Book 1 Chapter 653
653.
“What is it? What’s going on?”
“Why are Senior Leo and Senior Sia in the middle of the training ground…?”
“Are the two of them perhaps going to spar?”
The first-years flocked around the training ground with excited voices.
It was due to the anticipation of perhaps seeing Leo Plov fight with their own eyes, of all people.
Leo, who had already become the student council president of Lumerne in his first year and a hero in his second year, was already a legendary figure.
He was, literally, a being of a different dimension among seniors who were like the heavens.
The first-years were already extremely excited just by the thought of being able to see such a person.
Meanwhile, the second-years alternately looked at Leo and Chen Sia with slightly surprised eyes.
These were second-years who had already acutely felt the terror of Chen Sia in yesterday's exam.
“I told you, I had a nightmare about Senior Sia last night.”
“Ugh… I tried to go down a dark hallway and it was terrifying.”
The second-years shuddered, feeling the terror in the darkness that had not yet been forgotten.
At the same time, a question naturally arose.
“But can Senior Sia really face Senior Leo one-on-one?”
The second-years also knew.
That Leo’s skill was on a different dimension.
Furthermore, this was broad daylight, not the darkness of yesterday.
While the first and second-years were feeling doubtful.
The most bewildered ones were, as expected, the third-years.
“Why are Leo and Sia suddenly sparring?”
Chloe approached Celia and Duran with a puzzled expression.
“They said they’d give us some teaching.”
“Teaching?”
At Duran’s words, Chloe tilted her head slightly.
The outcome of the spar was as clear as day.
But if Chen Sia mentioned teaching, it was clear that she intended to show them something the third-years had not learned until now.
“Huh? What’s going on?”
Chelsea, who had returned from behind the warehouse, opened her eyes wide at the noisy atmosphere of the training ground.
“Ooh! It looks like Leo and Sia are going to spar! We can’t miss a big event like this!”
As Karl busied himself preparing something, Eliza asked with a puzzled expression.
“Are you going to analyze it?”
“You’ve lived in the same dorm as Karl for a year and you still haven’t figured out what kind of person Karl is.”
“What did you say?”
It was when Eliza frowned at Chelsea’s words.
“Popcorn for sale! We also have refreshing juice!”
Eliza staggered as she watched Karl set up a stall from his subspace and run among the spectators.
“Ohh! Karl! Popcorn for me!”
“I want juice!”
The third-years started placing orders as if they had been waiting.
“Do you have grilled buttered squid?”
“Of course!”
“As expected, you’re thoroughly prepared!”
The third-years gave a thumbs-up.
“Senior! Please give us some too.”
“Aww~ Can’t you give us a small discount?”
The second-years also bought popcorn and drinks from Karl as if they were used to it.
The first-years watched them, jaws agape, as if shocked.
“Someone who’s acting student council president… is running a street stall?”
“Uh, that’s Senior Karl from yesterday, alright!”
“Aaaah! Something's breaking my illusion!”
“Where did that cool figure from yesterday go…!”
Some first-years clutched their heads and screamed.
“Huh? H-huh! Millia?!”
“What are you going to do?”
As the first-years were cautiously observing.
Millia, the top student of the first-year Knight Department, approached Karl.
“Hello, Senior. One set menu, please.”
“Yep, alrighty~”
Karl, with a face full of a business smile, handed Millia a cup of popcorn.
“Could I get a catalog of the items handled by Karl’s Merchant Guild as a service?”
“Eh? That’s only for subscription members?”
“I’m your first first-year customer, aren’t I? Thanks to me, the first-years’ resistance to buying Senior Karl’s items will have decreased, right?”
Karl let out a hollow laugh at Millia, who winked one eye, then nodded his head.
Millia, humming a tune, took the catalog and unfolded it.
“What are you going to do with that?”
When a first-year Knight Department student showed a puzzled expression, Millia smiled sweetly.
“I’m curious.”
Saying so, Millia unfolded Karl’s catalog and looked through it.
‘Senior Karl said he’s been selling things students need since his first year.’
As the successor of the Lola Merchant Guild, which controlled the southern trade routes, Millia was well-versed in the flow of funds and materials on the continent.
And before entering Lumerne, she had thoroughly investigated the commercial districts of Lumerne and Lumeria City.
It wasn't preparation to achieve good grades in Lumerne.
It was simply an act born of natural curiosity as someone from a merchant family.
And she could ascertain that there had been changes in the distribution volume of potions and magical tools within Lumerne since two years ago.
At the center of it was Karl.
In just two years, items students consumed like potions, magical tools, and materials.
Karl had taken control of the commercial sphere within Lumerne.
‘His goods must have been good, but his business acumen is also excellent.’
In a sense, he had established himself without capital.
Millia was filled with admiration, but that wasn't what she focused on.
‘Selling things students need means that if I just grasp the items Senior Karl sells, I can somewhat predict Lumerne's curriculum.’
Although unexpected situations frequently occurred in Lumerne, the overall framework of the school schedule didn’t change significantly.
Since the types and effects of potions were so diverse, Millia’s thought was that by looking at the items Karl sold, she could prepare for assignments to some extent.
‘Of course, it might be completely useless… but there's also the saying, "preparedness averts peril."’
A small difference can change whether one gets good grades or not.
Especially for top-tier students like Millia.
Millia, who had taken her eyes off the catalog, raised her head.
“Haa… that sight of him working so hard for money… it’s truly amazing.”
“Showing off to juniors for money! Sister, what on earth is admirable about that unremarkable person?!”
