Book 1 Chapter 195

195

Finishing their two-day journey, Leo and Lil returned to Lumeria City.

As soon as Ignit entered Lumeria, he immediately disappeared.

"Where did Sir Ignit go?"

"Even if you guys persuaded him well, he's someone who doesn't really like people to begin with."

Seeing Lil flustered, Jin pointed to the numerous crowds on the street and said.

"He'd absolutely detest streets like this."

"Ah."

Lil nodded as if she understood.

"Anyway, you've worked hard on the mission. It must have been a very tricky mission, but you handled it well."

Seeing Jin smile with his arms crossed, Lil scratched her head.

"I didn't really do anything special. Leo did everything on this mission."

Lil slumped her shoulders.

Seeing Lil like that, Jin chuckled.

"Oh, come on. In my opinion, you're a monster too, you know?"

Jin smiled and crossed his arms.

"It's reassuring to have such excellent juniors! I'm looking forward to this Luse War. Everyone, do your best!"

"Where are you going, Senior Jin?"

"I have something to do in Lumeria City for a bit. You two go on ahead."

Jin waved his hand and disappeared into the crowd.

Seeing his retreating figure, Lil was impressed.

"Heroes truly are amazing, it seems."

"Indeed."

"Anyway, Leo. Since you helped with the mission, I'll buy you something delicious."

"You don't need to go to such trouble."

"No way. Because of me, Leo's precious weekend was wasted, so I definitely have to repay him."

Lil, speaking assertively, walked the streets with Leo.

A short while later, Leo arrived at a restaurant in an alley.

"Isn't this a pub?"

"Yes. But they have menu items other than alcohol too. Plus, the food is incredibly delicious! It's a popular spot favored by Lumen students of all grades!"

Leo nodded and entered the pub with Lil.

As Lil said, many Lumen students were seen in the pub.

They recognized Leo and Lil and waved their hands.

Leo, who had taken a seat in a corner, rested his chin on his hand and looked around the pub's interior.

"It's been a long time since I've been to a place with this kind of atmosphere."

"So Leo has been to places like this too."

'Yes, about 5000 years ago.'

Leo chuckled internally.

"I thought Leo's maternal family was Zerdinger, so he wouldn't have any connection to places like this."

"It's true my maternal family is Zerdinger, but I didn't know that until I enrolled in Lumen."

"Really?"

"Yes. My family situation is quite complicated."

"Ah, I asked something unnecessary."

Lil made an apologetic expression.

"Even if it's complicated, it's not a story that's impolite or anything."

It was then that Leo shrugged his shoulders.

Jingle-jangle-

The restaurant door opened, and a group of students entered.

"Kyle, is it really okay to come to a place like this?"

"I'm telling you! I came here with seniors from the commerce club before, and the food here was really good!"

"If there's any trouble, it's all because of you."

Ten students from the Department of Magic, led by Kyle, entered the store.

"I told you there wouldn't be any trouble! And since we're from Lumen, we often come to places like this during missions… Oh? Leo!"

Kyle, who had been persuading Chelsea, who was showing reluctance, spotted Leo and waved his hand.

Chloe and Chelsea quickly looked towards Leo.

Kyle approached Leo with a welcoming expression.

"Look who we run into here. Ah! Senior Lil! Hello!"

"Yes. We meet again, Kyle."

Lil smiled and returned the greeting.

Other first-year students from the Department of Magic also approached Lil and bowed their heads.

"Hello, Senior Lil."

As she was one of the most famous students in the school, naturally, none of them didn't know Lil.

Seeing the juniors greet her, Lil smiled sweetly.

"Seeing students from the Department of Magic gathered together, it seems you've come out to prepare for the Luse War."

"Yes."

"There's a lot to prepare, you know. Like the selection of representatives."

Kyle smacked his lips.

"Seirun is the strongest in magic among the four hero academies, so everyone is preparing immensely."

"Hehe. When I was a first-year, I was so busy with preparations that I wasn't nervous until the day of the Luse War itself."

