Book 1 Chapter 325
325
Glory's base.
Chloe approached Leo, who was sitting on the rampart.
“We gained a big advantage in the first engagement.”
Chloe, sitting next to Leo, looked forward and said,
“Because we found out that Harmony's King is Chelsea and Noble's King is Kyle.”
Chloe continued, innocently dangling her legs.
“In addition, by defending the base, we earned many points against the Harmony and Noble kids.”
Glory had definitely taken the advantageous position.
“By continuing to lead the competition defensively and intervening when Harmony and Noble clash, we can maintain our superiority. Of course,”
Chloe looked at Leo.
“They won't just stand by and take it like this.”
Leo rested his chin on his hand, watching Chloe speak with a confident smile.
“How do you think Harmony and Noble will respond?”
“They'll probably form an alliance. Kyle will be leading that alliance.”
Chloe said thoughtfully.
“If it's Kyle, he'll probably come up with the best combination to defeat you.”
“The best combination to defeat me, huh.”
Leo rested his chin on his hand.
“The vanguard will be Waraden and Chelsea. The rear will be Abad. And the role to cover both front and rear will be Eliza, then.”
“That's right.”
Chloe smiled brightly.
“Celia and Duran will target Chen Xia and me, who have a type advantage over them.”
Celia, who wields fire aura, and Chloe, who wields ice magic.
Considering their types, Celia has the advantage.
And water aura versus lightning aura.
In their matchup, Duran also has the advantage.
The first prerequisite for defeating Leo.
It was absolutely necessary to prevent Chloe and Chen Xia from joining forces.
“You need to be careful. If you're declared dead, we'll lose immediately.”
“Do you think I'll lose?”
“No, but…”
Chloe smiled, thinking of her peers.
“I don't think they'll back down so easily. They'll definitely come at us fiercely, eyes burning.”
“We clearly showed them the difference in power. If you were in their shoes, what would you do?”
“I would clash with all my might.”
Chloe smiled a little shyly.
“Because there's someone who taught me never to give up, no matter the moment.”
“Really? Who taught you that?”
As Leo smiled and spoke, Chloe made a slightly sullen expression.
“It was you?”
Seeing Chloe like that, Leo smiled and then ruffled her hair.
“It's admirable that you haven't lost that spirit.”
“Oh?!”
Chloe's face turned beet red, and her mouth opened and closed.
***
“What could the class president and Chloe be talking about?”
Iliana's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“They're probably having a strategy meeting.”
As Chen Xia smiled and spoke, a male student from Glory's knight department crossed his arms.
“Aren't you joining? You're a dorm leader too, aren't you?”
“It's enough for Young Master Leo and Miss Chloe to devise the strategy. Well, truthfully, Harmony and Noble don't have many options here, so it's quite predictable.”
“It's predictable?”
Iliana tilted her head.
But everyone except Iliana nodded.
“Certainly.”
“There's no other way, right?”
As conversations buzzed around, Iliana said, 'What? What?'
“Tell me!”
“Isn't it obvious unless you're an idiot?”
A magic department student teased Iliana, who then made a sullen face and kicked him straight in the shin.
“Ugh?”
Watching him hop around, clutching his shin, Iliana said,
“There must be others who can't predict it besides me! Right?”
However, no student responded to Iliana's words.
“Xia! Everyone's looking at me like I'm an idiot!”
Iliana made a tearful face and hugged Chen Xia.
She patted Iliana's head and said,
“In this situation, the only thing Harmony and Noble can do is form an alliance.”
“Aha, I see.”
Iliana nodded, then tilted her head.
“But wouldn't an alliance put them at a disadvantage? They can't fight among themselves then.”
Iliana, with her arms crossed, fell into thought.
“We've already gained a lot of points, so even if we just focus on defense, we'll win. Even if the dorm leaders combine their strength… can they defeat the class president? We also have Chen Xia and Chloe.”
“Honestly, if it were me… I wouldn't dare challenge Leo.”
“Exactly, he's too strong.”
The Glory students looked at Leo with expressions of exasperation.
“Is Chloe unfazed? She's so calm.”
As Iliana made a curious expression, Chen Xia smiled.
“She must have been influenced by someone.”
Just then.
“Everyone! Enemies have appeared in the front!”
A Glory student keeping watch from the surveillance tower shouted urgently.
At that announcement, Chloe stood up.
“What's the scale?!”
“…It looks like… everyone has invaded?”
At the strained voice, Leo stood up.
Leo's lips curled into a smile as he looked at the dorm leaders at the forefront.
“Shall we go?”
***
Kyle looked at Chelsea standing next to him, then scratched his head.
“Chelsea.”
“…”
“Hey, Chelsea.”
“Huh?”
Chelsea was startled by Kyle's finger poking her cheek, then covered her cheek and recoiled.
“Why?”
“Why are you spaced out like that?”
“…Just thinking a bit.”
Chelsea murmured weakly.
Seeing Chelsea like that, Kyle grinned.
“Heh, then, as your friend, I'll give you something good!”
Kyle pulled a small potion bottle from his pocket, handed it to Chelsea, and said in a subtle voice,
“This is an elixir I obtained from Lord Dweno's alchemy book! It's called the Potion of Courage…”
Kyle quickly glanced around.
“Lord Arion drank this and gained courage, they say. I'll give it to you for just 1 gold…”
Pop-!
Chelsea opened the cap of the bottle containing the yellow potion and sniffed it.
And said,
“…It's fruit juice.”
“…Ahem. Cough.”
Kyle cleared his throat.
Chelsea closed the bottle and raised her hand.
“Eek?”
