Book 1 Chapter 570

570.

The day after the schedule for the Hero's Festival was all set.

The students of the Hero Academy headed to the Warp Gate, receiving a farewell from dragons on Dragonia's main street.

"Chaser of the Nebula!"

"Wow… she's beautiful…"

Amidst all that, the most attention-grabbing one was, as expected, Runia.

The dragon children gasped in admiration every time Runia passed by.

Her brilliant red hair and beautiful face.

Her neatly worn uniform from Seirun.

Anyone could see she was a perfect honor student from Seirun.

Moreover, since she, along with Leo, had her name listed in the Hero Record as a student, it was not strange for her to be called a 'Hero Candidate' in some sense.

"Don't you think I'm receiving the most attention for some reason?"

Runia made a puzzled expression while smiling and waving her hand.

Leo also had his name on the Hero Record.

In addition, he even played an active role with Arion when the third fragment of Erebus was resurrected.

Not to mention he was an unprecedented All-Class.

Even in such circumstances, the dragons paid far more attention to Runia.

"Of course."

At that moment, Hardin adjusted his glasses and said.

"Leo Flob is certainly ahead of you in every aspect. But people don't care about such internal things as much as you think."

"Yes?"

"I realized it after coming to Dragonia this time. Dragons are not much different from us in the grand scheme of things."

Unless they were students of Wisdom or dragons who led heroes for the world.

Most of the dragons living in Dragonia were those who lived ordinary lives.

"What the public pays attention to is outwardly displayed fame. And in that sense, Runia. You are more talked about by people than any other hero of this era."

"It's because of my title."

"Exactly."

Runia El Rundia, the Chaser of the Nebula.

The first hero recognized as the successor of a Great Hero.

Although the Heroes of Genesis are considered to be in the lineage of Great Hero successors, Runia is the first to be directly recorded as a successor in the Hero Record.

Therefore, the public's gaze toward Runia couldn't help but be special.

"It's a title that's too much for me."

As Runia murmured, looking down at her palm, Hardin let out a chuckle.

"You just have to become a person worthy of that title."

"…Yes."

"The dragons are still cheering, aren't they? How about standing next to Leo Flob?"

"…"

At Hardin's suggestion, Runia looked at Leo with an unidentifiable expression.

The Great Hero who saved the world, the man Luna, the progenitor of the nebula, loved, and the man Licinus, the King of Wisdom, loved.

'Please keep this story a secret for now.'

Earlier, Melina had instructed those present while taking care of the oath.

Currently, Kyle and Luna are known as lovers in the world.

But if the fact of a love triangle, with Licinus added, were revealed, the world would surely be turned upside down.

Misunderstandings could easily tarnish the reputations of the three.

'What's more, it wasn't even a simple romantic relationship with Licinus-nim…'

Runia's face flushed, and her shoulders trembled slightly.

'Cheating? Did he play with Luna-nim?'

She was too distracted earlier to properly clear up the misunderstanding.

Just as all sorts of thoughts were flashing through Luna's mind.

'How is it? Much better than Licinus, right?'

Luna's image of grabbing Leo by the collar and kissing him by surprise came to mind.

'Kyle, I love you.'

Luna, who had conveyed her feelings.

'So, let's get married.'

'I…'

'No answer needed.'

Luna's image, declaring to the world without hearing Leo's answer, flashed through her mind.

'Oh my. Luna-nim only managed to convey her feelings after closing her eyes…'

She had feelings, but she couldn't bring herself to intrude between Kyle and Licinus.

So, she only managed to convey her feelings after death.

Runia made a sorrowful expression, recalling the sad love story.

As misunderstandings piled upon misunderstandings, giving birth to new ones in such a grand manner, the Hero Academy students arrived at the gate.

"Why have you been glancing at me since earlier?"

"Huh? Uh, well…"

When Leo clicked his tongue and asked in front of the gate, Chelsea made a flustered expression.

Then she fidgeted with her fingers and cautiously said.

"How do I say it, I feel strange because you, Leo Oppa, were married."

Hearing that, Leo felt a pang in the back of his head.

'What am I going to do with this damn con artist lizard?'

Just as Leo was about to open his mouth, thinking he needed to explain before more unnecessary misunderstandings arose.

"Leo, why didn't you answer Luna-nim's proposal back then?"

Runia, who had approached at some point, asked with a sad voice.

"What's that supposed to mean? Explain it in detail."

When Chelsea asked, her eyes wide, Runia, her lips pressed together, explained the situation at the time.

"Oh my… such a story existed."

Chelsea gasped, covering her mouth after hearing the story.

Seeing that, Leo gripped the back of his neck.

'I'm going crazy, seriously.'

He had suddenly become the guy who, forced to hide his feelings during his lifetime, didn't even answer a confession that was barely made after death.

"You two, come here for a moment."

Leo called the two closer.

Then he put his arms around the two approaching girls and pulled them close.

Runia and Chelsea, who suddenly found themselves close to Leo, gasped.

"Listen carefully, Licinus and I are not like that."

"What? Melina-nim clearly said it was a marriage oath, didn't she?"

Runia asked in a low voice.

Leo clicked his tongue at that.

"Yes, that's probably right. But I wrote my name without even knowing it was a marriage oath."

"Really?"

"Yes. That damn lizard tricked me."

