Book 1 Chapter 359

359

Early morning.

"Hwaaahm."

Carl yawned languidly and walked out to the dormitory lounge.

Carl's mornings start early.

Being diligent, he wakes up in the early hours to prepare for his day.

Of course, most of his time is spent conceiving business ideas through alchemy rather than studying or practicing magic, but he was nevertheless the second earliest student to wake up in Noble Dormitory.

Carl scratched his stomach roughly and headed outside the dormitory.

He then clicked his tongue when he saw Duran sprinting at full speed from early in the morning.

'He's really a training machine.'

The earliest student to wake up in Noble Dormitory was none other than Duran.

Duran starts his physical training in the morning.

He's the type of person who spares no effort to become stronger.

Thanks to such tenacity, he is considered one of the top honor students in Noble, alongside Abbad.

Of course, Eliza is also an honor student if judged solely by grades, but her class attitude tends to be insincere, often earning her glares from professors.

'Just a delinquent with good grades.'

Carl clicked his tongue and approached the mailbox at the dormitory entrance.

Every morning.

The Lumerne School newspaper is generally delivered to students' dormitories.

It appears to be an ordinary school newspaper about daily school life.

However, the quality of the newspaper changes the moment one 'personally subscribes.'

It includes not only major school information, but also restaurant events within the school and even predictive analysis of school schedules.

Moreover, one can obtain more information depending on the subscription tier.

'The Merchant Club is good, but the Newspaper Club wouldn't have been bad either.'

Carl, who thought that joining the Newspaper Club wouldn't have been bad given that he was known as the sophomore information source, picked up a thick paper envelope with his name written on it.

'How much am I really being ripped off each month?'

He shed tears of blood internally as he unfolded the newspaper.

Then, he widened his eyes at the banner headline splashed across the paper.

[A Miracle Following the Reincarnation of the Progenitor! The Reincarnation of the Comet Mage!]

"Wow? What is this? This is incredible!"

Normally, he wouldn't have easily believed such an unexpected newspaper.

But Carl was someone who, last winter, had personally witnessed the Hero of Beginnings and the Progenitor of the Nebula appear in the present world with his own eyes.

"Just how many more secrets and powers are hidden in the Hero Records?"

From the Great Hero to the Hero of Creation.

This situation, where the greatest heroes in world history were appearing, was nothing short of astonishing.

'Speaking of which, it seems like something always happens wherever Leo goes.'

Even this time, when he said he was going to Seirun as an exchange student, most students thought he would get caught up in some incident.

And that prediction proved to be beautifully accurate.

Carl read the front page of the newspaper with an excited expression.

As a magic student himself, his heart couldn't help but pound at the news that Seirun, a legend of magic, had appeared in the present world.

After popping open the morning milk with a 'pong-' sound, Carl, who was reading the second page, suddenly spewed out milk with a 'pooh!'

"Cough! Cough! Kehek!"

Duran, who had just finished his physical training, approached Carl, who was coughing frantically, having choked.

"What's all the fuss about now?"

Carl showed the newspaper to Duran, who wore a look of disdain.

A rare look of surprise flashed across Duran's face as he checked the newspaper.

[Heir of Seirun, Leo Flobe.]

A hero candidate inheriting Cometes has been born to the Comet Mage, who appeared in the present world through the miracle of Hero Records. That is Leo Flobe… (excerpt)

Duran muttered as he read down the article.

"Hmph. He's becoming more and more worth chasing."

Duran curled up the corner of his mouth, tossed the newspaper to Carl, and once again began sprinting frantically.

'At that point, isn't it almost an obsession rather than tenacity?'

Carl clicked his tongue at Duran's appearance and looked at the newspaper.

'He's not just caught up in an incident; he's at the center of it.'

"Is he really something like that? A demonic presence."

Carl merely shook his head repeatedly, looking at his friend who was constantly at the center of attention.

***

Murmur - Murmur -

In the center of Lumerne, around the Tower of Heroes, was a restaurant district with many restaurants that had set up shop within Lumerne School.

