Book 1 Chapter 891

891.

"Seniors! Did you sleep well?!"

From the morning, the central hall of the Clock Tower Dormitory was bustling with students.

Among them, nervous first-years formally greeted Leo and Karl who were heading to the cafeteria.

Rumerne underwent a major reorganization this year.

As a result, all grades, who would normally live separately, came to live in the same space.

"When we first entered, first-years would tremble just at the sight of a senior."

Karl, with his hands clasped behind his head, nodded at Leo's mumble.

"That's true. But Leo. You didn't tremble at all when you saw seniors in your first year."

Rather, it was the upperclassmen who were serious about club activities who trembled at the sight of Leo.

Because Leo, as student council president, would cut club budgets whenever he saw an opportunity, he was practically a grim reaper to students who had staked their lives on club activities.

At Karl's remark, Leo shrugged his shoulders.

Even the current second-years, thanks to the mentee system, were close with the third-years (one year above them), but would freeze like mice before cats when facing the grades above them.

First-years, who had a strong fear of seniors, were sometimes so scared to greet them that they would run away upon seeing one.

Compared to those days, the first-years' fear of seniors has certainly lessened a lot.

Of course, it hasn't completely disappeared, so most first-years would still be very nervous in front of seniors.

Especially when it came to prominent seniors.

"Anyway, I like it now. The senior-junior relationships in our school used to be too stiff. Compared to other hero academies… Ugh."

As Karl shook his head, Teide joined them from behind and spoke.

"Isn't it just that you like it now because you can do business with all grades?"

"That too!"

Karl raised a thumbs up with a 'chuck!' sound.

Just like that, the three of them entered the cafeteria.

Leo, having received his food on a tray and sitting at the table, picked up his fork and asked.

"So? Anything special happen in the two weeks I was gone?"

"Something special, you ask? Well, there was a riot because a fairy we'd never seen before swept away all the dormitory's groceries right at the start of the semester."

As Teide sipped the milk from his mug and spoke, Leo tilted his head.

"Why a riot?"

"There were a lot of speculations from the start of the semester that you might have cooked up something again. They thought you were going to make them fight for food by department, so it was chaotic."

"Hoh?"

Leo stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming.

"Not bad, actually?"

"Don't do it. As a friend, I'm begging you, please don't."

Teide said seriously.

Looking at Teide, Leo burst into a chuckle.

That's how Leo and Karl heard from Teide about what had happened at school while they were away on their mission.

As they talked for a while.

The school cafeteria, usually boisterous in the morning with all students gathered, suddenly fell silent.

Click-clack-

Only the sound of someone who had just entered the cafeteria walking echoed.

"Senior Elena! Welcome back from your mission!"

The first-years, who had been frozen for a moment, formally greeted her.

With the first-years' greetings, the cafeteria became noisy again.

Elena waved her hand dismissively at the first-years and walked on.

"Senior Elena is already back from her mission. I heard it was a long-term mission that would take at least a month."

"If it's Senior Elena, missions probably end quickly. But why does she look like she's in a bad mood?"

Karl wore a slightly uneasy expression.

This was because when Elena was in a bad mood, the one who suffered the most was none other than Karl.

Elena, holding her meal tray, walked towards the table where Leo was sitting.

As Karl and Teide were about to move, Elena walked past them.

"Why does she seem to be exuding coldness?"

Teide tilted his head, and Karl looked at Leo.

"Leo, do you have any idea?"

"Well…"

When Leo replied with a small laugh, Karl and Teide thought to themselves.

'It's because of this guy.'

Teide patted Karl's shoulder as if to say 'cheer up'.

Karl let his shoulders slump.

***

Third-year Heroics class.

"Class ended a bit early today!"

Artian smiled brightly as she organized her teaching materials.

"It seems like the third-year students' class attitudes are getting better and more enthusiastic! Hehe! This professor is truly happy that you're becoming exemplary seniors!"

Artian said, her eyes sparkling.

Of course, it was somewhat natural that the students' class attitudes improved in Professor Artian's class.

Artian, the Scepter of Punishment.

She had already established herself as a professor as terrifying as Halind, known as the Wailing Wall of Rumerne.

So, it was natural that students tried not to get on her nerves.

"Alright, then we'll have self-study time until the end of class! Students with questions, please don't hesitate to ask!"

At Artian's words, the students organized their belongings.

Leo glanced at his notes for the day.

Today's lesson was none other than about the Heroes of the Dawn.

'I wonder if those guys are doing well.'

Leo recalled the three Heroes of the Dawn he had met.

Seirun, the Comet Wizard.

Rodia, the Dragon of the Dawn.

Rumerne, the Twilight Knight.

The Page of the Dawn World where Erebus is imprisoned is under strict surveillance in the deepest part of Dragonia.

If anything happens, it will be immediately conveyed through Melina.

'Now that I think about it, what kind of people are Azonia and Damian?'

