Book 1 Chapter 550
550.
With the appearance of Lyan, a being claiming to be a god, the attention of the entire world was drawn to Lumen.
“Wow… it’s a complete uproar.”
Early in the morning.
Leo looked puzzled as he watched Iliana sitting in the dormitory lounge, reading a newspaper.
“What brings you to read the newspaper?”
At his words, Iliana furrowed her brow and said.
“What do you mean, ‘what brings me’! What do you mean, ‘what brings me’! How can you say such an impolite thing?”
Iliana folded the newspaper, straightened her back, and spoke seriously.
“Soon we’ll be third-years, won’t we? Now new juniors will be coming in under us.”
“So?”
“We have to show them what a senior is like.”
Watching Iliana sweep her hair back elegantly and imitate a refined lady, some male students passing by the lounge secretly made retching gestures.
“How is it? Do I look like an elegant lady?”
“You’re doing something that doesn’t suit you.”
Iliana didn't pay attention to Leo's words.
She merely turned a page of the newspaper with a dignified gesture.
Seeing her, Leo placed one of the mugs he held in both hands in front of Iliana.
“Here’s the coffee you asked for.”
“Thanks. I’ve always been curious about the taste of the coffee the class president makes, whenever he drinks it while reading the newspaper.”
Iliana leisurely reached for the cup, muttered softly, ‘Mmm~ the aroma is good,’ and then took a sip of coffee.
“Ugh?! Ptui! Ptui! What is this? Why is it so bitter?!”
“You said you wanted the same as mine, didn’t you?”
“Ugh! Why on earth do you drink this terrible-tasting stuff?”
“I had a friend who enjoyed drinking it.”
Leo replied, sipping his coffee.
5000 years ago.
Even in Gardsron, there was a brief period of peace.
This bitter coffee was what Lysinas often drank when greeting such peaceful mornings.
“Iliana, I made some cocoa here, want to drink it?”
“Cocoa!”
Iliana quickly took the cup Chloe offered.
“As expected! Cocoa is the best in cool autumn weather!”
“And she calls herself an elegant lady.”
“She’s completely childish, really.”
Tut-tutting sounds were heard from here and there.
Of course, Iliana neatly ignored them and elegantly unfolded the newspaper.
“She says things like that, and you don’t say anything?”
“Chloe, adults don’t pay attention to what children say.”
It was then that Iliana chuckled with a relaxed expression.
“Good morning, everyone.”
“Good morning!”
Chen Sia and Eiran entered the lounge.
Chen Sia, who had finished her morning training, sat down in the empty seat next to Iliana.
She poured herself some tea from the teapot on the table and took a sip.
“I always feel this, but every single one of your actions has such grace, you’re truly like a princess. Ah, of course, you are a real princess, though. Hehehe.”
Eiran covered her mouth and burst out laughing.
“Ahem.”
Iliana gave a light cough.
“Eiran, don’t you feel something from me?”
“Huh? What?”
“Like being graceful, or like a princess.”
“Huh?”
As Eiran made a puzzled expression, snickers were heard from here and there.
“These guys, really! I’ve been letting it go since earlier!”
“You said adults don’t pay attention to children’s reactions!”
“Do you think adults have to tolerate everything?!”
Iliana shrieked angrily and chased after those who had laughed at her.
“It’s noisy from the morning, as expected of Lumen.”
“Lunia, are all your preparations to return to Seyrun complete?”
“Yes.”
Unlike Eiran, who was in Lumen as an exchange student, Lunia had to return to Seyrun today.
Leo unfolded the newspaper Iliana had left behind.
Lunia came and leaned behind the sofa where Leo was sitting, and said, looking at the newspaper’s contents.
“Since yesterday, it’s all just stories about the gods.”
“Because it’s the appearance of a god after 5000 years.”
“Hmm, and there are plenty of articles about the Heroes of Genesis.”
The newspaper had a major feature on the Heroes of Genesis.
Lunia, who was carefully examining the contents, furrowed her brow.
“But there are no articles related to you?”
“It didn’t come out today either?”
Eiran approached Lunia and examined the newspaper’s contents from behind Leo.
There were countless articles about the god and the Heroes of Genesis, but none about Leo.
“Lord Leo is a hero directly recognized by the god to confront Erebus, so why is there no mention of him?”
“The interests of human society are far more intricately intertwined than you, Eiran, might think.”
Chen Sia said, setting down her teacup.
“The god revealed the truth about the Age of Calamity that we didn’t know. The fact that the Hero of Origin was the only being who could defeat Erebus, and.”
Chen Sia glanced at Leo.
“And that, following the Hero of Origin, only young master Leo is capable of defeating Erebus.”
“If so, shouldn’t we give Lord Leo more power? It means Lord Leo is the only savior who can save this world.”
“Being a unique and special existence naturally means that the public will follow Leo. That, in turn, is immense power. That’s what they call authority.”
Lunia said with a sigh.
“We’ve already seen it, haven’t we? Those who distort the will of their predecessors for their own sake.”
“Ugh! The Pureblood Society….”
Chloe shrugged her shoulders, watching Eiran mutter softly.
“Wherever people live, it’s always the same.”
Leo, who was turning pages of the newspaper while listening to his friends’ conversation, his gaze fell on an article.
