Book 1 Chapter 191

Early the next morning.

Feeling the chilled autumn air, Leo left the dormitory.

Lil was waiting in the garden of the first-year dormitory.

"Sorry to bother you so early, Leo. Shall we get going then?"

"Yes."

Leo and Lil immediately headed to the pier to catch the first boat to Rumelia City.

It wasn't normally a time for boats, but they were prepared early in the morning for students who wanted to make the most of their limited weekend time.

Besides Leo and Lil, several other people were waiting for the boat at the pier.

After taking the boat to Rumelia early in the morning, Lil led Leo to a restaurant near the pier.

She ordered sandwiches for a light meal and sat in front of Leo, clearing her throat.

"Ahem. I'll tell you why I asked you to come to Rumelia with me."

"What is it?"

"It's about a mission."

"A mission."

Mission.

Rumern students are prospective heroes, mediating conflicts or solving mysterious incidents around the world.

They are given missions that heroes must resolve.

First-year students also underwent a large-scale mission practice session before.

However, in the case of mission practice, even though it's a simulation, most of the missions are at a difficulty level that students can handle.

But a 'mission' is different from a 'mission practice.'

It's only given to truly skilled students, so they usually receive missions from their third year.

Yet, Lil, despite being the class representative, was assigned a mission in her second year.

'She's definitely amazing.'

"A mission from your second year. As expected, Lil-senpai, you're amazing."

"W-what! Please don't praise me like that! If you say that, Leo, you're even more amazing! You became student council president in your first year! It's the first time in Rumern history!"

Lil, flustered by Leo's praise, shook her head.

Seeing Lil like that, Leo burst into laughter.

'I thought someone with such talent would have a lot of pride.'

She was currently the absolute, unmoving number one among the second-year students at Rumern.

She was a female student nicknamed 'monster' who was recognized even by her seniors, yet she was also an excellent student who strangely thought of herself as ordinary.

'If she gains more experience, she'll become a great spirit user.'

Thinking about Lil's future, Leo asked,

"So. You want me to join you on the mission?"

"Yes."

"There are other seniors, so why me?"

"This mission is actually a solo mission given to me. I asked Leo to join because I wanted to form a party with Leo at least once."

The waiter brought sandwiches and placed them in front of the two.

Lil picked up a sandwich, took a big bite, and said,

"If Leo refuses, I can't help it."

"I'll go with you. I don't have anything to do on the weekend, and I'm curious about the mission given to Lil-senpai."

At Leo's words, Lil's face brightened.

She gulped down the milk they had brought and took out the mission scroll from her pocket.

"Thank you! Leo!"

"So, what kind of mission is it?"

"Well, I haven't confirmed the mission details yet. It was a designated mission, and since they were told to check the mission with Leo because I wanted to carry it out together, I was instructed to confirm it with Leo."

Nodding at her words, Leo ate his sandwich and leaned towards Lil.

Lil broke the sealed wax on the mission scroll and checked the contents.

[Escort a VIP to the Zerodia Castle Ruins east of Rumelia City.]

That was all the content.

Lil checked behind it with a slightly confused expression, but nothing was written.

"Zerodia Castle Ruins would take half a day to get to. I guess that's why the mission period was two days and one night. But there's a VIP in those ruins?"

Seeing Lil's bewildered expression, Leo said,

"The school wouldn't make a strange request… Let's get ready and go then."

"We should! Hup!"

Lil enthusiastically took a big bite of her sandwich.

Puffing out her cheeks, she quickly swallowed the sandwich and then gulped down her milk.

"Alright! Leo! Let's go!"

"I haven't finished eating yet."

"Ah!"

Lil's expression turned flustered.

"I-I'm sorry. I got ahead of myself."

"It can happen."

Leo chuckled and finished his sandwich.

Then he got up, gathered his things, and walked out of the shop, saying,

"Lil-senpai, you have a rather manly side to you."

"Hmm, I think it's because I come from a military family. I used to play war games with my older brother since I was little."

