Book 1 Chapter 334

In the coldest parts of the cold northern continent. There lay the territory of the elves.

Among those elven territories, a city considered most important.

Langen.

In the distant past.

It was the hometown of Seirun Tinggel, the Wizard of the Comet, who inherited the will of the Progenitor of the Nebula.

The Progenitor of the Nebula, the Fairy Knight, the Wizard of the Comet.

Among the three great figures of the elves, Luna and Berkia were figures from 5,000 years ago, so their hometowns are unknown.

However, the Wizard of the Comet had a distinct hometown.

Thus, Langen was treated as a 'sacred land' among the elves.

As one of the heroes called the reincarnation of the Progenitor, who saved the world from another crisis, Seirun's hometown deserved to be called a sacred land.

In the center of such Langen stood a magnificent castle.

In the highest room of that castle, an elf gazing at the panorama of Langen in the freezing weather turned their attention to a letter in their hand.

"Leo Flove wants me to write a recommendation letter for him to become an exchange student at Seirun."

Tion Tinggel, the current head of the Tinggel family, folded the letter his sibling had given him and wore a puzzled expression.

'I thought he was going to Lumern as an invited professor… why is he making such a request?'

Tion placed the letter on the table, took out a quill pen, and sat down in his executive chair with a deliberate pace.

The Tinggel family had long been considered the highest noble family among elves, but they had refrained from political activities.

The Hero Academy founded by the Wizard of the Comet.

As the power structure of the elves was reorganized around Seirun.

The Tinggel family was perfectly capable of reigning as the King of the Elves.

Considering that elves are the most cohesive race among all races.

The Tinggel family could have reigned as the sole king of the elves.

However, due to a single statement left by Seirun, Tinggel could not become royalty.

"Elves do not need a king."

It is unknown why Seirun left such a statement.

However, in accordance with this statement left by the great Wizard of the Comet, Tinggel naturally distanced themselves from the elven council.

Even so, their influence remained immense.

Seirun has no system of exchange students.

However, if it were the will of the head of the Tinggel family, it was entirely possible to create a non-existent system and accept exchange students.

Even if that student was 'Leo Flove,' who was recently causing a stir in elven society.

Tion, who had written a letter to the acting principal of Seirun, sent it to Seirun Academy using a magic beast.

Tion reached for a newspaper on his desk.

"An all-class like the Hero of the Beginning."

As he read about recent exploits in the newspaper, Tion curled his lips upwards.

"I'm curious to see what he'll show at Seirun."

***

"Exchange student?!"

A week after the exchange student commotion.

Leo, who had received confirmation from Tina, informed Celia about the fact.

Celia, who was eating with him, exclaimed in surprise.

The gazes of the bustling Lumern 2nd-year cafeteria momentarily focused on the two of them.

"Is it that surprising?"

Leo asked with a smile, stirring his soup with a spoon. Celia downed a glass of milk in one gulp.

Then, wiping her mouth, she said,

"I'm surprised because you're suddenly talking about going as an exchange student! Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't certain whether I would go or not. It was decided this morning."

"You really are…!"

As Celia wore an expression of disbelief, Iliana, who was eating, exclaimed with shining eyes and quickly ran over to sit next to Leo.

Several other friends they were close with gathered around Leo.

In response to their friends' reactions, Leo said nonchalantly,

"Professor Tina suggested that I go to Seirun as an exchange student."

Leo continued, tearing off a piece of bread,

"I thought it would be good to go, so I decided to."

Upon hearing that, Chelsea tilted her head.

"Is only Leo-oppa going?"

"Yes."

"Are they sending students from Seirun too?"

"It seems Seirun has no plans to send students."

"Oh, what a shame. That's no fun."

Chelsea pouted and grumbled.

Karl folded his arms and asked,

"When are you going and when are you coming back?"

"I'm going today and coming back in a month."

"A month?"

Karl made a shocked expression.

The other students also looked surprised at the unexpectedly long duration.

"Oho! Then the class president is going to conquer Seirun too, huh?!"

Iliana exclaimed with sparkling eyes.

"I'm just going to see how they study at Seirun and what kind of students are there," Leo said with a smile.

'Leo wouldn't just go to study quietly,'

'He's bound to get caught up in some trouble again.'

'Leo-oppa will surely do something amazing.'

Despite the confident gazes of his friends who were certain otherwise, Leo calmly continued eating.

***

That evening.

Leo packed his luggage to go to Seirun.

Before leaving, he took some time and headed to the training grounds in the backyard of the first-year boys' dormitory.

Luke was stumbling through the training grounds.

Luke, Leo's mentee, had a simple routine.

He would wake up earlier than any other first-year student and train physically in the training grounds.

Then, after attending classes, he would continue his physical training until the very end.

He always wore artifacts on his wrists and ankles that added a burden to his body.

"Ugh!"

Luke, running unsteadily, covered his mouth.

His stamina was long gone.

It was his perseverance and willpower that kept his body moving.

Barely managing to avoid a nasty fall, Luke ran, squeezing out the last of his stamina.

Finally, as if he had achieved his goal, he stopped running and collapsed on his stomach.

*Thump-*

"You don't have to push yourself that hard."

Leo approached Luke, who had collapsed.

"L-Leo-senpai."

Luke hastily sat up.

Leo smiled as he looked at Luke.

