Book 1 Chapter 264

264

“I heard there was a disturbance with the Azonia students.”

That evening.

Before heading to Demian, Ain called Celia, Chen Sia, and Duran to talk.

“Of course, Azonia took Chloe Müller first. But couldn't you have handled it more wisely?”

At Ain's words, Celia said.

“I think if we had told the professors, it could have ended without major conflict.”

“So you knew that fact and still fought with Azonia? Don’t you think it was a hasty judgment? Although they provided the excuse, a war between the schools might have broken out if things went wrong.”

The four great hero academies started the same way.

Their founders, the heroes of creation, created them to nurture future heroes.

While their directions differed due to the unique personalities, characteristics, and races of each founder, their ultimate goal was one.

That was the complete subjugation of Tartaros.

Therefore, all hero academies were in a cooperative relationship.

However, as much time has passed, friction between them is unavoidable.

Because even if their goals were the same, their directions were different.

In fact, due to such reasons, there have been large-scale wars not only between hero academies but also between various races.

The most recent was the war between humans and elves.

The Luce War, a matter of pride between the two schools, also began as a friendly match for ‘racial harmony’.

Due to the influence of that war, even now, it is difficult for humans, let alone other races, to carelessly set foot in elven territory.

And humans and elves.

The war between the two races began with a conflict between students from Lumerne and Seirun.

At Ain's words, Duran said.

“The reason we went directly to rescue Chloe Müller without telling the professors is for students to solve student problems themselves.”

“Besides, the Azonia students were targeting Young Master Leo. We thought a warning was necessary given they used aggressive methods for it. A warning that we wouldn't stand by if they touched our school's students.”

“I think if we had resolved the issue through the professors, we would have been underestimated. They might have even used more aggressive methods.”

Ain, who had been exuding a cold atmosphere, smiled with satisfaction.

He liked his students’ confident attitude despite his interrogation.

Clap, clap, clap-

“Elegance! Elegance!”

Just then, Professor Sedjen burst in, clapping with an emotional face.

“For comrades! For friends! Not tolerating injustice! That is the chivalry of Lumerne! Excellent! Student Celia! Student Chen Sia! Student Duran!”

“Professor Ain! I think these students deserve an award, not punishment! Give each of the three 50 points in attitude grades…!”

“Professor Sedjen. It’s problematic if you just give points because they were your class’s first-year students.”

“Ain! Do I look like a narrow-minded professor who gives points for such a reason!”

Sedjen was angry, but it was already well-known that he had great affection for the students he managed.

“Professor Sedjen’s proposed points are excessive, but your actions deserve an award. I’ll give each of you 10 extra points.”

“Ain, you’ve been doing Halinde’s bidding lately, and you’re becoming more and more petty, just like him.”

Ain let out a small sigh at Sedjen's words.

“Go and prepare to head to Demian.”

“Yes.”

The three replied simultaneously and left.

After the three students left, Ain asked.

“What was Azonia’s reaction?”

“They officially apologized. We also received a promise that such an incident won't happen again.”

“It’s noisy right from the start.”

“It can’t be helped. It’s different from the Luce War.”

The Luce War is an annual event between Lumerne and Seirun.

As such, they prepare every year, and Lumerne and Seirun students are familiar with each other.

But this time was different.

Demian gathered the four hero academies in one place.

Just as their races are different, their values are also different.

Furthermore, as hero candidates representing their races, their pride is strong.

Such individuals were suddenly gathered in one place.

The four great hero academies are fundamentally in a cooperative relationship, but their academic schedules rarely overlap.

Moreover, it is even rarer for an entire grade to live together in one place for two weeks.

Furthermore, this second-year generation is special, regardless of the school.

“We might be witnessing heroes who will lead the world in the future gathered in one place.”

Ain chuckled at Sedjen’s words.

“If that’s really the case, then as a professor of Lumerne, there would be no greater honor.”

***

As the sun set, the Lumerne second-year students headed to Demian.

The giant mine attached to Dweronia was the entrance to Demian.

As a huge, long tunnel unfolded, voices of complaint spread among the female students.

“Aww! I wore my going-out uniform specifically for this, and it’s going to get ruined~”

“Why is the Demian entrance road like this!”

At the sound of those complaints, Karl, with his intertwined hands behind his head, muttered.

“It’s already chaotic. By the way, I’m worried, really worried.”

“About what?”

Chelsea tilted her head at Karl's muttering.

“As soon as we arrived in Dweronia, within an hour, an incident broke out between us and Azonia.”

Karl shook his head.

“But now the four great hero academies are gathered in one place. How many incidents and accidents won't there be?”

“Is that so?”

Karl shrugged at Chelsea's indifferent reaction.

“It is. Plus, this time, it’s not just an invitation; it’s more like Demian called other hero academy students to evaluate them.”

“That’s a bit unpleasant.”

“Well, for us and Azonia, it might just be slightly unpleasant.”

Karl shook his head.

“Seirun might make a huge fuss. Seirun kids are all united by the idea that they are the best among the four great hero academies, aren’t they?”

At Karl's words, Chelsea recalled the Seirun students.

“That's certainly true.”

During their first-year field trip, the Seirun students looked down on the Lumerne students.

