Book 1 Chapter 487

487.

Leo was summoned by Principal Riina and headed to the Tower of Heroes.

"What? It's the student council president!"

"Senior Leo!"

Some first-year students, on their way to class, spotted Leo and looked surprised.

"Listen well in class."

Leo lightly waved at the first-years.

Even with such a simple greeting, the first-years couldn't help but react enthusiastically.

It wasn't surprising, as Leo had been an object of admiration for the first-years even in the first semester.

Now, having ascended to the position of a hero before the second semester began, many students were sending him overwhelming respect beyond admiration.

Leaving the first-years, who reacted so fervently to his simple greeting, Leo arrived at the Tower of Heroes.

He soon headed to the principal's office at the top of the tower.

Knock, knock-

"Come in."

Upon opening the principal's office door and entering, he found a student in a white uniform talking with Riina.

"Eiran?"

"Lord Leo!"

Eiran's face lit up with a bright smile.

Looking at Leo, Riina said,

"Welcome, student council president. I heard you were quite active in the northeast."

Riina, who had been talking with Eiran, chuckled and said,

"That's all I have to tell you. You can get all the information about the dormitory and school facilities from Leo Flob."

"Yes!"

Eiran nodded with a smile.

"Why is Eiran here?"

"Student Eiran Eisarth is here as an exchange student. Just like you went to Seirun as an exchange student in the first semester. Seirun also sent an exchange student."

"Ah."

Eiran had wanted to come to Rumern as an exchange student since last year.

Leo had gone to Seirun as an exchange student in the first semester.

It seemed Seirun had sent Eiran as an exchange student this time, just like then.

As Leo nodded, Riina, resting her chin on her clasped hands, said,

"Student Eiran, your uniform has been ordered from the uniform shop 'Bless Riger' on Courage Street in Rumelia City."

"Yes!"

"Leo Flob, since the second-years have no classes today, you're free, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"I'd like you to be a guide for her today."

"Understood."

Leo nodded and approached Eiran, lifting the large bag next to her.

"Let's go."

"Ah! Lord Leo. I'll carry it."

"It's fine."

Leo stopped Eiran, who was flusteredly trying to grab the bag, and left the principal's office.

"Student Eiran, I hope you have a wonderful time."

"Ah, yes! Goodbye, Principal!"

Eiran bowed politely and followed Leo.

Leo also gave Riina a slight bow before closing the principal's office door.

As they left the Tower of Heroes, many people's gazes turned to the two of them.

"Huh? A Seirun student?"

"The person next to him is the student council president."

"Why is a Seirun student in Rumern?"

The older students looked at Leo and Eiran with puzzled expressions.

"Leo, why is a Seirun student here?"

"She's here as an exchange student."

"Really?"

A fourth-year student from the Knight Department asked with a confused look, and Leo replied calmly.

At his answer, the surrounding students looked surprised.

As curious eyes fixed on Eiran, they arrived at the second-year dormitory area, which was quiet because all the students were out on missions.

"By the way, which dormitory building did the principal say she'd be staying in?"

"Glory. It's the same dormitory as Lord Leo's."

Leo nodded and headed towards the dormitory.

"Come in."

"Excuse me."

Eiran, who carefully followed Leo back to the Glory dormitory, was amazed.

"It's definitely different from Seirun."

The interior of the dormitory was entirely the students' space.

Especially for the second-years, there were three dormitories: Harmony, Glory, and Noble.

Students with similar tendencies were gathered when they chose their dormitories.

As a result, students' tastes were heavily reflected not only in their private rooms but also in the common areas.

Compared to Seirun, where dormitory rules were strict, it had a very free atmosphere.

Leo chuckled at Eiran's amazement and put her bag down in a corner of the dormitory.

"Let's go to the pier."

"Yes!"

***

Leo and Eiran boarded a ship and entered Rumelia City.

As they strolled through the streets, Eiran marveled,

"The city people don't pay much attention to us?"

