Book 1 Chapter 783
Leo looked at his friend with a puzzled expression, wondering what to say.
Currently, a Lumerne student should be in Lumerne, not Lumeria City.
Unless it's a special circumstance, a regular student cannot go out to Lumeria City at this time.
‘It doesn't look like he's on a special mission.’
If so, there's no way he'd be working at an inn like this.
‘No way…’
A situation he didn't particularly want to think about flashed through his mind.
“You're a Lumerne student… aren't you?”
“Oh! You recognize me! Were you perhaps a fan of mine in school?”
Carl flashed his characteristic charming smile and puffed out his chest.
And then he shrugged.
“I went to school until freshman year and then left. *Sigh*~ The brightest years of my life~”
“…”
“No. Now is even brighter! I mean, I set up an inn right here in Lumeria City, of all places! That's a successful life!”
Carl chuckled and said.
“So, customer. How can I help you?”
“I need a room.”
“Yep. How long do you plan to stay?”
“A long time.”
Leo took out a money pouch from his pocket and placed it on the counter.
Seeing that, Carl's eyes widened.
“Whoa, customer. You don't need to give me this much.”
“I might need various other things besides the accommodation fee. Settle it when I leave later.”
“Still, handing over a money pouch so readily…”
“For you, trust is everything, isn't it? Carl Thomas.”
“Customer. Do you really know me? No matter how much I think about it, there's no one like you in my memory.”
Carl, who had taken out a key and placed it on the table, wore a puzzled expression.
Looking at Carl, Leo said calmly.
“I'm your fan.”
After saying that, Leo took the key and went upstairs, the key jingling.
Carl tilted his head, watching Leo.
“Who is that? He's definitely not an ordinary person…”
The room Carl lent him seemed to be a top-tier room, as it was spacious inside.
Leo plopped down on a chair and fell into thought.
‘Carl couldn't become a second-year student?’
Even in Leo's timeline, Carl becoming a second-year was somewhat due to luck.
At the end of the second semester of freshman year.
The massive invasion by the monster queen Silatuna during the Luse War.
At that time, Leo succeeded in bringing Luna out of the heroes' world and subjugating her, but Lumerne and Seirun fell into great chaos.
Naturally, the academic schedule concluded early.
In that process, the experiences of the Lumerne students at the time were highly valued, and exceptionally, all students at that time were promoted.
Looking at it this way, Carl's promotion to second-year might seem purely like luck, but it's not.
‘Even if he had taken the exams normally, Carl had the skills to become a second-year.’
Carl himself said that freshman year was his limit, but in Leo's eyes, Carl was different from other students.
He had constantly pushed against his limits and overcome them throughout his school life.
Of course, he was weaker than anyone else in his grade.
But he definitely possessed the strategy and improvisation skills to overcome that.
To define Carl simply by 'strength' would be to overlook a person with countless advantages.
Such a Carl could not become a second-year in this world.
‘Strange.’
Leo furrowed his brow.
In Lumerne, there is Lysinas, of all people.
And Lysinas is the Selector of Heroes.
‘There's no way Lysinas wouldn't have recognized Carl's potential.’
Carl was the very image of a hero that Lysinas, of all people, ideally sought.
Because it was Lysinas, of all people, who most influenced Leo's view of heroes.
‘Not only strong people can become heroes who save the world. Anyone with the will to move forward… anyone who doesn't give up on moving forward can become a hero.’
Leo recalled words Lysinas often said in his previous life.
Especially in this era, Hero Records exist.
The fact that Lysinas gave up on Carl, in a situation where there were means to make people's potential bloom, was enough to bewilder Leo.
‘What on earth happened?’
Leo sighed.
Whatever it was, he could tell that Lumerne's situation was very different from what he knew.
‘I'll have to stay here and gather information through Carl.’
***
Tension hung over the entrance of Demian.
The first-year students swallowed dryly, staring at the school gate.
A moment later.
Grumble-rumble-rumble-rumble-
Demian's massive entrance opened, and someone appeared.
A black-haired girl, holding a travel bag in one hand, entered Demian.
“Wow… she's beautiful.”
“That's Lumerne's student council president… Rhea Philly.”
“I've never seen her before!”
Exclamations erupted among the first-year students.
Lumerne's student council president, Rhea Philly.
It is known that the only one comparable to her beauty, which captivates all who see her, is Rune Orweny of Seirun.
An appearance that surpassed Elena Zeron, who was previously called the Queen of Lumerne.
