Book 1 Chapter 364

"It's summer now."

Kale muttered softly, looking up at the training ground bathed in intense sunlight.

The first semester of the second year had already passed halfway.

Summer had also arrived in Lumern before they knew it.

Kale, who had been gazing blankly at the sky, let out a soft chuckle.

"On this sweltering summer day…"

*Whoosh-!*

"Why do I have to fight against that giant fireball?"

"Prepare yourselves! Magic Department!"

Celia shouted, her entire body wrapped in a fiery aura.

*Gulp-!*

Veins and tendons, unfitting for a delicate girl, bulged on Celia's hand.

Seeing this, Kale panicked and tried to run away to the side.

Chelsea, who was cheering from outside, shouted.

"Don't run away!"

"What?"

"Don't run away! Fight back!"

"Hey! If I get hit by that brute attack, I'll be out in one hit!"

As Kale shouted, Celia swung her arm with all her might and screamed.

The ball, imbued with the aura of flames, descended upon the magic department students as if it were the sun itself.

"Aaaaah!"

"There's nowhere to hide!"

Screams erupted from all directions.

*Rumble-! Whoosh-!*

As the spheres of flame struck, it turned into a sea of fire.

Seeing this, Chelsea crossed her arms and muttered softly.

"Pathetic."

Celia smirked and swept her hair back, looking at the magic department students who had been annihilated in an instant.

Currently, combat class, in which all grades participated, was in progress.

Today's combat class was a department-versus-department battle called Bastera.

Since the start of the new second-year semester, most classes had been held as dormitory competitions.

Therefore, there was an atmosphere of high motivation for the department-versus-department battle, which was happening for the first time in a while.

Teams and turn order were decided randomly.

And Kale's team was entrusted with the glorious mission of being the vanguard of their department.

However, it so happened that Celia, the final boss of the Knight Department, was on the opposing team, while Kale's team had no members who could contend with Celia.

The outcome was obvious.

It was a complete and utter demolition.

"Excellent, Celia."

"Thank you, Professor Ain."

Celia smiled sweetly as Ain praised her with satisfaction.

While the Knight Department students savored the sweet victory.

"Kuhuhu! Your sacrifice will not be in vain."

"We will definitely get revenge… Rest in peace."

The magic department students tasted the bitter flavor of defeat.

The other magic department students muttered resentfully, watching Kale and their comrades lying down without being able to move.

"You jerks."

"…We're not dead yet."

Kale's teammates mumbled in pained voices, groaning.

Chelsea, who had used levitation magic to help Kale's team, sighed and asked Len.

"What should we do?"

"Student Chelsea, there's one thing our magic department doesn't need. Do you know what it is?"

"Losers?"

"No."

Len, sitting with his legs crossed and chin resting on his hand, said in a cold voice.

"It's those who lost to the Knight Department. Dispose of them in the infirmary."

Chelsea nodded at Len's words and sent the students to the infirmary attached to the training ground.

"Sister Nela! I brought the kids."

"Yes, lay them down here."

Nela was waiting in the infirmary.

Nela, one of the top students of the Knight Department, often acted as a healer during department competitions due to her healing-oriented aura specialization.

"Sister Nela."

"Please heal us."

The male students of the magic department said with silly grins.

"Are you happy even though you lost?"

Chelsea said with a pathetic look, and one of the male students smirked.

"Getting healed by Nela, one of the best beauties in our year, feels like it heals the heart too!"

"So you're proud of losing without being able to do anything against Celia Zerdinger? Huh?"

"Ow! It hurts! It hurts!"

The male student screamed as Chelsea poked his burns with her magic wand.

"Chelsea, you shouldn't bully patients."

"Yes."

When they were in the first year, class 5, there were two people Chelsea listened to well: Leo and Nela.

After taking the injured to the infirmary, Chelsea returned to the training hall.

She then approached Leo, who was watching the students' matches.

"Who's next?"

Chelsea asked, sitting next to Leo.

"Chloe's team and Eliza's team."

"Go Chloe! Crush Eliza Hergin!"

Chelsea cheered loudly for Chloe.

Chloe smiled faintly at Chelsea's reaction and entered the arena, gripping her wand.

"Brother Leo, which department are you participating in?"

"This time, I'm participating as the Summoning Department."

The Summoning Department had a relatively small number of members.

Therefore, Leo often participated in these department events as part of the Summoning Department to make up the numbers.

Of course, if Leo unleashed his full power, the balance would be off, so he didn't summon the three great beasts.

"Are we opponents again? I wanted to be on the same team for a change."

Chelsea pouted slightly with a grumpy expression, and Leo smiled faintly.

"We can team up next time."

"Still, I wanted to show you the skills I've improved over the past month."

Leo reached out and ruffled Chelsea's hair.

"I know."

Chelsea's eyes widened as she looked at Leo.

"How much you've improved over the past month."

While Leo was in Seirun.

All the second-year students tackled the Hero's World.

Through it, all students took a step forward.

Among them were students who had taken several steps forward.

And Chelsea was one of them.

Chelsea smiled brightly and rubbed her head against Leo's hand.

'It's not just Chelsea.'

During the last mid-term exam.

Leo had chosen candidates for heroes who would lead the future.

They showed a gap that was close to despair.

However, none of the individuals Leo chose gave up.

"Hmph, you're so confident."

