Book 1 Chapter 258

"Going to Demian for two weeks."

"Come to think of it, didn't the third-year students also go on a group trip around this time?"

"Exclusive smith contract, I'm looking forward to it!"

Weekend.

The second-year students on the regular ship heading to Lumina City were abuzz with talk about the notice that came down yesterday.

It was an official notice that starting next week, the entire second-year class would be leaving for Demian for two weeks.

As the long-awaited moment approached, the second-year students could barely contain their excitement.

The reason for the second-year students going to Demian was simple.

Exclusive smith contract.

In other words, it was the period when they would contract with a blacksmith who would be responsible for their weapons throughout their school life.

Demian was a bit different from typical hero academies.

The dwarves of Demian were not only powerful hero candidates but also great heroes in their own right.

Like Deweno, they were also excellent blacksmiths.

As such, dwarf heroes often took responsibility for the weapons of other heroes.

It could be considered one of the biggest events in the second-year curriculum, in terms of laying the foundation for future relationships.

Unable to hide their excitement, the second-year students headed to Lumina City to prepare before departing for Demian.

***

Murmur- murmur- murmur-

Lumina City on a weekend was one of the most vibrant places in the world.

Lumina City was the center of the world.

And Lumina City was special not just because of its geographical location.

Lumina City was adjacent to Rumern.

Naturally, many people gathered to see the future hero candidates.

This was also a characteristic unique to Rumern.

Seirun was located in the northernmost center of the continent.

A land of bone-chilling cold.

Furthermore, only elves could freely enter elven territories.

Moreover, Seirun students rarely left school unless it was for a mission.

As such, it was also the hero academy that was the most difficult to see and had the most mysterious image among the four major hero academies.

The situation was similar in Azonia.

While it wasn't that other races couldn't freely enter the land of beastmen, and the free-spirited Azonia students often went outside the school, they were still difficult to see.

This was because the Azonia Academy was geographically located in the center of the desert. Moreover, monsters swarmed around Azonia.

In Azonia, they deliberately did not extensively exterminate these monsters to improve the students' skills.

Finally, Demian Academy.

They were located in a vast mining area in the east.

And perhaps due to their racial characteristics, most of them were holed up in their rooms, engrossed in making something, making them difficult to see.

Unlike these three academies, Lumina City, where Rumern was located, was geographically accessible.

And since many students came to Lumina City on weekends, they could be met relatively easily.

As a result, outsiders frequently visited to see the hero candidates, and the resulting tourism revenue was substantial.

Today, more students than usual came to Lumina City.

Most of them were first and second-year students.

The second-year students deliberately brought their juniors to Lumina City to build stronger friendships with their mentees before heading to Demian.

"First, we need to get uniforms."

Celia, who came to Lumina City with Leo, said to Luke.

"What? Uniforms?"

Luke made a bewildered expression.

"Yes. You inherited yours from a graduate, right?"

At Celia's words, Luke scratched his head.

"Rumern uniforms are expensive."

"Yes, I know. That's why we're getting new uniforms."

"Why?"

"You are Leo Flob's mentee. Leo is my cousin and a direct descendant of the Zerdinger family. In other words, it's no exaggeration to say that you are connected to Zerdinger."

Celia took out a card with the Zerdinger crest on it from her pocket with a *chark-!* sound.

The card, held between her index and middle fingers, gleamed.

"You need to look worthy of Zerdinger."

At Celia's words, Luke smiled and scratched his head.

"I appreciate the thought, but I'm fine. I would be happy to receive financial support, but I don't think I'm qualified yet."

Celia blinked at his polite demeanor.

"If you say so."

*Fwip-!*

Celia, putting the card back in her pocket, smiled.

"Being independent isn't a bad thing. Well. For my mentees…"

Celia's eyes narrowed.

"They're too independent, so there's no joy in taking care of them."

Her gaze landed on two girls standing there.

They were none other than Aina and Martina.

Though not as much as Leo, they had become Celia's mentees after a considerably strict selection process.

