Chapter 270

The final turn.

At Leo’s bombshell declaration, a frigid silence fell over the auditorium.

The students of Damienne stared fixedly at him, while the other schools’ students opened and closed their mouths in shock.

Lumene, Seiren, Azonia.

The three schools’ students already harbored dissatisfaction with Damienne’s demand.

No one liked being evaluated.

And yet, they could also understand Damienne’s request.

Damienne wasn’t just another Hero Academy—it was also the world’s greatest forge.

There were countless smithies across the land.

But the dwarves’ forges were always special, and Damienne’s was the most special of all.

To wield weapons crafted by the apprentice smiths of Damienne was a privilege granted only to fellow hero candidates.

That was why they showed no outward discontent.

On the contrary, they aimed to outshine the other academies and earn the favor of Damienne’s skilled second-years.

But Leo had reversed it—declaring that ‘he’ would be the one evaluating Damienne’s students.

It left everyone speechless.

‘He’s caused another scene!’

Celia tilted her head back and covered her face with the back of her hand.

She knew her cousin sometimes acted rashly.

But she hadn’t expected him to pull such a stunt in front of the other schools.

‘That’s outright provoking Damienne!’

She screamed inwardly.

At that moment, a female student of Damienne raised her hand.

“Leo Plov. I’ve heard you’re an All-Class.”

“That’s right.”

“When you say you can wield any weapon to perfection, what exactly do you mean? That you can wield weapons of ‘any class’? Or…”

She narrowed her eyes.

“Do you mean literally every type of weapon that exists in this world?”

It was common sense that no one could wield every weapon in existence perfectly.

Even within the magician’s staff alone, a long staff could differ greatly depending on its attribute.

At her question, Leo smiled faintly.

“I meant every kind of weapon in existence.”

“Don’t lie! That’s impossible! If you’re going to joke, read the room! Or what? Are you saying the youngest student council president of Lumene wouldn’t be satisfied with anything we craft for you?”

The Damienne girl snapped.

And she wasn’t the only one.

All of Damienne’s second-years glared at Leo, thinking he was mocking them.

“Calm yourselves.”

Then Smith Depeto stepped in.

He ascended the podium, soothing his students before glancing at Leo.

‘Well, he’s still at the age where such arrogance can be forgiven.’

Depeto smiled faintly at him.

What Leo had just said was outrageous enough to be condemned as arrogance.

No matter how unprecedented his All-Class was, no matter how young a student council president he was, claiming he could master every weapon in existence was beyond reason.

But Depeto didn’t dislike his words.

He too was a graduate of Damienne who had crafted weapons for hero candidates and heroes.

There were even those who had risen to herohood after forging bonds with him as candidates.

That was why he understood well—

‘It isn’t only smiths who have pride.’

Those who wield weapons had pride, too.

And in Depeto’s eyes, Leo had the qualifications to back that pride.

It might sound like reckless bravado, but given his age, it was nothing strange.

‘And it’ll serve as a good stimulus for them.’

From their first year, Damienne’s students were dispatched to practice smithing.

They traveled to the eastern regions to forge weapons and receive payment.

Even as first-year apprentices, the quality of their work was superb—because they were from Damienne.

‘That’s why these second-years are used to constant praise.’

Of course. They were Damienne’s future masters.

The heirs of the Divine Blacksmith.

They’d heard endless words of admiration.

‘But a craftsman doesn’t grow on praise alone.’

Sometimes criticism was what spurred a smith’s growth.

“That’s enough. Step down.”

“Yes.”

Leo answered politely and left the podium.

As he walked down, Depeto addressed him.

“You needn’t worry about our students refusing to craft for you.”

Depeto smiled faintly.

“They are smiths, and they recognize your ability. If nothing else, they’ll want to humble you—by convincing you with the very best works they can forge. After all, they are Dweno’s heirs.”

He clapped Leo’s waist with hands like iron cauldrons.

“I’m glad you’ll be their stimulus. Be sure to evaluate their weapons earnestly.”

“If I do it in earnest, some may be ruined beyond recovery.”

“Oh? What an amusing thing to say.”

