Book 1 Chapter 91

【91】90.

A special training session was held for each department in preparation for the departmental competition.

The students who suffered the most were none other than the summoning department students.

"Wow, look at them."

"They look like beggars."

"I heard they couldn't even use summoning magic and stayed on the Isle of Mythical Beasts for three days and two nights?"

As the summoning department students entered the dormitory entrance, students from other departments whispered amongst themselves.

"They say they'll do this every week until the departmental competition… How can we do this again?"

Tade muttered in a mournful voice.

There was no way they could get used to the wilderness in just three days and two nights.

While most students looked like beggars, there were a few who were relatively intact.

Notably, Leo, Chen Xia, and Warden.

A few groups of students snickered while looking at the summoning department.

"Ugh! They stink!"

"Their appearance is no joke!"

Just as the summoning department students were about to show fierce expressions at those who treated them like a spectacle,

"What's so funny that you're laughing like that?"

"Huh?"

"E, Eliza."

Eliza, who was in a sorry state, asked in a chilling voice.

"Are you saying we look ridiculous right now?"

"Ah, no! We were just… well…!"

"I'm, I'm sorry!"

Faced with Eliza's sharp reaction, the students who had been teasing the summoning department stealthily checked their surroundings and fled.

Being on the bad side of Eliza, who was evaluated as the top talent among the first-years and came from a heroic family, would complicate their school life in many ways.

As Eliza glared, the other students also scattered in a flustered manner.

Leo immediately washed up and went down to the dormitory lounge.

There, Kal was selling items to students as usual.

"Oh! Leo, you're back?"

Kal greeted Leo with a smile.

"I heard you went through a lot of hardship?"

"I had fun."

"It was fun for you! Tade looked like he was about to collapse!"

Kal, who had been chuckling, suddenly said.

"Speaking of which, Leo. You asked about Senior Elena, didn't you?"

"I did."

"She returned to school this morning. You can meet her tomorrow morning when all the students gather at Ereck."

"Really? That's great."

Leo's eyes lit up.

The next day.

At 7 AM, all students gathered at Ereck, a large training ground in the center of the school.

The first-year students all had tense expressions as they lined up by grade.

This was the first official event at Ereck since the entrance ceremony.

Especially since all the students were gathered.

"Ugh, the seniors keep staring."

"I'm nervous."

The upperclassmen chuckled as they saw the first-year students stiffen up.

"First-year students are always so cute."

"Look how nervous they are. How should we pamper them?"

Most of the first-years were frozen in front of the seniors, like mice before a cat.

However, there were some relationships that were not typical senior-junior relationships.

"Lady Celia. I should have greeted you sooner, but school rules prevent upperclassmen from entering the first-year areas during the first semester, so this is my first greeting."

Niel Roda paid his respects to Celia as her lord.

Celia sighed as she looked at Niel.

"Niel, please don't! What will other students think if they see a third-year acting like this towards a first-year?"

"Oh my! Lady Celia, you are indeed thoughtful!"

Niel Roda.

She was a third-year student in the Lumerne Knights Department, four years older than Celia.

As the successor of the Roda family, a vassal family of the Zerdinger family, she had been learning swordsmanship with Celia since childhood and was Celia's bodyguard.

"Your school uniform looks so good on you, my lady! I need to take a picture of you like this right now!"

"Bringing magical items to events is prohibited, isn't it?"

"Yes. That's why I got caught trying to sneak one in."

"…"

"Tsk. Damn professors."

Celia felt a throbbing pain in her head.

Niel, who was usually calm, turned into a doting fool when it came to her.

'If I break the rules, I'll get demerits!'

…even if she said that, Niel would undoubtedly reply, "For the sake of my lady, those demerits are nothing!"

"By the way, my lady, you're also too much. You never looked for me."

"I wanted to spend time with my peers."

To be precise, she had deliberately avoided Niel, who would undoubtedly put aside his school life to focus only on her.

As the two were conversing,

"Celia, aren't you too close to your vassal? The lord-vassal relationship must be strict."

A boy with black hair and red eyes, like Celia's, approached them.

Seeing that, Celia said with a blank expression.

"It's been a while, Baden."

Baden Zerdinger.

A collateral branch of the Zerdinger family, he was Celia's cousin, three years older than her.

"Yes, it's been since winter break last year, right?"

Baden, who was approaching Celia with a smile, scowled.

"What? You're not going to greet me?"

"Why should Niel greet you?"

Celia's chilling voice made Baden flinch.

"Niel is a vassal of the main Zerdinger family. She doesn't need to be polite to a collateral branch like you. Shouldn't you, a second-year, be polite to Niel?"

Celia swept her hair back and her red eyes flashed.

At that sight, Baden said, breaking into a cold sweat.

"Yes, I think I overstepped! I'm sorry. Hahaha!"

Even as he laughed, Baden did not show the respect of a senior to Niel.

Niel looked at Baden with a look of pity.

In Lumerne, Baden was known for flaunting his Zerdinger lineage and acting arrogant.

'He hasn't even mastered Phoenix Breath, yet he thinks he's a true Zerdinger just because people flatter him?'

In the Zerdinger family, unless one mastered Phoenix Breath, neither direct nor collateral branches could hold important positions.

"Congratulations on being first in the Knights Department!"

Baden quickly changed the subject.

Hearing that, Niel's eyes also twinkled.

"I also knew Lady Celia would naturally be first!"

"What's the point of being first in the Knights Department? The representative of the entire year was taken by someone else."

Celia, with her arms crossed, snorted.

