Book 1 Chapter 414
414.
When Juen opened her eyes, what she saw was an unfamiliar ceiling.
Juen, who blinked a few times, urgently got up.
“……Where is this?”
Juen, who was looking around in a daze, soon realized this was a hospital ward and let out a hollow laugh.
‘I lost.’
Slam-
Just then, the door opened and Kal came in.
“Juen, you’re awake?”
“What happened?”
“Shock due to mana depletion.”
Kal pulled a chair from the hospital room, sat beside Juen’s bed, and said.
“It was a really close call. If it had been a place where you could fight fairly, not a place advantageous to Aina, you would have won….”
“A loss is a loss.”
Juen gritted her teeth and replied to Kal’s words.
“Anything else is just an excuse. The result won't change.”
“……Right.”
Kal, who was about to comfort Juen, closed his mouth and smiled bitterly.
Kal was flustered as he looked at Juen, who was silent with her head bowed.
“Hey, are you crying?”
Juen’s shoulders trembled slightly.
“I’m sorry. Senior helped so hard.”
While Juen devised the winning strategy against Aina, it was Kal who predicted Aina’s movements and analyzed them.
“I just did what was natural as a mentor. Don’t cry. I’m telling you, 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 a first-year final exam, isn’t it? There will be plenty of opportunities to get your revenge in the future.”
Kal soothed the frustrated Juen.
***
After the first round of the first-year final exam tournament, Lumern became boisterous.
The most attention was undoubtedly on Luke.
It was a completely unexpected and surprising victory, so a lot of interest was naturally drawn to it.
Many questions like, 'Why is this guy the student council president’s mentee until now?' also faded.
“Student Luke! What was the reason for hiding your strength until now?”
“Was it a strategy to make other students let their guard down?”
Reporters from the newspaper club swarmed Luke, throwing various questions at him.
“It was Senior Leo’s training method.”
“Ho ho? What was the student council president’s training like?”
At that question, Luke’s face turned pale.
‘What kind of training did he receive, anyway?’
Seeing Luke trembling, the newspaper club students made strange expressions.
Next, the match between Aina and Juen garnered attention.
“Student Aina, what are your thoughts on your match with Student Juen?”
“She was very strong.”
Aina, who answered softly with downcast eyes, said nothing more and returned to the dormitory.
Students who called themselves Aina’s faction were flustered and chased after Aina.
Watching them, Luke muttered.
“She doesn’t look happy.”
“She probably didn't expect to struggle this much. She actually almost lost.”
Shasha, the class representative of Class 1, the same class as Luke, answered, fanning her folding fan.
“By the way, you did great, Luke. You upheld the honor of Class 1.”
Luke scratched his head at Shasha’s words.
“I’m looking forward to our match.”
A snort was heard at Shasha’s words, spoken with a smile.
“Shasha Siene Rodlen, you won’t get to face Luke Elda.”
“What did you say?”
Shasha narrowed her eyes.
“Because you’ll be defeated by me before that.”
“Hmph- You’re saying what I wanted to say. Haviden Virsen.”
Sparks flew between Shasha and Haviden.
Other students subtly avoided the two.
“From the beginning, I had thought I should defeat Luke Elda.”
“The same goes for me, though?”
Watching the two growl at each other, Jane, who was in Class 10 with Haviden and Chen Sia’s mentee, made a look as if there were no children around.
“Weren’t you guys not interested in Luke Elda? You didn’t know his skill until now.”
“I made up my mind to defeat him from the moment Luke became Senior Leo’s mentee.”
As Shasha snorted and spoke, Jane smiled slyly.
“Jealousy?”
“No, it’s not?!”
Haviden chuckled, “Hoo-,” seeing Shasha flare up with a flushed face.
“How unseemly, Shasha Siene Rodlen.”
Shasha, provoked by Haviden, turned to Luke and said.
“Luke, you tell them! Who do you want to fight more between me and this
guy!”
“Of course, he’d want to fight me more, being in the same Knight department.”
“I want to fight both of you.”
Luke answered, scratching his cheek.
From Luke’s perspective, Shasha and Haviden were both students he had admired since their first year of admission because they were so outstanding.
And they were also strong individuals he wanted to test his skills against someday.
‘I want to test how far my current skills can go against these people.’
That was Luke’s honest feeling.
Of course, Shasha and Haviden would not be convinced by Luke’s answer.
“Choose, Luke Elda.”
“Choose, Luke.”
Luke made a tearful face, seeing the two approaching him with fierce expressions.
“Someone help me!”
The first-year students turned away from Luke, not wanting to get involved with Shasha and Haviden.
Amidst the commotion among the first-year students.
Nella, one of the second-year students who came to find her mentees, murmured.
“Leo’s mentee is popular.”
“Yeah, he is.”
Illiana nodded.
“I’d decline that kind of popularity, though.”
***
The final exams were not just for first-year students.
After the first-year tournament ended, exams began for each grade level.
However, since the main event of this final exam was the first-year tournament, other grades’ final exams generally concluded early.
For the first-year students, the written exam also finished early, and only the tournament steadily progressed.
Luke steadily claimed victories and advanced.
Top students from other departments also continued to win.
Even Juen, who had a bad bracket, made it through the loser’s bracket and joined the main competition.
As the loser’s bracket proceeded, the biggest issue of this semester.
The summit meeting finally began.
All grades gathered in the grand parade ground by department.
“Wow.”