'In this one's case, there seems to be another motive.'

Celia, with her eyes narrowed, stared at Aina, who was looking at Luke with a blank expression.

On the last day of choosing mentors,

When Aina suddenly appeared and asked to be taken as a mentee, Celia was quite surprised.

'She has skill, so I took her as a mentee.'

Celia knew well that Aina had no intention of learning anything from her.

'She seems quite fixated on Leo. How should I guide her?'

As Celia was pondering,

Chelsea, who had bought a chocolate-coated stick snack from a street vendor, said to Luke, munching on the snack.

"Hey."

"Yes?"

"Celia Zerdinger boasting about how rich she is. Isn't it a bit much?"

"No, it's not."

"Yes. Respecting your senior is a very good attitude. But sometimes you need to be honest. I'll take responsibility."

Chelsea smiled slyly.

"Isn't it a bit much?"

"Why are you picking a fight?"

Celia frowned, and Chelsea stuck out her tongue.

"Don't worry about Leo oppa's mentee, take care of your own mentees!"

"You, with no mentees, stop loitering and go away!"

Luke was bewildered by the two rivals bickering, while Martina, as if accustomed to it, intervened.

Aina watched the two seniors with a blank expression.

"Leo! Why did you bring this damned woman from Lwalin!"

"I have a favor to ask."

"A favor? What kind of favor? I'll do it for you, so send her away!"

"It's about magic."

"Ugh?!"

Celia's face contorted.

There was nothing Celia could do if it involved magic.

Celia glanced at Chelsea with annoyance, then took Aina and Martina and left.

Chelsea watched Celia's retreating back with a smile, then a look of bewilderment.

"By the way, it's strange that Leo oppa has something to ask me about magic."

At the beginning of the first year, Leo had received a lot of help from Chelsea, who was in the same class, regarding magic.

Chelsea, an excellent mage, was very helpful with her theoretical knowledge, as she was not familiar with the latest magic trends and spell formations.

However, he was only unfamiliar with the latest magic.

The depth of Leo's magical knowledge was on another level.

It was not enough to call upon the greatest mages in the world.

Once Leo became somewhat familiar with the latest magic, he was more likely to receive help than to give it.

'And yet he has something to ask me?'

Chelsea's eyes sparkled.

While curious, a tune escaped her lips.

"I'm thinking of buying some grimoires and magic items."

"Ah! Then let's go to the magic district in Kuraj with me!"

Kuraj, Lumina City's busiest street.

The area specializing in magical goods was called the magic district.

It was where everything needed for magic was sold.

Grimoires, as well as catalysts for magic research, and so on.

And Leo had rarely visited the magic district.

'Leo oppa is a purely practical mage.'

Although Leo was a great mage, he was far from a mage in the fundamental sense.

The essence of a mage was exploration and research.

And Leo's magic was focused on 'combat'.

Of course, there was nothing wrong with that.

Just because a mage is specialized in combat doesn't mean their magic lacks depth.

For example, Leo's unique magic or the star magic he learned.

'The magical theories Leo oppa uses are at a level that most mages cannot even imitate, let alone understand.'

Chelsea was also a mage whose inclinations were closer to Leo's.

However, while Chelsea was interested in non-combat magic research, Leo had almost none of that.

'Leo oppa would show incredible ability in magic research too.'

Chelsea licked her lips.

In such a situation, he was far from the magic district.

Everything Leo needed to learn magic was available at Rumern.

And during his first year, whenever Chelsea, Karl, or Chloe tried to take Leo to the magic district, Celia would rush in and interfere.

'Hmph. She's probably afraid Leo oppa will get absorbed in magic.'

Remembering last year, Chelsea snorted.

But not now.

'Perhaps he asked me for help because he became interested in non-combat magic research, not combat magic. Leo oppa once restored Luna-nim's flower-blooming magic! He must have been interested in non-combat magic research too! He was too busy in his first year, but now that it's his second year, he might be interested in magic research out of leisure!'

Chelsea decided to think positively.

