Book 1 Chapter 700

700.

"Everyone, pay attention."

Chloe easily drew the students' attention.

"Let me introduce someone. As you all know, this is Leo Flobe. He's our school's student council president and the leader of our party."

At Chloe's words, the second-year students all bowed their heads in unison and shouted.

"Please take good care of us! Senior Leo!"

"Please take good care of us!"

Following the second-year students, the first-year students also bowed their heads.

It was a moment when Leo was showered with the envious and respectful gazes of his juniors.

"Chloe?"

"Hmm?"

"Could you talk with me for a moment?"

Illiana said with a smile.

At her call, Chloe followed Illiana with a puzzled expression.

Illiana, who had come to the back of the training ground warehouse where Combat Studies classes were held, said urgently.

"Why did you put me in the party?!"

"Why? Obviously, because we need more power."

The Joint Combat Studies class, newly established this year, was a mandatory subject for all students from first to third grade.

To keep pace with the rapidly changing global situation and promote the skill improvement of lower-grade students, first and second-year students participated in parties led by third-year students.

The students elected as party leaders among the third-years were Leo, followed by Chelsea, Chen Xia, Warredon, Abard, and Jureden.

A total of six people.

Among them, Leo and Chelsea were inevitably leaving school for a long-term mission, so Chloe and Celia, who were second in reputation and skill in each party, were put in charge of selecting party members in their stead.

Chloe, who came to lead the party in Leo's place, recruited Illiana as a top priority because she believed Illiana was a necessary member for the party.

"Why?!"

"Because you kept asking me to put you in the party until you left for the mission."

"Kyaaaah!"

Illiana grabbed her head and cursed her past self.

"You're more popular than I thought, so it was a bit of a struggle."

"What do you mean, 'more than I thought'? 'More than I thought'! I'm popular! I'm talented!"

"Anyway, why do you dislike it so much? You said it would be comfortable to be in the same party as Leo, and you desperately wanted to join, didn't you?"

From the start, Illiana had a pathetic yet grand plan to charm Leo and get many bonus points.

In fact, Illiana's feigned innocence, which she showed in front of the juniors on the first day, was still ongoing.

'I thought she'd be happy once she knew it was our party.'

At the very unexpected reaction, Chloe made a puzzled face, and Illiana stomped her feet and replied.

"Well! It's because of the Demon King! The Demon King!"

"The Demon King?"

"I mean the class president! The class president!"

"Leo. Illiana says you're the Demon King, shouldn't you punish her?"

"Hiiieek?!"

At the voice from behind, Illiana gasped in fright and hid behind Chloe.

Then, she peeked out her face and glared at Karl, who was chuckling.

"I came to see what you were talking about."

Karl shrugged his shoulders, watching Leo smirk.

"You've known Illiana's mental state has been messed up since first grade, haven't you?"

"Karl! You!"

An indignant Illiana lunged at Karl.

Karl quickly hid behind Leo's back.

Illiana barely managed to stop in front of Leo, then quickly- put some distance between them again.

"What happened on the mission?"

At Chloe's question, Leo answered calmly, as if it was nothing.

"I've decided to indulge her less now."

"Ah."

Chloe nodded as if she understood, and Illiana made a tearful face.

"That's too much! The class president used to be kind! Why did you suddenly become so cold?"

"Because it seemed like she wanted to be treated like an adult."

Leo smiled faintly.

Illiana, looking at Leo, said.

"Can I change parties, by any chance?"

"Yeah. The professors said to get the party leader's permission first, though?"

Illiana slumped her shoulders.

Karl, who had shaken his head at Illiana, approached to comfort her.

Swoosh-

"……?"

Karl looked at Chloe, who was blocking him with her hand, with a puzzled face.

Chloe lightly shook her head.

A moment later.

Illiana raised her head and slapped her cheeks with both hands.

"Alright! Since it's come to this, let's just enjoy it!"

Determined, Illiana pointed her finger at Leo, saying, "Chuck-!"

"Class President! Train me as much as you want! I'll accomplish everything!"

"Oh ho?"

"Ah, 'as much as you want' is canceled."

Illiana quickly shook her head, watching Leo let out an exclamation.

Seeing that, Chloe smiled faintly.

"Even if Illiana is lazy, she gets things done when it matters."

"Indeed."

Karl nodded.

"The kids are waiting. Let's go back quickly."

At Karl's words, the four of them stood before the party members again.

"Leo."

At Chloe's word, Leo stepped forward.

'Wow. It's Leo Flobe.'

'The youngest student council president!'

'The Hero of Beginnings, Kyle's successor!'

As Leo stepped forward, the first-year students' eyes sparkled even more.

Their faces were filled with pride at the fact that they had joined Leo's party.

When Chloe issued the party recruitment guidelines.

Literally, the entire first-year class submitted applications.

Among them, the third-year students personally selected the party members.

As a result, 100 out of 500 students joined Leo's party.

Accordingly, the proportion of second and third-year students decreased.

Naturally, those selected for Leo's party were more than enough to be the object of envy for other first-year students.

Even now, first-year students from other parties are casting envious glances their way.

As a result, the first-year students in Leo's party became even more haughty.

"They're happy, not even knowing this is hell."

"Juen. Shh."

"Why? It's true, isn't it? Right, Luke?"

"Hahahaha."

As Juen mumbled softly, Betty urgently shushed him, and Luke just offered an awkward laugh.

