Book 1 Chapter 698

698.

The central hall of the Lumern Clock Tower Dormitory.

It had become a meeting place where all the students now gathered.

Students who had grown accustomed to the Clock Tower Dormitory would exchange information or barter here.

That's how the Lumern students were starting their lively day.

Juen and Betty, with textbooks tucked under their arms, were heading to the cafeteria, chatting.

"I never want to go to a place like a coal mine again."

"Yeah. This exclusive smith contract was truly awful."

Kal interjected between the two people talking.

"Was it that bad?"

"Of course! Stuck in a mine, swinging a pickaxe and shoveling! Ugh! Mages are people who use their brains, so why should we do manual labor?!"

"Hmm. So? Did you find a decent smith?"

"Of course! With one of the students Kal senior recommended…"

Juen stopped walking and her eyes widened.

Betty also made a surprised face, then both female students simultaneously turned their heads sharply.

"Kal senior! When did you come back?"

"This morning."

Kal patted his shoulder and sighed deeply.

Kal had originally gone to Demian to escort the second-year students for their exclusive smith contracts, but he was assigned to conquer a hero dungeon and joined Leo's party.

As a result, he returned to Lumern a few days later than the second-year students.

"Did you successfully conquer the hero dungeon?"

"Yeah. I was so busy writing reports in Demian."

Kal shook his head from side to side.

Hero dungeons often require a lot of post-processing even after they are conquered.

This is because there are reports to write and various other paperwork to complete.

Especially this time, it was Dwenno's world that Leo's party had conquered.

More precisely, the world of the Legion, whose existence had recently been confirmed.

'On top of that, the subjugation of the Giant King Gias.'

As it was such a major event, writing the report was more difficult than usual.

It had not yet been officially announced.

The Lumern students only knew that Leo's party had officially been dispatched for exploration at Demian's request, and their mission had changed to conquering a hero dungeon.

"Whose hero dungeon was it?"

Juen asked with sparkling eyes, and Kal shrugged.

"It's classified. Right, Leo?"

"Ah! Leo senior."

"Hello."

Juen and Betty hastily greeted him.

"Oh! It's the student council president!"

"The acting student council president is with him too."

Other students also noticed Leo and Kal and their eyes widened.

Upon discovering the other party members as well, second-year students from all departments rushed over.

"Duran senior! You worked so hard!"

"You worked so hard!"

The second-year students of the Knight Department respectfully greeted Duran.

"Wow, it's like an army. Are you guys recruiting your juniors?"

When Chelsea glared, Iliana shook her head.

"Not at all. The kids just naturally respect us. Want to see?"

Iliana, with her arms crossed and a triumphant expression, waved to the second-year students of the Knight Department.

"Hey, kids. Hello."

"Ah. Hello. Iliana senior."

"Did you have a good trip back?"

The second-year Knight Department students looked at Iliana with welcoming expressions.

They were friendly, but it wasn't, how should I put it,

a feeling of being revered.

"There's a temperature difference with Duran, isn't there?"

"Ugh! It's because Duran usually acts unnecessarily dignified! I, Iliana, am a friendly senior! It's not just me! Sia and Celia aren't revered like Duran either!"

"Ah! Celia senior! Sia senior!"

"Good morning!"

The second-year students spotted Celia and Sia and greeted them crisply.

"…"

Iliana fell silent.

"Eliza senior. I'll carry your luggage for you."

"Hmph. No need."

"Shall I massage your shoulders?"

"I said no need!"

Eliza frowned at the second-year students' excessive goodwill.

"Chelsea senior!"

"New cookies just came out, so I bought some, please try them!"

"Wow, senior. Look at your dull skin."

The second-year students of the Magic Department also gathered around Chelsea, fussing.

"…"

Chelsea stared intently at Iliana, who then made a tearful face and complained to Leo.

"Class president! I want to be respected by my juniors too!"

"You're endlessly light-hearted, so you're far from being respected. Like Kal."

"Don't put me on the same level as Kal!"

