but at the same time, it's quite tempting."

Rhys chuckled at Leo's words and said,

"You, my cousin, becoming student council president. Especially an unprecedented freshman student council president, would be a very good thing for me as the successor to Schrödinger."

Schrödinger's reputation is already very high.

But if Leo becomes the first graduate in history to be student council president from his freshman year and serve until his fifth year.

Schrödinger could rise to become an even more formidable family.

"Moreover. In a way, I think you have the makings of a student council president even more than I do."

"Me?"

"Yes. Heroes have the power to lead people."

Rhys smiled meaningfully.

"But it's rare to find someone who can lead a hero. I believe you have those qualities far more than I do, Leo."

Leo scratched his cheek.

'Well, I learned from Lisinas.'

The leader of the expedition that guided the world to salvation.

Leo was also influenced by such Lisinas.

"Anyway, don't think negatively about it."

Rhys smiled.

"Isn't anything impossible?"

***

After school that day.

Leo, tidying his desk, stood up.

Seeing Leo, Kal waved.

"Leo! We're going to the Grand Library to study for the midterms, want to come with us!"

Kal was surrounded by his close friends.

This included Chelsea and Nella, the top students in the class.

"Sorry. I have something to do after school."

"Oh? That's a shame."

Kal smacked his lips.

"Leo, I'll be at the Grand Library after I finish my business, so come by if you have time."

Nella said with her usual languid smile, and Leo nodded.

After his classmates left, Leo headed alone to the third-year classroom building.

Normally, unless they were exceptionally brave freshmen, they wouldn't go to the third-year classroom building, which was two grades above them.

This was because freshmen generally tended to fear upperclassmen.

Therefore, Leo, who boldly entered the third-year classroom building, was a striking presence.

Especially since, unlike the first and second years, third years had one more class period, so the third years were still in class.

'Was Elena in class 4?'

Leo, entering the first floor of the classroom building, went to class 4.

Unlike the first year, which had 10 classes, the third year only had up to 5 classes.

This meant that at least more than half had fallen behind in the first and second-year curriculum.

'Looking at this, our classmates are amazing.'

It was one of the two classes that had no dropouts yet.

Considering that they were the last in the class average when they entered.

Leo sat in front of the class 4 classroom.

He could hear the sounds of classes in progress from inside.

After a while.

Ding-dong-dang-dong-

The bell signaling the end of classes rang throughout the classroom building.

Rattle! Clatter-! Clatter-!

The sound of desks came from inside the classroom.

The classroom door opened, and professors came out.

The third-year professors looked surprised to see Leo in the hallway.

'A freshman in the third-year classroom building?'

'Leo Phlòv. Truly different.'

While even the professors admired the freshman representative's courage, the third-year students poured out of the classroom.

Then they stopped upon seeing Leo sitting on a chair in front of the classroom.

"Wait, isn't that the freshman representative, Leo Phlòv?"

"Really?"

"Where! Where!"

Female students from class 4 swarmed around Leo.

"Hello, seniors."

As Leo stood up and greeted them, the female students who had been looking at each other's faces let out screams.

"Cute! Fresh! I thought so before, but he's a pretty boy!"

"Look at the color of his eyes! They're so beautiful! Like rubies!"

"Speaking of which, wasn't he the student council president's cousin?"

The cluster of female students showed immense interest in Leo.

Their reaction was quite different from that of the second years.

While most of the second years were displeased with Leo, the third years were different.

They just thought the freshman junior was cute.

Besides the female students, male students also looked at Leo with curiosity.

It seemed they were also surprised by Leo's audacity in entering the third-year classroom building.

"Leo, try calling me 'noona.' Come on, noona."

"That's a bit…"

"Oh my? Look at how firm he is!"

"But he's so firm, it's kind of cool?"

"So you're into younger guys?"

The female students, giggling and teasing Leo, soon asked,

"So, why is a freshman here in the third-year classrooms?"

"I came to meet senior Elena."

At those words, the atmosphere among the female students changed.

Moreover, the atmosphere of other third-year students who had been watching with interest also changed.

"You came to see Elena? Why?"

At that moment, a male student who came out of class 4 smirked.

"Just have some business to attend to."

"Elena isn't someone a freshman can just meet whenever they want. Who do you think you are? Are you acting like you're something special just because you're an all-class representative and a freshman representative?"

'I expected this kind of reaction, but it's a bit harsh.'

It was well-known that Elena attracted promising juniors to her faction.

Many students in the first year wanted to join Blue Moon, the conquest party led by Elena.

