Chapter 188
Leo headed straight for the club building with Chen Xia.
“Come to think of it, Sir Leo, weren’t you planning to start a Hero Research Club?”
Chen Xia tilted her head and bit her index finger as if recalling something.
“I was. But I became student council president before I could.”
“That’s a shame. I was thinking of joining if you did.”
“You’re that interested in heroes?”
“Is there anyone who isn’t?”
She had a point.
In an age called the Era of Heroes, most people admired them.
Naturally, hero stories were objects of admiration too.
If you stopped any Lumene student and asked, each would have a favorite.
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
With a faint smile, Chen Xia nodded.
“They’re just… cool.”
Something in the way she murmured it, like she was gazing at a distant ideal, made Leo tilt his head.
“You’re talking like you’ll never become one.”
Chen Xia widened her eyes at him.
“Didn’t you come to Lumene because you dreamed of becoming a hero?”
Walking ahead, Leo threw the question back casually.
Watching his back, Chen Xia burst into laughter.
“Sir Leo, do you realize you sometimes sound like an old man?”
“Do I?”
“See? You didn’t even deny it.”
Chen Xia leaned in beside him and peered up at his face.
“Were you an old man who got younger?”
‘I mean, I was reborn.’
Leo chuckled, finding her oddly sharp.
Before long, the two arrived at the club building and got to work.
“Where should we start?”
“Hm. The Horticulture Club is closest. Shall we go there first?”
“Let’s.”
Leo nodded, and the two headed to the club.
After glancing around, Leo’s face twisted.
‘It’s practically a jungle.’
Though summer had passed and autumn was nearing—and the students wore mid-season uniforms—the area around the Horticulture Club was unnaturally humid due to magic.
It wasn’t wrong to call it a mini jungle.
Inside, various plants filled the space.
Leo’s expression changed.
“There are even carnivorous [Summoned Beast]-type plants in here.”
“Well, this is Lumene’s Horticulture Club. Would they ever grow something ordinary?”
Chen Xia shrugged.
“I thought the art and music clubs operated normally.”
“They do. But a lot of Lumene’s clubs dabble in dangerous things.”
As a student council officer, Chen Xia had good knowledge of the school.
“And there are some normal fruit trees too.”
She reached out and plucked an apple, munching it with a crisp crunch.
Leo looked at the tree she picked it from.
It bore not just apples but various fruits.
‘This is practically a chimera.’
Someone well-versed in magic engineering clearly ran this club.
Leo and Chen Xia made their way toward the club office.
Suddenly, a few large flower buds snapped open and lunged at them.
For normal people, it’d be terrifying—but not for Leo and Chen Xia.
It wasn’t that they were top of the class.
It was just that if you got scared by something like this, you wouldn’t survive at Lumene.
Leo dodged the buds and grabbed a stem, subduing it.
Chen Xia flicked a finger and gave a bud a solid flick on the forehead.
Whap!
The carnivorous plant flew back from the impact.
Pweeeeet—!
A sharp whistle blew.
The frenzied flowers quickly calmed down.
“Who’s here? No one usually visits the Horticulture Club.”
Pushing through the greenery, a girl appeared.
She wore a fourth-year badge and the Magic Department emblem. Her light green hair and emerald eyes stood out.
Chen Xia addressed her.
“We’re from the student council.”
“Huh? You’re Chen Xia? Then this must be about Lumeiren. And… Leo Plov?”
At the sight of Leo, the fourth-year flinched.
“You’re here for inspections…”
“Oh my! Mister Student Council President! What brings you to such a humble place!”
Without batting an eye at his year, the fourth-year girl bolted over and began rubbing her hands.
“The heat must’ve been unbearable! You should’ve told us you were coming! Come in, come in!”
It was almost hard to believe she was addressing a first-year.
‘They’re really touchy when it comes to budgets.’
Club presidents weren’t just upperclassmen.
Lumene’s clubs dug deep—many experiences proved useful even after graduation.
In related industries, club research often went beyond typical schoolwork.
And research always needed funding.
Hence, club leaders were always desperate for funds.
‘First-year? Who cares? He’s the student council president! The money man!’
Ninea, the Horticulture Club president, would bow to a goblin if it meant funding.
Ushering them inside, she kicked open the door.
“Everyone kneel! The mo— I mean, the future student council president is here!”
“Huh?”
“T-The student council president?”
Startled, the club members shot up and rushed over.
“Welcome!”
“An honor to have you!”
“Bring out the welcome banner!”
They cheered enthusiastically.
They were all students from the Magic or Summoning Departments.
“Hmph. Such a noble guest visiting such a shabby place.”
From the far end, a first-year girl named Eliza calmly filed her nails.
“You’re in the Horticulture Club?”
“Yes. I like flowers.”
Eliza blew on her nails and stood from the sofa.
“For someone who likes them, there weren’t any flowers outside.”
“T-That’s because our seniors have some… bizarre tastes…”
“Bizarre, huh? Why would Lady Eliza stay in such a crazy club?”
Ninea smirked, to which Eliza scoffed.
“Hmph! Once I become club president, I’m removing all those weird plants and turning this place into a proper flower garden!”
“Nooooooo!”
Ninea wailed and clung to Eliza.
