Chapter 341
“Currently, all first-years are in the midst of preparing for midterms. Since our admission, we’ve adapted to academy life under the guidance of our teachers and seniors, so we will strive to achieve results worthy of those expectations. Thank you.”
A clear voice echoed through the hall.
As the representative speech concluded, applause broke out.
The young girl on the podium bowed gracefully, straightened her posture, and stepped down.
Watching her, Lunia murmured.
“She’s the real deal.”
At her words, Eiran tilted her head with wide eyes.
“What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said.”
Lunia rested her chin on her hand.
“She’s the kind of honors student Seiren actually wants.”
The two were currently inside the Hall of the Comet.
It was the heart of Seiren, a place that stored the academy’s [Hero Records].
Aside from those records, it was also where countless relics left behind by the Comet Mage Seiren rested.
It could be called the history of Seiren itself.
And it was also where the student representative meetings were held.
Centered around the student council president, the top students of each grade were gathered there.
In short, it was a meeting of Seiren’s best and brightest to discuss academic matters.
This particular meeting was concluding with the first-year top student Lea’s speech.
“Lunia, you’re an honors student too, aren’t you?”
“No, I’m a delinquent, remember?”
Lunia giggled.
“Lunia, Eiran. Focus on the meeting.”
At that moment, the third-ranked second-year male student spoke sharply.
“I am focusing.”
“Don’t be so casual. We’re here as representatives of the second-years.”
When the boy, Tebeson, spoke sternly, Eiran smiled awkwardly.
“Tebeson, the representative meeting isn’t such a stiff occasion. It’s also meant for seniors and juniors to get to know one another. You don’t need to be so tense.”
Eiran was right.
Although the official purpose was to discuss academics, that was just a formality.
In truth, it was little more than a social gathering.
It wasn’t meant to be overly formal.
Still, despite Eiran’s reassurance, Tebeson remained rigid.
‘Trying so hard just to be the class representative. Not that he earned it by skill anyway.’
Among the second-year advanced students, there were plenty who outperformed Tebeson academically.
In fact, since becoming second-years, the class representative for Lunia’s year had changed several times.
Only Lunia and Eiran’s ranks remained the same.
Always third place.
Luca’s position kept rotating.
Their skills were nearly equal.
So naturally, the spot kept going to whoever best suited the teachers’ preferences.
Once Lea’s speech ended, the social part began.
Tebeson eagerly approached the third-, fourth-, and fifth-year representatives, introducing himself and boasting about his position.
The upperclassmen, however, reacted indifferently.
Unlike Tebeson, who was desperate to make connections, they showed little interest in engaging him further.
The reason was simple.
‘He doesn’t deserve the title. Honestly, our seniors are real oddballs for elves.’
There was something Lunia only came to realize after becoming a second-year.
Anyone capable of becoming a class representative always had some kind of quirk.
Even Rienia, last year’s graduate and former student council president, was a bit of a sadistic pervert.
‘Every time I saw the first-years, I just wanted to tease them! Come, let your big sister hug you!’
Lunia snorted at the memory of Rienia rushing to hug her.
‘And Senior Haddin.’
Her gaze turned to Haddin, the fourth-year top student and current student council president.
Originally, Lunia hadn’t liked him.
He was the typical Seiren model student, constantly pointing out her flaws.
But during the second semester of her first year, they had tackled Luna’s world together, and through that, became closer.
He now believed Lunia was the most fitting elf to become the next student council president and had promised to pass the position to her once she reached fifth year.
‘And Senior Marben skipped again.’
Lunia clicked her tongue at the absence of the fifth-year top student, Marben.
He was one of the few who openly expressed dissatisfaction with Seiren’s current system.
Being the top fifth-year meant he was the strongest student in the academy.
Rienia had even intended to hand the council presidency to him.
But Marben refused.
The reason was simple.
He wasn’t aligned with Seiren’s current focus on Star Magic.
In other words, he wasn’t particularly gifted in that area.
He might have been the academy’s strongest, but there were plenty with far greater mastery of Star Magic.
Still, his fame was such that not becoming president seemed strange.
