Book 1 Chapter 443

"It seems they've caught on to Lord Arion's true identity."

Melina said with a slightly troubled expression.

"He must have taken that into account to some extent."

"What should we do?"

"I don't think those three will reveal that fact to anyone else."

All three were former student council presidents.

They would surely be aware of the repercussions if it became known that Arion had appeared in this era.

"Even so, I'll have a separate word with them."

"Alright."

Leo nodded at Melina's words.

Leo watched Arion, who was mentoring the graduates, and fell into thought.

'You're preparing in your own way.'

"And Lord Leo."

"Yes?"

"About what you told me before."

"Mhm."

"I think next week might be okay."

Leo nodded at her question.

"Understood."

***

It was the third week of the training camp.

Splash-

"I feel alive~"

"I've been waiting for this moment~"

The second-year students, who had now settled into their campsite, had successfully managed all aspects of their daily lives: food, clothing, and shelter.

"Who would have thought we'd even build a bathhouse here?"

"I think it's great? Miss Celia seemed happy too."

Chen Xia replied with a laugh to Celia's mumbling.

"That's true."

Even though they were hero candidates, they were still students in their adolescent years.

There were plenty of students who cared about their appearance even in extreme environments.

As a result, the students' desire to maintain their cleanliness even when thrown into the wilderness grew.

Ultimately, that led to them building a bathhouse.

They were soaking their bodies in the hot water, washing away the day's fatigue, when suddenly.

"Those first-years! Huh? While we seniors are suffering like this! Huh? They're living comfortably with their feet up?"

At that moment, Iliana's sharp voice was heard.

Iliana, who had entered the bathhouse, was complaining to Nela.

"I felt sorry for them, thinking the first-years were suffering like us! How can I deal with this betrayal!"

"Do you want to get angry at your juniors for that reason?"

Nela shook her head.

Yesterday, it was revealed that unlike the second-years who were going through hellish days in the wilderness, the first-years were having their training camp in a very good environment.

"I want to have a campfire too! Eat delicious food all the time! And be busy playing every night! I dreamed of a training camp like that! I want to be a filial daughter sitting in front of the campfire, thinking of my parents' kindness!"

The Lumern female students ignored Iliana, who was shouting her grievances with her arms flailing.

As such, Iliana, who had entered the hot springs, muttered.

"By the way, it's an open-air bath, but there aren't any perverted people trying to peek."

"Would anyone do something so foolish?"

Naturally, as it was a gathering of geniuses in aura, magic, and summoning, it was impossible to avoid the eyes of the female students.

It was literally an act of suicide.

To that, Iliana said,

"Why? The class representative has the ability to do so, right?"

"Lord Leo would never do something like that."

"But the class representative is also a man."

Nela muttered quietly at Iliana's words, but no student agreed.

"Even foolish thoughts should have a limit."

Chelsea chided her.

Iliana, pouting, then grinned.

"What's with that wicked smile?"

When Chelsea narrowed her eyes, Iliana shook her head.

"No, just… You're definitely young, compared to me."

Iliana looked at Chen Xia.

"Xia is definitely older, older. Mmm-hmm! Cough! Gurgle-!"

Iliana, who had been teased unnecessarily, was kicked by Chelsea and flailed.

After a brief commotion.

"Ah! By the way, did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"There's no training tomorrow!"

"What are you talking about?"

Everyone's eyes widened at Iliana's sudden announcement.

"Tomorrow is free time! We can go to Delan, the capital of the Kingdom of Delad! We have to return the day after tomorrow?"

"What?!"

"Really!"

"You're not lying, are you?"

The female students' eyes widened as they gathered around Iliana.

"Of course~ The information is from Kal, so it's reliable!"

"Freedom from this hell!"

"Even though it's only for a day! We can rest comfortably!"

"Hooray!"

***

The next morning.

Melina appeared during morning roll call.

"You've all worked hard training for the past three weeks. You've endured the harsh schedule well. Therefore, for an overnight trip, I'm giving you an outing…"

"Waaaaaaah! Freedom!"

"Those who screamed, step to the back immediately."

The faces of the students who had screamed turned pale at Rienia's icy voice.

While a few students were being disciplined, Melina finished with a bright smile.

"I hope you all have a pleasant outing."

***

Arion's eyes widened at the scene unfolding before him.

Arion was standing on the streets of Delan.

"So this is a city in this era."

Arion exclaimed.

Although it was the capital of a small, peripheral country, the streets were full of vitality.

Watching the carriages and people passing by, Arion's head was constantly turning.

Watching him, Chelsea muttered.

"Don't you feel a little worried looking at Lord Arion?"

"About what?"

"We should take good care of him. It's like watching a child left by the water."

"Isn't it hilarious that you're saying that, when you're the most childish one?"

Kal chuckled.

At that, Chelsea didn't hesitate and landed a dropkick to Kal's side.

Kal, who collapsed miserably, groaned while holding his side for a long time before struggling to get up.

"By the way, Leo and Chelsea, Lord Road entrusted you with guiding Lord Arion, right?"

"Yes!"

Chelsea puffed out her chest proudly.

For hero candidates, being entrusted with guiding a great hero they had only met in fairy tales as a child was an almost infinite honor.

