Book 1 Chapter 268
268
The next morning.
Second-year students from Lumerne gathered at the restaurant next to their dormitory building, which had been assigned by Demian.
They ate breakfast and talked.
“No matter how I think about it, didn’t the Seirun kids look like they were glaring at us a lot yesterday?”
“The second-year head teacher looked like he was about to shoot lasers from his eyes!”
“Why in the world were they like that?”
Most of the conversation topics revolved around Seirun’s attitude the previous night.
Lumerne and Azonia students had mostly enjoyed the banquet prepared by Demian.
Of course, there were some noble students who felt uncomfortable with the atmosphere of the banquet, which resembled a street pub.
However, their number was not large, and even if there were, they didn't show it outwardly.
In such a situation, Seirun, who arrived late, ruined the banquet, so it was unthinkable that Demian students, let alone those from Lumerne or Azonia, would look upon them favorably.
Furthermore, Seirun showed considerable hostility towards Lumerne.
For the second-year students, who had experienced Seirun students through the Luseon, it was a perplexing experience.
The atmosphere was too different from during the Luseon.
They felt both anger and bewilderment at the sudden change in atmosphere within a few months.
“It must be because of Professor Len.”
“Professor Len? Why Professor Len? He didn't even come this time.”
“Professor Len’s magic theory, which he announced this time, must have displeased the elves.”
Students from other departments looked puzzled at the magic department student’s words.
“Professor Len’s magic theory?”
“Are you talking about the magic theory related to star magic?”
“Why that?”
“Ugh? Do I have to explain it?”
In the first class of the second-year magic department, Professor Len revealed his newly completed magic theory to the students.
[Introduction to Star Magic]
It was a new concept of magic theory that allowed anyone with an aptitude for magic, not just elves, to learn star magic.
In fact, in the first class, Chloe, one of the top honor students in the second-year magic department, immediately succeeded in learning star magic.
It was a magic theory that could literally change the landscape of the magic world.
Indeed, after Len’s thesis was published, the magic world buzzed with excitement.
However, Seirun, the very center of the elven magic world, was buzzing in a different sense.
If you were to pick the most conservative magic academia by race, the elves would be chosen.
Star magic, which is considered the unique magic of elves.
This great legacy left by Luna, the progenitor of the nebula, had until now been regarded as the exclusive preserve of elves.
Occasionally, wizards of other races with outstanding talent would learn star magic, but they were very few.
In fact, before Professor Len published [Introduction to Star Magic], Leo was the only second-year wizard who had learned star magic.
Since only a very few non-elves could learn it, the elves didn't pay much attention to them.
But [Introduction to Star Magic] could turn many wizards into star mages.
Star magic, which had been considered the exclusive property of elves for thousands of years, was no longer exclusive to elves.
Star magic is also the magic that contributed greatly to elves being called the race of magic.
The elves were perceiving [Introduction to Star Magic] as an infringement upon and threat to their traditions.
A knight department student who had heard the magic department student’s explanation crossed his arms.
“Is that what it is?”
“It must have been a difficult story for a muscle-head like you.”
“What? Have you said all you want to say?”
Wham! Wham! The morning was boisterous.
Meanwhile.
“Chloe, is something wrong?”
Celia carefully asked Chloe.
Chloe was spooning soup with a fork, looking somewhat out of it.
Celia watched Chloe for a moment, then asked Chen Sia, who was beside her.
“Sia, did something happen?”
“Nothing happened.”
“Really?”
“I said nothing happened.”
“Um…”
Celia looked at Chen Sia with a slightly uncomfortable expression.
‘I feel like I shouldn’t poke her.’
She was smiling with her usual face, but the atmosphere was subtly sharp.
It was when Celia was watching Chen Sia.
“So, what exactly is that unpleasant gaze about?”
An irritated voice was heard.
Turning her head, she saw Chelsea walking, annoyed at Kyle, with a tray in her hand.
“No, just. I shouldn’t say it, but I’m curious about your reaction if you knew.”
Kyle, who had been teasing Chelsea with a sly smile, spotted the three female students and greeted them.
“Oh! Good morning!”
“Kyle. Will you sit here?”
“Sounds good~”
Chelsea glanced at Celia and said primly,
“I’m going to my brother.”
“Hey, just sit here. Abard is probably with Duran anyway.”
Chelsea pouted her lips, looked at Celia once, who was eating salad with elegant gestures, and then took a seat as far away from Celia as possible.
“Anyway.”
Kyle looked at Chloe and Chen Sia with a mischievous smile.
“Ladies. You look like you didn't sleep well last night?”
“I slept well, Kyle.”
“Really?”
Kyle chuckled with a playful smile.
Chen Sia looked at Kyle and asked with a soft smile.
“Anyway, where is Young Master Leo?”
“He said he'd sleep a bit more. He seemed tired.”
“Did he go to bed late last night?”
“He went to bed late. V-E-R-Y late.”
“That’s unusual. Leo Oppa sleeping in.”
“I know. He’s got monster-like stamina, so he’s not the type to sleep in just because he went to bed late.”
Celia and Chelsea, who didn't know that Leo had left the dormitory without permission last night, looked puzzled.
“Well, he might have done something so hard that he got tired. I don't know, though.”
“What was it?”
“If you shared a room, you'd know what he did.”
“Ask these guys. They might know.”
Kyle chuckled and bit into a piece of bread.
Clang-
‘Clang?’
When an unusual sound came from the bread, Kyle took the bread out of his mouth.
The bread was frozen solid, so cold that his hand holding it ached.
