Book 1 Chapter 254

“Hey, have you chosen your mentee yet?”

“Yeah. Yesterday.”

The large lecture hall in the second-year classroom building.

Today was the day for the joint Heroics class.

Before class, the second-year students gathered in groups, chatting amongst themselves.

For the past few days, the obvious topic of conversation was the newly introduced mentee system.

And before they knew it, there was only one day left to choose their mentees and mentors.

Most of the second-year students who were interested in taking on mentees had already taken in junior first-year students as their mentees.

“How about you? Didn’t you say you didn’t like him because he was arrogant?”

“I did! But listen! At first, I thought he was arrogant! But yesterday, after talking for a bit, his eyes sparkled, and he was quite cute?”

The second-year students were engrossed in talking about the juniors they had taken as mentees.

Watching them chat happily, Chelsea remarked with a sense of wonder.

“The reaction is surprisingly good.”

“It can’t be helped.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that, Leo-oppa?”

“Think back to when we were freshmen.”

Kal, who was with them, crossed his arms.

“Were you afraid of the seniors, were you even making eye contact?”

“Huh? I wasn’t scared at all? They were actually very kind.”

“That’s why those from the hero lineage…”

Kal made a look of despair.

Chelsea, biting her index finger in thought, nodded.

“You’re right. Our classmates were definitely very afraid of the seniors.”

The hierarchy between cohorts was tightest in the Summoning Department.

However, even in other departments, it was common for students to be afraid to even speak to seniors at the beginning of the semester.

“As freshmen, we’re busy adapting to school life, and we’re also busy trying to gauge the seniors’ moods. The second-years also don’t feel the need to get close to the first-years, who could leave at any time.”

Kal rested his chin on his hand.

“As a result, except for our peers, we don’t get close to the people we’ll see the longest. In the worst cases, the relationships between the years can become bad. Look at the fourth and fifth-year seniors? We’re not exactly on good terms with the third-year seniors either.”

The relationship between seniors and juniors one year apart was often extremely bad at Lumern.

The current fifth-years, led by Elena, known as the Queen of Lumern, were not on good terms with the fourth-years who had threatened their positions.

The same applied to the current second and third-years.

Although the year representatives, Leo and Lily, were not on bad terms, the current third-years viewed the current second-years, known as the Golden Generation, with annoyance.

As freshmen, they had been intimidated by the seniors, but now, as second-years, many students had a significant sense of rebellion against the third-years.

“We’ve gotten a chance to get close to the first-years before it gets to that point.”

At least until the first semester, there was no reason for them to part ways.

Therefore, it was easy for the second-years to grow attached to the first-years.

“Children naturally gravitate towards the idea of being a senior and wanting to take care of their juniors.”

As Leo said with a chuckle, Kal made a look of disbelief.

“Aren’t you a child?”

“Sometimes Leo-oppa sounds so old-fashioned.”

Chelsea shrugged.

“Class President! You shouldn’t be friendly with kids from other dorms! They might try to steal our dorm’s information!”

At that moment, Iliana quickly ran over and said.

Seeing Iliana like that, Chelsea and Kal gave unenthusiastic looks.

“How can you steal information from Leo?”

“Yeah, unless you’re a fool like you.”

“Class President! They’re calling me a fool!”

Iliana whined to Leo, tears welling up.

“It’s the truth.”

“Tade! You too?”

“Still, it’s lively when we gather like this.”

Tade said cuttingly as he approached, and Nella, who came with him, gave her characteristic languid smile.

The six core members of first-year class 5 were gathered for the first time in a while.

“By the way, has everyone chosen their mentees?”

Tade asked, crossing his arms, and Iliana puffed out her chest.

“Of course! I chose someone named Austin!”

“Austin? I’ve never heard that name before?”

“Is he in the Knight Department or the Magic Department?”

Nella and Tade tilted their heads in confusion.

As a top-ranked student in the second year, Iliana could have chosen a well-known first-year.

So, it was natural for them to be puzzled that she had taken an unknown first-year as her mentee.

“He’s a Swordmaster. Hmph! Don’t be surprised! He’s a trainee from Zerdinger and a knight of the Class President!”

Iliana said with a proud expression.

