Book 1 Chapter 252

252

"Which senior are you going to ask to be your mentor?"

"Well… if possible, I'd like to ask a senior who is among the top ten in the Department of Magic."

"Shall we ask Senior Celia?"

"Hehe. You wouldn't stand a chance, would you?"

The next morning.

First-year students couldn't hide their excitement as they ate breakfast.

The second-year students, known as the Golden Generation, personally came and showed interest in them, which helped the first-year students regain their confidence.

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

Aina and Harbyden from the Department of Knighthood.

Juen from the Department of Magic.

And Shasha from the Department of Summoning.

However, other freshmen, such as those from famous hero families or those who were well-known in their respective regions, also garnered attention.

Luke admired his classmates.

Because no second-year students showed any interest in Luke.

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

He did manage to endure against Leo, who was considered the most difficult challenge in the entrance exam, and succeeded in getting admitted.

However, it was widely acknowledged that this was only possible with the help of Aina, Juen, Harbyden, and Shasha.

While he earned an image of "perseverance" for not giving up against Leo, that was all there was to it.

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

From the second-year students' perspective, Luke was literally like a bomb to be avoided.

'But where is Aina?'

The beautiful girl his age, who would usually be noticeable, was nowhere to be seen.

There was no way he couldn't find her.

Aina, the granddaughter of the Sword Saint and the class representative, always had people gathered around her, making her stand out.

'Is something wrong?'

Luke felt a slight worry.

In fact, it was strange for Luke to be worried about Aina.

The top student of the first year and the last student of the first year.

A situation where it wouldn't be strange to call it the difference between heaven and earth.

Yet, Luke was worried about Aina.

That was because of the uneasy appearance she showed during the entrance exam.

It was when Luke was scratching his silver hair.

A murmur — a commotion —

A disturbance erupted at the entrance of the dining hall.

The first-year students looked towards the entrance.

And everyone's eyes widened.

"Aina! Is something wrong?"

"Who on earth made such a mess!"

Aina was the epitome of an honor student.

She always kept her clothes and demeanor tidy, so when she came into the dining hall in such a disheveled state, the first-year students couldn't help but be surprised.

"You don't need to worry. I'm just hungry."

Aina said calmly, then staggered, picked up a tray, and sat down.

Her usual followers were hesitant to approach her due to the unusual atmosphere.

Thump —

Aina, who had slumped into her seat weakly, suddenly looked ahead.

And upon seeing Luke, her eyes wavered for a moment.

Aina and Luke hadn't exchanged a single word since their admission.

Even though they were in the same department and had met several times, they never made an effort to talk to each other.

It was when Aina averted her gaze from Luke and was about to start eating.

"G-good morning, Aina."

Luke greeted her with an awkward smile.

"Oh. Good morning."

Aina replied calmly.

With that, the conversation ended.

It was when Luke was scratching his cheek, looking embarrassed.

"You got completely messed up, Aina. You were with Senior Leo all night, weren't you?"

Snap —

Just then, Shasha approached, fanning herself with a folding fan, and narrowed her eyes.

Before coming to the dining hall for breakfast, Shasha had seen the head of the female dormitory furious about a student who had stayed out without permission.

Seeing Aina's current state, she immediately knew who the unauthorized overnight guest was.

"I bet you went to Senior Leo and asked him to be your mentor."

Aina gripped her spoon without answering.

Shasha took that as an affirmation and smiled sweetly.

"You got a head start, Aina."

"Wow~ You didn't even look at the other seniors who came yesterday~"

Before anyone knew it, Juen quickly came over and sat next to Aina.

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

Harbyden also plopped down next to Luke.

"Um. I'll go somewhere else."

Luke thought it wasn't his place to be there and, noticing the atmosphere, picked up his tray and tried to get up.

"You can stay seated. We're comrades who fought alongside Senior Leo during the entrance exam, aren't we?"

Shasha folded her fan, smiled sweetly, and pressed both of Luke's shoulders with her hands as he tried to stand up.

'No, to say we fought together, the level difference is a bit too much, isn't it?'

Luke smiled awkwardly and replied internally.

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

'Why is that country bumpkin even there?'

It was when the gazes towards Luke were filled with questions.

"So."

Juen asked, taking a sip of the iced tea that came with her breakfast.

"From the looks of it, you don't seem to have become Senior Leo's mentee. You took some kind of test, right? What kind of test did you take?"

At Juen's question, Aina, who was poking at her salad with a fork, putting it in her mouth, and chewing, let out a small sigh.

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

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

"Ugh. Isn't that impossible?"

"If you get counterattacked, you'll be knocked out in one hit, won't you?"

It was when the first-year students were making troubled expressions.

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

"What?"

"He said he would only dodge and block, so I could attack as much as I wanted."

At those words, the first-year students looked intrigued.

"If those are the conditions…"

"Isn't it worth trying?"

The first-year students' eyes sparkled.

***

Around lunchtime, after morning classes ended.

The first-year magic class was bustling with second-year students.

"Hey, how about me as your mentor? Ah! Of course, my grades are at the bottom, but believe it or not, the know-how to survive until the second year in our school is truly the best…"

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

"Ugh."

"Senior Chloe!"

A first-year female student from the Department of Magic ran over to Chloe, who was reading a magic book some distance away.

"Please take me as your mentee!"

At those words, Chloe, who had lifted her eyes from the magic book, glanced at the female student.

"You're an ice attribute mage?"

"Yes! My name is Betty Marste. Our family's inherent magic is ice attribute!"

Betty slightly lifted the hem of her school uniform skirt, bent her knees, and bowed.

Naturally, mages tend to favor mages of the same attribute.

Moreover, the Marste family is a famous mage family from the Eastern Continent.

