Book 1 Chapter 314

“Did you hear?”

“Yeah. About how the second-year seniors have been staying out every day recently?”

“They say it’s a mock battle between the dorms. Since all second-years are participating, the scale must be huge.”

“When will we ever have a large-scale mock battle like that?”

The first-year training grounds of Lumern.

Students were chatting during a break in their Joint Combat Studies class.

The first-years were overwhelmed due to their first mid-term exams since entering Lumern.

Of course, the pressure itself wasn't as great compared to other cohorts.

The first semester mid-term exam for first-years is annually evaluated as a "threshold of death" for Lumern students.

However, this year's first-years would not receive recommendations for withdrawal before the end of the first semester.

Therefore, unlike other cohorts, they had a little more room to look around.

“Hmm. Us. Don’t we feel a bit like an afterthought?”

Juen muttered in a slightly petulant voice.

Normally, the first-years receive the most spotlight during the first semester mid-term exams.

It's an event that draws the attention of the entire academy, where the new faces who have enrolled in Lumern showcase their skills to their seniors.

But this time, the big event receiving the spotlight was the practical exam for the second-year students' mid-terms.

It was even rarely opened to external guests.

Many people were already flocking to Lumeria City to witness the total war effort of the golden generation, the second-years.

Fritz, a classmate of Juen, let out a “Hmph” and laughed at Juen’s grumbling.

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“What?”

“In front of Senior Leo’s radiant presence, it’s only natural for the first-years to be an afterthought…”

“Ah, right. Right. It’s my fault for asking you, a devoted follower of Senior Leo.”

Juen let out a deep sigh.

“I have a question. Why did you become Senior Abad’s mentee? If you praise Senior Leo so much, shouldn’t you naturally become Senior Leo’s mentee?”

“What! For someone like me to dare become Senior Leo’s mentee? You’re telling me to commit such rudeness!?”

“You’re seriously ill.”

Just as Juen shook his head in disbelief.

“Juen.”

“Yes?”

“Your mentor is here.”

“Huh? Senior Cal is here?”

At the words of a female classmate, Juen’s eyes widened.

Then he burst into laughter.

“Really, Senior Cal always takes care of his cute juniors even when he’s busy.”

Juen stood up with a smug expression.

Around him, envious glances were directed at Juen.

Cal was the second-year student who most enthusiastically took on the role of a mentor.

Of course, it wasn't for that reason that the first-years envied Juen.

Even if he took good care of them, Cal was the lowest ranked among the second-years.

When first-years looked for mentors, Cal was the most avoided second-year.

When Juen suddenly chose Cal as his mentor, most of the first-years were bewildered.

They whispered behind his back that he, as the heir to the Southern Tower, wouldn't bother with mentees.

Some even gossiped that he picked a poor mentee to make himself stand out.

However, those perceptions completely changed after Cal conquered the world of Dweno.

After it became known that he even obtained Dweno’s alchemy book as a conquest reward from the Dweno world, he has been the sole object of envy as he is now.

Juen walked lightly towards the entrance of the first-year combat training grounds.

And he stopped when he saw the first-years gathered there.

Cal was among the first-years.

“Come on! Pick! Pick! Senior Cal’s general store is here!”

Cal was shouting at the first-years like a street vendor.

The first-years looked at Cal with curious eyes.

“We have everything from fatigue recovery potions and candies to help you study for exams! Mobile targets to aid in combat training! Sandbags! Snacks that magical beasts love! Magic stones that spirits love!”

Cal placed various armaments on the stall.

“And we also have bombs and throwing daggers for emergencies during combat! Antidotes to recover from status ailments! Even emergency magic scrolls!”

“Ooh!”

“Nice!”

The first-years’ eyes sparkled at Cal’s promotion.

“Most importantly.”

Cal grinned and then quickly pulled out a card.

The back of the card, with the Lumern Academy crest, had pictures of second-year students.

“For our excellent customers, we even have cards of handsome and beautiful second-year students!”

“Ooh…”

“Yes, it’s Senior Nella!”

“Wow! Senior Abad!”

The first-years’ eyes sparkled.

“For your information, these are photos from when they were fresh first-years!”

“Gulp…”

“It’s… tempting.”

The first-years’ eyes wavered at the rare photos of the second-year seniors.

“Hmph, pathetic.”

At that moment, Habiden pushed through the crowd and appeared.

Beside Habiden stood Rikiden Brick.

He was a student from the famous knightly family, the Virsen family, who had taken classes with the first-years at Lumern last year along with Habiden.

Rikiden, who had sparred with Cal at the time, greeted Cal with a smile.

“Oh, Prince. You’ve deigned to visit this humble place.”

Cal smiled and returned the greeting, while Habiden crossed his arms.

“Senior Cal. It is currently a break for the first-year classes. Coming here during combat studies, in particular, is disruptive to the students’ rest.”

“…You’re just like your mentor. You look like someone who breaks school rules at every opportunity, yet you’re the type who strictly adheres to them.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“It’s a compliment. A compliment. You’re an honor student.”

Durand, who always radiated a sense of authority, absolutely adhered to the rules.

He was the epitome of an honor student, so to speak.

Habiden looked at Cal with a slightly displeased gaze but said nothing further.

It wasn't simply because Cal was a senior.

Based on his experience last year, he acknowledged Cal as someone who commanded respect as a senior.

In any case, for now, he had to drive away this peddler who was disturbing his fellow students’ rest.

