Chapter 304
Chapter: 304
Chapter Title: A Hero's Welcome
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304
“Wow, things are really blowing up. Utter chaos.”
In Demian’s infirmary, Karl, dressed in a patient’s gown, shook his head as he read the newspaper.
“That’s a natural reaction. The Giant King, who hasn’t been seen in thousands of years, just showed up. *Munch*—”
Lunia remarked while eating an apple that had been cut into the shape of a cute rabbit.
“You’re surprisingly skilled with your hands.”
As Driana also speared an apple with her fork, Ar narrowed his eyes.
“What do you mean, ‘surprisingly’? Huh?”
“But they’re really pretty.”
Eiran was admiring the rabbit-shaped apple, thinking it was a shame to eat it, when—
*Creak—*
The door opened, and Leo walked in.
“Did your treatment go well?”
“They said I need to rest for a few more days.”
Leo answered Karl’s question nonchalantly and picked up an apple to eat. Ar muttered with a dark expression.
“A tragedy of cannibalism, I see.”
“What are you talking about?”
Leo shot Ar a strange look before plopping down next to Karl.
Karl folded the newspaper and murmured.
“Anyway… he was incredible.”
“He was.”
They knew the Great Hero was amazing.
In fact, everyone except Driana had seen the Great Hero in action before.
But this was the first time they had spent so much time with him, learning and hearing so much.
“Of all the people who have cleared the worlds of the Great Heroes, I doubt any of them learned anything from them like we did.”
Ar crossed his arms and nodded in agreement.
“Speaking of which, Leo, you missed Sir Kyle again, didn’t you?”
“Kyle? What are you talking about?”
“We met Sir Kyle just before we completed the World of Heroes.”
“Pfft! *Cough!* *Gasp?* *Cough!*”
At Driana’s words, Leo choked on his food and started coughing.
Eiran, startled, patted his back.
After finally calming down, Leo asked.
“You saw Kyle?”
“Yeah, Sir Kyle was amazing, too. He dealt with Erebos’s flame so easily. Wow… seeing it up close, I was just speechless.”
Karl murmured, recalling the event.
“Summoning a Pegasus as a divine beast was also surprising.”
At Lunia’s murmur, Ar crossed his arms.
“His swordsmanship was flawless, without a single wasted movement.”
Driana nodded. “Mhm, mhm.”
“And the magic he used for the final blow was beautiful.”
Karl shook his head in disbelief.
“It made me think, ‘So this is what a truly perfect all-class is like.’”
Eiran smiled brightly.
“Yes! He was just like you, Leo!”
*Of course. Because that’s me.*
“Leo still has a long way to go to catch up to Sir Kyle.”
“No matter how amazing the Black Rabbit is, Sir Kyle is a Great Hero, you know?”
“It’s a shame you didn’t get to see him. He would have been a great role model for you.”
Hearing the words from Lunia, Ar, and Driana, Leo let out a hollow laugh internally.
*That was me, you idiots.*
“Anyway, are we stuck in this infirmary for the whole exclusive smith contract period?”
Karl leaned back deeply into the sofa, lacing his fingers behind his head.
“We have to undergo a detailed examination and write a report on what happened in the Hero Record.”
Lunia also sighed softly.
“Just thinking about seeing those annoying teachers’ faces is already getting on my nerves.”
“You’ve really committed to the delinquent student route, haven’t you?”
“Hm? You got a problem with that?”
“Not at all, ma’am.”
When Lunia asked with a faint smile, Karl frantically shook his head.
He knew he might get a fist to the face if he teased her carelessly.
“Speaking of the exclusive smith contract.”
Driana’s expression turned serious.
“This experience has made me think about many things. I claimed to respect Sir Dweno, but what have I actually done? Nothing at all. So, I’ve done a lot of reflecting.”
“Did you also reflect on how you create weird junk and insist it’s art?”
“Be quiet, you foolish cat.”
Driana shot Ar a glare before clearing her throat.
“Meeting Sir Dweno this time, I learned and felt a great deal.”
Driana looked down at her small palm.
“I now clearly understand what I can do with these hands, and what I must do.”
Clenching her fist, Driana said.
“If you’ll allow me, I’d like to become your exclusive smith.”
“It would be an honor to have someone as talented as you, Miss Driana, as our exclusive smith!”
“She’s a pervert, but her skills are the real deal.”
“Above all, her skills were acknowledged by Sir Dweno himself.”
Eiran, Ar, and Lunia nodded.
Driana smiled at the three of them.
“Thank you. Then let’s draw up the exclusive contract.”
