Book 1 Chapter 653
“What? What’s going on?”
“Why are Leo-senpai and Shya-senpai in the middle of the training grounds…?”
“Are they perhaps going to spar?”
The first-years gathered around the training grounds with excited voices.
It was due to the anticipation that they might see Leo Flov, no less, fight with their own eyes.
Leo, who had already become the student council president of Lumern in his first year and a hero in his second, was already a legendary figure.
He was literally on a different level among the heavens-like seniors.
The first-years were already immensely excited just by the possibility of seeing such a person.
Meanwhile, the second-years watched Leo and Chen Shya alternately with slightly surprised eyes.
The second-years had already felt the fear of Chen Shya keenly in yesterday’s exams.
“I had a nightmare about Shya-senpai last night.”
“Ugh… I felt scared just going down a dark hallway.”
Feeling the lingering fear from the darkness, the second-years shivered.
At the same time, a natural question arose.
“But can Shya-senpai handle Leo-senpai in a one-on-one fight?”
The second-years knew it too.
Leo’s skill was on a different level.
Moreover, this was broad daylight, not darkness like yesterday.
While the first and second-years felt doubt.
The ones who felt the most bewildered were, as expected, the third-years.
“Why are Leo and Shya suddenly sparring?”
Chloe approached Celia and Duran with a puzzled look.
“They said they would teach us.”
“Teach us?”
At Duran’s words, Chloe tilted her head slightly.
The outcome of the spar was obvious.
However, if Chen Shya mentioned teaching, it was clear that she intended to show them something the third-years hadn’t learned until now.
“Huh? What’s going on?”
Chelsea, who had returned from behind the warehouse, opened her eyes wide at the commotion on the training grounds.
“Ooh! Leo and Shya are going to spar! We can’t miss such a big event!”
As Kal busily prepared something, Eliza asked with a puzzled look.
“Are you going to do an analysis?”
“You’ve been sharing a dormitory with Kal for a year, and you still haven’t figured out what kind of person Kal is?”
“What did you say?”
As Eliza frowned at Chelsea’s words.
“Selling popcorn! We also have cold juice!”
Eliza staggered as she saw Kal, who had prepared a stall from a subspace and was running among the spectators.
“Ooh! Kal! Popcorn for me!”
“Juice for me!”
The third-years started ordering as if they had been waiting.
“Do you have butter-grilled squid?”
“Of course!”
“As expected, you’re thoroughly prepared!”
The third-years gave thumbs up.
“Senpai! We’d like some too.”
“Aww~ Can you give us a little discount?”
The second-years, as if accustomed to it, also purchased popcorn and drinks from Kal.
The first-years stared with shocked expressions, their mouths agape.
“The acting student council president… is running a street stall?”
“Y-yes, it’s the same Kal-senpai from yesterday!”
“Aaaaah! My illusion is shattered!”
“Where did that cool appearance from yesterday go…!”
Some first-years clutched their heads and screamed.
“Huh? Huh! Milia?!”
“What are you going to do?”
While the first-years were just observing cautiously.
Milia, the top-ranked student in the Knight Department, approached Kal.
“Hello, senpai. One set menu, please.”
“Yes, understood~”
Kal handed a cup of popcorn to Milia with a smile full of salesmanship.
“Could you give me a catalog of the items handled by Kal’s shop as a service?”
“Huh? That’s only given to subscribers.”
“I’m your first first-year customer, aren’t I? Because of me, the first-years have less resistance to buying things from Kal-senpai, right?”
Seeing Milia wink, Kal let out a hollow laugh and nodded.
Humming a tune, Milia received the catalog and opened it.
“What are you going to do with that?”
As a first-year Knight Department student looked on with an incomprehensible expression, Milia smiled faintly.
“I’m curious.”
Saying that, Milia opened Kal’s catalog.
‘Kal-senpai has been selling items students need since his first year.’
As the successor of the Rola Trading Company, which controlled the southern trade, Milia had a thorough understanding of the flow of money and materials on the continent.
And before entering Lumern, she had thoroughly investigated Lumern and the commercial districts of Lumaria City.
It wasn’t preparation to achieve good grades at Lumern.
It was simply a natural curiosity for someone from a merchant family.
And she noticed a change in the distribution of potions and magical tools within Lumern starting two years ago.
Kal was at the center of it.
In two years, the potions, magical tools, materials, etc., consumed by students…
Kal had taken control of Lumern’s commerce.
‘The goods were probably good, but their business acumen is also excellent.’
In a sense, he had established himself without capital.
Milia was naturally impressed, but that wasn’t what she focused on.
‘Selling what students need means that if I grasp the items Kal-senpai sells, I can somewhat predict Lumern’s curriculum.’
Although unexpected situations frequently occur at Lumern, the overall framework of the school schedule does not change.
Given the wide variety of potions and their effects, Milia thought that by looking at the items Kal sold, she could prepare for assignments to some extent.
‘Of course, it might be completely useless… but there’s a saying, ‘forewarned is forearmed’.’
Small differences can make or break grades.
Especially for top-tier students like Milia.
Milia lifted her gaze from the catalog.
“Sigh… working so hard for money… it’s truly admirable.”
“Working hard for money and fawning over juniors! What on earth do you see to learn from that insignificant human, big sister?!”
“Huh?”
