Book 1 Chapter 970

970.

In front of the Tower of Heroes, located in the center of Lumern, were outside vendors.

Starting with high-end cafes and restaurants, there were famous eateries selling regional cuisine from around the world.

Just as it was difficult to get accepted into Lumern, it was by no means easy to set up a stall.

Since all the culinary skills were of the highest caliber, the area in front of the Tower of Heroes was always crowded with students.

Of course, Lumern's cafeteria food was also very delicious, but it was natural to get tired of eating anything every day.

Among them was a large cafe called the Haven of Abundance.

The outdoor seating of the cafe was packed with students.

Karl, sitting at one of the tables, took a sip of his warm coffee with a relaxed expression.

"Whew. As expected, delicious coffee after an exam has a bittersweet taste."

Iliana, sitting opposite him, who was murmuring with a leisurely face, agreed with his words, taking a sip of her black tea and savoring it.

"There's nothing better than tea time after an exam."

Karl and Iliana, exuding a warm atmosphere and laughing heartily.

First-year students passing by looked at them with envious eyes.

"Wow, Senior Karl and Senior Iliana are so relaxed."

"Senior Karl has reached the position of Hero, and Senior Iliana is the best Swordmaster of the third year. It's natural for those two to be relaxed about midterms."

Hearing the murmurs of the first-years, Karl and Iliana put on even more relaxed expressions.

A moment later.

After lunch break ended, the first-years returned to their classrooms.

Unlike the third-years, whose exams ended relatively early, the first-years still had their midterm exams remaining.

At that moment, Chelsea, Nela, and Tate, who had come to the center, spotted them.

"What are you guys doing?"

Tate asked with a bewildered face, and Karl replied, placing his coffee cup down with a *clink*.

"We're enjoying the leisure of those whose exams are over."

"Enjoying? Bullshit. It just looks like you're putting on a show because you messed up your exam."

Despite Chelsea's sharp and ruthless remark, Karl and Iliana maintained their relaxed expressions.

"You know, Chelsea."

Iliana placed her teacup down and looked at Chelsea.

"I'm a third-year now. I'll be a fourth-year soon."

"So?"

"We've been through too much to be overjoyed or disheartened by failing a midterm exam."

"Exactly. Exactly. Iliana is right."

Karl chimed in.

Tate clicked his tongue as if he felt sorry for the two of them.

"They're broken. Nela, can you fix them?"

"Hmm… I can't do anything about mental damage…"

Nela, looking slightly troubled at Tate's question, lifted her morning star and asked.

"Shall I give them a little shock with this?"

At her question, Karl and Iliana, who had been maintaining relaxed expressions until now, flinched.

"Nela."

"Yes?"

"Don't. Please remain a sensible person."

Tate said earnestly, and Nela smiled.

"Just kidding."

"Your jokes are getting scarier and scarier."

Tate clicked his tongue.

Regardless of what happened, as Nela put away her morning star, Karl and Iliana, who had been flustered, regained their composure.

"But are you guys really okay? I heard that those who performed poorly on the written exam this time have to take remedial classes."

Karl and Iliana looked back at Chelsea.

"As I said before, Chelsea. We've been through too much to be overjoyed or disheartened by something like that."

"Right. We even participated in the battle against Erebus just a while ago. Do you think we'd be scared of remedial classes?"

Chelsea, looking at the two who were boasting with a seemingly mature expression, clicked her tongue.

"These idiots have only become unnecessarily mentally strong."

"Hahahahaha."

"Hohohoho."

As Chelsea sighed while watching the two who showed no signs of mental damage.

"You were all gathered here?"

"Ah! Brother Leo!"

Chelsea greeted Leo, who arrived late, with a bright smile.

They had made plans to go out to Lumaria City to celebrate the end of their midterm exams.

"Did everyone do well on their exams?"

In response to Leo's question, Chelsea put her arms behind her back and lifted her chin.

"Heh! As always, I was perfect."

"I was also as usual."

Nela smiled and had her usual relaxed expression.

Tate also said with a confident expression.

"I did well this time too."

"Tate, that's unexpected."

"What's unexpected?"

As Tate grumbled, Leo, who burst into laughter, looked at Karl and Iliana.

"You two…"

"As you can see, we messed up."

At Tate's words, shrugging his shoulders, Leo clicked his tongue.

"What a shame?"

"Huh? Why?"

Leo said nonchalantly as Tate asked with a puzzled expression.

"I heard that the third-year remedial classes are taught by each student's first-year homeroom professor."

At those words, the movements of Karl and Iliana, who had been exuding a relaxed atmosphere, completely stopped.

Iliana's hand, which was lifting her teacup, began to tremble, frozen in that pose.

"Cap… Captain… If it's a first-year homeroom professor… Could it be…"

"We have Professor Halind."

"Kiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaaaak!"

Iliana screamed without realizing it and grabbed her head.

In the process, the teacup was thrown into the air.

Chelsea used magic to retrieve not only the teacup but also its contents, looking at them with a sympathetic expression.

"Too bad. I guarantee it. You're dead with Professor Halind."

"Wow. If it were me, I would have committed suicide."

Tate also smiled sympathetically.

"Captain, you're lying, right? Please say you're lying!"

"Leo! Tell us it's a lie!"

Karl and Iliana, with tearful faces, clung to Leo and pleaded.