And Leo was a student Elena had shown continuous interest in.

'The hostility is this much… Ah, right.'

During a recent mission practice.

Originally, Elena was supposed to be carrying out dungeon conquest schedules with her party members.

But she ignored everything and came to where Leo was.

'The queen's followers are very jealous.'

Leo recalled what the second-year representative, Lil, had said before and sighed lightly.

In the meantime, those who appeared to be from the Blue Moon party were glaring at Leo.

This applied to both men and women.

It was then.

"Young Master Leo?"

A female student walking down the hallway spotted Leo and spoke to him.

Leo looked at the person who called him 'young master.'

'Niel Roda. Wasn't she Celia's escort knight?'

They weren't often seen together at school, given the grade difference between first and third years, but she was from the Schrödinger family and had been close friends with Celia since childhood.

Niel offered Leo the courtesy of a knight.

"I'm not a Schrödinger."

"Still, you're the cousin of Young Master Rhys and Lady Celia. I must show you courtesy. By the way, why are you, Young Master Leo, in the third-year classroom building?"

"I came to see senior Elena."

At the question, Niel put her index finger to her lips and tilted her head.

"Hmm. Elena took classes in the morning, but in the afternoon, she got bored and went to the club room."

"Really?"

"Yes. I'll guide you."

Niel smiled and glared at the Blue Moon students.

As a third-year herself, she could guess how the Blue Moon members had reacted to Leo.

Under Niel's gaze, the third-year members of Blue Moon flinched.

It could be said that Elena currently dominated the entire third year.

Not only in the third year, but also in the second year, and even among the fourth years, who largely disliked Elena, she had a considerable number of followers.

However, not all third-year students followed Elena.

There were also neutral students.

Niel was a prime example of such a student.

Furthermore, she was one of the top five skilled individuals among the third-year knight academy students.

She was not someone who could be dealt with by someone with mediocre skills.

As Niel led Leo out of the classroom building, some people gritted their teeth.

"Grrr! Arrogant brat!"

"Just because you're a bit successful, you think you're invincible!"

The members of Blue Moon gritted their teeth.

Seeing them, the surrounding students clicked their tongues.

'Why do they get so worked up when Elena won't even care about them?'

'It's always the ones with mediocre skills who act like this.'

Some third-year students looked at them with apathetic faces.

***

Leo followed Niel to the club building.

"Passing by the fourth-year classroom building is the shortcut."

It was the first time he had been there since the beginning of the semester.

Niel smiled kindly and explained the clubs to Leo.

"I'm in the art club. As you know, Young Master Leo, Lady Celia is also in the art club. Don't you have any interest in painting, Young Master Leo? I bet you'd be good at it, being so talented."

Celia's hobby, befitting a noble lady, was painting.

Moreover, she had good dexterity and was quite skilled.

"No, I don't have any particular talent for painting."

"What about sculpting or other artistic activities?"

"……"

The mention of artistic activities naturally brought Leo back to the past.

'Kyle, you know. In my opinion, you're abandoned by art. No, you're clearly cursed and hated by art. Did you really call this a painting?'

Deweno pointed at Kyle's painting, held by Luna, with an extremely pathetic and sympathetic gaze.

Arion, who was watching beside Luna, laughed awkwardly.

'I-it kind of looks like it…'

'Do you want to die?'

'S-sorry.'

'It looks better than Luna's.'

When Kyle protested irritably, Deweno nodded.

'Of course, you're slightly better than that eccentric elf who has no strengths other than magic and a beautiful appearance. But that eccentric elf's beautiful appearance is art in itself. So she's not cursed by art.'

'You damned perverted old man!'

Luna, using her staff, aggressively choked Deweno's thick neck.

Of course, Deweno remained unfazed as usual.

'Look! Even in this violent act, this beauty doesn't lose its luster!'

'What about my personality!'

'Anyway, Kyle, give up on pursuing art. Your interest in art is an insult to art.'

Ignoring Luna, who was gnawing on her hair, Deweno said more seriously than ever.

"My friend told me not to dabble in that area."

"Oh dear."

It was then that Niel made a sympathetic expression.

"Hmph. Why is the lackey of the effeminate Rwalyn here?"

"Hah? Why are you, the lackey of the sickly Rwalyn, picking a fight?"

Seeing the man who spoke to Leo, emitting a fierce aura as if he had never smiled kindly, Leo saw he was a fourth-year, judging by the badge on his chest.

But Niel didn't back down at all, despite him being a senior.

His name tag read, Matchel Luzia.