Iliana bristled at Leo's words, and Kal burst into chuckles.

Iliana, who had been staring at Kal with a sulky face, said.

"Hmph! But even the class president doesn't have juniors approaching him! So aren't we in a similar situation?"

"No. That's a bit different."

Kal shook his head.

The third-year department heads are highly respected among their juniors due to their overwhelming skill and charisma.

As such, the second-year students always treat the third-year department heads with utmost respect, but not Leo.

The reason was simple.

'They find him incredibly intimidating.'

Leo's presence was too overwhelming to approach carelessly.

As a result, they became intimidated in front of Leo.

So, there were almost no juniors who approached Leo first.

Even Iliana knew that.

"I don't know, I don't know. I can't hear you. The class president is on my side."

She just needed a supporter.

Kal shook his head watching Iliana like that.

Seeing that, Leo said.

"First of all, good job everyone. Even if you don't attend classes until today, there's no problem with attendance, so don't overexert yourselves and rest."

"There's nothing more special than legally resting when everyone else is in class."

Kal chuckled.

Leo, who smirked at Kal, said.

"Alright. Dismissed then."

At Leo's words, the party members dispersed.

Celia and Chen Sia approached Leo, who was left alone.

"Leo. How was the mission?"

"It was tough."

Leo sighed and answered Celia's question.

"Wow, if Sir Leo says it was tough, it must have been really tough. Ah. Please give me your bag."

"It's fine."

"Oh, don't be like that."

Chen Sia, smiling brightly, took Leo's bag.

"Miss Celia, please eat breakfast first. I'll help Sir Leo carry his luggage and be right back."

"Okay. I understand."

Celia, accustomed to Chen Sia taking care of Leo in various ways, nodded and headed to the cafeteria first.

Walking down the corridor of the Clock Tower Dormitory, Leo, after confirming no one was around, opened any door.

It naturally connected to the top floor of the Clock Tower.

"The president's privilege is certainly convenient."

Chen Sia smiled and followed Leo into the room.

"Thanks for carrying it. I feel kind of bad."

"It's something I enjoy doing."

Chen Sia shook her head at Leo's words and placed Leo's travel bag in a corner of the room.

Sitting on the sofa in the center of the room, Leo slightly tugged at his uniform tie to loosen it.

Then he leaned his head back and rested deeply on the sofa.

Watching Leo, Chen Sia approached a cabinet in a corner of the room.

A moment later, a fragrant tea aroma filled the air.

Click- Pour-

Chen Sia placed a teacup in front of Leo and carefully asked.

"Did you meet one of the Great Heroes?"

"You're quick-witted."

When Leo chuckled, Chen Sia said.

"Your aura is different from usual. You look very tired."

She had seen Leo exude this kind of atmosphere before.

It was when he met Arion and Luna, and Leo's disciples, Berkia and Vihar.

For others, it would have been an overwhelming honor, but not for Leo.

"I met Dwenno."

Chen Sia, who knew Leo's true identity, made a slightly worried expression.

In response, Leo picked up the teacup and said.

"It's not to the extent that a little girl like you needs to worry."

"I'm not a little girl, I'm a proper lady."

"Saying something like that is proof that you're a child. The aroma is good. Thank you."

"How about you rest fully for the day today?"

"That's what I plan to do."

"Would you like to wash first? Or eat? Or what about…?"

Leo put down the teacup and patted the spot next to him with his palm.

Chen Sia went and sat next to Leo.

Leo reached out his hand towards Chen Sia.

"Sir Leo, it hurts."

"It's meant to hurt."

Leo pinched and shook Chen Sia's cheek, then clucked his tongue.

Rubbing her reddened cheek, Chen Sia muttered softly.

"A stubborn old man."

Squeeze-

"I'm sorry."

This time, Chen Sia, whose cheeks were held, said with an expressionless face.

Leo, letting go of Chen Sia, asked.

"So? Was there anything going on among the students while I was away?"

