Book 1 Chapter 639

639

“Wow, I knew he was strong, but he’s really strong enough to make you breathless, isn’t he?”

Runebah of the Department of Summoning, who takes on the role of commentator at every event in Lumen, made a fed-up expression.

As if agreeing with his words, several students nodded their heads.

“Niel, doesn’t the president have any weaknesses?”

A fifth-year female student from the Department of Knights asked with a frustrated look.

As a vassal family of Jerdinger, Niel knows Leo best among them.

At his classmate's question, Niel sighed.

“Young Master Leo has no weaknesses.”

Dual classes use two abilities to compensate for the weaknesses of each ability.

But Leo is an all-class.

Since he can compensate for the weaknesses of all classes, he has no distinct weaknesses.

'Besides, even if you look at each class separately, he's the strongest in the school…'

As a knight, as a wizard, as a summoner.

Even if you look at each class individually, he's among the strongest students in Lumen.

Even for a fifth-year student at Lumen who has been through all sorts of trials and tribulations, finding such a person's weakness is not easy.

It was then that the fifth-year students looked helpless at Niel’s words.

“You’re a vassal, bowing and scraping to your juniors, but you don’t even know the weakness of the person you serve? Or are you hiding it because you’re a vassal, what is it?”

A sneering voice was heard.

Niel’s cold gaze turned towards where the voice came from.

Standing there was Taekon of the fifth-year Knight Department.

At Taekon's reaction, Runebah smiled and muttered to himself.

'Ah, as expected, it's getting twisted.'

Taekon Sejire.

He was a student who never lost first place in the Knight Department among his classmates.

'No, he *was* a student who never lost it.'

Taekon, who had not lost first place in the Knight Department for four years.

However, in the final exams of the second semester of his fourth year, he had to give up his first place in the Knight Department to Niel.

Niel was a student who had not missed the top ranks since his admission, but before becoming a fourth-year, he was slightly lacking in competing for first place.

However, starting from his fourth year, he began to show tremendous growth, and by the end of the semester, he finally took first place.

'Actually, it's not surprising.'

Lumen is a place where the best talents gather and develop those talents.

'By the time they're in their fourth year, they're the ones who have been chosen among them.'

Therefore, it means it would not be strange for the rankings to be overturned at any time.

But from Taekon's perspective, it would be unacceptable.

'That damned factional fight.'

Runebah scratched his head vigorously.

Factions exist in every grade.

Broadly, factions arise between departments or continental regions, or according to the interests of various countries.

On a smaller scale, even power games within a grade.

It can't be helped.

Many students from powerful families enter Lumen.

However, as the grades go up, the conflicts between factions are resolved.

'Well, the hierarchy gets set, consciously or unconsciously… Anyway, they're comrades who have shared joys and sorrows. Though there are some who truly remain enemies for life.'

Attending school together for a long time, they inevitably come to rely on each other.

Comradeship that wasn't there is bound to form.

But…

'Our grade is the opposite.'

Currently, the fifth-year was divided into two groups.

One side consisted of regular students led by Niel, and the other side was the Blue Moon.

These were members of the Hero Dungeon raid party Blue Moon, which Elena led.

'Followers of the Queen.'

The Blue Moon party disbanded when they became fourth-year students.

More precisely, Elena stopped her overreaching behavior.

The daughter of the chairman and acting chairman.

Before that, Elena, with her overwhelming talent, was already on par with top fifth-year students when she was a second-year.

Because of this, she used her status as acting chairman to secure all sorts of conveniences.

She was, quite literally, a rogue.

The Queen's followers enjoyed all sorts of conveniences by Elena's side.

'Of course, all the hangers-on who merely wanted to enjoy privileges and flattered her were expelled.'

Lumen is not so easy that such people can endure.

'The problem is that the ones remaining are true followers.'

They only want one thing.

To be acknowledged by Elena.

Since her first year, Elena had never acknowledged any of her classmates as her equal.

