Book 1 Chapter 707
707.
Thwack-!
Reinforced wooden swords, meant for training, crossed paths.
It was a scene often witnessed daily in the garden assigned to the Knightry Department dormitory.
Besides dueling, the garden was also bustling with students training their bodies in various spots.
“To build your trapezius, you must train like this!”
Amidst this, members of 'The Power,' a club composed solely of Knightry Department students, were actively helping first-year male students with their training.
“This trained physique! Isn't it cool?”
Meret, a fifth-year Knightry Department student, showed off his arm muscles with a grin.
First-year male students looked on with admiring expressions.
“If you train, you can all become like me! As a Knightry Department student, physical training is essential! If you have a trained body like this, you’ll be popular with the girls too! Any students want to join our club?”
“Me, me!”
“I want to join!”
First-year male students raised their hands one after another.
Celia, watching from afar, quietly asked Niel,
“Sister Niel. Did Senior Meret ever have a girlfriend?”
“No, he didn’t.”
“Then that’s a scam.”
“It’s not a scam. Quite a few male students have succeeded in getting girlfriends thanks to Meret’s guidance.”
“That’s a bit sad.”
“Well, it’s their own doing. The club leaders of ‘The Power’ have historically only had muscles in their heads.”
Niel shook her head lightly, looking at the muscle-bound captives.
Celia, who had finished her sparring, unzipped her sweat-soaked athletic wear.
Then, rehydrating, she pulled at the neckline of her top to let air circulate.
But soon, that wasn't enough, and she flapped the hem with both hands.
Niel, narrowing her brows at the occasional glimpses of Celia's slender stomach, grabbed the hem of Celia's clothes.
“Young lady, there are many eyes watching.”
“Oh, right.”
It was an action done naturally due to the intense heat.
Celia tidied herself up.
Of course, no one openly stared, even if they saw.
And of course, no one secretly snuck glances either.
She was a student whom Niel, the top-ranking fifth-year Knightry Department student, served as her master.
It was obvious that if anyone was caught peeking unnecessarily, their school life would become difficult.
“Anyway, everyone’s so diligent.”
Celia rehydrated and looked at the garden.
This place was, literally, a training ground.
Every night.
Thus, the Knightry Department students spent their time with passionate individual training and dueling.
The reason was simple.
It was an atmosphere naturally formed as upper-year and honors students engaged in training.
“Ugh! I hate this atmosphere!”
At that moment, Illiana approached, grumbling.
Illiana, fanning herself with her hand as if she had just dueled Chen Shia, pouted her lips.
“It’s not even summer yet, and I have to be drenched in heat every day like this? It’s not like we’re doing moonlight gymnastics!”
Celia clicked her tongue, watching Illiana complain.
“It’s voluntary anyway. If you don’t like it, rest.”
“Then Shia drags me out!”
This training atmosphere had formed while Illiana was away on a mission.
Even so, it wasn’t mandatory, so she could rest as much as she wanted in the evening.
But Chen Shia would not tolerate Illiana resting comfortably.
‘Young Master Leo asked me to look after Illiana.’
“That’s what happens when you’re lazy. It’s your own doing.”
“Class president’s stooge!”
Illiana complained towards Chen Shia, who had approached at that moment.
It was then that Chen Shia smiled faintly at Illiana.
“Wow! Wow! What’s that?”
“Huh! Isn't that a Pegasus?”
“I’ve never seen one before!”
A commotion erupted among the first-year students.
“What? What’s going on?”
Illiana’s eyes sparkled as she ran towards the commotion.
A Pegasus was drinking water from a small spring in the garden.
“It’s Young Master Leo’s Pegasus. Why is it here?”
Illiana approached the Pegasus.
“It’s dangerous to approach carelessly.”
Celia frowned, and Illiana let out a 'Hmph-' and smiled.
“I’ve seen the class president’s Pegasus a few times. And they say Pegasi are friendly to beautiful girls.”
Illiana tossed her hair back with a flourish.
“There’s no way such a Pegasus would threaten me, right?”
Watching Illiana, who left those words and confidently approached the Pegasus, Celia asked Chen Shia.
“Isn’t that just a rumor?”
“It is just a rumor.”
At that answer, Celia crossed her arms and wore a look of exasperation.
Meanwhile, Illiana, who had approached Atti, carefully extended her hand.
“Come here?”
At her words, Atti, who was drinking water, approached Illiana.
“Wow! Do I perhaps have talent as a summoner?”
Illiana’s eyes sparkled, seeing Atti, who was more friendly to her than she expected.
‘Should I try riding it?’
Since childhood, Illiana had a romantic fantasy of riding a Pegasus once.
Normally, she wouldn't even dream of it, but the opponent was Leo's summoned beast.
‘It’s so gentle. And if anything happens, the class president will come to help, right?’
Perhaps he might even be around here.
With that thought, Illiana fearlessly climbed onto Atti’s back.
Seeing that, the other students gasped in alarm.
“Hey! If you carelessly ride a Pegasus…!”
“Ta-da! Look at this!”
Contrary to their expectation that Atti would get angry, Atti docilely allowed Illiana to ride on its back, surprising everyone.
The Three Great Mythical Beasts have strong pride.
Especially a Pegasus, which strongly dislikes being ridden by someone it doesn’t acknowledge.
Amidst everyone’s surprise at the unexpected situation.
Illiana, the perpetrator of the reckless act, wore a triumphant expression.
Then she discovered a necklace hanging around Atti’s neck.
“What’s this?”
When she pulled the necklace, a bonus point stamp was attached to its end.
“Why is this here?”
The moment Illiana was flustered.
Atti pushed off the ground and began to charge into the midst of the Knightry Department students.
“Squawk!”
