Book 1 Chapter 252

"Who would you ask to be your mentor?"

"Well… If possible, I'd like to ask a senior with one of the top ten grades in the Department of Magic."

"Shall I ask Senior Celia?"

"Heh heh. You don't stand a chance, do you?"

The next morning.

While eating breakfast, the first-year students couldn't hide their excitement.

The second-year students, one year above them, known as the Golden Generation, had personally come to show interest in them, and the first-year students regained their confidence.

Among them, the four who received the most attention were, as expected.

Aina and Haviden from the Department of Knights.

Juane from the Department of Magic.

Shasha from the Department of Summoning.

However, other freshmen from famous hero families or those who were rumored to be exceptional in their respective regions were also objects of attention.

Luke watched his classmates with admiration.

This was because no second-year student showed any interest in Luke.

It was understandable, as Luke hadn't shown an impressive performance during the entrance exam.

He had managed to succeed in admission by holding his own against Leo, who was called the toughest obstacle in the entrance exam.

However, this was evaluated as possible only with the help of Aina, Juane, Haviden, and Shasha.

Although he had the image of having "grit" because he showed perseverance against Leo, that was all.

In reality, Luke was the weakest among the first-year students.

From the perspective of the second-year students, Luke was literally a ticking time bomb to be avoided.

'But where is Ms. Aina?'

The beautiful girl his age, who usually stood out, was nowhere to be seen.

It wasn't that he couldn't find her.

As the granddaughter of the Sword Saint and the class representative, Aina was always surrounded by people, making her easily noticeable.

'Is something wrong?'

Luke felt a slight worry.

In fact, it was strange that Luke was worried about Aina.

The top student in the first year and the bottom student in the first year.

It wouldn't be strange to say there was a sky-and-earth difference.

Yet, Luke was worried about Aina.

This was because of her uneasy appearance during the entrance exam.

It was then that Luke scratched his silver hair.

Murmur-murmur-

A commotion broke out at the entrance of the dining hall.

Upon that, the first-year students looked towards the entrance.

And everyone's eyes widened.

"Ms. Aina! Is something wrong?"

"Who could have done this to you!"

Aina was a model student.

It was no wonder the first-year students were surprised when she, who always maintained a neat appearance and demeanor, came to the dining hall in such a disheveled state.

"Don't worry about it. I'm just hungry."

Aina said indifferently, staggered, picked up her tray, and sat down.

Her usual followers hesitated to approach her, sensing the unusual atmosphere.

Thud-

Aina, who had slumped onto the seat powerlessly, suddenly looked ahead.

And she found Luke, and her eyes flickered for a moment.

Aina and Luke had not spoken a word since their admission.

Although they were in the same department and had chances to run into each other multiple times, they didn't bother to talk.

As Aina looked away from Luke and was about to eat,

"G-good morning, Ms. Aina."

Luke greeted her with an awkward smile.

"Yes. Good morning."

Aina replied indifferently.

The conversation ended there.

As Luke scratched his cheek, looking embarrassed,

"You're in quite a mess, aren't you? Aina. You were with Senior Leo all night, weren't you?"

Rustle-

At that moment, Shasha, who had opened her fan, approached and narrowed her eyes.

Before coming to the dining hall for breakfast, Shasha had seen the head of the female dormitory enraged by a student who had gone out without permission.

Looking at Aina's current state, she could tell at once who the unauthorized absentee was.

"She must have gone to Senior Leo to ask him to be her mentor."

Aina gripped her spoon without answering.

Shasha took it as an affirmation and smiled.

"You beat me to it, Ms. Aina."

"Wow~ you didn't even glance at the other seniors yesterday, but~"

By now, Juane had also quickly come over and sat next to Aina.

"As expected, your actions are swift. Aina Veidna."

Haviden also slumped down next to Luke.

"Um. I'll go somewhere else."

Luke thought it wasn't his place to be there and, casting a glance, started to get up with his tray.

"You can sit. We fought alongside Senior Leo during the entrance exam, didn't we?"

Shasha, who had put away her fan, smiled and pressed Luke's shoulders with both hands as he tried to stand up.

'No, it's too much of a level difference to say we fought together.'

