Book 1 Chapter 824

824.

The campus of Lumern Academy.

Students bustled about frantically under the scorching sun.

The weather was already sweltering summer.

The students' uniforms had long since been changed to summer uniforms due to the oppressive heat.

The students were listless in the heat.

But they were more listless than usual, and it wasn't just because of the heat.

"No! Why! Why do we! Have to study when we can't even go out to play in Lumelia City on this golden weekend!"

Iriana, sprawled on the bench, whined as if throwing a tantrum.

Chelsea, sitting on the bench with Iriana, said curtly in response to her outburst.

"Because final exams are next week."

As the aftermath of the incident in the Kingdom of Debia in the eastern continent faded from people's memories.

The Lumern students were on the verge of their final exams, the last of the first semester.

Consequently, the stress of exam scores plagued the students along with the heat.

In fact, this year Lumern Academy had undergone a major reorganization of its academic schedule.

The brutal level of expulsion survival had disappeared.

However, that did not mean the difficulty of the academic schedule had decreased.

No, in some ways, it had become even more brutal.

There was simply no expulsion by period.

Students who were subject to expulsion based on their grades at the end of the year, when the semester concluded, had to leave the school.

The fact that this was Lumern remained unchanged.

As such, all grades suffered equally from the brutal academic schedule.

If anything, an atmosphere of greater emphasis on grades had formed.

"I want to play! I want to play!"

Iriana wailed, waving her arms wildly.

Chloe, reading a book on the bench next to her, said,

"Iriana, if you flail around like that and hit Chelsea…"

*Thwack-*

Before Chloe could even finish her sentence, Iriana's foot hit Chelsea in the side.

"Hoh?"

"No, that was an accident…"

"This!"

Chelsea, with a glare, lunged at Iriana.

Chloe, shaking her head as she watched, said,

"Huh? It's the first-years."

At those words, Iriana immediately straightened up as if nothing had happened and assumed a proper posture.

With her back perfectly straight, Iriana elegantly swept her hair back.

Chelsea faltered at this change in atmosphere.

"Ah! Seniors! Hello!"

The first-year magic students' eyes widened as they spotted Chelsea, Chloe, and Iriana, and they bowed their heads deeply.

Iriana responded to their greeting with a smile as if representing them.

"Yes, hello. How is everyone's studying going?"

As they looked at Iriana, who asked with a mature smile, some of the male magic students blushed slightly.

"It's difficult!"

"I don't know why the written exams are so hard!"

The male students answered loudly.

Iriana chuckled at their reaction.

"Our school's exams are indeed harsh. But if you work hard, you can do it."

"Yes!"

The male students answered with spirit.

Then, the female students approached.

"Iriana-senpai, even though you are a Swordmaster and chose the Knight Department as your main major, you still consistently take the Magic Department exams, right?"

"You're amazing! I heard Professor Ren's exams are incredibly difficult."

"Heh. It's nothing. Chelsea and Chloe here are even more amazing."

Iriana smiled and glanced at her companions.

The female students' eyes sparkled.

In fact, they knew that Chloe and Chelsea were more amazing.

But those two were already like stars in the sky, beyond reach.

Compared to them, Iriana was a senior with a more human touch.

As such, while Chloe and Chelsea were objects of admiration and longing for the first-year magic students, Iriana had strangely become an object of respect that they wanted to follow.

"How can you, a Knight Department student, achieve good grades in the Magic Department exams too? Is there a secret?"

Although not excellent grades overall in the Magic Department, she had endured Lumern's notoriously difficult magic classes for three years without failing.

Despite being in the Knight Department.

That alone was enough for Iriana to be respected by her juniors.

The problem was.

"Thorough review and preparation?"

'The problem is she's peddling ineffective medicine.'

Chelsea squinted her eyes, recalling their first year when they were in the same class.

'Hey! Review!'

'Review is for eating!'

'Or at least prepare!'

'Preparation is for drinking!'

Incidentally, the absurd theory that review is for eating and preparation is for drinking is still ongoing even now in their third year.

Despite Chelsea's incredulous gaze, Iriana chatted with her juniors with a smile.

"Seniors! Please teach us how to study next time!"

The female students giggled and waved goodbye.

The male students also bowed their heads shyly and left.

"Iriana-senpai always looks so elegant."

"She's so pretty, she must have a boyfriend, right?"

"You were very close with Kal-senpai since your first year and were often together, right? Maybe you two are more than friends."

"Ugh… I'm jealous of Kal-senpai."

The murmurs of the first-years could be heard.

After waving goodbye until the first-years disappeared, Iriana clung to Chelsea.

"Chelsea! I hate exams!"

"Go away. It's hot."

Chelsea coldly pushed Iriana away, right in the face.

"Chloe! Ah, it's refreshing. And this comfort that I can't feel from Chelsea."

Iriana mumbled softly, burying her face in Chloe's chest.

Chelsea got up and stretched her finger joints.

