Book 1 Chapter 381

381.

The streets of Dobella.

As a place where mercenaries of countless races from all over the world gathered, it was also a place where fighting never ceased.

But now, the streets of Dobella were as silent as a grave.

"…Well, I heard rumors it was a rougher, dirtier neighborhood."

"Far from rough and dirty, the streets are incredibly clean, aren't they?"

Chelsea shrugged at Kal's frustrated mutter.

Normally, the streets should have been littered with liquor bottles, drunks passed out in alcohol, and all sorts of filth, but they were so clean they were desolate, with nothing at all.

Not even the typical drunks, let alone the sounds of people drinking and chatting in pubs, could be heard.

"I know why that is," Chloe muttered quietly, surveying the street scene.

"Why is that?" Betty, Chloe's mentee, asked with sparkling eyes.

She truly admired Chloe and wanted to learn everything from her mentor.

In response to Betty's question, Chloe pointed with her finger to certain buildings.

Traces as if scorched by lightning were visible.

In addition, upon closer inspection, the walls and floors of the buildings were full of similar marks.

"It's the Prince's doing."

"Indeed, given Duran's personality, he would clean up these streets thoroughly as soon as he saw them."

Joo-eun looked puzzled at Kal and Leo's words.

"Why would Senior Duran do such a troublesome thing?"

At that question, Leo shrugged and looked at Kal.

Kal had, by then, adopted a deadpan expression, his mouth curving slightly.

Seeing that, Joo-eun frowned and recoiled.

"What's with that weird expression?"

"I get it, it's someone's arrogant and self-righteous expression."

As Chelsea giggled, Kal imitated Duran's tone.

"What a messy street. You'd better clear away the filth from my sight at once. Otherwise. Fzzzzzzzzzt-!"

The first-year students covered their mouths to suppress the laughter that erupted involuntarily as they watched Kal, who even made lightning sound effects with his mouth, mimicking Duran emitting thunderous aura, and made lightning effects with both hands.

Illiana and Chelsea openly clutched their stomachs and roared with laughter, while Chloe held her head and sighed.

"Didn't I tell you not to mimic that ridiculous Duran?"

"Why? It's a personal talent I developed after thoroughly analyzing and investigating our nation's Prince."

"Why did you thoroughly analyze and investigate Senior Duran?"

"When we were first-years, our class was rivals with Class 1, where Duran belonged," Chelsea snickered.

"One day, Kal went around saying that if he analyzed the behavioral patterns of the notable individuals in Class 1, he could predict what they were thinking. The Celia Zerdringer version is also hilarious."

At Chelsea's words, Kal straightened his back, then took Celia's characteristic hair-sweeping pose and said, "Duran, don't cause damage to the streets for trivial reasons."

"Hmph. Don't order me around, Celia Zerdringer."

Seeing Kal now performing a one-man show with two roles, even the first-year students couldn't hold back their burst of laughter.

Kal's impersonation had a subtle realism that made it seem similar, yet also created a tremendous sense of incongruity, enough to make them burst into laughter.

Kal could have done a one-man show with three roles, including Chloe's, but he had been trapped in ice when he did it in front of Chloe before, so he refrained.

Austin, who belonged to the Zerdringer family and was in the Knight Department, gave a wry smile, and Luke, who regarded all seniors as heavenly, was at a loss.

"Ah! So funny! Hahahaha!"

"Is that funny, Illiana Raden?"

"Of course… Eek?!"

Illiana flinched at the chilling voice from behind her.

The other students, who had been roaring with laughter, also fell silent.

Only Chelsea was clutching her stomach and giggling.

"Hmph? It seems the first-year students in the Magic Department think lightly of their seniors in the Knight Department."

Celia, appearing from behind Duran, swept her hair back and smiled.

At that, Joo-eun and Betty's faces turned pale.

Even if their departments were different, a senior was a senior.

Moreover, Celia and Duran were two of the top three students in the second-year Knight Department.

If they got on their bad side, their school life could become completely messed up.

"Um… so, this is. Um…"

Kal, who was guilty, was sweating profusely as he tried to find an excuse.

"Heh heh. Please be generous with him."

Chen Xia, next to Leo, covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

At her words, Celia and Duran looked at Chen Xia.

"Kal was just playing around to lighten the mood, wasn't he? I don't think Ms. Celia and Mr. Duran are the kind of people who can't overlook that."

She calmed Celia and Duran with an adult-like smile.

"Yeah. You're seniors, after all. Be generous and let it go."

As Leo also chimed in, Celia swept her hair back.

"Leo, if even you say so…"

Duran glanced at Kal with a cold gaze, then snorted.

"I… I'm saved…"

"See? I told you not to do it."

Chloe gave Kal an exasperated look as he sighed in relief.

Meanwhile, Leo approached Celia and Duran.

"I heard there's an unusual situation in the Forest of Monsters."

"Hmph, your information is quick," Duran said, curling up the corners of his mouth.

Celia spoke, "It's perfect timing. We were about to ask the top students of each grade to come to Dobella."

"Celia. Did you really find traces of a Hero Dungeon in the Forest of Monsters?"

At Chloe's question, Celia nodded.

"Yes. And though I can't say for sure yet, it seems there's not just one Hero Dungeon."

"What?"

"For now, let's go to the base we secured. I'll share the information we've found."

***

"To use the Lord's Castle as a base, whose idea was that?"

"It was my idea."

"Figures."

"Got a complaint, Kal Thomas?"