Amidst this, Leo spoke.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Leo Flobe."

"Nice to meet you!"

"President! You're so cool!"

"Kyaa~"

Following the overly rigid replies of the male students, the boisterous reactions of the first-year female students continued.

Watching this, Karl and Illiana made grumpy faces.

"They're happy, alright."

"Tell me about it."

*Thwack-!*

"Ugh!"

"Cough?"

Chloe punched Karl and Illiana in the ribs on either side of her.

As the two tumbled.

Leo said,

"As you all know, today is the first day the party is formed and we all gather together. It's a time to get to know each other. You can use it as free time as much as the party leader allows."

At his words, the first-year students nodded.

It was already announced, so they all knew.

Moreover, today was the last class, and tomorrow was even the weekend.

Thanks to that, quite a few first-year students had hoped that today's class might end a little early.

"In that sense, our group will be going outside the school today."

"Huh?"

"Wow! I was just planning to go out to Rumeria City tomorrow!"

"President is the best!"

Cheers erupted among the first-year students.

"From now on, we'll move to the dock, so line up and move."

Chloe began to line up the first-year students.

Watching this, envious glances poured from the first-year students of other parties.

"Is it because Senior Leo is the student council president?"

"Wow, class ending early directly by the student council president's authority."

"I'm envious."

"You guys. Are you envious of that?"

The first-year students flinched when Chelsea suddenly appeared from behind and asked.

"Th-that's not what we meant."

"Why? You said you were envious, didn't you?"

At Chelsea's question, the first-year students shrank their necks.

"You're scaring the kids."

Celia, who appeared behind Chelsea, firmly pressed down on Chelsea's head.

"You, this is insubordination against the commander. Do you know that?"

"How long are you going to keep complaining about the commander?"

Celia clicked her tongue at Chelsea's words and said.

"There's absolutely nothing to be envious of."

"Huh?"

At Celia's words, Chelsea sneered, looking at the first-year students.

"Do the second and third-year students in Leo Oppa's party look happy?"

At that, the first-year students hastily looked at the second and third-year students belonging to Leo's party.

Unlike the bright atmosphere of the first-year students, the second and third-year students had an air of despair.

Watching the first-year students look puzzled, Chelsea smiled faintly.

"It's not because he's the student council president that he can end class quickly and go outside. I also have that much discretion. But I'm kind, aren't I?"

"Kind, my foot."

"Subordinate, be quiet."

"This is truly…!"

Celia flared up and pulled Chelsea's cheek.

Instead of the two squabbling and wrestling, the one who answered was Martina, a second-year student from the Knight Academy and one of Leo's knights.

"They're not going for fun."

"Then?"

"They're being dragged to the slaughterhouse."

Hearing that, the first-year students felt goosebumps all over their bodies.

'What on earth are they going to do?!'

***

The first-year students who boarded the ship from the dock to Rumeria City enjoyed themselves as if they were going on a picnic.

Luke thought about saying something to his juniors, but Juen stopped him.

"Let them enjoy it."

Perhaps other second and third-year students felt the same way, as the first-year students arrived at Rumeria City in a happy mood.

The first-year students sensed something was wrong after they left Rumeria City.

Leo's party, having exited Rumeria City, moved at an incredible speed.

The first-year students used their respective abilities to follow, but the speed showed no signs of decreasing.

That was when they felt that something was seriously wrong.

"Senior Leo will just leave you behind if you fall behind, so it's best to do your best not to get left behind."

Hearing Luke's advice along the way, the first-year students desperately struggled not to fall behind.

By the time Leo stopped, the sun was already setting.

The beginning of a fairly tall mountain.

"Mount Luderea?"

Karl nodded as if he understood.

"Do you know anything about it, Senior Karl?"

At Juen's question, Karl spoke as if it was nothing special.

"It's a mountain where orcs recently started inhabiting in large numbers."

"Ah."

Juen nodded.

He understood Leo's intention.

Leo stood in front of the first-year students, most of whom were sprawled on the ground.

"The Joint Combat Studies class is strictly practical. There's a set number of assigned practical missions. The higher the difficulty of the mission you complete, the higher your score. And in that process, individual scores are also evaluated based on how well the student performed."

At Leo's words, the first-year students nodded.

It was a story they had already heard explained by the professors.

"Reports have come in that a large orc colony has formed on Mount Luderea. Our party's first mission is to subjugate the orc colony."

At the mention of practical missions on the very first day, the first-year students gulped.

"However, the number of people requested in the mission brief is 50. So, the number of participants will also be 50."

Leo said, receiving the mission brief from Chloe.

"All 2nd and 3rd-year students number 42. And all your seniors will participate without exception."

At Leo's words, the first-year students' faces stiffened.

That meant there were only eight spots left in the party.

"From now on, the participants for practical missions will always be decided by skill."

One must complete practical missions to receive good scores.

Even if one isn't expelled during the first year, not everyone can advance to the second year.

Departments that win inter-departmental competitions can all advance to the next grade, but there's no guarantee that one's own department will win.

Therefore, one must achieve good grades in classes.

And the Joint Combat Studies class accounts for half of the Combat Studies class score.

If one is eliminated, one naturally cannot receive scores.

Leo opened his mouth, looking at the wide-eyed first-year students.

"You generally understood, right?"

Leo said with a gentle smile.

"From now on, fight among yourselves."