Chapter 364
“It’s summer already.”
Looking up at the training grounds blazing under the strong sun, Carr muttered quietly.
Half the first semester of second year had already passed.
Summer had arrived in Lumene.
Carr stared blankly at the sky, then chuckled.
“On this scorching summer day…”
Fwoooosh—!
“Why do we have to fight that gigantic fireball?”
“Prepare yourselves, Magic Department!”
Celia shouted, flames of Aura roaring around her entire body.
Muscles and veins bulged along her slender arms—completely unfitting for a delicate girl.
Carr panicked at the sight and tried to slip away.
Chelsea, cheering from outside the field, yelled:
“Don’t run!”
“What?”
“Don’t run! Fight!”
“Hey! If I get hit by that brute’s attack, I’m out in one shot!”
As Carr shouted, Celia swung her arm with full strength.
The sphere of roaring flame—like a miniature sun—descended upon the Magic Department students.
“Aaaaaaah!”
“There’s nowhere to dodge!”
Screams erupted everywhere.
Ruuuumble! Fwoooosh—!
The fireball slammed down, turning the field into a sea of flames.
Chelsea crossed her arms and murmured:
“Pathetic.”
Celia swept her hair back with a smug smile as the Magic Department was wiped out in an instant.
It was time for combat class, attended by all class.
Today’s combat class was a department-versus-department Bastella match.
Since the new semester started, most classes had been dorm-versus-dorm matches.
So a department battle was a refreshing change—everyone was hyped.
Teams and order were decided randomly.
Carr’s team was assigned the honorable role of leading the Magic Department.
Unfortunately, the opposing team contained Celia—the final boss of the Knight Department—while Carr’s team had no one capable of opposing her.
The result was obvious.
A brutal one-sided massacre.
“Well done, Celia.”
“Thank you, Professor Ain.”
Ain smiled approvingly, and Celia returned the smile gracefully.
While the Knight Department students savored the sweetness of victory—
“Khhk… Your sacrifice will not be in vain.”
“I’ll avenge you… Rest in peace…”
The Magic Department students mourned the fallen.
Carr’s teammates groaned weakly, barely moving on the ground.
Chelsea used levitation magic to gather them up, sighing as she asked Len:
“What should we do?”
“Chelsea, our Magic Department lacks something. Know what it is?”
“A loser?”
“No.”
Len crossed his legs, chin propped on his hand, voice cold.
“Someone who loses to the Knight Department. Take them to the infirmary.”
Chelsea nodded and sent the students to the infirmary beside the grounds.
“Nella! I brought the kids.”
“Okay, lay them here.”
Nella was waiting in the infirmary.
One of the Knight Department’s top students, Nella excelled as a healer because of her Aura trait. During combat class battle days, she always worked as the designated healer.
“Nella-noona.”
“Please heal us.”
The Magic Department boys grinned foolishly.
“You lost and you’re still smiling?”
Chelsea said flatly. One boy laughed smugly.
“Being treated by one of the academy’s top beauties is healing for the soul!”
“So losing to Celia Zerdinger without doing a thing is something to brag about? Hmm?”
“Ow! Ow! Ow!”
Chelsea poked his burned spots with her staff, making him howl.
“Chelsea, don’t bully the patients.”
“…Okay.”
When she was a first-year in Class 5, Chelsea listened only to two people—Leo and Nella.
After delivering the injured, Chelsea returned to the arena.
She approached Leo, who was watching the matches.
“Who’s next?”
“Saw Chloe’s team and Eliza’s team.”
“Chloe fighting! Crush Eliza Hergin!”
Chelsea yelled. Chloe smiled slightly and entered the field with her staff.
“Leo-oppa, which department are you fighting for this time?”
“Summoning Department.”
The Summoning Department had fewer students.
Whenever numbers needed balancing, Leo joined their side.
Of course, he never summoned any of the Three Great Summoned Beasts to avoid destroying the balance.
“So we’re enemies again? I wanted to fight on the same side for once.”
Chelsea pouted. Leo smiled.
“We can team up next time.”
“I wanted to show you how much I improved this past month.”
Leo reached out and messed up her hair.
“I know.”
Chelsea’s eyes widened as she stared at Leo.
“I know exactly how much you’ve grown.”
While Leo was away at Seiren, the second-years challenged the world of heroes.
Each took a step forward.
Some took more than a few.
Chelsea was one of those students.
Chelsea smiled brightly and rubbed her head against Leo’s hand.
‘Chelsea isn’t the only one.’
During the last midterms—
Leo had tested the future hero candidates.
He had shown them a nearly despairing difference.
But none of those he tested had given up.
“Hmph. Acting all relaxed.”
A scoffing voice came from behind.