Leo gnashed his teeth.

At his answer, Chelsea tilted her head.

"Then what about Luna-nim?"

"I'm not in any relationship with Luna either."

"So, Leo Oppa didn't know the feelings of both of them in his past life?"

Leo thought for a moment at Chelsea's question.

How should he answer?

Luna had said it openly, but he didn't understand due to Elven customs, and Licinus hadn't said it but showed signs, and he hadn't noticed?

'He's an idiot, alright.'

The voice of that rotten pointy-eared jerk who had kicked his ass echoed in his head.

'They're even openly teaching you dragon etiquette that you don't even need to learn like that; if you don't notice that, you're a real idiot.'

'Don't tell me that ridiculous lie.'

The voice of that damn lizard who had headbutted him also echoed.

Recalling Seirun and Rodia, who were big-headed and spoke bluntly to their seniors without hesitation, Leo gnashed his teeth.

'Those guys, if I meet them next time, I'll shave off all their hair.'

"It was a different era, after all. We just pretended not to know in our hearts."

"Ah…"

Chelsea nodded innocently at Leo's lie.

But Runia narrowed her eyes.

"Really?"

Leo grabbed Runia by the back of her neck and pulled her close, then asked emphatically, as if to question her doubt.

"Do these eyes look like they're lying?"

Their foreheads lightly touched.

Leo's red eyes were right in front of her.

Just then, Runia's frozen face gradually turned red.

"What are you two talking about so secretly?"

"Gah!"

Ar suddenly interjected between them.

"I get it, now separate."

Chelsea separated the two with an annoyed voice.

Runia quickly turned her head and kept clearing her throat.

Meanwhile, the Warp Gates for each school were activated.

Watching that, Leo said.

"As I said yesterday, we ask for the active cooperation of each school in preparing for the Hero's Festival."

"Since we're doing it anyway, making it spectacular wouldn't be bad."

Marigold nodded.

"Don't worry about that."

Hardin adjusted his glasses.

Dorveman grinned as he listened to the conversation.

"Azonia will take the championship."

At his words, Marigold and Hardin looked at Dorveman.

"Through this Hero's Festival, we will announce to the world. That we have arrived."

Hardin curled the corners of his lips.

"A good ambition. But unfortunately, the championship is ours, Seirun."

"What strange things you're saying. The championship is Demian's."

As representatives of Hero Academies representing their races, the three schools' pride was ignited, and they made threats.

Seeing that, Chelsea said.

"The championship is ours, Rumerun! Right, Leo Oppa?"

"What does it matter who wins?"

"Huh?"

Chelsea made a flustered expression at Leo's words.

"Let's all do our best."

Chelsea felt uneasy looking at the smiling Leo.

'What exactly is Leo Oppa planning?'

***

Leo and Chelsea returned directly to Rumerun via the Warp Gate.

"Leo! How did the competition go?"

"The schedule wasn't set, was it? The other schools couldn't match the schedule, could they?"

When they went to the student council office, the overwhelmed student council members rushed forward and asked.

Their faces were filled with a thread of hope.

"We set a date."

"No!"

"How is that even possible!"

Screams erupted here and there at Leo's words.

"Oh? So you all have time to scream? Then how about increasing today's quota…"

"No!"

"It's already hard enough!"

"Sorry for screaming!"

At Elena's words, who had recently begun to be called a tyrant, the student council members shrieked and quickly scattered to work.

Leo immediately entered the student council president's office with Elena.

In the student council president's office, Kal was sleeping in a sleeping bag.

Chelsea approached Kal and nudged him with her foot.

"What? Why are you sleeping here? Go sleep in the dorm."

"Ugh- I'll work harder when I wake up. So please let me sleep for just a little while."

Kal squirmed and groaned in agony.

Chelsea looked at Elena, who smiled.

"He worked without stopping as soon as I told him, so I pushed him a bit. Kal-kun was higher performing than expected."

'This is why you shouldn't be unnecessarily competent.'

Chelsea shook her head, watching Kal, whose labor was being thoroughly exploited.

'Chelsea, about Kal. What do you think about recruiting him into our family after graduation?'

'Kal? That slick guy?'

'Yes, I've become certain this time. That he'll be a great help to the Rwalin family.'

Rumerun is also a path to a good job in the future.

Heroic noble families actively recruited talented individuals through the connections made at Rumerun.

'If you just ask Kal to come, he'll probably gladly come right away, won't he?'

'I don't think it'll be that easy. Recently, Duran's gaze towards Kal has been unusual. Well, Kal is your best friend, after all.'

Recalling Avard, who had been delighted that there was a high probability of him coming to Rwalin since they had been close without hesitation since first grade, Chelsea looked at Kal with a slightly pitiful gaze.

Meanwhile, Leo told Elena about the Wisdom students.

"That's good. We already needed more labor."

Elena was truly happy after hearing all the stories from Dragonia.

For Elena, the dragons of Wisdom were excellent labor.

Nothing more, nothing less.

"So, everything's done now, right?"

"Yes. Now all we have to do is prepare diligently."

***

Autumn had passed, and winter was approaching.

Peep-! Bang-! Bang-!

Fireworks exploded ceaselessly in the skies above Rumeria City.

"Whoooa!"

Finally today, the celebratory fire that announced the beginning of the Hero's Festival began to burst.