Chapter 128
Chapter Title: Hero Magic
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“Kyle?”
“Kyle was a real person?”
The students reacted with surprise.
The large lecture hall instantly grew noisy.
Until now, the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle, was a figure who had only ever existed in fairy tales.
*‘That’s because my Hero Record was never left behind.’*
But even as a fictional character, he was incredibly famous.
His name had been mentioned alongside the other Great Heroes for at least thousands of years.
That was why the field of Heroics had conducted extensive research to find the origins of the figure known as Kyle.
However, with no proof of his existence, he was ultimately dismissed as a non-existent person.
And in such a situation, the name Kyle had been mentioned in the world of the [Brave Hero].
As the students murmured, Artian spoke.
“Everyone, please calm down. For now, only his name has been mentioned. Besides, it hasn't been confirmed if he's the same person as the Hero of the Beginning.”
At her words, the students settled down.
Just then, Chloe raised her hand.
“Yes, Chloe.”
“If the ‘Hero of the Beginning’ really did exist, what would happen?”
“If that's the case, the entire landscape of Heroics will be overturned. You know how there are pages of heroes that have been discovered, but their owners are unknown? It's possible some of them belong to Kyle.”
“Ooooh.”
“Does that mean there's a Great Hero among humans too?”
The students grew excited.
The five races on the continent.
Humans, elves, beastkin, dwarves, and dragons.
Among them, only humans lacked a Great Hero.
Because of this, they harbored an unconscious inferiority complex when compared to the other races.
In such a situation, if Kyle truly existed, humans could finally stand proud before the other races.
“Of course.”
Seeing Artian's gentle smile, the students' eyes sparkled.
*‘So this is how it gets revealed.’*
Leo, too, had been discontent about being forgotten.
Just then, Celia raised her hand.
“Professor. If Kyle did exist, was he really an All-Class?”
“There's a high probability. After all, we have an actual All-Class at our school, don't we?”
At Artian's words, every student's gaze turned to Leo.
While having over three hundred pairs of eyes on him at once might have been startling, Leo remained unfazed.
“What are you looking at?”
At his reaction, the students turned their attention back to Artian.
“In any case, it's true that an interesting topic regarding Kyle has been brought up. That's why many scholars of Heroics are currently heading to Azonia.”
“What does ‘the Surviving Hero’ mean?”
“The conqueror doesn't seem to know much about that either. They only said it was a name mentioned by Ar-on's master, a hero of that era known as the ‘Guardian of the Azure Sky’.”
“Ar-on had a master?”
“Well… it's not that strange, I guess.”
“I'm so jealous. They got to meet Ar-on in person, right?”
“Even among our first-years, the class presidents met Lisinas.”
During the first semester, Kyle's page was opened here.
The class presidents met Lisinas at that time.
“Alright, so for today's class, we'll be studying the [Hero of the Beginning], Kyle. How much do you all know about the Hero of the Beginning? Any student who knows about Kyle's most representative deeds?”
At Artian's question, everyone looked perplexed.
He was a famous figure, but conversely, because he was treated as fictional, Kyle was someone they didn't know in detail.
The sheer number of Kyle's deeds mentioned in fairy tales was overwhelming.
However, there was one student who had researched Kyle purely out of her love for fairy tales.
“Yes! The Hero of the Beginning Kyle's most representative deed is the Battle of Datepran against the Necro King, Hell Kaiser!”
Chelsea answered, her hand raised high.
“That's correct. Ten points for Chelsea.”
Chelsea clenched her fist tightly.
Afterward, Artian conducted her lesson on Kyle.
Starting with the academic world's assessment of the figure known as Kyle up to this point, she even discussed her views on how it might change in the future.
As befitting a Heroics class at Lumerne, the lesson was incredibly interesting and in-depth.
Every student focused on the lesson.
After the class ended and the break began, Chelsea muttered to herself while organizing her notes.
“But why would he be called the Surviving Hero?”
“Because he survived, obviously.”
Leo answered Chelsea's question simply.
“He was probably strong enough to survive many battles, and that's how he got the name.”
Leo explained the reason he himself had been called the Surviving Hero.
“Hmm! It's incredibly simple, but I guess a literal interpretation makes the most sense right now.”
Chelsea nodded.
Leo rested his chin on his hand and recalled the past.
*‘Well, it wasn't a nickname I was fond of.’*
Back then, it was a nickname closer to a derogatory term.
Before joining the subjugation force, Kyle had built his reputation as a mercenary by participating in many battles.
And amidst countless others being wiped out, he alone would return alive.
At first, people praised him for being amazing, but as it happened repeatedly, he eventually became a symbol of misfortune.
*‘Thanks to that, no one wanted to be my comrade anymore.’*
It was during that time that Lisinas, then called the Fool, came to find him.
Lost in thought, Leo smiled as he watched his peers seriously discussing Kyle.
*‘To think the day would come when I’d be studying about Kyle at Lumerne.’*
Of course, this was a situation Leo had wished for.
It was unfair that only his comrades were remembered when he had saved the world alongside them.
But now that he was actually taking a class like this, it felt strange.
*‘I’m probably the only one trying to pass down my own achievements to future generations.’*
Lamenting his own circumstances, Leo heaved a deep sigh.
The students were all exhausted after attending classes from the very first day of the new semester.
It felt as if their relaxed senses from the break were being tightened again.
“Haaah! I'm tired! So tired!”
Karl, who had just finished bathing with him, stretched and asked.