"Arion was almost weeping as he was dragged away by Lunia."

Arion volunteered to guide Arion, but his request was denied.

It was Melina's thought that Arion, who was unconsciously afraid of Ar, might not be able to enjoy the present comfortably.

"Still, we're staying at the same inn in the evening."

Chelsea and Kal shook their heads, thinking of Ar.

"Kal, what are you going to do?"

"Hmph. I'm going to find items to secretly smuggle in. They'll sell for a lot."

"You'll be in terrible trouble if you get caught?"

"I won't get caught. If I don't get caught."

Kal chuckled.

Chelsea shook her head, watching him.

"You sure talk a lot in front of big brother Leo."

Leo, the student council president, had reported Kal to the student council several times for subtly breaking school rules.

"He said he'd overlook minor prohibited items if they weren't serious? Hwahahaha!"

Kal said confidently with a laugh.

"Good luck with that."

"Alright. Then have a good time! Lord Arion! See you in the evening!"

Kal said his goodbyes and left.

Arion, who waved goodbye to Kal, approached Chelsea and said,

"Chelsea, I'll buy you this. Let's eat it together."

Arion pointed to the ice cream being sold by a street vendor.

"Yes! Lord Arion!"

Lunchtime.

Following Leo's recommendation, the three arrived at a hidden gem in Delan.

It wasn't a fancy restaurant, but as Leo, who had lived in Delan, recommended it, the taste was extremely satisfying.

"Whoa."

Sitting on a bench near the restaurant, Chelsea muttered, basking in the bright summer sun.

"I'm happy. This is what living is."

Having spent three weeks holed up in the mountains, rolling around, Chelsea was thoroughly enjoying the current situation.

As Chelsea was smiling goofily, Arion approached her.

"Chelsea, the sun is strong. You'll get a tan. I bought you a hat."

"Thank you!"

"I bought you a drink too. Let's have it for dessert."

"Yes!"

Chelsea, wearing the wide-brimmed hat Arion had bought her and taking a sip of the iced drink, suddenly gasped and jumped up from her seat.

"Wait a minute! Something is wrong here!"

Arion, who was about to bring his mouth to the straw at Chelsea's urgent cry, widened his eyes.

Leo asked with a puzzled expression.

"What's wrong?"

"Lord Leo is helping Lord Arion sightsee! But what about me? Lord Arion is only taking care of me! I should be guiding Lord Arion too!"

Since arriving in the city, Leo had taken on the role of guide for Arion.

The reason this free time was created in the first place was because Arion wanted to enjoy the current era.

Although Arion had strongly refused, saying he would help the future generations grow, Leo had forced a day's time for Arion.

In such a situation, Arion was taking care of Chelsea meticulously, as if looking after a younger sibling.

For Chelsea, who was full of enthusiasm for being entrusted with guiding a great hero from the age of heroes, the current situation was bewildering.

"I like it this way."

"Huh?"

"Ar, Lunia, Eiran, Drian, and Kal are like Berkia to me."

To Arion, Berkia was not only a younger sibling but, before that, a disciple.

A disciple with whom he would stand on the battlefield.

A precious younger sibling whom he had helped and who had helped him countless times.

"But Chelsea, you remind me of my younger siblings when I was young."

"Younger siblings?"

"Yes."

Arion gave a bitter smile.

"My younger siblings, whom I failed to protect due to my own pathetic self."

The siblings from the orphanage.

Siblings who were too young to die.

"If I hadn't acted foolishly then… perhaps they would have grown up and seen this blue sky."

Arion looked up at the blue sky.

"So I want to take care of you. Is it uncomfortable?"

"No. It's… How should I put it? It's a bit overwhelming to be taken care of so much. My older brother and big brother Leo see me as cute, but they don't fuss over me like this, so it feels unfamiliar. Should I say I'm happy?"

Arion smiled as he watched Chelsea's eyes darting around.

"Then, please keep me company."

"Yes! But if you only take care of me like this, won't big brother Leo be a little disappointed?"

Chelsea said, looking at Leo, and Arion chuckled.

"Leo won't mind. Right?"

"Don't worry about me."

"See?"

At Leo's reply, Chelsea nodded.

"Then, shall we move on?"

"If so, I'd like to go to the library next."

At Arion's answer, Leo nodded.

'Big brother Leo is amazing.'

Watching them, Chelsea burst into laughter.

At first, she was surprised to see Leo talking so casually with Arion.

'Kal and the others too. You said you spoke as equals with the great heroes you met in the hero world, right?'

Whenever she heard that story, Leo always sounded confident, which was both surprising and seemed like something Leo would do.

'Lord Arion also seems to treat Lord Leo more comfortably, and Lord Leo's charm, perhaps?'

Chelsea smiled faintly, watching the two people walking ahead.

Then, she suddenly stopped, seeing Arion talking with Leo.

Leo and Arion looked like friends.

But at the same time, the relationship between the two felt strangely familiar to Chelsea.

'Where have I seen that before?'

Chelsea tilted her head, then remembered something.

Arion's demeanor of relying on Leo as a younger sibling resembled her own dependence on her older brother Leo.

'Huh?'

Chelsea wore a dazed expression.

She uttered a question filled with bewilderment and confusion.

"Huh?"