Book 1 Chapter 738

738.

Students who are free from the pressure of exams, regardless of time and place, always enjoy their freedom.

No matter what the exam results were.

The week after the exam ended.

The first class for the third-year students was Combat Studies.

While everyone was in a somewhat relaxed atmosphere, Celia, always impeccable, brushed her hair back.

Then she checked today's lesson plan.

"Today was a mock battle, wasn't it?"

At her words, Nella, who was carefully wiping her weapon with a cloth beside her, nodded.

"Yeah."

"Professors are truly something. To immediately prepare a mock battle right after midterms to tighten up the atmosphere of the kids who've gotten a bit loose."

Celia chuckled.

Moreover, today's mock battle was particularly significant.

The reason was that it was a mock battle where they would go all out, just like a real battle.

Of course, Rumerne's mock battles always resembled real combat.

Sometimes there were battles where one could be severely injured or even in mortal danger.

But even so, Celia's reason for looking forward to today's mock battle was simple.

A mock battle where one goes all out doesn't purely rely on skill.

The weapons one possesses.

In other words, it was a mock battle where one squeezed out every means they had.

In such cases, not only skill but also equipment played a role, so the results could be quite different from usual.

That's why the students of the Knight Department were busy cleaning their respective weapons, unlike usual.

Nella, putting down the cloth, smiled faintly.

"It seems to have worked out well. I just got a new morning star this time."

Saying so, she swung the morning star around in place, making a whooshing sound.

The surrounding students flinched.

"What's different from your old one?"

A male student asked with a puzzled face.

It was Celia who answered instead.

"From the sound, it seems heavier?"

"That's right. With this, I can crush an enemy's head a bit more easily."

Nella said with a slightly shy smile.

As she was called the most beautiful girl in the third year, her smile looked innocent and delicate.

Of course, that thought completely vanished thanks to the vicious object held in her hand.

"Anyway."

Celia furrowed her brows.

"That guy would usually come out early on a day like this, radiating unnecessary fierce killing intent, but he's nowhere to be seen today."

"That guy? Oh, Duran?"

Nella, who had nodded, tilted her head.

"Now that you mention it, I don't see Iliana either?"

Iliana wasn't typically an early bird for class, but for active classes like mock battles, she tended to come early.

Meanwhile, Avad passed in front of where the Knight Department students were gathered.

Seeing him, exclamations erupted from the female students of the Knight Department.

"He looks even more handsome today."

"Duran is good, but I still prefer Avad. He has a softer impression, doesn't he?"

"Exactly."

"I've hardly talked to Avad since I became a third-year."

"Hmph, I've talked to him because we're in the same party."

"Ugh! I'm so jealous."

Avad, one of the best-looking boys in the third year, had recently shed his boyishness and started to become a bit more mature.

Consequently, his appearance shone even brighter, leading to an increase in his followers.

"Hmph. Everyone's pathetic."

Celia snorted.

"What's the point of complimenting an enemy's appearance? And what's so good about that greasy butterball?"

"You seem a bit colder towards Avad lately? But you two had a good atmosphere recently."

As Nella made a puzzled expression, Celia frowned.

"No, I haven't!"

"Hehe, okay, let's say that."

Nella covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

"By the way. That little mouse-like girl isn't here today for some reason."

Celia looked puzzled when Chelsea, who was usually attached to Avad, was not visible.

"Isn't she coming with Leo?"

"Is that so?"

Celia, resting her chin on her hand, nodded.

Just then.

The entrance to the training ground began to get noisy.

"Huh? For some reason, Iliana and Duran are coming together?"

Nella tilted her head.

Then her eyes widened.

Celia, who had been looking disinterested, also saw the two and showed a surprised expression.

Duran and Iliana were each carrying a greatsword and light armor.

But these items were all extraordinary.

Duran came to where the Knight Department students were gathered, slumped down casually, and laid his sword down, causing the male students to flock around him.

"Hey, Duran, what's that?!"

"What's the grade of that weapon?!"

The greatsword had a bluish glow.

Duran's usual Lightning Storm, an heirloom of the Moira Kingdom, was an amazing item, but this was on a different level.