"Since it was an adjustment period, there were no major incidents."

"How are the first-year students?"

"They're excellent. They're adapting well without any major problems."

"What's the atmosphere like between the dorms?"

At Leo's words, Chen Sia smiled faintly.

"It's fierce."

"Fierce?"

"Yes."

Chen Sia nodded.

"You said nothing was going on among the students?"

"Yes. Nothing was going on among the students."

"The professors, then."

"That's right. Their competitiveness has become very strong."

"Well, the school has been heavily encouraging competition between departments."

From the perspective of professors who have strong departmental pride, it could be said to be a matter of pride.

Moreover, many professors are alumni of Lumern.

As such, it was inevitable that there would be many who were united by pride in their department even after graduation.

It seemed that the professors' competitiveness was also spreading to the students.

Hearing Chen Sia's words, Leo curved the corners of his mouth upwards.

At Leo's words, Chen Sia narrowed her eyes.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Something interesting."

At those unsettling words, Chen Sia let out a small sigh.

***

Not long after Chen Sia left for her class.

Melina came to Leo's room.

"Lord Leo. Good work on conquering the World of the Legion."

"What's in your hand?"

"Oh, this?"

Melina held up the small box in her hand, smiled faintly, placed it in front of Leo, and opened the lid.

"A crown?"

"Your coronation is being prepared, isn't it? A crown befitting you becoming the king of a nation is essential. Of course, no crown could perfectly suit you, but we did our best to…"

"Couldn't you just make it roughly? Or not wear one at all."

"No, you can't. No matter what anyone says, you're ascending to be the King of the World, like Lord Risinas, the King of Wisdom. It's a landmark event in world history."

"Who said that?"

"Lord Rian."

Leo clicked his tongue, thinking of a certain god who acted like a cult follower despite being a god.

After that brief chat.

Leo told Melina about what had happened in Dwenno's world.

"All the members of Arhi's party obtained divine artifacts this time."

"That's right. Although Ar and Duran received restored divine artifacts from Dwenno as gifts."

The armaments Arion had used.

The greatsword imbued with the power of Brave and thunder was an existing item, but it had fully regained its original form.

"And Miss Driana inherited Lord Dwenno's flame as a conquest reward… this is significant."

"It is."

In addition, they had learned smithing techniques and how to use the flame from Dwenno in a short amount of time.

"If there's a medium, we can restore the materialized divine artifacts."

Leo glanced back and looked at the pitch-black cloak hanging in a corner of the room.

Duran's greatsword, for instance, came from the pitch-black cloak.

It would be impossible for Driana to create a divine artifact-level item from scratch right now, but if it was an item that came from the pitch-black cloak, it could be restored.

'Well, it's not like I can take it out whenever I want.'

The exact principle was unknown, but the pitch-black cloak seemed to produce armaments suitable for heroes or hero candidates.

Melina, who was talking about the conquest rewards, was surprised by the next story.

"Lord Risinas' spirit?"

"Yes. 100% there."

Leo narrowed his eyes.

According to Kal, Dwenno briefly appeared by borrowing Artian's body when he went berserk.

"Ah. Lord Risinas."

Melina looked bewildered, and Leo grinned.

"That damn lizard. He tried to trick me into marriage? I won't let him off if I meet him as a spirit."

"It seems like Lord Leo was in the wrong…"

"What?"

"Nothing."

Melina, who was about to side with Risinas, shook her head.

"The subjugation of the Giant King Gias. This is truly significant."

"It is."

"The world will surely be turned upside down."

"Prepare thoroughly and announce it."

Leo, having roughly finished talking about the mission, leaned back on the sofa and said.

"Oh, and about our school's midterm exams."

"Yes."

"It's okay for me to set the departmental exams for each dorm, right?"

"Yes."

Although he was a student, Leo's authority this semester was comparable to a professor's.

In particular, the authority to manage the dormitories was given to the student council president.

"Do you have anything in mind?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

At Melina's question, Leo smiled.

"Departmental War."