Book 1 Chapter 257

Juen watched Luke's back as he stood before Leo and said.

"Senior. Can't you take him as your mentee?"

"He's in the Knight Department and I'm in the Magic Department."

"There was no rule saying you can't take students from other departments as mentees, was there? And Senior Kal. You don't have any students as mentees right now anyway, do you? Shouldn't you at least take Luke?"

"That's true."

Kal sighed deeply.

But then he chuckled.

"But he probably won't come to me."

"Huh?"

"I'm talking about you all."

"……?"

"Didn't you give up too easily?"

Juen frowned at Kal's words.

"Excuse me, Senior. What have you been seeing until now? We really did everything we could, every last struggle!"

"Yes. Juen, especially you, you unleashed a barrage of flashy magic that I wouldn't even dare to attempt."

It wasn't just Juen.

Aina and Habiden, and Shasha, too, poured out their best attacks on Leo.

"But haven't you all learned it too?"

Kal smiled.

"That the stronger the attack, the more openings it has?"

Chae-aeng-!

Luke's sword was blocked by Leo's sword.

"At first glance, the assignment Leo gave the first-years seems too easy. But soon they realize it. That it's an insurmountable wall. Then the riff-raff all give up on their own."

Kal smiled, looking at the four people.

"And when only amazing guys like you are left, you try every attack you possibly can."

"That's right."

Juen, arms crossed, nodded.

"Then let me ask you one thing. You guys. Have you ever observed Leo's movements closely, even once, over the past week?"

"Of course that's…"

Juen's face hardened as she was about to answer.

It wasn't just Juen.

The other three were the same.

"And one more thing."

Kal grinned.

"Have you ever observed that kid, Luke, clashing with Leo closely, even once?"

'No.'

The four hurriedly observed Leo and Luke's movements.

To them, Luke was not a competitor.

They hadn't ignored him, but they thought a comparison itself was impossible.

And it was true.

Defeating Luke was too simple.

But…

'When did he grow so much?'

Luke's movements were distinctly different from a week ago.

Aina and Habiden's shock, in particular, was exceptional.

'His swordsmanship… it's incomparable to a week ago.'

Still, he was no match for them.

But considering his growth rate, it was astonishing.

Especially, it was clear whose movements he had referenced to build his skills.

'Senior Leo, and… me and Habiden.'

Aina's hands trembled slightly.

Aina had been conscious of Luke.

She couldn't help it.

During the entrance exam, Luke was clearly recognized by Leo.

But at the same time, she had turned away.

Yet, the first-year with the lowest grades, who was not even on her radar, was now following Leo's movements better than they were.

It wasn't because Leo was going easy on him.

Leo had basically only been defending and dodging for the past week.

'I only thought about my best attacks, thinking I had to land a hit.'

Aina clenched her fist.

'I've never… observed my opponent, not even once.'

If the opponent is impossible, one must observe their movements and devise a strategy.

It was a very basic thing.

But for a week, they hadn't properly observed Leo's movements even once.

Her face flushed with shame.

Kal looked at them with a warm smile.

'We were like that too.'

It wasn't just a problem for the first-years now.

Even the second-years now had received many criticisms from professors for this.

'Well, in this case, Leo is doing what the professors should be doing, though.'

Meanwhile, Leo chuckled, watching Luke follow his movements.

It would have been an impossible challenge normally.

But Luke was slowly catching up to Leo's movements with his ability and tenacity.

And in an instant.

Hwaak-!

Luke's aura strengthened abnormally.

Luke's mana characteristic.

Mana amplification by emotion.

It acts like a finishing move that can turn the situation around anytime, if only he has the will.

Seuk-

"Hoo."

Leo uttered an exclamation of admiration at Luke's sword, which slightly cut the tip of his hair.

"I did it… Ugh!"

Luke, who had been looking bright, tripped and fell miserably to the ground.

"The finish is clumsy."

Leo chuckled and looked at the four frozen people.

'It seems like it will be a good stimulus for those little ones too.'

They probably wouldn't challenge him just because Luke succeeded.

Luke's achievement was barely obtained by observing Leo's movements for a week.

The four, on the other hand, had not.

The basic framework for making the impossible possible is effort, not a miracle.

Leo reached out his hand to Luke, who was struggling to get up.

Luke hastily pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket.

It was the section to write the mentor's name.

On it, Leo wrote his name.

"Th-thank you, Mr. Leo. I! I'll do my best as your mentee!"

Leo smiled gently, watching Luke smile brightly.

If Celiya or Chelsea, or the Slayer Knights, had seen it, it was a smile that would have made them immediately flee.

***

Juen, with her arms crossed, stood right in front of Kal.

"Hm? Why?"

"Please be my mentor."

"What are you talking about?"

Kal looked bewildered.

"I realized it after hearing what you just said, Senior. That there's a lot to learn from you."

"It seems like you're hot-headed. Cool down a bit. Well, it would be good for me to take you as a mentee, but you should get a better mentor… Hey, hey, hey, hey!"

Juen pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket, wrote Kal's name in the mentor section, and sprinted away.

"Please take good care of me from tomorrow~ Oh ho ho ho ho!"

It was when Kal was making a bewildered expression.

"Senior."

This time, Aina approached Kal.

"What is it?"

"May I know the name of the Knight Department senior closest to Senior Leo?"

