Book 1 Chapter 80
【80】79.
The day after the excitement and fatigue of the school trip had barely subsided.
Lumen's academic schedule proceeded as usual.
Most first-year students attended classes in a dazed state, unable to adapt to the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, as the last class before lunch was ending.
"Everyone, attention, I have an announcement."
Professor Dragon, the history professor, drew the students' attention.
As the students focused, Professor Dragon opened his mouth.
"Today's afternoon class schedule has been changed. We will have a joint major class, so please gather in the Great Hall of the Tower of Heroes after lunch. No exceptions."
After Professor Dragon left, the students began to murmur.
"A joint major class? It's never been a joint major class before!"
Kal stroked his chin.
"Doesn't it feel like a new departmental event?"
Leo said, looking at Kal's smirk.
"Probably. Our school doesn't let students rest."
"Leo, oppa! Let's have lunch at a cafe near the Tower of Heroes today!"
"Shall we?"
"Chelsea! Abad is here to see you."
"Huh?"
Hearing the voice from the back of the classroom, Chelsea approached Abad.
A moment later, Chelsea returned, saying apologetically.
"Sorry, I guess I have to have lunch with my brother."
"Alright. Have a good, intimate time with your siblings."
"Enjoy your lunch."
As Chelsea went to have lunch with Abad, Kal said.
"Well then, shall we also head towards the Tower of Heroes? I feel a bit uneasy there because there are so many seniors."
The two left the classroom building and headed towards the Tower of Heroes.
The Lumen school grounds were lined with various cafes, convenience stores, and restaurants in addition to the student cafeteria.
Of course, unlike the student cafeteria, they had to pay, but there was no place that was not delicious, and students often frequented them to enjoy a variety of dishes.
"I heard that it's very competitive to get a spot in our school."
Kal said, looking at the restaurants around the Tower of Heroes.
"Leo, how about Southern cuisine today?"
"Let's do that."
"Great! Actually, I wanted to go to a really delicious Southern restaurant near the Tower of Heroes!"
Leo followed Kal to the famous restaurant.
Indeed, it was full of customers as Kal had said.
There was a vacant seat, so Leo and Kal were about to go there.
"Excuse me."
"Huh?"
At that moment, a group of students cut in line and quickly sat down.
"Excuse me. We were about to sit down first?"
"Huh?"
At Leo's words, the students' eyes widened, and they started to laugh.
"What is this first-year saying?"
"Are you trying to defy us? How cute."
"Wait, white hair and red eyes… isn't this kid Leo Frove?"
The ones who cut in line were none other than the second-year students of the Summoning Department.
The second-year students of the Summoning Department, who had a strong hierarchy culture among their seniors compared to other departments, were looking at Leo, who didn't even show his face to his seniors while attending Summoning classes, with displeasure.
Of course, Leo was not the type to be bothered by how his seniors viewed him.
"He's arrogant, just as the rumors say."
"What? Do you think you're something just because you're the class representative?"
Kal laughed awkwardly at the second-year students emanating a hostile atmosphere.
"Haha. No. We'll just go eat somewhere else. Let's go, Leo."
"Anyway, this is why country bumpkins and commoners are no good. They have no manners. No manners."
"Haha."
Kal gave a hearty laugh.
"Leo, let's just go. There's no point in causing trouble with the seniors…"
Thump-!
"Oomph?"
Crash-!
A second-year student from the Summoning Department tripped Kal.
He was clearly tripped intentionally, and then poured water from the pitcher on the table onto Kal's head.
"You should watch your step too. You might become like your friend."
"Hey, that was too much. He's from another department."
"Would the magic department kids care about a commoner with no name like him? He'll be advised to drop out within the first semester anyway."
They laughed among themselves.
"Excuse me."
Leo, who had stopped serving, gave a apologetic smile to the hesitant waiter and then picked up a bowl of soup from the tray the waiter was holding.
Splat-!
"Ack?"
And without hesitation, he thrust the hot soup bowl into the face of the second-year student who had tripped Kal.
"Oh, sorry. My hand slipped."
Leo, with a completely unrepentant face, rubbed the soup bowl on the second-year student's face.
"Aaaaah!"
The second-year student, who was suddenly doused with hot soup, screamed, clutching his face.
"Are you crazy!"
"How dare a first-year rebel!"
The other second-year students' eyes blazed.
"Rebellion isn't exactly a violation of school rules."
Leo said with a chilling smile.
For a moment, the second-year students, intimidated by Leo's momentum, flinched.
But then, their pride wounded, their faces flushed red.
"Come outside. I'll make you pay dearly for picking a fight with a second-year!"
It was when the atmosphere turned hostile.
"That's enough."
Everyone's gaze turned to the corner of the restaurant.
The second-year students who had picked a fight with Leo quickly assumed a standing-at-attention posture.
"U-Ulta, senior!"
He was a pale fifth-year male student with pale skin and light blonde hair.
He wiped his mouth with a napkin and said, looking at the second-year students.