Regardless, Iriana whined to Chloe.

"Chloe. Make me a magic spell to get a perfect score on the exam."

"It's easier to study than to create such a spell."

"Chloe, are you an idiot? I'm asking you to make it because studying is difficult."

With a light sigh at her words, Chloe handed the large grimoire she was reading to Chelsea.

Chelsea immediately poked Iriana's head with the corner of the book.

Looking down at Iriana, who had fallen to the ground and was twitching, Chelsea said,

"How on earth did she manage to act so demurely among the first-years without getting caught?"

"I know, it's a mystery."

Chloe also shook her head as if it were a mystery.

***

While the entire student body was spending their days frantically preparing for exams.

There were students unaffected by the exams.

The most prominent of them was the student council president, Leo.

"Peaceful."

Sitting in the student council president's office overlooking the Lumern campus from the Tower of Heroes, Leo leisurely drank coffee and watched the students.

"The kids look cheerful."

"Does that look cheerful to you?"

Kal, who was helping with paperwork, asked with a tired expression, and Leo shrugged.

"They're not crying, are they? Then they're cheerful."

Kal shook his head at Leo's peculiar remark.

'Well, it's not like Leo hasn't made students cry since he became a third-year.'

Leo, who had been quiet until his second year, fully revealed his true nature after becoming a third-year.

Specifically, he often plunged students into chaos with surprise quizzes.

Various incidents that occurred right before the midterms happened again several times after the Debia incident.

As a result, Lumern students, regardless of their grade, had become so accustomed to most incidents that they didn't even bat an eye.

Kal smiled warmly, recalling the hectic first semester of his third year.

'I should have a relaxed summer vacation.'

Just as Kal was eagerly awaiting the sweet summer vacation that would rest his tired body and mind.

*Click-*

The student council president's office door opened, and someone entered.

Although he hadn't seen the entrance, Kal knew who had arrived.

There was only one person who could barge into this student council office without knocking.

"Hmm. The juniors have become quite insolent?"

Elena, the queen of Lumern, tilted her head as if displeased.

Then, she smiled at Kal and said,

"Hey, Kal."

"Yes."

"That damned old man is one thing. But are you not even looking at your senior who has arrived, let alone greeting her?"

"Hmph. Elena-senpai. You're graduating soon, aren't you?"

"So? Aren't you scared?"

"Ah, well, yes."

Kal nodded indifferently.

Inwardly, he was trembling.

Even so, Kal wanted to attempt a small act of defiance like this.

The reason was simple.

Since last year, he had been exploited by Elena, even though he wasn't part of the student council.

In fact, he was still being exploited.

Since it had come to this.

He had decided to try rebelling.

"Hmm. Since I'm being exploited like a slave anyway, there's nothing to be afraid of. Is that it?"

"Something like that."

Kal nodded his head nonchalantly and said,

"Ah, Elena-senpai. Could you buy me a drink?"

"Amazing. Kal, your courage has truly gone off the charts! Is this the spirit of a hero?"

Elena applauded with admiration.

Then she smiled faintly.

"But Kal, do you know? The right to elect the next vice-president originally belongs to the vice-president."

"Elena-senpai. Please tell me what you'd like to drink. I'll go right away."

"Yes. Go buy coffee from the first floor."

"I'll go like Iriana, who's being chased by Chelsea!"

Kal sprinted out.

He left in such a hurry that the door didn't close completely, and remained slightly ajar.

Elena, smiling brightly at Kal's haste, sat on the sofa in the student council office.

Then, with her arms crossed, she stared intently at Leo, who was looking out the window, and pouted her lips.

"Still, as a senior, aren't you ignoring me too much?"

Leo chuckled at her words and said,

"Is your graduation preparation going well?"

"Graduation exams are no problem."

Elena is considered one of the most talented individuals in Lumern's history.

If she puts her mind to it, graduation exams are a piece of cake.

Elena said nonchalantly, her gaze fixed on Leo's face.

Just as Leo took a sip of his coffee.

"You've finally returned to your original self."

"You made me worry."

After the Debia incident.

Leo had shown a less energetic demeanor due to various events.

Those who were close to Leo had noticed this.

Looking at Leo, who had returned to his usual self, Elena said,

"Can I get my graduation gift early?"

"Graduation gift?"

"Yes."

Elena smiled faintly.

"Will you go to a deserted island with me alone during the summer vacation?"

***

Kal, whose school life had become even more complicated after trying to rebel against Elena once, had rushed to the first floor at an incredible speed.

It was truly an incredible moment.

He had broken one or two school rules because of it, but being punished by the disciplinary committee was a later concern; for now, appeasing the queen was more important.

As Kal reached the student council president's office door, panting for breath.

"Will you go to a deserted island with me alone during the summer vacation?"

Hearing Elena's voice through the slightly open door, Kal paused.

And a strange expression crossed his face.

'A grown man and woman alone on a deserted island?'