Chapter 404

With the mission practicum concluded and the first and second-years back on campus, Lumene regained its vitality.

Lumene was a school where you had to compete and push yourself constantly just to survive.

Because of that, there were dropouts in every grade, every year.

That was also why the first and second-years made up the largest portion of Lumene’s student body.

With that entire population away for the mission practicum, Lumene itself had felt noticeably empty.

“See? School really is the best. The outside world is dangerous. It’s nothing but a pain in the ass. Isn’t it great just studying like this?”

Carr said, stretching wide as the morning magic class ended.

At his words, Chloe, who was organizing her textbooks, smiled brightly.

“Really? In that case, should we take this opportunity to review today’s lesson?”

“Sorry. I’m allergic to the word ‘review.’”

Carr replied with a sly grin.

Chloe’s eyes narrowed.

“Finals are coming up soon. What are you going to do?”

At that, Carr burst out laughing.

“Tomorrow is another day!”

Hearing that, Chelsea—leaving the classroom with Abad—widened her eyes.

“You have a tomorrow to look forward to?”

“That’s a little harsh, don’t you think?”

“But it’s true, isn’t it? Carr, your school life is so dark. Just like the color of Celia Zerdinger’s hair.”

At Chelsea’s merciless words, Carr let out a mournful laugh.

Amidst it all, Abad spoke up.

“Personally, I hope you survive, Carr.”

Carr, leaning back in his chair, sighed. “Haaah.”

“You think I don’t want to? In that case, will you help me make a cheat sheet?”

“Carr.”

As Chloe glared at him, Carr just shrugged.

“It’s a joke, a joke. Not that Abad would ever go along with something like that, anyway.”

Abad Lewellin—always wearing a gentle smile, the most handsome boy in the second year—was, contrary to his soft appearance, incredibly cool-headed and resolute.

He was the opposite of Chelsea, who, despite her sharp tongue, always ended up taking care of people.

“Anyway, I wonder what the practical assignment for the final exam will be this time.”

“The midterm assignment was about Familiars.”

“We didn’t have any particularly special classes this time, did we?”

Chloe, Chelsea, and Abad traded guesses about the assignment.

Listening from the side, Carr muttered, “Sometimes I feel like I don’t belong here.”

“Why?” Leo asked as he packed up his textbooks.

Carr shook his head.

“Anyone can tell this is a gathering of the top students in our year.”

Chuckling, Leo stood up.

“Going to lunch?”

“Yeah.”

“Let me come with you.”

As Carr got to his feet, Leo added, “I have a prior engagement today.”

“A prior engagement? Can I tag along?”

“I don’t see why not. I’m eating with the student council.”

Carr’s face darkened.

After being dragged to the student council once during the drug incident, he wanted to avoid it at all costs.

Shivering as the memory surfaced, Carr said, “I’ll pass.”

Leo burst out laughing at his reaction.

“What about you guys?”

“We have plans today. We’re eating with students from the Lordren Empire,” Abad said with a smile.

“I have a lunch date with Celia today, too,” Chloe added, meaning her best friend, Celia.

“Alright. See you later, then.”

Nodding, Leo left the classroom.

—

The Student Council of the Tower of Heroes.

“Ooh, if it isn’t the student council president?”

A fifth-year student council member greeted Leo with a welcoming expression as he entered the office.

“Hello, sunbae.”

“With Hark and Elena away, you’re finally showing up to the student council office, Leo.”

The fifth-year male student, Toren, looked at him like he couldn’t believe it.

The two core members who currently spearheaded the student council’s work—Hark and Elena—were leading their respective dungeon-clearing parties on a dispatch mission to Aleham.

As two students competing for the title of the strongest in their year, it was only natural they would be dispatched to Aleham, where a large-scale Hero Dungeon had appeared.

As a result, there was no one left to manage the student council, which was why Leo—who had kept his hands off council affairs—had come in person.

“You might be Lumene’s youngest-ever student council president, but you’ll also go down as its first-ever ghost member president.”

“I’m still just a second-year. I have to learn diligently from my sunbaes before you all graduate.”

Leo answered with a smile, and Toren made a strange face.

“The way I see it, you’ll probably pawn off student council work even when you’re a fifth-year.”

“No way.”

Leo shrugged slyly, but Toren didn’t believe him.

And for good reason.

Even though he was the student council president, Leo was the type to boss around even Hark—currently the top fifth-year and officially Lumene’s strongest—without batting an eye.

Toren had studied alongside Hark for five years as a fellow student in the Knight Department.

‘I can say with certainty that Hark is having the toughest school years of his life right now.’

From his first year, Hark had been top of his class.

As the heir to the Riguard family, one of Lumene’s three great noble houses, even his upperclassmen had never treated him lightly.

Although he slacked off constantly, his grades were still at the top of his year.

He had a bad relationship with Elena Zeron, who was a year below him, but even Elena—known as the Queen of Lumene—and her faction didn’t dare to mess with Hark.

And then, last year, a student appeared who tormented that very same Hark.

That student was Leo.

Toren shook his head.