“Is the student council president so far ahead that he can afford to relax?”
Leo turned and saw Duran.
Leo met his eyes, then looked back at the field.
“I’m not being relaxed.”
Leo said.
“Whether it’s Chelsea or you—I think any of you might walk the same path as me someday. That’s why I want you all to get stronger.”
Duran’s eyes twitched.
The same path.
He recalled Leo’s goal from first year.
‘To defeat Erebos.’
A ridiculous statement.
No one set such a goal.
But once—sometimes—
People dreamed of such things.
‘So when he talked about qualifications during midterms… was that what he meant?’
“To wait at the end of that path?”
“Yeah. So if you want to stand on the same stage as me, then chase me whenever you want.”
Leo sat with his back still turned toward Duran.
“I’ll be waiting at the peak.”
“…Arrogant.”
Duran scowled.
But his fighting spirit ignited even stronger.
‘Leo Plov.’
Duran clenched his hand, lip curling.
‘Fine. I’ll chase you.’
—
After combat class came Mel’s special Hero Studies lecture.
All second-years eagerly awaited Mel’s class.
Although a new professor this year, Mel was already one of Lumene’s most popular teachers.
Her special lecture focused on the Twilight Knight Lumene—content beloved by all years.
The class was fun, she listened to students’ concerns, and—
In the harsh Lumene, her class was a rare moment of comfort.
It was impossible for her to not be popular.
“Some boys even made a fan club for her already.”
On the way to class, Carr grinned at Leo.
“A beautiful big-sister-type professor. What a dream.”
Tide, who’d had lunch with them, nodded vigorously.
“Yeah, she’s definitely—”
“Old.”
“Leo, you bastard!”
“Did you just call Professor Mel old?!”
“Professor Mel’s class is our oasis! Oasis!!”
Carr and Tide erupted in outrage.
Leo said calmly:
“But you’re late.”
“Ahem! Professor Mel has a generous heart!”
“Exactly!”
“Her class is healing itself!”
“Yes! Yes!”
Carr threw open the classroom door.
Tide followed behind.
“You’re bold. Planning to stroll in late?”
Carr had opened the gates of hell.
The chilling voice froze both Carr’s and Tide’s faces.
Harrid checked his watch.
“Ten minutes late. I hope you have a worthwhile excuse—for the sake of the other second-years.”
Dozens of deadly stares pierced the trio.
Harrid Edmond.
Known as Lumene’s Wailing Wall.
One of the things he hated most: tardiness.
And the scariest part—
Collective punishment.
Not that there was any philosophical reason behind it—just Harrid’s efficient way of punishing late students.
Naturally, late students were bullied by classmates afterward.
There were others who had been late as well—they were already kneeling by the door.
Carr and Tide turned pale.
“We had a student council meeting during lunch.”
Leo raised his hand and spoke calmly.
“Accepted.”
Harrid’s gaze shifted back to Carr and Tide.
They immediately kneeled beside the others.
“I’d love to educate all of you, but since this isn’t my class, I’ll overlook it just this once.”
The entire second-year class sighed in relief.
“Late students, stand.”
The late students stood quickly, faces relieved.
“Now get onstage and kneel.”
Their relief died instantly. They trudged to the platform and kneeled beside Harrid.
“There may be those wondering why I’m here for the second-year class. Today’s class is joint between first and second years.”
The room buzzed.
Soon after, the door opened and Mel entered with the first-years.
“Alright, everyone. Go to your mentors.”
Mel beamed. The first-years scattered to their mentors.
“Professor H-Harrid, should we return to our seats?”
“Is that necessary?”
Carr forced a smile, but Harrid glared and called their mentees.
He lined them up right next to their kneeling mentors.
“A great mentor, aren’t they? Showing their juniors firsthand the consequences of being late.”
Second-years groaned in despair.
“Sir Carr never disappoints.”
“It’s not a compliment.”
“It’s not a compliment!”
Carr answered smoothly, but Juen snapped.
Mentors and mentees sat together.
Chloe raised her hand.
“Professor Harrid, Professor Mel, what is today’s lesson about?”
Mel smiled.
“Before the lesson, we have an announcement.”
She looked at Harrid, who nodded.
Mel cleared her throat.
“This is a notice regarding the first and second-year mission practicum.”
“Mission practicum?”
“We’re doing mission practicum too?”
The first-years looked shocked.
Mission practicum normally started in second-year second semester.
“Yes. It will be a joint mission practicum with the second-years.”
Mel smiled warmly.
Harrid continued:
“For this practicum, mentors and mentees will form teams together.”
The first-years gasped.
“The mission: exploration of a Hero Dungeon.”
(T/n: Woooow, this is going to be an exciting arc!)