Book 1 Chapter 53

The spotlight fell on Leo.

"Congratulations!"

But the atmosphere was strange.

While Class 5 was in a celebratory mood, students from other classes seemed unconvinced.

Emio Ruchan from Class 2, who placed third in the Department of Magic, raised his hand.

"Hold on! I have an objection! Why can Leo Flove, who didn't rank in the top 3 of his department, become the representative of the year?"

"That's right! It's strange!"

"Please explain the reason!"

"We can't accept this!"

Complaints erupted from all over.

Artian was flustered by the reaction.

"I will explain the score selection."

Halind opened his mouth.

"First, students in dual classes do not have their departmental rankings reflected. This is because, due to the nature of dual-class students, fair competition is not possible."

Taking Sword Masters as an example, their pure Aura ability is weaker than that of pure knights, and their magical ability is weaker than that of mages.

However, when both abilities are combined, they create an immense synergy effect.

"Second, Leo Flove's score in the joint practical exam for Hero Studies and Combat Studies is the highest among the first-year students."

"What? Isn't the score for the joint practical exam for Hero Studies and Combat Studies the highest for other students as well?"

"We don't understand?"

"Leo Flove exceeded the world of heroes."

Students who didn't know this fact stared at Leo with wide eyes.

"In the process, he defeated Chubarun. Is Leo Flove's score explained now?"

No one could refute it.

It was strange to complain about giving first place to a student who achieved an impossible feat.

"He defeated Chubarun? And alone? Are you sane?"

"Professor Halind said that fighting Chubarun would result in immediate expulsion regardless of the reason! Aren't you afraid?"

As Teid and Iliana asked urgently, Leo said while sipping his drink.

"There was no other way to escape the Hero Dungeon."

"Wow! You crazy bastard. Even so, you crazy bastard! While I feel it sometimes, you're really not sane, are you?"

Leo smiled as he looked at Iliana, who was shaking her head.

Meanwhile, the assistants unveiled the bulletin board with the rankings.

The students rushed to the bulletin board.

"Ah…! It's higher than I thought!"

"N-No way! My rank is this low?"

Joy and sorrow were mixed here and there.

Watching them, Chelsea said.

"It's just as Professor Halind said. There are so many who have climbed up from the lower ranks. Conversely, many who were in the upper ranks have fallen."

It was as Professor Halind had predicted at the beginning of the semester.

Of course, among the top-tier students, only Chloe, who had caused trouble in the midterm exam, experienced a rank change.

Naturally, no student would underestimate Chloe, as she was still one of the most skilled first-year students in terms of practical ability.

"People naturally grow fast. If you become complacent, you don't know when you'll be caught up by those below you."

"Hmph. That won't happen. By the way, Leo oppa, your way of speaking is too much like an old man. Leo oppa, you're our age, too."

As Chelsea pointed it out, Leo smiled faintly, and Kal approached.

"I went to see how the other classes were reacting, and they're all talking about Leo."

"That's understandable."

Mm-hmm! Chelsea nodded.

After that, the party officially began.

Leo enjoyed the party while choosing buffet dishes.

As students came from various regions, there was a wide variety of food.

"Eastern food has a lot of delicious things!"

Kal said happily as he put fried pork on his plate.

"Right."

Professor Ren, watching the two enjoying the party from the professors' table, idly swirled his wine.

"Professor Ren, why don't you look happy?"

Anna, Ren's vice-professor, asked with a puzzled expression. Ren clicked his tongue.

"Vice-Professor Anna, how can I enjoy this party?"

"Leo, whom you cherish the most, became the representative of the year. Didn't you want him to become the representative of the year?"

"Of course, I'm happy. But to enjoy that happiness purely, Leo student needs to become a student of the Department of Magic."

"It is indeed a shame."

Vice-Professor Anna also licked her lips and looked towards Leo.

Half a semester had already passed since the first-year students enrolled.