The successors of Aron and Dweno, whom he had never met.

Recalling the Heroes of the Dawn who had the epithets 'Grand Warrior' and 'Indomitable', Leo rested his chin on his hand.

'Considering Rodia and Seirun, these guys probably aren't normal either.'

Leo twirled a pen in his hand.

"Any questions?"

At that moment, Artian looked at the students, her eyes sparkling.

When some students were about to ask questions, feeling somehow guilty if they didn't.

"I'd like to know about the true personalities of Azonia and Damian."

"Oh, Leo."

At Leo's question, Artian clasped her hands together and smiled brightly.

"Leo asking a question, how unusual."

Artian said with a joyful laugh.

"As Leo knows well, unfortunately, there are no detailed records or documents about the true personalities of the Heroes of the Dawn."

The deeds of the Heroes of the Dawn recorded in documents are purely the great achievements they accomplished.

"However, there are many accounts in unofficial histories. Until now, unofficial histories were considered to have low reliability."

Artian paused for a moment, then continued.

"Recently, individuals who are very different from the images we imagined have appeared, and so research on unofficial historical records is actively being conducted in the heroics academic community."

Seeing Artian burst into laughter, the students could easily guess who those 'different individuals' were.

'Luna and Lysinass really caused quite a stir.'

It was when Leo let out a small laugh.

"Lord Kyle certainly went too far."

Celia, next to Leo, propped her chin and muttered.

Leo looked at Celia.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, Lord Lysinass and Lady Luna loved him so passionately, but he didn't even notice their feelings."

Celia sighed.

Chloe nodded at her words.

"He certainly achieved great feats… but he seemed very insensitive."

"That's Lord Kyle's charm! The clumsiness hidden behind that perfect demeanor!"

"…"

Leo fell silent, then asked Iliana.

"What's Kyle's image like these days?"

At his question, Iliana smiled brightly and answered without filter.

"A fool when it comes to women."

For a great hero who saved the world to receive such an evaluation, it was clearly a very softened expression.

'Unfair.'

Leo muttered to himself, but he couldn't say it aloud.

Hearing that conversation, Artian burst into laughter.

"It's quite enjoyable to talk about the human aspects of great individuals we don't know, isn't it?"

"What are the personalities of the two recorded in unofficial histories?"

"Yes, first, Lord Damian is recorded as a thorough individual. He is recorded as the perfect image of a hero. However."

"However?"

"It seems he had a strong complex about his appearance."

"A complex about his appearance?"

The students wore puzzled expressions.

"Yes. Lord Damian is recorded as an incredibly beautiful young man."

"A beautiful young man?"

"Yes. He's said to have a delicate appearance, enough to be mistaken for a woman. His limbs are slender like an elf's, and there's even a story that he didn't grow a beard, a symbol of dwarf men."

The students wore puzzled expressions.

Iliana quickly flipped through her textbook and opened to the page with Damian's portrait.

"No matter how I look, it doesn't seem right?"

"There's a saying that all the remaining portraits are of Lord Damian wearing a mask and changing his bone structure with magic."

"It's hard to imagine a Hero of the Dawn having an appearance complex, isn't it?"

As Duran furrowed his brows, most students nodded.

"Yes. Especially considering his epithet is 'Indomitable', it's strange. However, in unofficial histories, it's said that Lord Damian developed such a complex because when he was conquering Lord Dweno's world, Lord Dweno pointed out that he had an un-dwarflike appearance."

"Ah."

The students nodded as if they understood.

"Of course, the Lord Dweno I met isn't someone who would discriminate based on appearance, so the credibility is low."

Seeing Artian smile faintly, Leo wore a peculiar expression.

'Did Dweno try to strip him, by any chance?'

The possibility was high enough.

While Leo felt a great deal of credibility in the unofficial histories.

"Lord Azonia, having stood at the pinnacle of all beastmen through struggle, is often recorded as having a belligerent personality. However, there are unofficial historical records stating that, befitting someone who unified the beastman factions, he was very decadent."

"How decadent?"

"He was said to love alcohol and to have slept with many men to leave behind many strong children. Considering the culture of beastmen in that era, it's not so strange."

"Hmm. Beastmen's old culture certainly had aspects like that."

"Lord Azonia's anecdotes seem plausible, don't they?"

The students tilted their heads.

"Oh, and."

"And?"

"He was said to be extremely fond of gambling. A gambling addict, they say?"

At those words, the students burst into an empty laugh.

"Nah. That somehow doesn't fit."

"Right? Hehe. Anyway, these are the personalities and anecdotes recorded in unofficial histories."

At Artian's words, Leo felt certain inwardly.

'Alcohol, sex, gambling. Seems he did it all.'

Looked at this way, even the Heroes of the Dawn seemed to have many flaws.

But Leo thought it was natural in a way.

'Because we're full of flaws too.'

There was no law saying their successors shouldn't be like that.