Book 1 Chapter 181

"The sparring assessment is only a week away now."

It was evening after combat studies class.

The tattered sword, Kahl, headed towards the dormitory's large bathhouse, grumbling, "Yeah."

"Ah, seriously. I wonder who I'll end up fighting?"

"Maybe we'll end up fighting each other."

"Eek? I'd rather not!"

Kahl shuddered and shook his head at Leo's words.

Fighting the grade representative. Kahl clicked his tongue, thinking whoever it was would be unlucky.

"By the way, I didn't think you'd actually complete the Bible?"

"It's not complete. I'm still a long way from reaching the level I'm aiming for."

"Still. You used Torua-senpai's magic."

The entire school was already abuzz with rumors about Leo's magic.

"Hey, if this goes well, won't the Magic Tower send people to research it?"

"Lumern would never allow that, would they?"

The Magic Tower would undoubtedly want to research Leo's Bible.

But Lumern would never permit it. For Lumern, researching Leo would be tantamount to talent drain.

Leo and Kahl entered the bathhouse, washed themselves, and submerged themselves in the hot water.

"Ahhh! A bath after a tough workout feels like heaven!"

"You sound like an old man!"

"You're the most old-man-like first-year!"

Kahl grumbled at Leo's remark.

"Excuse me for a moment."

Splash-

At that moment, Abad entered and sat beside them.

"What is it?"

"I'm curious about Leo's magic. It's natural for mages to be curious."

Abad smiled faintly.

After that, Abad asked Leo questions about the Bible.

"Hmm. If that's the concept, then it's literally your own unique magic. But the structure of the incantation itself is interesting. It could be incorporated into wind magic as well."

"I suppose so."

Leo nodded as he watched Abad mutter, resting his chin on his hand.

The faces of other male students showing interest nearby shifted strangely.

"What are they talking about?"

"I can't understand any of it."

At Kahl's words, a male student from the Knight Department nearby looked dumbfounded.

"Hey, what do you mean, you're from the Magic Department?"

"Not all Magic Departments are the same."

"Wow, how can you be so confident? Don't you feel any self-doubt?"

"I'm not at a level where I feel self-doubt. Do you feel self-doubt when you see Celiana Chen Sia and Duran?"

"No."

Kahl, chatting with the students around him, said,

"By the way, Abad, who are you going to choose for your sparring assessment opponent? You can pick one person and fight if they accept. Is it Leo?"

Abad rested his chin on his hand at Kahl's question.

"No."

Kahl made a strange face as he looked at Abad's faint smile.

"Why?"

"No, it's just strange that you and Chelsea are siblings."

Abad, who always wore a spring breeze-like smile, and Chelsea, whose personality was like a storm that could strike at any moment. The Lewalin siblings might resemble each other in appearance, but their personalities were polar opposites.

Abad chuckled at Kahl's words.

"If not Leo, then Celía?"

"I'd like to fight Celía too, but there's someone I really want to defeat right now."

"Who?"

"Warredon."

Kahl looked surprised at the unexpected opponent.

"Don't you have any particular connection with Warredon?"

"Warredon has no connection with anyone."

Warredon, the number one student in the Summoning Department, didn't interact much with other students. He preferred to be alone and was a man of few words. Furthermore, the intimidating aura emanating from his unusually large physique made it difficult for other students to approach him.

"But he's definitely strong. Overwhelmingly so."

Abad smiled.

"I'd say he's someone I want to defeat before defeating Leo or Celía."

"Hmm. I can't easily imagine who would win."

Kahl also knew how strong Warredon was. But even so, Abad was the number one student in the Magic Department in terms of combat ability. It was truly unpredictable.

"Leo, have you decided on an opponent? There are quite a few people who seem eager to fight you."

"Don't even mention it. They come to our class several times a day."

Kahl grumbled. The students Abad mentioned who wanted to spar with Leo were Duran and Eliza. Warredon had also nominated Leo, but he wasn't as actively enthusiastic as Duran and Eliza.

"And they always fight each other when they come together. I wish they'd just fight each other."

Kahl grumbled, and Abad burst into laughter.

"Anyway, shall we talk about the Magic Department exam too?"

Kahl said seriously, and Abad nodded.

"Sounds good."

"Let's talk while we eat dinner. And maybe study a little together if possible."

Kahl took the initiative. For Kahl, studying with Abad, the number one student in the Magic Department, was a tremendous help. Abad readily agreed, seeming to appreciate Kahl's proactive approach. In fact, although Kahl was very close to Chelsea, he surprisingly had little contact with Abad. They were in different classes, and during magic classes, Kahl mostly spent time with Chloe. 'If I get closer to Abad, maybe Chelsea will bother me less?' Kahl muttered to himself as he headed to the dining hall.

