Book 1 Chapter 53

【53】52

The spotlight shone on Leo.

"Congratulations!"

But the atmosphere was strange.

Class 5 was generally celebratory, but students from other classes seemed unconvinced.

Emio Luchan of Class 2, who took 3rd place in the Magic Department, raised his hand.

"Wait a minute! I object! How can Leo Flov, who isn't in the top 3 of the department's academic成績, become the year representative?!"

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

"Please explain why!"

"We don't get it!"

Complaints poured out from all over.

It was then that Artian was flustered by the reaction.

"I'll explain about the score selection."

Harland opened his mouth.

"First. Dual Class students do not have their academic grades reflected in the ranking. This is because, due to the nature of Dual Class students, it is not a fair competition."

If you take a Magic Swordsman as an example, they are weaker than a pure Knight in pure aura ability and weaker than a Mage in magic ability.

However, when the two abilities are combined, they create an enormous synergy.

"Second. Leo Flov's combined practical exam score for Heroics & Combat Studies is the highest in the first year."

"Huh? Isn't Leo Flov's combined practical score for Heroics & Combat Studies also the highest among other students?"

"I don't understand?"

"Leo Flov overachieved in the Hero's World."

Students who hadn't known that fact widened their eyes and looked at Leo.

"In the process, he defeated Chubarn. Has Leo Flov's score been explained now?"

No one could refute it.

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

"He defeated Chubarn? And just the two of them? Are you insane?"

"Professor Harland said that if we fought Chubarn, we'd be expelled unconditionally, no matter the reason! Don't you have any fear?"

As Tade and Iliana asked urgently, Leo sipped his drink and said.

"There was no other way to escape the Hero Dungeon, was there?"

"Wow! You crazy bastard. No matter what, you're a crazy bastard! I sometimes feel it, but you really aren't sane, are you?"

Leo grinned, looking at Iliana, who was shaking her head in disbelief.

Meanwhile, the teaching assistants unveiled the bulletin board with the ranking table.

Students rushed to the bulletin board.

"Ah…! It's higher than I thought!"

"N-no way! My grades are that low?"

Joy and sorrow were mixed everywhere.

Watching the scene, Chelsea said.

"Just as Professor Harland said. There are so many kids who were in the lower ranks who shot up. Conversely, there are also many who were in the upper ranks who fell."

It was just as Harland had predicted at the beginning of the semester.

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

Of course, in terms of actual skill, she was still one of the best in the first year, so no student would underestimate Chloe.

"Originally, kids grow up fast. If you let your guard down, you never know when the kids below you will catch up."

"Hmph. That won't happen. But Leo oppa. Your way of speaking is too much like an old man. You're our age, Leo oppa."

As Leo smiled at Chelsea's remark, Karl approached.

"I went to check out the reactions of the other classes, and they're going wild talking about Leo."

"It makes sense."

Hmm hmm! Chelsea nodded her head.

Afterward, the party officially began.

Leo enjoyed the party, choosing buffet food.

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

"Eastern food always has a lot of delicious stuff!"

Karl said cheerfully as he put fried pork on his plate.

"Indeed."

Professor Ren, who was watching the two enjoying the party lively from the faculty seats, idly swirled his wine.

"Professor Ren. You don't seem happy."

When Anna, Ren's associate professor, asked with a puzzled face, Ren clicked his tongue.

"Associate Professor Anna. How can I enjoy this party?"

"Your most cherished Leo won the year representative position. Wasn't that what you wanted him to be?"

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

"It is certainly a shame."

Associate 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 Magic Department, but if you were to pick the three who undeniably stood out, it was Abard, Chloe, and Leo.

'Abard and Chloe have infinite potential.'

In her life as a mage, she had never seen anyone with such talent.

To be honest, from a teaching perspective, she was happy.

Whatever she taught, they understood it and absorbed it immediately.

'It feels like processing raw gems.'

As an educator, there was nothing more fulfilling than this.

'Conversely, Leo is…'

Anna trembled slightly.

'If Abard and Chloe are raw gems with infinite potential… Leo's end is not visible. He's too deep.'

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

He reinterpreted it to fit himself and absorbed it.

The Magic Department professors admired it as talent.

But Anna didn't feel like she was processing a raw gem with Leo.

'It's like polishing an already perfect gem to make it shine even more.'

Sometimes, she got goosebumps from his unfathomable potential.

Of course, that didn't mean she didn't want him to come to the Magic Department.

Rather, she wished he would choose the Magic Department quickly.

If this terrifying potential, which was scary even now, were used for magic alone, how effective would it be?

"Sob sob! Why did the heavens give student Leo useless side talents like swordsmanship and summoning studies as well! Boo hoo hoo! Professor Anna! What should we do about this?"

'This person is drunk again, isn't he?'

Anna shrieked.

Ren had a low tolerance for alcohol. And when he got drunk, his emotions fluctuated wildly.

The problem was that he would blurt out things that would cause a stir if other professors heard them.

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

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

"Perhaps he'll choose the Magic Department soon."

"The reason?"

"Think about Leo's closest classmates. It's Chelsea and Karl, isn't it?"

"…!"

Ren suddenly lifted his head.

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

"Pe-persuade? Professor Ren! Wait a minute!"

"Hahaha! Why did I worry for so long when there was such a simple method!"