“Don’t do it! I raised them for four years! They’re like my children! Eliza, please! Waaaaah!”
An elite like Eliza would no doubt become club president in time.
And the thought that her precious plants might be wiped out someday made Ninea weep sincerely.
“F-Fine! I won’t! Just stop tugging on my skirt!”
Eliza frantically tried to shake her off.
As a senior and a club president, Ninea had no dignity left.
But despite her usual fiery reputation, Eliza was helpless against her.
‘A natural enemy.’
Leo mused to himself as Eliza finally calmed her down.
Then Eliza cleared her throat.
“Hmph. Anyway, if you’re here for student council work, it’s about inspections and budget evaluation, right?”
Her eyes sharpened.
“Then shall we talk?”
Leo glanced briefly at Ninea.
“Isn’t there already a club president?”
“I’m the vice president. I also handle the budget.”
At her response, Leo looked to Ninea.
“Yeah, ever since Eliza joined, the club’s finances have improved a ton.”
“She’s the type to drain the budget for any plant she likes.”
“What a reckless person!”
“She’s our senior!”
“Anyway, Eliza! Let’s milk the budget for Lumeiren—”
“Take her away. She’s not helping.”
With that, third-year members grabbed Ninea by both arms and dragged her off.
“This is a coup! You’re listening to a first-year! Where’s your pride— Mmph! Mmph!!”
“You’re in no place to talk.”
“Come quietly. Eliza handles the budget now.”
Chen Xia chuckled and took out her notes.
Eliza sat Leo and Chen Xia on a sofa and brought a table over.
With a graceful clap, another first-year brought out refreshments.
“This is expensive tea.”
Chen Xia sipped and marveled.
Eliza smiled.
“We’re the Horticulture Club. We work with a business club on a tea leaf venture.”
“I think Carr mentioned that.”
At Lumene, clubs could participate in economic activity if they had the ability.
Some profits went to the school, but the value of Lumene’s name more than justified it.
“You know increased funding depends heavily on financial performance, right?”
“I do. But with this kind of profit, do you really need more funding?”
“It’s Lumeiren. There’s a lot to prepare.”
“How much do you want?”
“As much as the club’s entire annual budget.”
Leo looked to Chen Xia.
She shook her head.
Too much.
“One-fourth.”
“No compromise. We’ve prepared all the documentation to justify it.”
Eliza, heir of the famed Hergin House in the northern continent, was trained not just as a summoner, but also as a successor.
She was well-versed in paperwork and budgets.
“Hm.”
Leo reviewed the documents while Eliza smiled.
‘With solid data, any amount of funding is possible.’
She crossed her legs elegantly.
‘Leo Plov. He may have earned the title with strength, but does he have the skills to match?’
She had already guessed this inspection was a test from the council to assess Leo’s capabilities.
So she intended to give it her all.
‘I’ll wring out every coin I can.’
“Your documents are solid,” Chen Xia admitted, a little troubled.
In this area, Eliza outclassed her.
“What exactly is the Horticulture Club doing for Lumeiren?”
Eliza’s eye twitched.
“T-That’s…”
“We’re going to battle Seiren’s carnivorous plants! We’ve won the past four years in a—”
“Senior!”
With a sharp yell, the club members dragged Ninea away again.
Pressing her temple, Eliza sighed.
“A-Anyway! Beating Seiren is what matters, right? That’s why we need this budget!”
Truthfully, they didn’t need that much.
She just wanted better conditions for club activities moving forward.
‘You have to ask for as much as you can while the opportunity lasts!’
Eliza lifted her chin.
“We’re simply demanding our rightful share.”
Had Leo and Chen Xia been experienced student council veterans, they might’ve found loopholes.
But neither knew enough about club affairs.
‘What now…’
Just as Chen Xia scratched her cheek—
Leo raised his palm.
Fwoosh—!
Peep?
Fiora appeared through a summoning circle.
Eliza flinched.
‘A P-Phoenix?!’
“Fiora.”
Peep?
Leo tucked the quarter-budget approval form into her beak.
“Take this and get her signature.”
Peep!
Fiora spat the paper out in annoyance.
Leo calmly said,
“You’re the only one who can do this.”
Fiora froze, then lifted her head proudly and nodded.
Paper in beak, she hopped over to Eliza.
Peep, peep!
“Ugh…!”
Eliza’s face turned red.
She couldn’t argue. You couldn’t beat a Phoenix with words.
Click—!
“Let’s go. She’ll get the signature.”
Leo pulled Chen Xia along and left.
Chen Xia looked back.
“Will she really sign it?”
“She will.”
“Eliza seemed pretty firm.”
“Summoners are weak to Phoenixes.”
At that, Chen Xia paused—then burst out laughing.
“Still, wasn’t that a bit much?”
“My friend once told me: if negotiations look unfavorable, find a weakness and bite hard.”
“You have a friend like that? Sounds a bit underhanded for someone aiming to be a hero.”
Hearing her surprise, Leo thought to himself:
‘That was Lysinas, the Hero of Heroes.’
Often called the King of Wisdom—and sometimes a swindler—Leo smiled to himself as he looked at Chen Xia.
Though she was the most mature among first-years, she still had some innocence.
‘Or maybe… the rest of us—besides Arron—are just too tainted.’