Book 1 Chapter 212

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

When the exams are over, the students of Lumern are usually divided into two groups.

First: Students who feel a sense of liberation mixed with mixed feelings of sadness and relief.

Second: Students trembling with fear at the prospect of receiving expulsion recommendations.

However, the atmosphere in Lumern today was different from usual.

Everyone faced the closing ceremony in a solemn mood.

The same was true for Class 5.

The usual boisterous atmosphere was nowhere to be found.

They were simply waiting quietly for Halind to enter the classroom.

*Creak-*

The door opened, and Halind entered the classroom.

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

"You all worked hard for a year."

Halind scanned the students with his characteristic impassive face.

As the students of Class 5 tensed under his gaze,

Halind spoke.

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

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

It couldn't be helped.

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

However, Lumern is not a school where it's easy to survive.

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

Kal groaned and scratched his head.

"Is this it."

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

"Kal Thomas."

"Yes, sir!"

Kal sprang to his feet and assumed a at-ease posture.

Seeing Kal, who was nervously swallowing dryly, the students of Class 5 looked at him with pity.

With his unique affability, there wasn't a student he wasn't close to.

It was natural for the students of Class 5 to feel down about Kal leaving the school.

"This boy did not receive an expulsion recommendation. Do you all know what this means?"

Kal blinked.

For a moment, the students of Class 5, who didn't understand, looked bewildered when Sena said with a gentle smile,

"All of us in our class have been promoted to the second year."

"R-really?"

"Is that true?!"

"Uwaaaah!"

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 Halind lightly tapped the podium, the students of Class 5 immediately sat up straight.

"Consider yourselves lucky. The Lumern Faculty Council has decided to promote the entire year this time."

At his words, Iliana raised her hand.

"Is there a special reason for that decision?"

"The professors highly valued the experience you gained from the recent Ruse Incident."

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

The invasion of the Demon Queen and the reappearance of Zerdiak.

It was an incident that was narrowly concluded with victory due to the simultaneous appearance of the Great Heroes along with Zerdiak.

However, if the Great Heroes had not appeared, not a single person would have survived.

"In addition, this semester, finishing the academic schedule a month early is also a big factor."

It was as Halind said.

Lumern was concluding its academic schedule a month early and entering the break.

"Do not simply think of the break as time to rest, but as a period for further growth."

With those words, Halind distributed report cards and home communication letters to his students.

"Then, with this, I will conclude the second semester of the first year."

Halind said indifferently to the students of Class 5.

"Congratulations to all of you on your promotion to the second year."

"Professor Halind…"

"We wouldn't have been able to be promoted to the second year without your guidance!"

"Thank you!"

The entire Class 5 sincerely expressed their gratitude to Halind.

When Halind first became their homeroom teacher, many students despaired.

It couldn't be helped.

Halind, known as the Wall of Lamentation of Lumern, who issued expulsion recommendations to the most students, was terrifying.

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

Halind smirked at his students' reactions and left the classroom.

Sena, who remained in the classroom, said regretfully,

"I wish I could have a farewell party with all of you, but circumstances don't allow it. You all worked hard for a year."

"Vice Professor Sena!"

"Are you not going to be in charge of the second year?"

The female students swarmed around Sena.

Unlike the fearsome Halind, Sena was like an older sister or older cousin to the students of Class 5.

There were quite a few students who would have had a hard time enduring if she hadn't eased the atmosphere in the middle.

Sena smiled bitterly as she saw the students with tears in their eyes.

"It hasn't been decided yet."

Sena said brightly, comforting the students.

"Anyway, congratulations to all of you on your promotion to the second year! You need to become more respectable students from next year, as juniors will be entering, right?"

***

The semester was over.

Lumelia City, which would normally be bustling, was quiet.

Lumern and Lumelia City had not yet recovered from Kaelian's death.

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

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

Iliana lamented, licking her lips.

Seeing Iliana, Kal put his arm behind his head and said,

"But we'll still see each other in class lectures, right? From the second year, class lectures become even more important."

It was as Kal said.

In the first year, class-based lessons are emphasized, but from the second year, academic lectures are seriously prioritized.

"Still, we won't be able to hang out as a class like we do now."

"Even if our classes change, we can still meet up frequently."

Nella nodded at what Kale said.

"Right. Not a single person has left the school."

They arrived at the warp gate, chatting happily.

"Then have a good break."

"See you all after the semester ends~"

"Or maybe we should get together sometime this break?"

"Should we?"

They boarded the warp gates heading home, chatting happily.

Leo and Chelsea, heading to the western region, went to the warp gate for the west.

"Leo oppa, are you going straight home?"

Leo shook his head at the question.

"No. This time, I'm going to the Rhodren Empire."

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

"Wow! Then I can do homework with you!"

"Well. It's a visit to my maternal relatives, so I don't know if I'll have time."