To the male students' questions, Duran replied as if annoyed.

"Noisy."

And closed his eyes.

His unfriendliness was not new, but today it felt particularly unkind.

Then the students' gazes naturally turned to Iliana.

Already, a crowd of female students from the Knight Department had gathered around Iliana.

"Iliana, what is that armor?"

"Where did you get it?"

"Wow, it's really beautiful!"

"What's its grade?"

Exclamations poured out.

Iliana, who usually loved being the center of attention, wore a conceited expression.

"This? It's a Divine Artifact grade!"

"What?!"

"Duran's greatsword is also a Divine Artifact grade weapon. Lord Arion used it!"

Everyone looked astonished.

"Ah, perhaps it's the reward for conquering the Giant King?"

"Hmph."

Iliana brushed her hair back.

"Waaah!"

"That's truly amazing!"

"Let me touch it just once!"

"Oh no, you can't. It'll get dirty."

Iliana hugged the light armor tightly to her chest.

Just then.

Whoosh-!

The wing decorations on her shoes flapped, and Chelsea flew through the sky at an incredible speed.

She was gliding through the sky as if on a light stroll, but her speed was extraordinary.

Thud-!

Soon, Chelsea landed in the center of the Magic Department, and naturally, students from the Magic Department gathered around her.

"Ooh!"

"Chelsea, what is this?!"

"Wow! Is this also something Lord Dweno made?"

"Yes!"

Chelsea hopped up and down in place.

Each time, a gust of wind was generated.

The students who saw it were amazed.

'It's not just shoes for fast movement.'

Besides her, when Kal and Eliza also brought Dweno's artifacts, which they received as conquest rewards, the atmosphere in the training ground became boisterous.

"Brother, I'm sorry, but I'll take first place in today's mock battle."

Chelsea smiled meaningfully, and Avad smiled faintly.

"I won't lose easily either."

Celia, watching them from afar, snorted.

"There are always those kinds of kids. They're usually not confident, but once they get good equipment, they become bold."

It was a very small mumble, but the words reached Chelsea's ears, sensitive to the wind.

Chelsea sharply turned her head to look at Celia.

Celia met Chelsea's gaze without backing down.

'What is it?'

But it was slightly different from usual.

Normally, Chelsea would have flared up, gritted her teeth, and charged, but today she was looking at Celia with pity in her eyes instead.

Celia found that gaze even more annoying.

"What are you looking at?"

As Celia asked fiercely, seeing Chelsea slowly approaching her, Chelsea raised her foot and said.

"You don't have something like this, do you?"

"…"

It was a very simple provocation, but the effect was excellent.

"Ah, the jealousy of one who has nothing."

"This!"

"I always thought jealousy was ugly, but today my mind has changed. It's pitiful."

"Who's jealous, and who are you calling pitiful?!"

"You."

As Celia lunged at Chelsea, Chelsea quickly ran away.

"You, aren't you going to stop?!"

"Go on, try and catch me."

Chelsea annoyingly stuck out her tongue and ran off.

Thump-!

"Ugh?"

But she wasn't looking ahead and ended up bumping into someone.

Chelsea was flustered because she hadn't felt any presence.

She had been running at an incredible speed, but the person she bumped into absorbed the shock completely.

When Chelsea hurriedly lifted her head at the softness covering her entire face, Chen Shia was smiling faintly.

"It's dangerous to run without looking ahead."

"Chen Shia! Grab that damned brat!"

Just as Celia was growling and about to charge, someone put their hands under Celia's armpits from behind and lifted her up.

"Why are you two fighting again today?"

"Leo, let me go?! Don't carry me in such a humiliating position!"

Celia, whose feet were off the ground, shouted indignantly.

When Leo chuckled and put her down, Celia immediately charged.

"Leo! Why did you take Chelsea on the last quest and not me!"

Leo calmly replied to Celia, who was asking with a voice so fierce it seemed sparks would fly from her eyes.

"Because Chelsea was a better fit for the mission."

"I could have done it well enough too!"

"Yes, yes."

Leo pulled out a lollipop from his pocket and put it into Celia's loudly shouting mouth.

