Book 1 Chapter 463

463.

Leo's morning begins early.

A time that can rightfully be called dawn.

Leo, leaving his dormitory room, descended to the lounge.

"Leo, good morning."

Chloe was coming down from the girls' dormitory, yawning softly.

Chloe, rubbing her eyes as she descended the stairs, seemed a little less awake.

This was one of the rare times when Chloe, who usually didn't show many vulnerabilities, appeared somewhat relaxed.

With a slightly dazed expression, she reached for the table on one side of the lounge.

Bottles of milk, provided to the dormitory students every morning, were neatly stacked.

After finishing a bottle of milk, Chloe's eyes began to regain their sparkle.

Chloe, now more alert, grabbed a book and followed Leo out of the dormitory.

Leo for his dawn training.

Chloe to read a book while enjoying the morning air.

Click!

He opened the door and went out.

Next to the dormitory were mailboxes for each of the dormitory students.

Leo and Chloe discovered a mailbox that was stuffed to bursting with letters.

"Isn't that your mailbox?"

Chloe asked with a flustered expression.

"It is."

Leo opened the mailbox with a puzzled look and checked the contents.

Seeing the colorful stationery and pretty handwriting, Chloe asked with a look of disbelief.

"Are those all love letters?"

"It seems so."

He usually received letters frequently, but this was on a completely different level.

Leo wore an expression of bewilderment.

"There are quite a few letters from outside, too!"

There were letters from the daughters of prestigious families in other countries, and even from those who seemed to be princesses of some nation.

Mailing letters to Rumern was quite expensive.

Yet, letters were flying to Leo from all over the world.

"Is it because I became a hero?"

Leo chuckled and reacted nonchalantly.

"Are you going to read them all?"

Chloe asked cautiously, and Leo shook his head.

"No."

Leo stuffed the letters back into the mailbox and headed to the training grounds for his practice.

"Aren't you going to read in the garden?"

"Yes. But the autumn breeze is cool, so I want to change the atmosphere a bit today."

Feeling a sense of unease for some reason, Chloe followed Leo.

A short while later.

"President! Is it because the second semester has started? I want to start my morning training with a fresh mindset, can you help me?"

"To start new magic training…"

"Hey! I'm trying to improve my communication with spirits and I'm worried, can I get some advice?"

The training grounds, usually quiet, were now filled with female students.

Seeing the female students so motivated on the day after school started, Chloe's mouth moved in surprise.

'Right, even the ones who were just watching will now make bolder moves.'

Iliana's words from yesterday flashed through Chloe's mind.

'Is this what she meant? She usually has no sense, but she's incredibly sharp in these matters.'

Chloe pressed her temples, thinking of Iliana, who had predicted this, and looked at Leo.

Chloe's gaze wavered slightly.

'I know Leo isn't the type to be swayed by popularity or attention from female students.'

But Leo is human, wouldn't he naturally feel favorably towards the female students who approached him with smiles?

Moreover, the female students who were openly approaching Leo were all exceptionally beautiful.

'They even put on makeup to start morning training. Wow, that one is showing a lot of skin?'

Muttering to herself, Chloe glanced at Leo's face.

Leo, looking at the female students, was wearing a gentle smile.

Chloe blinked as she looked at Leo's face and then silently left the training grounds.

'What? Chloe Muller. She's just leaving?'

'She was with us since early morning, so I found it annoying.'

'Is she backing down on her own?'

The female students cheered inwardly as they watched Chloe.

"Their passion is amazing, even in the morning."

Leo said with a smile.

"Their desire to become strong is incredible."

"If you're working hard, we should strive too."

One of the most mature-looking female students said, elegantly sweeping her hair back.

A somehow sensual aura.

Leo smiled at her appearance.

"I should do my best to help you all."

"Yes! Before that, this is something I made for you."

"Me too! It's a stamina recovery potion mixed with fruit juice! I'm sure it's delicious!"

The female students took out bottles of drinks and tried to give them to Leo.

"You keep them. You'll need them more than I do."

"What?"

The female students looked at them with expressions of incomprehension.

"Then, since it's early in the morning, shall we start with some light physical training?"

"Uh, yes."

"Physical training, of course."

Despite sensing something was wrong, the female students were fired up.

They had to make a good impression on Leo somehow.

A short while later.

"Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!"

From early in the morning, the desperate screams of the female students began to echo.

Chloe, sitting on a bench in the Glory Garden enjoying the autumn breeze and her morning reading, glanced up.

"Too bad for all of them."

***

"Ughhhh."

Morning Combat Studies class.

As it was the first class of the second semester, it was held in the main hall.

With all the second-year students gathered, Karl sat next to Leo with a dazed expression.

"Why are you so tired from the morning? Did you receive special training from Leo-oppa too?"

Chelsea, sitting next to Leo, asked with a giggle.

The story of Leo giving collective discipline to the female students who approached him for training that morning had already spread throughout the school.

"Do you know how much I was tormented by not only the second-year students but also the upperclassmen this morning?"

Karl replied with a soul-drained expression.

"They were clamoring for me to make them the love potion that caused such a stir last time."

"The student council banned the creation of that strange potion."

Chelsea scowled.

Love Potion.

It was a potion that Karl had made last semester using a recipe from Dwenno's alchemy book, which had caused a big commotion.

Although it was deemed a failure at the time, the student council had banned its production.

Karl didn't want to be on the student council's bad side by making a useless potion, so he lost interest.

'Well, it was a complete success, though.'