More accurately, she had never recognized them as comrades.

It couldn't be helped.

'Their level is different.'

She's not called the Queen for nothing.

Elena had thoroughly reigned.

That's why Elena's followers want to be acknowledged as comrades.

To outsiders, it's nothing special.

Elena has never ignored her classmates.

On the contrary, they often laugh and joke with each other.

But it's just that far.

She absolutely does not allow anything more.

They cannot stand by her side.

From the perspective of those who have been with Elena, it must be maddening.

'That must be why those guys tenaciously survived in Lumen.'

In such a situation, after being deprived of first place in the Knight Department, Taekon reacted sharply.

Would she acknowledge him, who wasn't even in her sights when he was first, now that he had fallen to second place? That anxiety made him impatient.

The sparks that flew between Niel and Taekon were a signal.

Students who were not part of Blue Moon, who were always on edge about their grades, couldn't help but feel emotional towards the Blue Moon students.

Students not affiliated with Blue Moon originally had no interest in factions.

However, since the opposing side always had their guard up, those who didn't naturally grouped together, forming a faction.

“Why do you talk like that?”

A female student from the Department of Magic glared.

Then, a female student from the Department of Magic who was part of Blue Moon scoffed.

“What? If it’s Niel, it’s true that he’s the kind of person who would think more about his family in this situation, isn’t it? Because he’s a loyal retainer.”

“Like you, Elena’s loyal dogs?”

“What did you just say?”

The atmosphere grew increasingly hostile.

Unable to watch any longer, Runebah good-naturedly stepped in to mediate.

“Hey, hey. Stop fighting. Aren’t you ashamed in front of your juniors?”

“You stay out of it, Runebah!”

“We need to settle this today. You, a third party, don’t interfere.”

Despite Runebah’s dissuasion, there was no sign of their anger subsiding.

Seeing this, the smile disappeared from Runebah’s lips.

“Do you guys think my words aren’t worth listening to right now?”

At his cold voice, completely opposite to his usual playful demeanor, not only the fifth-year students but also the fourth-year students flinched.

Runebah, who had been staring at his classmates with an expressionless face, soon smiled like a spring day and said,

“First, coming up with a plan for Leo is the priority.”

Who would graduate at the top of the Knight Department would only be decided at the end of the semester, but who would graduate second among their classmates had already been decided since their first year.

Runebah Tes.

He is truly the undisputed second-in-command, having even once taken the position of class representative, surpassing Elena Jeron.

'Well, that was only possible because Elena skipped an entire semester, saying she didn't want to study.'

“For now, Taekon, you take charge of the command.”

“…Understood.”

“For the strategy… Eren. I ask of you.”

“Yes, Senior.”

Runebah delegated the role of strategist to Eren, who had the best strategy formulation skills among the fourth-year students.

No student had any complaints.

'Why would there be any complaints? I've been commentating for years.'

He knows the students inside and out.

Taekon and Eren are the students with the best command and strategy formulation abilities among the fourth and fifth grades when facing a strong opponent.

Having set the commander and strategist and sorted things out, Runebah selected a few more students.

“You guys are the reconnaissance team. Follow me.”

“Yes, Senior.”

Runebah led the fourth-year students with good reconnaissance abilities to prepare for Leo’s attack.

As his juniors dispersed and he was left alone, Runebah fell into thought.

After a moment, Runebah nodded.

“I understand the professors' intentions.”

Though the fifth-year students might not admit it.

Runebah clearly saw what their problem was.

“The problem is that when Elena isn’t here, we completely fall apart.”

Runebah sighed inwardly.

'And the fourth-years.'

The current fourth-year students, a year younger, had been swayed by the fifth-year students, a grade above them, for four years straight.

Because Elena's charisma extended beyond the third-year students, even to the second-year students.

The problem is that even the year younger students are now proper seniors.

'They won't just follow whatever we say anymore.'

