Chapter 268
The next morning.
The second-year students of Lumene gathered in the cafeteria attached to the dormitory building they had been assigned by Damienne.
They talked while eating breakfast.
“Don’t you think the Seiren kids were staring daggers at us yesterday?”
“The second-year head teacher looked like beams were about to shoot out of his eyes.”
“Why on earth was that?”
Most of the conversation revolved around Seiren’s attitude the previous night.
The students of Lumene and Azonia had for the most part enjoyed the banquet Damienne had prepared.
Of course, there were noble students who were put off by the atmosphere that resembled a tavern on the streets.
But their number wasn’t large, and even if they did feel that way, they didn’t show it outwardly.
Then Seiren, who had arrived late, ruined the banquet, so it was only natural that not only the students of Damienne, but also those of Lumene and Azonia, didn’t look kindly on them.
To make matters worse, Seiren had displayed great hostility toward Lumene’s side.
For the second-years who had experienced Seiren’s students through Lumeiren, it was a bewildering experience.
The mood was far too different from how it had been during Lumeiren.
In just a few months the sudden shift left them both angry and puzzled.
“It must be because of Professor Len.”
“Professor Len? Why? He didn’t even come this time.”
“Because the magic theory he presented recently offended the elves.”
The students from the other departments gave confused looks at the words of the Magic Department student.
“Professor Len presented a new theory of magic?”
“You mean the one related to [Star Magic]?”
“And why would that be?”
“Seriously? Do I have to explain?”
In the first class of the Magic Department in the second year’s first semester, Len had revealed to the students the latest magical theory he had completed.
[Introduction to Star Magic]
It was a groundbreaking magical theory that allowed anyone with magical talent, not only elves, to begin learning Star Magic.
In fact, during that very first class, Chloe, one of the top students in the second-year Magic Department, had successfully begun her study of Star Magic.
It was, quite literally, a magical theory that could overturn the foundation of the magical world.
And indeed, once Len’s thesis was published, the world of magic was in an uproar.
But in Seiren, the very heart of the elven magical world, it was an uproar of a different kind.
If one were to name the most conservative magical community by race, it would be the elves.
Star Magic, regarded as the elves’ unique magic.
The great legacy left behind by Luna, the Founder of the Nebula, had always been considered the exclusive property of the elves.
Occasionally, a sorcerer of another race with extraordinary talent might learn Star Magic, but those cases were exceedingly rare.
Before Professor Len had presented [Introduction to Star Magic], the only second-year magician who had entered Star Magic was Leo.
Since so few outside of the elves could learn it, the elves had never concerned themselves with them.
But [Introduction to Star Magic] meant that many magicians could now become Star Magicians.
A power thought for thousands of years to belong solely to the elves was no longer exclusively theirs.
Star Magic was also one of the key reasons why elves were called the race of magic.
Thus, the elves saw [Introduction to Star Magic] as an intrusion upon and a threat to their tradition.
After the Magic Department student’s explanation, a Knights Department student crossed his arms.
“So that’s what it is?”
“Guess it was too complicated for a muscle-head like you to understand.”
“What? Did you just say what I think you said?”
Smack! Smack! Breakfast grew noisy.
Meanwhile—
“Chloe, is something wrong?”
Celia cautiously asked Chloe.
Chloe was absentmindedly spooning soup with her fork.
After watching Chloe for a moment, Celia turned to Chen Xia beside her.
“Xia, did something happen?”
“Nothing happened.”
“Really?”
“I said nothing happened.”
“Hmm…”
Celia looked at Chen Xia with a slightly sour expression.
‘Better not poke her.’
Though she smiled as usual, there was a faint sharpness in the air.
While Celia was hesitantly watching Chen Xia’s mood—
“So what’s with that nasty glare?”
A voice dripping with irritation came.
Turning their heads, they saw Chelsea walking with a tray, snapping at Carr.
“I was just curious how you’d react if you knew what you weren’t supposed to.”
Carr smirked slyly as he teased Chelsea, then spotted the three girls and greeted them.
“Oh! Good morning!”
“Carr, would you like to sit here?”
“Gladly~”
Chelsea, pouting, cast a sideways glance at Celia before speaking primly.
“I’m going to sit with my brother.”
“Hey, just sit here. Abad’s probably with Duran anyway.”
Chelsea pouted and, after giving Celia—who was elegantly eating her salad—a quick look, sat down as far from her as possible.
“By the way…”
Carr grinned slyly, glancing between Chloe and Chen Xia.
“Ladies, you look like you didn’t sleep well.”
“I slept fine, Carr.”
“Really?”
Carr chuckled mischievously.
Chen Xia smiled faintly as she asked,
“By the way, where’s young master Leo?”
“He said he was going to sleep in a bit longer. Must’ve been tired.”
“He stayed up late last night?”
“Sure did. Very~ late.”
“That’s unusual. Leo never oversleeps.”
“Exactly. His stamina’s like a monster’s—he never sleeps in no matter how late he goes to bed.”
Unaware that Leo had snuck out of the dorm the previous night, Celia and Chelsea looked puzzled.
“Well, maybe he worked himself hard enough to be tired. I wouldn’t know.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“If you shared a room, you’d know what he did.”
“Then ask them. They might know.”
Carr snickered as he bit into his bread.
Clink—
‘Clink?’
