Book 1 Chapter 905

905.

A week after the dance party.

Professor Ein from the Knight Department was watching the sparring match in front of him, arms crossed.

Whoosh-!

A fierce flame covered the entire training ground.

In the middle of it, Celia was wielding her sword.

Elegant swordsmanship, as if performing a sword dance.

'Her swordsmanship is impeccable.'

Ein exclaimed silently.

As expected of one of the students leading the third year, known as the Golden Generation.

Her graceful and gentle swordsmanship, contrasting with the fierce flames, was impressive.

There are barely five students in all grade levels who can wield swordsmanship of such high caliber.

'For a knight who wields a sword, swordsmanship is the vessel for aura.'

Of course, there is a limit to swordsmanship that doesn't contain aura.

However, aura not supported by swordsmanship also couldn't be strong.

For a knight, the harmony of aura and swordsmanship was more important than anything else.

Ein's gaze, which had been on Celia, shifted to her opponent.

The one who was gracefully dodging Celia's sword amidst the raging flames was none other than Chen Shia.

Chen Shia did not flinch even in the face of Celia's sword.

Instead, she continuously tried to find Celia's openings.

Water droplets shimmered at Chen Shia's fingertips.

Celia was dominating the initiative of the space.

But Chen Shia didn't care at all and fought against Celia.

Swoosh-!

Celia's sword was swung, aiming for Chen Shia's neck.

Thump-!

Chen Shia flicked the blade away with her fingertips and then lunged into Celia's embrace.

"Tsk!"

Celia clicked her tongue and took an aura step, backing away.

For an instant, Celia's body vanished as if it had blended with the surrounding flames.

Chen Shia closed her eyes and concentrated her mind.

Sharp senses spread in all directions.

'Super-senses.'

With her sense of touch having entered the realm of super-senses, Chen Shia keenly gathered information from her surroundings.

Soon, Chen Shia launched a kick into the empty air.

Clang-!

"Ugh?!"

Celia, who had blocked the heavy attack, was thrown back, then quickly regained her balance and landed.

Chen Shia pursued such Celia and used her water aura to quell Celia's flames.

Fwoosh-!

However, the intensity of the flames did not diminish.

Despite their opposing attributes, Celia's flames burned even more fiercely.

As the students of the Knight Department watched the scene with tense faces.

"Stop."

Ein's voice, signaling the end of the sparring, echoed.

Chen Shia and Celia withdrew their aura and stood at attention.

"Both of you are excellent. There's nothing to criticize."

"Thank you, Professor Ein."

"…Thank you."

Chen Shia saluted cheerfully, and Celia replied in a slightly subdued voice.

As the two stepped down, Ein spoke.

"Nella, Illiana. It's your turn next."

"Whoop-de-doo~! I won't hold back!"

"Me neither. Hehe."

The two energetically stepped onto the training ground.

Meanwhile, Chen Shia and Celia returned to their seats.

Today was a mock sparring day, part of a sparring assignment where they faced opponents with opposing attributes.

Sitting down, Celia bit the straw in her water bottle and drank its contents.

Yet, she didn't stop looking at Chen Shia.

"Is there something on my face?"

"Shia, you weren't trying your best, were you?"

Chen Shia smiled faintly at Celia, who asked with dissatisfaction.

"Of course not. How could I fight casually against Lady Celia?"

"You didn't use your shadow techniques."

"Because it's a knight class."

In this sparring match, Chen Shia fought Celia purely as a knight.

Celia was quite displeased with that fact.

To be precise, she felt a sense of urgency.

Understanding Celia's mood, Chen Shia smiled.

"There's no need to rush."

"I wasn't."

Celia said bluntly, but Chen Shia gave a mature smile.

At that, Celia let out a 'Tsk-' and turned her gaze to the training ground.

"Normally, it wouldn't be strange for me to be Lady Celia's senior. I enrolled a little late due to family circumstances."

Chen Shia comforted Celia.

"I'm just a few steps ahead. It's a small difference that can be bridged at any time."

"That small difference might never be bridged in my lifetime."

"Lady Celia won't be like that."

"…"

The reason Celia felt urgent was simple.

Students among her classmates had ascended to the rank of heroes.

Leo and Carl were very special cases.

So when she heard that the two had become heroes, enthusiasm took precedence over urgency.

However, a week ago, when Chen Shia, Eliza, and Chelsea ascended to the rank of heroes, she began to feel a sense of urgency.

"In the Shan Empire, they say to go back if you're in a hurry, don't they?"

At Chen Shia's words, Celia nodded.

Seeing such Celia, Chen Shia gave her a warm smile.

'Shia is so mature.'

It wasn't just because she was two years older.

Nella was the same age as Chen Shia but wasn't as mature as Chen Shia.

'It must be because she's had many experiences since she was young.'

Celia didn't know much about Chen Shia as a shadow.

But she knew that Chen Shia had walked a difficult path that she herself couldn't even imagine.

Celia glanced at Chen Shia's profile.

Chen Shia was, by then, staring intently at one spot.

Where her gaze reached, Leo was talking with Duran.

