Chapter 342
The first-year lower class of Seiren.
All of them agreed without hesitation to study [Introduction to Star Magic].
Normally, no one would dare take such a dangerous class—one treated as forbidden by the academy, punishable by expulsion.
But their desperation to improve was so great that they were willing to take the risk, no matter how dangerous.
Even Leo hadn’t expected every student to agree to learn [Introduction to Star Magic], so he was a little surprised.
‘Well, Seiren did resort to underhanded methods to rise even when things were normal.’
Leo sighed softly, recalling last year’s field trip.
Rauta Algra.
A second-year from Seiren’s advanced second class last year.
Originally from the lower class, he had shown rapid improvement and advanced to the upper class.
But the source of his sudden growth was the demonic weapon bestowed by the King of the Dead—and in the end, he was defeated by Lunia.
It was the story of ambition for heroism turning into twisted desire.
Leo heard that Seiren had conducted an internal investigation afterward, but he didn’t know the details.
The important thing was that students were losing their way because of greed for grades.
And that wasn’t a problem unique to Seiren.
It could happen in Lumene, Azonia, or Damienne—any hero academy.
‘Especially since Hell Kaiser knows exactly how to exploit that kind of weakness.’
Leo clicked his tongue, recalling the legion commander who had survived for thousands of years.
Corrupting from within was the Undead King’s specialty.
‘Maybe even the rise of the racial purists in Seiren this year is his doing.’
Narrowing his eyes at the thought of the Undead King, Leo muttered inwardly.
‘Anyway, the start’s gone smoothly.’
Laura was deeply impressed after reading the [Introduction to Star Magic] manuscript Leo had given her.
She genuinely believed Seiren should adopt it as part of their active curriculum.
‘The one who would’ve been happiest to see this thesis is Luna.’
Luna had always wanted her Star Magic to be passed down through generations.
‘Of course! If people keep studying my magic, that means I’ll be remembered forever. Hmph, it means they’ll praise the great Luna Lubinence for all eternity.’
Leo smiled faintly, recalling her spending hours rewriting her spell formulas so others could learn them more easily.
‘Back then, I thought she was just self-absorbed… but now I realize she never once doubted that we’d save the world.’
Luna had prepared carefully for what she would leave behind.
‘Now, she’s become a true Great Hero—impossible to forget.’
But Luna hadn’t had enough time. She had to leave the reinterpretation of her spell formulas for future generations to complete.
Two thousand years later, Seiren accomplished it—and another three thousand years after that, Len and Anna perfected it.
‘Prof. Len and Asst. Prof. Anna may have written it in pursuit of pure potential…’
But to Leo, it was the realization of his friend’s long-held dream.
And once the lesson began, the lower class students were astonished.
At first skeptical, they quickly recognized the thesis’s true value.
‘If they got into Seiren at all, that already means they’re exceptionally talented.’
By Seiren’s standards, their Star Magic attainment was low—but their potential was undeniable.
Especially for first-years, judging them by early-term results was absurd.
‘The elven supremacists keep mistaking Star Magic aptitude as some kind of innate talent… but it’s not about talent. It’s simply about one’s magical affinity.’
Their reverence for Star Magic had made them delusional.
‘As expected, some students stood out from day one.’
The best example was Anri.
She excelled in spear techniques and aura skills, aspiring to be a magic knight.
She also had great command of regular magic.
‘Well, her aura skill isn’t quite on par with her spearwork, but still.’
Regardless, Anri showed dramatic progress in just a single day.
She was visibly astonished by her own achievement.
‘If the lower class students perform well during midterms, the school will naturally investigate what happened.’
Then they’d inevitably discover the existence of the so-called forbidden [Introduction to Star Magic].
‘That’ll cause a stir in Seiren. Though, with the supremacists’ influence, the kids might just get expelled.’
Leo’s expression turned dry.
‘If that happens, I’ll just have Mel transfer them to Lumene.’
Normally impossible—but Leo could make it happen.
‘And Mel wouldn’t object if I told her to.’
She’d do whatever it took.
After all, this was the same Mel who once stripped the entire treasury of Dweno in Damienne.
