Book 1 Chapter 30
[30] 29
“It seems like a simple illusion magic, but Chloe Müller couldn't deal with it?”
“Simple? Did you just say simple, Ain Senior?”
Ren asked in a trembling voice.
“Isn't it?”
“It is simple! The magic that Leo student used isn't difficult in terms of its incantation itself! But that's not human magic, it's elf magic!”
Ren shrieked and cried out, wrapping his arms around himself.
“The magic system of other races is fundamentally different from that of humans! You can't just use it by understanding the incantation structure! It's an area of talent and sensibility that cannot be achieved through effort alone! Leo student possesses that! God must have sent Leo student down for the Department of Magic!”
“I don't know what you're talking about, Ren Hols. Leo Plov is aspiring to the Department of Knights, isn't he?”
“It seems your small brain couldn't properly understand, so I'll explain it again.”
“I understand perfectly. That you want to die.”
Ain smiled coldly and grabbed Ren's collar, but he paid no mind and began to deliver a speech about Leo's magical talent.
***
The students of Class 5, holding hands, rejoiced.
In terms of objective strength, Class 1 had a complete advantage, and the match was overwhelming.
But the result was a victory for Class 5.
Celia gritted her teeth, and Duran was contorting his face fiercely.
Chloe, who had slumped into her seat, was staring blankly, unable to even think of standing up.
“You should get up, Chloe.”
“Pro- Professor.”
“When a match is over, you must greet, no matter the outcome.”
Sedgen, who gently patted Chloe's shoulder, gathered the two teams in the center.
“Good work, everyone. Class 5 students, return to Hallind and discuss today's match!”
Professor Sedgen cast his gaze upon the students of Class 1, who were hanging their heads low.
The students in Class 1 tensed up.
Professor Sedgen was a professor famous for his elitism.
All the students he taught were excellent and were known for always achieving outstanding results in various academy events.
But they were defeated by Class 5, the lowest-ranked class in their year.
The Class 1 students thought Professor Sedgen would be angry.
“Elegant! All students who participated in today's match did well! I am so delighted to see such outstanding performances!”
Contrary to expectations, Sedgen praised the students.
“Student Celia, you indeed know your strengths well! Overwhelming destructive power! That truly is the advantage of one who wields the aura of flame! But you'll need to build up more stamina!”
Starting with Celia, Professor Sedgen explained the points of praise and areas for improvement for the Class 1 students in today's match.
“Student Duran, your swift movements were certainly impressive! There was no wasted motion! However, it seems it would be even better if you could find a way to increase your instantaneous destructive power! After all, lightning is also an attribute with powerful destructive force!”
Sedgen's gaze, which had been sincerely advising each student, finally turned to Chloe.
Chloe's neck recoiled.
Regardless of what anyone said, today's defeat happened because she couldn't stop Leo.
“Student Chloe was perfect! There was nothing to fault!”
“B-but we lost the match because of me?”
“That wasn't a loss because of Student Chloe. And besides, it wasn't a loss. The match result was clearly a defeat, but I never think that our Class 1 lost to Class 5.”
Professor Sedgen smiled gently.
“Class 1 dominated the match. And the match time was only twenty minutes. Class 5's teamwork was impressive, but if there had been more time, we surely would have made a comeback!”
Professor Sedgen patted Chloe's shoulder.
“And not being able to stop Leo student in the end was because he perfectly struck at our intentions. No matter who among the first-years was there, they wouldn't have been able to stop Leo student. I guarantee that!”
Having said that, Professor Sedgen pointed a finger towards the sky.
“My students! Raise your heads! And look up! The fact that our Class 1 is the most elegant remains unchanged!”
“Professor!”
“Waaaah! We respect you!”
The students of Class 1 praised Professor Sedgen, deeply moved.
The Class 1 students were merely mistaken about Sedgen's reputation and achievements.
He wasn't a professor who only desired excellent students.
Rather, he was a famous professor known for valuing the teacher-student bond and never giving up on the students entrusted to him.
The reason he took charge of Class 1 wasn't because the class's average score was high, but simply because he liked the '1' in Class 1.
Just as Class 1 was creating such a heartwarming atmosphere.
“Professor Sedgen.”
“Student Leo. The strategy you showed in today's match was astonishing. By the way, what is it?”
“Professor Hallind told me to go buy drinks right now. And he said to start cleaning the restrooms from today.”
At Leo's words, the atmosphere in Class 1 plunged into despair once again, and Sedgen's lips trembled.
“Huh? Professor Sedgen! Professor Ain and Professor Ren are fighting!”
At that moment, Howl from Class 1 was startled to see the clashing frosty auras and magic in the middle of the training ground.
“Student Howl.”
“Yes?”
“Would you take your friends and buy some drinks from the cafe? Professor Hallind will take care of Professor Ain and Professor Ren.”
True to his words, Professor Hallind was already approaching the two professors.
Howl nodded absentmindedly and headed to the campus cafe with his close friends.
Towards Howl, Leo annoyingly made an additional request.
“The most expensive one.”
“Cough!”
Sedgen felt a pull in the back of his neck.
‘Next time, I will definitely win! Class Fiiiiiiive!!’
***
A month had passed since the first-year students enrolled in Rumerun.