“Leo. Want to go to the snack bar?”
“No. I'm going to turn in a little early tonight.”
“Really? Alright then.”
Nodding at Leo's words, Karl headed to the snack bar alone.
Back in his room, Leo took Elsie out of the necklace.
Elsie flew to the window, her eyes shining as she gazed up at the night sky.
Since coming to the modern era, looking up at the night sky every night had become part of Elsie's routine.
“Elsie.”
“Yes, Leo.”
“I'm going to introduce you to my other summons now.”
“Ah! You mean the phoenix and the pixie you told me about.”
“Yeah. I've told you this before, but don't let them know that I'm Kyle.”
Leo sighed, thinking of the frivolous personalities of Piora and Kiruan.
It wasn't likely that the two summons would intentionally go around blabbing about their contractor Leo's personal details.
But given their personalities, there was a high chance they might accidentally tell someone without realizing it.
*‘A secret is best kept when fewer people know it.’*
It would be a disaster if Tartaros ever found out that Leo was the reincarnation of Kyle.
If that happened, they would surely use any means necessary to eliminate him before he could regain the power of Kyle in his prime.
*‘If it is to be revealed, it has to be after I've regained a certain amount of my strength.’*
With that thought, Leo summoned Piora and Kiruan.
“Your bonded summon, Piora. I have come at your call.”
[Leo! You're back!]
Piora curtsied gracefully, lifting the hem of her skirt, while Kiruan waved his hand.
Then, they noticed Elsie and paused.
“Who is that?”
“She's a spirit I just contracted with.”
[My name is Elsie.]
As Elsie introduced herself with a gentle smile, Kiruan let out an intrigued “Hoh?”
[A newbie? I'm Kiruan. The leader of Leo's summons.]
“I'm the leader.”
[Why are you the leader?]
“Because I contracted with Leo first.”
Piora said with a look that suggested it was obvious.
[A leader should be the most dignified and high-ranking summon. Like me.]
“This pixie has lost her mind, so you can just think of me as the leader.”
[You fat chick!]
Watching the two bicker, Leo let out a deep sigh.
For Leo, the summon he had contracted with first and the one with the highest rank was none other than Elsie.
Compared to the Great Spirit he had contracted with in his past life, Piora and Kiruan were still fledglings.
[They're lively children.]
Elsie beamed, seemingly pleased by the boisterous atmosphere.
Leo shook his head at Elsie's expression, which was like that of someone watching over cute younger siblings.
“That's not lively, that's just immature.”
***
The students were overwhelmed, having started classes on the very first day of the semester.
But the first-years, who had been through their fair share of trials, adapted without difficulty.
After the mandatory courses for all years were over, the major-specific classes began.
The first major class was none other than Magic Studies.
Along with Chelsea and Karl, Leo headed to the training grounds they had been notified about in advance.
“Practical training for the first class? That doesn't seem like Professor Ren.”
Chelsea tilted her head in confusion.
Ren was a professor who emphasized theoretical lessons.
Of course, it wasn't that he neglected practical application, but he was a professor who held a strong belief that magic was a field based on research and inquiry.
For him to hold the first class of the second semester at the training grounds was certainly unconventional.
The first-years gathered at the training grounds and waited for Ren.
A short while later, Ren appeared with Associate Professor Anna.
Ren stood in the center of the training grounds and smiled gently.
“Everyone. Did you have a good break?”
“Yes.”
“Professor Ren! We missed you!”
A few female students greeted Ren in sweet, alluring voices.
Thanks to his handsome looks and kind personality, Ren was an especially popular professor among the female students.
Of course, he did go on a rampage sometimes, but even that was seen as a sign of his passion for magic, which many found charming.
Nodding at the students' response, Ren spoke.
“I'd like you to submit the assignments you worked on over the break.”
At his words, the students submitted the reports they were holding.
Anna collected the students' reports and placed them into a subspace.
Meanwhile, Ren began to speak.
“Over the break, I gave a lot of thought to how I should teach you all in the second semester.”
The students looked puzzled by his words.
“As you all know, your year is receiving a lot of attention from the school.”
Ren said, his gaze sweeping over the students.
“That's why I had high expectations for the departmental competition during the first semester.”
Emio raised his hand.
“And that's why the first-years subjugated a Gigantes during the departmental competition!”
While it was nine students who defeated the Gigantes, it was also true that the subjugation would have been impossible without the other first-years.
That was why Emio went around saying they had subjugated it ‘together’.
“That's right. But it didn't prove the excellence of the Magic Department.”
“It was an achievement of the entire first year, not the feat of a specific department.”
“Are you aware? Among the professors, the evaluation of your seniors in the department—the second, third, and fourth-years—was not very good.”
“Huh?”
“Hasn't the Magic Department's evaluation always been neck and neck with the Knight Department?”
The students, who had a strong sense of inter-departmental rivalry, looked confused.
Seeing this, Ren crossed his arms.
“Of course, that was the evaluation from outside the department.”
Ren's eyes flashed.
“But for the past three years, the Magic Department's first-years have never beaten Seirun in the Lu-Se Games!”
The students flinched at his words.
“The professors of the Magic Department have decided that we cannot suffer this humiliation for a fourth consecutive year. Therefore, for the second semester, I have prepared a curriculum to prepare for the Lu-Se Games at the end of the term.”
The students were surprised by Ren's declaration.
“Starting today, you will be learning ‘Hero Magic’.”