Book 1 Chapter 176

176

Combat Studies class.

During class, Leo was lost in thought.

Lisinas had liked him, it was said.

'That guy never once showed such feelings towards me?'

Lisinas, the King of Wisdom.

The leader of the Erebus Extermination Squad, who had the noble goal of saving the world.

A noble black dragon who gathered great heroes and offered hope to those in despair.

In front of people, he always showed only a flawless appearance.

Of course, not in front of his friends.

Especially after big battles, he often showed a relaxed side at banquets.

At those times, they would drink and talk about the future after all disasters had disappeared.

'But even then, he never really showed any signs of liking me, did he? So why is he scolding me for not realizing it?'

Leo, frowning, recalled old memories.

***

That day was also a day when the banquet was in full swing.

They rejoiced in victory in Gadstron's plaza.

Many blessed the heroes.

Not only the five great heroes were present.

Other heroes who lived in that era were also there.

Humans playing music.

Elves happily dancing to the melody.

Dwarves joyfully pouring wine.

Beastfolk making food.

Dragons telling heroic tales to children.

The five races gathered, grateful for the peace they had obtained, and enjoyed themselves.

For this moment, everyone forgot that it was the Age of Despair.

Kyle would often watch that hopeful scene from afar.

When he was alone like that, there were always two people who would speak to him first.

The one who spoke to him that day was Lisinas, who had drunk more than usual.

Lisinas, approaching with a flushed face from alcohol, sat beside Kyle as if accustomed to it.

"Kyle."

"What."

"What are you going to do after exterminating Erebus?"

Lisinas had the goal of saving the world and restoring light.

Luna wanted to fill the world with flowers.

Dwenno wanted to spread beauty throughout the world.

Unlike Arion, who wanted to create a world where children wouldn't cry, Kyle didn't have a big goal.

"I'll live aimlessly, wandering around. Because I have nowhere to go."

At those words, Lisinas turned his head to look at Kyle.

"Then."

Lisinas smiled shyly.

"Will you live with me in the Dragon's Domain?"

"Dragon's Domain? I don't like it; it sounds stuffy."

"Then should I travel the world with you?"

"That sounds good too. But won't it be hard?"

"Why?"

"You'll have to help rebuild the world, won't you? Besides…"

"Besides?"

"If I'm with you, I feel like I'll constantly be nagged. So it's more comfortable to be alone…"

Crack-!

Lisinas just slammed his elbow into Kyle's temple.

"What? What? Lisinas, surely you're not drunk-rambling now?"

Luna, who had come to dance with Kyle, witnessed the scene and looked surprised.

"Drunk-rambling?"

"Yeah. Kyle said so. That you get violent when you drink. I didn't believe it, but it was true, wasn't it?"

"I was right, wasn't I?"

"Yeah."

Luna nodded nonchalantly at Kyle's words, who was rubbing his temple and grimacing.

Lisinas smiled faintly.

"Kyle."

"Huh? Ugh-!"

And then he just unleashed a dropkick into Kyle's solar plexus.

"Just die, you damn bastard!"

The black dragon, growling and mercilessly trampling the fallen Kyle, was ferocity itself.

Luna, watching the scene, crossed her arms and nodded, "Hmm! Hmm!"

"Violent. So violent."

Lisinas then grabbed Luna's hair and pulled.

Before long, Lisinas and Luna were grabbing each other's hair and fighting.

Arion sipped his drink, watching them.

"Why are those two fighting again?"

"Let them be. It seems all three of them are oblivious idiots in that regard, so what can you do?"

"That regard?"

"So it was four of them."

Kyle approached Dwenno, who was clicking his tongue, "Tsk, tsk."

"Agh, seriously, what did I do wrong?"

"In my opinion, you deserved it."

"What did I do wrong?"

Dwenno looked at Kyle with genuine exasperation.

***

"…"

Recalling that incident, Leo made a strange expression.

Thinking back, it had happened quite often.

Each time, Dwenno would look at Leo with lukewarm eyes, as if genuinely exasperated.

'No. It's still unfair. If that's the case, why didn't he just say it directly?'

"Student Leo."

"Yes, Professor Sedgen."

"Is my Combat Studies class not to your liking?"

Sedgen's eyes trembled slightly.

Sedgen was currently passionately teaching Combat Studies in the drill ground.

Moreover, it was a joint class where all 10 classes were gathered.

And Sedgen was chosen as the representative professor for that joint class.

With midterms approaching, all students were focused on the class, but Leo alone was lost in thought.

"I was listening intently."

"Oh? In that case, please explain the party composition and role assignments as a 5-person party leader, which I just explained."

"The composition changes depending on the leader's class. In my case, I'm an all-class, so I can handle any role. So…"

Leo explained the content without difficulty.

After hearing it all, Professor Sedgen took out a handkerchief and bit it.

"Ugh-! How annoying! But so elegant! Which makes it even more annoying!"

"Professor. It seems you said your inner thoughts out loud as well."

"Groooooowl!"

Among the first-year students, Leo was the only one who was this unreserved with a professor.

Since he was a student who didn't even cower in front of Hallind, such behavior from Leo was familiar among the first-years.

After a short while, the class continued.

"We'll end the theory class here. And since today is a joint class, we'll play Bastella."

Bastella, a traditional sport of Combat Studies.

Everyone's eyes sparkled, as they had formed teams by class before, but never by mixing classes.

"Teams with other classes. That sounds fun?"

"I can form the team I've always thought of!"

Students began to move dynamically.

The most popular among them, as expected, were the top-ranking students.

Leo, in particular, was wildly popular.

"Leo! Let's team up!"

"No! Team up with me!"

"You guys already have all the front-liners. So you don't need Leo, do you?"

"Don't be ridiculous! Leo is an all-class! He can handle any position!"