A snort came from behind.

"Are you saying that the student council president, who is already ahead, can afford to be so relaxed?"

Leo looked back and saw Duran sitting there.

Leo met Duran's gaze, then looked back towards the arena.

"I'm not particularly being relaxed."

Leo said.

"Whether it's Chelsea or you, I think you might walk the same path as me someday. That's why I want you all to become stronger."

Duran's eyes twitched.

The same path.

Duran recalled Leo's goal from their first year.

'Subduing Erebus.'

He thought it was a ridiculous idea.

There was no one who aimed for such a thing.

But for once.

He had dreamed such a dream.

'This guy, when he talked about qualifications during the last mid-term exam, did he mean… that?'

"Are you waiting at the end of that path?"

"Yes. So if you want to stand on the same stage as me, come chase me anytime."

Leo, with his back turned to Duran, spoke.

"I'll be waiting at the summit."

"…Arrogant."

Duran scowled.

But the fighting spirit in his eyes burned even brighter.

'Leo Flov.'

Duran clenched and unclenched his fist, his lips curling up.

'Yes, I'll chase you.'

***

After combat class, the next class was Mel's special Hero Studies.

Mel's Hero Studies was a class eagerly awaited by all second-year students.

Although a new professor this year, Mel had already established herself as Lumern's most popular professor.

The content of the special Hero Studies class was about the Twilight Knights, related to Lumern.

It was a popular subject regardless of grade level.

Not only was the class fun, but she also listened well to the students' concerns.

In addition, it was a class that students could comfortably attend in the harsh environment of Lumern.

It was impossible not to be popular among students of all ages and genders.

"He's already got a fan club among the male students."

Kale said with a smile as he met Leo on the way to class.

"A beautiful, older sister professor is a fantasy, right?"

Tade, who had lunch with Kale, nodded with his arms crossed.

"She's probably an old lady."

"You jerk, Leo!"

"Did you just call Professor Mel an old lady!"

"Professor Mel's class is an oasis for our hearts! An oasis!"

Kale and Tade reacted indignantly.

Seeing their reactions, Leo said.

"Are you guys late, though?"

"Oh! Professor Mel understands with her generous heart!"

"That's right!"

"Professor Mel's class is truly healing!"

"Of course! Of course!"

Kale shouted as he opened the classroom door, and Tade agreed.

"You've got some nerve, thinking you can be late."

What Kale opened was none other than the gate to hell.

At the cold voice from inside, Kale and Tade's faces stiffened.

Halind said, checking his watch.

"Ten minutes late. You'd better have a plausible reason for being late to a sacred class. For the sake of the other second-year students."

The murderous gazes of the other second-year students were fixed on the three of them.

Halind.

The man known as Lumern's Wall of Tears.

One of the things he hated most was tardiness.

And Halind's most terrifying trait was collective punishment.

There was no special reason for the collective punishment.

It was simply Halind's unique method of efficiently punishing latecomers.

Naturally, late students were harassed by other students.

There were other latecomers besides the three, as they were kneeling with their heads down next to the classroom entrance.

Kale and Tade's faces turned pale.

"There was a student council meeting during lunch."

Leo said calmly, raising his hand.

"Approved."

Halind's gaze shifted to Kale and Tade.

Kale and Tade silently bowed their heads next to the other latecomers.

"I would like to educate all of you if I could, but as it's not my class, I'll let it pass this time."

A sigh of relief swept through the entire second year at Halind's words.

"Latecomers, stand up."

At his words, the latecomers shot up.

Seeing the latecomers' expressions of relief, Halind said.

"You will go up to the platform and put your heads down."

At that, the latecomers moved to Halind's side with dejected expressions and put their heads down.

"Some of you might be wondering why I'm in the second-year class. I'm here because today's class is a joint session for the first and second years."

At his words, the second-year students' eyes widened.

A murmur spread through the lecture hall.

A moment later, the door opened, and Mel appeared, leading the first-year students.

"Now, everyone, go to your mentors."

Mel asked with a bright smile, and the first-year students went to find their mentors.

"Uh, Professor Halind, should we go to our seats too?"

"Is there a need?"

Kale asked with an awkward smile, and Halind smiled coldly, then called out the mentees of the latecomers.

And made them stand next to their mentors.

"Aren't they great mentors? They show firsthand what happens when you're late."

At Halind's words, the second-year students had gloomy expressions.

"As expected, Senior Kale, you never disappoint."

"You don't have to praise me."

"It's not a compliment!"

At Juen's remark, Kale replied slyly.

Thus, mentors and mentees sat together.

Chloe raised her hand.

"Professor Halind, Professor Mel, what kind of class is today's lesson?"

Mel smiled faintly at Chloe's question.

"There are announcements before the class."

Mel looked at Halind, who nodded.

Ahem! Mel cleared her throat and said.

"I will make an announcement regarding the mission practice for the first and second years."

"Mission practice?"

"Are we going on mission practice too?"

The first-year students looked surprised.

Mission practice usually begins in the second semester of the first year at the earliest.

"Yes. More precisely, it's a mission practice conducted jointly with the second-year students."

Mel smiled brightly.

Halind continued, picking up on Mel's words.

"This mission practice will be conducted with mentors and mentees as a team."

At Halind's words, the first-year students let out exclamations.

"The content of the mission practice is to explore a hero's dungeon."