Baden chuckled as he watched Celia's displeased reaction.

"Is it because of Leo Flob? Don't worry about that guy."

Baden said with a look of disdain.

"I don't know about this 'All Class' thing, but someone who's been running around in the countryside with no lineage will reveal their limits quickly. Besides, my summoning department friends told me that guy had the audacity to pick a fight with a second-year. He's so arrogant, thinking he's untouchable just because he's the first-year representative."

Celia's face turned as cold as ice.

As if unaware, Baden continued to chatter excitedly.

"Welcome, Young Master Riss."

"Niel, have you been well?"

"Yes."

"Brother Riss!"

"It's been a while, Baden."

Riss smiled and gestured to his side.

"I came to introduce you because you were gathered here. This is Leo Flob, my cousin and Celia's cousin."

At Riss's words, Niel and Baden showed surprised expressions.

"Although Leo did not receive the name Zerdinger, he has mastered Phoenix Breath."

Baden's eyes widened.

'This brat has mastered Phoenix Breath! How!'

Baden had been requesting to be allowed to master Phoenix Breath from the main family for a long time.

But he was always refused.

So, for a guy he'd never even seen at family gatherings to suddenly appear and claim to have inherited Phoenix Breath was preposterous.

'Now he'll finally be quiet.'

Niel sneered as she looked at the trembling Baden.

Since entering Lumerne, the rumors about Baden had not been good.

'He often throws his Zerdinger status around to bully other classmates. And his grades are any better? He barely avoids the bottom ranks.'

From the outside, being a Lumerne student might seem impressive.

But that was only from the outside.

In Lumerne, it was nothing to boast about.

'That's probably why he relies on his family connections. Pathetic. Compared to him…'

Niel's eyes sparkled.

'He's a very unique young master.'

Leo had been the center of attention since the entrance ceremony this semester.

However, if someone is too outstanding, there will always be those who try to suppress them.

Especially since many people looked down on Leo because of his insignificant family background.

However, he had never heard any rumors about Leo being connected to the Zerdingers.

"My lady, does Young Master Leo not reveal his connection to the Zerdingers?"

"Yes. He doesn't reveal it. It's not just that he doesn't, it's that he doesn't so excessively that it's a problem."

"I see."

As Niel was admiring him, the professor in charge in front of the central platform at Ereck spoke into a microphone with amplification magic.

[The student council president is being sought by the student council, so please come to the platform immediately. And the student representatives, please gather at the tent next to the platform.]

"Well, we have to go. See you all later."

"Celia, I'm going."

"Okay."

Leo and Riss immediately headed towards the platform.

"Leo, you go over there."

Riss pointed to a tent that looked like a preparation room next to the platform.

"Yes."

"See you in a bit."

Leo, after parting with Riss, entered the tent.

There were two students inside.

The first person who caught his eye was a small male student with fluffy light brown curly hair.

He had a fourth-year badge on his left chest, and the sword and shield emblem embroidered on his right shoulder clearly indicated he was from the Knights Department.

The peculiar thing was that he was wearing an eye patch and snoring, fast asleep.

In front of the fourth-year representative, a female student, who appeared to be the second-year representative, was kneeling in a reverent posture.

With green hair and blue eyes, she had the emblem of the four elements, representing the summoning department, embroidered on her right shoulder.

She stood up upon seeing Leo.

"Are you the first-year representative, Leo Flob?"

"Yes."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Lil Luce, the second-year representative."

Lil extended her hand in a disciplined manner.

Leo, with a strange expression at her soldier-like demeanor, shook her hand.

"I am Leo Flob."

"This is Senior Hark Rigard, a fourth-year. As you can see, he's asleep. He's almost always asleep, so you don't need to mind him. I've rarely seen him awake either."

"Yes. But please speak casually."

"This is how I'm comfortable. By the way, Leo, I've wanted to meet you for a while!"

"Why me?"

"All Class? Is that really true?"

Lil asked with a slightly excited expression.

"If it's not too much trouble, could you show me the simultaneous use of the three powers?"

At her request, Leo simultaneously manifested aura, magic power, and spiritual power.

Seeing that, Lil exclaimed in admiration, then her shoulders drooped.

"I'm truly envious."

"Why?"

"Even though I'm the year representative, I'm just a plain and ordinary spirit caller with no special traits."

"Aren't you an amazing talent if you're the year representative?"

"No! I lack impact! Senior Hark is definitely characterized by sleeping every day! Senior Riss, needless to say, possesses the best skills! Even you, a first-year, are All Class! Ah! I'm so ordinary! I'm too ordinary! So ordinary!"

'No matter how I look at it, she's not ordinary…'

The person who claims to be ordinary is usually the least ordinary.

Leo asked as he crouched down, holding his head.

"What about Senior Elena?"

"That senior is… a bit dangerous."

"Dangerous?"

"Oh my? What do you mean I'm dangerous, Lil?"

"Ugh."

Leo looked in the direction of the voice.

There stood a female student in her third year.

Flowing golden hair. Sparkling pink eyes.

Snow-white skin and distinct facial features.

She was truly beautiful, beyond any other description.

"It's been a while, Senior Elena. How was your dispatch?"

"It was boring."

Elena said curtly and approached Leo, her heels clicking.

"Are you the famous first-year representative?"

Elena approached Leo with shining eyes.

Then, she poked Leo's cheek with her finger.

"Oh my~ you're so cute."

Chuckling, Elena stroked Leo's cheek and asked.

"Leo, do you want to be mine?"