'Of course, as soon as the day arrived, I got incredibly nervous and had to take stomach medicine.'

Lil didn't bother to bring up the full story.

Lil was always a senior who wanted to be dignified in front of her juniors.

It was then.

"By the way, Senior Lil and Brother Leo, why did you two spend two days and one night outside the school?"

The first-year students from the Department of Magic gasped! and stared at Chelsea.

Chelsea, as usual, had wide, bright eyes and was looking back and forth between Leo and Lil.

She had a personality that couldn't stand not knowing something, and the fact that the two had spent a day together outside of school bothered her.

In response to Chelsea's question, Lil smiled and said.

"I received a mission, and I got help from Leo."

"I see."

Chelsea smiled sweetly and nodded.

Chloe, who had been watching with an anxious expression, let out a sigh of relief.

Then her eyes met Kyle's.

"What?"

"Are you relieved now?"

Seeing Kyle playfully tease her with a sly smile, Chloe puffed out a breath with a "whoosh-!" sound.

"Kuaaaaah! My, my face feels like it's going to be ripped off! (It feels like my face is going to be ripped off!)"

Seeing Kyle clutching his face and screaming, the surrounding magic department students whispered.

"Don't you think Chloe is becoming more and more like the Ice Queen from a fairy tale these days?"

"They say seniors call her 'Ice Princess' these days. Not because of her personality, but physically an Ice Princess."

"Huh? What did you say?"

"It's nothing!"

"Yes! We were just saying Kyle deserves it!"

When Chloe asked with a smile, her classmates spoke hurriedly.

Seeing that scene, Lil said.

"Anyway, if you're Leo's friends, would you like to join us? I received a lot of help from Leo, so I'll buy you something delicious."

"Oh! Thank you, Senior!"

"Senior Lil is the best!"

"Big sissss~"

As the first-years cheered and acted cute, Lil broke into a wide smile.

Once the table was set and food and drinks were ordered, the table became busy with talk of the Luse War.

"Who is the first-year Seirun student that first-year magic department students are most concerned about?"

"Lunia El Rundia."

Arbad said, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

Lil nodded, thinking that his unbalanced appearance with the pub was strangely charming.

"Certainly. If it's Lunia El Rundia, even the Department of Summoning is wary of her."

Lunia was not just an unusual mage, but also the young lady of the Rundia family, destined to contract with a Phoenix.

If her summoning skills were great, they were great, and certainly not inferior to her magic.

Because of this, she was the top object of caution.

"Leo, Chelsea, Kyle. You've met Lunia El Rundia before, right? What's she like?"

"If you ask what she's like…"

Chelsea, who had been contemplating with her arms crossed, tilted her head.

"A thug?"

"Lunia, aside from her skill, isn't she highly reputed as a top honor student in terms of conduct?"

When Arbad asked again with a puzzled expression, Chelsea nodded.

"That's right, Brother. But no matter how I think about it, that behavior seemed like an act."

"Oh! As expected, someone skilled in pretense would know well about… *cough*!"

Kyle, teasing for no reason, got hit in the side by Chelsea and rolled on the floor.

She calmly said, stepping firmly on Kyle, who was sprawled on the floor.

"I don't really put on an act or anything, you know?"

Chelsea, who was fierce to others, became meek in front of Leo and Arbad.

Of course, that doesn't mean she isn't fierce towards others.

"S-surrender! Surrender!"

Kyle cried out pitifully, being trampled by Chelsea.

"You shouldn't take Eiran lightly either."

"Yeah. That's right, there's also Senior Eiran."

Chelsea recalled Eiran, with whom she had become close during the school trip.

As a magic swordsman and the second-ranked first-year at Seirun, she was also a significant object of caution.

Lunia drew so much attention that it overshadowed Eiran, but her skill was exceptional enough to threaten Lunia's top spot.

"You said she was a magic swordsman. How would she compare to Illiana?"

Turka from Class 10, one of the magic department students, tilted his head.

Among the Lumen first-year magic swordsmen, Illiana was undoubtedly the student with outstanding skill.

"Comparing them is an insult to Senior Eiran."