"Celiya."

"Thank you."

Aina bowed her head and left.

"Let's go together, Miss Aina. I also have business with Senior Wareden."

Shasha went with Aina.

"Senior Kal."

"Why you again? My prince."

"I want to meet Senior Duran."

'Is it the Prince combination?'

Kal chuckled inwardly and nodded as if he understood.

Kal took Habiden to the Noble dormitory and approached Duran, who was resting in the dormitory lounge.

"What is it? Kal Thomas. Do you have a suggestion for me, the dorm leader?"

"A junior who looks just like you is waiting for you outside."

"Is it Habiden? A useful fellow has come."

Duran chuckled.

"Hmph. It seems you were thinking of him as Leo Plob's second."

As Eliza snorted next to him, Duran's face twisted fiercely.

Seeing that, Kal tried to appease Duran.

"Aish, what does it matter. It's important that Habiden, who is among the top three first-year Knight Department students, chose you as his mentor."

Actually, he wanted to side with Eliza and tease him together, but if Duran got angry, Kal was the one who would get tired.

"Hmph."

Kal got up and left the dormitory.

"Ahem."

Then Eliza cleared her throat.

Kal was about to go back to his room, not realizing that Eliza had something to say to him.

Whirrr! Pak-!

"Gak!"

Eliza's whip wrapped around Kal's neck.

"What now!"

"Kal Thomas. Were there no first-years who came looking for me? Like Princess Shasha, for example?"

"Shasha? She went to Wareden."

Eliza's shoulders trembled violently.

Sparks flew from Eliza's enraged eyes.

"Why did she, a Beast Summoner, go to that human! Why on earth!"

"How would I know?"

"This is a humiliation! Why is it that not a single junior has requested me as a mentor!"

"Were you secretly expecting it?"

"Expecting? Expectinggg?! Don't make me laugh! This is a matter of pride as the successor of the Hergin family!"

Eliza, who seemed like she'd be annoyed by mentees due to her personality and would actually be annoyed, was secretly expecting it.

She thought juniors would line up considering her reputation.

But no one came.

She had pinned her hopes on Shasha, but she, of all people, went to Wareden, whom Eliza had a rivalry with.

Noble students screamed at Eliza's intense hysterics.

The 3rd dormitory, Noble.

It's basically a dormitory where students from prestigious families, with strong self-pride, gathered.

But even so, an angry Eliza was too terrifying.

'Ugh, why do those guys become so infinitely petty only in front of Eliza?'

Only Kal clucked his tongue in front of Eliza.

Though Duran was fierce and Eliza was prickly, Kal's sociability shone even in front of the two.

"In my opinion…"

Eliza's eyes gleamed.

Kal said calmly, looking at Eliza who was giving him a look that said she wouldn't tolerate any nonsense.

"Isn't it because you're too amazing?"

At that, Eliza's eyes twitched.

Eliza, sitting down with her arms crossed, crossed her legs and gestured with her chin.

"Tell me."

"The first-years probably thought this: 'With my skill, how dare I become Senior Eliza's mentee?' Of course, if there was a student who passed your high standards and was taken as a mentee, you would have made that person the best in the Summoning Department. But the first-years were scared stiff and couldn't come to you."

"And Princess Shasha?"

"She was manipulated by Leo's spirit magic this time. So her pride must have been severely hurt. She probably wants to learn from a spirit magic expert to prepare against spirit magic."

"Hmph. How cunning. Are you trying to cheer me up with plausible words?"

"That's true. But it's also a definite fact."

Kal shrugged.

'Hmph. Abad and Duran certainly have good judgment.'

Eliza looked at the dorm students, who were scared of her, with a look of disdain.

And clapped her hands lightly.

Then her followers quickly rushed over and set up refreshments.

"Alright, I thought it would be troublesome anyway, so if I don't have a mentee, it's easier for me."

Eliza, having regained her composure, let out a 'Hoot' and laughed.

"Kal Thomas. You don't have a mentee either, do you? Struggle as best you can. You seem more useful than I thought."

It was arrogant, but in Eliza's own way, it was an encouragement.

Of course, Kal flinched at her words.

'If I told her I inadvertently got Juen as a mentee, she'd throw a fit.'

Kal, who was contemplating, said.

'Oh well, I don't care. It's obvious she'll throw an even bigger fit if I tell her later.'

"I got a mentee."

"Oh? Who is it?"

"Juen Torbina."

Eliza's eyes trembled slightly.

"Why would she be your mentee…"

"I don't know. She said there's a lot to learn from me."

Having said that much, Kal quickly ran away.

He couldn't stop her now.

Because if he, who had received the top first-year of a department as a mentee, tried to stop her, it would just be teasing.

'I did my best. You guys handle the rest.'

Kal secretly cheered for the dorm students and quickly went up to his room.

***

Riina, the headmistress of Lumern, rested her chin on her hand.

And was looking down at a fancy letter.

Knock, knock - Burst open!

"Riina. It's about time for the second-years to go to Damian, isn't it? No contact yet?"

"It just arrived."

Riina lightly shook the envelope in her hand.

"But they've made a slightly impertinent demand."

"An impertinent demand?"

"Yes."

Riina tossed the letter onto her desk and curled the corners of her mouth upwards.

"Damian says they will 'evaluate' the students from the three hero academies."