Book 1 Chapter 825

825.

Ding dong-dang-dong.

The bell rang.

The clear, cheerful sound signaling the end of the exam echoed throughout the classroom.

"Alright, that's enough."

The professor, who had been standing with his arms crossed in front of the classroom, stood up.

Along with him, countless spirits flew in and collected the students' exam papers.

"It's over!"

"Ughhhhhh!"

As they stood up, students stretched or tilted their heads back, expressing mixed feelings of relief and regret.

It was the written exam for the elective course.

This was the last exam for the third-year students.

With this exam, all the first-semester academic schedules at Rumern were concluded.

There were still classes until next week, but they were all self-study.

For lenient professors, it didn't matter if students didn't attend class, and even strict professors didn't mind if students chatted and played as long as they were in the classroom.

After that, on the last day of the following week, the break ceremony would be held, and they would be free from the clutches of classes.

As such, many students felt a sense of freedom.

Seeing the joyous students, Professor Yura of the Summoning Department, who was in charge of the exam, burst into laughter.

"You brats, are you that happy?"

"Yes!"

"Seeing you happy makes me very happy too."

Hearing that, Tate, who was standing at the front, asked with a troubled expression,

"Why?"

Tate, who was in the Summoning Department, had Yura as his professor.

As such, Tate knew better than anyone that she was not the type to be purely happy about the students' joy.

In response to Tate's question, Yura smiled brightly.

"I can already imagine your faces when you get your vacation homework next week."

At Yura's words, the bright classroom was instantly engulfed in a chilling silence.

"Heh, everyone, look forward to it. Our professors are working hard to prepare the homework. Hohohohoho!"

Yura gathered the answer sheets and left the classroom.

"No! Why can't professors stand to see us happy!"

"Is this the first time?"

Desperate grumbles could be heard from all around.

Chen Xia smiled, looking at her classmates.

"Still, tomorrow is the weekend, right? The exam is over, so let's all have fun starting today."

Hearing Chen Xia's words, Tate said,

"It would be nice if we could go to Rumelia City starting today."

On days with classes, students could not go to Rumelia City unless there was a special reason.

The regular ferry service between Rumern and Rumelia City only operated on weekends.

Seeing students with such regretful expressions, Leo said,

"I'll talk to the student council."

At those words, all the students in the classroom looked at Leo.

"So that we can go to Rumelia City starting today."

"Ooooooooo!"

"As expected, student council president!"

"Leo! Leo! Leo!"

His classmates chanted Leo's name.

Wondering what the commotion was, students in the neighboring classrooms also peeked out.

Upon hearing Leo's words, they joined in the praise.

Chen Xia smiled sweetly at the sight.

"Lord Leo will be a great king."

"Out of the blue?"

"He bestows such benevolent favors, doesn't he?"

Leo let out a wry laugh.

***

The news that Leo had granted permission for outings starting today, using his authority as student council president, spread throughout the school in an instant.

The professors also did not interfere much upon hearing that Leo had granted permission.

The Rumern pier was crowded with students, regardless of their department or year.

Everyone was busy chattering while waiting for the regular ferry.

The students who had finished their exams were literally bursting with energy.

Of course, there were still despairing events such as vacation homework next week and grade announcements.

However, such a future was not important.

"The most important thing is the present!"

Juen, a second-year student from the Magic Department, crossed his arms and his eyes sparkled.

"Where should we go first?"

Shasha eagerly asked, snapping her folding fan shut.

With the completion of the department schedules, the sense of competition between departments also concluded today.

Of course, they would be rivals again when the second semester began, but today, camaraderie was paramount.

"I've found a place."

Aina said with her usual expressionless face, and Juen gave her a thumbs-up.

"Aina! You're unusually enthusiastic!"

"Luke, let's go together."

"Does that mean a date?"

"It's not a date?"

Aina tilted her head in confusion, and Luke awkwardly scratched his cheek.

Seeing the two of them, Shasha looked puzzled.

"Don't you think your relationship has gotten closer since becoming second-years?"

"We train together every day."

Even though they slept in different places, they spent time in the same space every day.

As such, Luke and Aina's relationship felt more intimate.

Seeing the two clinging to each other, Shasha whispered to Juen,

"Juen, do you feel stuffy watching those two?"

"No, I feel stuffy too."

Both of them were excessively pure souls.

As such, their feelings for each other did not easily develop into romance.

"It's frustrating to watch."

"I know. They should just start dating."

"But if we push them too hard, it might ruin things."

"Hmm. It's subtle."

While Juen and Shasha put their heads together, contemplating the relationship between their two friends.

"You two, when are you going to start dating? Stop being so frustrating and just date already."

Habiden said with an annoyed expression.

"We're not dating."

"Hahaha. We're not that kind of couple, Habiden."

Aina said firmly, and Luke smiled awkwardly, scratching his head.

Juen and Shasha kicked Habiden's back repeatedly.

"How can you say that right next to them!"

"You ignorant knight!"

"What did I do!"

The first-year students, watching the two second-year top students bickering from a distance, flinched.

"The three seniors are still competing even after the exam."

"Is it not time to play with smiles?"

The first-year students cautiously observed.

The second-years were the ones who guided the first-years the most.

As such, the first-years were greatly influenced by the second-years.

Therefore, seeing the second-year department tops bickering, they wondered if it was time for them to stop playing too.

At that moment.

Third-year students passed by them.

Although they belonged to the same dormitory, first-year students rarely encountered third-year students on a daily basis.

Their activity times were slightly different, and the first-year students felt burdened to approach the third-year students, who were like gods.

Although they talked and got along during joint classes, it was still a burden to be on casual terms.

Furthermore, many third-year students had already gained global recognition.