Luke replied inwardly with an awkward smile.

The attention of all the first-year students turned to the five of them.

'Why is that country bumpkin mixed up there?'

As the gazes directed at Luke were filled with questions.

"So."

Juane asked, taking a sip of the iced tea that came out for breakfast.

"Judging by your appearance, it doesn't seem like you became Leo's mentee. Did you take some kind of test? What kind of test did you take?"

In response to Juane's question, Aina, who was spearing a salad with her fork and chewing it, sighed softly.

"Senior Leo said he would accept me as his mentee if I could land even a single attack on him."

At those words, the entire first-year class began to murmur.

"Ouch. Isn't that impossible?"

"If he counterattacks, you'll be knocked out in one hit."

As the first-year students wore puzzled expressions.

"No, Senior Leo said he wouldn't counterattack."

"What?"

"He said he would just dodge and block, so attack to your heart's content."

At those words, the first-year students' eyes sparkled with interest.

"If that's the condition…"

"Isn't it worth trying?"

The first-year students' eyes lit up.

***

After the morning classes ended around lunchtime.

The first-year magic classroom was crowded with second-year students.

"Hey, how about me as your mentor? Ah! Of course, my grades are at the bottom, but I have the best know-how for surviving until the second year at this school…"

"Ah! Thank you for the offer, but I'm sorry! I already have someone in mind…"

"Ugh."

"Senior Chloe!"

A female student from the first-year Department of Magic ran towards Chloe, who was reading a spellbook from a distance.

"Please take me as your mentee!"

At those words, Chloe looked up from her spellbook and glanced at the female student.

"You're an ice attribute mage, aren't you?"

"Yes! My name is Betty Marste, and my family's inherited magic is ice attribute!"

Betty slightly lifted the hem of her school uniform skirt and bowed at the knee.

Basically, mages tend to be favorably inclined towards mages of the same attribute.

Moreover, the Marste family is a famous mage family from the eastern continent.

Naturally, Chloe had heard of their name.

Chloe smiled and opened a spatial rift, pulling out a thick book.

"Would you read this?"

"Yes? Ugh?"

Betty, who had blankly accepted the book, staggered under its weight.

Struggling to lift the incredibly heavy book, Betty looked at the title.

[Philosophical Considerations on Why Ice Mages Should Learn Ice Magic]

'What is this strange title?'

Betty looked bewildered at the title of the book, which looked like it would give you a headache just by looking at it.

"Read this and submit a book report by the day before the mentor selection deadline."

"Yes? No, rather than that, my magic skills…"

"I know you are an excellent mage."

Chloe smiled.

"Still, I want to know what kind of mage you are."

At those words, Betty left with a dazed expression.

Kal, watching her, spoke to another male student.

"You! Are you thinking of making me your mentor…"

"I'm sorry! Senior Chelsea!"

This time, a first-year student approached Chelsea, who was stretching under a tree.

"Please take me as your mentee."

"No, I don't intend to take anyone as a mentee. I'm too busy training."

"N-no way… Then Senior Abad…"

"Hmm. Would you show me your magic?"

Abad asked with his characteristic gentle smile, and the male student, with a bright expression, naturally showed his magic.

Abad nodded, seeing him unleash wind attribute magic.

"You're good."

"Then…"

"You'll be able to find a great mentor."

At Abad's words, the male student's shoulders drooped.

Meanwhile, Kal also walked over with slumped shoulders.

"Finding a mentee is so hard."

"Do you think it's easy to get by easily?"

Chelsea covered her mouth and chuckled.

"Hmph! Getting by easily!"

"Honestly, don't you just want to have a relatively easy first semester?"

"……"

Kal flinched at Chelsea's pointed remark.

Certainly, not being recommended for expulsion by the end of the first semester was a huge advantage for students in the lower ranks like Kal.

"Still, Kal's experience will be very useful for the first-year students."

Abad, leaning against a tree, smiled his characteristic gentle smile.

"Kuk-! Unlike my ill-tempered younger sibling."

"What did you say!"

Chelsea, glaring, kicked Kal.

It was then.

"A big shot has appeared."

As Abad muttered, the second-year magic students swarmed a particular student.

"Will you be my mentee?"