Kyle, who had naturally expected a punch, flinched in terror and recoiled.
But Chelsea did nothing; she calmly handed the potion bottle back to Kyle and walked away.
Seeing her, Kyle scratched his head.
She was definitely different from usual.
“What's wrong? Is something the matter?”
“…Because I'm pathetic.”
Chelsea said in a subdued voice.
“Whether it was my brother… or Leo oppa. I've been content just watching. I boasted a lot about being an honor student, but…”
Chelsea's shoulders drooped.
“…I've just been living without any goals.”
Abad, who had saved her, fell.
When Celia fell.
Chelsea ran away.
A natural choice as a King.
But no.
Even if she hadn't been a King in that situation, Chelsea would have run away.
Because she knew of the overwhelming power.
For the reason that she didn't want to fight Leo.
Even though they were on different sides, she instinctively reached out to Abad in a moment of crisis.
She couldn't properly fight Leo, who was threatening her.
Chelsea thought that she had shown such a pathetic side because she had vaguely chased after someone she admired.
“…My brother must be disappointed in me. Leo oppa too.”
Seeing the dejected Chelsea, Kyle scratched his head vigorously, then looked at Abad and gestured with his hands and feet, mouthing words.
“Don't call my brother. I'm too pathetic right now to face him.”
Watching Chelsea speak without looking back, Kyle scratched his head vigorously.
“Is not having a goal a bad thing?”
“What?”
“Look at me. My goal is to stick with Lumern for as long as possible. So, I'll use this title to get a job as a supporter, make a quick buck, and earn a ton of money.”
Kyle grinned, forming a coin shape with his fingers.
“And with that money, I'll make elixirs or something, sell them, and then live a life of leisure and comfort.”
“…That's pathetic.”
“It's sad when you say it so bluntly. See, there are even pathetic goals like this, right? It's not necessarily good to have a goal. And of course, not having one isn't bad either.”
Kyle chuckled.
“Leo would never be disappointed in you. On the contrary, he'd probably be wondering when you'd find your own goal.”
Chelsea blinked.
Their social statuses were different, their families were different, and their positions within the school were different.
But Kyle had been a friend who maintained an equal relationship with Chelsea since enrollment.
That's why at this moment.
It resonated even more strongly with the dejected and lost Chelsea.
“You don't need to find a goal right away. What's important now is fighting against Leo.”
“Aren't you scared?”
“Of course I'm scared. I'm in charge of combat command now. If I make a mistake, how much will Eliza nag me?”
Kyle shuddered.
His fear was different from Chelsea's.
Chelsea's fear was the distance between Leo and herself.
But for some reason, Kyle's mischievous demeanor made her laugh.
“Listen, this is something I'm only telling you, okay? Don't go telling anyone else.”
“What is it?”
“Lord Arion, the Hero, is actually a huge coward.”
Slam-!
“Aargh!”
Chelsea mercilessly stomped on Kyle's foot.
Kyle fell to the ground and rolled around wildly.
“Who are you trying to fool?”
As Chelsea scoffed, Kyle limped to his feet.
“It's true, really! Ask Leo!”
Kyle made an aggrieved expression.
“That's impossible.”
Chelsea made an disbelieving expression.
Seeing Chelsea like that, Kyle said,
“I didn't believe it even when I saw it. But you know what? In the end, he was the bravest one to step forward.”
Kyle grinned.
“I realized he was a hero because he overcame his fear.”
Kyle handed the potion bottle in his hand to Chelsea.
“And this is actually the fruit juice Lord Arion used to enjoy.”
Chelsea looked down at the potion bottle.
Kyle gave a thumbs-up to Chelsea, then retreated to the rear.
And he raised his head.
Before they knew it, Glory's rampart was visible.
Chelsea took a deep breath as she saw the rampart.
Slap-!
Then, after slapping her own cheek, she took a deep breath and gulped down the potion.
“Mmm! Delicious!”
Her eyes sparkled.
It felt like courage was surging within her.
“Alright! Let's do our best! Aja! Aja! Aja!”
Whoosh-!
The moment Chelsea regained her spirits.
A storm swept in before Chelsea.
“Huh?”
“It seems you've recovered your spirits.”
Leo, with his sword raised, had appeared before Chelsea.
Chelsea hastily took a combat stance.
“Hoooh!”
“It's Leo's surprise attack!”
Chaos erupted around them.
Whoosh-!
As Leo swung his sword, Chelsea swung her staff.
Clang-!
Blades of wind crossed each other.
Leo burst out laughing.
“Not bad at all.”
“Someone trained me well.”
Chelsea wore a triumphant expression.
Whoosh-!
“In close-quarters combat using wind… I will never lose easily!”
Chelsea infused magic into the long staff held in her other hand.
Hwaaaang!
Leo's body, which had been aiming for a surprise attack on Chelsea, shot high into the sky.
Crackle-!
Lightning aura enveloped Leo.
Flash! Sizzle!
Instantly, a water barrier protected Leo.
“Chen Xia.”
“Duran-kun has to fight me anyway, right? I'll be your opponent.”
“Hmph.”
Duran scoffed.
Fwoosh! Cr-cr-cr-crash!
Flames and ice surged from the direction of the rampart.
Celia and Chloe's clash became the signal, and the attack of Harmony and Noble students began.
Thud-!
Leo landed on the ground.
He then looked at the four people standing before him, and smiled at Kyle, who was at the very back.
“Kyle, did you come well prepared?”
“Of course!”
Kyle gave a thumbs-up.
Seeing that, Leo smiled.
“Is that so? Then.”
The expression vanished from Leo's face.
“It means you're ready to experience the difference, then?”