Illiana, who had let her guard down, rolled off Atti’s back.
“W-what is it?!”
“A Pegasus?!”
“Why is it here?!”
The training ground became chaotic due to Atti, who was running around like a mad colt.
But that was only for a moment.
The faces of the Knightry Department students, who had been running away, soon began to turn fierce.
“Hey! Get it!”
“Catch that Pegasus!”
Fourth and fifth-year students began chasing Atti.
‘Ahhh! Everyone’s making scary faces and chasing me!’
Atti ran towards the forest with a happy expression.
‘They’re chasing me to catch me! What will happen if I get caught?!’
Atti, letting its delusions run wild and turning the Knightry Department into a mess, disappeared into the forest as it was.
The Knightry Department students, who had barely managed to chase Atti out of their territory, stood dumbfounded.
The commotion had settled, but they could hardly understand what had just happened.
“What the hell was that?!”
***
Rumble rumble rumble-!
Saturday night.
Despite it being curfew, upper-year students from each department left their dormitories and headed to the central hall.
“What’s going on?”
Melina, the dormitory warden professor on duty today, asked with a faint smile.
It was already publicly known that Melina was a Dragon Lord.
Because of that, few students could confidently demand what they wanted in front of Melina.
“We have something to discuss with the student council president.”
One of those few students.
Elena answered with a faint smile, then looked at the ceiling and said.
“Leo! You’re listening, aren’t you? Let’s talk!”
At her words, Leo appeared from thin air.
Thump-!
Leo, who landed lightly on the floor, smiled and asked.
“Seniors, are you having a good night?”
“Thanks to certain people, we’re having a very good night.”
Elena curled the corners of her lips, scoffing.
From the Summoning Department, Runba stepped forward.
“Leo. Someone cleaned out our dorm students’ snacks, and this was found.”
Runba spread out his palm, revealing a red feather.
“It’s the same for the Magic Department. Our dormitory is a mess because of your fairy, Leo. And to add, while I have a pretty unruly personality myself, I don't torment people at a dormitory level.”
Elena said with a cold voice.
Following her words, Meret stepped forward from the Knightry Department.
“The president’s Pegasus messed up the Knightry Department’s training ground! The damage caused by it is no small matter!”
Leo’s expression turned a little serious, seeing Meret, who looked as if he had lost the world and was about to burst into tears.
‘That Atti. Did it cause more damage than I thought?’
“Today was leg day! This means I can’t….”
“You’re out.”
Niel grabbed Meret by the scruff of his neck and dragged him back.
Tarkon, who stepped in instead, said.
“You need to explain. The reason your summoned beasts went wild.”
At his words, Leo said with an unconcerned face.
“We’re going to start a game.”
“A game?”
“Yes. From now on, my summoned beasts will be roaming around at night.”
Leo smiled faintly.
“Did you perhaps see that the summoned beasts had stamps?”
“I did.”
“Those who catch the summoned beasts, please stamp them yourselves.”
At his words, the students showed surprised expressions.
“Naturally, the more times you catch them, the higher the chances of winning the inter-department competition.”
“How do we catch your summoned beasts?”
“Whether you catch them with a butterfly net or a snare. Do whatever is convenient. They will resist to keep their stamps from being taken, but they won’t attack you.”
Having said that, Leo snapped his fingers.
Then, each dormitory's emblem appeared on the central hall wall, and a scoreboard emerged.
“Currently, the Summoning Department is in first place.”
The Knightry Department was second.
The Magic Department was third by a narrow margin.
Seeing that, the students began to murmur.
At that moment, Elena narrowed her eyes and asked.
“The summoned beasts will appear outside the dormitory too, right?”
“Yes.”
“And the curfew?”
“It applies.”
“So. From today until the end of midterms, we can go around catching summoned beasts while avoiding the professors’ eyes?”
“I didn’t say to break school rules.”
“If you don’t get caught, it’s not a crime, is it?”
At her words, Leo smiled faintly.
“Anything else?”
“I’ve hidden problems all over the dormitories.”
“Problems?”
“Yes. If you solve the problems, you can also acquire points.”
“It’s just like a game.”
“That’s why I told you. We’re starting a game.”
Leo shrugged his shoulders.
“Additionally, if you defeat an opposing student during curfew, that’s also a bonus point.”
At his words, the department students looked at each other.
What Leo meant was simple.
It meant that the dormitory would become a lawless zone at night.
Literally, he was pushing them to fight each other.
Seeing the increasingly tense atmosphere, Leo handed out flags embroidered with each department’s emblem.
“Keep them safe.”
“Why?”
“The department that loses its flag is eliminated.”
“Wait, does that mean….”
“We can invade opposing dormitories?”
At that, Leo nodded.
‘That means there’s a way to invade.’
The students wore serious expressions.
“Finally. Regardless of the department victory, we will select an MVP for each year. Students chosen as MVP will become the year representatives.”
At those words, Niel raised her hand.
“Yes, Senior Niel.”
“The MVP is chosen as the person who acquires the most points, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then, is there a prize for the overall first-place winner besides being a year representative?”
In truth, the fifth-year students no longer had much attachment to the year representative position.
Since Elena was practically the student most likely to take first place.
‘Or maybe Lil, a fourth-year Summoning Department student who is temporarily absent from school due to a mission.’
It was when the upper-year students were all thinking the same thing.
“I will grant one wish within my capabilities.”
“A wish?”
Elena’s eyes sparkled.
“This will be interesting.”
Leo chuckled, looking at Elena who had curled the corners of her lips, and said.
“That’s all for the announcements.”
Leo checked his watch.
Before he knew it, there were just over 10 minutes left in the day.
Leo smiled faintly.
“It begins the moment it turns midnight.”