Hahaha! Depeto’s booming laugh filled the hall.

Leo thought silently to himself—

‘But I meant it.’

—

“Sometimes I really can’t tell if he’s humble, bold, or just plain arrogant.”

After the presentations ended.

As the students left the auditorium for lunch, Lunia muttered in disbelief while watching Leo chat with Lumene students.

To her, Leo was a boy far more mature than his age.

Despite his overwhelming talent, he never bragged.

And yet, at times, he wielded his strength unapologetically.

‘Well… maybe that’s just natural for Leo.’

Lunia smirked faintly, then glanced to the side.

There sat Eiran, fidgeting nervously, her eyes fixed on Leo.

‘Eiran must be frustrated, too.’

Lunia sighed inwardly.

Recently, Seiren’s atmosphere had grown tense.

Especially after the acting principal took over, more and more students were leaning into elven supremacist attitudes.

And now, the one Seiren despised most was Leo Plov.

The reason was simple.

Because his name was listed as co-author of [Introduction to Star Magic].

‘I really want to read it.’

Lunia was curious about the thesis.

As someone who had learned the Founder’s magic, any new theory tied to Star Magic was of great interest.

But Seiren completely rejected it.

Now it was treated as a forbidden text, impossible to obtain.

‘Maybe I should ask Father to smuggle me a copy.’

Though if caught, it would be troublesome.

Still, Lunia wanted to read the theory Leo had co-authored.

Eiran, too, felt the same.

Whenever Seiren heard of Leo’s feats, her friend rejoiced as though it were her own.

‘She’s his fan, after all.’

When they heard all the academies’ second-years would gather, Lunia and Eiran thought they’d finally get to talk to Leo about magic.

Especially Eiran, who had been overjoyed and couldn’t contain her excitement.

But the day before departure—

“Students of Seiren. At Damienne, you are strictly forbidden from mingling with students of other academies.”

“Why?”

“Because it would lower your dignity. Especially…”

Reber looked at them with arrogant eyes.

“Leo Plov, who sullied the Founder’s name. Associating with him is absolutely forbidden.”

Thanks to that ridiculous decree, Lunia and Eiran couldn’t speak to Leo.

‘Bastard! He even excluded Luca from this program!’

Even though the half-elf Luca was ranked third in the year, he was barred from attending.

Teachers like Herdeum protested fiercely, but it was no use.

Crack—

Lunia’s teeth ground audibly.

“Lunia, Eiran. How have you been?”

Leo approached them with a smile.

Lunia, who had been gritting her teeth, immediately put on a serene smile, while Eiran’s face brightened.

Since Leo had greeted them first, ignoring him wasn’t an option.

“It’s been a while, Leo Plov—”

“Wait. Who do you think you’re speaking to?”

Lunia froze at the boy blocking her path.

‘The Intermediate Class.’

It was a Seiren second-year from the intermediate class.

Leo blinked, then pointed to Lunia and Eiran.

“Is there a problem with me talking to my friends?”

“Friends? Who do you think you’re calling friends?”

The boy’s face twisted in disdain.

“Lunia here is a candidate for the youngest student council president of Seiren. She’s not someone you can casually speak to.”

‘Hey! Idiot! Leo is already president of Lumene’s council. If anything, ‘he’s’ above me!’

Lunia screamed inwardly.

Some Lumene students looked baffled.

A few even stifled laughter.

That was how absurd the boy’s words were.

‘He’s the one spouting nonsense, so why am ‘I’ embarrassed?’

“And furthermore, do you think it proper for Lady Lunia, heir to the Founder’s magic, to converse with a fraud who dared defile the Founder’s name?”

“The Founder’s magic?”

Leo raised an eyebrow.

“That’s right. Lady Lunia has been chosen to inherit the Founder’s magic as the next council president.”

The Founder’s magic passed down in Seiren.

Magic closest to Luna’s original.

The Seiren founder who conquered more of Luna’s World than any other was the Comet Mage.

He left behind a grimoire.

Only students at the level of council president could learn it, and mastering it meant being revered as the elf closest to the Founder.

It was the highest honor an elf could attain.

Leo knew that much.

