Book 1 Chapter 422

422.

-Students! And distinguished guests who have come to Lumen! Welcome! I am Runba Tess, and I will be commentating this tournament!

Runba greeted them with a cheerful voice.

-And today, we have a special guest. The professor in charge of the 2nd-year Department of Magic! Professor Len!

-Pleased to meet you, I am Len Hors.

Len introduced himself in a neat appearance.

-Professor. What are your thoughts on this tournament?

-I'm watching it with great interest. This year's freshmen have had a different academic schedule than before. All of them took their first-semester final exams, and thanks to the mentor system, they're also receiving help from their 2nd-year seniors… I'm extremely pleased that everyone is growing well despite the different schedule. I really like the system introduced by Professor Liina, who was newly appointed as the principal this time.

-Yes. That's why many people are paying attention to Lumen's new academic system. By the way, Professor Len. What are your thoughts on the fact that there are no magic students in the Top 4 tournament?

Runba, with the sole intention of providing an entertaining commentary in his own way, brought up a very sensitive issue for Len.

And as soon as Runba finished his remark, a scream erupted from the side of the Magic Department.

Hallind's eyes twitched.

-And as a professor of the Department of Magic, you volunteered to commentate on a match between 1st-year Knight Department students, which was a bit surprising…

-Who said there are no magic students in the Top 4?

-Pardon?

-And what do you mean, it's a match between Knight Department students?

-Uhm, well.

Len asked Runba in a gloomy voice.

Runba, whose eyes met Len's, thought he had touched something he shouldn't have.

-Luke Elda is a dual-class student! He'll be transferring to the Magic Department starting from the second semester! Moreover, Luke received my private tutoring on magic throughout the first semester… Beep-!

-We apologize for the temporary broadcast mishap.

Yura urgently spoke into the microphone with a sound amplification spell.

It is free for Lumen teachers to provide private lessons to specific students.

However, blabbering about it in a public place could easily lead to unnecessary misunderstandings.

Therefore, Len's outburst was quickly stopped by other professors who intervened.

Ain covered Len's mouth and dragged him out.

"Mmmph!" Hallind gestured with his chin, looking at the struggling Len, and Ain ruthlessly twisted his neck, causing Len to slump.

The one who took the microphone in place of Len was Mel, a 1st-year professor of the Magic Department.

-I'm Mel! Please take care of me.

Students cheered as they watched Mel speak with a bright smile.

Ar's cat ears twitched upon hearing Mel's voice.

"Oh, that Lumen professor's voice. Wasn't it somewhat similar to the Dragon Lord's?"

"Now that you mention it."

"Hmm. It is similar."

Lunia and Driana also tilted their heads at Ar's sharp observation.

"It must be a coincidence, right?"

"Right. It's weird for the Dragon Lord to be working as a professor at Lumen."

But they soon lost interest.

Realistically, it was something that wouldn't happen.

Meanwhile, Runba continued his commentary.

-Alright then, let me introduce him! He maintained the lowest rank in his year throughout the first semester, but achieved the remarkable feat of reaching the Top 4 in the final practical exam! The protagonist of the great reversal! Luke Elda!

Whoooooa!

Enthusiastic cheers poured out.

While 1st and 2nd graders looked at Luke with complex gazes, Luke, who was causing a great reversal, was the center of attention for students in 3rd year and above.

Moreover, since Lumen was filled with hero candidates with strong pride, Luke, with his gentle impression, was popular among the upperclassmen.

Luke slightly blushed at the seniors' cheers and offered an awkward smile.

Seeing his somewhat naive appearance, the upperclassmen who liked Luke screamed with even more delight.

-Oh! Student Luke! You're incredibly popular! Alright then! The next student is! The most talked-about sword genius among this year's freshmen! Aina Vaydna!

As Aina stepped into the arena, cheers as loud as Luke's poured out.

Last year, the Sword Saint's heroic performance, leading his elderly body to stop the monster queen until the Hero of Beginnings and the Progenitor of the Nebula appeared.

If it weren't for him, most of the students here might have lost their lives.

Aina, his great-granddaughter, received a lot of attention since her admission, as his noble sacrifice was remembered.

Amidst the pouring cheers.

Luke and Aina stood facing each other in the center of the arena.

"You've come this far."

"Yes, Aina-ssi."

Luke took a deep breath.

"Today, I'll do my best not to be an embarrassment in front of you, Aina-ssi."

"Luke Elda."

"Yes?"

Luke looked a little surprised, as it was the first time Aina had called his name.

"Why did you enroll in Lumen?"

At the sudden question, Luke momentarily looked puzzled.

But he soon answered.

"I've admired heroes since I was little."

Luke smiled as he said that.

"Heroes are amazing people, aren't they? I wanted to be like those amazing people."

He looked at Luke, who spoke shyly.

He didn't have grand ambitions.

He just dreamed of it since he was young.

Helping others didn't require a big reason.

It was simply the right thing to do.

Luke had helped others without hesitation.

Aina recalled Luke helping her during the entrance exam.

After the match with Juen.

Aina looked around her surroundings for the first time since enrolling.

And she realized.

All of her classmates had goals for themselves.

'Fundamentally different from me.'

Aina's eyes sank.

'Everyone holds ideals and aims to be a hero.'

Heroes were not in her sight.

She simply honed her sword and entered Lumen to get revenge on Tartaros.