Standing rigidly, Lil walked briskly like a disciplined soldier and asked.

Indeed, Lil's way of speaking was also disciplined.

"Thanks to that, people often say my way of speaking and acting is strange, though."

"I think it's charming."

"Oh, thank you. Leo."

Lil smiled faintly and walked away from the shop with Leo.

"Ho ho."

*Flap!*

At that moment, a man on one side of the shop folded his newspaper.

Then he narrowed his eyes.

"Second-year representative and Lil Luce, and first-year representative Leo Florob."

*Grind-clang.*

"This looks interesting?"

The man stood up, placed a few coins on the table, pulled down his hat, and followed the two.

***

"Hey, Leo really went out with Luce-senpai at dawn?"

"Isn't he the first in the first year? The one who boldly declared he'd be staying out overnight with a girl?"

From the morning, the first-year dormitory was buzzing with one topic of interest.

It was the rumors about Leo and Lil.

Hearing the story, a crowd of female students gathered around Celia.

"Celia! Celia! Is it true that second-year Lil-senpai and Leo are dating?"

"No, right? It's a lie, isn't it!"

Looking at her classmates who asked with tears welling up, Celia had a glum expression.

"I don't know. But why are you all so excited?"

"Why! We're Leo's fan club!"

"…Leo has one of those? As expected of the student council president. Even getting a fan club."

Celia looked surprised.

'You have one too.'

'He's surprisingly dense about these things.'

The first-year students nearby looked at Celia with bewildered expressions.

Incidentally, Leo's fan club was recently formed, while Celia's fan club had existed since the beginning of the semester.

At that moment, Duran, who was eating in front of Celia, snorted.

Currently, the first-year students were gathered, discussing the selection for the Ruse Battle.

As the first-year class had maintained the highest average score since the beginning of the semester, they were one of the most enthusiastic classes for the Ruse Battle representative team selection.

Duran wore his usual arrogant expression.

"Hmph, whether Leo Florob is dating someone or not, is that such a big commotion? Don't you agree, Chloe?"

Duran asked Chloe, the first-year class president, with a smirk, seeking agreement.

"What?"

Chloe's blue eyes flashed coldly.

Seeing that, the surrounding first-year students flinched.

However, Duran, without even looking at Chloe, said with a smirk,

"It doesn't matter who he dates as long as he doesn't neglect his training."

*Swoosh!*

"Hiiik?"

"Chloe? Chloe?"

As the temperature around Chloe rapidly dropped, the first-year students recoiled from her in fright.

"If it's Lil-senpai, she's a renowned top student, so dating her would be very helpful to Leo Florob. They might look quite good together. And if he rises to a higher position, he'll be even more worth defeating…"

*Crack!*

"Hey! Stop it! Read the mood!"

Finally, as the area around Chloe began to freeze, Celia, unable to stand it any longer, lunged and covered Duran's mouth.

Seeing Celia like that, Duran scowled and shook her off.

"What are you doing?"

"Duran, look over there."

Haul sighed and pointed towards Chloe.

Duran flinched, seeing Chloe with an icy expression.

Even Duran, who was known for his bad temper, was no match for Chloe's current atmosphere, which was far from normal.

"Why is she like that?"

"It's because of you! Because of you!"

"What did I do wrong?"

"Ah! You have no sense! No sense!"

Celia looked frustrated.

Just then, Chen Xia entered the dining hall.

"Chen Xia!"

"Today, I'll recruit you to our club!"

"Yaaaah!"

Seeing Chen Xia, students from the Knight Department rushed forward.

The surrounding students watched with amusement.

Chen Xia, who had the best combat skills among all first-year students, was a coveted talent in sports clubs.

Although she was part of the student council and not affiliated with any club, sports clubs constantly vied for Chen Xia.

As the seniors' advances became more overt, Chen Xia declared to her senior classmates:

'If any of you can defeat me in combat among classmates, I will join your club. Come at me every weekend morning.'