‘Probably, once we graduate, Leo will just dump the student council work on Elena Zeron.’

And when Elena graduated?

‘He’ll dump it on Lily.’

Lily Luce, the year representative one grade above Leo.

She was also an exceptionally talented student.

And once even Lily graduated, he would surely pass the student council work onto his own brilliant classmates.

‘Well, it’s none of my business.’

Toren shrugged and said, “There’s a rather important matter today that requires your approval, which is why I called you.”

“What is it?”

“Let’s talk about it when the others arrive.”

Toren began organizing documents.

Just then, a fourth-year female student from the Knight Department entered the student council office.

“Ah, Young Master Leo. You’re already here. I should have come to escort you.”

Niel Roda.

A member of the Roda family, a vassal house of the Zerdingers, she also served as Celia’s knight.

She had originally been in the art club, but after Leo became student council president, she joined the student council to assist with its duties.

It was her own wish, as well as her family’s.

The Zerdinger family wanted to solidify Leo’s position as much as possible—Leo, who had become the youngest student council president since Rhys.

The conditions for joining the student council were normally strict, but since Niel was an honor student, there hadn’t been any major issues.

“Hello, Toren sunbae.”

Niel greeted him with a bright smile.

A moment later, the student council door opened again, and a fifth-year student from the Magic Department walked in.

Seeing his face, Niel’s expression soured.

It was none other than Machel Rougia, who was from a vassal family of the Lewellin house.

Naturally, he and Niel were like cats and dogs.

“It’s been a while, Young Master Leo.”

Machel treated Leo with utmost respect.

Leo was from the Zerdinger house, but beyond that, he was close with Chelsea and Abad—and he was a magician who had achieved incredible feats at a young age.

Although Machel was his senior and elder, there was more than enough reason to speak politely.

“I heard Chelsea is having a meal with students from the Lordren Empire. You didn’t go join them?”

“I’m busy with student council work. It’s a shame, but I figured I should grab a quick bite and get to work, so I came here.”

Most of the upper-year student council members were absent, having followed Hark and Elena to Aleham.

So among the students remaining, these three were the only upperclassmen who could discuss important matters.

“Alright,” Toren said, taking the lead as secretary. “Let’s begin the student council agenda. First, regarding club budgets before summer vacation.”

He looked at Machel with a frosty expression.

“Machel. The Magical Engineering Department is requesting another budget increase. In preparation for the Lumeiren in the second semester.”

“That’s right. Magical engineering inevitably requires a large budget.”

At that, Niel narrowed her eyes.

“Still, this is going too far. Hark sunbae has always approved the budget under his authority as vice president, but this seems excessive.”

The two students from the Knight Department objected, but Machel didn’t even blink.

“This was already settled with Hark. Or should I go get James Deckt? I’m sure he could explain why more budget is needed.”

Toren pressed his temples.

‘If we bring him here, he’ll just foam at the mouth and spout incomprehensible nonsense.’

James Deckt was from the Magic Department, but he was a close friend of Hark’s, having been friendly with him since their first year.

That was why Hark had granted his request.

Of course, it was true the Magical Engineering Department had achieved outstanding results this year, but it was still difficult to allocate additional budget.

Just then, Leo—who had been listening quietly—spoke up.

“Should I go talk to them? Or will you go and explain it nicely, Machel sunbae?”

Machel, who had been stubborn until now, paused.

Then he nodded readily.

“I will explain it to James myself.”

“Then let’s decide against the additional budget allocation.”

Watching Leo resolve it so simply, Toren muttered, “That James kid is going to come running over here, foaming at the mouth.”

“He won’t,” Leo said. “If he doesn’t accept it, I’ll go find him myself. Well, not that James sunbae would want to talk to me, though.”

James Deckt, head of the Magical Engineering Department, would have a fit and run away whenever he saw Leo.

Last year, he had underestimated the first-year student council president and tried to swindle more budget—only to face a crisis where his budget was nearly cut instead.

To magicians engaged in research, the scariest words in the world were “budget cut.”

In that sense, to James, the student council president—an absolute authority who could logically slash his department’s budget—was more terrifying than the grim reaper.

And so, starting with club matters, the student council meeting proceeded.

A moment later, Toren brought up the final agenda item.

“There’s one matter that came from the school’s board of directors just before today’s meeting.”

At that, everyone looked puzzled.

It was rare for the Lumene board of directors to send an agenda item directly.

“You’re all aware the world is abuzz about the first and second-years’ mission practicum, right?”

Everyone nodded.

The first and second-years had completed their schedule and returned to daily life at school, but the ripple effects from the Aleham incident were still far from over.

“Discussions regarding the Aleham issue, as well as last year’s [Return of the Founder of the Nebula] and the recent [Return of the Comet Magician]. Among the various Hero Academies, it was apparently agreed that a venue is needed for in-depth discussions on these issues.”

Toren handed the document to Leo, the student council president.

As Leo read it, his eyes narrowed.

“A World Summit?”

“That’s right.”

Toren nodded.

“To coincide with the final exam schedule, the [World Summit] will be held here at Lumene.”