Book 1 Chapter 212

212

The end of the final exams, signaling the end of the semester.

Normally, when exams are over, Rumer students are divided into two categories.

The first: students who feel liberated with a mix of relief and regret.

The second: students trembling with fear at the thought of being advised to withdraw.

But the atmosphere at Rumer was different from usual.

Everyone welcomed the vacation ceremony in a solemn mood.

It was the same in Class 5.

The usual boisterous atmosphere was nowhere to be found.

They were just quietly waiting for Harland to enter the classroom.

Creak-

The door opened, and Harland entered the classroom.

As all the students wore tense expressions, Vice Professor Sena brought the report cards.

"Everyone worked hard for a year."

Harland scanned the students with his characteristic expressionless face.

As the Class 5 students tensed under his gaze.

Harland spoke.

"Some of you are already prepared for this, aren't you?"

At his words, students with poor grades in the class bowed their heads deeply.

It couldn't be helped.

In the first semester, miraculously, all students in Class 5 managed to survive.

But Rumer is inherently not an easy school to survive in.

In severe cases, when transitioning from first to second year, there are times when less than half of the students remain.

Karl let out a groaning sound and scratched his head vigorously.

"Is this the end?"

As he muttered softly with a bitter smile, Harland opened his mouth.

"Karl Thomas."

"Yes, yes sir!"

Karl shot up from his seat and stood at attention.

Watching Karl swallow dryly with a tense expression, the Class 5 students looked regretful.

Karl had a unique sociability; there wasn't a student he wasn't friendly with.

Knowing that such a Karl was leaving school, the Class 5 students naturally felt sad.

"This fellow has not received a withdrawal recommendation. You all know what that means, don't you?"

Karl blinked.

At that moment, Sena smiled gently and said, as the Class 5 students, who had momentarily not understood, also wore blank expressions.

"All students in our class will advance to the second year."

"R-really?"

"Is that true?!"

"Ugh-ah-ah-ah-ah!"

Surprised reactions erupted from various parts of Class 5.

Such reactions were heard not only from Class 5 but from the entire first-year classroom building.

Tap- Tap-

As Harland lightly tapped the podium, the Class 5 students instantly sat up straight.

"Consider yourselves lucky. The Rumer faculty council decided to promote all grades this time."

At those words, Illiana raised her hand.

"Was there a special reason for that decision?"

"The professors highly valued the experience you gained from the Rusian War incident."

The moment they heard that, the faces of the Class 5 students hardened.

The invasion of the demon queen and the reappearance of Zerdiak.

It was an incident that barely concluded in victory because great heroes also appeared simultaneously with Zerdiak.

But if the great heroes hadn't appeared, not a single one would have survived.

"Furthermore, it's also significant that this semester's academic schedule concluded a month early."

Harland was right.

Rumer had concluded its academic schedule a month early and entered vacation.

"Don't simply think of vacation as a break; use it as a period for further growth."

With those words, Harland handed out report cards and parent-teacher letters to his assigned students.

"With this, I will conclude the first year, second semester."

Harland said indifferently to the Class 5 students.

"Congratulations to everyone on advancing to the second year."

"Professor Harland…"

"If it weren't for your guidance, we wouldn't have been able to advance to the second year!"

"Thank you!"

All of Class 5 sincerely thanked Harland.

When Harland first became their homeroom professor, many students were in despair.

It couldn't be helped.

Harland, known as the "Wailing Wall of Rumer" and the one who gave the most students withdrawal recommendations, was terror itself.

But looking back, it was thanks to Harland's guidance that they achieved better grades and survived.

Seeing his students' reactions, Harland let out a small laugh and left the classroom.

Sena, who remained in the classroom, said regretfully,

"I'd love to have a get-together with all of you, but circumstances don't permit it. Everyone worked hard for a year."

"Vice Professor Sena!"

"Aren't you in charge of the second year?"

The female students swarmed around Sena.

Unlike the intimidating Harland, Sena was like an older sister figure to the Class 5 students.

If she hadn't lightened the atmosphere in between, many students would have found it very difficult to cope.

Seeing the students with teary eyes, Sena smiled bitterly.

"Nothing has been decided yet."

Comforting the students, Sena said brightly,

"Anyway, congratulations everyone on advancing to the second year! From next year, juniors will be coming in, so you all need to become more respectable students, okay?"

***

The semester had ended.

Normally, Lumenia City would have been bustling, but everyone was quiet.

Rumer and Lumenia City had not yet recovered from Kalian's death.

Amidst this, Leo headed to the warp gate with his friends.

"It was fun for a year, but we'll all be scattered in the second year."

Illiana clicked her tongue with a regretful expression.

Seeing Illiana, Karl put his arm behind his head and said,

"But we'll still see each other in our departmental classes, won't we? Departmental classes become even more important from the second year onwards."

Karl was right.

In the first year, class-based lessons are emphasized, but from the second year, departmental lessons officially become more important.

"Even so, we won't be able to hang out in classes like now."

"Even if our classes change, we can still hang out often."

Tade nodded at Nella's words.

"Right. Not a single person left school."

They chatted happily and arrived at the warp gate.

"Well then, have a good vacation."

"See you all after the semester~"

"Or should we all get together sometime during this vacation?"

"Shall we?"

Chatting happily, they boarded the warp gates heading to their respective homes.

Leo and Chelsea, heading to the Western region, went to the warp gate for the West.

"Leo, are you going straight home?"

Leo shook his head at the question.

"No. This time, I decided to go to the Rodren Empire."

At Leo's words, Chelsea's eyes widened, then she smiled brightly.