Leo sighed softly, watching the other class students squabble.

Thump- Thump-

Chelsea tilted her head, bouncing a Bastella-specific ball on the ground.

"Brother Leo has been a bit strange these past few days?"

"What's strange about Young Master Leo?"

"You startled me!"

Chelsea flinched, seeing Chen Shia's face suddenly thrust forward.

The two shortest female students in the first year being together unexpectedly drew attention.

"Chen Shia, what brings you here today?"

Chen Shia smiled faintly at Karl's question.

"I was thinking of teaming up with Young Master Leo. By the way, has Young Master Leo been strange these past few days?"

"He's been a bit spaced out, yes."

"Right. The class president is always flawless, but lately, he seems to have openings, so to speak?"

Tade approached, crossing his arms, and Iliana also made a curious expression.

Celia and Chloe, who were approaching to team up with Leo, overheard and joined the conversation.

"I noticed it recently too. Getting pointed out during class."

Celia looked at Leo with a displeased face.

"Is he troubled about something?"

Chloe had a slightly worried expression.

"I don't know! Anyway, now's our chance! Chelsea! Give me the ball!"

Iliana made a mischievous expression.

"What for?"

"When else will I get to hit the class president in the head with a ball?"

Iliana giggled and crept stealthily behind Leo.

And then she threw the ball at the back of Leo's head, who was distracted by team requests.

Thump-!

Leo snatched the ball with one hand without even turning his gaze towards Iliana.

And still without turning his gaze, he accurately hit Iliana squarely in the face with the ball.

"Pffft?!"

"That idiot."

"Even if he's spaced out, do you think he'd fall for something like that?"

Karl and Tade looked at Iliana, whose face was red from the ball mark, with exasperated expressions.

"Chelsea! They're calling me an idiot!"

Iliana pouted and clung to Chelsea.

"You are an idiot, though."

"You're so mean!"

Iliana made a pitiful expression.

"Class 5 always has something entertaining going on."

Chen Shia smiled brightly and stroked her chin.

"By the way, why is he really like that?"

"Well, for a boy our age, it's obvious."

Karl crossed his arms and nodded, "Hmm! Hmm!"

"I don't like thinking of Brother Leo and Karl on the same level, but… go ahead and say it."

"A girl."

At those words, Chelsea, Chloe, and Chen Shia made strange expressions.

Celia crossed her arms.

"I don't think he'd be spaced out over a problem like that."

"How would a woman understand the heart of an adolescent boy?"

"His bragging somehow makes me want to hit him."

Celia narrowed her brows, looking at the smug Karl.

"Doesn't he somehow seem suited for an older woman? He's mature, after all. And lately, he seems to be spending time with Senior Elena."

When Tade interjected, Karl nodded.

"I think so too. In that sense…"

Karl shook his head, looking at Chelsea as if in pity.

"You, being childish, have no hope… *cough*!"

Chelsea kicked Karl in the side without hesitation.

It was amidst such commotion that teams were being decided.

"For your information."

Professor Sedgen spoke up.

"Today is the practical exam for the Combat Studies midterm."

Suddenly, the atmosphere among all first-year students turned as cold as ice.

"Huh?"

"W-wait a minute, Professor! A practical exam so suddenly!"

All the first-year students looked bewildered at the unexpected announcement.

Since it was exam season, there was nothing strange about a practical exam taking place.

However, they couldn't help but be taken aback by such an unexpected situation without prior notice.

Sedgen, who usually cherished his students and wore a kind smile, curved the corners of his mouth upwards as he watched the bewildered students.

"You are Lumern. First-year cadets."

Sedgen crossed his arms.

"Isn't it true that those who aim to be heroes must be able to respond to unexpected situations anytime, anywhere?"

The first-year students gulped, seeing Sedgen, who exuded an overwhelming aura completely different from his usual self.

Waraden asked, looking at them with his characteristic expressionless face.

"So, are our opponents fellow first-years?"

"Hoo. Student Waraden. You are indeed quite elegant."

Sedgen smiled satisfactorily at Waraden's attitude of trying to analyze the situation calmly.

"I have something to tell you. This midterm exam, excluding the written test, will all be graded on a 'relative scale'."

Sedgen crossed his arms.

"It's the opposite of the first semester of first year, which had many absolute grading criteria. Do you know why?"

As the students hesitated at those words, Celia raised her hand.

"Answer, Student Celia."

"Isn't it because all the mediocre talented people have already dropped out?"

"Elegant."

Sedgen nodded.

"It's an unfortunate story for the students who were advised to withdraw in the first semester, but… the first semester was a process of 'filtering out' those with the potential to be heroes. You all must have felt it, right? How different you are from the first semester. It means only students with great potential among the admitted ones remain."

At those words, everyone looked at each other and nodded.

"If the first semester selected students with growth potential, the second semester evaluates the value of their potential."

"How do you evaluate potential?"

This time, Duran asked.

At his question, Sedgen curved the corners of his mouth.

"Potential is revealed the moment one hits a limit."

Everyone looked tense.

"Because if you're a student of Lumern… if you dream of being a hero, you must be able to 'transcend your limits'."

When a school motto came from the professors, it meant that a huge challenge awaited.

"Your Bastella opponents are not fellow first-years."

"Then?"

Beep-!

Sedgen lightly blew a whistle.

Along with it, someone appeared on the drill ground.

The faces of the first-year students hardened upon seeing them.

"Haha. S-surely not."

"No way. It must just be observers, right?"

They laughed awkwardly, denying it.

To them, Sedgen coldly presented reality.

"Your opponents are none other than 'fifth-years'."

At those words, the first-year students looked horrified.

Lis, standing at the front, smiled faintly at the juniors.

"Nice to meet you."