Leo shook his head, looking at the two clinging to his arms.

"But it's unexpected. The first-year homeroom professors are in charge of remedial classes separately."

"The professors said that it's about time students start to mature and neglect their liberal arts exams, so they're having the first-year homeroom professors teach to help them regain their initial focus."

In Lumern, written exams are important, but it's possible to avoid failing grades with practical exams alone.

Therefore, by the third year, students began to approach liberal arts and written exams with the goal of merely passing.

However, Lumern's goal is not to create heroes who are only good at fighting.

Lumern aims to create talents who will lead the era, combining both academic and martial skills.

Therefore, they did not tolerate the neglect of liberal arts, no matter how minor.

Regardless of who said what, the professors who were in charge of the students in their first year had observed them the longest, making them suitable candidates for moral education and guidance.

"They've been crushed by the disaster they brought upon themselves."

Tate shook his head and looked at Karl and Iliana, whose relaxed atmosphere had disappeared and were emitting a gloomy aura.

"Leaves are lucky. They don't have to take remedial classes."

Iliana, crouching on the ground, poked the fallen leaves with her fingers.

The leaves crumbled.

Watching her, Karl muttered.

"I want to be a leaf. Then I don't have to take remedial classes."

"They're completely broken."

Nela sighed.

Of course, Chelsea paid no attention to the two depressed individuals.

"Where should we go today?"

"Let's go get lunch first. I want to eat some traditional eastern cuisine after a long time."

"I know a good place. It's where I went with Sia before."

Leo and Chelsea, without paying any attention to the two, talked only about where to eat, and Tate shook his head.

"Don't you guys care about them?"

Leo and Chelsea answered simultaneously to that question.

"We're not the ones taking remedial classes."

Seeing the two answering word for word, Tate let out a hollow laugh.

"You two are starting to resemble each other."

***

"Wow! This is delicious!"

Iliana's eyes sparkled as she bit into a dumpling.

Seeing that, Nela smiled slightly.

"I'm glad you recovered so quickly."

"I'll think about tomorrow's problems tomorrow! The important thing is to enjoy the present!"

"That's a reckless mindset of living only for today."

Chelsea's remark made Iliana, who had a sulky expression, quickly point her fork at one of Chelsea's dumplings and take it.

"Ah! Hey!"

As Chelsea's eyes widened, Iliana stuck out her tongue.

"This is revenge for you teasing me earlier!"

And she quickly put the dumpling in her mouth.

"Ouch ouch ouch!"

Then she burned the roof of her mouth and jumped.

"You!"

As Chelsea jumped up from her seat, Leo said.

"I'll give you mine. Don't fight. And don't tease Iliana too much."

"Uh, okay."

As Leo gave her his dumpling, Chelsea obediently nodded.

Watching them, Karl clicked his tongue.

"You're not even like ten-year-old boys. Fighting over food so childishly?"

"Food is a serious matter, Karl."

Iliana replied while chewing her dumpling, and Karl shook his head.

"I still can't believe you guys are from noble families. When I first entered, I thought everyone was like you."

"Oh?"

Iliana exclaimed.

Chelsea glanced at Karl and asked.

"Now?"

"I know you guys are weird. Eliza and Nela are normal."

At those words, Iliana and Chelsea began to snatch all of Karl's food.

Karl looked crestfallen.

"I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

Karl, who was starving, was able to have a proper meal after apologizing.

After finishing their late lunch, Nela said.

"Nela, what are you going to buy?"

"Well. I heard new morning stars have arrived, so I want to see them first."

"Oh! I'm going to the blacksmith to see new products too!"

"I'm looking for a dagger for close combat weapons."

Watching the female students talking about shopping while eating dessert, Tate muttered.

"If you ignore the content of the conversation, it sounds like ordinary girls' talk."

"What are you talking about? It's just normal daily conversation."

Karl pointed out, and Tate sighed.

"It's based on Lumern's standards."

By now, the three female students' conversation had shifted to topics like smashing enemy heads, beheading them, making eye contact with them, etc.

Certainly, by Lumern's standards, it was normal conversation, but it was not the kind of conversation ordinary girls of that age would have.

"I definitely want to marry a normal lady."

Tate's vow made Karl chuckle.

"Do you think that's up to you?"

"Why? I'm normal enough. After graduation, I'll build a stable public career, retire a little early, and have a comfortable old age."

"Since you hang out with us, being normal is out of the question."

"Is that so?"

Tate burst into laughter at Karl's words.

"Speaking of which, there's a night market opening today too."

"Ah! It's curfew! I wish I had applied for an overnight stay!"

At Nela's words, Iliana screamed.

"We can go tomorrow."

"But Chelsea, you know the night market is best on the first day."

"That's true, but…"

Chelsea looked disappointed.

Iliana rubbed her hands together and smiled brightly at Leo.

"Student Council President, can't you issue an overnight pass with your authority?"

"No."

"Aww~ Don't be like that!"

Iliana looked at Leo with sparkling eyes.

Watching her, Karl fumbled in his pocket and took out a piece of paper.

"I have an overnight pass."

"Karl, if you knew the night market was opening, why didn't you say something sooner?"

At Nela's words, Karl shrugged.

"I didn't get the overnight pass because of the night market."

"Then?"

Seeing Nela tilting her head, Karl smiled.

"A date appointment."