Book 1 Chapter 347

347

The training ground of the Starting Citadel, where almost all the students of the entire school gathered.

It was when Lunia was watching the first-years from the stands in the training ground, arms crossed.

"Lunia El Lunda."

Lunia, who turned her head at the voice from behind, uncrossed her arms and stood up.

"Senior Marven."

The one who called Lunia was none other than Marven, the fifth-year head student and the top student in the entire school.

Lunia, with a bright expression, said as if it were curious.

"It's surprising to see you show up at an official school event, isn't it?"

"Even though I'm graduating this year, I'm still curious about which first-year juniors have enrolled."

Marven chuckled, pulled a chair over, and sat next to Lunia.

"How is it? Are there any first-years that catch your eye?"

"If there's one student who stands out the most, it would probably be that one over there."

In response to Marven's question, Lunia pointed at Leah.

"Leah Tingel. She's certainly the best among this year's freshmen, but…"

Marven rested his chin on his hand.

"She has the image of a diligent honor student, so she seems boring. Just like the Hardin type."

Seeing Marven's slightly bored expression, Lunia smiled faintly.

"You might find her interesting once you get to know her."

"Hm?"

"She's also subtly out of her mind, you know?"

Lunia made a sour expression, recalling the incident in Leo's room earlier.

"Are you saying she's like Senior Rienia?"

"…Are you sure 'Senior Rienia' isn't a compliment?"

"Of course."

"This old man…!"

Marven chortled.

Lunia, who had been on the verge of bursting out, sighed and asked.

"What about Senior Evertune?"

"Our young master was called by the acting principal, so he left."

Marven chuckled, thinking of Evertune, the fifth-year second-in-command.

"He's from a prestigious family, so the Pureblood Society is eyeing him, aren't they?"

"Senior Evertune's inclination is close to the Pureblood Society, aren't you worried about being close to him?"

When Lunia asked cautiously, Marven chuckled.

"It's true that he has strong pride as a Seirun student, but his inclination is a little different from the Pureblood Society. He has strong self-respect as a Seirun student, but he's not someone who blindly thinks elves are the best."

'Isn't it similar?'

Lunia tilted her head.

"Oh, by the way, Senior Marven. Is the Hero Record of Seirun, which was discovered recently, really Seirun's Hero Record?"

"Well, for now, the records definitely matched Seirun's records. But who knows. There are so many fakes among Hero Records."

In this mission, Marven had recovered a Hero Record.

"If the vice principal were here, we'd be able to ascertain its authenticity quickly… but she happens to be absent."

Nerjia, Seirun's vice principal, who actively encouraged Seirun students to conquer the world of heroes.

Currently, she was attending the Elf Council for the selection of the next principal.

Thanks to that, she had been away from school since the beginning of this semester.

"If the vice principal were here, would the school be a little better?"

"Well. The vice principal never participated in school operations or personnel matters. Still, the acting principal or the Pureblood Society wouldn't have been able to run wild like they are now."

Marven, who was clicking his tongue while watching the first-years, suddenly spotted someone.

"Wait. That first-year…"

It was when Marven narrowed his eyes and made a surprised expression.

"Lunia! Lunia!"

Someone was heard urgently calling Lunia.

There, the fraternal twin siblings, Garin and Aris, ran up to Lunia breathlessly.

"Leo Flobe was among the first-years!"

"How on earth did he get here? Did he sneak in to uncover Seirun's secrets?"

"He came as an exchange student."

"Huh?"

"It seems the Pureblood Society teachers arbitrarily assigned him to the first-year lower class."

At Lunia's answer, Aris made an embarrassed expression.

While running to Lunia, she had chattered to Garin with all sorts of speculative claims, saying Leo was a spy who secretly infiltrated Seirun.

"Spy, what nonsense."

When Garin looked at his sister with a pathetic face, Aris bristled.

"You were swayed by it too, weren't you!"

"No, I wasn't! I knew it from the moment you started writing those delusional novels about forbidden love between a Seirun student and a Lumerne student…"

"Die!"

Aris wholeheartedly elbowed Garin's temple.

Marven chuckled, watching Aris drag away the unconscious Garin.

"They're interesting kids."

Then he turned his gaze towards Leo.

"I've never even heard of an exchange student system, and of all people, Leo Flobe in the first-year lower class… That's insane."

Marven narrowed his eyes and looked at where the Seirun teachers were gathered.

Watching his senior, Lunia said.

"This exam will probably be quite interesting."

Lunia smiled faintly.