“Congratulations.”

He smiled.

Lunia forced a bitter smile.

“Ugh…”

Eiran groaned, glancing apologetically at Leo.

“You have it rough too, huh.”

‘Tell me about it.’

Lunia answered silently.

“Sorry for the trouble.”

‘There’s nothing for you to apologize for. Seiren’s the one that’s gone crazy.’

As Leo walked away, Lunia thought bitterly.

“Lady Lunia, Lady Eiran, I hope that rude fellow didn’t startle you.”

‘The only one startling me is you, idiot.’

She wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face.

But too many eyes were watching.

Among the second-years, only Class One knew her true nature.

To everyone else, she was the image of a beautiful, pure, and gentle Seiren honor student.

So she smiled faintly instead of replying.

“He’s an arrogant one. His rudeness toward Damienne earlier was proof enough. And now he dares tamper with the Founder’s magic, creating absurdities like flower magic.”

Back during the first-year trip—

Leo had restored a lost legacy of the Founder and passed it on to Seiren.

At the time, it shook the elven magical world.

But now its value was being dismissed.

When Lunia conquered Luna’s World, it became known that the ultimate goal of Luna’s magic was the “magic of blooming flowers.”

And yet Seiren rejected it.

For one reason only.

‘Because it was Leo who restored it.’

In a sense, Leo was the elves’ benefactor.

He had revealed the very magic the Founder had pursued.

And yet, because of pride and tradition, they now denied even the Founder’s magic itself.

Within months, there were elves openly rejecting it.

‘This is madness.’

Lunia’s eyes darkened.

She looked down at her hands.

Her nature was eccentric.

But she had always played the role of Seiren’s perfect honor student flawlessly.

She could act the part so perfectly for one simple reason.

‘Because I admired Lady Luna.’

The image of Luna that spread among the elves was exactly the model Seiren expected.

Because she admired her so deeply, Lunia could play that role.

But the Luna she knew now?

‘…She was beautiful.’

But not pure.

The Luna Lunia met was different.

Energetic, wild, even a bit eccentric.

The kind of person who could complete the “magic of blooming flowers” using impossibly complex formulas.

That Luna was shocking—but also warm.

She remembered the bright smile as Luna slung an arm around her shoulders.

‘Seiren is denying Luna herself now.’

They were mirroring the very elven society that once oppressed her.

‘I have no reason to follow a school that denies her.’

Her eyes flared.

“Even yesterday I could tell. Seiren is rotten.”

“Arrogant.”

“Best not get involved.”

The Lumene and Azonia students jeered.

“Hmph! We don’t want to mingle with you anyway! Lady Lunia, Lady Eiran, ignore these rude ones and return to the Seiren students—”

“You realize you’re the rudest one here, right?”

“What? Khhk!”

Crunch—!

Lunia grabbed the intermediate student by the collar and slammed her forehead into his.

Then, as he staggered, she drove her fist into his face.

Thwack—!

“Gahhh!”

The boy collapsed with a scream.

“L-Lady Lunia!”

Eiran called out in panic, her face pale.

The other schools’ students gawked with jaws hanging.

Lunia stood with hands on her hips, looking satisfied.

“Damn it! What a rotten school! That felt great!”

Leo stared at her, dumbfounded.

“So you’ve dropped the fake Luna act?”

“Huh? You knew?”

She smirked crookedly, then chuckled.

“Well, you were there when we met her. Yeah, I’ve had enough. I put up with it through first year, but no more!”

Her face twisted with disgust, she strode up to Leo.

Then she smiled brightly.

“How have you been?”

“I’ve been fine. But if you keep acting like this, won’t you get expelled?”

Seiren was known for mercilessly expelling anyone who tarnished the school’s dignity.

“Hah! Let them try! I don’t plan on staying in that damn place anyway. If they expel me…”

Lunia smiled brightly.

“…I could always transfer to Lumene.”

“You’re reckless—just like Luna.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

‘That was an insult.’

Leo thought to himself.

If he said it aloud, she’d probably take it as insulting Luna.

As she laughed cheerfully, Leo said,

“Congratulations on graduating from honor student to delinquent.”