"The people of Rumelia City are used to Rumern students. Since it's a city visited by students from other schools occasionally, they don't make a fuss even if they see you, a Seirun student."

"Come to think of it, I heard some seniors go to Rumelia City for missions or personal matters."

Rumelia City, being the center of the world, was a strategically important location in itself.

Moreover, it was adjacent to Rumern and famous as a tourist attraction.

Where people gather, logistics also gather.

Therefore, Rumelia City was also a place where all sorts of rare magical artifacts converged.

Leo entered Courage Street with Eiran.

And, as if familiar with it, he entered 'Bless Riger,' Rumern's uniform shop.

"Welcome… Oh my. Leo Flob."

The owner of the uniform shop looked slightly surprised to see Leo, then bowed with a smile.

"It's been a while. Thank you for visiting our shop. What brings you here today?"

"I heard the principal ordered a uniform for an exchange student."

"Ah, you mean the uniform for Eiran Eisarth, the exchange student from Seirun? We have the preparations ready."

The owner, with a friendly smile, then greeted Eiran, who stood beside Leo.

"Hello, Eiran Eisarth. Thank you for visiting our shop."

"Yes."

"As per the request of Rumern's principal, all preparations for the summer uniform have been completed. Once we take Eiran Eisarth's measurements, we will begin production immediately. Could you please come this way?"

Eiran nodded and went to the designated spot.

Then, female staff members came forward and took Eiran's measurements with a tape measure.

"Um, I believe Rumern has uniforms for different seasons, right?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"Are those uniforms also available for production?"

"Yes."

The owner nodded with a smile, not asking for a reason.

"Why the spring and autumn uniforms?"

"Since we're already here, I wanted to have them as a souvenir," Eiran replied shyly to Leo's question.

"You can pick them up in two hours."

After finishing the measurements, the owner said,

"Then, let's have a leisurely two hours. Eiran, is there anywhere you want to go?"

"Hmm. First, I want to go to a famous restaurant in Rumelia City."

Eiran took out a memo from her pocket.

Then she showed Leo a list of restaurants.

"I researched in Seirun, and the food here is said to be very delicious!"

"Are you here to sightsee rather than study as an exchange student?"

"Ah, no! I intend to study hard too! Th-this is, um. Hah!"

Startled by Leo's remark, Eiran stammered, covering her face with both hands and speaking in a barely audible voice.

"I-I'm sorry. I've been thinking more about playing than studying."

"There's no need to apologize. It's natural to want to play at your age."

"I'm embarrassed."

Leo chuckled as he watched Eiran tremble, her shoulders shaking with embarrassment, her ears drooping.

"There's no need to be embarrassed. That guy Bercheia was always trying to sneak away from training."

"Lord Bercheia?"

Eiran's eyes widened as she looked up at Leo.

"What? Do you want to hear about Bercheia?"

"Yes!"

Seeing Eiran's eyes sparkling, Leo said,

"Your illusions might be shattered."

"If it's about our ancestor, I've already seen his true form in Dweno's world. I like that Bercheia even more."

"Indeed."

Leo recalled the Bercheia he had met in Dweno's world.

"What story should I tell you first?"

"The story of when you first met!"

"When we first met. Shall we have lunch while I tell you?"

"Let's go quickly! Hurry! Hurry!"

'Master! Let's go quickly! Hurry! Hurry!'

Eiran, extremely excited, grabbed Leo's hands with both of hers and pulled him along.

That sight reminded him of the past.

"By the way, do you know the way?"

"Oops!"

Eiran, who had been walking along in excitement, suddenly jumped when she heard Leo's words.

Watching her, Leo smiled softly.

"You're alike."

Their appearances were different, and their personalities were different.

But Leo could clearly see the traits of a disciple in Eiran.

"Huh?"

Leo patted Eiran's head, who had a puzzled expression, and said,

"It's just that you are definitely Bercheia's descendant."