It was just that the potion, created under Dwenno's unique sensibilities, had an effect different from what people expected.

'In any case, it's a potion that causes problems when used on students.'

"You're brave. Who commissioned it?"

"I don't know. It was requested anonymously. That's why I was so busy this morning reporting it to the student council."

"Who on earth is such a fool to want that kind of potion?"

"It must be one of the girls targeting Leo."

"Why are they suddenly using illegal potions to target Leo-oppa?"

"Our innocent little lady is still naive about the ways of the world."

"I'll make your future dark."

"Kiiiiiiaaaak! Stop! Stop!"

Karl screamed and struggled, seeing Chelsea grab his face with both hands and press his eyes with her thumbs.

Karl, barely escaping Chelsea's grasp, said.

"It's probably because Leo became a hero this time. He was already a lottery ticket with a 100% winning chance. Imagine that ticket's value increased, significantly. If they can secure Leo, it's a life-changing opportunity now. Don't you think those who were already targeting Leo would be even more desperate?"

Karl rested his chin on his hand.

"Leo, isn't it a shame? You can date whoever you like, so why not enjoy a school life that only exists in novels? If it were me, I really would. Sigh~"

"That's vulgar."

"Hey! Vulgar talk? I'm merely advocating for a healthy, sweet, bitter, heart-pounding, and yet dangerous love between men and women! When else will you experience such things but in school?"

"It's vulgar."

"Hey, Leo, tell me. Aren't you interested in that too?"

Karl, feeling wronged by Chelsea's continuous nagging, said to Leo.

"Not particularly."

Leo smiled faintly.

"See? Leo-oppa is different from you."

"Why aren't you interested? You're a man too!"

"Please consider me a more experienced adult than you think."

"We're the same age, yet you call yourself an adult? Besides, what experience could you have, only studying and training?"

Karl, who knew Leo's lifestyle well, looked puzzled.

However, Chelsea, on the other hand, opened her mouth in surprise.

'Come to think of it, Leo-oppa is really mature, isn't he?'

A legendary great hero.

Not a student.

'If he's an adult, then of course…'

"Hey, are you sick? Why is your face suddenly red?"

"Ah, it's nothing."

To Karl's question, Chelsea shook her head.

As Leo smiled faintly at Chelsea, the door suddenly opened.

"Gentlemen! Did you have a good vacation!"

Sedgen appeared as the door opened.

"I know some of you have had elegant vacations!"

Sedgen said, looking at all the second-year students.

"It's good to have experiences you wouldn't normally have at your age. I hope all of you use those experiences as a stepping stone for a bigger stride! And for those who haven't, don't be discouraged or shrink back! You are still not just young, but very young!"

Hmm, hmm. Sedgen, with his arms crossed, encouraged the students and then glared.

"In that sense! I will talk about the second semester Combat Studies practical evaluation for the second-year students!"

At that declaration, the students looked at Sedgen blankly.

They were second-year students who were already well accustomed to school life.

There was no reason to be surprised that he would mention the second semester practical evaluation from the very first class.

At that moment, Duran raised his hand.

"What is it! My beloved disciple! Duran!"

"Will the Combat Studies practical for this semester be until the midterm exams, or for the entire second semester?"

"It's for the entire second semester evaluation. And from today, the second-year Combat Studies classes will be self-study."

At those words, the students showed surprised expressions.

This was quite unconventional.

Combat Studies classes accounted for a significant portion of the curriculum, as much as academic classes.

For such classes to be conducted as self-study for the entire second semester was unprecedented.

"Well, in fact, the second semester classes for the second-year students will largely be in the nature of self-assignments."

Sedgen said with a smirk.

"The ranking in Combat Studies for the second semester will be based on commission points."

"What you mean is…"

"That's right. From the second semester, you will be dispatched all over the world to take on commissions as hero candidates in earnest!"

***

"Wow, this is really unconventional."

After class, during lunchtime.

Karl was at the plaza restaurant in front of the Tower of Heroes, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I can't believe they're letting us conduct the classes ourselves. This is exactly like the first semester of third year!"

It was true that they would start taking on commissions in the second semester of the second year.

However, it wasn't like they would be taking on commissions on their own in this manner.

Most of the time, they would be provided with commissions suitable for second-year students.

This was only for a few students, and those were the top-ranking students.

It wasn't like the entire grade would be given such autonomy.

"The higher-ups have high expectations for our generation. Plus, the professors seem to think we're capable of this level."

Chelsea said, and Karl put on a sad expression.

"Can't they show some consideration for the students at the bottom?"

"Karl, we will move forward on the foundation of your corpse."

"Don't kill others carelessly! Don't use me as a stepping stone either!"

Karl cried out.

"By the way, what is Leo doing at the bulletin board?"

Karl looked at Leo, who was standing in front of the plaza bulletin board, with a puzzled expression.

"He seems to be looking at the commissions?"

"Aren't the commissions on the plaza bulletin board mostly difficult to solve with low point rewards?"

"That's right."

"What is he doing looking at that? He could pick any easy commission. I heard escorting high-ranking officials is like a vacation, with high points and good pay."

Karl said enviously, and Chelsea replied while looking at the menu.

"Leo-oppa must have a deeper reason."

While Chelsea and Karl were ordering.

Leo stood in front of the bulletin board, looking at a commission request with narrowed eyes.

The gray commission read 'Annihilating Grave Robbers'.

At first glance, it seemed like a trivial commission.

However…

'It's bothersome that all the robbed tombs are hero tombs.'