Book 1 Chapter 825

825.

Ding-dong-daeng-dong

The sound of a bell echoed.

A clear and cheerful sound signaling the end of the exam resonated throughout the entire classroom.

"Alright, stop now."

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

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

"It's over!"

"Uwaaaaaaah!"

Students stood up, stretching or leaning their heads back, expressing mixed feelings of relief and regret.

A written exam for a liberal arts subject.

This was the third-year students' last exam.

With the end of this exam, all first-semester academic schedules at Lumerne were concluded.

Although there were classes until next week, all of them were self-study.

For lenient professors, they wouldn't mind if students didn't come to class, and even strict professors wouldn't care if students chatted and played as long as they were in the classroom.

After that, on the last day of next week, the end-of-semester ceremony would be held, freeing them from the shackles of classes.

As a result, many students felt a sense of freedom.

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

"You rascals, are you that happy?"

"Yes!"

"Seeing you all so happy makes me very happy too."

Teide, who was standing in the very front, heard those words and asked with an anxious face.

"Why?"

Professor Yura was Teide's advising professor from the Summoning Department.

As such, Teide knew better than anyone that she wasn't the type to genuinely rejoice in the students' happiness.

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

"Because your faces next week, when the vacation homework is announced, are so vivid in my mind."

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

"Hehe, everyone look forward to it. Our professors are working hard to prepare the homework. Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho!"

Yura gathered the answer sheets and exited the classroom.

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

"Is it just a day or two?"

Despair-laden complaints were heard here and there.

Chen Xia smiled watching her classmates.

"Still, it's the weekend starting tomorrow, right? The exams are over, so everyone, let's have fun starting today."

Listening to Chen Xia, Teide said.

"It would be great if we could go play in Lumeria City starting today."

On days with classes, unless there was a special event, they couldn't go to Lumeria City.

The regular ferry service between Lumerne and Lumeria City also only operated on weekends.

Leo spoke, looking at the students who were making regretful expressions.

"I'll talk to the student council about it."

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

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

"Ohhhhhh!"

"As expected, the student council president!"

"Leo! Leo! Leo!"

His classmates cheered Leo's name.

Curious about the commotion, students from the next classroom also peeked out.

Then, upon hearing Leo's words, they began to praise him together.

Watching that scene, Chen Xia smiled gently.

"Lord Leo will become a great king."

"Out of nowhere?"

"Isn't he granting such benevolent governance?"

Leo let out a hollow laugh.

***

The news that Leo had authorized outings from today, using his authority as student council president, spread throughout the entire school in an instant.

The professors also didn't intervene much, hearing that Leo's permission had been given.

The Lumerne pier was bustling with students, regardless of department or year.

Everyone was busy chattering while waiting for the regular ferry.

The students, now that the exams were over, were literally brimming with energy.

Of course, events like vacation homework next week or grade announcements, etc.

Despairing events still remained, but such a future was not important.

"The most important thing is the present, I say!"

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

"Where should we go play first?"

Sasha enthusiastically asked, snapping her folding fan shut with a *thwack*.

As the academic schedule was concluded, the competitive spirit among departments also ended today.

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

"There's a place I've had my eye on."

When Aina said this with her characteristic expressionless face, Juen gave a thumbs-up.

"Aina! What a rare display of enthusiasm!"

"Luke, let's go, just the two of us."

"Did you mean it as a date?"

"It's not a date?"

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

Sasha looked at the two of them with a puzzled expression.

"Do you know that your relationship has become stronger since becoming second-year students?"

"Because we train together every day."

Although their sleeping places were different, they lived in the same space every single day.

As such, Luke and Aina's relationship felt even closer.

Seeing the two glued together, Sasha whispered to Juen.

"Juen, when I watch those two, am I the only one who feels frustrated?"

"No, I'm frustrated too."

Both of them had excessively pure souls.

As such, their feelings of liking each other didn't easily develop into a romantic relationship.

"It's frustrating to watch."

"I know. Why don't they just go ahead and date already."

"But if we push them too hastily from the side, it might just backfire."

"Hmm. It is delicate."

While Juen and Sasha put their heads together, pondering their two friends' relationship.

"You two, when are you going to start dating, anyway? Don't be so frustrating, just date already."

Habidan said with an annoyed face.

"We're not dating."

"Hahaha. We're not like that, Habidan."

Aina said it flatly, and Luke chuckled awkwardly, scratching his head.

Juen and Sasha kicked Habidan's back fiercely.

"How dare you say that right next to them, without any tact!"

"You ignorant knight studies student!"

"What did I do?!"

The first-year students, watching the second-year elites growling at each other from a distance, flinched.

"Even after the exams are over, the three seniors are still competing with each other."

"Is it not time to laugh and play with each other?"

The first-year students furtively observed the situation.

In practice, it was the second-year students who guided the first-year students the most.

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

Consequently, seeing the second-year departmental elites growling at each other made them wonder if it wasn't their turn to play either.

At that moment.

Third-year students passed in front of them.

Although they were active in the same dormitory, first-year students rarely encountered third-year students on a normal basis.

Their activity times were subtly different, and first-year students felt burdened approaching and speaking to the revered third-year students.

They talked and got along during joint classes, but the pressure of being overly familiar was still too great.

