Chapter 56
A week passed in the blink of an eye, and the day of the school trip arrived.
The first-year students were gathered in their respective classes in front of the Lumene Teleport Gate.
“It’s really hot today.”
“Going to a cold region in this heat—if you think about it, isn’t this basically escaping the summer?”
From today, the summer uniform season had started, so every student was wearing their summer uniforms.
Even after taking off their spring uniforms and switching to summer clothes, it was especially hot, and Nella grumbled while fanning herself, prompting Eliana to cheerfully respond.
While Class 5 was chattering, Celia approached from Class 1.
“Leo, why is your class going to Elsalbekia? It’s the coldest country.”
A white short-sleeved blouse.
Wearing a red ribbon tie and a checkered uniform with red and black patterns, along with knee-high socks, Celia stood impeccably dressed despite the hot weather.
As long as the key elements of the uniform were met, Lumene didn’t really care how students styled them.
As most teenagers liked to express themselves, they would often decorate their uniforms with their own flair.
Some boys had jewels hanging from their uniforms, others had altered theirs to store weapons all over.
Some even kept their uniforms as crisp as a military uniform.
There were even students who had reformed theirs to look like a magician’s robe.
Because of this, students like Celia who wore their uniforms so neatly were rare.
As a member of a heroic house, keeping up appearances was Celia’s motto.
“Your class is going to the warmest place possible, right?”
“Of course. I absolutely hate the cold.”
Celia answered Leo’s question bluntly.
“Well, it might have been different if we could go to Seiren.”
Seeing cheerful Celia, Carr asked, “By the way, Celia, you look like you’re in a great mood?”
“Duran said he wanted to go somewhere cold. So we had a match to see who would decide where we’d go.”
Celia brushed her hair back proudly.
“As you can see, I won.”
“A showdown between first and second place in the knight course… That’s a huge match! How did I not know? What did you compete in?”
“Rock, paper, scissors.”
“…….”
“His face when he threw rock! Oh-ho-ho-ho!”
“Celia, picking the class trip destination with rock, paper, scissors isn’t really something to brag about, is it? Could you keep it down?”
Chloe, looking embarrassed, tried to stop her.
“If it’s a warm place, you’ll probably run into a lot of humans. Be careful.”
“I actually want to run into those guys.”
At Leo’s words, Celia grinned slyly.
Humans were not allowed in elf territory.
Most humans found in elf territory had crossed the border illegally.
In reality, most humans who entered elf lands were thieves.
“Those who bring shame to their race by doing bad things deserve to be taught a lesson.”
“Monsters and humans are different.”
“I know. Do I look like someone who’d let their guard down?”
As Celia smiled, Leo shook his head.
“That’s not what I meant. I’m saying don’t ignore human malice.”
Celia widened her eyes.
“Are you worried about me?”
“I don’t need your concern! And why do you think you’re the older one? I’m the older one!”
Celia, flustered, pouted.
“You be careful too! The Fairy Forest is a monster area!”
Leo nodded at Celia’s words and spoke to Chloe.
“Chloe, you be careful too.”
“Yeah. See you in ten days, Leo. Carr.”
Chloe waved.
After parting with them, Chen Xia came over to greet them.
“See you in ten days, Sir Leo.”
“You be careful too.”
“Yes.”
While they were exchanging brief words, the homeroom teachers appeared.
“Leo, Nella. Time for attendance check.”
“Everyone, gather up.”
At Professor Harrid’s words, Leo organized Class 5.
With Professor Harrid as their homeroom teacher, every student in Class 5 lined up quickly and neatly.
“All present.”
“Good.”
Standing in front of Class 5, Professor Harrid spoke in his characteristically cool voice.
“The school trip is still part of your classes. I hope no one is treating this lightly.”
“Yes!”
Harrid nodded, satisfied at the orderly response.
One by one, starting with Class 1, the students boarded the warp gate.
“The gate to Elsalbekia has been connected.”
“Magic will activate in five seconds.”
“Five, four, three, two, one. Teleport.”
Fwoosh—
With a bright flash, their vision changed.
Fwoosh—
As soon as their view shifted, they were greeted by a snowstorm.
“Ahhhh!”
“What is this?!”
“It’s freezing!”
Class 5 students screamed and hurried to put on their winter coats.
“I thought we’d at least arrive indoors!”
Carr exclaimed in panic.
The teleport gate where Class 5 arrived was right outdoors.
“Why are you all making such a fuss?”
Watching Leo face the snowstorm without even flinching, Chelsea sniffled and asked.
“Leo, aren’t you cold?”
“I am.”
“Then why are you standing there like it’s nothing?”
“It’d be embarrassing to make a scene.”
“Wow, impressive.”
Chelsea was amazed.
“Sometimes I think, our class president looks like such a pretty boy but acts like a real tough guy.”
“Right! Especially when his eyes get sharp—he’s really scary.”
“But doesn’t he look the coolest then, like he’s dangerous?”