It was a place where one could experience various cuisines from multiple cultures, and even taste dishes from other races.

It was also a famous spot in Lumerne that external visitors would always frequent.

Every lunchtime, the restaurant district buzzed with many students.

And as many students gathered, various topics of conversation were exchanged on the streets.

Stories related to academics or recent global issues, for example.

It was also a place where lively discussions took place.

But today, there was only one topic.

"Leo Oppa really is the center of attention wherever he goes," Chelsea said with sparkling eyes after her morning magic class, finding a spot with her friends in the restaurant district.

To that, Illiana, who was munching on a mouthful of pizza, replied,

"Is there no limit to what the class president can do?"

Chelsea reached for the last slice of pizza, watching Illiana tilt her head.

Then, Illiana hastily crammed the pizza into her mouth and quickly snatched the slice.

"Hey! Illiana, you!"

"Hmph!"

"You're not ten-year-old boys, why are you being so childish over a slice of pizza?"

Carl sighed.

"Oh, are these not my lovely disciples!"

At that moment, a familiar voice came from behind.

Ren, holding a newspaper, was looking at Chelsea, Carl, and Illiana with a benevolent expression.

The three stood up and greeted him.

"Professor Ren, hello. Have you come for lunch?"

"Yes. I promised to buy Ain sunbae and Yura sunbae lunch today, so I happened to come here."

Ren pointed behind him.

Ain and Yura were seated there.

"But what were you talking about so happily? Don't tell me!"

Ren raised his voice.

"Were you talking about our Lumerne Magic Department's pride! Student Leo!?"

Carl and Chelsea awkwardly smiled, looking at Ren who was shouting as if to be heard.

And Illiana flinched, looking at Ain's reaction.

Illiana, a magic swordsman, was straddling both the Knight Department and the Magic Department.

She was achieving excellent grades in both, but it was slowly time to choose her main department.

Because she was trying to subtly gauge the situation and choose the more advantageous side, she had to make a good impression on both Ren, the department professor, and Ain.

"Student Illiana! Isn't it about time you chose a department! If you consulted me about your career path before, then you must be planning to choose the Magic Department rather than the Knight Department, right?!"

'Kyaaaaaaack!'

Illiana screamed internally.

She looked at Ain, who was observing her, and he let out a cold, characteristic smile, exclaiming, "Ooh?"

At that moment, Chelsea and Carl exchanged glances.

"That's right, Professor Ren. Illiana also consulted us about her department choice. Right, Carl?"

"Yes, yes. She said she'd like to stay in the Magic Department with us all the way."

"Hoohoohoot! As expected, Student Illiana was considering the path of a mage! Good! Very good!"

Ren left with a satisfied expression.

"If my school life gets messed up, it'll all be your fault."

"Then who told you to straddle two departments?"

"Yes, yes. You shouldn't do that."

Chelsea and Carl giggled, watching Illiana, who looked as if her soul had left her body.

Meanwhile, Yura said, as if dumbfounded,

"He's really acting like Leo is in the Magic Department."

"Let him enjoy it."

At Ain's words, Yura let out a 'Hmph-' and smiled.

"Professor Ain, you're not in a position to be so relaxed, are you? Leo is the covenant holder of the Three Great Phantoms! Do you think such a Leo would choose the Knight Department?"

"Hoho. You're harboring unnecessary hopes, Yura sunbae."

Ren, sitting across from the two, smiled elegantly.

"Student Leo, who has become Seirun's successor, in the Summoning Department? Oh dear, oh dear. How foolish can one be."

"Hey… he's the covenant holder of the Three Great Phantoms, you know? Unprecedented in the history of summoning! Unprecedented!"

"I agree with that opinion! Unprecedented! An unprecedented mage who, despite being a mage, contracted with the Three Great Phantoms!"

"There's no communicating."

"It's impossible for a rational person based on cool reason to communicate with an irrational person swayed by emotion."

"So, you're saying you want to die?"

As Yura grabbed his collar, Ren shook his head.

"To resort to violence when words fail, how barbaric."

"Die!"

"Pro-professors! No violence in the restaurant!"