And her impeccable image as an honor student, along with overwhelming strength.
An unprecedented hero who had already gained both the position of student council president and the title of hero during her first year.
Crucially, her charisma that led people was enough to be envied by many.
She was evaluated as one of the 'Four Heroes' who would lead the coming era, along with the student council presidents of Seirun, Azonia, and Demian, and among them, Rhea Philly was considered the most exceptional.
“Thank you for your warm welcome, students of Demian.”
Rhea smiled softly and greeted the students of Demian.
At her smile, many students, both male and female, blushed.
A beauty so striking it was hard to look directly at.
Valhar, who had been watching her with his arms crossed, let out a light sigh.
Soon, seeing Rhea who had reached him, Valhar spoke.
“Welcome, Rhea.”
“What's the reason for this urgent summons?”
“I'll tell you when Rune and Carl arrive.”
“Rune can't come. Currently, the monster queen's army is showing unusual movements in the northern region.”
“Didn't Rune carry out a major subjugation?”
“And yet, their movements haven't stopped.”
“Tch.”
Valhar clicked his tongue.
Just then, a black wolf beastman appeared through the open door.
“Valhar! Rhea!”
Carl ran towards the two with a bright smile.
And immediately hugged Valhar.
“Valhar! How have you been?”
“You're full of energy today. Let go, Carl.”
At those words, Carl let go of Valhar.
“Nice to see you too, Rhea! It's been a while, hasn't it?”
“Hello, Carl. You seem to be in a very good mood. It hasn't been that long. We saw each other last winter break, so…”
*Grab-squeeze-*
“…!”
Carl wagged his tail and hugged Rhea.
For a moment, Rhea flinched at the immense strength.
“Carl. If you hug her with all your might, Rhea will feel like her back is breaking.”
“Ah! Right. Rhea is human, isn't she?”
Carl released Rhea.
Rhea, with a slightly pale face, patted her waist.
“Did you perhaps drink, Carl?”
“No, I didn't drink. I just had something good happen.”
Carl gave his characteristic gentle smile.
Carl had a habit of hugging his close friends when drunk, even in his previous life.
Of course, back then, Lysinas, who was a dragon, was durable enough, but now it's different.
Rhea smiled faintly, remembering Kyle and Luna's startled reactions back then.
“It's good that something pleasant happened.”
“Yeah! But what about Rune? Hasn't he arrived yet?”
As Carl looked around, Valhar said.
“Rune cannot come. Let's talk amongst the three of us first. You all may disperse now.”
The students of Demian gathered not for an official welcoming ceremony.
They were simply there to see the faces of the student council presidents of the Hero Academy, who were regarded as the heroes who would lead the world in the future.
Carl, who became the King of the Coliseum in his second year by defeating all the champions of the Beastmen's official Coliseum.
Valhar, who also succeeded in restoring the divine artifact left by the divine blacksmith Dweno in his second year.
And Rhea, who led the heroes with overwhelming skill and leadership.
The influence of the Hero Academy's student council presidents was so immense that there were talks of the world needing to follow the path they forged.
“It's a shame Rune isn't here.”
“I wonder if I can get an autograph?”
The students dispersed, feeling a sense of regret.
Valhar guided the two.
“What on earth did you call us for?”
As Rhea got to the point, Valhar let out a small sigh.
“Why the rush? We haven't met in a long time, isn't it alright to ask about each other's recent news?”
At those words, Rhea paused.
“Alright. I'll go first then. I've completed the investigation regarding the Hero Dungeon.”
At Carl's words, Rhea and Valhar turned their heads.
“To get to the point… it wasn't a Hero Dungeon.”
“…In that surrounding area, Erebos's monsters, which we encountered on our last journey, were appearing. And yet it wasn't a Hero Dungeon?”
When Rhea asked sharply, Carl recoiled.
“Uh, yeah…”
“It's not Carl's fault that it wasn't a Hero Dungeon, so why are you reacting so harshly?”
“Ah, sorry… Carl. I didn't mean to startle you. I'm sorry for scaring you.”
Rhea, flustered, tried to console Carl.
He had recoiled out of guilt, and she seemed to have mistaken it for fear.
“Then what on earth was that?”
“…I do have some suspicions. I'll tell you a little later.”
Valhar, who had somehow arrived at a place that looked like a conference room, opened the door for the two.
“Rhea. How about you?”
“I'm always the same. I'm guiding the students to become even stronger.”
At Lysinas's words, Valhar let out a small sigh.