Unlike all her classmates who admired Leo Flov and wanted to be like him.

She simply regarded him as a necessary means.

'Luke Elda and I… no. Not just Luke Elda. I'm different from the other kids. That's why I couldn't challenge my limits.'

During the first semester, Aina never once challenged her limits.

During the entrance exam and mentor selection, when she thought there was no hope, she simply gave up.

Even in the match against Juen a few days ago, she gave up as soon as she hit her limit.

Unlike herself, Juen tried to overcome her limits and defeat her.

'Luke Elda is also the same.'

Aina knew Luke before his admission.

His skill was incomparably terrible compared to hers.

She thought he was a student who didn't belong in Lumen.

However…

'This kid is the student who belongs in Lumen more than anyone else.'

After constantly overcoming his limits, he now stands before her after a short time.

'It's only natural, in a way, that Senior Leo acknowledged this kid.'

Aina couldn't understand why Luke, not her, had become Leo's mentee until now.

But now she understood.

'I… am not worthy of being a hero candidate.'

At the referee professor's words, the two students returned to their respective positions.

Drawing his sword, Luke looked at Aina with tense eyes.

Aina just stared at the floor without a word.

Clink-!

A coin, signaling the start of the match, flew into the air.

Clang!

The coin fell to the floor.

At that moment, Luke became a silver flash and charged at Aina.

* * *

"She looks down."

Leo murmured, looking at Aina, then glanced at Celia.

"Why is she like that?"

"How would I know?"

Celia answered in a somewhat curt voice.

"Aina must not have sought you out."

"She was never a kid who needed my help in the first place."

Celia let out a short sigh.

"Aina will get strong on her own."

"Even so, with your personality, which likes to take care of others, I would have thought you'd given her a lot of help."

"True. She was unstable in some way. As a mentor, I wanted to correct that."

Celia wore a bitter expression.

"But perhaps because I was a terrible mentor, I ultimately couldn't help her."

"Being too responsible is also a problem."

"What?"

"You were a perfectly fine mentor. Aina was more unstable than you think."

Leo didn't know why Aina sought his recognition.

But whatever it was, Leo knew that everything was just a means to Aina.

Leo had seen countless people like Aina burning with vengeance against Tartaros.

'That's not wrong. In some ways, it can even be a driving force.'

But simple hatred eventually consumes oneself.

That's why Leo didn't choose Aina, even though he could have given her everything she wanted.

Because if Leo had chosen Aina as his mentee, Aina would have used it as a driving force for hatred.

'If that were the case, it would have been uncontrollable. That child didn't need an adult who understood and comforted everything, but an older sister or brother her age who would try to understand and constantly clash with her.'

"You might not have known… but you held Aina's hand so she wouldn't go astray or crumble."

"Is that so?"

Celia tilted her head, arms crossed.

"If she seeks you out after this match, then give her a real scolding."

"I was already planning to. I won't feel right if I don't say something."

Celia snorted and brushed her hair back.

"By the way, Leo. How do you view this match?"

"In terms of overall power, Aina would have the advantage."

"Right. But with that mental state, it will be difficult for her to gain an advantage against the current Luke."

"I don't think so."

"What?"

"A type like Aina can always display 100% of her skill, even if her mental state is shattered."

"Then it'll be hard for Luke to win."

"That's right."

Leo smiled.

Celia tilted her head, looking at Leo.

"You're relaxed. Are you satisfied just by him getting this far?"

"Of course not."

Leo shook his head.

"Luke will be a good stimulus for Aina. Perhaps Aina might also transcend her limits."

"Then wouldn't it be even harder to win?"

"That's right. But Luke isn't someone who breaks easily. Just as Luke is a stimulus to Aina, Aina will also be a stimulus to Luke."

* * *

Clang-!

Luke's sword, imbued with silver aura, and Aina's sword, imbued with golden aura, crossed.

Clash-!

They clashed swords and engaged in a struggle of strength.

After a moment.

A golden flash sparkled.

Golden lines decorated the air.

Clang-clang-clang-!

But the golden lines were all blocked by the silver sword.

'Amazing.'

Luke's eyes widened.

This was his first time fighting Aina.

In the Knight Department, mock battles were held endlessly by year.

But for Luke, who was at the bottom of his class, Aina was an excessive opponent.

Therefore, he had never had a chance to cross swords with Aina.

Luke could only watch Aina's sword from a distance.

He knew that technically, her sword skills were too refined for him to even compare.

But directly blocking it, it was on a different level from what he had observed.

'I don't feel any emotion.'

Just a sword that emotionlessly cut people.

Therefore, ruthless and sharp sword skills.

Because no emotion was felt, it was unpredictable.

'As expected, Aina-ssi is amazing! How can she be like this?'

Luke struggled to block Aina's sword and stepped back.

Watching Luke, Aina thought.

'A sword where emotions are clearly felt.'

Luke's emotions were clearly felt through his sword.

Aina had learned not to show emotions when learning the sword.

That would be the same for any knight.

Passion clouds judgment.

And an excellent knight can quickly grasp an opponent's emotions to predict the flow of an attack.

In that sense, Luke's swordsmanship clearly showed his attacks.

Literally full of openings.

However…

'Too many emotions are felt.'

Instead, because the attacks were too clear, they were difficult to predict.

'How can this be?'