"You started the fight, didn't you? If you cause any more trouble, I can't just stand by as a senior from your department. So, can you stop here?"
"Hmph! Yes, yes! Of course!"
"Understood!"
"I'm sorry. Let's leave it at this."
The second-year students of the Summoning Department, who had changed their stance, quickly apologized and hastily left the restaurant.
Ulta, who stood up from his seat, approached Kal and helped him up.
"I apologize on behalf of the Summoning Department. I'm sorry."
"No, it's alright."
Kal smiled sheepishly and shook his head.
Ulta looked at Leo one last time.
"I'm sorry for intervening. No matter how incompetent, it would have hurt my heart to see my juniors get beaten up by a first-year, so I interfered."
Ulta gave a meaningful smile and left the restaurant.
"Who was that?"
"Don't you know Ulta Legdition? He's the fifth-year sub-class representative! The man who was rivals with Lis Jerdinger for five years! I heard he was on a mission, when did he return?"
Kal said in an excited tone.
Leo chuckled at his words.
'As expected. Being the fifth-year sub-class representative, it's understandable that he's a Pegasus contractor.'
Ulta was the contractor of Pegasus, which, along with Phoenix and Fairy, was called one of the three great mythical beasts.
***
As Leo headed to the Great Hall of the Tower of Heroes after lunch, Celia approached him.
"Leo."
"Hello, Celia. Did you have a good school trip?"
"Of course."
In response to Leo's question, Celia swept her hair back and chuckled.
"I wiped out the bandits who were committing illegal acts in the elf territory."
Celia said proudly, puffing out her chest, and then her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Well, it was minor compared to your Class 5, though."
The fact that Class 5 had a joint class with Seirun became the object of envy for all first-year students.
"You met the first-year class representative of Seirun too, right? How was she?"
Celia, knowing that Lunia, the first-year class representative of Seirun, was from the Lundaa family, wielders of Phoenix's power, showed great curiosity.
"She was rough."
Kal replied, chuckling beside him.
"An elf is rough? I can't imagine it."
Celia said with a look of wonder.
As they were talking about the school trip.
Assistants entered the Great Hall.
"Alright! Everyone! Gather by department!"
The students looked puzzled at the assistants' words.
"Are we gathering by department, not by class?"
"Yes. Preparations for the departmental competition begin today."
"……!"
"……!"
The first-year students' expressions changed drastically.
Departmental Competition!
Lumen selects the best department each year by grade.
As the pride of the department was at stake, the departmental competition always showed fierce competition, regardless of grade.
"Leo! Come here!"
Celia grabbed Leo's hand and pulled him.
"Hey! Wait! Why are you taking Leo?"
Kal urgently grabbed Leo.
"Why take him? Leo is in the Knight Department!"
"Why is Leo in the Knight Department? Strictly speaking, he's closer to the Magic Department! Didn't you hear that Leo deciphered the magic of the Celestial Creator on this school trip?"
"So what?"
Just then, Chelsea rushed over.
"Why are you taking Leo oppa away without permission!"
"Do you know where Leo oppa's maternal relatives are from?"
"That doesn't mean Leo oppa is Jerdinger."
A long-standing dispute flared up between Celia and Chelsea.
Meanwhile, all eyes focused on Leo.
'Leo Frove….'
'A top-tier asset in Knight, Magic, and Summoning departments….'
'We must recruit him somehow!'
A tug-of-war was occurring between the departments over Leo's affiliation.
"Leo is clearly in the Knight Department, isn't he?"
"That's just the Knight Department's claim."
Chen Xia said with a smile, and Chloe shook her head.
"Leo Frove. As my rival, join the Knight Department like a rival."
"Since when did Leo oppa become your rival?"
Duran said in an authoritative voice, and Chelsea snorted.
"It doesn't matter, Leo is in the same department as me."
"The Knight Department already has three top enrollees, including you, Chen Xia, and Duran. I don't think it's fair to add the class representative?"
"I don't think the Magic Department, which already has two top enrollees, has a right to say that! Warden! Say something too!"
Celia irritably addressed Warden, who was watching with disinterest, along with Abad and Eliza.
"Leo! Choose! Which department will you go to!"
Finally, Celia left the choice to Leo.
Upon hearing this, Leo said indifferently.
"The solution is simple."
***
The first-year students finished gathering by department.
As a commotion arose in the Great Hall, three people appeared on the podium.
"Wait, isn't that Torua, senior?"
"Is that Jamua, senior?"
"Ah! It's Ulta, senior!"
The top students of each department from the fifth year.
They were the true hero candidates, close to becoming heroes.
The appearance of such influential figures, whom they rarely saw, filled the entire first-year class with excitement.
Meanwhile, Torua noticed something.
The first-year students were divided into four large areas.
Knight Department, Magic Department, Summoning Department, and then the empty, lonely area occupying a large space by itself…
"Hey, Leo-kun, why are you being ostracized alone?"
"Please correct me, Torua, senior."
Leo chuckled.
"I'm ostracizing the entire grade."
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