"The exam will begin soon."

Gerard, the homeroom teacher of Advanced Class 1, bowed his head to Rhagen, the acting principal, and spoke.

Rhagen narrowed his eyes, looking at Gerard.

"The preparations are perfect, I presume?"

"Of course."

Gerard smiled broadly.

"Looking at the roster, the class representative was assigned to the same group as the lower-class dropouts. What happened there?"

"Because Éclair does not deserve to be in Advanced Class 1."

"Hmm?"

"With the exam approaching, she was associating with the lower-class dropouts. I judged it to be an act that degrades the dignity of the advanced class, so I assigned her to the same group as the lower class. Well, she was probably destined to fall out of Advanced Class 1 soon anyway, seeing as she associates with such dropouts."

Gerard clicked his tongue.

"Éclair was excellent at admission, but has barely grown since then. Her magical power is almost no different from when she enrolled. Moreover, her spellcasting speed is the same as when she enrolled. She is currently below the average level of the advanced class."

"Hmm."

"This exam will clearly determine whether she qualifies as a Seirun student and a hero candidate."

Rhagen smiled with satisfaction.

"Good, then shall we begin the exam?"

"Yes."

Gerard stepped onto the platform.

- From now on, the first-year first-semester midterm practical exam will begin. The called groups please come forward.

All the first-years had tense expressions.

"Yoina's group from Advanced Class 1, please come forward."

With Gerard's call, a group of 10, led by a female student from Advanced Class 1, stepped onto the training ground.

- And Verus's group from the lower class.

At that call, Verus looked startled.

"Teacher Gerard! Why was our group called?"

- Didn't you hear the announcement?

Gerard clicked his tongue.

- This exam is one where groups compete, and the one who subdues monsters faster wins?

"What?"

Not only the lower class, but also the intermediate and advanced classes looked surprised.

The content of the exam had completely changed.

All students had practiced how to efficiently hunt monsters using effective tactics, strategies, and teamwork.

But if competition is added, the story changes completely.

From the moment they have to subdue monsters faster than their opponents, the strategy changes completely.

The lower-class students were flustered, but the students of the advanced and intermediate classes' eyes gleamed.

Especially the students of Yoina's group from Advanced Class 1, their mouths were practically stretched to their ears.

If they had to defeat more monsters faster than their opponents…

'Of course, it's advantageous to face the weakest, the lower class, isn't it?'

Verus made a tense expression, seeing the Advanced Class 1 students looking at them with shining eyes.

"Verus, what should we do?"

"Can we really win against Advanced Class 1?"

Verus took a deep breath, looking at his group members who had worried expressions.

"Let's do our best. You all know. Our skills have improved a lot."

"Still… they're Advanced Class 1."

Verus said, looking at a female student whose ears drooped.

"We worked hard, even risking expulsion. Wouldn't it be unfair if we cowered and couldn't even demonstrate our skills?"

Verus made a determined expression.

"Even if we can't win, we'll show them we're not to be trifled with!"

At that shout, laughter erupted among the first-year intermediate and advanced class students.

It was when the lower-class students gritted their teeth.

"What nonsense is she spouting now?"

Leo made an incredulous expression.

"Don't you understand Verus's feelings, Rayl? We have to compete with the advanced class. So Verus is steeling his resolve, intuiting defeat! *Kuk-heuk!*"

As the lower-class male student made an indignant expression, Leo said calmly.

"So why intuit defeat?"

"Huh?"

The male student looked blank.

"Perfect."

Leo smiled faintly.

"We can show the seniors the advanced class being brutally defeated by the lower class, can't we?"

***

From one end of the training ground to the other.

As the two groups took their positions and faced each other.

Woong-!

A magic circle was generated in the middle of the training ground.

Kigigigigigik-!

At the same time, monsters poured out.

They were monsters caught by Seirun for the exam.

"Hmph, goblins. Simple."

Yoina scoffed and pulled out her staff.

Yoina, who possessed the most powerful magic among them, chanted a spell.

'A mere goblin horde, with one large spell…'

It was when Yoina was preparing her magic.

Flash! Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gang!

Dazzling magic poured out.

Seeing that, Yoina's face stiffened.

"What is this…!"

Yoina, her eyes wide open at the unexpected situation, turned her head.

"You guys! What are you doing! You're in charge of defense!"

The ones who had launched attack magic and instantly cleared the goblins were none other than students from Yoina's own group.

Yoina was an orthodox mage who could freely wield powerful large-scale magic.

