Chapter 232
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Which dorm are you going to?"
"Isn't Dormitory 1 the better choice?"
"I'm going with Dormitory 2. As a knight, being in the same dorm as Celia is definitely not a bad choice."
When the dormitories were first announced, an overwhelming number of students wanted to go to Dormitory 1.
But as the other dormitory heads established the direction for their dorms, interest in the other options grew.
It was true that Leo had distinguished himself as the year representative and risen to the position of student council president.
However, the ones who had led the students in their departmental lives were the dormitory heads.
"I don't understand!"
About five days had passed since the dormitory member selection began.
The outlines of each dorm were slowly starting to take shape.
Students with strong departmental pride chose Dormitory 2, where Celia, Chelsea, and Woreden were.
Students with strong pride in their skills went to Dormitory 3.
And students, including those in the Dual Class, who were motivated to improve together chose Dormitory 1.
As students gathered in small groups to discuss the dorms, Emio Lucian's irritable voice echoed from the garden.
He was confronting Abad.
"I'm not sure what you mean."
Abad said to Emio with his characteristically gentle smile.
"Exactly what I said. I'm saying I don't understand your actions at all."
Emio, with his arms crossed, gestured toward Iliana with his chin.
"Why are you offering a spot in the dorm to someone like *this*, but not saying a single word to me? Didn't you say you were going to beat Leo Flove and become the best dormitory? And yet, Dormitory 3 seems to be collecting nothing but riff-raff."
"Hey, who are you calling riff-raff?"
Iliana, who had been standing awkwardly between the two, spoke in a harsh tone.
"Oh? Are you that confident in your skills?"
"Being a top student in the Magic Department must have made you blind. Am I confident? I could stomp you into the ground and stuff you in that garden trash can right now."
Iliana spat out the harsh words with a cold smile.
Normally, Iliana’s overly impulsive nature made her careless and clumsy, but she was undeniably a powerhouse, among the top-ranked students in the entire second year.
There was no way she would let a remark insulting her slide.
"How arrogant."
"Want to go right now?"
At Emio's words, Iliana gave a cold smile and lowered her stance.
Seeing this, Emio’s expression hardened, and he was about to summon his magic power.
"Don't fight recklessly outside."
"Ugh?"
Leo slipped his hands under Iliana's arms and lifted her up.
Startled by Leo, who had approached without a sound and lifted her, Iliana quickly withdrew her aura and magic power.
"Kh?"
Emio's eyes widened as he stared at Abad, a staff now pressed against the nape of his neck.
"The semester hasn't even officially started yet. Don't you think it's a bit much to be causing trouble?"
His smile was as gentle as ever, but his eyes were cold.
Emio clicked his tongue in annoyance and left.
"Class Rep. Put me down."
After Leo set her down, Iliana fanned her slightly flushed face and said.
"You could have just stopped me. Why'd you have to scare me by picking me up like that?"
"Because if I hadn't, you really would have fought."
Whether Leo and Abad had intervened or not, Iliana had been ready to summon her aura and magic power and charge in.
"Anyway, what was that all about?"
"Hmph! I'm getting offers from all over the place, but nobody's asking him. He's probably just jealous."
Iliana scoffed, crossing her arms.
She was right.
Iliana had received invitations to join from every single dormitory.
"So why haven't you chosen a dorm yet?"
"I want to go to Dorm 1 with you, Class Rep... and I want to go to Dorm 2 with Chelsea and Nella... and I want to go to Dorm 3 with Karl and Dade."
Iliana's shoulders slumped as she made a gloomy face.
The six of them who had been closest back in their first year, Class 5, were all scattered across different dormitories.
"Come to our dorm. We need you. Most of the Dual Class students came to our side, so it'll be a good environment for you as a Magic Swordsman."
"Gasp! The Class Rep is trying to win me over?!"
"We need you too, Iliana. Since you're talented with both magic and aura, Duran and I can help you."