“If a subordinate of the Class President was going to get a recommendation to drop out, wouldn’t the Class President drag him by the collar and train him?”

“How does that idiot always seem so clever about these things?”

Kal exclaimed in admiration, and Iliana bristled.

“Hey! I’m smart! I’m a good student, you know!”

“So what? You’re just simple and brutish.”

“Says you!”

Iliana, bristling, lunged at Kal but was held back by Nella.

Watching the scene, Leo said.

“I’m warning you, I won’t be giving special treatment to my knights just because they’re my subordinates.”

“Gasp?!”

Iliana froze with a crunching sound.

“I’ll give them advice, but their training will be up to them. Austin probably wants to survive Lumern on his own.”

“Goooooaaaaak!”

Iliana screamed, clutching her head.

Ignoring her, the others continued their conversation.

“Nella, what about you?”

“I took two juniors from the Knight Department. Tade?”

“I took one from the Beast Tamer Department.”

Tade looked at the three of them.

“You guys haven’t picked anyone yet, right? Kal, I bet no one wants you as a mentor.”

“Don’t remind me. It’s heartbreaking.”

Kal said with a dejected expression.

“Speaking of which, the dorm leaders are also surprisingly not taking mentees?”

Nella said with a look of wonder.

“Well, our Class President is always at the center of the storm. Chloe said she would select from students who submitted book reports today. Chen Xia seemed to have taken quite a few?”

Iliana’s answer made Nella tilt her head.

“Chen Xia is a surprise. I thought she wouldn’t have any after her Shadow background was revealed, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

“Yeah.”

‘They’re mostly Shadow candidates too.’

Leo muttered to himself.

“Chelsea, what about you guys?”

“I wasn’t planning on taking anyone from the start, Celia is carefully choosing. And Wardens…”

Chelsea crossed her arms.

“There are a lot of people who want to be Wardens’ mentees? Of course, Warden doesn’t seem to think much of it, but.”

Wardens’ spirit magic, which activated magic formations using spirits, was revolutionary.

Of course, it was the result of Wardens’ own talent and sense, but it was an impossible realm without a deep understanding of spirit magic.

As such, there were many first-year students majoring in spirit magic who wanted Wardens’ guidance.

“What about Noble?”

“My brother already has one.”

“Abad? Who is it?”

It was Kal who answered Iliana’s question.

“A kid named Fritz.”

“I’ve never heard that name before? Why did he take him? Is he skilled?”

“His skill is one thing, but the reason Abad took him as a mentee is because of his magic.”

Kal explained.

“That kid uses magic with blood as a medium.”

“Blood? That’s a very rare characteristic.”

“Yeah. That’s why my brother wanted to research it and offered him to be his mentee.”

‘Your characteristic is interesting. I’d like to research it a bit, won’t you be my mentee?’

‘Sure.’

Abad, who had invited him with his characteristic gentle smile, was met with Fritz’s characteristic expressionless face as he adjusted his glasses and replied.

“Ho ho ho. How peculiar! What about Duran and Eliza?”

Kal shrugged.

“Our prince receives an overwhelming number of mentor requests. But you know his personality, right? If he doesn’t find someone to his liking, he won’t even glance at them. And Eliza…”

Having said that much, Kal covered his mouth with a giggle.

“Not a single first-year has requested her as a mentor?”

“Not a single one? Not that she’s rejecting them?”

Everyone looked surprised.

“It can’t be helped. Her personality is famous, isn’t it?”

“But Duran’s personality isn’t any better, is it?”

Chelsea tilted her head, unable to understand, and Kal chuckled.

“Duran is at least known as a top student, right? But Eliza, despite her good grades, is a complete delinquent. Who would want her as a mentee? They’d be afraid of being treated like servants or maids, so they don’t even come near her. Hahahaha! I’m in the same boat as……”

*Shriiiiiik!* *Thwack!*

“Yo…… *cough*!!”

A whip that suddenly flew wrapped around Kal’s neck.

Everyone’s gaze turned to the person holding the whip.

There stood Eliza, her face flushed red, trembling with her shoulders.

“Follow me.”

“H-help!”

Eliza, her eyes wide open, dragged the pale Kal away.

