Book 1 Chapter 428

428.

"It's wider than I thought."

"This is Lord Leo's family home…!"

In front of the mansion on the Flob family's estate.

As Lounia muttered while looking at the mansion's main gate, Eiran, who was beside her, wore a tense expression.

"Eiran, let's go in."

"Miss Lounia. Won't this be insufficient? Lord Leo's parents must be here. Won't the gift be insufficient?"

"You were the one who said that if we bought too lavish a gift, they might feel burdened."

"Ah! To do something so foolish!"

Eiran, who had fallen into a state of confusion due to excessive nervousness, blamed herself.

"Wait a moment! Let's go back and get a gift…"

"Then we'll be late."

Lounia grabbed Eiran by the scruff of her neck and dragged her inside.

"Ah, Miss Lounia! Wait a moment!"

"Ugh! Stop it and hurry up!"

Lounia shouted, forcefully pulling Eiran who was holding onto the iron gate and refusing to let go.

Just as the two elves were in front of someone else's house.

"It seems you're scared to go to the training camp!"

A triumphant voice was heard from behind.

Lounia turned her head to see Ar, a beast-person with her hands on her hips, wagging her white tail and snorting victoriously.

Beside her, Drianah stood with her arms crossed.

"You're here?"

Lounia, with a crooked expression, placed one hand on her hip and tilted her head sideways, all while not letting go of Eiran's scruff.

Seeing her characteristic fierce gesture, Drianah said.

"I always feel this, but Lounia, no matter how I look at you, you look like a thug."

"Huh? Wasn't I a thug?!"

"Who are you calling a thug?! You perverted dwarf and foolish cat!"

Lounia, agitated, snapped.

Watching Lounia, Eiran muttered softly.

"Sometimes she does look like a thug."

"What?"

"Eeek?"

Seeing Lounia's eyes widen fiercely, Eiran hugged the mansion's iron main gate even tighter.

Lounia tried to pull Eiran off, but Eiran's basic physical strength was much greater to begin with.

"Hey! Cat, try to pull her off. She's resisting, refusing to go!"

"If you block the way, it's a nuisance to other people too."

"Exactly!"

Ar tried to help Lounia pull Eiran away from the door.

Kkikkikigeek!

As Ar joined in, an unusual sound came from the door.

Unlike before, Eiran also wore a more strained expression.

"Why is she so stubborn!"

Ar, whose competitive spirit was ignited, gritted her teeth and exerted more force.

It was then that Drianah, watching the scene, wore a look of exasperation.

"What are you all doing?"

As soon as Leo's voice was heard, Eiran let go.

"Kyaak?"

"Ugya?!"

Lounia and Ar, who had been pulling Eiran, couldn't overcome the force and miserably tumbled onto the floor.

Unlike the two whose appearances were a mess, Eiran, who stood neatly, straightened her clothes and stood before Leo.

"Lord Leo! Are you enjoying your vacation? Thank you for inviting us! Here… it's a humble gift!"

Leo smiled faintly, watching Eiran brightly smiling and handing over the gift.

"Thank you, Mother will like it."

At his words, Eiran blushed, covered both cheeks with her hands, and squirmed, not knowing what to do.

Seeing Eiran like that, Ar and Lounia pounced without hesitation.

"Why, why are you doing this?"

"Are you asking because you don't know?"

"You try it too!"

Eiran, with a tearful face, fled, avoiding the two who were rushing at her with glaring eyes.

Watching that scene, Drianah wore a look of exasperation.

"To think they are called the future of their race. Their future is truly concerning."

"I don't think that's something you should say?"

Leo shook his head and said, but Drianah didn't listen.

***

"What? Seniors who graduated are coming as instructors?!"

"That's right! I heard it directly from Senior Torua yesterday. Though he disappeared around evening."

A large number of students had already gathered at the mansion.

It wasn't just Rumerun.

Seirun, Azonia, and even Damian.

Invitations had already been sent to top-performing students from each school.

Moreover, there were not only second-years but also first-years.

"Hmph! It feels like an inter-school competition, doesn't it?"

Illiana stroked her chin, her eyes sparkling.

At her murmur, Azonia's 5th ranked student.

Borman crossed his arms and burst out laughing.

"That would be interesting. Though the most excellent one would, of course, be Azonia!"

At his shout, the Azonia students cheered.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk."

Illiana clicked her tongue and wagged her finger at the Azonia students.