"You're already overworking yourself with just the training I've designed."

Training to gain a strong body.

Coupled with mana awakening training to use magic and studying.

It was a brutally difficult schedule for Luke.

Yet, Luke was pushing himself mercilessly.

Gritting his teeth, Luke lowered his head and said,

"…What if Leo-senpai gets expelled because of me?"

The harsh penalty of even the mentor of a first-year student who received a dismissal at the end of the first semester being expelled was enough to pressure Luke.

Indeed, the whispers he heard from his first-year peers were enough to make Luke anxious.

His mentor, Leo, was an all-class student like the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle, and the unprecedented first-year student council president.

And he was a student evaluated as potentially the strongest in Lumern's history.

Luke, Leo's mentor, was suffering the ridicule of being the worst failing student in Lumern's history.

"Even if that happens, it won't be entirely because of you."

Leo chuckled.

"It's a matter of my choice. You don't need to feel burdened. It's my responsibility."

Looking down at Luke, Leo continued,

"And I believe in my judgment."

Luke was reflected in Leo's red eyes.

"You can become a hero."

What a hero needs is not talent, nor great achievements.

Certainly not the praise of people or the approval of gods.

'It was simpler in the past, before the Hero Records.'

Leo chuckled, recalling a friend's words.

'A hero, you see.'

Risinus smiled and said,

'Means a person who doesn't give up.'

Recalling his friend's words, Leo said,

"I think you need to have more confidence."

"Confidence?"

"Yes. If you can't believe in yourself, then believe in the one who chose you."

Luke's eyes widened.

Taking a deep breath, Luke got up.

"I'll run a little longer."

"Alright."

"Oh, and! You said you were going to Seirun as an exchange student, right? I'll work hard while you're gone!"

Leo nodded, watching Luke, who had a newfound determination in his eyes.

Leaving Luke, who had started running again, Leo headed towards the warp gate.

The mentor-mentee relationship between Leo and Luke was peculiar.

Other second-year students taught their mentees academic know-how, exam information, or combat methods.

But Leo offered none of that.

He simply set a training schedule and conveyed it to Luke.

'Everything needed to be a hero can be learned at Lumern.'

A place optimized for nurturing heroes.

That was the Hero Academy.

Leo merely created the vessel to contain it.

He did not reach out or offer help in the process.

He merely watched.

He held them back from falling when they were about to, then pushed them forward again.

'Strength has value only when it is earned with one's own hands.'

Leo glanced at Luke.

Only one can change the surrounding gaze.

And Luke was working several times harder than others.

"I'm looking forward to the final exams."

***

"I cannot accept this!"

In Seirun's second-year conference room.

Rebel, who was in charge of the second-year students, reacted with near-convulsions.

"Leo Flove! Accepting that arrogant Lumern delinquent as an exchange student, you say!"

*Bang-!*

Rebel slammed the table fiercely.

His eyes were filled with deep anger.

Leo Flove.

Rebel felt he had been humiliated by Leo during the recent Smith exclusive contract.

Leo had embarrassed Rebel in a situation where he was reprimanding Lunia, who had awakened as a delinquent.

The image of Leo waving the Polyum, obtained as a reward for Luna's world conquest, in front of him and sneering, was still vivid.

With veins bulging on his forehead, Rebel said,

"Furthermore! Student Lunia has recently been reformed and is becoming a proper honor student of Seirun!"

At Rebel's outcry, Herdium let out a deep sigh.

"Professor Rebel, I have a question… is that rehabilitation class… really effective?"

Herdium, who had been in charge of Lunia since her first year, knew Lunia's personality better than anyone.

From Herdium's perspective, Lunia didn't need rehabilitation or correction classes.

'Of course, she has a tendency for extreme speech and actions… but Student Lunia is sufficiently self-restrained and has the leadership to look after her classmates.'

There is no perfect honor student that adults wish for in the world.

Moreover, Herdium, who had guided many students, knew that the ideal honor student envisioned by adults was not always good.

He also knew that the honor student Rebel spoke of meant an honor student who met the standards of elven supremacists.

'And the content of that class, conducted under the guise of remedial lessons.'

Herdium sighed deeply inwardly.

'What in the world is this nonsense?'

Lunia's voice echoed in Herdium's ears like an auditory hallucination.

"It is effective. Student Lunia is returning to her former self."

Orlen, who was in charge of Lunia's remedial lessons, said with a smile.

As he looked at Orlen, Herdium's face contorted strangely.

'She hasn't changed at all, from back then to now.'

The only change was whether she was putting on an act or not.

Rebel and Orlen.

Even considering that they were teachers who were suddenly assigned to Seirun this year.

Their abilities as educators were severely lacking.

However, Herdium did not say that.

He knew that bringing it up would only make things harder for the students.

'It's a rare good opportunity. Student Leo will surely influence the Seirun students in some way.'

Herdium also believed that Seirun needed to change.

Although he had only seen Leo a few times, Herdium saw Leo as a student with the potential to bring about change, for better or worse.

'It's already the worst, so it can't get any worse than this.'

Just as Herdium wore a determined expression.

"Professor Rebel, I have a good idea."

Orlen, raising her teacup with an elegant gesture, took a sip of tea and smiled meaningfully.

"Isn't it enough to just prevent Leo Flove from negatively influencing Student Lunia?"