Chapter 122
Chapter Title: A Tiring Home Visit
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122.
[Five thousand years later? And you're reincarnated?]
“Yes.”
Leo nodded, looking at Elsie's confused expression.
[W-wait. Let me get my thoughts straight. So, you're saying it's been five thousand years since my time, and Erebos has been defeated? And you're the reincarnation of Kyle, the 'Surviving Hero'?]
“Yes.”
[Then how did I travel five thousand years through time to get here?]
“In this era, there's something called the Hero Record.”
[The Hero Record?]
“It’s an object where the records of those who have achieved deeds worthy of the gods' recognition are written.”
Leo explained the Hero Record to Elsie.
[Does that mean the world is now full of spirits and phantom beasts from the past?]
“Not exactly. As far as I know, a spirit from the Hero Record crossing over into reality like you has never happened before.”
After hearing the explanation, Elsie once again looked out the window.
The ominous red moon was nowhere to be seen.
It was a world filled only with the white moon and beautiful starlight she had only heard about in stories.
This was undoubtedly the night sky she had dreamed of.
[Seeing this, I have no choice but to believe you.]
Elsie, her dark eyes filled with the starlight of the night sky, turned back to Leo.
[Then this must be an age of peace.]
“It is. But I can't say it's a completely peaceful era.”
[Why not?]
“It's true that I defeated Erebos, but he hasn't been completely eliminated. And Tartaros is still intact.”
[I see.]
“So I’m going to defeat them.”
[Then I will help you.]
Elsie said, as if making a vow.
[If this is reality, then I must be destined to be with you.]
Elsie knew she was bound to Leo.
[I can't allow such a terrible era to return. I'll do my best to help you.]
“Alright.”
[Then I'll be in your care once more. Kyle—no. Leo Flove.]
“Right. I'm counting on you, Elsie.”
***
After returning from Azonia, Leo took a leisurely rest.
Chelsea maintained a good relationship not only with Leo but also with Reina.
Having grown much closer to Reina, Chelsea listened with interest to stories of her school days.
“Oh, so you were the Empress of Bastera, Reina?”
It was a ball game still frequently played in combat studies classes.
Chelsea was amazed as she heard the story of Reina's exploits in Bastera.
“Yes.”
“Wow!”
Breakfast time.
Dade smiled as he watched the two of them chatting cheerfully.
“Your mother is getting along well with your friend.”
“She is.”
Chelsea had been receiving all of Reina's affection lately.
“By the way, Leo. Your homeroom professor's home visit is today, isn't it?”
“Yes.”
“Shouldn't we prepare some sort of welcome party?”
Dade asked with a worried look.
A professor from Lumerne received the best treatment in any country.
On top of that, Halind was a famous professor whom everyone knew.
With such a person visiting and nothing prepared, Dade couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
“Professor Halind would probably dislike it if we prepared something.”
“That's right, Dade. Professor Halind dislikes such formalities.”
“When he visited our house, we only served him tea.”
Reina chimed in with Leo’s words, and Chelsea added her support.
At that, Dade looked slightly relieved.
And so, morning came to an end.
Leo, Dade, and Reina waited for Halind's visit.
When a servant announced Halind's arrival, Dade's expression grew slightly tense.
A moment later, the doors to the Flove mansion opened, and Halind and Assistant Professor Sera entered.
Dade stepped forward.
“Welcome, Professor Halind. We welcome you to our home.”
“Thank you for having me, Marquis Flove.”
Halind greeted him politely.
As they were meeting from the perspectives of a parent and a teacher, the atmosphere between the two was very serious.
“This is my wife.”
At Dade's introduction, Halind turned his head.
Then he spotted Reina, waving with a bright smile, and his expression turned peculiar.
“It's been a while, Professor Halind. You've gotten more wrinkles, haven't you?”
“Why are you here, Reina Jerdinger?”
“It's Reina Flove now, you know?”
Watching Reina's bright smile, Halind let out a deep sigh.
For some reason, he had a strong feeling that this would be a tiring home visit.
“And why is Chelsea Llewellyn here too?”
“Sir! I'm visiting Leo's house during the break.”
Chelsea answered sharply.
Chelsea was one of the students in class who got scolded the least by Halind, but that didn't change the fact that she was afraid of him.
In fact, Leo was the only first-year who was unfazed in front of Halind.
No, he was the only one in the entire grade.
And so, the home visit began in the living room.
Halind, sitting across from Leo, Reina, and Dade, spoke to Sera, who stood beside him.
“The papers.”
“Here you are.”
Halind handed the documents regarding Leo to Dade and Reina and spoke.
“I'll be direct. Your son's qualities are truly outstanding.”
Halind continued with his signature expressionless face.
“Knight Studies, Magic Studies, and Summoning Studies. He maintains top-tier grades in all three departments for his year. His relationships with his peers are also smooth. No, in fact, his leadership is exceptionally strong.”
“Ooh.”
Reina said in admiration, ruffling her son's hair.
Even so, she carefully read the evaluation materials Halind had prepared for Leo.
“I can't find any distinct weaknesses. However, as a teacher, there are three points of concern. First is his reserves of Aura, Mana, and Spirit Power. He can certainly unleash explosive attacks, and he has grown compared to the beginning of the semester, but the fact that Leo is relatively weak in prolonged battles still holds true.”