"Juane! Long time no see! How is your father? By the way, we studied together at the magic tower, didn't we? How about this time?"

The first-year students' grades hadn't come out yet.

However, Juane was currently the de facto top student in the first-year Department of Magic.

Therefore, the second-year magic students were fiercely vying to take Juane as their mentee.

It was then.

"Juane Tovidna."

A male student blocked Juane's path.

The magic students flinched.

"Emio."

"As expected, you're targeting Juane."

Emio, who was among the top five in the second-year Department of Magic, crossed his arms.

"Your specialty is sniping magic, right? In that case, making me, the heir of the Ruchan family, your mentor will be of great help to you."

The Ruchan family is a famous military family.

They specialize in magic related to warfare.

And sniping magic is also a magic frequently used in warfare.

Indeed, if sniping is your specialty, Emio's guidance could be of great help to Juane.

"I'll consider it seriously."

Juane bowed respectfully and said.

Emio, scoffing, walked away.

And one by one, Juane refused the second-year students' offers and approached Kal.

"Senior Kal."

"You're going to ask about Leo, aren't you?"

"How did you know?"

"The number one student wouldn't ask me to be their mentor, would they?"

Kal shrugged.

"Speaking of which, Kal, where did Brother Leo go?"

Chelsea tilted her head and asked.

"He went to the student council."

As the student council president, it wasn't strange for Leo to go to the student council.

However, since Leo hadn't visited the student council since the start of the semester, Chelsea looked surprised.

"Oh."

"It's Senior Leo."

At that moment, Leo appeared at the first-year magic building.

Hearing that, Juane's eyes sparkled.

A few first-year students hurried to approach Leo.

"Brother Leo!"

However, Chelsea's approach was faster than that.

Naturally, all the first-year students stopped.

"What were you doing at the student council?"

"I went to get permission to make a personal announcement to the first-year students."

"A personal announcement? Is that allowed?"

"As the student council president."

"Oh."

Chelsea's eyes sparkled.

"So, what is this announcement?"

In response to that question, Leo went to the bulletin board at the entrance of the first-year magic classroom building and posted the announcement.

After reading it, Chelsea's face turned displeased, and she distanced herself from Leo.

As Leo moved away from the bulletin board, the first-year students swarmed it.

Juane, after checking the bulletin board, also looked astonished and saw Leo slump onto a bench.

The first-year students swallowed dryly and gathered around Leo.

Leo chuckled.

"You've all heard from Aina, right?"

Leo gestured to the bulletin board with his chin.

"The school has also permitted it."

Leo scanned his juniors.

"Then why hesitate?"

Silence fell at his words.

A moment later.

"Fire Explosion!"

BOOM-!

One of the first-year students suddenly cast magic.

Starting with that, the first-year students began to unleash magic towards Leo.

The second-year students watched with horrified expressions.

"What kind of announcement could it be?"

-Announcement-

For the next week, only first-year students are permitted to attack Leo Plov. Any damage to property caused during this process will be overlooked.

-Lumerun Student Council-

Upon confirming the contents of the bulletin board, the second-year students watched Leo, who blocked and dodged all the first-year students' magic, with bewildered expressions.

"This looks fun. Shall I choose a mentee based on something like this?"

Abad said with a laugh, and Chloe replied coldly.

"Don't. Leo is enough to cause a disturbance."

***

While the first-year magic students were showering Leo with magic in an attempt to land a hit.

Golden and wind auras raged.

BOOM-!

Leo conjured auras in both hands and deflected the attacks.

Clang- Clang-

Two people landed in front of Leo.

"Aina! Haviden!"

"This is the magic department's territory. Why is the knight department here?"

When a few magic students retorted, Haviden snorted.

"I have no business with the magic department. I just came to challenge Senior Leo…"

Fwoosh!

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Aina!"

Haviden, seeing Aina rush towards Leo while he was speaking, bristled and drew his sword, charging forward.

Clang-!

Leo, blocking Aina's attack, burst into laughter.

"You must be tired after overdoing it all night."

"We both overdid it equally."

A golden light surged from Aina's body.

"It won't be easy this time."

Leo laughed, seeing Aina emitting a powerful aura.

"I'm looking forward to it."