Book 1 Chapter 717

717.

Curfew only applied outside the dormitories.

So, within the dormitories, it was personal freedom whether one pulled an all-nighter or not.

And the use of internal dormitory facilities was also free.

Thanks to that, library use was also free until late at night.

And as dawn approached.

Magic students were studying in the library.

*Scratch- scratch-*

The sound of quills writing echoed all around.

Midterms were starting soon.

While inter-departmental competition was important, individual grades were even more so.

Students with excellent academic drive would voluntarily go to study in the library even before the official midterm season began.

Especially as it was their first midterms, the proportion of first-year students was overwhelmingly high.

While diligently reviewing and preparing, the second-year second-best student,

Betty glanced sideways.

There, Ju-eun, the top student of the second year, was lost in thought.

'She's been like this since yesterday.'

The cause was probably the scandal between Karl and Eliza.

People everywhere love rumors.

And the most beloved genre among them was romance.

Moreover, it was about Karl, a commoner who, though the weakest among third-years, eventually rose to the position of a hero, and Eliza, the heir of a prestigious family, known for her top skills since admission.

As it was a rumor involving these two, the attention it garnered was extraordinary.

Everywhere they went, people were abuzz with stories about the two.

'Ju-eun must have truly had feelings for Karl senior.'

Betty also knew that Karl and Ju-eun had quite a deep relationship, with Karl acting as Ju-eun's mentor since her first year.

It was then that Betty sighed.

"Aaaaaaaack?!"

"Kyaaah!"

Suddenly, screams echoed from a private room in the library.

All the students who were studying looked up in surprise.

*Thump-!*

The private room door flew open, and a male fourth-year student and a female fourth-year student burst out.

*Click-clack- click-clack-*

"How absurd."

Then a leisurely voice was heard.

"Making noise in the library."

Elena, fiddling with the ends of her beautiful golden hair, stood before the two.

Disturbed from her reading, Elena, visibly annoyed, continued.

"Have I been too lenient lately?"

Her pink eyes gently curved.

Although she had calmed down recently because of Leo, Elena was one of the most notorious troublemakers in Lumen's history.

At Elena's words, the two fourth-years turned pale.

But they weren't scared because of Elena.

Noticing this, Elena tilted her head.

'Am I really not that scary these days?'

As she pondered this.

"E-E-E-Elena senior!"

"I-In the private room! A-A ghost!"

The two, in a panic, pointed at the private room they had run out of and blurted out whatever came to their minds.

"A ghost? It must be a prank by the fairy that the student council president let loose."

Elena curled up the corner of her lips as she looked at the private room.

"These young ones these days! Huh? Two thousand years ago, it would have been unimaginable! In a sacred library, no less! Just cooing and cuddling! Like stray cats! Do you think this is a place for studying or for romantic antics?!"

Just then, an angry woman's voice echoed from inside the private room.

Elena narrowed her brows.

Every time the shout was heard, the magic stone lights in the library flickered.

*Flash-!*

At that moment.

Not only the magic stone lights but also all the candles went out.

The only light was the faint moonlight filtering through the windows.

*Whoosh-!*

A cold wind blew, covering the entire library in an eerie atmosphere.

"W-What is it?"

"W-Well?"

It was when the students slightly trembled at the sudden situation.

*Grab-!*

Ju-eun felt someone grab her shoulder.

She turned her head towards it, and…

"You. You've been heartbroken, haven't you? Yes. To get revenge on the man who hurt you, you have to do well. Forget men and study…"

"KYAAAHHHHHHH?!"

Betty, who was next to Ju-eun, screamed, looking at the headless magician.

"Uwaaah!"

"W-What is that!"

Other students were also terrified.

A headless magician?!

While the students were in a panic.

Elena casually gestured.

*Whoosh-!*

Then, a rope made of powerful magic was created and flew towards Illesa, the headless magician.

*Whoosh-!*

But Illesa dodged Elena's magic.

Seeing this, Elena curled up the corners of her lips.

"Interesting."

*Goooooooh-!*

Powerful magic emanated from Elena's body.

With just one exchange, she had assessed her opponent's skill.

'A skilled person, close to a hero.'