‘Aina, the class representative, is basically indifferent to anything outside her own business. Shasha and Juen break rules left and right when something seems interesting.’

Ironically, among the four most promising individuals in the first-year class, Habiden was the most upright honor student.

“In any case, please pack up your stall.”

“My, how rigid.”

Cal grumbled.

Seeing Cal like that, Habiden said coldly.

“I will call Professor Halind.”

At those words, Cal moved closer to Habiden.

Habiden looked at Cal without batting an eye.

“Don’t be so harsh, okay?”

“What is this…?”

Habiden, who was contorting his face as he saw Cal subtly slip something into his embrace, flinched.

The card Cal slipped in had a picture of Chelsea, wearing her summer uniform and smiling brightly while making a V with her fingers.

“It’s for your benefit and mine, you know?”

“Tch!”

Habiden showed a conflicted expression.

“…”

Juen, watching from afar, had a cold expression.

“Oh! Juen! Do you want to buy something too?”

Cal smiled brightly at his mentee, Juen, and waved.

“Juen Torvina. Senior Cal is calling you?”

At Fritz's words, Juen said coldly.

“I don’t know such a silly person.”

And he turned to leave.

Cal pushed through the crowd and approached Juen.

“Wow! You came to see your senior! Good boy! Good boy!”

“Who are you?”

Juen pretended not to know, but Cal didn’t care and took something out of his pocket.

“Here, here. Don’t be sulky. Take this.”

“What is this?”

“I made some magic bullets.”

Juen, who was skilled in sniping magic, used separate magic bullets in addition to her own magic.

Cal had made custom bullets that matched the user’s magic patterns.

“These are test ones. For close-range deterrence and the four elemental bullets.”

“Hooh. You made them well?”

“Because I’m your mentor.”

Cal said with a grin.

Seeing Cal like that, Juen smiled brightly.

“Thank you, Senior.”

With a cute expression, Juen clung to Cal’s arm.

“In that case, Senior~! Can’t you give your cute mentee a recovery potion~?”

Seeing Juen pleading with a saccharine voice, Cal smiled goofily and gave him a potion.

‘Hmph, look. My mentor even brings fatigue recovery potions for his cute juniors! Aren’t you jealous!’

Juen smirked at his classmates and took a sip of the potion.

*Swish*

Cal extended his palm.

“…What is it?”

“That will be a mere 5 shillings.”

“…You’re charging money from your cute mentee?”

“Let’s keep our business and personal lives separate. You’ve had a sip, so no returns.”

Seeing Cal speak with such finality, Juen’s face contorted.

“Give me a discount.”

“No. Since you’re the daughter of the Tower Master, you have plenty of money.”

“Hmph!”

Juen took out 5 shillings from his pocket and gave it to Cal.

Cal chuckled, watching Juen pout.

“Senior. Are you really here to do business?”

Seeing Juen’s sulky reaction, Cal jingled his pockets and said.

“No. I came to give you test bullets, and…”

Cal grinned.

“To gather information.”

“Information?”

Juen stopped.

‘What is this person plotting now?’

Juen’s eyes sparkled.

The reason he chose Cal as his mentor.

It was because he thought there were things to learn from Cal.

In fact, Cal was skilled at collecting information and devising various strategies based on it.

As the daughter of the Tower Master, Juen, who had only received elite education her whole life, lacked this ability.

Juen, standing a short distance away, watched Cal’s business with the first-years intently.

Cal was already acquainted with most of the first-years, besides Juen.

‘Wait.’

And Juen realized something.

‘He knows who everyone’s mentee is!’

Juen’s eyes widened.

Cal had accurately grasped who the mentees of the first-years were.

And he naturally continued his conversations with the second-years.

As the break was about to end.

Juen approached Cal, who was packing up his stall, and whispered.

“You used the first-years to gather information about the second-years, didn’t you?”

Looking at Juen, whose eyes were sparkling, Cal shrugged.

“See? It’s not at the stage of gathering information yet. I’m just naturally sowing seeds.”

Cal grinned.

“Mentors and mentees are close, like you and me. You naturally talk about your school life. I think some students will talk about the inter-academy competition with their juniors.”

If he had immediately asked for information about the mock battle, the first-years would have been wary.

So, he approached them naturally like this, leading to mentor talk, and naturally lowered their guard.

“Well, I don’t know if I’ll get any useful information, but isn’t it better than not trying?”

Watching Cal wink playfully, Juen was impressed.

“Senior, do you know you look a bit cool today?”

“Hmph. You just noticed? In that case, I’ll give you a discount on the fatigue recovery potion.”

“Half price?”

“No. For 4 shillings.”

Just as Juen let out a hollow laugh.

“Did your guts grow along with becoming a second-year? Cal Thomas.”

A cold voice was heard.

Cal’s face turned pale.

“Combat studies is a physically demanding class. To think you would take away from the break and disrupt my class. You’ve grown quite a bit.”

Cal, turning his head, trembled.

There stood Halind, with a cold smile.

“I’m sorry! I’m truly sorry! I didn’t mean to! Professor Halind! I’m sorry!”

Cal’s back repeatedly bent at a 90-degree angle.

The first-years snickered at Cal’s demeanor.

Juen ignored Cal.

“Juen, what were you talking about with Senior Cal?”

“Cal? Who’s that? I don’t know anyone like that.”

To the question of his female classmate, Juen replied in a cold voice.