Book 1 Chapter 306

306

First-year dormitory's large bath.

The large bath in the center of the bathhouse is always the most used by students.

However, only two people were in the bath at the moment.

They were the student council president and vice president, who held the highest authority in Lumern.

It was a living hell for the first-year students.

Lumern's Student Council.

In other schools, it might be considered a mere school authority, but in the Hero Academy, the student council's power was immense.

Literally, they were the leaders of hero candidates who would grow to lead the future of the world.

For the first-year students who had just enrolled, it was a combination that could only make them feel intimidated.

"Are you serious?"

"I told you! The professor told me… Huh? Why is the atmosphere like this? What's going on… *Cough*?"

"What's wrong? What… *Gag*?!"

Students entering the bathhouse were startled when they spotted Leo and Hark.

"Don't mind us and wash," Leo said with a grin. The male students, shrinking their necks, moved to the sides, glancing around nervously as they washed.

Watching them, Leo said, "Is there any need to make the first-year students nervous?"

"I didn't make them nervous," Hark said, looking at Leo with a crooked eye. "They're just scared."

Hark scoffed, tilted his head back, yawned widely, and asked, "I heard something interesting happened in Demian?"

The story of Leo's party conquering Deweno's Hero Record had already spread throughout Lumern.

At Hark's words, the first-year students who had been watching nervously' eyes widened, and they focused on Leo.

"How was it? The great heroes?"

"Just as Senior Hark imagines," Leo replied.

"Just as I imagine."

Hark, as a conqueror of Lumern's hero dungeons, had conquered many hero worlds.

However, even he had never experienced the world of a great hero.

"I'm envious," Hark said in a low voice, filled with sincerity, and then got up.

*Splash!*

"I'm leaving. I don't particularly like the first-year students being intimidated by me either."

Hark scoffed and glared at Leo.

"You, if you're the student council president, act like one and come to the student council meetings. Don't push all your presidential duties onto me."

With a grin, Leo watched Hark leave.

'I guess I need to pay a little attention to school matters while preparing for the midterm exams.'

"Young Master!"

"Congratulations on conquering the Heroic World of Demian!"

"As expected of Young Master Leo!"

While none of the first-year students dared to approach Leo, three people came forward.

They were Austin, Valerie, and Julian, Leo's Slayer Knights.

Having trained under Leo since the Zerdinger family, the three were first-year students who could talk to Leo without much hesitation.

"Ooooh! Senior Leo!"

At that moment, someone quickly approached Leo.

"Congratulations! Senior Leo! Well, who else but someone like Senior Leo could conquer Deweno's Hero Record…!"

Fritz, a first-year student from the Magic department, who came from Shadow, was also busy praising Leo.

This was the type of person who fanatically worshipped Leo and approached him without hesitation.

"Welcome, Senior Leo," Haviden said, greeting Leo afterwards.

As he received the polite greetings from his juniors, Leo wore a puzzled expression.

"I don't see Luke."

At Leo's words, Fritz said, "Luke Elda is probably training in the training grounds right now."

"This late?"

"Yes, he's training very hard."

***

After finishing his bath, Leo headed to the training grounds behind the first-year male dormitory.

It was late, so there was only one person in the training grounds.

Luke was running through the training grounds silently.

Sweat was pouring down his body, and his limbs were trembling.

*Thump!*

"Ugh!"

After running for a moment, Luke collapsed on the spot, covering his mouth and retching.

"Hah! Heh! Hek!"

Leo approached Luke, who was gasping for breath as if he had long passed his physical limit.

"You're working hard," Leo said. Luke, startled, raised his head.

"Senior Leo! You're back!"

As Luke tried to get up, he staggered and fell back down. His legs were trembling.

Luke's arms and legs, having already exceeded their limits, were not obeying their owner's commands.

On Luke's wrists and ankles were bracelets made of magic.

They were artifacts Leo had made himself.

'Actually, Luna designed them.'

They were items that Kyle had asked Luna to make for the training of Berkia and Bihard.

Since enrolling in Lumern, Leo had used these artifacts for training not only himself but also Celia, Chelsea, and his own knights.

Their effect was to suppress the user's physical abilities, a kind of seal.

They had the effect of expanding the wearer's capacity by constantly facing their limits.

'Luna and Aron were terrible at expanding their disciples' capacity.'

Luna and Aron were born with immense magical power and overwhelming physical abilities.

Therefore, while they were excellent at teaching magic and martial arts, they were clumsy at expanding their disciples' capacity.

"Have you ever tried to release the seal?"