She was renowned among teachers as a promising mage, and in terms of magical power alone, she was an outstanding student, ranking among the top three in the advanced class.

She was indeed an excellent student who placed 4th in the entrance exam.

Therefore, she was in charge of offense in this exam.

However, the nine students in her group, who were supposed to be in charge of defense, had started recklessly unleashing magic.

A Seirun student wielding fire magic laughed at Yoina's outcry.

"This exam is about subduing monsters faster than your opponent, isn't it? What if those guys handle all the monsters first while you're chanting?"

"There's no way the lower-class kids can handle all those goblins quickly! Stick to the plan!"

As Yoina shouted in an angry voice, another female student giggled.

"That won't do, don't you get it? Yoina."

"What?"

"We wouldn't lose to the lower-class kids in the first place, would we? This isn't a fight between us and the lower-class kids. It's a competition among ourselves."

Sparks flew in Yoina's eyes.

"Are you saying you'll compete with me with magic right now? Know your place."

"Yeah. I admit you wield more powerful magic than us. But… don't you only know a bunch of high-level attack spells?"

"……!"

Since her admission, Yoina had been taught mainly high-level magic by Teacher Yotren.

She was literally trained as a star mage specialized in wielding powerful magic.

Of course, Yoina wasn't ignorant of low-level attack magic.

However, she had never once researched or trained in low-level attack magic after admission to achieve results.

"Th-these guys…"

Yoina's shoulders trembled.

And she looked up at the sky.

A scoreboard indicating the number of subduals was floating above.

Yoina's eyes widened when she saw the numbers.

'Oh…?'

Only a few minutes had passed since the exam began, at most.

Even so, low-level monsters like goblins posed little threat to first-years.

As such, over a hundred goblins were swiftly subdued by the advanced class students.

But what made Yoina's eyes widen wasn't the advanced class's score.

The lower class was also subduing goblins at a similar pace to the advanced class students.

'No… rather, they're subtly faster?'

It was when Yoina looked towards the lower class with a flustered expression.

Kuoooooo!

A roar echoed.

An ogre had already appeared from the summoning circle.

Seeing that, the advanced class students flinched.

"Yoina! It's an ogre!"

"What do you want me to do?"

Yoina made a malicious expression.

"What?"

"You guys, figure it out with your wonderful magic!"

"Hey! You…!"

"Ugh! Do you think we can't do it?"

The advanced class students bristled.

Saying that, Yoina looked up at the sky again.

Even if it wasn't goblins, with a powerful high-tier monster appearing, the lower class's momentum would surely falter.

'…They're still faster than us!'

Yoina, with an urgent expression, chanted a spell.

She realized this was no time for infighting within the group.

Yoina blew away the ogre with magic.

"You guys! From now on, follow my instructions…"

"The ogre is down!"

"Attack!"

"Don't give Yoina any points!"

"I've disliked her from the beginning!"

Fueled by a competitive desire to climb to the top, the advanced class students once again began acting on their own.

"Listen to me!"

Yoina clutched her head, looking at them.

***

Lunia's jaw dropped.

It wasn't just Lunia.

The entire second year…

No, all students across all grades had incredulous expressions.

Everyone watched the exam in silence.

The faculty also watched the exam results with stern expressions.

"Hmph."

Just then, an exasperated sigh escaped.

Evertune Leburn, the fifth-year second-in-command.

He was a student brimming with pride and authority as a Seirun student.

Moreover, he was the son of Ebratin, the Grand Chairman of the Elf Council.

One of the most authoritative elves in elf society.

A devout follower of Luna and Seirun, he was also a talent sought after by the Pureblood Society.

Hence, he was watching the exam close to Rhagen during this viewing.

Such a man uttered coldly.

"Acting Principal."

Evertune crossed his legs and rested his chin on his hand.

"You told me to look forward to the newly changed Seirun, so I was looking forward to the first-years' abilities, but…"

Evertune gave a cold smile.

"Is the standard of this year's first-years low? Or is there a problem with the new Seirun system introduced by the acting principal?"

"Student Evertune… This is…"

"It's not even worth watching."

It was when Evertune uttered coldly and was about to get up.

"Oh dear, what's our young master complaining about now?"

A sudden hand appeared and pressed down on Evertune's shoulder.

"Take your hand off me, Marven."

Evertune glared at Marven, who had forcefully made him sit down.

Watching Evertune, Lunia, who had followed Marven, said.

"Senior Evertune, watch till the end. The real fun is just about to begin."