Of course, if he was interested in that direction, Chloe, an expert in that field and in the same dormitory, wouldn't need to ask Chelsea.

But Chelsea hadn't thought that far.

Humming a tune, the three arrived at the magic district.

Luke's eyes widened at the world of magic unfolding before him.

"Wow…"

Brooms cleaning the floor on their own,

Numerous mages moving objects using magic, in a way that anyone could see, this street was full of magic.

Everything was being resolved by magic.

In Rumern, school rules restricted the use of magic in daily life on campus, so such sights were surprisingly rare.

As such, landscapes like this were not well-developed.

"It's amazing."

"Huh? It's a common sight."

At Luke's admiration, Chelsea shrugged.

For Chelsea, a member of the Lwalin family, arguably the greatest magic lineage, this was nothing surprising.

"Oh! Chelsea-kun!"

At that moment, the owner of an ice cream shop at the entrance of the magic district spotted Chelsea and waved with a bright smile.

"Hello, sir. Are you well?"

"Yes! I'm testing a new product, what do you think?"

"Three, please!"

Chelsea shouted, holding up three fingers.

The shop owner laughed heartily and made a three-tiered ice cream cone, which he sent flying with telekinesis.

"Ah, um…"

"As a senior, I can buy you this much, so don't hesitate to eat it."

Chelsea winked, and Luke said, "Thank you," and ate the ice cream.

"Mmm! Mmm! This will sell well!"

"Oh, your judgment is accurate, so I expect good sales?"

The shop owner laughed heartily.

After that, Chelsea continued to greet various shop owners as they walked down the street.

"You're famous."

"I'm quite famous."

Chelsea chuckled, then asked, "By the way, how can I help you?"

"I'd like some recommendations for beginner magic books. I'm self-taught in magic, so I know very little about the basics."

Even in his past life, Leo learned magic through self-study.

He learned by observing others using magic theories.

Therefore, he knew very little about the basics of magic.

'Austin also taught me in a rather makeshift way.'

He taught me how to use the magic I needed immediately.

However, purely as a mage, Austin's foundation was severely lacking.

'Illiana will take care of that part.'

"Beginner magic books? Who are you teaching?"

"Yes."

"Who? Are there any other people with magical talent in Leo oppa's knight order?"

Chelsea asked with a puzzled expression, but Leo shook his head.

"No."

"Then who?"

To Chelsea's question, Leo pointed to the side.

Luke, who was eating ice cream, widened his already large eyes even further.

And, just in case, he looked around.

But there was no one there.

"Uh… me?"

Luke cautiously asked again.

"Uh."

"I don't know how to use magic."

"You haven't learned. But you have talent as a mage."

"What? Me?"

Luke asked in a bewildered voice.

"Yes. So you'll be practicing magic with me from now on."

Luke felt his heart pound.

"By the way, keep the fact that you're learning magic a secret until the final exams."

"What? Why?"

"Of course, that's obvious."

Chelsea interjected.

"It will be a trump card."

"Right."

Leo smiled.

"The more jokers, the better."

Especially Luke's mana trait suited magical power rather than aura.

Mana amplification through emotion.

While mages agonized over increasing the power of their magic, Luke was born with that ability.

"Indeed! If he learns magic too… his survival rate in the first semester will increase!"

"Of course, it should."

Chelsea also smiled beside them.

"Survival? What are you talking about?"

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

Chelsea and Luke looked at Leo with puzzled expressions.

"Your goal for the first semester of your first year is to be the top of the grade."

"What?"

"Leo oppa, no matter what, that's impossible…"

"It's possible."

Leo smiled gently.

"I'll make it possible."

While Luke was too surprised to grasp the situation yet.

*Thump-!*

Chelsea placed a hand on Luke's shoulder with a sad expression.

"I hope you survive."

At those words, Luke swallowed dryly.

"What kind of school life am I going to have?"

To that question, Chelsea smiled slyly.

"That's impossible to say. What's certain is that it will be a hellish school life."