Carl, who had sat down, looked at Valhar.
“By the way, Dweno.”
“What is it?”
“Why haven't you ever asked Lysinas and Luna to be your models since you reincarnated?”
Once they were in a space with just the three of them, Carl called his friends by their old names.
“Carl.”
Carl paused when Rhea glared at him.
At Carl's words, Valhar, pouring tea, said calmly.
“People trapped in the past aren't very beautiful.”
“Huh?”
“Names aren't all that important. Rather, they are a fundamental part of us that we can never truly escape. Yet, desperately trying to forget past names… is proof of how much one is still bound by the past.”
“Hmm… that's difficult.”
Carl crossed his arms and fell into thought.
Then he suddenly looked up.
“Speaking of which, Rhea.”
“What.”
Rhea, answering somewhat sharply, sipped her tea.
“Did you perhaps like Kyle?”
“Pfft!”
Rhea spat out the tea she had in her mouth.
Valhar, suddenly drenched in tea, glared.
“What is this, you damned lizard.”
“I'm not a dragon anymore! No! It's Carl's fault to begin with!”
Rhea looked at Carl with a thoroughly flustered face.
Wiping his face with a handkerchief, Valhar said.
“Right. Carl. When did you realize that fact?”
“It was true?”
“Huh? Interesting. Does this mean you've escaped being a fool?”
“Huh? A fool?”
“Yes. Kyle, Luna, Arion. The three of you were fools.”
Carl, with a curious expression, sipped the tea Valhar poured for him.
“Carl, don't tell Rune. If you tell him, he'll cause a ruckus.”
When Rhea urgently asked him not to, Carl nodded.
“So? What's the reason you called us, Valhar?”
At Rhea's question, Valhar sat down and said.
“I went to develop a mine near Mount Erdien.”
“Yeah. You told us.”
“There, I encountered the Flame of Calamity.”
At those words, the atmosphere instantly became cold.
“Was it a fragment of Erebos?”
“It wasn't a fragment. At most, it seemed like a manifestation of thought.”
“Why did a manifestation of thought suddenly appear?”
“Well, I can't know that. However, that was the place of the final battle, so it might be related to it. Crucially…”
“Crucially?”
“The manifestation of Erebos's thought took on Kyle's appearance.”
***
“Senior Rune.”
A red-haired girl, Lunia, opened the door to Rune's laboratory.
Rune, who had been staring at the blackboard with a drawn face inside the lab, turned his head.
“Yes, Lunia. What is it?”
*Groan*- Lunia watched Rune get up from his seat and looked at the magic spell formula written on the blackboard.
“Um… what is this?”
“A necromancy spell formula.”
“Excuse me?”
“I'm trying to research magic that revives the dead, but it's not going well.”
Rune scratched his head and clicked his tongue.
Lunia was flustered looking at Rune.
“Senior Rune. Researching black magic is against school rules, isn't it?”
“Yeah. My cute junior, you'll keep quiet about it, won't you?”
Rune, with a slightly mischievous smile, put on a puzzled expression.
“So, what is it?”
“It's about the Pureblood Society.”
“How tiresome. What kind of trouble have they caused now?”
Rune made an annoyed face.
The Pureblood Society.
A group that had been in opposition to Rune since his admission, exerting immense influence in elf society.
While Rune, who wielded star magic so perfectly that he was called Luna's reincarnation, made them lose their legitimacy, they stubbornly persisted in propagating elf purebloodism within elf society without being eradicated.
“It seems they brought a fragment of Senior Seirun's Hero Record into Seirun this time.”
“What? The Tingel family revealed the letter left by the Comet Sorcerer, didn't they? To destroy all Hero Records of the Heroes of Genesis.”
The story that the Heroes of Genesis are alive and fighting the fragments of Erebos in the heroes' world is already known worldwide.
Even the fact that fragments of the Heroes of Genesis are used as passages for Erebos to escape.
“And yet, they secretly smuggled it into Seirun?”
Rune's face hardened.
*CRAAAAAAASH-!*
At that moment, all of Seirun shook.
And Rune looked up at the sky, sensing an enormous power from afar.
It was a power that was all too familiar.
‘The problem is that it was so damned familiar, he never wanted to face it again.’
Gritting his teeth, Rune said.
“Lunia. Do you know something?”
“Wh-what is it?”
“I really, really hate elves.”
With a chilling smile, Rune raised his staff.
“Looks like I'll be meeting that damned fireball again after a long time.”