Illiana, who had brought and was reading the school newspaper, exclaimed and clucked her tongue.
Chloe tilted her head.
“Why?”
“No. I’m just thinking, if things go on like this, Emio might actually get expelled.”
“Ah.”
At Illiana’s words, Chloe also gasped.
Judging by his grades alone, Emio was a skilled individual whose presence at Lumern until graduation wouldn't be strange.
But this first-year tournament complicated things.
Emio’s mentee, Rement, suffered a shocking defeat to Luke in his very first match and fell into the loser's bracket.
The problem was that Juen also fell into the loser’s bracket.
It was Juen who won in the loser’s comeback match.
It was a match between the 1st and 3rd place students of the Magic Department, but Juen achieved an overwhelming victory and fell back into the loser’s bracket again.
“The criteria for first-year expulsion haven’t been clearly announced yet. We’ll have to wait and see.”
Illiana snorted at Chloe’s words.
“I hope Professor Halind judges it strictly. I really don’t want to see that annoying face.”
“I agree.”
Chelsea, who was listening to the conversation nearby, also nodded.
“But why are you here?”
“Huh?”
“Go back to the Knight Department immediately.”
“Gasp! To say such harsh words when we’ve studied together in the Magic Department!”
As Illiana feigned hurt, Chelsea narrowed her eyes.
“Harsh my ass. You came to the Magic Department because it’s a much better viewing spot, didn’t you! You only care about the Magic Department when it’s convenient for you, right?”
At Chelsea’s words, Illiana looked away.
Seeing Illiana, Kal said.
“Should I drag her out?”
“Chloe! The kids are ostracizing me!”
When public opinion turned unfavorable, Illiana clung to Chloe.
After some commotion, Illiana, who finally managed to settle down, said.
“By the way, the class president must be lucky. He gets to see the powerful figures and heroes from each country from the VIP seats, right?”
As student council president, Leo was standing in front of the warp gate to greet the world leaders.
***
“Leo, don’t be nervous. I’ll assist you well.”
“Senior Lil. Thank you for the words, but could you please talk to me while looking at me?”
Lil seemed nervous, as she had her eyes tightly shut.
The task of greeting the leaders and heroes of various nations face-to-face fell to the grade representatives, who represented each grade level.
Hark and Elena were returning from their mission deployment tomorrow, so Lil was currently the highest-ranking student.
Therefore, it was Lil’s role to assist Leo, who was the student council president but still a second-year student.
But she was extremely nervous and hesitant.
“Woo- Aren’t you nervous, Leo? Aren’t you worried about making a mistake or showing any disgrace?”
“Not particularly.”
“As expected, Leo is amazing.”
Lil was impressed.
She had thought he was great since they first met.
But now, he was not just an amazing junior but also in an unimaginably high position as student council president and a summoner.
“Senior Lil, you can just act as you normally do.”
“Right, then they wouldn’t think it strange.”
‘……Even if she acts normally, they’ll think it’s strange, and if she doesn’t act normally, they’ll also think it’s strange, so what can you do?’
Leo muttered to himself.
Lil thought of herself as ordinary, but in reality, she possessed a very unique personality.
Of course, from the perspective of a spirit user, she was also very unexceptional.
‘Of course, she’s not merely unexceptional but a monster with no sharp edges.’
Despite having such great talent, Lil constantly sought out and compared herself to people more amazing than her, automatically shrinking in confidence.
‘But even so, she never stops trying.’
She was someone who used comparison as a stepping stone for growth, always looking upwards rather than downwards.
Leo turned his gaze towards Aina.
‘Her situation is similar to Lil’s.’
If Lil was closing her eyes nervously, Aina was looking straight down at the ground.
‘It seems she hasn’t quite recovered from the shock of the match with Juen.’
“Aina.”
“Yes?”
Aina was startled by Leo’s call.
“It seems you have something on your mind.”
At that question, Aina lowered her gaze again.
And then she moved her lips slightly, before closing them.
Previously, Aina never avoided Leo’s gaze, saying she would be recognized.
But now, she seemed to be avoiding Leo.
Leo, watching Aina, said.
“If you have concerns, try talking to Celia. She’s your mentor.”
“…….”
At that, Aina smiled self-deprecatingly.
“……Someone like me…… Senior Celia won’t even bother with me.”
“It’s not good to belittle yourself so much, Aina.”
Lil, who had been listening, admonished her, but Aina merely stared at the ground.
Seeing Aina, Leo said.
“Why do you think you have a mentor?”
“Yes?”
Aina lifted her head, looking a little surprised at Leo’s words.
But by then, the warp gate had activated, and powerful figures and heroes from various countries began to arrive, so the conversation didn’t continue.
***
Flash-!
Numerous rulers and heroes of various races arrived.
Each time, the Lumern students cheered.
Amidst everyone’s fervent welcome.
Flash-!
The warp gate activated again, and someone appeared.
The Lumern students, who had been cheering again, paused for a moment.
It wasn't just Lumern.
The kings and heroes who had been greeting each other also looked surprised upon discovering the newly arrived individuals.
Flap- Flap-
Banners unfurled.
Those composed of people from the Eastern Continent moved forward.
Many summit meetings had been held since the Heroes of the Genesis.
However.
They, who had existed in the world since before the Heroes of the Genesis, had never attended a summit meeting even once.
The country with the longest history in the world.
The Shadow Nation, which had written its history in darkness.
Someone quietly uttered its name.
“Shan Empire.”