"Kuh! Even Abad is passionately wooing me...! Hehe! This is the stuff! The most popular guys in school, including Duran, all vying for my attention!"
Iliana trembled with delight.
Leo, who had been staring at Iliana as she revealed her dark inner thoughts, said to Abad.
"You can have her."
"We don't need her either."
Having concluded their business, Leo and Abad turned to leave.
Iliana flinched at the sight.
"Alright! I'll decide! I'll go with whoever talks to me first!"
But neither of them looked back.
In the end, Iliana hurriedly ran after Leo.
"Wait! Class Rep! I'll join your dorm! Stop!"
As a Magic Swordsman, going to Dormitory 1 with Leo was the most ideal choice for Iliana.
But Leo never turned back, and Iliana ended up grabbing his ankle, begging and pleading.
"I'm sorry for playing hard to get! Class Rep! I'll join your dorm, so please forgive me! No! Please let me join! Mr. Class Rep! Mr. Leo! Mr. Student Council President! Please!"
***
Dormitory 1, which had been completely empty on the first day, was now filled with energy.
Students' belongings began to occupy spots here and there in the once-bleak dormitory lounge.
Just then.
*Knock-knock-*
A soft knock was heard at the dormitory's main entrance.
"Who is it?"
A student from the Knight Department opened the door with a puzzled look.
He saw who was standing at the entrance and his expression turned to one of surprise.
"Assistant Professor Sera?"
Sera, who had been in charge of the first-year Class 5 under Halind, stood there.
"It's nice to meet you, everyone from Dormitory 1."
Sera greeted the students as she entered the room.
"Assistant Professor Sera!"
"Welcome!"
"What brings you here?"
As the Class 5 students, led by Iliana, greeted her with bright faces, Sera covered her mouth and chuckled.
"My name is Sera Tillia, and starting today, I will be the housemaster for Dormitory 1. I look forward to working with you all."
"Ooh!"
"We're in your care!"
Sera was popular with students from other classes as well.
Not only was she beautiful, but she also had a good personality.
Crucially, she was always with Halind, so students who were being scolded by him often received her help.
That's why they reacted so warmly upon hearing she was the housemaster.
"I hope we can all get along for the next year."
"We're the ones who should be saying that!"
Sera cleared her throat with an "Ahem!" at the beaming students.
"Now, I have some announcements to make. First, since the dormitory members have been decided, I'd like you to choose a name for the dorm."
"A name for the dorm?"
"Yes. Calling it by a number is a bit rigid, don't you think? So, you should come up with a cool name that can represent the dormitory."
"Ooh..."
"Also, you all know that the entrance ceremony is tomorrow, right? It's the day you finally become seniors."
At Sera's words, the students' faces lit up with interest.
Seniors!
What a heart-pounding word.
For the past year, they had received help from their seniors and run errands for them.
To the first-years, the seniors were objects of aspiration.
They had become hero candidates first and had overcome the difficult academic life.
It was only natural for them to feel respect for their seniors.
"Hah. A senior at last."
"I'm going to dote on all the juniors!"
"So this is how the third-year seniors felt."
Sera smiled brightly at the students' excited reactions.
"In that spirit, there will be a welcome banquet after the entrance ceremony tomorrow."
The students paused at her words.
Had there been a welcome banquet at their own entrance ceremony?
There hadn't.
In fact, many students had gone through their entire first semester without exchanging a single word with a senior.
The senior-junior relationship at Lumerne was strongly hierarchical.
This was especially true for departments like Summoning, where discipline between upper and lowerclassmen was strictly enforced.
But a welcome banquet for the juniors?
"The first-years are already plenty scared of you because of what happened during the second-year entrance exam, right? Besides, there will be some familiar faces from last year's joint classes. Is there really a need to insist on a rigid senior-junior relationship? The new principal's wish is for you to welcome the first-years warmly and guide them so they can adapt to school life better."
"Hmm."