Waiters rushed out and desperately tried to restrain the two.

"Let's make a bet on lunch. I bet on Professor Yura winning."

"I bet on Professor Ren."

"Me too, Professor Yura."

The first-year students in the restaurant looked utterly flustered, but the upperclassmen, who were already well-accustomed to school life, calmly made their bets.

Of course, the outcome of the competition was not decided.

Ren and Yura, who had been bickering for a long time, were subdued by Ain.

During the now quiet mealtime, a bird-shaped phantom flew into the restaurant towards Ren and then landed in front of him.

"What's that?"

"Associate Professor Anna sent an urgent report on the conference presentation."

Ren smiled proudly and opened the envelope.

The letter contained information about the presentation on [Introduction to Star Magic].

"Oh, the elves gave a very positive response to my thesis, it seems. Hoohoo. Well, if they have brains, they wouldn't dare disparage my paper."

Ren, with a smug expression, was reading the letter carefully and about to turn to the next page when.

Flap~

A photograph that had been tucked into the envelope fell to the floor.

Ren, who had picked up the photo with a puzzled expression, his face hardened.

Ren's shoulders trembled.

"What's wrong?"

"I must go to Seirun… right now! Right now!"

Ren, his face grim, abruptly stood up and rushed out of the restaurant.

"Hey! Pay the bill before you go!"

Yura shouted in dissatisfaction.

Ain narrowed his brows and reached for the photo Ren had been looking at.

"Professor Ain, Professor Yura. Is something wrong? Professor Ren just rushed out in a hurry."

Chelsea, Carl, and Illiana, who were about to leave after finishing their meal, approached with puzzled expressions.

In response to Chelsea's question, Ain clicked his tongue and showed the photo to the three.

It was a group photo of Seirun students.

Leo was also in the photo.

A picture of Leo, wearing the Seirun uniform, naturally mingling with the Seirun students.

"Just because he's wearing a Seirun uniform, does that mean Leo will transfer schools? He's our school's student council president, you know? Ren, at this point, it's a sickness, a sickness."

Yura clicked her tongue.

Chelsea then murmured,

"Looks like we won't have proper magic class this afternoon."

"Hooray!"

"Self-study!"

Carl and Illiana cheered.

***

That day after school.

Lumerne was noisy with a new issue.

"If you think about it, he was chosen as Seirun's successor, right? Would Seirun let him go?"

"Nah, what kind of place is Seirun? Would they accept Leo, a human, as a student?"

"Who knows, Leo's Star Magic is on an amazing level."

Even as classes ended and they walked through the campus, stories about Leo could be heard without pause.

Carl, exiting the Magic Department building, glanced at Ren's weary back as he trudged back to his office.

Looking at Ren's somewhat dazed expression, Chloe sighed.

"If Leo would just come back soon, we could have proper classes."

"Why? I thought today's afternoon class was great."

"…You like self-study?"

"Of course!"

Chloe glared, and it was then that Carl chuckled.

Just then, Duran and Eliza were passing by.

"Hmph. It wouldn't be bad if Leo Flobe transferred to Seirun."

"Indeed. If he becomes a Seirun student, he'll be an opponent we have to completely defeat. Rather than the lukewarm relationship of being in the same school, a clear competition doesn't seem bad at all."

Chloe and Carl, who heard their conversation, simultaneously looked at Ren.

Ren had, by now, pulled out his staff from his robes and was aiming it at the two.

"Professor Ren! I have a question!"

Chloe hurriedly ran to Ren.

"Why on earth are you two passing in front of the Magic Department building!"

Carl, with a pale face, pushed their backs to get them out of Ren's line of sight.

"How dare you push someone? Don't you fear the consequences?"

"You've lost your nerve, Carl Thomas!"

"You're the ones who've lost your nerve! You!"

It was then that Carl desperately shouted.

"You two get along well."

A familiar voice was heard.

Carl's eyes widened, and he turned his head.

There stood Leo and Anna, carrying travel bags.

"Leo, when did you get here?"

Carl asked in surprise, and Leo smiled gently.

"Just now."