It was an article titled [Eastern Rebellion of the Rodren Empire].
“Hmm.”
As his maternal family was the Zerdinger, a prestigious heroic family of the Rodren Empire, it was an article that naturally caught his eye.
‘For now, it doesn’t seem like a big deal.’
Checking the article’s content, Leo closed the newspaper.
‘I should ask the kids from the Rodren Empire about it later.’
***
“A god has reappeared in the world! And because of that, we have come to realize anew what we must do! Karl, student! Please present what that is!”
Professor Sedjen said passionately.
Karl, called upon by Professor Sedjen’s words, replied with a serious face.
“Even if the world changes to the level of a cataclysm, students cannot escape the tragic fate of having to study in the classroom.”
At that answer, bursts of laughter erupted from everywhere.
“Hmm, hmm! Indeed, that’s an answer befitting Karl! Celia, student!”
“I’ll leave the rest to you.”
Karl winked, giving a thumbs-up to Celia who was next to him.
At his cunning demeanor, Chelsea, who was listening to the class with her chin resting in her hand right behind Karl, tutted.
“You fool, Professor Sedjen calling Celia Zerdinger meant for her to punish you.”
“Huh? Cough!”
Celia’s fist dug into Karl’s side.
Celia snorted, watching Karl writhe miserably on the floor, clutching his side.
“Indeed, that’s Karl. He’s truly a student who narrowly avoids failing grades. Instead of Karl, shall Ted, the student from the Department of Summoning, who is next to him, try to answer?”
Ted replied, giving a sympathetic look to his friend who was rolling on the floor.
“It is to subjugate the Flames of Calamity.”
“That’s right.”
Sedjen nodded with a serious face.
“For us, the complete subjugation of the Flames of Calamity was a long-cherished wish. A wish that even those great heroes couldn’t achieve. But, on the other hand, many of us must have thought it wasn’t our concern.”
The students could not refute Sedjen’s words.
Because his words were accurate.
“Most people accurately know that the demons of Tartarus are dangerous.”
Sedjen spoke in a solemn voice.
Although Sedjen usually had a light demeanor, when serious, his charisma was immense, befitting a professor who rivaled Harlind in Lumen.
“And they also know that Erebus will someday resurrect and bring about calamity. However, not many consider it a crisis right before their eyes. Is there anyone who knows why?”
At those words, the students fell silent.
They, too, knew about the matters Sedjen mentioned.
But no one could pinpoint exactly why those things constituted a crisis.
It was because they had never deeply considered it even once.
“5000 years after the end of the Age of Calamity. The reappearance of calamity was also 2000 years ago.”
Sedjen, not expecting an answer to his question, immediately continued speaking.
“Through countless records and Hero Records, we all know what the horrors of that time were like. But regrettably, humans are creatures of adaptation. Even if they know something is dangerous and that calamity will strike again someday, if it’s not visible right before their eyes, they tend to become numb to it, even if it’s a desperate future.”
Sedjen looked around at the students.
“And that fact will not change even if it becomes known to the world that a god has reappeared and the Heroes of Genesis are continuing their desperate struggle. Because unless it’s right before their eyes, people tend to become numb.”
The students fell silent at his cold words.
“That is why, especially at a time like this, your role is important.”
Sedjen said seriously.
“All of you must have entered Lumen for your own reasons. All of you would have dreamt different dreams and hoped to become heroes.”
Sedjen pulled out a pocket watch from his pocket, checked the time, and then said.
“But from today, as hero candidates, reconsider what the essence of a hero is. Today’s class ends here.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the bell signaling the end of class rang at a perfect time.
Sedjen lightly tidied up his class materials and went outside.
The students stood up and chatted.
“How to put it, today’s class makes one think about many things.”
“Hmm… I had only thought about becoming the best knight hero in our kingdom and raising my family back to the top family. The essence of a hero, huh.”
“They say a hero is, so to speak, someone who transforms an era and leads people, right?”
The students conversed seriously.
Seeing them, Karl asked Leo.
“Leo, what do you think a hero is?”
“The one who suffers the most.”
At those words, Karl snickered.
“Shall we go to lunch?”
“No, I have to go to the student council meeting today.”
“Oh, really?”
“About that, Karl.”
“Yes?”
“Could you find out who among the second-years involved in club activities, not the student council, are interested in student council work?”
“That’s not difficult. Just leave it to me.”
As Karl gave a thumbs-up, Leo patted Karl’s shoulder and smiled.
“Thanks.”
Leaving those words, Leo exited the classroom.
“Karl! Let’s go eat! Brother Leo went to the student council, right? Let’s eat all three of us today.”
Just then, Chelsea approached with Eiran.
Karl looked at Chelsea with a sympathetic gaze.
“What? What’s with that look?”
“Well, it seems like Leo is planning next year’s student council members.”
“Really? Right, the fifth-year seniors will graduate soon.”
Chelsea nodded.
Karl looked at Chelsea with a pitying expression.
“What, I asked? That look.”
“Oh, it’s just that your school life seems like it’s going to get a bit complicated from now on too.”
Chelsea frowned, looking at Karl with a gaze that said, ‘What kind of nonsense is this now?’
‘All the honor students will probably be slave candidates.’
Karl shook his head.