"I'm sorry, but you guys can never beat us! Why?"

Illiana proudly raised her head, covered her mouth with her hand, and burst out laughing.

"Because we have Leo Flob! Hohoho! I'll show all of you the bitter taste of defeat."

"Urgh?!"

Borman gritted his teeth and clenched his fist.

Watching Illiana, Chelsea wore an exasperated expression.

"She's not even winning because she's good, so why is she showing off?"

"It's embarrassing, someone stop her."

Teide said, covering his face with his hands.

Duran, who was sitting aside with his eyes closed and arms crossed, spoke.

"Chen Sia, drag her out."

"Me?"

"Should I drag her out?"

Pazzzzt-!

Small sparks flew from Duran's body.

Chen Sia, smiling awkwardly at the sight, approached Illiana.

"Miss Illiana, please stop and come over."

"Why? I need to demoralize the other school guys a bit more beforehand… Mmph? Mmph?"

Chen Sia blocked Illiana's nose and mouth with a white cloth, as Illiana ignored her and tried to provoke the other school students again.

Illiana, who had been struggling in the sudden situation, soon rolled her eyes back and slumped down.

"A student from our school has been rude."

Seeing Chen Sia's bright smile, all the other school students instantly looked terrified.

"She's not dead, is she?"

"She's not even moving."

"The upperclassmen of Rumerun are scary."

While the first-years from other schools whispered amongst themselves.

Celia arrived.

"So many people gathered, it's bustling."

Chelsea greeted Celia, who was shaking her head and sweeping her hair back.

"Welcome, Celia."

At Chelsea's words, Celia paused for a moment, then frowned.

"What is it? That's annoying."

Since Chelsea was giving an endlessly kind smile, which was unlike her, Celia couldn't help but feel uneasy.

Even at Celia's words, Chelsea did not retract her kind smile.

"You know, I found something interesting?"

Chelsea rummaged around and pulled a photo from her pocket.

"Ta-da!"

Celia's face turned pale as she looked at Chelsea suspiciously.

"Y-y-y-y-you! Where did you get that photo!"

"Well? Where could it have come from?"

"Argh!"

Celia, with a flushed face, rushed at Chelsea, tore the photo to shreds, and then incinerated it with a flame aura.

After that, she ran to Leo.

"Hey! Leo! How could you do this!"

Leo, who was talking with Chloe and Abad, shrugged his shoulders.

Chloe smiled awkwardly, and Abad wore his characteristic gentle smile.

"It looked quite good on you?"

"Erase it from your mind while I'm still being nice! Butter!"

At Abad's words, Celia, reacting almost convulsively, grabbed Leo by the collar and shook him violently.

"You promised to keep it a secret! A secret!"

"I didn't show it. Mother showed it."

"Auntie?"

Celia made a tearful face.

Since Reina had shown it, there was nothing she could say.

"To grab the young master you serve by the collar. What an ill-mannered maid."

"Indeed. Miss Celia. Violent behavior is not the mindset of a maid."

Eliza, who had been watching, openly sneered, and Chen Sia, who had subdued Illiana, also said with a gentle smile.

Celia, agitated, rushed at them both and started choking them.

"Let go of me, Celia Gerdinger!"

"Don't be angry, Miss Celia."

Eliza struggled, and Chen Sia said calmly.

It was then that a commotion broke out.

"It's good to see everyone looking so energetic."

Clear laughter was heard.

A voice that clearly reached the students' ears.

Everyone's gaze turned to the second floor of the mansion.

And upon discovering a small girl wearing a veil there, their eyes widened.

"Dragon Lord."

The Dragon Lord they had seen during the last summit meeting stood there.

A situation everyone had already witnessed once.

But even so, seeing her this close was a first.

While everyone was tense.

Melina hung a banner on the second-floor railing.

Flap-!

"To everyone present here, I sincerely welcome you to the training camp."

Melina, brightly smiling and clapping her small hands.

But the students who saw the banner merely froze.

"Welcome to hell?"

Chelsea muttered in a bewildered voice.

Karl, seeing that, muttered with a world-weary expression.

"Just as I thought."

Why are sad premonitions never wrong?

Karl muttered to himself and wore a sad smile.

It was then that everyone gulped dryly.

And…

Screeeech-! Thump-!

The open door closed with a heavy sound.

"Now, everyone, then."

"Hey, hey, the atmosphere is unusual, isn't it?"