Since she said that with her signature gentle smile, the attacks became a routine on weekend mornings at the dining hall.

Of course, not a single student had succeeded so far.

Thanks to that, the first-year students who were receiving grueling training from their club seniors were desperately trying to land a blow on Chen Xia.

*Flap!*

Chen Xia lightly flicked her wrist.

*Crack!*

"Quek?!"

*Bang!*

"Cough!"

*Pop!*

"Kyaak!"

Chen Xia dodged the attacks with almost supernatural agility and delivered ruthless counterattacks.

Seeing Chen Xia delivering deadly counterattacks with a smile, as students were punched and sent flying, kicked and rolled, and their joints dislocated, an onlooker murmured,

"Doesn't it feel like she's holding back less today than usual?"

"Yeah…"

*Whoosh! Thud!*

"…Yes."

The spectator, seeing a classmate fly by and crash nearby, broke into a cold sweat.

"Chen Xia is incredibly scary today."

Her classmates trembled, saying her usual smiling face was terrifying.

"Why are they so hysterical this early in the morning?"

Chelsea, who was having breakfast with students from Class 5, said in a listless voice.

"You're not bothered?"

Teyd asked with a puzzled expression.

"By what?"

"Leo going on a date with Lil-senpai."

At that question, Chelsea smiled faintly.

"I'm always close to Leo-oppa, and I've never seen Lil-senpai have any romantic connection with Leo-oppa."

"Really?"

"Yes. And if Leo-oppa dates someone else, he dates them."

"…"

Chelsea shrugged nonchalantly and put a spoon in her mouth.

Seeing that, Teyd looked away.

Kal and Iliana, who had teased Chelsea this morning, were lying in a pathetic state in a corner of the dining hall.

Nella was healing them with healing aura.

The two had paid a heavy price for teasing Chelsea, who was in a bad mood since morning.

'Leo, please come quickly and explain.'

Teyd sighed deeply, calling out to his classmate in his mind.

***

Leo and Lil left Rumelia City and, after half a day's journey, arrived at the Zerodia Castle Ruins.

Leo looked at the ruined castle and tilted his head.

'It certainly doesn't feel like the VIP mentioned by Rumern would be here.'

This was a fortress in the central continent 300 years ago.

It was the site of a castle where Zerodia, the principal of Rumern at the time, single-handedly blocked the advance of a legion commander.

She was famous for blocking the legion commander's advance by summoning endless spirits.

As such, this place was like a sanctuary for spirit users.

Before entering the castle ruins, Lil straightened her uniform.

As a Rumern student, and as a spirit user.

She had a reason to pay her respects to the great hero of the past when visiting here.

Leo also adjusted his clothes, following Lil, and entered the castle ruins.

"Look, Leo. This is the trace of Lady Zerodia summoning a Great Spirit of Wind to block the legion commander's dark magic!"

Pointing to the scars on the massive castle walls, Lil exclaimed excitedly.

"I hope I can summon a Great Spirit of Wind like Lady Zerodia someday."

As Leo chuckled, watching the girl with sparkling eyes full of dreams.

*Whooooosh!*

The wind blew.

Leo's eyes twitched.

Lil also stopped in her tracks.

*Kwagagagak!*

A strong, 칼바람 (kalbaram - knife wind) swept over Leo and Lil.

Leo, who swiftly dodged the attack, righted himself and narrowed his eyes as he watched the wind take shape.

The summoned wind spirit was exuding killing intent towards Leo and Lil.

"I don't know who you are, but you're quite the prankster."

Lil's face showed displeasure as she invoked her spiritual power.

"Come out! Spirit User!"

*Whoooooosh!*

Powerful winds swirled around Lil.

Seeing that, Leo looked at the wind spirit.

'It's not a spirit summoned by a spirit user.'

Leo also invoked his spiritual power.

'It's a spirit commanded by a high-level spirit.'

And the spirit before them was a considerably high-ranking spirit.

A spirit that could command such a spirit…

'A Great Spirit.'