"Wow! Then we can do our homework together!"

"Well, I'm visiting my maternal grandparents' house. I'm not sure if I'll have time."

"Oh."

Chelsea exclaimed at Leo's words, then made a regretful expression.

Leo's maternal grandparents are the Zerdinger.

They are informal at school, but within the Rodren Empire, the Zerdinger and Rwalin are rivals.

"Still, if I get a chance, I'll visit the Rwalin family."

"Okay!"

Chelsea nodded happily at Leo's words.

"You're here?"

Celia and Avad were waiting at the warp gate.

Leo stood by Celia's side, and Chelsea went towards Avad.

Avad, who had already heard from Celia that Leo was coming to the Rodren Empire, smiled and greeted Leo.

"Let's see each other during the vacation if we can."

"Chelsea and I already talked about that."

As Leo chuckled and said, Avad nodded.

"Then we'll go first."

"Bye, Leo! Celia… bleh!"

Chelsea, who had smiled brightly and waved at Leo, stuck out her tongue at Celia.

Watching them disappear through the warp with a bright light, Celia said,

"I'll have to pick a day and give her a good thwack on the head."

"What if you end up in the same class next year?"

"Could you please stop saying such terrible things?"

Celia glared at Leo's words.

Leo burst out laughing at the sight and boarded the warp gate.

"Let's go."

"Okay."

The two boarded the warp gate.

As the warp gate coordinates were set and the mages activated their magic, a bright light erupted.

A moment later.

A bright light obscured their vision.

The light faded, and they arrived at the Zerdinger family's warp gate.

A family's warp gate.

As befitting the warp gate of the Zerdinger family, one of the two great powers of Rodren, the hegemonic nation of the West, the interior of the warp gate was extraordinarily magnificent.

Leo exclaimed in admiration, looking at the knight statues made of marble.

After looking around for a long time, Leo saw the phoenix carved on the ceiling and said,

"It's much more opulent than our country's capital warp gate."

"This is another main entrance of Zerdinger, after all."

Celia smiled proudly, seeing her surprised cousin.

As they descended from the warp gate and went outside, knights were waiting.

"Welcome! Lady Celia! Congratulations on advancing to the second year!"

"Congratulations!"

The knights who came to meet Celia congratulated her in unison.

To their reactions, Celia swept her hair back and said calmly,

"Is that something to celebrate?"

Other students would genuinely rejoice, but Celia showed no such sentiment.

In a way, it was natural.

Celia was renowned as a genius, watched carefully not only in the Rodren Empire but across the entire continent.

For her, advancing to the second year was a very natural event.

"Don't make a fuss."

The knights bowed their heads at Celia's words.

Amidst this, everyone's gaze now turned to Leo.

"But, young lady, the person next to you is…?"

At the question, Celia glanced at Leo, then said calmly,

"Leo Plov. He's my cousin. You all know him, right?"

"Huh?"

"Young Master Leo?"

The knights looked surprised.

Leo looked puzzled by their reaction.

"What? You've been singing about spending the first month of vacation at Zerdinger, but you didn't tell them I was coming?"

Celia giggled at Leo's question.

"Yep. I didn't say anything to surprise everyone."

Leo chuckled, seeing his cousin speak playfully.

Celia, accustomed to it, boarded the waiting carriage.

Leo also followed Celia and got into the carriage.

The carriage carrying the two began to move.

The griffon-led carriage swiftly traversed the Zerdinger main estate.

Leo admired the rapidly passing outdoor scenery.

"It doesn't seem to end."

The place Leo and Celia came to was the Zerdinger main family residence.

In other words, it was the Zerdinger territory.

As it was also a ducal family of Rodren, their territory was vast.

But even so, the end of the main estate's grounds was not visible.

Celia let out a 'Hmph' and chuckled at Leo's words.

"Our family's estate is probably several times larger than your country's royal palace."

At that, Leo rested his chin on his hand.

"Rich is rich, alright."

"You're probably the only one who treats the Zerdinger as merely a rich household."

Celia shook her head with an incredulous expression.

The griffon-led carriage sped up and arrived at the Zerdinger main castle.

Looking up at the massive Zerdinger castle, Leo once again exclaimed in admiration.

The ancient castle, at first glance, was a fortress.

'Amazing, isn't it?'

It was while Leo was surprised.

As if they had received word from the main house, a crowd far larger than at the warp gate stood before the main castle.

Among them stood Zerdinger's deputy head, Zis, and beside him, those who appeared to be elders were lined up.

Leo and Celia descended from the carriage and approached Zis.

Zis spoke reproachfully to Celia, who had come before him.

"Why didn't you give us a heads-up that you were coming with Leo?"

"I wanted to surprise you."

Celia giggled playfully.

Zis let out a wry laugh at the sight, shook his head, and looked at Leo.

"Welcome to Zerdinger, Leo."

"Thank you for the welcome. But aren't you greeting me a bit too grandly?"

Zis grinned at Leo's words.

"It's your first visit as a recognized direct descendant of Zerdinger. Originally, it would be right to prepare something even grander."

"I didn't say anything because I knew you wouldn't like that kind of thing."

Celia lightly tapped Leo's shoulder and said.

"Where's Dad?"

"Your uncle is in the capital. He'll be back this evening."

Celia nodded at that.

"Then, before your uncle arrives, there's something we need to do first."

Zis glanced at Leo.

"Leo."

"Yes, Uncle Zis."

"I'm sorry, you've just arrived at the mansion, but I think we need to have a somewhat complicated conversation."

"What kind of conversation?"

Zis said, looking at Leo's puzzled expression.

"A conversation about inheritance."