“Huh?”
“Huh?!”
Millia looked at Ferena, the top student of the Summoning Department, who was saying the opposite of her next to her.
Sparks seemed to fly between their eyes for a moment, then they both snorted simultaneously.
Meanwhile, in the Magic Department, Vito, the top student of the Magic Department, was earnestly taking notes while savoring popcorn and juice with a serious expression.
“Vito, what are you doing?”
“I’m trying to figure out the secret recipe for Senior Karl’s popcorn and juice.”
“What? What are you going to do once you figure that out?”
“Senior Karl is a master of alchemy. It’s clear that his know-how is imbued even in this popcorn.”
The first-year Magic Department student recalled what he had just heard from the third-year seniors.
‘I heard he just roughly buys it from somewhere and sells it…’
“I got it! This is 5% fruit juice?!”
The first-year Magic Department student said nothing, looking pitifully at Vito, who was analyzing with a very serious face.
For some reason, he didn’t want to make his friend miserable.
Aina, watching the first-years from afar, murmured.
“It seems like some strange juniors have joined.”
“That Millia kid. She definitely seems strange. Her personality also seems bad.”
“Ferena Hergin is the same. She certainly seemed nice at the entrance ceremony.”
“What is that Vito kid drinking juice with such a serious face for? What a strange kid.”
Habidun, Shasha, and Juen also chimed in with Aina’s words.
Luke, who had been watching them from slightly behind, scratched his cheek.
“I don’t think you guys are in a position to say that.”
***
“Is this the first time I’ve properly fought you since the department competition in our first year?”
“Hehe. Those were memories.”
“That was when you were wandering, unsure whether you were a hero or a shadow.”
At Leo's words, Chen Sia nodded.
“You probably didn't ask to fight just to experience the difference again.”
Although he agreed to the spar, Leo was curious about Chen Sia's intention in suddenly requesting a spar.
Chen Sia smiled, looking at Leo.
“Young Master Leo is definitely good at teaching someone.”
The Era of Calamity had ended.
Even after the Era of Heroes began, the world's threats had not ceased.
The all-out war with Tartarus.
After winning that great war, the true era of peace finally began.
And in that era, there was Berkia, who bore the weight of the times, and Bihar, who supported Berkia from the shadows.
The legacy left by the Beginning Hero, Kyle.
Berkia was also a disciple of Luna and Arion.
However, it was none other than Kyle who guided him to fully make their teachings his own.
‘Lord Arion wasn’t an excellent teacher, after all.’
“How is it? Isn’t it easy?” Chen Sia shook her head, recalling Arion, who used to smile brightly while saying that.
Sometimes leading from the front, sometimes pushing from behind.
The current third-years, the golden generation of Lumerne, had their talents fully blossom clearly because Leo had been active in unseen ways.
However, even Leo couldn't meet them at eye level in the same way as the third-years.
Moreover, what fighting in real combat was like.
“As an unnie, and as an older sister. I want to teach my friends.”
The skills of the top third-year students and Chen Sia were on par.
In fact, Chen Sia couldn't guarantee victory in a spar against Celia and Duran.
But Chen Sia’s true skill shone not in sparring, but in real combat.
Born not as a hero, but as a shadow.
Chen Sia, born to stand at the pinnacle of shadows, was different from typical hero candidates.
She had been chasing and annihilating traitors even before entering Lumerne.
Her experience itself was different.
Furthermore, the experience of fighting malicious humans, not monsters, was a world apart.
In real combat, she could defeat not only Celia and Duran but even Wareden.
Even in broad daylight, not just in darkness.
Such was the difference in experience.
‘Young Master Leo's experience must be at a level no one else can possibly comprehend.’
A Great Hero.
Moreover, the experience of the Beginning Hero, who had buried traitors in the darkness, was akin to an unfathomable abyss.
It was difficult for other students to understand Leo's movements, which even Chen Sia could not gauge.
That is why Chen Sia wanted to show them how she fought.
“I want to teach them what real combat is.”
‘Surely my other friends will be on a different path than me.’
Chen Sia’s wish to become a hero remained unchanged.
However, that did not mean she intended to walk the same path as other heroes.
Where there is light, there must be darkness.
Just as her ancestor Bihar did.
Just as Leo, the Beginning Hero, did.
Chen Sia also resolved to walk the path they were going.
Because that too was a heroic path.
Being in darkness did not necessarily mean being forsaken by light.
‘Young Master Leo taught me.’
The opposite was also true.
Being in the light, one should not be ignorant of darkness.
At some point, there would surely come a time to fight humans with malice.
Whether they were Hero Hunters who hunted heroes.
Or those who held different beliefs than herself.
‘Normally, they would learn naturally.’
What real combat was.
What a fight to the death was.
They would learn even if they didn’t want to.
But…
“We… need to become heroes a little earlier, don’t we?”
Leo was waiting.
To get there even a little earlier.
Chen Sia believed that it was necessary to know in advance what they would gradually learn later.
“So that was your thought.”
“Yes. So I’m going to fight with all my might.”
Clack- Clack-!
“Huh?”
“Wait… what’s in Chen Sia’s hands…?”
“Daggers?”
Confused voices were heard from all around.
Chen Sia held two sharp daggers in both hands.
‘…Bihar’s daggers.’
Goooooooh-!
Leo let out a small sigh at the murderous intent flowing from Chen Sia’s body.
“Even so, trying to actually kill me is a bit too much, isn’t it?”