"What's going on?"

It was when the students started murmuring.

"The training camp, begins."

With that, the scenery changed.

The students, suddenly thrown into the middle of a mountain valley, stared blankly up at Melina.

Melina was waving her hand, looking down at the students from atop the cliff.

"Have a good trip."

Kiaaaaaaak!

Uwaaaaaaak!

By the law of gravity, the students plummeted down the cliff.

***

Whoooooosh!

Falling down the endless cliff, Ar wore a calm expression.

'No need to panic. I'll use my aura.'

Ar, who was about to generate aura, suddenly wore a flustered expression.

The aura within her body reacted very faintly, unlike usual.

She couldn't exert her usual strength.

But her panic lasted only a moment.

Ar quickly strengthened her hands using aura.

And she dug her claws into the cliff face, scratching it.

Kwagagagagagak-!

Ar forcibly slowed her falling speed using friction.

It was then that Ar wore a triumphant smile.

Wooong-!

"Huh?"

Her body suddenly became incredibly heavy.

Thud-!

The strength in her hands couldn't overcome the weight, and she slipped.

Kwagagagang-! Thump! Ujikgeun! Crash!

Ar, who had crashed onto the ground, screamed and groaned.

She wasn't severely injured, but it hurt tremendously.

Ar wasn't the only one who had fallen nearby.

Eiran, Celia, and Duran fell together.

"Oh, it hurts."

Eiran made a tearful face and struggled to get up.

Celia also gritted her teeth and endured the pain.

Duran calmly got up, but his movements were sluggish due to the pain.

Ar also got up.

Fifteen second-year students from each school were invited.

Among them, Ar fell with these three.

"It seems we've been scattered."

Ar spoke in response to Celia's murmur.

"Did we fall here randomly? Or were we assigned to this group beforehand?"

"Hmph. It's highly likely we were assigned to a group."

Duran snorted.

"Aren't all four of us here vanguards?"

"That's right. Our role is to defend against enemies on the front lines."

It was then that Eiran also nodded her head.

"It's a little different."

A voice was heard from above.

The four of them simultaneously looked up.

The two with excellent dynamic vision spotted Leo, who was sitting on the cliff edge, looking down at them.

"In battle, your role isn't to block enemies, but to annihilate them, isn't it?"

Despite possessing excellent physical abilities and stamina, they wield overwhelming firepower.

"Like the hero Arion."

"Lord Leo!"

"What, Black Rabbit! Why are you the only one comfortably on top of the cliff! Come down quickly!"

"Are you not participating in the training camp?"

Eiran smiled brightly and waved, and Ar pouted.

As Celia asked with a puzzled expression, Duran crossed his arms.

"No, he merely climbed onto the cliff already."

"That's right, Duran."

Leo smiled and nodded his head.

"I cleared this task as soon as it started."

"So, you're saying you'll wait for us?"

At Duran's words, Leo chuckled.

"I've been waiting for you."

"What?"

At the sudden remark, not only Duran but also the others wore puzzled expressions.

"So?"

Leo opened his mouth.

"How long are you going to make me wait?"

Ar snorted, looking at Leo who was looking down at them from an impossibly high place.

"We'll be there soon. Wait."

"Oh yeah?"

Leo smiled and stood up.

"Then I'll be waiting."

Having said that, Leo left the cliff without regret.

Melina asked Leo, who was like that.

"It seems you're looking forward to the day those children catch up."

"I am."

Leo chuckled.

"Can those children replace the Great Heroes?"

"They can't replace them. Neither can you, nor the heroes of the new era."

"…There's nothing we can do. We dare not compare ourselves to the Great Heroes. We could never replace them."

Melina shrugged her shoulders as if apologetic.

Leo reached out his hand towards Melina.

"That's not what I mean."

"Huh?"

"You are you."

Leo said, ruffling Melina's hair.

"Just as you can't replace them, they can't replace you."

Leo chuckled.

"Do you think we saved the world with our strength alone? We just happened to have stronger powers than others. So anyone with the will to risk their lives to save the world is a reliable and precious comrade."

Leo, taking his hand off Melina's head, walked away sluggishly.

"Hurry up and come onto the stage. I'll be waiting anxiously."

Melina, watching Leo's retreating figure, looked down the cliff and said.

"Everyone, you'll have to work very hard, won't you? The Hero of Beginnings is waiting for you."