Of course, even by the end of the field trip, a significant number of students hadn’t changed their perspective.

And even during the Luce War, most Seirun students looked with eyes that believed without a doubt they were superior.

“From the moment they heard that Demian would evaluate Lumerne, Azonia, and Seirun on the same level, their pride took a huge hit. Those noble Seirun students, that is.”

Karl clucked his tongue.

Chelsea, being one of the top three in the magic department, was relatively acknowledged by the Seirun students, but Karl was not.

From the moment they heard Karl’s grades, they openly looked down on him or ignored him.

‘Even our school’s noble kids look cute in comparison.’

“Don’t worry too much. No matter how arrogant they are, they’re invited guests. Would they openly commit rude acts?”

Karl sighed, "Oh dear!" at Leo's words.

“That’s true. But the person currently serving as the interim principal of Seirun is apparently incredible.”

“I also heard talks about the principal changing, but has an interim principal been decided?”

Chelsea tilted her head.

“Yeah. It changed just recently. It’s fresh news that almost no one in Lumerne knows. The problem is the person who became principal.”

Karl's expression turned serious.

“Lehargen Lee Creo.”

“What?”

Chelsea openly frowned.

“Who is that?”

“Brother Leo. You don’t know Lehargen? He’s a famous elf hero, isn’t he?”

“I don’t really know about heroes these days.”

“Ah, right. Brother Leo was subtly not interested in that, was he?”

Chelsea nodded.

Usually, heroes are objects of admiration, so every hero candidate has at least one or two current heroes they respect.

But Leo only knew about old heroes he learned about in heroology classes at Lumerne.

He had no interest in heroes living in the present.

From Leo’s perspective, heroes of the past and heroes of the present were all just distant juniors.

“He’s a hero who calls himself the ‘Knight of the Progenitor’. A fanatic of the Progenitor.”

Karl clucked his tongue.

“He’s famous for being an extreme racial supremacist. He’s even a person who openly disregards heroes of other races.”

At Karl’s words, Leo furrowed his brows.

“Isn’t he a complete blockhead?”

“He is a blockhead.”

“No matter how much Seirun it is, it’s strange to appoint such a character as principal, isn’t it?”

The elven tendency towards racial supremacy was famous even before the Age of Disaster.

Even so, not all elves possessed such a tendency.

Luna, too, was an elf far from elven authoritarianism.

‘She was problematic for being too much of a tomboy who didn’t care about such things.’

Excessive authoritarianism corrupts a race.

Elves surely wouldn't be unaware of that.

As such, the principal of Seirun was a position suited for a wise person with a broad perspective.

‘High elves wouldn’t be ignorant of that either, would they?’

In such a situation, a person with strong racial supremacist tendencies became principal, it was said.

Leo couldn’t understand it.

“The monster queen’s invasion of Seirun was the problem.”

“That was the problem.”

“Yes. The Progenitor descended there, didn’t she?”

For reasons unknown, the descent of Luna, the Progenitor of the Nebula, and Kyle, the Hero of Beginnings, was being talked about as a miracle by many people.

The ultimate skill of star magic.

Everyone in Lumerne and Seirun watched the monster queen being subjugated with ‘Annihilation’.

“The elves designated that day as the Day of Miracles. In addition, there’s talk that Seirun will be sanctified and relocated for preservation.”

“That’s severe.”

“Yeah, but that’s not the important thing.”

Karl sighed.

“Due to the miracle of the Progenitor appearing in the present world, the racial supremacists among the elves gained stronger influence.”

At Karl’s words, Leo frowned.

‘Didn’t they say that most elf racial supremacists of this era are Luna’s fanatics?’

Those who praise Luna, the Progenitor of the Nebula, as the greatest among the great heroes.

Among the extreme ones, some even claim that only Luna is a true great hero.

Luna’s image flashed through Leo’s mind.

‘That foolish person who was always self-confident.’

Luna was an elf who easily became arrogant and easily dejected.

She used to boast that one day she would be praised as a great figure among elves, but…

‘She wouldn’t have wanted to be worshipped in this way, I bet.’

Remembering his friend, Leo smiled bitterly.

Meanwhile, they exited the tunnel.

And seeing the massive castle before them, the Lumerne students burst into exclamations of awe.

The wide-open castle gates.

And in front of them stood four giant statues.

Statues carved as if they were alive and moving.

“These are Demian’s famous statues of the great heroes.”

Someone murmured in admiration.

And next to those statues, a new statue was being made.

The face hadn’t been properly carved yet, and the approximate shape was still being chiseled, but the Lumerne students knew who this statue was.

There was only one hero who could stand shoulder to shoulder with the four great heroes.

“It’s a statue of Kyle, the Hero of Beginnings.”

“Wow! I’ve never seen Sir Kyle’s face before!”

“I definitely want to see it when it’s finished!”

Exclamations burst out among the students.

As everyone was captivated by the statues.

Leo was looking up at Demian’s towering campus.

The highest peak.

Thump-

Feeling his heart beat, Leo looked down at his hand.

‘This feeling… could it be calling?’

Mana reacts.

But it wasn't Leo's mana.

It was Dwenno's mana flowing within Leo's body.

Dwenno's flame, which had awakened by Piva's divine power last time, was reacting.

‘To its creator?’