***

Back in the Glory dormitory after getting her Rumern uniform tailored in Rumelia City, Eiran hummed a tune.

"What's so great?"

"Lord Leo promised to tell me old stories tonight until I get tired of them! Be prepared, tonight you won't be able to sleep until I'm satisfied!"

"Stop reading those strange books. From what I see, you're worse than Bercheia."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Eiran blinked her large eyes and tilted her head, looking bewildered.

At her innocent appearance, Leo clicked his tongue.

They had dinner in the dormitory lounge with food bought in Rumelia City.

Leo assigned Eiran an empty room among the girls' rooms.

After washing up and getting ready for bed, it was past early evening.

When she went to the lounge, Eiran, in her pajamas, was placing a bottle that looked like alcohol on the table.

"What's with the alcohol?"

"It's alcohol made with a recipe passed down through the Eisarth family, left by Lord Bercheia. I brought it as a gift."

"If Bercheia knew how to brew it, it would be Luna's liquor, wouldn't it?"

"Huh?"

Luna, who liked alcohol, also made her own.

Hearing Leo's words, Eiran's eyes widened.

Leo poured a glass of the alcohol and muttered, as if amazed,

"It really is Luna's liquor."

"R-really?"

Eiran's eyes widened.

"Yes."

Leo chuckled.

Upon hearing it was Luna's liquor, even Eiran, who was usually not interested in alcohol, took a sip.

"Ahuck!"

Eiran scowled at the strong taste of the liquor.

As expected of Luna, who was a heavy drinker, the liquor she made was very potent.

'How strange.'

Leo drank the liquor Eiran brought, reminiscing about the past.

After that, he told Eiran old stories.

As the stories progressed, Eiran asked, looking puzzled,

"Besides Lord Bercheia, did Lord Leo have any other disciples?"

"I did. The ancestor of the Shan Empire is another disciple of mine."

"Wow. Come to think of it, wasn't Miss Chen Xia the princess of the Shan Empire?"

"Yes."

"Then we have a strange connection, don't we?"

Eiran smiled brightly.

Eiran, who loved stories, listened to Leo's words with sparkling eyes.

Chirp, chirp, chirp-

And at some point.

Eiran, who had been lying on the sofa, suddenly sat up.

'Huh, when did I fall asleep?'

It was just before dawn.

She must have fallen asleep without realizing it while listening to stories until dawn.

A blanket was draped over her.

'I fell asleep first.'

Eiran felt sorry towards Leo and got up.

Leo was asleep on one of the sofas.

The scent of alcohol filled the air since they had finished an entire bottle of liquor while telling stories.

As Eiran draped the blanket she had been using over Leo, she suddenly paused.

'How hard must Lord Leo have it.'

As the Hero of Commencement, he had been fighting Tartarus for 5,000 years, and even after reincarnating, he was still fighting.

In the stories Leo had told all night, there were definitely stories of great heroes.

At the time, she hadn't paid much attention, but she recalled that Leo drank particularly heavily whenever he spoke of his close friends.

'I'm sorry, Lord Leo.'

Eiran blamed herself and apologized inwardly to Leo.

'And thank you.'

As Eiran, living in the present era, offered a small gesture of gratitude, she was covering Leo with the blanket.

Click-!

"Hic!"

The lounge door suddenly opened.

Eiran, who was also an excellent swordswoman, was extremely surprised by the person who opened the door without her noticing.

As she lost her balance, she fell towards Leo.

Naturally, Leo woke up.

"What is it?"

Eiran, who found herself unexpectedly embraced by Leo as he lay there, recoiled and sat up.

"S-sorry! Huh?!"

So startled that she tried to get up quickly, Eiran got tangled in the blanket and, without realizing it, ended up straddling Leo.

"I'm sorry! Lord Leo! I'm sorry!"

"…What is this situation?"

Chen Xia, who had entered the lounge, asked blankly as she looked at Leo and Eiran in their peculiar positions.