There were many students in the Department of Magic, but if one were to pick the three who stood out the most, they would undoubtedly be Abad, Chloe, and Leo.

'Abad and Chloe have boundless potential.'

Living his life as a wizard, he had never seen such talent before.

Honestly, as an instructor, he was delighted.

Whatever he taught, they understood and absorbed it.

'It feels like processing raw ore.'

As an educator, there was no greater sense of fulfillment.

'Conversely, Leo…'

Anna shivered slightly.

'If Abad and Chloe are raw ore with boundless potential… Leo's end is unseen. It's too deep.'

When Leo learned something in class, he didn't just make it his own and stop.

He reinterpreted it to suit himself and absorbed it.

The professors of the Department of Magic marveled at this as talent.

But for Anna, it didn't feel like processing raw ore with Leo.

'It feels like polishing an already perfect gem to make it shine even brighter.'

Sometimes, his unfathomable potential sent shivers down her spine.

Of course, it didn't mean she didn't want him to choose the Department of Magic.

Rather, she wished he would choose it quickly.

Even now, how much effect would that terrifying potential yield if it were solely dedicated to magic?

"Sob! Why did the heavens give Leo student useless side talents like swordsmanship and summoning! Hohoho! Professor Anna! What are we going to do about this!"

'This human is drunk again?'

Ren was weak to alcohol. And when drunk, his emotions fluctuated greatly.

The problem was that he would carelessly say things that would cause trouble if other professors heard them.

'This is why geniuses are like this! They don't care at all about what others think.'

Seeing Professor Ren hugging a wine bottle and crying, Anna thought she had to stop him quickly.

"Perhaps he will choose the Department of Magic soon."

"And why is that?"

"Think about Leo's closest classmates. They are Chelsea and Kal."

"……!"

Ren's head shot up.

"Anna! You're a genius! Yes! There was such a way! We can have those two persuade Leo student."

"P-Persuade? Professor Ren! Wait a minute!"

"Hahaha! Why did I ponder for so long when there was such an easy way!"

"Forcing a department is a violation of school rules! If a professor intervenes in such a matter, it won't end with a simple disciplinary action!"

"Call the two of them immediately…"

"Hey! You idiot! Listen to me!"

Anna rushed forward to try and cover Ren's mouth.

"Why are you stopping me? It's a golden opportunity to prevent Leo student from wasting useless time!"

"What do you mean by wasting useless time?"

Anna's face turned pale.

The person they should have least wanted to meet had arrived.

"Ah, Professor Ain has arrived."

"Nice to meet you, Senior Ain."

"You just said something interesting."

Ain chuckled.

"Leo student gets along well with the students of the Department of Magic. That in itself is proof that Leo student will choose the Department of Magic."

"Are you discussing a department based solely on friendship? You're young. Isn't it the right choice for an educator to create a place where a student can best utilize their talent? Leo Flove is a talent more suited to the Department of Knights than anyone else."

"I understand your desire for Leo student. But think objectively. Looking at things more accurately is the ability of a wizard… Oh, oh! My mistake. Senior Ain's head is filled with muscle, so he won't understand well. It can't be helped. As a wizard with foresight, I will patiently explain why Leo student should become a student of the Department of Magic."

"A person who claims to have foresight as a wizard doesn't expect to be hit by me if they speak so impolitely."

Anna looked up at the ceiling and lamented.

'It's ruined.'

Ain, with a cold smile, grabbed Ren by the collar.

Regardless, Ren was busy pushing his logic.

"What are you two doing? Aren't you ashamed to be seen by the children?"

Seeing Yura ask with an exasperated expression, Ain said.

"We were discussing Leo Flove's department."

"Leo?"

'These guys are dreaming again. Leo is in the Department of Summoning.'

Yura looked at the senior and junior professors with a very pitying expression.

'It's natural for someone who summoned a Phoenix to come to the Department of Summoning, right?'

As she clicked her tongue with a look of pity and watched them with a lukewarm expression, Ain and Ren frowned.

