Chapter 226
Gis, who was in charge of all the trainees of Zerdinger, received delightful news for the first time in a long while.
“Excellent. All five of them passed the Lumene exam.”
As one of the most prestigious Heroic Houses, many Zerdinger trainees applied for Lumene.
However, even if they were Zerdinger trainees, not all could enter the Human Hero Academy.
They trained every day to become outstanding knights, but the threshold for Lumene was high.
In that sense, the fact that five Zerdinger trainees were accepted this year was certainly encouraging.
“It’s all thanks to Young Master Leo.”
At Martina’s comment, Gis chuckled softly.
“You were the ones who endured the training. This is your accomplishment—be proud.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You are Leo’s knights and now belong to Lumene. But don’t forget that you are also trainees of Zerdinger.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Good. Zerdinger will handle the preparations for your enrollment, so you should focus on training.”
“Understood!”
Seeing the Slayer Order answer in unison, Gis nodded in satisfaction.
As the five left the training hall, they looked at each other and shouted in joy.
“Hooray!”
“We got into Lumene!”
“We’re students at the Hero Academy!”
Martina and Carin held hands and spun in circles, while Austin, Julian, and Valerie jumped with their arms around each other.
It felt like a dream.
“Phew…! I’m so glad I became Young Master Leo’s knight! It’s like a dream!”
Carin spoke with a dazed smile, and Julian burst out laughing.
“Who would’ve thought? That we’d be students at Lumene!”
While the five were still buzzing with excitement—
“You passed the Lumene exam?”
Startled by the voice behind them, they quickly stood at attention.
“Lady Celia. Hello!”
Martina stepped forward to greet her.
“Congratulations. You’re my juniors now, huh?”
Smiling gently, Celia looked at the five, who couldn’t hide their excitement.
Though they were now part of Leo’s knights, they had trained alongside Celia since they were young, and their admiration for her was great.
Celia, too, smiled proudly upon hearing that the five she had once trained with were now students of Lumene.
“That’s great. Now, come with me for a bit.”
“Yes, ma’am. Where are we going?”
Martina asked, and Celia brushed back her hair as she answered briefly.
“To the Imperial Palace’s Magic Archive.”
—
The Imperial Palace Magic Archive of Lordren.
It was the heart of Lordren’s magic engineering.
The magic tomes and research documents housed in the archive were comparable to those of the Magic Tower’s archive, making it one of the top locations for any mage.
The central areas were restricted to Imperial mages, but areas without critical documents were open to Lordren’s mages and external guests.
And there were people there drawing attention.
“Abad and Chelsea, huh. Doing homework during break? And who’s that? A school friend?”
“Geez, you should at least recognize the faces of major imperial figures! That’s Leo Plov! Leo Plov!”
“What? Leo Plov?”
The mages looked surprised to see Leo with the Lewellin siblings.
Leo Plov was already famous throughout the Lordren Empire.
But seeing him inside the Imperial Palace’s Magic Archive was still an unfamiliar sight for Lordren’s mages.
Naturally so—Leo’s maternal family was Zerdinger.
Leo was both a knight and a mage, but for someone from the renowned knightly Heroic House Zerdinger to be studying in the Imperial Archive was an unusual event.
Scratch—scratch—
Chelsea put down her pen and stretched with a groan.
“All done!”
With a refreshed smile, Chelsea announced she had finished her homework.
Abad also closed his book with his usual gentle smile.
“Finished sooner than expected.”
“It’s more efficient with the three of us working together.”
Smiling brightly, Chelsea looked at Leo.
‘Come to think of it, Leo must have homework for the Magic Department, Knights Department, and Summoning Department.’
She found herself admiring his capabilities once again.
“Abad!”
A group of girls around their age approached, holding magic tomes cautiously.
They were wearing what appeared to be school uniforms.
‘Imperial Palace Archive apprentice mages.’
The Lordren family managed the Imperial Palace Archive.
It also served as a training ground for promising mages of the empire.
Before enrolling in Lumene, Abad and Chelsea had also studied there.
The apprentice mages were in positions similar to Zerdinger trainees.
The girls gathering around Abad blushed as they held out their magic formulas.
“We don’t understand this. Could you teach us?”
Apparently, they had been waiting for Abad to finish his homework, as many apprentices began flocking to him.
‘Though I’m sure they’re more interested in other things than magic.’
Chelsea rested her chin on her hand.
Having been attached to Abad since childhood, Chelsea knew all too well how many girls were always around him.
It couldn’t be helped.
Even as his younger sister, she had to admit—he was handsome, kind, and heir to the Lewellin family.
‘My brother really is the top bachelor!’
Hmm! Hmm! Chelsea stood up, crossing her arms proudly.
“Brother, Leo. Want to grab a drink?”
The archive always had beverages and teas to help mages concentrate on their studies or research.
“Lady Chelsea. I’ll get it for you.”
One of the apprentices speaking with Abad flinched and offered.
But Chelsea smiled sweetly.
“It’s fine. You all keep asking my brother your questions.”
Humming cheerfully, Chelsea headed off to get drinks.
‘Since I’ve finished my homework, maybe I’ll go sightseeing in the capital? I stayed at the Plov household last summer break, so I should return the favor this time.’
As far as Chelsea knew, Leo had finished all his duties in Zerdinger and passed his entrance exams.
Now, all that was left was to enjoy the rest of the break.
‘Next year won’t be so easy.’
Chelsea sighed quietly.
Even as a young cadet, she was well aware of the continent’s political climate.
She could already tell that the second year would be no walk in the park.
‘Come to think of it, why is the Azonia year representative still in Lorend even after the exams are over?’