“Huh?!”
Milia looked at Ferena, the top-ranked student in the Summoning Department, who was saying the opposite next to her.
It seemed like sparks flew between them for a moment, and then they both snorted.
Meanwhile, in the Magic Department, Vhito, the top-ranked student, was earnestly taking notes while savoring popcorn and drinks with a serious expression.
“Vhito, what are you doing?”
“I’m trying to figure out the secret recipe for Kal-senpai’s popcorn and drinks.”
“What? What are you going to do with that?”
“Kal-senpai is a master of alchemy. This popcorn must also contain that know-how.”
The first-year Magic Department student recalled what he had heard from the third-year seniors a while ago.
‘I heard he just buys them from somewhere and sells them…’
“I got it! Is this fruit juice 5%?!”
Looking at Vhito analyzing with an extremely serious face with pity, the first-year Magic Department student said nothing.
For some reason, he didn’t want to make his friend miserable.
Aina, watching the first-years from afar, muttered.
“It seems like strange juniors have entered.”
“That Milia girl. She definitely seems strange. Her personality seems bad too.”
“Ferena Hergin is the same. She seemed kind at the entrance ceremony.”
“What is that guy Vhito doing drinking juice with such a serious face? He’s a weird one.”
Habiden, Sasha, and Juen chimed in with Aina’s words.
Luke, who had been watching them from 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 departmental battle in my first year?”
“Heh heh. Those were the days.”
“It was when I was lost, wandering between being a hero and a shadow.”
Leo nodded at Chen Shya’s words.
“It’s not like you suddenly asked to spar just to feel the gap.”
Although she agreed to spar, Leo was curious about Chen Shya’s intention for suddenly asking for a spar.
Seeing Leo, Chen Shya smiled.
“Leo-doryeong is definitely good at teaching someone.”
The era of calamity came to an end.
Even after the era of heroes began, the world’s threats did not cease.
The full-scale war with Tartarus.
After achieving victory in that great war, the era of true peace finally began.
And Berkia, who shouldered the era at that time, and Bihart, who supported Berkia from the shadows.
The legacy left by Kyle, the hero of the beginning.
Berkia was also a disciple of Luna and Arion.
However, it was Kyle who guided her to fully make his teachings her own.
‘Arion-nim wasn’t an outstanding teacher.’
Chen Shya shook her head, recalling Arion, who smiled brightly and said, “How about that? It’s easy, isn’t it?”
Sometimes leading from the front, sometimes pushing from behind.
It was undoubtedly Leo’s active role from unseen places that allowed the current third-years, Lumern’s golden generation, to fully blossom their talents.
However, even such a Leo cannot match the third-years at eye level.
What’s more, what kind of fighting is actual combat.
“As an older sister, and as a big sister. I want to teach my friends.”
Chen Shya’s skill is on par with the top third-year students.
In fact, Chen Shya could not guarantee victory in a spar against Celia and Duran.
However, Chen Shya’s true strength shone in actual combat, not sparring.
Born not as a hero, but as a shadow.
Chen Shya, who was born to stand at the pinnacle of shadows, was different from ordinary hero candidates.
She had been chasing and eradicating traitors even before entering Lumern.
Her experience itself was different.
Moreover, the experience of facing people with malice, not monsters, is worlds apart.
In actual combat, she can defeat not only Celia and Duran but also Warden.
Even if it’s in broad daylight, not in darkness.
That’s the difference experience makes.
‘Leo-doryeong’s experience must be at a level that others can’t comprehend.’
The great hero.
Moreover, the experience of the hero of the beginning, who buried traitors in the darkness, is as close to a fathomless abyss.
It would be difficult for other students to understand Leo’s movements, which even Chen Shya cannot gauge.
That’s why Chen Shya wants to show them her own fighting.
“I want to show them what actual combat is.”
‘Certainly, other friends will take different paths than me.’
Chen Shya’s wish to become a hero remains unchanged.
However, that doesn’t mean she intends to walk the same path as other heroes.
Where there is light, there is darkness.
Just as her ancestor Bihart did.
Just as Leo, the hero of the beginning, did.
Chen Shya also decided to walk the path they were going.
That too, is a heroic path.
Being in darkness doesn’t necessarily mean being shunned by light.
‘Leo-doryeong taught me.’
The opposite is also true.
Being in light doesn’t mean you shouldn’t know about darkness.
At some point, you will surely have to fight humans with malice.
Whether it’s a hero hunter who hunts heroes.
Or those who have different thoughts from oneself.
‘Originally, they would naturally learn.’
What actual combat is.
What it means to kill and be killed.
They will learn it, whether they like it or not.
But…
“We… have to become heroes a little earlier, don’t we?”
Leo is waiting.
To get there, even a little earlier.
Chen Shya thought it was necessary to know things that would be learned gradually, in advance.
“So that was your thought.”
“Yes. That’s why I intend to fight with all my heart.”
Clack- clack-!
“Huh?”
“Wait… what’s in Chen Shya’s hand…”
“A dagger?”
Bewildered voices were heard from all around.
Two sharp daggers were held in Chen Shya’s hands.
‘…Bihart’s daggers.’
Goooooo-!
Leo let out a small sigh at the killing intent emanating from Chen Shya’s body.
“Even so, trying to kill me for real is a bit much, isn’t it?”