‘She’s kind of a scoundrel herself, really.’
Leo smirked faintly.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Something tapped against the window.
With a puzzled look, he rose and pulled the curtain open.
He burst out laughing when he saw three girls crouched outside the window.
“Hey! Open up! We’re freezing to death out here!”
Lunia, arms crossed, shivered.
“Sir Leo, please open the window. It’s too cold,” Eiran pleaded pitifully, while Lea beamed and exclaimed, “He’s in his pajamas!”
When Leo opened the window, the three girls tumbled inside.
“Ugh, it’s freezing!”
Lunia brushed the snow off her body.
Eiran trembled, and Lea raised her hand proudly.
“Sir Plov! I’ve finished the homework you gave me!”
“Yeah? And your conclusion?”
“Seiren is a ruined dump of a school! I’m seriously considering transferring to Lumene!”
“…”
Leo narrowed his eyes at Lunia and Eiran.
“What have you two been teaching her? Do you have no school pride?”
“We just told her the truth! She’s the one who twisted it! Hey! And you’re a direct descendant of the Tingel family! How can you talk like that about the school founded by Seiren!”
“Hrk?!”
Lunia’s eyes flashed as she put Lea in a headlock.
Lea flailed and slapped at her arm.
“S-surrender! Surrender!”
As the top first-year and second-year wrestled in “friendly exchange,” Leo pointed toward the bed.
“Warm yourselves up first.”
Lunia blinked at him.
“Huh? Y-you mean your bed?”
“Yeah. You’re cold, aren’t you?”
“Sir Plov’s bed!”
Lea dove into it without hesitation.
Eiran hesitated, then blushed and slid under the blanket, whispering softly, “It smells like Sir Leo…”
“I’m fine.”
“Why?”
“Father said never to lie on a man’s bed carelessly.”
“You’re the last person who should be saying that.”
“What did you just say?”
“And last year, around this time, we slept in the same bed, remember—”
“You wanna die?! That was beyond my control! I told you not to bring that up again!”
Lunia, face red, grabbed Leo by the collar and shouted, but he didn’t even blink.
“Senior Eiran.”
“Yes, Lea?”
“Is Senior Lunia always this violent?”
“Yes.”
“You brats!”
Crack—!
“S-surrender! Surrender!”
“You’re impossible, Lunia.”
She lunged at them again, wrapping her arms around both girls’ necks. Lea squirmed, but Eiran, physically much stronger, didn’t budge an inch.
“Haa… haa…”
“Haah… haah…”
After another round of chaos, Lunia and Lea lay sprawled on the bed panting, while Eiran sat neatly rolled in the blanket.
Leo muttered inwardly.
‘Well, at least they keep things entertaining.’
“Lea.”
“Yes, Sir Plov.”
“You don’t seem particularly attached to this academy.”
Lea smiled faintly.
“It’s not that I dislike it. I truly respect our ancestor. I just… always wanted to attend Lumene instead.”
“Lumene? That’s quite unusual.”
“Right?”
Though Lunia and Eiran had called Seiren a ‘dump,’ they still loved the academy deeply.
“Whether I’m in Seiren or Lumene, I’ll still be myself. I’ll become the best wherever I go. And if that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better to study under someone I personally admire? ‘Believe in yourself.’ Just like the Founder said, I’ll believe in the path I take.”
She smiled brightly, her conviction unwavering.
Leo nodded.
“So, why did you sneak in here tonight?”
He looked at Lunia.
“You’ve got some kind of plan, don’t you?”
Lunia folded her arms.
“Yeah.”
“What are you planning?”
“I’m going to raise the lower class’s scores dramatically in the midterms.”
“What?”
“And prove that Seiren’s current system is wrong.”
Lunia considered this, twitching her ears slightly before nodding.
“If the lower class students suddenly outperform expectations, the Purebloods’ influence will drop. But do you have a method?”
“[Introduction to Star Magic].”
“Ah.”
Lunia let out a small exclamation.
Eiran clapped.
“Oh, right! The Lumene professors’ paper on Star Magic!”
Both had seen the thesis before during their training under Leo.