The girls whispered among themselves.
“Should we have acted as dignified as Leo?”
“Even if we tried, we’d just get the same answer anyway.”
“They’d just say we’re acting cool for no reason.”
The boys looked sullen.
“If you’re all done talking, line up.”
At Professor Harrid’s command, Class 5 lined up.
Leo also slowly put on his winter coat.
“As predicted, we’ve arrived in Velkia, the capital of Elsalbekia. So, does anyone want to talk about Velkia’s history?”
A few students raised their hands at the unexpected question.
Professor Harrid nodded to Chelsea, who was quickest to raise her hand.
“Velkia was founded in honor of Luna’s disciple, Velkia Ersar, the Fairy Knight! The Ersar family, Velkia’s descendants, are the heads of Elsalbekia’s council!”
“Well done. Five points.”
Chelsea clenched her fist.
“As Chelsea Lewellin explained, unlike us, the elf nation is a republic with no monarch. All the families that make up the republic are noble houses.”
Listening to Harrid’s brief lecture, Leo thought,
‘That stuck-up, sly brat is now called the Fairy Knight, what a grand title.’
Until the Age of Calamity, the elves had a single king.
The Fairy Knight was the guardian who served that king closest.
Now, they only exist in history.
And the last Fairy Knight in history was Velkia.
Velkia.
He was one of the great figures who led the elves’ revival after the Age of Calamity was ended by the great heroes.
It’s widely known that he was Luna’s disciple, but in truth, he was a joint disciple of Luna, Arron, and Kyle.
‘He’d act all innocent around Luna and Arron, but always acted so arrogantly around me.’
Leo was recalling a disciple who wasn’t cute at all.
Step—step—
Footsteps sounded beyond the snowstorm.
“I’ve been waiting, Professor Harrid.”
An elf with pale silver hair appeared.
“What kind of person is that? He’s incredibly handsome,” Eliana murmured in a girl’s voice, and Tide pretended to gag.
Of course, he got a punch in the side from Eliana and rolled on the ground.
Leo, watching, said,
“Does age not matter? He looks at least seventy.”
Eliana snickered.
“My, is the class president jealous? How could that face be seventy?”
Other students seemed to agree.
“Why would I be jealous? And you all know elves are long-lived and don’t age much, right?”
Elves’ childhood is similar to humans, but their youth and middle age are extremely long.
Their overall lifespan exceeds humans by at least fifty to more than a hundred years, and even when old, they generally look middle-aged.
So, it wasn’t strange that the man was over seventy.
But humans usually can’t guess an elf’s age by appearance.
“Watch your manners! Do you even know who this is?!”
The elves who came with him shouted angrily at Leo.
The silver-haired elf smiled gently.
“Lively students. The ones Professor Harrid brings are always so disciplined.”
“They’re still first-years, so they’re immature.”
“Heh heh heh. First-years are lively wherever you go. Don’t be rude to the guests, either.”
“Sorry!”
The elves apologized together.
Harrid brought the silver-haired elf in front of the students.
“This is Lune Ersar, chair of Elsalbekia’s council.”
“Gasp!”
“The… the council chair?”
Surprised by the appearance of Elsalbekia’s highest authority, Class 5 was shocked.
“Attention.”
At Nella’s command, the students straightened up.
“Salute the council chair.”
“Hello! Council chair!”
“Polite children. I’m glad. Seeing hero candidates like you makes me happy too. So, do you have any questions?”
With Lune laughing heartily, Eliana nervously raised her hand.
“Yes, you there.”
“Um… may I ask… your age…?”
“This year, I’m ninety-seven.”
Crack!
“That face is ninety-seven? You must have taken good care of yourself.”
Leo was impressed.
But Eliana, overwhelmed, looked blank.
Then Professor Harrid’s cool gaze landed on them.
Leo nudged Eliana’s foot with his toe, and Eliana quickly snapped back to attention.
Seeing this, Lune smiled and said,
“I’ll show you to your lodgings from today. Follow me, everyone.”
Lune led the way.
After a short walk, the snowstorm stopped and the city came into view.
The students of Class 5 gasped in awe.
Even passing elf citizens looked at Class 5 with curiosity.
“Professor Harrid, what’s the schedule for the first day?”
“I plan to give them free time.”
“Huh. Free time? You?”
Lune looked surprised.
“Letting your adorable first-years relax a bit, I see.”
Professor Harrid shook his head at Lune’s knowing words.
“Not really. It’s just that the one who made this schedule is that student over there.”
Professor Harrid glanced at Leo.
Following Harrid’s gaze, Lune looked at Leo with a puzzled expression.
“Hmm. Well, you do respect your students’ wishes. It’s fortunate for the others that he made the schedule.”
“I’m not so sure.”
Professor Harrid made a strange face.
“I feel like they might have been happier if I’d made the schedule myself.”
Recalling the itinerary Leo had made over the past week, Professor Harrid shook his head in disbelief.