Driana pulled a contract and a pen from her pocket and handed them out to the five of them.
“Alright, alright, you just need to sign on the final signature line.”
As Driana pointed to the signature line on the last page, Lunia, Ar, and Eiran were about to sign without a second thought.
Seeing this, Karl shouted in alarm.
“Hey, hey, hey! What do you think you’re doing!”
“Huh? We’re signing the exclusive smith contract…”
“What if there’s some weird clause in there and you sign without even reading it properly?”
“Huh? There’s no way Miss Driana would trick us, right?”
“Young ladies from good families are so naive.”
Karl shook his head from side to side.
Meanwhile, Lunia and Ar narrowed their eyes and began flipping through the contract. *Swish— Swish—*
Then, upon seeing a clause in the final section, they glared at Driana.
“What is this?”
“It’s a clause regarding a modeling contract for my artistic endeavors.”
“Then why does it say ‘nude model’?”
“The form at birth! The pure form is the most beautiful, is it not! Especially you, Lunia! Since Sir Dweno himself selected you as a nude model, I have a duty to express your naked form through art and share it with the world—!”
“What nonsense are you spouting!”
Lunia, her face bright red, tore the contract to shreds. *Rip— Rip— Rip— Rip—*
Ar also tore his contract. *Riiip—*
Eiran’s face was completely flushed.
“You can thank me.”
Karl said as he, too, ripped his contract in half.
Watching the scene unfold, Leo let out a deep sigh.
*Have these guys really matured at all?*
***
Leo and Karl were finally discharged from the infirmary on the last day of the exclusive smith contract period.
On the way back to the dorms, Karl let out a heavy sigh.
“We ended up missing the entire curriculum. It’s a miracle we can even attend the banquet on the last day. I thought I’d be stuck in Demian for a few more days.”
Karl made a face as if he’d had enough.
“That’s because there was so much to talk about from this World of Heroes.”
It was, quite literally, an unprecedented situation.
During the Age of Calamity.
To have personally experienced the Siege of Gardsrone, one of the largest battles of that era, was truly astonishing.
Moreover, it was a World of Heroes where not only the protagonist, Dweno, but also fellow Great Heroes like Ar-on and Kyle appeared.
Even Verchia, one of the greatest figures among the elves, had made an appearance.
There had never been a Hero Record before where so many great figures from the most powerful races appeared in such numbers, making Leo’s party’s experience incredibly valuable from an academic standpoint as well.
Sedzen, who had been listening to their conversation, said.
“You both went through a lot. Especially you, Student Karl. You had it the toughest.”
“Well, Professor Sedzen, you helped me out.”
The one who had drawn the most attention during this investigation was none other than Karl.
It was inevitable.
Karl’s reward for clearing the world was an alchemy book written by Dweno.
In other words, it was Dweno’s knowledge itself.
Unlike the others, who had received items made by Dweno, or Leo, who had announced he received no reward to avoid a commotion, Karl’s reward was in a shareable format.
As a result, people from all races coveted Karl’s reward.
It was amidst this that Sedzen had stepped forward.
‘The rewards achieved in the World of Heroes belong to the conqueror alone, and the right to decide what to do with them lies with the conqueror. You, who know this better than anyone, are now pressuring a young student to share his reward? A book of alchemy that even Student Karl himself has yet to examine! That is not elegant. You should be ashamed!’
In response to Sedzen’s genuinely furious rebuke, an investigator from Seirun had said.
‘Knowledge only gains value when it is shared. Besides, isn’t that student’s academic performance so poor that he could be expelled from Lumerne at any moment? I believe such a reward is too much for him.’
‘In alchemy, Student Karl has demonstrated skills superior to any other second-year at Lumerne. Furthermore, during the clearing of this World of Heroes, Sir Dweno himself acknowledged him and taught him alchemy directly. The Hero Record also grants rewards that are deemed appropriate. Your statement can be seen as sufficient grounds to be considered a disparagement of Sir Dweno’s choice and the will of the Hero Record.’
Sedzen, who had retorted with an icy expression, had continued to shield Karl from all pressure thereafter.
“Honestly, I was moved.”
“I merely did my duty as a professor. That reward is entirely yours. Unless you choose to share that knowledge of your own free will… Lumerne will stand by you and protect you.”
“Professor Sedzen!”
“Student Karl!”
Leo shook his head as he watched the beautiful teacher-student relationship unfold between a professor who, until recently, had been decrying the treacherous minion of the cunning Halind for emptying his wallet with a wicked tongue, and a student who had been pondering how to fleece that professor for even more.