Especially after being thoroughly defeated when they underestimated the weakest, Karl, at the entrance ceremony, the first-year students found it even more difficult to deal with the third-year students.

The golden generation.

As such, for the first-year students, the third-year students were like stars.

Currently passing in front of the first-year students were the top students among the third-years.

Especially Eliza Hergin of the Summoning Department, known for her fearsome nature.

Eliza was a figure of terror among the first-year students because she had once trained the first-year students in her party to the point of foaming at the mouth.

The first-year students flinched and naturally lowered their gazes.

Her sister, Perena, smiled dazedly at Eliza's dignified appearance.

At that moment, Chelsea, who was following right behind Eliza, put on a mischievous expression and said,

"Eliza."

"Why do you call me?"

"Your boyfriend is walking by over there."

"……"

Eliza looked in the direction Chelsea pointed.

There, Karl was walking alone, looking dejected.

*Thwack-!*

Eliza snapped the whip she was holding taut, and Chelsea quickly ran away.

"There you are! You darn brat!"

Eliza's fierce growl as she chased Chelsea was terrifying.

Seeing that, the first-year students trembled.

"As expected, playing with students from other departments is no good."

As the first-year students resolved that, they gradually moved away from students of other departments.

"Miss Chelsea! Miss Eliza! What are you doing at the pier! Aren't you ashamed in front of your juniors?"

Ril, who had subdued the two, spoke sternly.

Ril was also a member of the student council's disciplinary committee.

The first-year students' eyes widened at the appearance of Ril, a fourth-year representative who was rarely seen.

"Ril, it's good that you subdued them, but… why are you grabbing their necks?"

Niel, the head of the disciplinary committee, sighed.

"Hmm? Isn't this an efficient way to subdue them?"

Ril, with her delicate hands, tilted her head while holding Chelsea and Eliza by the neck.

"It looks very brutal, so could you let them go? The first-year students are terrified."

In fact, Chelsea and Eliza were subdued and dangling by Ril, their necks held.

When Ril let Chelsea and Eliza down, the two gasped for breath, holding their necks.

"What happened?"

"Chelsea Lewalin teased me first!"

Eliza protested.

"Even so, you're breaking school rules at the pier!"

Ril said sternly.

The first-year students thought they were being scolded for causing trouble at the pier.

"Running at the pier is a violation of school rules! From now on, no matter how angry you are, please walk!"

"……"

'Running was the problem?'

There were students not far away who were quite violently grabbing each other by the collar, but the disciplinary committee, including Ril, did not intervene.

At that moment, the student council disciplinary committee members, led by Niel, went up to a high place at the pier.

Niel took out a megaphone and said,

"Ah, everyone has worked hard finishing your exams. Although you can go out to Rumelia City starting today by special order of the student council president, you must not lose your dignity as Rumern students."

Niel narrowed his eyes.

"Don't do anything that tarnishes the school's honor. Especially, fourth and fifth-years. If you get caught engaging in inappropriate romantic relationships because you think you're old enough… we won't let you off."

Before Niel's words could finish, jeers erupted from the fifth-years.

"Boo-! You're dating a graduate, yet you tell us not to?!"

"You were bickering with senior Matchel like that, but you started gossiping as soon as you graduated!"

"Be honest! How far did you two go!"

Niel, who heard the jeers from his close classmates, smiled faintly and handed the megaphone to Celia.

"Miss, I'll ask you to take over."

Then, he drew his sword and charged.

"Hey! Drawing weapons in a public place is a violation of school rules!"

"Shut up! The disciplinary committee can!"

"This is overreach! I'm reporting you to the student council president!"

"Do it!"

Niel's menacing voice and the screams of the fifth-years echoed.

As the first-year students gaped at the scene, Celia spoke into the megaphone,

"Our disciplinary committee is active, so please be careful. That's all."

With that, the regular ferry arrived.

Even then, Niel was swinging his sword at the fifth-years, and the first-year students were frozen.

While students of other years were boarding the ferry.

When almost all other years had left.

"Huh? What are you guys doing?"

Leo, who had arrived at the pier, looked at the first-year students with a puzzled expression.

"Aren't you going to Rumelia City?"

Chen Xia, standing next to Leo, tilted her head and asked. Perena, the representative of the first-year students, said,

"We thought it would be better to move as departments, so we're planning to leave separately."

"Who said that? Did the seniors say so?"

Chen Xia frowned.

"No. We just thought it would be better."

"And you're not leaving because of that?"

Chen Xia looked bewildered, and another first-year student cautiously said,

"We were also checking the rules of conduct."

"Don't worry about that and have fun."

At Leo's words, the first-year students pouted.

"If we break the rules, Senior Niel or Senior Ril won't forgive us."

"Are those two that strict?"

"It's not like that…"

"What happened?"

In response to Leo's question, the first-year students explained what had just happened.

Seeing the first-year students who were prematurely afraid and intimidated, Leo chuckled.

"You're not used to the school yet."

"I guess so."

To be so easily intimidated by something like that.

Seeing the naive first-year students, Chen Xia smiled gently.

"As long as you stay within the boundaries, the disciplinary committee won't excessively enforce the rules. So don't be too afraid. You can play with friends from other departments as much as you want."

At those words, the first-year students began to feel a little relieved.

Seeing the reassured first-year students, Leo advised,

"You need to get used to the scene just now to survive at Rumern. You need to cleverly break the rules or find loopholes."

"You're teaching good things."

"It's the truth. That's how everyone lives their school life."

"That's true. As long as we stay within the boundaries."

At their words, the first-year students felt their tension ease.

At that moment, one of the first-year students raised his hand.

"Then, what happens if we cross the line?"

To that curious question, Leo replied with a smile.

"You die."

"What?"

"You die."

"……"

At that answer, the first-year students vowed.

Never to cross the line.