"Right. You shouldn't compare her to that attack-obsessed idiot."

Seeing Chelsea and Kyle speak so mercilessly, Turka made a dumbfounded expression.

"Aren't you two being too harsh on Illiana? She's your classmate."

"Turka. The closer you are as classmates, the more objective you need to be."

"Right. If she hears you compared her to Senior Eiran, she'll just get conceited again."

At the two's firm attitude, the magic department students nodded.

Watching them discuss the Luse War, Leo rested his chin on his hand.

"Seirun, huh."

A hero academy aiming to carry on Luna's will.

'I wonder what kind of place it is.'

Although he had met students from other hero academies, he had never actually visited one, so Leo was also looking forward to the Luse War.

***

After the midterm exams, the Luse War representative selection trials were held.

Many students competed fiercely to become the school's representative.

Yet, their goal was singular.

Down with Seirun.

As Lumen had been losing the Luse War for the past few years, their resolve was even more extraordinary.

Those who came to Lumen through the Hero Summoning were carefully watching these Lumen students.

They had entered the hero academy to become heroes.

With their revered seniors watching them, their determination couldn't help but burn even brighter.

Thus, the representative selection trials concluded.

All grades gathered at the warp gate, ready to head to Seirun.

"Finally, this day has come."

Lis, who was to give a speech as the student representative, stood on the platform and looked down at the students.

"For us fifth-years, the last Luse War was a history of defeat. We did our best, but we couldn't overcome Seirun."

A shadow fell over Lis's eyes.

"For me, who has always asserted that we are the best, the Luse War is the greatest regret. And now, we are about to have our last Luse War."

Shadows fell across the faces of the second, third, and fourth-years.

From the perspective of the second, third, and fourth-years who had been pushed back by Seirun, they felt sorry for the fifth-years who had always won their grade-level competitions.

"As student council president, I will not make polite remarks about not being fixated on winning or losing."

Lis said assertively.

"To avoid passing on a history of defeat to you, we fifth-years will do our best. So, let's win this Luse War!"

"Yes!"

All grades answered with one loud voice.

Seeing that, Lis smiled and shouted.

"Alright! Let's go! To Seirun!"

"Let's go!"

"Whaaaaaaa!"

The highly motivated Lumen students cheered loudly.

In that state, the floor glowed, and the warp gate activated.

Hundreds of students were instantly warped.

And…

Whoooooosh!

"It's coooolddddd!"

"Ugh! What is this!"

The students screamed.

The harsh weather at the northernmost tip of the Northern Continent struck the Lumen students.

The entire Lumen student body fell into a panic at the sudden blizzard.

Of course, everyone had anticipated Seirun's cold and was dressed in thick clothes.

However, Seirun's extreme cold far exceeded their expectations.

"Whoa, sorry. Sorry. Bad luck today, a blizzard blew in."

Just then, a female student in a Seirun uniform emerged, pushing through the blizzard.

"Lienia."

Lis smiled, seeing Lienia, Seirun's student council president, a fifth-year.

"I knew you were coming despite the sudden blizzard, but I couldn't counter it with magic. Just bear with it for a bit, I'm taking magical action now…"

"No need."

Lis shook her head.

The blizzard subsided instantly.

Lienia's eyes widened as she looked at Lis.

'He got stronger in the meantime, didn't he?'

Lienia realized that Lis had intervened in the extreme climate using aura manipulation.

As the blizzard subsided, the unseen scenery began to reveal itself.

A competitive spirit emerged on the faces of the Lumen students, who had been shivering, sniffling, and brushing off the snow.

Seirun students were waiting for the Lumen students, with Seirun's flag fluttering.

Lienia smiled faintly and crossed her arms.

"Lumen cadets. Welcome! Welcome to our Seirun!"

Thump- thump-

"Welcome!"

The Seirun students stomped their feet rhythmically and shouted.

Seeing that, Kyle muttered.

"Is this a welcome? It's a threat, isn't it?"

At his words, Leo chuckled.

"It means the Luse War has already begun."