“In any case, it’s a good thing Halind or Riina weren’t there instead of me.”
“What would have happened if they were?”
“Halind would have cursed out anyone spouting nonsense, and Riina would have just thrown a punch.”
Sedzen shook his head from side to side.
“If you’ve gotten older, you should act your age. Why are they all still so childish?”
*Of the three of you, I think you’re the most childish, Professor Sedzen.*
Karl muttered internally but didn’t say it out loud.
He figured there was no need to spoil the heartwarming atmosphere.
Following Sedzen’s lead, the two arrived at their assigned dormitory.
The door opened, and the gazes of the students gathered at the entrance to attend the banquet all landed on the two of them.
“It’s Leo and Karl!”
“What?”
“Leo! Karl!”
“Class Rep! Kaaarl!”
Led by Chelsea, the students who had been in the same class during their first year rushed over in a crowd.
Other students they were acquainted with also gathered around.
“I heard you were badly hurt. Are you all recovered?”
“Young Master Leo, how are you feeling?”
When Chloe and Chen Xia asked worriedly, Leo chuckled.
“I’m almost all better.”
“Leo! You’re amazing! Clearing Sir Dweno’s world this time! I bet there’s not a single person who’s cleared multiple Great Heroes’ worlds as a student like you have!”
Chelsea bounced up and down, as happy as if it were her own accomplishment.
“What were they like? Sir Dweno and Sir Ar-on.”
Celia’s eyes also sparkled as she asked.
Everyone looked eager to hear stories about the Great Heroes.
Ar-on, hailed as possessing the ultimate martial power.
And Dweno, who was not just a great blacksmith but also the shield that protected his teammates.
For students of the Knight Department, their tales of heroism were more than enough to make their hearts pound.
Meanwhile, Abad welcomed Karl with a smile as he approached the dorm side.
“Welcome back, Karl.”
“You’re the only one who welcomes me, Abad. I thought the others would give me a warmer welcome too.”
Karl muttered in a touched voice.
“Hmph. Did you expect us to give you special treatment just because you cleared Sir Dweno’s world?”
Eliza scoffed, sitting in her usual ornate chair while filing her nails.
Duran also spoke in his characteristic arrogant tone.
“Such an overinflated ego, Karl Thomas. Don’t you all agree?”
“Um… yeah… I guess?”
“No, I was really looking forward to hearing the stories…”
“Shh, shh. You’ll get on those two’s bad side.”
The noble students whispered amongst themselves.
Watching them, Abad chuckled.
“How were they? Sir Dweno and Sir Ar-on.”
“Where should I even begin?”
Karl crossed his arms, glanced at his dorm mates, and grinned.
“You wanna hear? Gather ‘round. I’ll tell you everything I saw.”
At his words, Eiran and Duran’s shoulders flinched.
“N-Not particularly.”
“I already know as much as I need to about them from the literature.”
Eliza and Duran lifted their chins.
But the other students had different ideas.
They cautiously glanced at the two.
“If you want to listen, don’t mind me. I’m just really not curious.”
“Hmph. It’s only natural to be curious about the Great Heroes. I’m not, though.”
At the two’s words, the noble students gathered around Karl.
“Well then!”
“Hey! Karl! Tell us something!”
“Hmm~ Where should I start? How about the story of Sir Ar-on blocking the Giant King’s attack with a single swing of his sword?”
Duran’s body flinched.
Watching him, Eliza sneered.
“Oh my? Pretending not to be interested, but it seems you’re dying to hear, aren’t you?”
“Who would listen to the words of a commoner like him…”
“Or should I start with the Phoenix King, who was Sir Lisinas’s contractor? Hey! Have any of you ever seen a white phoenix?”
“A-Are the Flame Emperor’s feathers really pure white?! Hmph?!”
Eliza, who had asked without thinking, quickly covered her mouth.
Seeing this, Abad said.
“Let’s just listen to the story together instead of putting on a pointless show of pride.”
“That’s right~ Duran! As a Knight Department student, how can you not listen to stories about Sir Ar-on and Sir Dweno!”
“Eliza! Hurry up and come here!”
The noble students called out to the two.
Eliza stood before Karl with a prim expression, while Duran stood beside Abad.
Sedzen smiled as he watched the lively Lumerne second-years.
*It seems our students will gain a lot from this.*
“We’ll hear the details at the banquet. Students Leo and Karl, go on up and get ready. As Lumerne students, you must show your elegance to the students from other schools until the very last day.”
At Sedzen’s words, the students reluctantly let Leo and Karl go.
The final event at Demian was drawing to a close.