Chapter 408

After the 1:1 tournament was announced as the first-years’ final exam assignment, all attention turned to the first-years.

“There aren’t any presentation exams for outside guests this time except for the first-years, right?”

During a break in the second-year Summoning Department’s practical training, the second-years gathered in small groups and chatted.

Their eyes drifted to the first-year Summoning Department hubae, who were sparring to prepare for the tournament.

Ever since the tournament was announced, the first-years had been pouring all their time into training.

“The first-round opponents are already decided, right?”

“Who’s your Mentee’s first-round opponent?”

“Some mid-tier kid from the Knight Department.”

“Lucky you.”

“What’s so lucky about it? My Mentee’s grades are lower-middle.”

Whether the second-years would be able to stay at the school or not also depended on their Mentees’ results.

Of course, their own second-year final exam scores mattered too, but it would be absurd to pass their own exams only to get kicked out because of their first-year Mentee. It was only natural for them to be on edge.

“That’s not it!”

“Is that all you can do?!”

“Do it properly! Have you forgotten that if you get expelled, I get expelled with you?”

Shouts rang out as second-years used their breaks to coach their Mentees.

The first-years flinched, shoulders shrinking, heads bowed.

The once-friendly relationships between sunbae and hubae were starting to crack.

That was how immense the pressure of this final exam was—for both first-years and second-years.

“The atmosphere is pretty tense.”

“It can’t be helped.”

As Chen Xia murmured while observing, Eliza scoffed.

“Whether they’re first-years or second-years, they’ve all spent the first semester comfortably, without the pressure of expulsion, haven’t they?”

With her usual condescending smile, Eliza watched the second-years raising their voices and the first-years cowering.

“They’re paying for it now.”

Lumene’s system of expelling students with poor grades was a constant source of pressure.

Of course, Lumene’s curriculum itself was harsh, and it wasn’t rare for students to lose their lives if they made a mistake. Keeping unskilled students at the school was more irresponsible.

The number of expulsions dropped noticeably from the third year onward, after students had survived the first and second years and become somewhat competent as hero candidates.

But for first-years and second-years, even mid-tier students could be expelled if they weren’t careful.

In a way, the pressure of expulsion always pushed students and became a driving force for growth.

However, with the introduction of the Mentor System, it was also true that they’d spent the first semester comfortably, without worrying about expulsion.

Now, that peace was starting to crack.

The pressure on the first-years was especially heavy.

Unlike the second-years, who had lived under the threat of expulsion for the past year, this was the first time the first-years were experiencing that pressure.

“You look like you’re enjoying this.”

“Oh my. Did I look that way?”

At Chen Xia’s words, Eliza smiled sweetly.

For someone with a twisted disposition, the current situation was extremely entertaining.

“To be honest, I thought there was a problem with this system. I thought Lumene’s competitive academic structure had gone soft.”

Eliza looked down at her nails.

“But seeing this, I guess not. They’re just dumping all the pressure on them at once.”

“It was probably intentional.”

“Gyaaaaaaaaaah?!”

Startled by a voice right behind her, Eliza shrieked and clung to Chen Xia.

“You were surprised. Was it scary, Eliza-ssi?”

Chen Xia smiled maturely and patted Eliza’s head.

“Don’t treat me like a child!”

Face beet red, Eliza glared up at Leo.

“Don’t scare people like that, Leo Plov!”

Leo chuckled at her reaction.

Fuming, Eliza reached for her whip, but Chen Xia stopped her, and she forced herself to hold back.

After taking a deep breath, Eliza crossed her arms.

“What do you mean, intentional?”

“For the past semester, the first-years and second-years were essentially guaranteed autonomous growth within Lumene. I think the school introduced the Mentor System to test which is more efficient—removing coercion, or applying pressure through coercive measures.”

Leo looked at the first-years.

“Since they have to take responsibility all at once for the comfortable time they’ve had, the pressure will be even greater.”

“Hmm. So you’re saying it wasn’t simply a comfortable school life.”

“That’s right. There must be first-years and second-years who are struggling and feeling despair.”

No matter how much someone struggled, limits undeniably existed, and the first person to feel them was oneself.

‘They’re probably testing whether you can overcome those limits or not.’

Leo narrowed his eyes.

Watching him, Eliza spoke.

“Hmph. By the way, are you going to be okay, Leo Plov?”

“What about?”

“The Mentor you chose is the lowest-ranked first-year, isn’t he?”

Eliza narrowed her eyes.

“Well, since someone as shady as you chose him, I’m sure you have some kind of trump card.”

“Do I look shady to you?”

“You do have a bit of an old-man vibe. It’s probably Eliza-ssi’s way of complimenting you for seeming mature.”

At Eliza’s words, Leo looked to Chen Xia, who replied with a gentle smile.

“That’s not what I meant at all!”

Eliza snapped back immediately, scowling.

“Well, it’s nice to know you’re worried.”

“Why would I worry about you?”

Eliza scoffed.

