Book 1 Chapter 414

When Jwuen opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was an unfamiliar ceiling.

Blinking a few times, Jwuen hastily sat up.

"…Where is this?"

Juedn, looking around in a panic, soon realized that this was a hospital room and let out a hollow laugh.

'I lost.'

*Bang-!*

Just then, the door opened and Cal entered.

"Jwuen, you're awake?"

"What happened?"

"Shock due to mana depletion."

Cal said, pulling a chair from the room and sitting next to Jwuen's bed.

"It was such a close call. If the place wasn't advantageous for Aina, and if it was a fair fighting ground, you would have won…"

"Losing is losing."

Jwuen replied, gritting her teeth at Cal's words.

"Anything else is just an excuse. The result won't change."

"…Right."

Cal, who had been trying to comfort Jwuen, closed his mouth and smiled bitterly.

Cal, watching Jwuen silently with her head bowed, became flustered.

"Hey, are you crying?"

Jwuen's shoulders were trembling slightly.

"I'm sorry. Senior, you helped me so much."

Jwuen had devised a foolproof strategy against Aina, but it was Cal who had predicted and analyzed Aina's movements.

"As a mentor, it was only natural. Don't cry. You were truly amazing!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. But I'm so frustrated."

"It's okay. You only lost once. It's just the first-year final exams, after all? There will be plenty of opportunities to get payback."

Cal comforted Jwuen, who was upset.

***

The first match of the first-year final tournament ended, and Lumen buzzed with excitement.

The most anticipated was undoubtedly Luke.

His unexpected and astonishing victory naturally drew a lot of attention.

The question of why such a person was the student council president's mentee faded away.

"Student Luke! Why have you been hiding your strength?"

"Was it a strategy to make other students complacent?"

The newspaper club students swarmed Luke, bombarding him with questions.

"It was Senior Leo's training method."

"Oh? How was the student council president's training?"

At that question, Luke's face turned pale.

'What kind of training did he receive?'

The newspaper club students looked at Luke, who was trembling, with strange expressions.

Next, the match between Aina and Jwuen received the most attention.

"Student Aina, what are your thoughts on your match with Student Jwuen?"

"She was very strong."

Aina, who answered quietly with her eyes downcast, returned to the dormitory without further comment.

Students who called themselves Aina's faction, bewildered, followed her.

Watching them, Luke muttered.

"She doesn't seem happy."

"She probably didn't expect to struggle this much. She almost lost, you know."

Shasha, the class president of Luke's first class, replied, fanning herself.

"By the way, you were excellent, Luke. You brought honor to Class 1."

Luke scratched his head at Shasha's words.

"I'm looking forward to our match."

Shasha said with a smile, and a scoff was heard.

"Shasha Cienne Rodren, you will never face Luke Elda."

"What did you say?"

Shasha opened her eyes lazily.

"Because you will lose to me before that."

"Heh- You say what I want to say. Haviden Virsen."

Sparks flew between Shasha and Haviden.

Watching the two, other students subtly backed away.

"In the first place, I've been thinking of defeating Luke Elda for a long time."

"Me too."

Looking at the two growling at each other, Jane, from Haviden's class 10 and Chen Xia's mentee, looked expressionless.

"Weren't you two not even considering Luke Elda? You didn't know his abilities until now."

"I decided to defeat him the moment he became Senior Leo's mentee."

Shasha said with a scoff, and Jane smirked.

"Jealousy?"

"No!"

Watching Shasha, whose face had turned bright red, Haviden chuckled.

"Pathetic, Shasha Cienne Rodren."

Shasha, provoked by Haviden, said to Luke.

"Luke, you tell me! Who do you want to fight more, me or—"

"Naturally, you'd want to fight me more, since we're in the same Knight department."

"I want to fight both of you."

Luke replied, scratching his cheek.

From Luke's perspective, both Shasha and Haviden had been amazing since they entered the academy, and he had admired them.

And they were also strong opponents whom he wanted to test his skills against someday.

'I want to test how far my current skills will go against these people.'

That was Luke's honest feeling.

Of course, Shasha and Haviden wouldn't accept Luke's answer.

"Choose, Luke Elda."

"Choose. Luke."

Seeing the two approaching him with fierce expressions, Luke made a pained face.

"Who will help me!"

The first-years ignored Luke, not wanting to get involved with Shasha and Haviden.

Amidst the commotion among the first-years.

Nella, one of the second-years who had come to find her mentee, muttered.

"Leo's mentee is popular, isn't he?"

"Yeah, he is."

Iliana nodded.

"I'd rather refuse that kind of popularity, though."

***

The final exams weren't just for the first-years.

After the first-year tournament matches concluded, the exams proceeded by grade.

However, since the main event of this final exam was the first-year tournament, the final exams for other grades generally finished early.

For the first-years as well, the written exams concluded early, and the tournament continued steadily.

Luke continued to win and advance.

The top students from other departments also continued to win.

Jwuen, whose bracket was unfavorable, also rejoined the main tournament by winning the loser's bracket.

Meanwhile, as the loser's bracket matches were underway, this semester's biggest issue.

The Summit Conference finally began.

Students from all grades gathered by department in the grand parade ground.

