Book 1 Chapter 54

【54】53.

"Alright everyone. It's decided that our class will go to Elsalbechia, right?"

"Yes!"

All the students in Class 5 answered in unison to Sena's question.

The day after the party.

All the students in Class 5, including Leo, were in the classroom despite it being the weekend.

Not only Class 5 but also other classes were busy holding heated discussions about their field trip location from Saturday morning.

Leo, who had come to the front with Nella to gather the class's opinions, made a satisfied expression upon seeing Class 5's travel destination.

'Now all I need to do is go to the city where the Fairy Forest is.'

"The class president said we should go, so there must be a reason~"

"That's right. If it's the class president's choice, it's trustworthy."

The biggest reason Class 5 decided to go to Elsalbechia was Leo's influence.

"It's good that it was decided quickly."

Harind, who was sitting in the front corner of the classroom watching the class meeting, twitched his finger.

"Class president, vice president. Distribute these handouts."

A bundle of handouts from his bag flew towards the two.

Leo and Nella distributed them to their classmates.

"Let's see."

"Things to prepare?"

"Do we have to prepare these separately?"

As the students voiced their questions while looking at the handouts, Harind said with an expressionless face.

"You only have this weekend to prepare. So, when the class meeting is over, each of you should prepare individually. This should be enough for the class meeting, right? Dismiss."

Drrr-!

The students all rose from their seats at once.

"Class president and vice president, stay behind."

At those words, Leo and Nella, who were about to return to their seats, paused.

"Let's go to Rumeria City right now!"

"Okay!"

"Elsalbechia is a cold country all year round, isn't it? I'm going to look for winter clothes!"

Class 5 students happily chatted and exited the classroom.

"Leo oppa. Nella unnie! We'll be waiting at the dock!"

"Come quickly."

Chelsea and Kal also waved and left the classroom.

Only four people remained in the classroom.

Harind spoke to Leo and Nella, who were in front of him.

"Everyone is excited, but you two, the class president and vice president, aren't planning to go on the field trip with a light heart, are you?"

To Harind's direct question, the two nodded.

"Yes."

"I wish that were the case, but Lumen isn't such an easygoing place."

Harind nodded at that answer.

"Good. Then, I'll ask you something."

"What…?"

"Originally, once the travel destination was decided, I was going to set the itinerary. But suddenly, I had a thought that perhaps it would be alright to entrust it to you."

"You mean?"

"Yes. As the class president and vice president, why don't you try to set the itinerary? Of course, if it's too much of a burden, I'll do it as planned."

'The entire class's itinerary, just Leo and I? Professor Harind trusts Leo and me, but will it be okay?'

Nella fell into thought.

But Leo subtly curled the corners of his lips.

'This worked out well, didn't it?'

For Leo, whose goal was the Fairy Forest, this was a good turn of events.

"I will do it."

At the immediate reply, not only Nella but also Sena wore surprised expressions.

"You can do it well, right?"

"Didn't you bring this up because you thought we could do it well?"

At the audacious words, Harind curled the corners of his lips.

"Nella Carven. What's your opinion?"

"Assisting the class president is the vice president's duty, after all."

Nella, who let out a light sigh, showed her characteristic languid smile.

"Understood. Then I will look forward to it. You are to report regularly to Associate Professor Sena every night."

Hearing that answer, Leo and Nella bowed and left the classroom.

"You're quite unconventional."

"I was just curious about the extent of Leo Flobe's capabilities."

Harind opened the attendance book and looked at Leo's photo.

"This generation of first-year students has an exceptional aspect."

"They are certainly excellent. Celia, Duran, Chen Xia, Abad, Chloe, Worden, Eliza. All of them are skilled individuals who wouldn't be strange to become class representatives."

Although Lumen is a place where only outstanding talents gather, it is not easy for so many talented individuals to be concentrated in one generation.

"Among them, Leo Flobe is special."

"Because he's an all-class."

"It's not just that he's special because of something like that."

"Then?"

"It means Professor Albi's assessment that he has the makings of a hero was not wrong."

Sena's eyes widened.

Harind was a professor whose judgment of students was more accurate than anyone else's.

'For Professor Harind to say something to this extent.'

Harind closed the attendance book.

'Whether for good or bad, Leo Flobe stimulates those around him. Students influenced by that are making great progress.'

A being that exerts immense influence on its surroundings.

Such a person is called a hero.

'His unfathomable potential is truly astonishing.'

Harind, having thought that far, rose from his seat.

"I will delegate the field trip itinerary to you."

"You're busy because of the mid-term exam incident, aren't you?"

"Don't ask beyond that. It's a story that those who are not official professors shouldn't know."

At those words, Sena smiled and bowed her head.

***

After arriving at the entrance of Kuraju Street, Rumeria City's main thoroughfare, Illiana suggested.

"First, let's divide into three teams of two people each!"

"That would be more efficient than moving around all at once."

As Nella smiled and agreed, Teid asked.

"How should we decide the teams?"

"Let's just play rock-paper-scissors and form teams with those who throw the same thing."

Everyone nodded at Kal's words.

"Rock, paper, scissors!"

After several rounds of rock-paper-scissors, the teams were decided: Leo and Chelsea, Kal and Nella, Illiana and Teid.

"Alright, now let's decide what each team will buy."

Leo and Chelsea for groceries.

Kal and Nella for equipment.

Illiana and Teid decided to buy potions.

Groceries, equipment, potions.