She was a high-ranking mage, almost on the level of an Archmage.

As the magic emanating from Elena's body turned the other students' faces pale.

"It's you! The head of the Magic Department dormitory that the student council president mentioned!"

Illesa flew towards Elena.

When Leo was mentioned by the opponent, Elena paused.

"Who are you?"

Despite the raw, bitten-off section of her neck being clearly visible from a magic beast, Elena asked without batting an eye.

"I am Illesa Rhiang!"

At her words, Elena tilted her head.

"I've heard that name before. I think there was a former student council president with that name?"

"That's right! That's me! You're smart!"

Illesa rejoiced, seeing Elena recognize her name.

Seeing that, a junior from the Magic Department cautiously asked.

"How long ago were you the student council president?"

"Approximately 2000 years ago?"

"…How do you remember that, Elena senior?"

"How could I not remember the student council president, of all people?"

"…"

All the students looked dumbfounded, seeing Elena answer as if it was nothing.

They suddenly realized.

The woman before them was a troublemaker and a genius, one of the most notable in Lumen's history.

Boasting a history of 3000 years meant there were nearly 3000 student council presidents.

But to remember a former student council president just by name!

And an individual from 2000 years ago, no less!

It was when everyone was looking at Elena with awestruck eyes.

"Why has a senior from 2000 years ago appeared before us in such a state?"

"I am a spirit summoned by the current student council president. And I received a favor from the current student council president."

"A favor?"

As Elena tilted her head, Illesa took a stamp from her pocket.

"Oh?!"

"A deduction stamp?"

The students recognized the stamp at once.

"I've been assigned the role of disciplinary guidance for the Magic Department! Naughty children who break school rules or engage in unhealthy romantic relationships will receive deductions from this senior!"

Everyone gasped and dropped their jaws.

"In that sense!"

Illesa stamped the foreheads of the fourth-year students who had been holed up in the private room.

"W-Wait a minute!"

"Is it wrong to be in a relationship?!"

As the students who received deductions protested, Illesa said.

"Tut-tut. You should have a student-like relationship! In a sacred library! Ugh! How disgraceful! Ugh!"

"W-We just kissed a little…"

"Hey!"

As the male student protested, the female student was terrified and covered his mouth.

"Hmm? You have it good, don't you?"

The two students froze, seeing Elena's chilling smile.

Then she gestured with her chin towards the juniors.

"Drag them and lock them in the basement room."

At her words, the students grabbed the two and dragged them away.

While everyone was in a state of confusion from the sudden turn of events.

Elena, having collected her thoughts, asked.

"Illesa, you can't catch rule violations by students from other departments, can you?"

"Yes. That's right."

"Any other roles?"

"He told me to help you all with your studies!"

Illesa, not only a student council president in her lifetime, was also a magician with extensive practical experience.

Her practical experience included not only wars against people but also wars against Tartarus.

Although she didn't live long, her era was one of war.

It was Leo's judgment that she had much to teach the students.

"Are there others like you in other departments, Illesa?"

"Of course!"

Elena nodded as if understanding, seeing Illesa answer cheerfully.

"It seems the ghost commotion was caused by the senior spirits summoned by Leo."

Elena, having grasped the situation, told her juniors.

"Pay more attention to the school rules from now on. Don't get caught unnecessarily and receive a deduction stamp. Especially."

Elena's eyes narrowed.

"Don't cross the line like those two earlier. This is a school, not a hotel."

Some students looked a bit guilty.

***

*Step- Step-*

In the dark night.

Unaware of the commotion that had occurred in the dormitory.

Chloe visited the library again tonight.

And with a tense face, she opened the secret door and entered.

Yesterday, she was chased away by a mysterious entity.

'Is there a secret hidden that I don't know about?'

Perhaps winning isn't the answer to this problem.

Thinking so, Chloe cautiously entered the room.

The scene inside the room was as before.

A table and two chairs in the empty space.

A chessboard on that table.

And…

"Huh?"

In one corner of the room, a pile of books was stacked up.

A dark figure was reading books there.

'Chess books?'

The piled-up books.

'Surely, they weren't studying?'

It was when Chloe was flustered.