"Ah."

At Leo's words, Chelsea gasped and looked disappointed.

Leo's maternal relatives are the Zerdingers.

While they were close at school, the Zerdingers and Rewalins were rivals within the Rhodren Empire.

"Still, if I have the chance, I'll visit the Rewalin family too."

"Okay!"

Chelsea nodded at Leo's words and smiled happily.

"You're here?"

Celia and Abad were waiting at the warp gate.

Leo stood next to Celia, and Chelsea headed towards Abad.

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

"Let's see if we can meet during the break."

"We've already discussed that with Chelsea."

Leo said with a chuckle, and Abad nodded.

"Then we'll be going ahead."

"Leo oppa~ goodbye! Celia is… Be!"

Chelsea, who waved goodbye to Leo with a bright smile, stuck out her tongue at Celia.

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

"I should find a day to give her a swat on the head."

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

"Please don't say such terrible things."

Leo chuckled at Celia's words.

Leo, who burst into laughter at her expression, boarded the warp gate.

"Let's go."

"Okay."

The two boarded the warp gate.

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

After a moment.

A bright light obscured their vision.

When the light subsided, they arrived at the Zerdinger family's warp gate.

A family's warp gate.

As expected of the warp gate of the Zerdinger family, one of the two pillars of Lodren, the hegemonic power of the west, the interior of the warp gate was magnificent.

Leo exclaimed in admiration as he looked at the marble knight statues.

After looking around for a while, Leo said, looking at the phoenix carved on the ceiling,

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

"This is another main gate of Zerdinger."

Celia smiled proudly, looking at her astonished cousin.

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

"Welcome! Young Lady Celia! Congratulations on your promotion to the second year!"

"Congratulations!"

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

In response to their reaction, Celia swept her hair back and said nonchalantly,

"Is that something to celebrate?"

While it was a cause for genuine joy for other students, Celia showed no such emotion.

It was understandable.

Celia was renowned throughout the continent, not just the Rhodren Empire, as a genius who was closely watched.

For her, advancing to the second year was a given.

"Don't make such a fuss."

At Celia's words, the knights bowed their heads.

Meanwhile, everyone's attention turned to Leo.

"By the way, who is the person next to you…?"

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

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

"Huh?"

"Young Master Leo?"

The knights showed surprised expressions.

Leo looked bewildered at their reaction.

"What? Didn't you tell them I was coming when you were begging me to spend the first month of my vacation at Zerdinger?"

At Leo's question, Celia chuckled.

"Yeah. We didn't tell them so we could surprise them."

Leo smiled faintly at his cousin, who spoke playfully.

Celia, as if accustomed to it, got into the waiting carriage.

Leo followed Celia and got into the carriage as well.

The carriage carrying the two began to move.

The carriage, pulled by griffins, swiftly crossed the Zerdinger main residence.

Leo marveled at the rapidly passing scenery.

"There's no end in sight."

Leo and Celia had come to the Zerdinger main residence.

In other words, it was the Zerdinger territory.

As a ducal house of Lodren, their territory was vast.

However, even so, the end of the main residence's grounds was not in sight.

Celia chuckled in response to Leo's remark.

"The grounds of our family's mansion are several times larger than your country's royal palace."

At those words, Leo rested his chin in his hand.

"Rich people are indeed rich."

"You're the only one who would treat Zerdinger as just a rich family."

Celia, with an expression of disbelief, shook her head.

The griffin-pulled carriage sped towards the Zerdinger main castle.

Leo marveled again as he looked up at the massive Zerdinger castle.

The ancient castle looked like a fortress at first glance.

'Amazing.'

Just as Leo was surprised.

Having received word from the main residence, a much larger number of people than at the warp gate stood in front of the main castle.

Among them was Jisu, the vice-head of Zerdinger, and next to him were elders.

Leo and Celia got out of the carriage and approached Jisu.

Jisu spoke to Celia, as if chiding her,

"Why didn't you let us know you were coming with Leo?"

"I wanted to surprise them."

Celia said with a playful giggle.

Jisu chuckled at her, shaking his head, and looked at Leo.

"Welcome to Zerdinger, Leo."

"Thank you for the welcome. But isn't this a bit too grand?"

Jisu smiled at Leo's words.

"This is your first visit since being recognized as a direct descendant of Zerdinger. Normally, we should have prepared something even grander."

"I didn't tell them because I knew you wouldn't like that kind of thing."

Celia patted Leo on the shoulder and said.

"What about Father?"

"Your brother is in the capital. He will return this evening."

At those words, Celia nodded.

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

Jisu glanced at Leo.

"Leo."

"Yes, Uncle Jisu."

"I'm sorry to bother you right after arriving at the mansion, but I think we need to have a rather complicated discussion."

"What kind of discussion is it?"

Seeing Leo with a bewildered expression, Jisu said,

"It's about inheritance."