While it wouldn’t help already-proficient students like Lunia and Eiran, it would certainly benefit the lower class.
“Alright, we’ll help too. You want us to teach them, right?”
Lunia smiled.
Even Seiren wouldn’t have grounds to oppose them helping younger students.
“No, if you help, the effect will weaken.”
“What?”
“The improvement has to come purely from the lower class students themselves. Only then will it have meaning.”
Leo smiled at her.
“Even if you’re a ‘delinquent,’ you’re still Seiren’s top student.”
“Well, yeah, but… calling me a delinquent kinda stings, you know? I’d be an honors student anywhere else.”
Lunia squinted, and Leo shot back immediately.
“Yeah—an honors delinquent.”
Lunia’s temper flared, and she swung a punch, which Leo easily dodged.
“I appreciate it, but for now, just watch them from the sidelines.”
“Fine.”
Lunia sighed, smiling faintly.
Eiran clenched her fists, cheering him on.
“We should get going.”
Lunia checked the time and opened the window.
But Eiran and Lea both hesitated, clearly wanting to stay longer.
Lunia grabbed them both by the collars, ready to drag them out, when—
“Lea. Stay behind for a bit.”
“Yes!”
“What are you planning to do with her?”
Lunia asked warily, and Leo shrugged.
“Just have something to do.”
“Alright.”
She nodded and slipped out the window.
Outside, Eiran covered her flushed cheeks.
“A-a late night… in a small dorm room… alone with her senior… how scandalous…!”
“You need serious help, Eiran. Leo’s basically like an old man—he’s not interested in kids.”
“If he’s an old man, that makes him an adult. Isn’t that even more dangerous?”
“…”
Lunia froze for a second, realizing she had a point.
Then, glancing back at Leo’s door, she muttered.
“I take it back. He’s more like a grandpa.”
* * *
Lea looked nervously at Leo.
‘Late at night. Dorm room. A man and a woman alone.’
It wasn’t like anything would happen—but it was still a strange situation.
Meanwhile, Leo crouched down, pulling something from his pocket.
Then he asked.
“Why do you like Kyle?”
Lea blinked at the unexpected question.
“The Tingel family keeps a private journal written by Seiren herself.”
“Seiren’s journal?”
“Yes. Only direct descendants can read it. It’s forbidden to show to the public—Seiren left strict instructions.”
“And you’re telling me this?”
“I trust you, Sir Plov. Besides, no one would believe it anyway.”
She smiled.
‘…Is this related to Erebos?’
Leo’s expression stiffened slightly.
He knew the truth behind the last days of the Genesis Heroes—and was curious about what Seiren had written.
“What’s it about?”
“A love story.”
“…”
Leo’s face twisted oddly.
“Love?”
“Yes.”
Lea’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
“The tragic, passionate love between the Hero of the Beginning and the Founder of the Nebula! It’s based on Seiren’s own record of her journey through the Hero World!”
“So you’re saying Luna liked Kyle?”
“No! Kyle loved Luna with all his heart!”
Leo felt his mind go blank.
Images flickered through his head.
He remembered that even among Lumene’s students, some liked writing stories about their favorite heroes—a kind of fanfiction.
Most people wouldn’t imagine a Genesis Hero doing something like that.
But Leo had witnessed enough of those so-called heroes’ antics to find it entirely believable.
‘That damned elf wrote that I loved Luna? She’s the one who liked me!’
He ground his teeth, furious at Seiren for leaving such rumors to her descendants.
“I don’t think she finished it… but on the last page, she called Kyle ‘a clueless fool when it comes to love.’ It’s the only harsh expression in the journal. I think Seiren got frustrated with him.”
“…”
Leo’s expression twisted at being insulted by a descendant of someone he’d never even met.
“No one would believe it, right?”
Lea smiled innocently, while Leo forced a strained smile and stood up.
“So… why did you want me to stay?”
Lea asked, a little nervous.
“You said you heard the Fairy King’s voice but failed to summon him, right?”
“Yes.”
Leo grinned faintly.
“Then let’s try summoning him again.”
What he had drawn on the floor was none other than a summoning circle.