That amount of time was sufficient for the students to adapt to Rumerun.
“Yaaaawn! Good morning.”
Karl yawned languidly and sat down.
“Did you work late again yesterday?”
Chelsea asked, eating the spaghetti that came out for breakfast in the school cafeteria, and Karl scratched his head.
“Tsk. The demand for fatigue recovery potions is increasing day by day.”
Karl's combat-related abilities were definitely among the lowest among first-years, but in alchemy and auxiliary magic, he was an upper-middle-ranked student.
Even his homeroom professor, Hallind, had been positively evaluating Karl, who had professionally set his career path as a supporter since enrollment.
Moreover, his business was flourishing.
Not only had he been promoting them since the entrance ceremony, but when the top students often used Karl's fatigue recovery potions, they sold like hotcakes.
One reason for the boom was that many students thought it was better to buy potions than to make them themselves, as potions are surprisingly labor-intensive to produce.
“Tsk, it would be nice if they bought some other items too.”
Karl looked at his other business items with a regretful expression.
However, he didn't have many complaints since he settled in faster than expected.
Leo said, chewing on a steak from the morning.
“By the way, have you heard the rumor?”
“What rumor?”
“They say the seniors who were dispatched to conquer a dungeon are returning?”
At those words, Karl's eyes lit up.
“I heard! I heard! According to rumors, three teams are returning?”
Hero dungeon raiders, tasked with conquering hero dungeons and recovering hero pages, often left school.
Especially this time, with three teams dispatched, all the students considered the strongest in the school were absent.
A very regretful atmosphere was flowing among the first-years, as they had not yet met the particularly famous named students of Rumerun.
Chelsea twirled spaghetti around her fork, put it into her mouth with a little 'pop,' and said.
“They say that in the next Heroics class, the pages of the Hero's Record recovered this time will be used as teaching materials?”
“Really? Are we entering the world of heroes already? I thought it would be at least for the midterm practical exam?”
Karl got excited.
“Not exactly. I heard that among the pages recovered this time, there are some damaged ones mixed in. They're going to have a class where we deduce the hero of those pages.”
“Aw, what's that?”
“Why that reaction? Encountering a lost Hero's Record is a really big deal, you know?”
Chelsea said, her eyes sparkling.
She loved heroic tales very much and had a hobby of researching heroes' anecdotes.
“Come to think of it, club recruitment period is starting soon, too, right?”
Karl stroked his chin.
Club enrollment was now scheduled to begin for the first-years who had become accustomed to school life.
“Do you guys have any clubs in mind? I'm thinking of joining a commerce-related club.”
“I'm thinking of joining the music club. I learned it as an accomplishment from my family since I was young.”
“Hah~ That's a hobby befitting a noble lady, indeed? Leo, what about you?”
“I'm thinking of creating a club.”
“What?”
“You're creating a club?”
“Yeah.”
When the class representative said he was creating a club, Chelsea and Karl became interested.
“What kind of club are you going to make?”
“Hero Research Club.”
“Hero Research Club? Sounds like an academic-related club.”
Karl showed a negative reaction.
“Usually, clubs are for relieving stress from school life, so would people want to join an academic-related club?”
Chelsea also shook her head negatively.
“It has nothing to do with academics. We're going to research forgotten heroes.”
Leo smiled gently, and Karl asked.
“For example?”
“Kyle, the Hero of Beginnings.”
It was his dark intention to promote his achievements in Rumerun.
“Kyle? He's not forgotten, he's a fictional character, isn't he? If it's too outlandish, it won't be popular.”
“Still, it sounds fun! Kyle isn't registered in the Hero's Record, so he's treated as a fictional character! But he's actually too famous a hero, isn't he? How could someone who isn't even a historical hero build that much recognition? Maybe Kyle's Hero's Record just hasn't been discovered yet!”
Chelsea, who loved heroic tales, chattered excitedly.
“Chelsea.”
“Hm?”
“You're so kind.”
Leo, seeing someone so positively disposed towards him for the first time in his life, smiled gently and stroked Chelsea's head.
Chelsea was flustered, not knowing the reason for Leo's sudden action, but soon giggled and leaned into Leo's touch.
Karl smiled, watching them.
“Your dreams are too big. Kyle is definitely a fake hero anyway, isn't he? How about Dweno instead? The great blacksmith and advisor to the Grand Hero Party! Certainly, an existing hero like him would be better than someone like Kyle… Ugh! Ugh?! Cough?”
“Karl. If you only eat bread, you might choke.”
“Mmph-mmph-mmph! Cough! (Who'd feed someone bread while saying that?!)”
“Hm? You want more?”
“Mmph-mmph-mmph-mmph! (Waaaater!)”
Leo kindly stuffed the bread from the table into his friend's mouth.
***
Morning classes ended, and it was lunchtime.
Students poured out of the classroom.
It was when Leo was tidying up his textbooks and about to get up from his seat.
“Leo.”
“Hm?”
Celia entered Class 5 and stood before Leo.
“What is it? Celia. Why are you in someone else's class?”
Chelsea asked with a furrowed brow, and Celia calmly replied.
“I just came because I have something to do with Leo. You don't have any other plans for lunch today, do you?”
“No, I don't.”
“Then eat with me.”
“Why?”
“The student council president wants to see you.”