'Why does Shia serve Leo like her lord?'

A sudden question arose.

Celia also knew from hearsay that Leo was Chen Shia's benefactor.

But even so, Chen Shia's constant behavior of serving Leo was surprisingly new.

'Shia isn't just a simple shadow.'

She is of the bloodline of the Shadow King, who is called the pinnacle of shadows.

Moreover, she is the successor to one of only two imperial families existing on the continent.

That is, she is the one who will ascend to the emperor's throne in the future.

In fact, in terms of pure power, the only one in Lumerne comparable to Chen Shia is Sasha, Celia's friend and one year junior, who will later become the Emperor of Rodren.

'No, in terms of pure national power, numerically the Shan Empire is superior, so perhaps even more?'

Compared to the flamboyant Rodren, Shan is a quiet empire of hermits, but its history is even older.

'Moreover, the Shan Empire is a country where the imperial power is even stronger than our empire.'

A woman who will ascend above ten thousand people.

Recalling Leo, whom such a Chen Shia followed, Celia made a strange expression.

"Speaking of which, I heard Leo is on another business trip."

"Young Master Leo? Is it another mission?"

Celia shook her head as Chen Shia asked with wide eyes.

"No, I heard he's going to Seirun for the Hero Academy Student Council President's meeting?"

"I see."

Chen Shia's eyes sparkled.

***

"No."

"…"

At the flat refusal, Chen Shia glared at Leo with dissatisfied eyes.

Seeing such Chen Shia, Leo said.

"How long has it been since you returned from a mission, and you're already thinking of going out again? Students should study."

For Lumerne students, missions are one of the important academic schedules.

However, it is also true that continuously undertaking missions and external schedules will cause disruptions to classes.

"Young Master Leo is going this time too."

"If you don't like it, be the student council president."

"…"

"I could hand over the reins right now, you know?"

"…"

"As a future Majesty the Emperor, you'll surely do a good job as student council president."

Leo's words were sincere.

"If I, a shadow, become student council president, there will surely be backlash."

"You only bring up the 'shadow' thing when it's inconvenient, huh? And who's a shadow? You're a hero whose name is even recorded in the Hero Records."

Leo chuckled, organized the documents, and then tore open an envelope lying on the side, answering.

"And if there are any fools talking nonsense like that, we should beat them up immediately."

"…"

"You have enough leadership qualities to lead Lumerne students."

Of course, he had no intention of forcing the student council presidency on her.

"As Young Master Leo's shadow, I have a duty to assist Young Master Leo."

"Seirun isn't a dangerous place either."

"Still…"

"Don't act childish."

"You always treat me like a child."

Leo let out a laugh as he watched Chen Shia grumble quietly, and checked the contents of the letter.

"Who is the letter from?"

"Sir Sis. He says he's working Senior Hark to the bone, with the mindset of grinding him to dust."

"Senior Hark is truly pitiful."

Chen Shia's sympathetic gaze fell on the letter.

She could clearly envision the face of her senior, who had been forcibly employed in the Arch Kingdom like livestock being led to a slaughterhouse.

"By the way. What happened to Senior Lil's epithet?"

A week ago.

Lil, who was recorded in the Hero Records with the epithet [Monster Lady], burst into tears.

"Don't you have the authority to record, Young Master Leo, so you can change it?"

"I can change it, yes. But it's a matter entrusted to the gods."

Since it was an epithet the gods had given after much deliberation, it couldn't be changed carelessly.

He didn't worship or praise the gods, but even so, he intended to respect their decision once it was entrusted.

"More than anything, it suits her."

"Never say that in front of Senior Lil."

Chen Shia glared, and Leo nodded.

"I won't. A week of suffering is enough."

Leo had to console Lil for a week after saying it suited her at the dance party.

"Young Master Leo is surprisingly kind to Senior Lil."

"Because she's my disciple."

"If I become your disciple, will you treat me kindly too?"

"Aren't I kind enough already?"

At Leo's words, Chen Shia squinted her eyes.

Ignoring such Chen Shia, Leo was putting the letter back into the envelope.

Tap tap-

There was a knocking sound on the student council president's office window.

Looking at the window, there was a wind phantom beast.

"Newspaper?"

Leo tilted his head.

Newspapers are usually delivered in the morning.

But the current time was after school.

A newspaper being delivered at such a time meant there was urgent breaking news.

Leo opened the window with a serious face, and the phantom beast dropped the newspaper onto the desk and immediately flew away.

Leo read the front page of the newspaper.

"What's wrong? Is it bad news?"

Leo replied as Chen Shia asked with a serious face.

"It's not bad news… but it is a big deal."

"What is it?"

Chen Shia came closer to Leo with curious eyes and read the front page of the newspaper.

And her eyes widened.

"Did you know?"

Leo asked, looking at Chen Shia's face.

[Breaking News - Emperor Sen Liu of Shan announces abdication to his successor, Chen Shia.]

"Should I call you Her Majesty the Emperor now?"

Chen Shia, who had been staring intently at the article, said at Leo's words.

"I'll go ask my father."