"Wow."

Iliana, who was reading the school newspaper, exclaimed and shook her head.

Chloe tilted her head.

"Why?"

"No, I'm starting to think that Emio might actually get expelled."

"Ah."

Chloe exclaimed at Iliana's words.

Based on grades alone, Emio was a talented student who wouldn't be out of place remaining at Lumen until graduation.

However, things got complicated due to the first-year tournament.

Emio's mentee, Lament, was defeated in his first match by Luke and fell to the loser's bracket.

The problem was that Jwuen had also fallen to the loser's bracket.

Jwuen won in the loser's bracket.

It was a match between the first and third-ranked students in the Magic Department, but Jwuen achieved an overwhelming victory and fell to the loser's bracket again.

"The criteria for expulsion of first-years haven't been clearly announced yet. We'll have to wait and see."

Chloe said, and Iliana scoffed.

"I hope Professor Halind is very strict. Please, I don't want to see that smug face anymore."

"I agree."

Chelsea, who was listening nearby, also nodded.

"But why are you here?"

"Huh?"

"Go back to the Knight Department."

"Gasp! We've studied together in the Magic Department, and you say such harsh things!"

Iliana pretended to be hurt, and Chelsea opened her eyes lazily.

"Harsh? What are you talking about? You only came to the Magic Department because it was a more visible position! You're only in the Magic Department when it's convenient for you, aren't you?"

Iliana feigned ignorance at Chelsea's words.

Watching Iliana, Cal said.

"Should I drag her out?"

"Chloe! They're ganging up on me!"

With public opinion unfavorable, Iliana clung to Chloe.

After a brief commotion, Iliana finally managed to secure a spot and said.

"By the way, it must be nice to be the class president. You'll see the leaders and heroes of each country from a special seat."

Leo, as the student council president, stood before the warp gate to greet the world leaders.

***

"Leo, don't be nervous. I'll assist you well."

"Senior Lil. I appreciate your words, but could you look at me when you talk?"

Lil, perhaps nervous, had her eyes tightly shut.

The task of greeting the leaders and heroes of each country was assigned to the grade representatives, representing each grade.

Hark and Elena were scheduled to return tomorrow from their mission deployment, making Lil the highest-ranking student currently present.

Therefore, Lil's role was to assist Leo, who, despite being the student council president, was still a second-year.

However, she stood there awkwardly, completely tense.

"Ugh- aren't you nervous, Leo? Aren't you worried you might make a mistake or show some embarrassing behavior?"

"Not particularly."

"As expected, Leo is amazing."

Lil admired him.

She had thought he was amazing from their first meeting.

Now, he was not just an amazing junior, but someone far superior as the student council president and a summoner.

"Senior Lil, just act as you normally would."

"Indeed, then they wouldn't find it strange."

'…They'd find it strange if I acted normally, and they'd find it strange if I didn't act normally, anyway.'

Leo muttered inwardly.

Lil considered herself ordinary, but in reality, she possessed a very unique personality.

Of course, as an elementalist, she was quite ordinary.

'Of course, not just ordinary, but a monster without any flaws.'

Despite possessing such great talent, Lil always compared herself to people she considered more talented than herself and became dejected.

'But even so, she doesn't stop trying.'

She used comparisons as a stepping stone for growth, always looking upwards.

Leo shifted his gaze towards Aina.

'She's in a similar state to Lil.'

While Lil was closing her eyes in nervousness, Aina was staring at the ground.

'She probably hasn't recovered from the shock of her match with Jwuen.'

"Aina."

"Yes?"

Aina jumped at Leo's call.

"You seem to have something on your mind."

At his question, Aina lowered her gaze again.

She seemed to open her lips, but then closed them.

Previously, Aina, who had insisted she would be recognized, never avoided Leo's gaze.

But now, she seemed to be avoiding him.

Looking at Aina, Leo said.

"If you have something on your mind, talk to Celia. She's your mentor."

"……"

At his words, Aina gave a self-deprecating smile.

"……Someone like me… Senior Celia wouldn't even spare me a glance."

"It's not good to belittle yourself so much, Aina."

Lil, who had been listening, chided her, but Aina just kept staring at the ground.

Looking at Aina, Leo said.

"Why do you think you have a mentor?"

"What?"

Aina, with a slightly surprised expression at Leo's words, looked up.

However, the warp gate activated, and leaders and heroes from various countries began to arrive, so their conversation was interrupted.

***

*Flash-!*

Numerous rulers and heroes from various races arrived.

Each time, the Lumen students cheered.

Amidst the enthusiastic welcome from everyone.

*Flash-!*

The warp gate activated again, and someone appeared.

The Lumen students, who had been cheering again, suddenly paused.

It wasn't just Lumen.

The kings and heroes who were exchanging greetings were also surprised when they spotted the newly arrived individual.

*Flap- Flap-*

Flags fluttered.

They, composed of people from the eastern continent, began to walk.

Many summits had been held since the Heroes of the Great Opening.

However.

They, who had existed in the world long before the Heroes of the Great Opening, had never attended a summit meeting before.

The country with the longest history in the world.

The shadowy nation that had written its history in darkness.

Someone softly uttered its name.

"The Shan Empire."