"Yes. Senior Leo told me. It's fine to release it, but the effect will decrease the moment you release it even once."

When wearing Luna's sealed item, one feels as if they have fallen into the deep sea, their body becoming heavy and their mana movement sluggish.

They are constantly living at their limit.

It is the best training to complete one's capacity.

And this method could also produce the maximum effect precisely because it was Luke.

Luke learned everything on his own.

Therefore, he did not properly grasp his own abilities.

While other new students were strengthening existing capacities filled at Lumern, Luke was filling an empty capacity at Lumern.

'That's why he's ignorant about himself.'

An empty capacity.

He doesn't feel how much has been filled into his capacity.

Because his abilities were sealed before they could be filled, he has no idea how strong he has become.

He doesn't know what his current limit is.

He is growing steadily, but Luke himself cannot feel it.

What happens if he releases the seal in such a situation?

He would learn how strong he has become and naturally understand his limit.

If he seals it again after that, his body, which has already recognized its limit, will hinder its growth.

The effect of the seal would be halved the moment he perceives the unnatural state of sealing.

'He would perceive the seal as a restriction.'

"Isn't it difficult?"

"I was already prepared for this," Luke replied.

"Don't you feel like you're just treading water?"

The beginning of enrollment is the period when freshmen grow the most.

During this time, many rankings change.

A failing student might rise to the top, while a top student might fall.

But Luke remained at the bottom, regardless of this.

To others, he would appear to have made no progress.

Moreover, Luke was also Leo's mentee.

Leo Flob, an unprecedented student in Lumern's history.

Being Leo's mentee was a factor that drew many people's attention to Luke.

Luke was also being evaluated as an unprecedented student.

Of course, this was mockery.

A Lumern student who doesn't grow at all.

The greatest dunce in Lumern's history, who is barely avoiding expulsion due to luck.

This was how his classmates viewed him.

It was a situation that must have been very painful for Luke.

At Leo's words, Luke clenched his fists.

Then, taking a deep breath, he said, "It's painful."

Luke's eyes darkened.

"Everyone else is moving forward, and I'm just standing still."

A failing student who is already behind is not improving at all.

Furthermore, the midterm exams are coming up soon.

He would realize the widening gap even more.

Of course, if he released the seal, the story might be different.

But…

"Senior Leo told me," Luke said in a determined voice.

"'The goal is to be the class representative.'"

The class toppers, whom he had to look up to from afar.

A goal that seemed impossible.

To be honest, he lacked confidence.

But…

"Senior Leo said I could do it. So I will."

It was the guarantee of Leo Flob himself.

Luke showed absolute faith in those words.

Leo nodded, watching Luke.

"Alright. Then come to the second-year classroom after class tomorrow."

"Yes?"

"I told you I'd teach you magic after we returned from Demian."

Luke's eyes widened.

"I know someone who can teach you magic."

"R-really?"

"Yes. But," Leo said with a meaningful smile.

"Keep learning magic a secret."

"Why, why?"

"There's nothing better for surprising your opponent than a trump card."

***

The next day.

After his first-year classes ended, Luke hurriedly packed his school bag.

"He's probably going to train alone again."

"Wow, how could someone like that be the student council president's mentee? No! How did he even enroll in Lumern?"

"Poor Senior Leo. Won't he be expelled with him?"

Luke could hear his classmates whispering.

He sighed at their words.

He had heard such remarks countless times over the past two weeks.

But he could never get used to them.

'I might have to hear them for another half a year.'

Just as Luke's shoulders drooped, he heard a dignified voice.

"Do you know that? There's nothing as despicable as badmouthing others behind their backs. And are you mocking Senior Leo right now?"

"Uh? Shasha?"

"No, well, we didn't mean it like that!"

Shasha, the class representative of Luke's first-year class, glared coldly at the classmates who were mocking Luke.

Her fierce aura, as the top student of the first-year class and the princess of the Rodren Empire, made her classmates' faces turn white.

"Hmph," Shasha scoffed and approached Luke.

"Luke. Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"I'm going to meet Senior Leo."

"Senior Leo? Can I come with you?" Shasha asked, elegantly unfurling her fan.

Shasha was generally kind to all students in her class.

Luke thought she had charisma, even though she was still young, as she was the future empress.

Luke, who always received help, momentarily wanted to ask her to come along.

"Keep learning magic a secret," Leo had told him.

Recalling Leo's words, Luke scratched his head.

"I'm sorry. I think I have to go alone."