“Hmm.”
Dade nodded.
“Second. The issue of his department. For now, he is showing overwhelming skill in all areas, but it's questionable how long that will last. Of course, if he continues to show outstanding performance in every field, that would be for the best… but in case he doesn't, I recommend that he decides on a primary class to focus on.”
Halind glanced at Reina.
“His mother, Reina, should be good at that part.”
Reina smiled faintly.
“Third. This is just my personal opinion, but…”
Halind let out a small sigh.
“Leo doesn't hesitate to face danger.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Halind answered Dade's question seriously.
“Exactly what it sounds like. The feats Leo Flove has shown during the first semester are all astonishing. He's not called unprecedented simply because he's an All-Class. Throughout Lumerne's history, there have probably been few students who displayed such overwhelming prowess as a first-year. A fifteen-year-old boy is continuously achieving deeds comparable to those of heroes.”
“Isn't that a good thing?”
Dade asked with a puzzled expression.
It was Reina who answered him.
“It can't be seen as entirely good, Dade.”
Reina looked at Leo with serious eyes.
“Achieving a great deed. That means putting your life on the line.”
The Chuvarun subjugation.
The Skeleton King subjugation.
The Gigantes subjugation.
Incredible feats that were unbelievable for a first-year to have accomplished.
They were dazzling on the surface, but it also meant that Leo had risked his life every single time.
“I haven't said anything, but… it's true that I'm very worried.”
Dade's expression turned grave, and Reina looked at Leo with a stern gaze.
“At Lumerne, there's a saying. 'Do not recklessly confront a trial.'”
Trials are a necessary step to becoming a hero.
But trials are always accompanied by death.
The hero academy is a place to raise heroes, but that doesn't mean it recklessly throws students into trials.
As a graduate of Lumerne, Reina knew all too well how dangerous the path Leo had walked was.
“Leo. May I ask why you've been pushing yourself so hard?”
“I'm sorry for worrying you. But I didn't push myself just for the sake of it. I simply couldn't avoid it.”
Leo said calmly.
“It's true that one shouldn't recklessly confront trials… but as long as one aims to be a hero, it's also true that trials are unavoidable.”
At his words, Reina let out a deep sigh and covered her face.
She, too, had once dreamed of being a hero.
That was why she couldn't bring herself to refute Leo's words.
Halind also sighed deeply as he looked at Leo.
In truth, Leo had rarely acted recklessly.
With the exception of the school trip, most incidents were cases where he had no choice but to face a trial.
‘Leo is certainly different from the other students.’
The children of Lumerne all admire heroes.
That was why they enrolled in the hero academy.
But in Halind's eyes, Leo did not admire heroes.
‘He simply has a goal he wants to achieve.’
He recalled Leo's words from the beginning of the semester.
‘My goal is the complete annihilation of Erebos.’
At the time, he had thought it was just a grand ambition.
But…
‘Perhaps he really is aiming for that.’
Feeling a chill run down his spine, Halind opened his mouth.
“Lumerne will do its utmost to help students achieve what they desire. Although there are points of concern, Leo is without a doubt the best student I have ever taught. Therefore, in the second semester, I will do my best to guide him so that you both can worry a little less.”
Halind bowed his head gravely.
Sera, standing beside him, also bowed deeply.
If a student dreams of being a hero, you cannot stop them.
That would go against the purpose of a hero academy.
However, they would spare no support to ensure the student did not die.
“We'll be in your care.”
“Me too, Professor Halind.”
Dade and Reina also bowed politely.
The moment their son had set his sights on Lumerne, they had prepared themselves for him to face danger.
There was no stopping it now.
After the home visit concluded, Reina spoke.
“By the way, Assistant Professor Sera. Is it bearable working under Professor Halind?”
“Yes. He's scary, but he treats me well.”
“Hahaha. Should I tell you one of Professor Halind's weaknesses?”
“Pardon?”
“So, when Professor Halind became my first homeroom teacher…”
“Reina Jerdinger. If you don't want to stand in the hallway with your hands up, you'd best be quiet.”
“I'm not a student anymore, you know? And at my age, you think I'd get that kind of punishment?!”
Halind's expression turned icy as he looked at the indignant Reina.
Watching Reina, Leo shook his head, and Sera's jaw dropped.
She had never seen anyone talk back to Halind like that.
Chelsea, who was watching from outside the living room, was impressed.
“Awesome. If I tell the others about this, no one will believe it, right?”
Chelsea was pleased to have witnessed such an interesting spectacle.
***
After the home visit, the vacation continued to pass.
Leo opened a letter that had come from the northern region.
It was from Lunia and Eiran, students at Seirun.
‘Hey, you heartless jerk! Not even a single letter? Anyway! How are you? You're not slacking on your studies, are you?’
‘Leo, are you well? I am studying hard every day to go to Lumerne as an exchange student.’
“Looks like they're doing well.”
Smiling, Leo wrote back to them and then looked out the window.
Only a week of vacation was left.
‘In two days, I'll be heading back to Lumeria City.’
Leo smiled faintly, looking forward to the second semester.