Especially after his recent success — during the last Hero Dungeon expedition, Marben had recovered Seiren’s long-lost [Hero Record].
With nearly none of Seiren’s [Hero Records] remaining, it was an incredible achievement.
Even the extremist faction Pureblood Circle, which dominated Seiren’s politics, had no choice but to acknowledge him as student council president — yet Marben had refused.
‘The Purebloods claim it was an act of consideration for future generations.’
Naturally, such excuses only raised more questions.
Most of the current representatives were dissatisfied with the academy’s system.
‘The first-years are the key. From the Purebloods’ point of view, we’re already tainted. But those kids are blank slates.’
Lunia’s eyes shifted toward the nervous first-years sitting stiffly in their first meeting.
Being early in the term, they were easy to influence.
‘Especially Lea Tingel, right? The Purebloods must be keeping a close eye on her.’
Lea carried strong symbolic weight.
She was a direct descendant of Seiren and had recently succeeded in communicating with the Fairy King.
‘If I act too defiant, they’ll probably parade her as Seiren’s symbol. Maybe even name her student council president — just to compete with Leo.’
Lunia clicked her tongue inwardly.
Meanwhile, the meeting came to an end.
As Lunia and Eiran were returning to their classroom, someone blocked their path in the corridor.
It was Lea.
Standing perfectly composed, she looked at them straight on.
“Do you need something from us?” Lunia asked.
“Yes.”
“What is it, Lea?” Eiran asked kindly with a smile.
Lea’s expression turned serious.
“What do you think about Seiren right now?”
The sudden question made Lunia narrow her eyes, while Eiran looked taken aback.
‘What do I think about Seiren now? Obviously, it’s a mess.’
But given who was asking — a first-year favored by the Pureblood Circle — Lunia couldn’t help but think twice.
‘Is she testing me?’
Eiran seemed to have the same thought, glancing between them nervously.
“My opinion doesn’t really matter, does it? Let’s go, Eiran.”
Lunia brushed her hair aside and turned to leave.
But—
Grab!
Lea seized the hem of Lunia’s uniform skirt.
“Please tell me! It’s homework!”
“Hey, let go of that!”
Lunia’s face flushed as she tried to tug her skirt away from Lea’s grip.
“Sir Plov assigned it as homework!”
“What?”
Lunia and Eiran froze, staring at each other.
“Leo gave you homework? What do you mean?”
“Sir Plov is currently here at Seiren.”
Lea puffed out her chest proudly.
“And I’m going to be his apprentice!”
Leo had merely agreed to teach her some magic, but Lea was already declaring herself his disciple.
“…Why is Leo at Seiren? Where is he right now?”
“Ah! That’s a secret between Sir Plov and me! I can’t tell you!”
Lunia’s expression twisted in disbelief.
“Wait… Leo’s here as an exchange student?” Eiran asked.
Lea flinched at the question, and Lunia folded her arms, nodding.
“Ah, that explains it.”
Lunia narrowed her eyes and smiled faintly.
“So Leo’s staying in the first-year dormitory, huh.”
“But why would he come as a first-year exchange student?”
“Just look at this academy. Isn’t it obvious?”
At Lunia’s cold remark, Lea stammered.
“A-anyway! Please tell me what you think about Seiren right now!”
“It’s not exactly fine,” Lunia replied.
“What? Why not?”
Lea looked startled.
Eiran gave a weary smile beside her.
“It really has gotten strange lately. There’s too much discrimination among the students.”
“Right, compared to last year, Seiren’s become a total dump.”
“A-a dump?!”
“Lunia.”
Eiran scolded her, but Lunia shrugged.
“I only said the truth.”
“Still, that’s a bit much.”
“Then what should I call it?”
“Hmm… maybe… a ruined school?”
“In some ways, that’s even worse.”
Lea’s face turned solemn at her seniors’ blunt words.
“I should’ve applied to Lumene instead.”
Lunia’s jaw nearly dropped.
She never imagined she’d hear something like that from a direct descendant of the Tingel family.
“I’ll have to meet with Leo first.”