These were all the items that students were instructed to prepare.

Even funds were provided to each student.

Checking the handout, Illiana stroked her chin.

"It feels like we're preparing for an expedition mission."

"It's a Lumen department event. Won't they have mission experience like the ones in the second semester?"

"Oh! That could be it?"

Illiana nodded at Chelsea's words.

"Alright, then let's meet here in 3 hours for lunch! Dismiss for now!"

With that, they split into their respective teams.

Chelsea, who was about to set off enthusiastically, paused.

"But how do we get groceries and things like that?"

For her, an elite noble lady from a heroic distinguished family, it was surprisingly quite a challenge.

"Follow me."

"Huh?"

Chelsea's eyes widened, and then she scurried after Leo.

Leo, as if familiar with the place, headed towards Kuraju Street Market.

While doing so, he started buying groceries necessary for the expedition.

He bought ingredients, starting with preserved foods.

Since he had brought a sub-space for food storage, there was no great difficulty in storing the groceries.

Watching Leo skillfully buy the necessary items, Chelsea's eyes widened.

Finally, they stopped by a fruit store.

It was the store belonging to the owner who had thrown apples to Leo and Celia on admission day.

As they approached the store, he, as expected, greeted them with a hearty laugh.

"Oh! Lumen students! What year are you?"

"First year."

"Oh? First year? What's your name?"

"Leo Flobe."

"Leo Flobe? Surely not Leo Flobe, the first-year representative?"

The fruit store owner's eyes widened.

"Do you know Leo oppa?"

"Of course, I do! Student! Look at this!"

"It's a newspaper published by our school's newspaper club."

Leo took the newspaper with a curious expression.

[Unprecedented all-class first-year student Leo Flobe is the talk of the town.]

An article about Leo was written.

"This is a great honor, isn't it? Hahahaha! Would you shake my hand?"

'He's a very hearty uncle.'

Leo thought as he shook his hand.

"Alright! I'm in a good mood! I'll give you a discount!"

"Thank you."

Leo grinned.

"I also once dreamed of becoming a hero, but I had no talent whatsoever!"

The fruit store owner, who laughed heartily while slapping his forehead, clicked his tongue regretfully.

"That's why when I see students like you, I get a little envious, and I also want to treat you well. Aren't you the future of this world?"

Hearing those words, Chelsea made a slightly embarrassed expression.

"Though I'm just an ordinary uncle who can only cheer you on."

"That encouragement will give us strength."

"Hm?"

"Because a hero is such a being."

Leo smiled gently.

In an age of despair.

What repeatedly raised the expedition team that was about to give up time and again were the people who placed their hope in him and cheered him on.

Hearing Leo's words, the fruit store owner's eyes widened, and then he let out a hearty laugh.

"I've seen many Lumen students, but you are something special! Good! From today, I'm your fan!"

The fruit store owner, laughing heartily, handed apples to Leo and Chelsea.

"Leo oppa is really skilled at things like this, aren't you? It doesn't seem like something you've done only once or twice."

Biting into an apple with a crunch, Chelsea asked.

"I've had some experience with things like this before."

In his previous life, supplies were extremely important.

'I had no choice but to get used to it.'

He bit into the apple, recalling past events.

"We have a lot of time left. What should we do with the remaining time?"

Chelsea chewed on her index finger, lost in thought.

"There's somewhere I need to go.

"Where? Should I come with you?"

"It's a personal matter."

Chelsea nodded at Leo's words.

"I'll see you at our meeting spot in a bit."

"Okay."

Leo chuckled at Chelsea, who was waving goodbye with a regretful expression, and then entered a back alley.

'He said it was somewhere around here.'

Leo, who was surveying the back alley, stopped in front of a shop called "Lutech" a moment later.

"This is it."

Outwardly, it looked like an ordinary general store in a back alley.

However, this was none other than the place that sold the Demon Machine to Chloe.

He turned the doorknob, but it was locked.

Leo cast a lock-release spell.

Click-! Creak-!

Going inside, the shop was generally dim.

"Light."

He illuminated the interior brightly with a simple light spell.

'Lumen must have already finished their investigation here, but…'

He narrowed his eyes, looking at the messy interior of the shop.

'It's a place connected to the Demon Machine. They might have left something behind.'

Leo slowly investigated the inside of the shop.

However, no unusual features were found.

The only remaining item was an old teddy bear stuck in a corner of the display shelf.

'Wait. A teddy bear?'

This place had already been thoroughly investigated by Lumen.

Even the smallest item in the shop would have been taken for investigation.

So, what about a teddy bear?

Leo flinched, having thought that far.

'Cognitive impairment magic?'

The moment he thought that.

Groooooan-

A black aura flowed from the teddy bear's eyes.

Gurgle! Gurgle! Crunch! Crunch!

The doll, which had been scattering a black aura, soon became a mass of flesh and began to swell.

'Demon!'

Flash-!

A giant eye popped out of the center of the flesh, wriggled, and then met Leo's gaze.

Crackle-!

Simultaneously, flesh stretched out, targeting Leo.

Rip!

The shop floor collapsed.

Whoosh-!

Leo ignited flames of aura.

Bang-!

The demon's body was engulfed in flames.

But the flames died down.

[Keeheehee. Keeheeheeheek!]

A mocking laugh was heard.

Leo felt chills run down his spine at the sound of that laughter.

'This voice is…!'

It was a voice Leo knew well.

'Demon Queen… Silathuna!'