"It's true, when I was a first-year, the second-year seniors were really intimidating."
"Being looked up to like our seniors were would be nice, but getting along with the juniors seems like it could be fun in its own way."
"Yeah. There were a lot of pretty impressive kids during the entrance exam, weren't there?"
The students looked convinced.
Meanwhile, Sera recalled the principal's words.
*'If the first-years come in like usual, most of them won't be able to handle it and will end up dropping out.'*
Liina had said calmly during the faculty meeting.
*'The current second-years have reputations that are just too big. On top of that, their skills are incredible. Which generation gets compared to them directly? The one above and the one below.'*
Liina had propped her chin on her hand.
*'The class above them has it relatively easy. They're seniors, after all. But the juniors don't. Many of them will get discouraged if they're constantly being compared. So, my thought is that, unlike usual, I'd like them to build friendships across the board.'*
Hearing Sera's explanation, Leo let out a small laugh.
*'I don't know who the principal is, but they're wise.'*
"So, when you see the first-years tomorrow, please give them a warm welcome. That is all."
After delivering the announcements, Sera called over Leo and Chloe.
"And student Leo, student Chloe, please come with me for a moment."
At her words, Leo and Chloe followed Sera out of the dormitory with puzzled expressions.
In the dormitory garden, Sera spoke.
"The reason I called you two separately is because of student Chen Xia."
"I was wondering about that too. When is Xia coming back? It's been a week since the semester started, why isn't she here?"
At Chloe's question, Sera gave a troubled smile.
"It seems student Chen Xia's family situation is much more complicated than we thought. The school has been trying to contact them continuously, but there's been no response."
Chloe looked flustered at Sera's words.
"There's a chance Miss Chen Xia might withdraw from the academy herself, so you should start thinking about potential Knight Department dormitory head candidates."
"What?"
Chloe's eyes widened.
Leo frowned.
*'Withdraw?'*
***
*Swoooosh-!*
The regular ferry that traveled between Lumerne and Lumeria City was cutting through the lake.
The new first-year students were on board.
A wide variety of food from different cultures was laid out on the deck like a buffet.
The noble students were enjoying the food.
"This is Lumerne, after all."
"Hehe. It seems an extraordinary school life awaits us."
The noble students wore generally satisfied expressions.
Having lived their entire lives enjoying privileges, these students took all of this for granted.
"By the way, that person over there, the one who's a Lumerne professor."
"She's a complete unknown with no reputation. How did she become a professor at Lumerne?"
"Could she have gotten the job through connections?"
A few students openly stared at the woman sitting on one side of the deck, smiling gently.
She was a woman with brilliant silver hair and beautiful features.
Her only flaw, if you could call it that, was the eyepatch over her left eye.
Just as the new students were whispering that she was a suspicious woman with no reputation other than being a Lumerne professor.
The woman rose from her seat.
"Is everyone enjoying the boat trip?"
"It's not bad."
"I think it's an event befitting of us."
A few students said, puffing out their chests.
Watching them, she gave a soft smile.
"That's a relief. Before that... I have an announcement."
All the students looked at the Lumerne professor with puzzled faces.
"Normally, Lumerne has top students representing each region: Central, West, East, South, and North. However, as you all know, this year's was an integrated exam. Therefore, there are no top students."
The freshmen nodded.
"Naturally, a freshman representative couldn't be chosen either."
At those words, the students paused and glanced at a few of their peers.
They were students who had the reputation and skill to become the year representative.
"What is it you wish to say, Professor?"
Juen, who was from the Northern Magic Tower and a strong candidate for freshman representative, asked with a belligerent smile.
"So, I thought we would select the freshman representative right now."
*Murmur-murmur-!*
A commotion broke out among the freshmen.
"How on earth do you plan to select the freshman representative here?"
"A freshman representative should be decided by skill, of course. Understood?"
"W-What...?"
The Lumerne professor raised her index finger and smiled brightly.
"From now on, fight each other."