The bread made an ominous sound as Carr pulled it out of his mouth.
It was frozen solid, so cold it hurt his hand to hold it.
Gulping nervously, Carr turned his head.
If anyone would do something like this here—
“…”
His eyes landed on Chloe, her face bright red as her shoulders trembled, glaring at him.
“Carr.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You do know I may be your friend, but I’m still your senior, right?”
“Of course, my lady.”
“And I’m from the Shadow. I learned quite a few methods of torture.”
Chen Xia rested her chin on her clasped hands.
Sitting with perfect posture and back ramrod straight, Carr’s sweat poured down his back like rain.
“Do you think it’s okay to tease?”
“No, ma’am! I’m sorry! I won’t do it again!”
Carr answered sharply.
Chen Xia smiled darkly at him.
“…What’s that about?”
“How should I know?”
Chelsea asked sourly, and Celia wore an equally baffled expression.
“Good morning.”
Leo entered, tray in hand, yawning as he sat down.
Chloe flinched at the sight of him.
Chen Xia, too, relaxed her posture and stole a glance at Leo.
“Strange to see you sleeping in.”
“There was something last night.”
“Something? What?”
At Celia’s question, Leo said flatly,
“I met with Professor Mel late at night.”
“Pfft!”
Chelsea, drinking water, spat it out involuntarily.
“You snuck out to meet Professor Mel?”
Celia frowned.
“Why?”
What business could he have to sneak out late at night to meet a professor?
And Mel was a young professor, a considerable beauty at that.
Chloe turned her slightly flushed face away while listening closely.
Chelsea fidgeted nervously, and Chen Xia smiled as usual, though her eyes were a bit stiff.
“She told me to be careful not to get tangled up with Seiren’s kids. Gave me some warnings about elves.”
Leo spoke nonchalantly.
“She said she came instead of Professor Len to avoid provoking Seiren.”
“Ah~”
Celia nodded as if she understood.
“Come to think of it, your name was listed as co-author on [Introduction to Star Magic], wasn’t it?”
At her words, Chelsea giggled, Chloe returned to her usual expression, and Chen Xia smiled faintly.
Carr, watching them, teased,
“You girls sure have vivid imaginations~ What are you even thinking—ugh! Chloe! I won’t do it again!”
As all the food on his tray began to freeze solid, Carr shrieked and begged for mercy.
“What on earth are you imagining?”
Leo asked, and Chen Xia smiled.
“Well, hearing that you met the pretty Professor Mel late at night… we were just worried it might be something like that.”
“You thought a male student and a female professor were on a date?”
Leo clicked his tongue.
“Kids these days have dirty imaginations.”
“You’re one of those kids too, so what nonsense are you spouting?”
“Young master Leo, you sounded exactly like an old man just now.”
As Celia and Chen Xia looked at him with exasperated expressions, Leo thought to himself,
‘Even Mel, whom you consider an adult, treats me like an old man.’
—
After breakfast.
The students of Lumene, Azonia, and Seiren gathered together.
The second-years of Damienne filled the auditorium where their classes were held.
“Think there’s anyone in Seiren worth fighting?”
“Doesn’t look like it. Fighting Lumene’s kids would be more fun.”
“I just want to fight Leo Plov as soon as possible.”
Sitting between Lumene and Seiren, the Azonia students’ eyes gleamed as they looked at both sides.
“Tch, nothing but battle-crazed meatheads.”
“Just as the rumors said.”
The Seiren students sneered at the Azonia students.
“Don’t they seem dangerous?”
“Beastkin and elves are natural enemies. Maybe we should’ve sat in the middle.”
Carr clicked his tongue worriedly just as Chelsea sighed.
Creak—! Thud—!
The auditorium doors swung open and Damienne’s second-years filed in.
Unlike yesterday, they weren’t in formal uniforms.
Each wore their own work clothes as they took seats at the front of the lecture hall.
Step— step—
Then a single dwarf walked up to the podium.
“Good to see you again, students of the Hero Academies.”
It was Smith Depeto, the second-year representative.
“The reason I’ve gathered you here today is so our Damienne smiths and you can form exclusive contracts.”
Depeto looked around the hall as he spoke.
“Five thousand years ago, the Divine Blacksmith Dweno took responsibility for crafting the weapons of his fellow great heroes. Carrying on that tradition, we dwarves have forged the arms of heroes for generations.”
Depeto’s expression turned meaningful.
“And today, our Damienne students will evaluate you as blacksmiths.”
At those words, from Lumene, Eliana shot her hand up.
“Yes, the pretty young lady who looks so pure, what’s your question?”
“Oh my, oh my. He says I look pure.”
Eliana twisted her body and blushed as if embarrassed.
“Ugh!”
“Gross.”
Of course, the reaction from those around her was cold.
After kicking the boys who mocked her, Eliana spoke.
“I am Eliana Laden of Lumene! You said Damienne’s students will be evaluating us—how exactly will they do that?”
“Nothing difficult. Simply announce the weapon you would like to commission from our students.”
All the Hero Academy students froze at his words.
“The materials, the weapon’s strength and mana output, any additional enchantments, its special traits and pros and cons—”
Depeto swept his gaze across the students.
“Think carefully about the specifications of the weapon you want, then present them. Our Damienne students will decide whom to choose.”