“Huh? But that won’t be easy.”
“Then I’ll just sneak in.”
Lunia grinned.
“Sneak in? How?”
“I’ll visit his room at night.”
“A-at night…?”
Eiran’s face instantly turned bright red.
“…You’re imagining something weird again, aren’t you?”
“N-no, I’m not!”
Eiran snapped back, flustered.
Lea spoke up brightly.
“I’m coming too!”
“…Why?”
“I want to see what Sir Plov wears to sleep.”
Seeing her completely serious expression, Lunia sighed.
‘Even if I tell her not to, she’ll come anyway.’
Recognizing the stubborn gleam in Lea’s eyes, Lunia reluctantly told her the time to meet before sending her off.
“She’s quite the energetic junior,” Eiran said with a cheerful smile.
“This just confirms it.”
Lunia crossed her arms.
“That all the Seiren class representatives are weird?”
“Eh? I’m not weird.”
“I know you like reading those steamy romance novels. What was the title again? ‘My Younger Man Holding My—’ mmp!”
Eiran’s face crumpled as she quickly covered Lunia’s mouth.
After the commotion, they headed back to class, Eiran looking worried.
“Still, we’ll be breaking the rules again.”
“When haven’t we?”
Lunia shrugged.
Eiran thought for a moment, then smiled brightly.
“That’s true.”
Without realizing it, she was slowly becoming a proper delinquent under Lunia’s influence.
—
Top floor of the Hall of the Comet.
It was the highest place in Seiren.
There lay the Star Plaza, used only for the most important meetings or discussions in the academy.
There, Acting Principal Luhagen Le Creo of Seiren was speaking with someone.
“What a joyous occasion. Not long after the Founder of the Nebula returned to this land, Seiren’s [Hero Record] has been recovered.”
Luhagen’s voice trembled with emotion.
The person standing before him, Tion Tingel, who had just arrived at Seiren, sighed deeply.
“Luhagen, are you certain that [Hero Record] truly belongs to Seiren?”
“Yes, Sir Tion.”
“…And you called me here because you need something that could serve as a key to unlock it, didn’t you?”
The Tingel family descended from the Comet Mage Seiren. It was only natural they possessed heirlooms capable of unlocking Seiren’s [Hero Record].
“Indeed. Most of Seiren’s [Hero Records] were lost long ago. The few remaining are stored in Dragonia. But at last, Seiren’s [Hero Record] has officially returned to us. It means our students can now inherit Seiren’s power.”
Luhagen smiled broadly.
“This is our chance. The elven hero shall once again be acknowledged as the most superior among all heroes—”
“Luhagen. A hero is never a superior being.”
Tion cut him off firmly.
“A hero walks alongside others. They are merely… a little more special.”
“…I’ve always known your view of heroism differs from mine. Discussing it further would only sour the mood.”
Luhagen replied with a polite smile, though his tone turned cold.
“What matters now is that Seiren’s [Hero Record] — the record of the Comet Mage — has finally returned.”
Tion nodded.
“Then… the key to open Seiren’s Hero World—”
“Before that, Luhagen, do you even know why so few of Seiren’s [Hero Records] remain?”
“…Only that they were lost during the division of records three thousand years ago.”
“Since then, we’ve managed to recover many of them — not just Seiren’s, but also those of other [Genesis Heroes].”
Luhagen’s eyes widened.
He hadn’t known that.
“Then why are they all gone? Did those greedy dragons seize them again?”
As Luhagen’s anger flared, Tion spoke calmly.
“This is Seiren’s final letter left to the academy.”
He took out an old envelope from his coat.
“O-oh… Seiren’s final letter…!”
Luhagen’s face filled with reverence.
He carefully accepted it and opened it with trembling hands.
Then his eyes widened as he read the contents.
[To the elves of the future. When you find my Hero Record, destroy it completely without leaving a trace. —Seiren.]
“This… what is this supposed to mean…”
“In accordance with that will, the [Hero Records] of Seiren and the other [Genesis Heroes] were all destroyed upon discovery. That is why none of their [Hero Records] remain.”