Upon entering the dormitory dining hall, the entire dormitory was in utter chaos. They were murmuring amongst themselves, talking with bewildered expressions.

"Is this really okay?"

"I don't think the upperclassmen will let this slide."

"Did something happen?"

Kahl tilted his head and approached a first-year student nearby.

"What's going on?"

"Kahl, and… Leo?"

"It's Leo."

"Leo?"

"Where, where."

Swish-

Suddenly, the noisy dining hall fell silent. Everyone was looking at Leo. Kahl felt a little flustered by their gazes.

"What is it? What's going on?"

Just as Kahl was flustered.

Thump- thump-

Celía, pushing through the crowd, approached Leo with a bewildered expression and handed him the school newspaper. Seeing it, Kahl gasped. Abad's eyes widened too.

[First-Year Leo Flob! Becomes a Student Council President Candidate!]

Seeing the headline emblazoned across the front page, Leo muttered, "They actually did it?"

"You knew?"

"Reese-hyung told me a while ago. Someone recommended me to be student council president."

At that, the students were surprised.

"Whoever it is, does it make sense to announce it like this when they recommend someone?"

"Right. There's also Hark-senpai and Elena-senpai."

"If they recommend someone other than those two, they'll just get on their bad side."

The students, unaware of the full details, began to murmur.

"Who recommended you to be student council president?"

Celía asked, and Leo folded the article and replied, "Elena-senpai."

"What?"

"Elena-senpai?"

All the students wore expressions of shock. If Leo's words were true, he was receiving support from the person known as the Queen of Lumern.

"Leo, what are you going to do?"

Kahl asked, swallowing nervously. A first-year student council president? It was an unprecedented event in Lumern's history. 'No, honestly, this is a poisoned chalice, isn't it?' Even if he refused, Leo would undoubtedly have already made enemies among the upperclassmen. And even if he accepted, it would be difficult for Leo to become student council president.

Leo chuckled at Kahl's question.

"What do you mean? I have to become student council president."

***

"Wait? Does this make sense?"

"Even so, this is too much! A first-year as a student council president candidate!"

The second-year dormitory was in an uproar upon hearing the news.

"Hey! Lil! Haven't you heard anything? You're the grade representative!"

A student from the Summoning Department urgently asked Lil. Lil, holding the newspaper, stared intently at the article with a serious expression, then broke into a wide smile.

"Thank goodness. This means I won't be the student council president, right?"

"Hey! Is this the time to think like that!"

"B-but! If an ordinary person like me becomes student council president, it would be a great disgrace to Lumern's name…!"

"When are you going to fix that timid personality of yours! You'll be fully qualified to be student council president when you're in your fifth year!"

"If… if I'm in my fifth year…?"

Lil pondered, then finally pouted.

"Can't we just let Leo have it?"

"Ah! Seriously! Do you know how embarrassing it is to have a year with no student council president?!"

"I-I'm sorry."

The entire second-year class clutched their heads as they looked at their timid grade representative.

"Elena!"

"Look at the newspaper!"

"Reese-senpai…"

Elena, who was having dinner in the third-year dormitory dining hall, frowned at her peers who crowded around her. Then, she wiped her mouth with a napkin and shot them a glare.

"What's all the commotion about?"

Seeing Elena, everyone held their breath. At that moment, when everyone was being cautious about offending Elena, who was the real power in the school,

"Elena. Look here. Reese-senpai has pushed Leo Flob as a candidate for student council president."

At the words of Takon, the vice-captain of the Blue Moon Party and a third-year knight student, Elena's eyes widened, and she reached out to read the newspaper.

"Hmm? The president has made his decision."

As Elena stood up from her seat with a creak, the third-years said,

"This is outrageous! He's pushing him because he's his cousin!"

"Reese-senpai wouldn't do that?"

"B-but."

"Isn't it because Hark-senpai lacks motivation, so he's trying to put up a figurehead?"

"Even so, would he make a first-year the student council president? The fourth-years will be furious immediately!"

As her peers spoke urgently, Elena said,

"Everyone, calm down."

"This is not a matter to be calm about, Elena. Even if he's the student council president, this is clearly an act of disrespect towards you."

Elena smiled faintly at Takon's words.

"The president isn't exactly disrespecting me."

"Then what is it?"

"I recommended Leo-kun for student council president."

"……."

"……."

For a moment, the third-years wore blank expressions.