Crunch-!

"Don't treat me like a child!"

Celia bit the candy and crushed it whole.

Leo patted Celia's head and looked at Chen Shia, who, holding Chelsea, approached with a bright smile.

"Why are you teasing her?"

"Ow!"

Chelsea made a tearful face as Leo playfully tapped her head.

"But. Celia started it first."

At her words, Leo said.

"There will be plenty of opportunities. And you know best that good equipment doesn't dictate skill, don't you?"

"Ugh."

Celia flinched at Leo's words, then eventually nodded.

"Sorry, I got carried away."

Chen Shia, who was watching, said.

"Come on, now both of you hold hands and make up."

"Are we children?"

"Exactly! Don't treat us like children!"

The two flared up simultaneously at Chen Shia's words.

As Celia and Chelsea returned to their respective places, Leo let out a wry laugh.

"Sometimes I feel like I've become a babysitter."

"Hehe, but it's good that you look like peers, isn't it?"

Chen Shia smiled faintly and walked away.

Watching her back, Leo muttered to himself.

'You're also that age.'

***

Before class.

There was a commotion caused by Dweno's world conquerors.

As many students' envious gazes were fixed on the conquerors.

The professors in charge of Combat Studies appeared in the training ground.

"Today's class is a mock battle, as previously announced."

Albi checked the roster with a bored voice.

"Then let's start immediately."

"Aren't you going to make a bracket?"

Chloe raised her hand and asked, and Albi said.

"No need to. The student I call will go up onto the training field."

Albi gestured with his chin towards the wide training field and spoke.

"Iliana Raden!"

"Hmph! Am I first?!"

Iliana proudly tapped the armor she was wearing.

Then she confidently grinned and quickly went up onto the training field.

She waited with eager eyes for Albi to call the next student.

However, Albi, who had casually sat in a chair, simply looked silently at the training field.

Iliana made a puzzled expression.

"Professor Albi, where is my opponent?"

It was Leo who answered instead.

"Look ahead."

"What?"

Not only Iliana but all the students looked straight ahead at Leo's words.

Iliana froze solid, and all the students gasped.

Rustle-

There, a beautiful woman was reading a book.

"Oh, you're kidding, right?"

As Iliana gave an awkward laugh.

Thump-

Lyssinus closed her book.

"You're Iliana Raden, aren't you? Do your best."

"Please save me."

"No, I won't."

Iliana, who had been about to cry, slapped her cheek and took on a determined expression.

"Yes! I'll test my best! I'll push myself to my limit!"

"Oh, what a good attitude."

Lyssinus clapped and smiled faintly.

And.

Goooooooh-!

A massive amount of mana began to surge.

Leo, seeing this, muttered.

"She's coming out strong from the start."

Koo-goong-!

The entire training ground rumbled.

Iliana's head gradually tilted backward.

And by the time she felt her neck hurt, 'Clang-' she unknowingly dropped the weapon in her hand.

Thump-

Soon, Iliana frothed at the mouth and fainted.

Lyssinus, who had returned to her original form as a black dragon, flapped her wings.

Whoosh-!

A strong storm blew Iliana's body away like a leaf.

Watching this, Celia, who was standing nearby, said with a sour voice.

"Isn't she unconscious?"

"She's faking it, I think? Though even if she really fainted, I don't think she'll be let off."

"What?"

"I think she's just going to stomp on her like that."

No sooner had the words finished than Lyssinus, with her giant true form, flew and tried to stomp on Iliana.

"Kyaaaaaaack?!"

Iliana, who had been feigning unconsciousness, rolled desperately and barely avoided the attack.

Watching Iliana, Lyssinus, in her black dragon form, smiled majestically.

[Show me your potential, fledglings.]

Crack-!

Lyssinus opened her mouth.

Flash! Kwa-ga-ga-gang-!

A breath attack targeted Iliana.

"Save me!"

Iliana's shriek echoed.

It was a moment when the students watching gulped dryly.

"It seems today."

Everyone's gaze turned to Leo.

Leo smiled gently at the gazes of his classmates fixed on him.

"It's probably best to assume she's dead."