They've matured enough.

Moreover, there will likely be resentment from constantly being swayed.

'If we're not careful, the fourth and fifth years will split.'

If Lil were here, things would be sorted out, but unfortunately, Lil is also absent.

Runebah scratched his head vigorously.

“Haa, if I had a slightly bigger vessel, would things have been a bit better?”

Runebah is excellent in academics, has a good personality, and is sociable, but unfortunately, he is not the type of person to lead others.

Runebah himself knew that fact best.

'First, I need to share the professors' intentions with the others…'

“It would have been a little better. Of course, the fundamental problem wouldn't have been solved, though.”

“Haha, President. When did you get here?”

“Since you, Senior, figured out the professors' intentions.”

Leo smiled deeply.

Seeing that smile, Runebah felt goosebumps all over his body.

'There's… no opening, is there?'

No matter if Runebah is the second-place fifth-year.

His opponent is Leo.

'If it were Elena or Lil, it would have been different.'

Until two years ago, the second-place fifth-year was the second-in-command of Lumen.

But since last year, that unofficial rule was broken.

Because the one who immediately took the strongest position in Lumen was a second-year student.

The appearance of an irregular named Leo Flobe.

But even without Leo, Runebah wouldn't have become Lumen's second-in-command.

Because there was Lil, a year younger than him.

'Should I be grateful that thanks to Leo, it's less embarrassing?'

Runebah burst into laughter.

Seeing Runebah like that, Leo said,

“You’re really unmotivated, Senior.”

Runebah laughed at Leo's words.

He didn't feel bad about it.

Leo wasn't speaking to him with the intention of being sarcastic.

He literally lacked motivation.

What the professors, seniors, and even juniors in the same department said.

“Long and thin. That’s my life motto.”

It was true to his words.

The reason he didn't leave a significant mark on his school life despite being second in his grade.

It was because he thoroughly sought out the easy path.

Leo nodded.

There are all kinds of people in the world.

However.

“For someone like that, you’re trying quite hard.”

Runebah flinched at Leo’s deep smile.

'Caught!'

Runebah, who had secretly used spirit magic to inform the fifth-year students of Leo's arrival, gulped.

“It doesn’t matter anyway, since I was planning to crush them head-on.”

“As expected of the Student Council President. You have big ambitions.”

Runebah laughed good-naturedly.

'I also had a time when I wanted to show such ambition.'

He was frustrated once after seeing Elena in his first year, but he challenged her with enthusiasm.

However, when he saw Lil enroll in his second year, he cleanly gave up.

Because he looked too pathetic to achieve what he dreamed of.

'He's my junior, but he's truly a cool guy.'

It was when Runebah was smiling brightly, looking at Leo.

“Smiling?”

“Huh?”

“Is this situation funny?”

At the sudden words, Runebah froze.

It was the pattern of how graduating seniors used to scold him.

“Hey. No matter what, I’m your senior, aren’t I?”

“Senior or not, others want to have such abilities but can’t, and there are guys with abilities who are even greater than me, so I should just be a spectator. Do you think it makes sense to be like this? Why did you come to Lumen?”

The atmosphere was not ordinary.

This went beyond the level of seniors scolding.

It was professor-level.

Among them, the most feared, Harland.

“I wondered why you always dropped out of competitions and just commentated, was it for this reason? I’m trying to get those seniors who can't get their act together to wake up. But your spirit is completely rotten, isn't it? Come here. I'll fix that rotten mind for you.”

“H-H-H-Heek?!”

“Where are you running off to!!”

Seeing Leo glare and lunge, Runebah shrieked in terror and ran away.

He didn’t know why Leo suddenly snapped, but one thing was certain.

If he got caught now, it would be a big problem.

“It’s Leo!”

“Form a formation according to the plan!”

“Kuh-huh-huh-hong!”

Once again, a howl erupted.

The battle between Leo and the fourth and fifth-year students officially began.