Noticing the visitor, she looked up, closed the book, and with a determined gesture, sat in front of the chessboard.

Chloe also sat opposite her with a tense face.

Again, the opponent holding white moved first.

*Click-*

Chloe silently played chess.

'…Her skill hasn't changed much.'

It seemed she had tried various tactical changes by reading chess books, but her application ability was close to zero.

Feeling as if she was playing chess with a child, Chloe made a strange expression.

Today, Chloe mercilessly crushed her opponent again.

*Click- Click-*

'Oh?'

She felt something familiar in the movement of the chess pieces.

'…Leo?'

She felt that the way the chess was played resembled Leo's style.

Leo's chess skills were formidable.

Of course, it was disrespectful to compare this skill to Leo's, but the movements of the pieces momentarily overlapped.

But that was all.

Soon, she started making elementary mistakes repeatedly.

'…If winning isn't the way to solve the problem.'

Chloe deliberately made mistakes and lost.

*Click-*

"Ah, it's checkmate. I lost."

When Chloe said with an awkward smile.

The opponent's shoulders trembled violently, then *whoosh-*! she glared at Chloe.

Then she grabbed Chloe and chased her out.

*Thump-!*

"Ow!"

Chloe, who had fallen on her bottom again, rubbed her bottom and looked at the closed door with an incredulous expression.

"What on earth?!"

The next day.

Leo received protests from seniors of each department who rushed at him.

"What on earth is that spirit?!"

"Why does it look so scary?!"

"I almost fainted while sleeping!"

Scratching his cheek as he looked at the seniors protesting against him, Leo spotted someone passing by, grabbed her arm, and pulled her close.

Elena, who was abruptly grabbed and pulled by Leo, widened her eyes.

"Please direct your protests to her."

At his words, the fourth and fifth-year students flinched.

Elena, who had been looking bewildered, smiled faintly.

"If the president tells you to do something, you do it. What's the complaint?"

"Y-You're right."

"It could happen!"

The seniors were easily suppressed by Elena.

At that, Leo stroked his chin.

"This is convenient, isn't it?"

"I refuse to be treated like a woman you can use whenever it's convenient for you."

Leo smiled faintly, looking at Elena, who narrowed her eyes.

"Isn't that the vice-president's job?"

"If I become MVP, be prepared."

"How scary."

Leo, who spoke slyly, took a candy from his pocket.

"What is it?"

"It means you did well."

"Really treating me like a child."

Despite reacting annoyedly, Elena put the candy Leo gave her into her mouth and rolled it.

"Leo."

Then Chloe approached.

"Hello, Elena senior."

"Hmm. Good morning."

"I have something to talk about with Leo. Are you done talking?"

"No. There's nothing much to talk about. Leo just used me."

At her words, Chloe, who had greeted Elena, took Leo's hand and pulled him.

"Leo, look at me for a bit."

At her words, Leo, though looking puzzled, obediently followed Chloe.

A moment later, they arrived at a deserted dead end, and Leo said.

"Can you let go of my hand?"

At his words, Chloe exclaimed 'Oops!' and released his hand.

"Ahem ahem!"

And after a cough, she said.

"I have something to ask about the problems you hid all over the dormitory."

"Yes."

"The chess problem in the library."

"You already found it? I thought it would be hard to find, but you're fast."

Leo exclaimed in admiration and smiled.

"Even you won't find it easy to win."

"Huh?"

"Professor Mel put a lot of effort into creating it."

"I just need to win, right?"

"Yes."

At Leo's answer, Chloe looked flustered.

"Um, about that, I…"

"Suspicious!"

Just then, Redin, the spirit of the Summoning Department, appeared, breaking through the wall.

Not only that, but John from the ceiling.

Illesa broke through the floor and firmly grabbed Chloe's ankle.

"Got you!"

"A scene of unhealthy romantic interaction!"

"KYAAAHHHHHHH?!"

Chloe, terrified at the sudden appearance of the hideous-looking spirits, kicked Illesa who was holding her ankle, punched John and Redin in the solar plexus, and then hid behind Leo.

"W-Who are these people!"

"Spirits I summoned."

Leo, who answered that, smiled.

"Their performance is definitely reliable."