As she pouted while thinking about Ar—
“You’re Leo Plov, right?”
“Yeah, that’s me.”
“I’ve heard your grasp of magic theory is exceptional. I’d love to discuss it with you.”
A girl, likely an apprentice from the archive, approached Leo with a sweet smile.
‘Isn’t she the one who was shamelessly flirting with my brother last year? Now she’s going after Leo?’
Chelsea’s eyes flared.
Crack—!
A disturbing sound came from Chelsea’s tray.
“My dear niece, why are you angry again?”
With a spring breeze-like voice, Chelsea widened her eyes and turned around.
“Aunt.”
Standing there was Cherna Lewellin, head of the Imperial Palace Magic Archive.
Cherna smiled and placed both hands on Chelsea’s shoulders.
“So that’s Leo Plov?”
“Yes.”
“Hmmm?”
Cherna narrowed her eyes, then smiled brightly as she stared at Leo.
“He really does look a lot like Reina.”
“You knew Lady Reina, Aunt?”
“Of course. Reina was famous.”
Cherna shrugged as she walked toward Leo, heels clicking.
Her arrival caused the apprentice mages to freeze and bow quickly.
“Aunt.”
“Yes, Abad. It’s been a while.”
Cherna waved cheerfully to her nephew.
Then she stood before Leo.
“Welcome to the Imperial Palace Magic Archive, Leo Plov. I’m Cherna Lewellin, the director here.”
“Leo Plov. It’s an honor.”
Leo bowed politely, and Cherna rested her cheek on her hand with a spring-like smile.
“Oh my, how polite! I’m truly pleased to meet you. I told your uncle, the Deputy Lord of Zerdinger, many times that I wanted to meet you, but that grump kept refusing—can you believe it? He’s such a miser. Hahaha.”
As expected of Lewellin blood, Cherna had no qualms about criticizing Gis, the Deputy Lord of Zerdinger.
‘Leo, listen closely. If you ever meet that wicked witch from the Imperial Palace, don’t even talk to her.’
Of course, before coming to the capital, Gis had said something similar.
Cherna was not only the director of the archive but also the current Deputy Lord of the Lewellin family.
Still smiling sweetly, her eyes thinned.
“Now that I see you, I should’ve invited you sooner—regardless of the ties between Lewellin and Zerdinger.”
“It’s an honor to hear that.”
Leo smiled.
“Then how about a little chat while you’re here?”
As she said that, Chelsea moved to stand beside Leo.
But Cherna looked at her and smiled.
“Chelsea. I’d like to talk with Leo alone this time.”
“Huh?”
Chelsea blinked, looked around, then nodded.
“All right.”
‘Why does Aunt want to speak to Leo alone?’
She watched Leo walk away with Cherna, puzzled.
Following behind her, Leo narrowed his eyes.
‘Is she one of the shadow side?’
Cherna Lewellin.
Deputy Lord of the Lewellin family and director of the Imperial Palace Magic Archive.
She looked like someone who lived a glamorous public life.
But Leo could sense it.
The heavy scent of blood that surrounded her.
She wasn’t someone who lived in the light.
Back during the Great Hero era, she reminded him of Kyle—the one who judged and buried traitors.
“This is just a precaution…”
Cherna spoke in a soft tone.
“Don’t mention me to Chelsea. She’ll find out someday, but… not yet.”
“About what?”
“Don’t play dumb.”
Cherna kept smiling brightly.
“In return, I won’t say anything either. You seem like someone cut from the same cloth as me.”
She stopped in a hallway cloaked in shadows and turned.
Her light blue eyes, the same as Abad and Chelsea’s, glinted eerily.
“For someone who’s only fifteen.”
As a skilled hunter, Cherna recognized a darkness in Leo that resembled her own.
The kind only those who’ve stepped into this world would know.
‘Maybe even deeper than mine.’
She smiled as a chill ran down her spine.
“The reason I asked to speak with you is because our recent guest is someone connected to you.”
Leo’s eyes showed confusion.
Cherna opened the office door.
Inside were two people.
“Welcome, Black Rabbit.”
Ar snorted and greeted Leo.
Beside her stood a large beastkin with arms crossed.
He appeared to be a student from Azonia.
He opened his eyes and looked at Leo.
The wolf beastkin spoke in a low voice.
“Nice to meet you, student council president of Lumene.”
Swoosh—
He stood up.
He was nearly two heads taller than Leo, forcing Leo to look up.
“My name is Doberman Charles. I’ve become the student council president of Azonia. We’ll be seeing each other often.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Leo Plov.”
“Hmph.”
Doberman exhaled irritably as he looked down at Leo.
“What a frail body. Hark’s the same—why are all Lumene’s warriors so weak-looking?”
He stared at the ceiling as he lamented.
“Leo. If you had come to Azonia, you’d have a stronger body—”
“Yeah, yeah. Try recruiting from other schools elsewhere.”
Cherna chuckled.
“Let’s get to the main topic.”
Step—step—
Cherna placed a magically sealed box on her desk.
“Lordren recently fought against a Hero Hunter. And from that, we obtained a trophy.”
Creak—
The magic seal was lifted.
Inside was a broken shard of metal.
Leo’s eyes widened.
“You invited us to the Lordren Empire… just for this?”
Doberman looked puzzled.
“I heard it was something related to Lord Aron… what is this shard?”
“Brave.”
“…!”
Doberman and Ar turned to Leo.
Cherna narrowed her eyes.
“You recognized it at a glance? Even though it’s just a fragment?”
Cherna nodded.
“You’re right, Leo. This is a fragment of the Hero’s Sword, Brave.”