"When I brought it up, the president had such a bewildered expression. I've known him for a long time, but I've never seen that expression before. You guys should have seen it."

As Elena laughed merrily, Takon pressed his temples.

"Wait. Elena, so what you're saying is… you recommended Leo Flob as student council president? Why?"

"Well."

Elena crossed her arms.

"Because I wanted to."

All the third-years wore dazed expressions. It felt as though their efforts to help Elena become student council president up to this point had been in vain. 'No, it's true we helped him achieve his own goal.' 'But still…'

"So."

Elena smiled radiantly. Her smile unmistakably contained the tyrannical streak characteristic of her, who was also called the Witch of Lumern.

"Do you have any complaints because I want to do it?"

Unlike the second and third-years, who were in an uproar, the fourth-years' reaction was surprisingly calm.

"I really don't know what the president is thinking."

"I know. He was a senior I truly respected for four years, and now he's causing a huge mess in his final year."

The fourth-years, who were muttering with serious expressions while looking at the newspaper, sighed deeply as they glanced at Hark, who was sleeping with his face buried in the table.

"Still, looking at him, it seems better to have a first-year as student council president."

"I agree."

The fourth-years had already halfway given up on the student council president race.

***

Reese's announcement caused a tremendous aftershock throughout the school. Not just within Lumern. Externally, upon hearing the news, everyone focused their attention on Lumern's situation, unable to believe the unprecedented event. Normally, the entire school would have been in an uproar. However, the atmosphere in Lumern was surprisingly calm. The majority of the fourth-years, who should have protested the most, were cautiously observing the situation. And the third-years were perfectly under Elena's control. The second-years were in an awkward position, hesitant to take the lead when the third and fourth-years remained silent. Only the first-years, while mindful of their seniors… the first-year sparring assessment began.

Originally, the first-year sparring assessment, like the summoning exam's beast relay in the first semester, was quite festive. The first-years, who had honed their skills, had acquired skills incomparable to when they first enrolled. As a result, there were often cases where their known abilities were overturned during sparring. Students who were not noticeable in the first semester would suddenly emerge as dark horses, or top students would be defeated by lower-ranked students, leading to highly unpredictable and thus very entertaining outcomes. Therefore, not only first-years but also upperclassmen would often attend to witness their juniors' skills.

However, this year's first-year sparring assessment was so popular that there were too many people who wanted to observe, so it was held in the school's central training ground, Erec. With an unprecedented crowd, the first-years looked even more nervous.

[Now, we will begin the sparring assessment nomination ceremony!]

A fifth-year student holding a magic amplification device began to act as the host. Usually, professors would handle this, but this time, one of the fifth-year students volunteered. The reason was simple: Cheira, who was in her final year and had less to do, volunteered because she was bored.

[As everyone knows, this sparring assessment will proceed a little differently! The first spar will be conducted through 'nomination'! Isn't that exciting? You can see which students have a rivalry! Kaha~ this is going to be fun! I wish we had this from our first year!]

Cheira, a fifth-year knight student, known for her chattiness, was excited. She found the current situation very entertaining. 'There, there! I knew it would be like this!' 'Hey! Someone pull her away!' As she went off the rails, other professors tried to stop her urgently.

[Cheira Shikhun. You seem to want an interview with me?]

[Heek?]

Harind, the weeping wall of Lumern, spoke as a warning, causing Cheira to exclaim in fright. Harind. If he set his mind to it, he could expel anyone, regardless of whether they were a graduating student. Instantly regaining her composure, Cheira, trembling, rushed towards Leo.

[Th-then! We will begin by nominating Leo Flob, the grade representative!]

Avoiding Harind's gaze as much as possible, Cheira stiffly approached Leo.

[Leo. Do you have someone you want to spar with?]

"Yes."

[Oh! I'm curious to see who the grade representative wants to spar with! Point your finger and choose.]

At those words, Leo raised his hand. The upperclassmen looked displeased as they watched Leo, who had been mentioned as a candidate for student council president. 'No matter who the opponent is, let's see how well they fight.' 'Even so, they're just a first-year.' Most of them were very unhappy that a first-year had become a candidate for student council president. Leo pointed his finger not towards the training ground where the first-year students were gathered, but towards the spectator stands beyond. As everyone was surprised by where Leo's finger was pointing, Leo was pointing precisely at one of the fifth-year students.

[Uh… um… uh…]

Cheira, her voice bewildered, looked back and forth between Leo and the person Leo was pointing at, then cautiously asked, [You want to fight Reese?]

"Yes."

Leo smiled.

"You didn't say I had to choose an opponent from the first-years, did you?"