Leo chuckled.

“There’s no need to worry about Luke. It’s not like he’ll be eliminated just for losing the first round.”

“Hmph?”

The corners of Eliza’s mouth curled up.

“It’s fine because there’s a second chance? That’s a complacent thought—so unlike you.”

At Eliza’s words, Leo gave a strange smile.

Seeing that expression, Eliza’s annoyance deepened.

“What’s with that face?”

For Leo, this first-year final exam might be his most dangerous moment.

He had overcome countless difficulties, but this was something he couldn’t brute-force with his own power.

Even so, Leo wore the same expression as always.

‘What on earth did this guy do to that first-year?’

The thought naturally crossed Eliza’s mind.

—

After school, the training grounds were packed with first-year and second-year students.

The second-years had brought their first-year Mentees out to train.

“How are you going to get by if you can’t even dodge that?”

“Try to do better!”

Irritated shouts erupted from second-years.

Harassed by sunbae whose nerves were fraying, the first-years couldn’t help but look miserable.

Among them, Emio—a top-ranking student from the second-year Magic Department—scoffed.

“Hmph. Look at them nagging now that their own feet are on fire.”

Beside him, the third-ranked student of the first-year Magic Department, Lement Morlock, replied.

“It looks like nothing more than a pathetic struggle.”

“I suppose they have to struggle like that.”

Walking across the training grounds, Emio spotted a corner of the field and grinned.

In truth, Emio had no real need to use the training grounds.

He came from a famous military family.

When it came to combat magic, he was one of the foremost experts among the second-years.

He had been teaching his Mentee, Lement, combat magic since the start of the semester.

That was why he was confident about this tournament.

And when he heard who his first-round opponent was, he had rejoiced inwardly.

He came to the training grounds today for one reason: to mock that opponent.

“As expected, the Student Council President is a model student. You could easily borrow a private training ground, yet here you are training with the other losers.”

At his words, not only Leo—who was watching over Luke’s training—but also the surrounding students turned to look.

“Emio. As I recall, you didn’t submit an application to use the training grounds.”

“I didn’t. I just came to watch the losers struggle.”

“Hey, Emio Luce. Watch your mouth.”

“Who do you think you are, calling us losers?”

Second-years snapped back sharply.

Emio let out a short laugh.

“Don’t talk back.”

“What did you say?”

“Just because you were lucky enough not to get expelled during the first semester, you seem to think I’m on the same level as you. If it weren’t for the Mentor System, you wouldn’t even be here struggling like this, you losers.”

“What did you say?”

Most of the second-years coaching first-years on the training grounds were students whose grades would normally have gotten them expelled—or pushed them right up to the edge.

When second-years chose their Mentees, they naturally picked first-years around their own level.

Teams with a massive gap between Mentor and Mentee were rare—at most Leo and Luke, and maybe Carr and Juen.

There weren’t others like that.

“If you know your place, then shut up and stay down. Don’t try to climb up.”

“This bastard!”

A menacing aura began to leak from the second-years at Emio’s words.

Watching that, Leo spoke.

“Stop making remarks that disrespect your peers and be quiet, Emio.”

“Hoo. Is the Student Council President protecting his classmates?”

“I’m telling you to know your place.”

“What did you say?”

Emio’s face hardened. Leo gave him a cold smile.

“Just as you said, second-years aren’t all the same just because we’re in the same year. I’m the Student Council President, Emio Luce. So don’t try to climb up. Shut up, and stay down.”

Sparks flew in Emio’s eyes.

Then the corners of his mouth curled up.

“How long do you think you’ll stay Student Council President? No—do you think you’ll even be able to remain at Lumene?”

Emio’s gaze shifted to Luke.

“Your Mentee. He’s probably getting expelled this time, right? If that happens, you’ll be expelled too, Leo Plov. Don’t tell me you’re thinking of using the President’s authority?”

What Emio said matched common sense.

Luke was the lowest-ranked student.

And almost no one believed Luke—who hadn’t grown at all since enrolling—could survive the tournament and remain at Lumene next semester.

At Emio’s words, Leo smirked.

“There will be no use of the President’s authority.”

“Heh. So you’ll meekly accept expulsion?”

“No.”

Leo met Emio’s eyes and said,

“We’re going to win them all.”

“What did you say?”

“My Mentee’s goal is to win every match.”

For a moment, everyone wondered if they’d misheard.

The lowest-ranked student’s goal was what?

“What kind of bullshit—”

“Luke’s first match is against your Mentee, Lement, right?”

Leo smiled gently.

“Luke will win.”

At those words, Lement spoke up.

“President-nim. As a hubae, I respect you, but I can’t tolerate that remark.”

Lement looked down at Luke, who was shorter than him.

“I can’t even imagine losing to Luke Elda.”

“Then look forward to it. And you’d better do your best.”

Leo smiled gently.

“Because you’re about to see something incredible.”

(T/N : Makes me want to punch Emio and his mentee in the face. )