After a moment, a miserable scream echoed.

“Leo-oppa, aren’t you going to take any mentees?”

“Chelsea, you. Aren’t you worried about Kal?”

Tade asked with a look of disbelief, and Chelsea smiled faintly.

“Kal has tenacious vitality. He’ll be back unharmed in a little while.”

Everyone nodded at Chelsea’s words.

“The Class President’s popularity has waned a lot, hasn’t it?”

At first, almost all the first-years flocked to become Leo’s mentees.

But now, only a small number of students were challenging Leo for a mentee.

They had given up, deeming it impossible to land a hit on Leo.

“There were only five persistent ones back then. If you’re thinking of taking a mentee, why don’t you start accepting them now?”

At Iliana’s words, Leo said.

“I don’t need mentees. Those who need me are the ones who need to take initiative. They need to earn what they need themselves.”

“Right. Right.”

As Leo spoke, Chelsea nodded in agreement.

*Creeeak-*

The lecture hall door opened, and someone entered.

Then, the students quickly took their seats.

And turned their heads.

A professor they had never seen before was entering.

“Who is that professor?”

“Is this a new professor?”

First of all, she was incredibly beautiful.

Rare silver hair and eyes.

Overall, she had a gentle appearance and an aura that brought peace of mind.

But what was most noticeable was the eyepatch over her left eye.

“It’s Professor Mel? Why is she here?”

Kal, who had been trampled by Eliza, widened his eyes.

Eliza, startled, asked.

“Do you know her?”

“Yeah. Up I go.”

Kal said, getting up and dusting off his clothes.

“I know her as a first-year Magic Department professor, so why is she in the second-year Heroics class?”

Mel, standing in front of the lectern, smiled.

“It’s nice to meet you all. I am Mel, and I will be in charge of first-year Magic Theory and also serving as the Heroics special lecturer for all grades.”

*Clap, clap, clap, clap-*

At Mel’s introduction, the second-year students applauded with curious expressions.

Usually, professors at Lumern were in charge of only one subject.

But to be a first-year Magic Theory professor and also in charge of special Heroics lectures for all grades?

‘Just how profound is her knowledge of Heroics?’

Everyone looked at Mel with curious eyes.

Heroics.

In this era where Hero Records exist, it is an academic field of utmost importance.

And the place that can be called the mecca of Heroics is the Hero Academy.

To be specially invited to Lumern, one of the Hero Academies, meant she must be a person with great knowledge.

Mel smiled and opened a spatial portal.

Then she placed cookies on the lectern.

The savory scent of the cookies spread throughout the lecture hall.

The students, their olfactory senses honed by Lumern’s desserts, sensed it.

‘Those cookies… look incredibly delicious.’

Mel pulled up a chair, sat down, and tapped her foot.

“Are there any students who are curious about me?”

In response to the question, several students raised their hands simultaneously.

“Yes, student Duran Moira.”

Mel, who had memorized the faces and names of all the second-year students, smiled and gave the question to Duran, who raised his hand first.

“You said you would be giving special lectures on Heroics… what kind of heroes will you be lecturing about?”

“I plan to lecture about the heroes who were active during the Era of Genesis.”

Mel said calmly.

But the second-year students were all shocked.

The Era of Genesis.

The era after the Great Heroes defeated Erebus is called the Heroic Era.

But even the Heroic Era is divided into early and late periods.

And in between.

A very short period was called the Genesis.

The era when it was known that a world of heroes, the true power of Hero Records, existed.

“Wait a minute! If you’re going to lecture about the Era of Genesis, then surely…!”

Numerous heroes were born during the Heroic Era.

But among them, there were five exceptionally special heroes.

Heroes born during the Era of Genesis.

Called the Genesis Heroes, there were only five of them, just like the Great Heroes.

“That’s right.”

Mel smiled.

“The heroes I will lecture about are the Genesis Dragon, the Knight of Twilight, the Mage of the Comet, the Great Warrior, and Indomitable.”

The second-year students swallowed hard.

*O-dok-*

Mel, taking a bite of a cookie, continued.

“For the first class, it would be best to talk about the founder of this school you are attending, the Knight of Twilight, Lumern, right?”