'Wait, if it's Matchel Luzia, isn't he from a vassal family of the Rwalyn family?'

If we're talking about Schrödinger, it's the same as the Roda family.

Chelsea had told him about it before.

'It's no wonder they have a bad relationship.'

Even Celia and Chelsea are quite antagonistic.

Furthermore, while Celia and Abad don't bicker or growl at each other, they are competing as rivals to be overcome.

Naturally, their vassal families would also have a bad relationship.

"It will be proven in the midterm exams that Lady Celia is superior to Abad Rwalyn! There will be a sparring evaluation!"

"Oh, you two finally agree? I thought so too. Of course, I thought Young Master Abad would defeat Celia Schrödinger."

The third and fourth years were busy boasting about their lords.

"To be honest! Lady Celia is much more amazing! She's popular too! If she wanted to, she'd be a femme fatale! A femme fatale! Just a glance would captivate male students!"

"Hmph. Our Young Master Abad is a casanova if he wants to be! There wouldn't be a female student who wouldn't fall for his gentleness!"

"He was like butter to me."

"Hmph! Aren't you the tomboy?"

The two people growled at each other.

As a result, the attention of the fourth-year students leaving class naturally gathered.

"There they go again."

"Don't they feel ashamed in front of their juniors?"

"Honestly, I want to call Celia and Abad here and show them this."

"That sounds like fun."

"Hey! Shall we bet on who wins?"

The fourth-year students leaving the classroom building chuckled upon seeing the scene.

It seemed to be a daily occurrence.

Leo, watching the two overly proud seniors' bickering, asked,

"When will it end?"

"Ah!"

Niel, remembering Leo's presence, exclaimed in surprise.

"I'm sorry, Young Master. This obnoxious fellow started trouble."

Niel smiled and stood next to Leo.

"Shall we go?"

"Wait a moment."

Matchel blocked their path.

Niel frowned and looked at Matchel, but he completely ignored her gaze and looked at Leo.

His height, quite tall for a mage, meant he looked down on Leo.

'Does he dislike me because my maternal family is Schrödinger?'

"My name is Matchel Luzia. Young Master Leo. I'm always indebted to Lady Chelsea."

Nihil's thoughts were in vain as Matchel introduced himself to Leo very politely.

"My maternal family is Schrödinger."

"It doesn't matter. Young Master Leo is a close friend of Lady Chelsea."

Matchel smiled much more gently than he had towards Niel.

"Please visit Rwalyn sometime. The head of the family is also looking forward to meeting Young Master Leo…"

"Hey! Who are you hitting on! Get lost! Go away! Go away! Young Master Leo! Let's go!"

Niel, with a fierce expression, intervened between the two.

"You ignorant Schrödinger lackey!"

"Much better than a cunning Rwalyn lackey!"

Leo, silently watching the two start fighting again, approached the fourth-year students who were watching from the sidelines.

The fourth-year students looked puzzled as Leo approached.

"I'll bet on a draw."

Deciding it was hopeless to leave quickly, Leo decided to just enjoy the situation.

"Sorry, junior. That option doesn't exist."

"Too bad. Then I'll bet on Senior Niel winning."

"Ooh! Come here, Leo Phlòv!"

The fourth-year students who bet on Niel's side welcomed Leo enthusiastically.

"Duel!"

"Duel!"

In the end, Niel and Matchel ended up dueling.

***

"…Niel, why is your face like that?"

"Something happened."

Niel treated her wound with a handkerchief soaked in potion, her face sullen.

The match with Matchel was a draw.

It was an impressive feat to draw against a fourth-year, but in reality, Niel and Matchel had been evenly matched since childhood, despite the grade difference.

Elena chuckled at her classmate and looked at Leo with sparkling eyes.

"By the way, I didn't expect Leo-kun to come find me."

"I heard an interesting story from the student council president."

"Oh my."

Elena covered her mouth and exclaimed.

Then she smiled.

"Shall we talk alone for a bit?"

At those words, the students in the same room frowned.

"If it's about the student council president, it must be important. Shouldn't we listen too?"

"Right."

At those words, Elena smiled.

"Don't make me say it three times."

At those words, the Blue Moon students flinched and left the room.

As they left, they didn't glare at Leo.

There was no fool here who would rashly act emotionally and displease Elena.

Niel also left the room obediently, though with a puzzled expression.

Once only the two of them were left in the room, Elena stretched with a relaxed expression.

"Before we talk about the student council president, there's something I need to tell Leo-kun."

"What is it?"

"It's about the restricted library."

Elena smiled.

"You've been granted permission to enter the restricted library."