"Forcing a department choice is a violation of school rules! If a professor instigates such a thing, it won't just end with a simple disciplinary action!"

"Immediately call those two and…"

"Hey! You human! Listen to me!"

Anna rushed to cover Ren's mouth.

"Why are you stopping me? This is a golden opportunity to prevent student Leo from wasting his time on useless things!"

"What do you mean by wasting time on useless things?"

Anna's face turned white.

The person she least wanted to meet had arrived.

"Ah, Professor Ain, you're here."

"It's good to see you, Senior Ain."

"You just said something interesting."

Ain laughed, 'Hmph-'.

"Student Leo is getting along well with the Magic Department students. That's proof that student Leo will choose the Magic Department."

"Are you discussing departments based merely on friendship? How childish. Isn't it the right choice as an educator to create a position where a student can best utilize their talent? Leo Flov is a talent suited for the Knight Department more than anyone else."

"I understand your desire for student Leo. But please think objectively. Seeing things more accurately is a Mage's ability… Oh oh! My mistake. Senior Ain is a knight whose head is full of muscles, so you can't see well. It can't be helped. As a mage with keen insight, I will explain step by step why student Leo should become a Magic Department student."

"A guy who claims to have the keen insight of a mage can't predict that if he speaks so disrespectfully, he'll get hit by me, I guess."

Anna looked up at the ceiling and lamented.

'We're doomed.'

Ain, who had a chilling smile, grabbed Ren by the collar.

Regardless, Ren was busy unfolding his logic.

"What are you both doing? Aren't you embarrassed with the students watching?"

Ain said, looking at Yura who asked incredulously.

"We were talking about Leo Flov's department."

"Leo?"

'These people seem to be dreaming pipe dreams again. Leo is in the Summoning Department.'

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

'It's only natural for a kid who summoned a phoenix to come to the Summoning Department, isn't it?'

Ain and Ren furrowed their brows, seeing Yura looking at them with a pitying cluck of her tongue and a lukewarm expression.

Among the three, Yura was the most insane and the professor with the highest departmental ambition.

'Why is this guy looking at me with such a creepy look again?'

'Senior Yura is thinking of another creepy scheme.'

Ain and Ren muttered inwardly.

Meanwhile, other professors who witnessed the three's nerve war shook their heads with an expression that said, 'There they go again.'

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

"Everyone, listen up. Are you enjoying the party?"

"Yes."

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

The students' eyes sparkled.

"Needless to say, the field trip is not simply for fun. It's about broadening your horizons in places you haven't been before."

Professor Sedzen gestured dramatically to the side.

Then a teaching assistant brought a bulletin board covered with cloth.

Seeing it, Professor Sedzen snapped his fingers.

Snap-! Flutter-!

In sync with the sound, the teaching assistant removed the cloth.

On the bulletin board was a map of the continent.

"Do they really need to make it that flamboyant?"

"Professor Sedzen likes that kind of thing."

Leo chuckled and agreed with Karl's murmur.

"For the trip destination, each class can choose the region they want to go to."

At his words, each class grew noisy.

"East! Let's go to the East!"

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

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

"Ugh! It's just hot, isn't it? Let's go to the cool North instead!"

As the students quickly became noisy and bickered among themselves, Duran raised his hand.

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

"You said it's to broaden horizons, Professor. But I think some first-year students might have already visited various regions depending on the situation. Is this field trip simply a trip to accommodate students who haven't had such experiences?"

Duran was right.

While there were students like Leo who had never left their own country, there were also many students who had visited various countries and cultures. Quite a few students had visited several regions.

As a considerable number of students nodded at the question, Professor Sedzen laughed, 'Hmph-'.

"That's a good question! Student Duran."

Professor Sedzen spread his arms.

"Indeed, there may be students among you who have visited all regions since childhood! For such students, we cannot say it's broadening their horizons! Lumern would never provide you with such trivial experiences!"

Students murmured.

If it wasn't simply going to a different region, what else was there?

Sedzen approached the continental map and sharply tapped the northern region.

"The place you will go to is not human territory!"

At his words, the students were startled.

"Th-then! No way!"

"Yes! Another race! It's the territory of the Elves!"

At his words, cheers erupted among the students.

"Ohhhhh!"

"Awesome!"

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

Duran, though a little stunned, curled up the corners of his lips.

Watching him, Leo blinked.

'Times have certainly changed, I guess.'

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

Basically, all races interacted, but they couldn't freely travel to each other's territories.

'Were there wars between races in the past?'

Humans and Elves were actually on bad terms.

It was unimaginable in the era Kyle lived in.

'Well, in this era, the past would be unimaginable.'

"Hey! Chelsea! Have you ever been to the Elf territory?"

"How could I have been?"

"I'm excited! Where and to which country will we go?"

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

At Karl's question, he pointed at the map.

"There."

"Huh?"

"I want to go to Elsalvekia."

Elsalvekia.

It was a small country among the Elven nations.

And there was something special about this country.

[Fairy Forest]

Now, it was just an old place name.

Contrary to its name, Fairy Forest, there were no fairies living here anymore.

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

But until then, this place was a sanctuary for fairies.

'I got a chance to visit sooner than I thought.'

Leo clenched his fist.

As a summoner, Leo had one pact.

It was the pact of the Fairy King.

'I don't think the fairies would easily abandon their sanctuary. Even if they really did abandon it.'

Leo's eyes sparkled.

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

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