The most insane among the three, and the one with the highest ambition for their department, was Yura.

'Why is this guy looking at me with this creepy expression again?'

'Senior Yura is thinking of some creepy scheme again.'

Ain and Ren muttered to themselves.

Meanwhile, other professors who witnessed the three's subtle conflict shook their heads, thinking, 'They're doing it again.'

At that moment, Professor Sedgen elegantly tapped his wine glass with a spoon, drawing the students' attention.

"Everyone, pay attention. Are you enjoying the party?"

"Yes."

"Good! Then, as promised, I will make an announcement regarding the field trip destination."

The students' eyes sparkled.

"Needless to say, the field trip is not just for fun. It's about broadening your horizons in places you can't normally visit."

Professor Sedgen gestured to the side with a flamboyant movement.

Then, an assistant brought a bulletin board covered with a cloth.

Professor Sedgen snapped his fingers at it.

Click-! Flutter-!

At the sound, the assistant removed the cloth.

On the bulletin board was a map of the continent.

"Does he really need to be so flamboyant about that?"

"Professor Sedgen likes that sort of thing."

Leo chuckled and responded to Kal's muttering.

"You can choose a region you want to visit for each class."

At that remark, each class became noisy.

"East! Let's go east!"

"What? No. Did you forget I'm from the East?"

"How about the South? I want to see what a desert is like."

"Ew! It's just hot! Let's go to the cool North instead!"

As the students bickered noisily, Duran raised his hand.

"Oh! Student Duran! Do you have a question?"

"You said it's about broadening our horizons, but Professor, I think some students among the first-years may have already visited various regions depending on the situation. Is this field trip solely to accommodate students who haven't had such experiences?"

Duran's words were true.

While some students, like Leo, had not left their home countries, many had visited various countries and cultures. There were quite a few who had traveled to multiple regions.

A considerable number of students nodded at the question, and Professor Sedgen chuckled.

"Good question! Student Duran."

Professor Sedgen spread his arms wide.

"Indeed, there may be students among you who have visited all regions since childhood! For such students, it cannot be said to be broadening their horizons! Lumern never offers such trivial experiences!"

The students murmured.

If it wasn't simply going to other regions, what else could there be?

Sedgen approached the continental map and slammed his hand on the northern region.

"Where you are going is not the realm of humans!"

The students were startled by his words.

"T-Then! Could it be!"

"Yes! Other races! It's the realm of the Elves!"

A cheer erupted from the students at his words.

"Ooooh!"

"Amazing!"

"As expected of Lumern! To be able to go to the realm of the Elves!"

Duran also seemed a bit bewildered, but his lips curled upwards.

Watching him, Leo blinked.

'Time has really passed.'

In the past, there were no barriers between races, but the current era was different.

Basically, all races interacted, but they couldn't freely move between each other's regions.

'Were there wars between races in the past?'

In reality, humans and elves had a strained relationship.

It was unimaginable in Kai's time.

'Well, in this era, things that were unimaginable in the past are now common.'

"Hey, Chelsea! Have you been to the Elven realm?"

"There's no way I have."

"I'm looking forward to it! Where should we go, to which country?"

"Leo! Which country do you want to go to?"

Kal's question was answered by Leo pointing at the map.

"There."

"Huh?"

"I want to go to El Salbekia."

El Salbekia.

It was a small country among the Elf nations.

And there was something special in this country.

[Fairy Forest]

It was now just an old place name.

Contrary to the name Fairy Forest, fairies did not live there currently.

It was known that the fairies left after the Age of Disaster ended.

But until then, it was a sanctuary for the fairies.

'It seems I got an opportunity to visit sooner than expected.'

Leo clenched his fist.

As a summoner, Leo had one oath.

The Oath of the Fairy King.

'I don't think the fairies easily abandoned their sanctuary. Even if they truly abandoned it.'

Leo's eyes gleamed.

'There's a high probability they left something related to the Fairy King.'