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

Especially because they had the experience of underestimating the weakest, Karl, during the entrance ceremony and being thoroughly defeated, it was even harder for first-year students to deal with third-year students.

The Golden Generation.

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

Coincidentally, the one passing in front of the first-year students was one of the top third-year students.

It was Eliza Hergin of the Summoning Department, known especially for being terrifying.

Eliza had once trained first-year students belonging to her party until they were frothing at the mouth, making her a figure of terror among the first-year students.

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

Perena, Eliza's younger sister, grinned at Eliza's dignified appearance.

Just then, Chelsea, who was following directly behind Eliza, made a mischievous face and said.

"Eliza."

"Why are you calling me?"

"Look, your boyfriend is walking by over there."

"……"

Eliza looked where Chelsea pointed.

There, Karl was trudging along by himself.

*Pat-!*

As Eliza tautly pulled the whip she was holding, Chelsea quickly ran away.

"Stop right there! You damned brat!"

Eliza's appearance, fiercely growling and chasing Chelsea, was utterly murderous.

The first-year students who saw that scene trembled.

"As expected, playing with students from other departments won't do."

As the first-year students made that resolve and cautiously distanced themselves 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?"

Lil, who had subdued the two, spoke sternly.

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

The first-year students' eyes widened at the appearance of Lil, a fourth-year representative rarely seen on normal days.

"Lil. Subduing them is good, but… what do you do grabbing the kids by the neck?"

Niel, the head of the disciplinary committee, said with a sigh.

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

Lil, who had Chelsea and Eliza by the neck with her delicate hands, tilted her head.

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

Indeed, Chelsea and Eliza were subdued, hanging limply, held by their necks by Lil.

When Lil set Chelsea and Eliza down, the two gasped for breath, clutching their throats.

"What on earth happened?"

"Chelsea LeWallin teased me first!"

Eliza protested.

"Even so, to violate school rules at the pier!"

Lil spoke sternly.

The first-year students thought the two were being scolded because they ran wild at the pier.

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

"……"

'Running was the problem?'

In reality, not far away, there were students who were quite fiercely grabbing each other by the collar, but the disciplinary committee, including Lil, did not impose any particular sanctions.

Just then, student council disciplinary committee members, led by Niel, climbed to a high spot on the pier.

Niel, taking out a megaphone from his pocket, said.

"Ah, everyone worked hard to finish their exams. Although you can go out to Lumeria City starting today due to the student council president's special instruction, you must not lose your dignity as Lumerne students."

Niel narrowed his eyes.

"Do not do anything that sullies the school's honor. Especially. Fourth and fifth-year students. If you're caught engaging in unhealthy romantic relationships, thinking you're all grown up, I won't let it slide…"

Even before Niel's words were finished, boos erupted from among the fifth-year students.

"Boo-! You're having a relationship with a graduated senior, but you're telling us not to?!"

"You were growling at Senior Marchel like that, but as soon as you graduated, you started dating him!"

"Tell us honestly! How far have you two gone?!"

Niel, who had been listening to the jeers of his close classmates, smiled faintly and handed the megaphone to Celia.

"Please take over for the lady."

And then he drew his sword and charged.

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

"Shut up! The disciplinary committee can!"

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

"Do it!"

Niel's fierce voice and the screams of the fifth-year students echoed.

As the first-year students watched, mouths agape, Celia spoke into the megaphone.

"Our disciplinary committee is active, so please be advised. Over and out."

With that, the regular ferry arrived.

Even amidst that, Niel was swinging his sword at the fifth-year students, and the first-year students were frozen stiff.

Other years rushed onto the ferry, but the first-year students remained standing in place.

By the time most of the other years had departed.

"Hm? What are you doing?"

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

"Aren't you going to Lumeria City?"

As Chen Xia, standing beside Leo, tilted her head and asked, Perena, the class representative, spoke.

"We thought it would be better for departments to move together, so we planned to depart separately."

"Who said that? The seniors?"

Chen Xia furrowed her brows.

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

"And so you're not departing?"

As Chen Xia made a bewildered expression, another first-year student cautiously spoke.

"Besides that, we were also checking school rule compliance."

"Don't worry about such things and just relax and play."

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

"Because if we violate school rules, Senior Niel or Senior Lil might not forgive us…"

"Are those two really that strict?"

"Not exactly, but…"

"What happened for you to be like this?"

In response to Leo's question, the first-year students explained what had happened a little while ago.

Leo chuckled softly, seeing the first-year students who had been unnecessarily scared and intimidated.

"You haven't gotten used to the school yet."

"Indeed."

To be scared preemptively by something so trivial.

Chen Xia smiled gently, looking at the innocent first-year students.

"As long as you stay within bounds, the disciplinary committee won't enforce things excessively. So don't be too scared. You can play freely with friends from other departments too."

At those words, the first-year students gradually began to feel at ease.

Watching those first-year students, Leo advised.

"You need to get used to the scene from a moment ago to survive in Lumerne. You have to cleverly break school rules or find loopholes."

"You're teaching them good things."

"It's true, isn't it? Everyone lives their school life that way."

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

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

Just then, one of the first-year students raised a hand.

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

To that curious question, Leo answered with a smile.

"You die."

"Huh?"

"I said, you die."

"……"

At that answer, the first-year students vowed.

To never cross the line.