"That's a shame. I wanted to hear about the Heroic World story from Senior Leo."

Shasha, fanning herself with her fan, licked her lips and packed her school bag.

Luke, leaving the classroom, hurried towards the second-year classroom building.

In front of the second-year classroom building, Luke's expression tensed.

A moment later, the second-year students poured out of their classrooms.

"Let's eat! Food!"

"I heard there's a new menu at the Hero's Tower restaurant!"

"Let's hurry before the kids get here!"

A group of second-year female students rushed out.

Then they spotted Luke and stopped.

"What is a first-year doing here?"

"Brave. But he's kinda cute."

"Isn't that Leo's mentee?"

As the second-year students paid attention, Luke shrunk his neck even further.

"Are you Luke Elda?"

"Y-yes? Yes!" Luke replied, his expression extremely tense.

Then, seeing the other person's face, he was startled.

'Se-Senior Durhan!'

Durhan, with his characteristic arrogant expression, looked down at Luke with cold eyes.

Seeing Luke's even more frightened expression, Durhan smirked.

"Hmph, Haviden is more outstanding," Durhan said with a seemingly satisfied expression.

Seeing Durhan, Luke cautiously said, "W-well, Haviden is one of the top students in the first-year Knight department!"

"You admit it too? You have a good eye." Durhan reacted with even more satisfaction to Luke's words.

Just then, a sharp voice cut through the air.

"That's ridiculous. You're proud of being chosen by Haviden as Leo Flob's second?"

'Ah, Senior Elizabeth!'

Durhan and Elizabeth, famous for being the scariest among the first-year students.

Luke became even more frightened by the combination of the two.

"You talk a lot for someone who wasn't even chosen by the first-years," Durhan sneered, mocking Elizabeth.

"Hmph. Mentees, whatever. They're just a nuisance. I wasn't going to take anyone," Elizabeth scoffed.

Beside her, Karl spoke as if a sword had passed by.

"Who is it that threw a tantrum on the day they were abandoned by Shasha… *Gag*?"

"Why are you bringing that up now?" Elizabeth choked Karl's neck with her whip.

Luke became even more frightened by her ferocious demeanor.

"What are you doing standing there? Come here," Leo called out to Luke.

"Yes! Seniors! I'm going to go!"

Luke bowed politely and followed Leo.

Watching them, Durhan said, "I should also give Haviden some advice as a mentor today."

"Juien is also pestering me to talk to him," Karl said, scratching his head as he was barely released.

The other second-year students also seemed to be heading off to see their mentees.

Left alone, Elizabeth scoffed and headed towards the dormitory.

Seeing Elizabeth, Karl said, "Elizabeth, want to go together?"

"I'm not in the Summoning department, why should I go talk to you and your mentee from the Magic department?" Elizabeth replied sharply.

Seeing Elizabeth's sharp response, Karl smiled.

"Juien asked me to tell him about the Phoenix King, so I was going to do that."

"Hmph, it might be worth listening to," Elizabeth said, crossing her arms and approaching Karl.

***

"Is Senior Leo going to teach me magic?"

"My basic magic is too old-fashioned. I'm going to ask someone who's familiar with the latest magic trends. It will interest you too," Leo replied calmly to Luke's beaming question.

They then headed to the second-year Magic department building.

Entering the building, Leo headed for Professor Ren's office.

*Knock knock-*

"Professor Ren. This is Leo Flob. May I come in?"

Ren, who would normally have welcomed him with open arms, was silent.

Puzzled, Leo was about to knock again when Anna approached.

"Student Leo, you're here."

Anna, with a somewhat hollow voice, came forward.

"Vice Professor Anna. Is Professor Ren absent?"

At Leo's question, Anna looked up at the ceiling and sighed.

She looked as if she hadn't slept, with dark circles under her eyes and a face etched with fatigue.

"See for yourself," Anna said, opening the door.

Leo's expression turned grim at the sight inside.

Bottles of alcohol were scattered across the desk, which was usually filled with magic theory.

Ren was slumped over the desk.

He, who was always neat, looked like a wreck.

"Why is he like this again?"

"…Listen to his drunken ramblings," Anna replied coldly, with a face that looked like she wanted to smack Ren on the back of the head.

Leo approached Ren.

"It's over for me… I'm going to lose my students to a first-year professor… *Sob sob sob*."

"Mel Professor brought the second-years to Demian, and he's been like this ever since," Anna said. Leo let out a deep sigh.

'Sometimes Professor Ren has a surprisingly strong mental fortitude, but other times he's as fragile as glass.'