Kyle swallowed hard and turned his head.
If someone were to do something like this here.
“…”
When he turned his gaze towards Chloe, she was glaring at Kyle, shoulders heaving, with a beet-red face.
“Kyle.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
“You know that I’m your friend, but I’m also older than you, right?”
“Of course, Big Sister.”
“And I’m from the Shadow. I learned various torture methods.”
Chen Sia rested her chin on her interlocked hands.
Sweat poured down Kyle’s back as he sat up straight and rigid.
“Can I tease you? Or not?”
“No! I’m sorry! I won’t do it again!”
Kyle answered with precision.
Chen Sia looked at Kyle and smiled broadly.
“… What’s going on?”
“How would I know?”
When Chelsea asked uncomfortably, Celia also looked puzzled.
“Good morning.”
Leo, holding a tray, yawned and sat down.
Chloe flinched when she saw Leo.
Chen Sia also relaxed her posture and glanced at Leo.
“It's unusual. You sleeping in.”
“Something happened last night.”
“Something? What happened?”
At Celia’s question, Leo said calmly,
“I had to meet Professor Mell late last night.”
“Poof!”
Chelsea, who was drinking water, inadvertently spat it out.
“You left the dormitory without permission to see Professor Mell?”
Celia asked, narrowing her brows.
“Why?”
What could possibly be so important that he had to meet a professor late at night, even leaving the dorm without permission?
Moreover, Mell was a considerably beautiful young professor.
Chloe looked elsewhere with a slightly flushed face, listening intently.
Chelsea was flustered and fidgety, and Chen Sia, though smiling as always, had slightly hardened eyes.
“She told me to be careful not to get involved with the Seirun kids, didn't she? And she told me about precautions regarding the elves.”
Leo said calmly.
“She said the reason she came instead of Professor Len this time was to avoid provoking Seirun.”
“Ah~”
Celia nodded as if she understood.
“Now that you mention it, Leo Oppa’s name was also listed as a co-author on [Introduction to Star Magic], which Professor Len announced this time, right?”
Chelsea, having heard the story, giggled as usual.
Chloe returned to her usual face, and Chen Sia smiled sweetly.
Kyle, watching them, said slyly,
“You all have rich imaginations~ What on earth were you thinking… Ugh-huh! Chloe! I won’t do it again!”
As all the food on his tray began to freeze, Kyle screamed and begged for forgiveness.
“What on earth were you thinking?”
At Leo’s question, Chen Sia smiled sweetly.
“You said you met the beautiful Professor Mell late at night… so, we were worried if something like that might have happened.”
“You thought a male student and a female professor were on a late-night date?”
Leo clicked his tongue.
“Kids these days have unhealthy imaginations.”
“You’re a kid these days too, what nonsense are you talking about?”
“Young Master Leo. Do you know you just sounded like an old man?”
Leo thought to himself, looking at Celia and Chen Sia who were staring at him with incredulous faces.
‘Even Mell, whom you think is an adult, treats me like an old man, so what.’
***
After breakfast.
Students from Lumerne, Azonia, and Seirun gathered in one place.
The students from each school gathered in the grand auditorium where Demian’s second-year students took classes, sitting among themselves.
“Isn’t there anyone from Seirun who would be fun to fight?”
“Doesn’t look like it? It would be more fun to go against the Lumerne kids.”
“I want to fight Leo Plobbe quickly.”
Azonia, sitting between Lumerne and Seirun, looked at both schools with shining eyes.
“Hmph, all they have in their heads is fighting.”
“It’s no different from what we heard in rumors.”
Seirun students snorted at the Azonia students.
“Don’t they look dangerous?”
“Beast-kin and elves are inherently antagonistic to each other. We should have sat in the middle.”
It was when Chelsea sighed as Kyle clicked his tongue, concerned.
Creak-! Thump-!
The doors of the grand auditorium opened, and Demian’s second-year students streamed in.
They weren't wearing formal uniforms like yesterday.
Demian students, dressed in their respective work clothes, sat in front of the grand auditorium classroom.
Step- Step-
And a dwarf stepped onto the stage of the grand auditorium.
“Nice to meet you again, students of the Hero Academy.”
The one who stepped onto the stage was Smith Defetto, the second-year head.
“This gathering today is for our Demian Smiths and you all to form exclusive contracts.”
Defetto looked around the audience and said.
“5000 years ago. Lord Dweno, the divine blacksmith, was responsible for crafting the weapons of his fellow great heroes. Inheriting that tradition, we dwarves have crafted heroes’ weapons for generations.”
Defetto made a meaningful expression.
“And today. Our Demian students will have a chance to evaluate you as blacksmiths.”
At Defetto’s words, Iliana from Lumerne raised her hand high.
“Over there, the pretty female student who looks innocent, what are you curious about?”
“Oh my, oh my. He said I look innocent.”
Iliana twisted her body and blushed as if shy.
“Ugh!”
“My stomach is churning.”
Of course, the reactions from around were cold.
Iliana, who had kicked the male students who were teasing her, said,
“I am Iliana Laden of Lumerne! You said Demian students would evaluate us, and I’m curious about the method of evaluation.”
“It’s nothing much. You just need to announce the armaments you wish to commission from our Demian students.”
At those words, all the Hero Academy students hesitated.
“What materials will you use, the strength of the weapon, mana output? Or what additional enchantments? What features does the weapon have, and what are its pros and cons?”
Defetto looked around at the students.
“Please think specifically about the armament’s specs and present it. Demian’s students will choose you based on that.”