Naturally, Chloe had also heard of that name.

Chloe smiled sweetly, then opened a subspace and pulled out a thick book.

"Would you like to read this?"

"Huh? Ugh?"

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

Betty, grunting as she lifted the incredibly heavy book, looked at the title.

[A Philosophical Examination of Why Ice Mages Must Learn Ice Magic]

'What? What's with this strange title?'

Betty made a dumbfounded expression, looking at the book with a title that looked like it would give her a headache at first glance.

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

"Huh? No, more than that, my magic skills…"

"I know you're an excellent mage."

Chloe smiled sweetly.

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

At those words, Betty left with a blank expression.

Watching her, Kal spoke to another male student.

"You! Are you thinking of taking me as your mentor…?"

"I'm sorry! Senior Chelsea!"

A first-year student this time approached Chelsea, who was sitting under a tree stretching.

"Please take me as your mentee."

"Hmm. I'm not thinking of taking anyone as a mentee. I'm busy with my own training."

"Th-that's… then Senior Abard…"

"Hmm. Would you like to show me your magic?"

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

Abard, seeing him cast wind-type magic, nodded.

"You're good."

"Then…"

"You'll be able to find an excellent mentor."

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

Meanwhile, Kal also walked over, shoulders slumped, with a trudging gait.

"Finding a mentee is really hard."

"Do you think it's easy to get something for nothing?"

Chelsea covered her mouth and chuckled.

"Hey! What do you mean, something for nothing!"

"Honestly, you're just dying to have an easy first semester, aren't you?"

"…"

Kal flinched at Chelsea's remark.

Indeed, not receiving a recommendation for withdrawal until the end of the first semester was a huge advantage for lower-ranked students like Kal.

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

Abard, leaning against a tree, gave his characteristic gentle smile.

"Kuh-! You really are different from my ill-tempered sister."

"What?!"

Chelsea, eyes glaring, kicked Kal.

It was then.

"A big shot has appeared."

At Abard's murmur, second-year students from the Department of Magic swarmed around one student.

"Hey, won't you be my mentee?"

"Juen! Long time no see! Is your father doing well? By the way, we studied together at the magic tower, didn't we? How about it again this time?"

The first-year students' grades hadn't been released yet.

But currently, the de facto top student of the first-year magic department was Juen.

That's why the second-year magic students eagerly tried to accept Juen as their mentee.

It was then.

"Juen Tovidna."

A male student blocked Juen's path.

The magic students flinched.

"Emio."

"As expected, you're after Juen."

Emio, one of the top five students in the second-year magic department, crossed his arms.

"Sniping magic is your specialty, right? In that case, having me, the successor of the Luchan family, as your mentor will be of great help to you."

The Luchan family is a famous military family.

They specialize in war-related magic.

And sniping magic is also frequently used in war.

Indeed, if sniping was her specialty, Emio's guidance could be of great help to Juen.

"I'll give it serious thought."

Juen bowed her head and said politely.

Emio snorted and left.

And rejecting each of the second-year students' invitations one by one, Juen approached Kal.

"Senior Kal."

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

"How did you know?"

"There's no way the top student would ask me to be their mentor."

Kal shrugged.

"Come to think of it, 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 unusual for Leo to go to the student council.

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

"Oh."

"It's Senior Leo."

Just then, Leo appeared at the first-year magic department building.

Juen's eyes sparkled when she heard that.

Some first-year students hurriedly tried to approach Leo.

"Brother Leo!"

But Chelsea was faster in approaching Leo.

Naturally, all the first-year students stopped.

"Why did you go to the student council?"

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

"Personal announcement? Is that allowed?"

"Because I'm the student council president."

"Hoo."

Chelsea's eyes sparkled.

"So, what's the announcement?"

At that question, Leo went to the bulletin board at the entrance of the first-year magic department class building and posted the announcement.

Chelsea's face turned sour after reading it, and she distanced herself from Leo.

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

Juen, who had checked the bulletin board, also looked astonished and plopped down on a bench, looking at Leo.

The first-year students gulped and gathered around Leo.

Leo chuckled.

"You all know because you heard from Aina, right?"

Leo pointed to the bulletin board with his chin.

"The school also approved it."

Leo scanned his juniors.

"So, is there any reason to hesitate?"

Silence fell at those words.

After a moment.

"Fire Explosion!"

Boom—!

A first-year student suddenly activated a spell.

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

The second-year students watched, astonished.

"What kind of announcement is it?"

-Announcement-

For one week, first-year students are permitted to attack Leo Plov. Any property damage incurred during this process will also be overlooked.

-Lumerin Student Council-

The second-year students, having checked the bulletin board content, looked bewildered as they watched Leo, who had blocked and dodged all of the first-year students' magic.

"That sounds fun, doesn't it? Should I try choosing a mentee that way too?"

As Abard said with a laugh, Chloe said coldly.

"Don't. One Leo causing a ruckus is enough."

***

While the first-year students of the magic department were haphazardly casting spells to land a hit on Leo.

Golden aura and wind aura swirled.

Boom—!

Leo generated aura in both hands and deflected the attack.

Thump—Thump—

Two people landed in front of Leo.

"Aina! Harbyden!"

"This is the magic department's area, isn't it? Why are the knight department students here!"

As some magic department students flared up, Harbyden snorted.

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

Whoosh!

"Don't get a head start, Aina!"

Harbyden, seeing Aina rush at Leo while he was speaking, flared up, gripped his sword, and charged.

Clang—!

Leo laughed as he blocked Aina's attack.

"You overdid it all night, aren't you tired?"

"We both overdid it all night."

Golden light swirled around Aina's body.

"It won't be easy this time."

Leo smiled, looking at Aina, who was exuding a powerful aura.

"I look forward to it."