"No, not really," Kal replied, interlocking his fingers and placing his hands behind his head at Duran's words.

Duran snorted, looking at Kal, and then gestured with his chin, saying, "Kal Thomas. Bring Chloe, Leo Flov, Chen Xia, and Chelsea Rwallin to the meeting room."

"Aye, aye. I'll follow your orders. What about Illiana?"

"Hmph, Illiana Raden probably qualifies too."

With those words, Duran abruptly left.

Joo-eun, who was watching him, pouted.

"Senior Kal. Why are you just agreeing when Senior Duran treats you like a servant?"

"What can I do about his personality? He treats everyone, not just me, like that. He's the Prince, so there's nothing we can do."

"Still! Senior Kal is the one who cleared the Hero Record of Dweno-nim. Shouldn't he be respected more?"

Harviden, Duran's mentee, who was passing by, said to Joo-eun, who was making a sulky face, "Isn't it obvious that even Senior Kal has to defer to Senior Duran?"

"What do you mean 'defer'!"

"He's not wrong."

Joo-eun bristled when Kal agreed with Harviden.

"I won't tolerate it!"

Joo-eun, the top student in the first-year Magic Department, and Harviden, the second-place student in the first-year Knight Department, were famous for growling at each other whenever they met.

As rivals between traditional departments and both skilled individuals competing for second place overall among first-years, neither would back down in even minor skirmishes.

"They're at it again. Austin. You're friends with both of them. Try to stop them."

Martina said to Austin, who was also a member of Leo's knighthood, with a troubled expression.

"It's no use," Austin sighed.

Seeing that, Kal muttered like an old man reminiscing about the past, "They're young. It's youth. Pure youth."

"What's the big difference between us and them for you to say that?"

"I was mimicking you."

As Leo opened the door to their room in the Lord's Castle and asked with a hollow laugh, Kal grinned and replied, "Perfect timing. Duran told me to gather the kids and come to the meeting room."

"Alright, you guys go ahead."

"You?"

"Ar told me he'd be here soon with the Ajonia students," Leo said calmly.

"This matter will require the cooperation of the Ajonia students."

***

It was an hour later that Leo, having left the Lord's Castle, met with the Ajonia students.

At Leo's explanation of the situation in front of the warp gate, the Ajonia representatives who had come to Dobella made serious expressions.

"Leo Flov, are you saying there might be multiple Hero Dungeons?" Rwen, the fox beastkin and third-ranked second-year in Ajonia, asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Yes."

"A huge battle awaits! My heart is pounding!"

"You're just thinking of going wild, aren't you? Idiot."

"This damn fox…!"

It was when Rwen was curling the corners of her mouth at Borman, her rival and fifth-ranked.

"Fight later," Dion, the wolf beastkin and second-ranked, said coldly.

It was when Rwen and Borman snorted.

"But I'm worried. To have to reveal Ajonia's shame to Rummern."

At Targon's words, Rwen and Borman paused.

Dion also let out a low sigh.

Seeing the four of them, Ar said, "As I said, Black Rabbit already knows the truth."

The shame of Ajonia that Targon mentioned.

It was deeply related to the Ajonia students coming to Elehem this time.

The ultimate purpose of Ajonia's second-year students coming to Elehem.

It was none other than to pursue the Hero Hunters discovered in Elehem.

Ajonia had been extensively pursuing Hero Hunters since this year.

What Ajonia, one of the great pillars of the world along with Rummern, was pursuing with all its might were Hero Hunters with 'beast transformation' abilities.

From Ajonia's perspective, they were a disgrace they wished to erase from existence in this world.

5,000 years since the age of heroes began.

Beastkin had revered the great hero Ar-on and claimed to be his descendants.

But throughout that long history, not a single beastkin other than Ar had been able to freely 'transform' when there was no full moon, like Ar-on.

Even 'Ajonia' who founded Ajonia couldn't do it.

But for 'Hero Hunters' to be able to freely transform without a full moon?

From Ajonia's perspective, it was a fact they desperately wanted to hide.

The four students here were also greatly shocked when they first heard the story.

In such a situation, if they cooperated with Rummern, that fact would naturally become known.

"There's a big difference between a few people knowing and many people knowing," Rwen said with sunken eyes.

"This matter… I think settling it at our level is how we protect Ajonia's glory."

"Still, if we cooperate, we can definitely catch their tails…"

"Ar, only you can say such things."

"What?"

Rwen looked directly into Ar's blue eyes.

"You, who can transform like Ar-on-nim, will never understand how we feel, will you?"

Ar looked flustered.

Leo silently watched the Ajonia students.

All the Ajonia students, except Ar, were disheartened.

They were different from the Ajonia students Leo usually knew.

Normally, Ajonia students were all full of confidence.

They truly revered Ar-on and always made efforts to become like the virtual Ar-on they knew.

But now it was different.

'It seems they've hit a wall with Ar.'

That's why they were disheartened.

'No, they seem to have completely lost their fighting spirit, beyond just being disheartened.'

Just recently, the Ajonia students were making a fuss about wanting to defeat Ar.

But now, it felt like their will had completely broken.

Leo burst out laughing.

"What's so funny, Leo Flov?"

As Targon asked, narrowing his brows, Leo replied, "No, it's just that you resemble him."

"Resemble? Who?"

"Who else?"

At the sudden words, the Ajonia representatives looked puzzled, and Ar looked astonished.

"Hey, Black Rabbit! Wait!"

"Being dispirited like a coward, you're exactly like Ar-on."