Chapter 306
Chapter Title: A New Mentor
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306
The large bathhouse of the first-year dormitory.
The grand bath in the center of the bathhouse was always the most popular spot.
But right now, only two people were in it.
The student council president and vice president—arguably the most powerful students at Lumerne—had claimed the space for themselves.
For the first-years, it was torture.
The Lumerne Student Council.
At any other school, it might be dismissed as a simple student body, but at a hero academy, the student council's power was immense.
They were, quite literally, the leaders of the hero candidates who would one day lead the world.
It was an intimidating combination for the newly enrolled first-years.
“Really?”
“I'm telling you! The professor told me... Huh? Why's the mood so weird? Is something... Gak?”
“What's wrong? What... Ack?!”
The students entering the bathhouse froze in shock when they saw Leo and Hark.
“Don't mind us. Go ahead and wash up.”
Leo said with a faint smile, and the male students shrank back, nervously beginning to wash themselves at the edges of the room.
Watching them, Leo spoke.
“Was it really necessary to intimidate the first-years?”
“I didn't intimidate anyone.”
Hark shot Leo a sideways glance.
“They're just scared on their own.”
Hark scoffed, then leaned his head back and let out a long yawn before asking.
“I heard something interesting happened in Demian.”
The story of Leo's party conquering Dweno's Hero Record had already spread throughout Lumerne.
At Hark's words, the first-years, who had been trying to stay inconspicuous, widened their eyes and focused on Leo.
“So, how was it? The Great Heroes.”
“Exactly as you'd imagine, Senior Hark.”
“Exactly as I'd imagine, huh.”
As one of Lumerne's top dungeon conquerors, Hark had cleared many Worlds of Heroes.
But even he had never experienced the world of a Great Hero.
“I'm jealous.”
Hark said softly, his voice filled with sincerity, as he stood up.
*Splash!*
“I'm out. I don't particularly like the way these first-years are eyeing me.”
Hark scoffed, then glared at Leo.
“You're the student council president. Act like it and show up to the meetings once in a while. Stop dumping all your presidential duties on me.”
Hark left, leaving a faintly smiling Leo behind.
*I suppose I should pay a little more attention to school affairs while preparing for the midterms.*
“Young Master!”
“Congratulations on conquering Lord Dweno's World of Heroes!”
“As expected of Young Master Leo!”
Just when it seemed no other first-year dared to approach Leo.
Three people came forward.
They were Austin, Valerie, and Julian, members of Leo's Slayer Knights.
Having trained under Leo since their time with the Jerdinger family, the three were first-years who could speak to him without much hesitation.
“Ooooh! Senior Leo!”
Just then, someone else scurried up to Leo.
“Congratulations, Senior Leo! I mean, who else but someone like you could possibly conquer Lord Dweno's Hero Record...!”
A first-year from the Magic Department.
Fritz, formerly of the Shadow, had also appeared out of nowhere and was busy praising Leo.
He was the type who fanatically worshiped Leo and approached without a second thought.
“You've returned, Senior Leo.”
The next to greet Leo was Habiden.
Leo, accepting the polite greetings from his juniors, looked puzzled.
“I don't see Luke.”
At Leo's words, Fritz spoke up.
“If you mean Luke Elda, he's probably training in the sparring grounds right now.”
“Still? At this hour?”
“Yes, he's working incredibly hard.”
***
After finishing his bath, Leo headed to the sparring grounds behind the first-year boys' dormitory.
It was late, so there was only one person on the grounds.
Luke was silently running laps around the sparring grounds.
His whole body was drenched in sweat, and his limbs were trembling.
*Thud-!*
“Ugh!”
After running a little longer, Luke collapsed, covering his mouth as he dry-heaved.
“Hah... Heok... Hahk!”
Leo approached Luke, who was gasping for breath, clearly far beyond his physical limits.
“Working hard, I see.”
At Leo's voice, Luke looked up in surprise.
“Senior Leo! You're back!”
As he tried to get up, Luke staggered and sat back down.
His legs were shaking uncontrollably.
Having pushed past his limits, Luke's limbs refused to obey him.
On Luke's wrists and ankles were bracelets made of magic.
They were artifacts Leo had made himself.
*To be precise, that brat Luna designed them.*
Kyle had asked Luna for them to train Verchia and Vihar.
After entering Lumerne, Leo had used these artifacts not only for himself but also to train Celia, Chelsea, and his own knights.
Their effect was to diminish the user's physical abilities, a type of sealing tool.
This included not only physical strength but also mana capacity.
They had the effect of expanding the wearer's "vessel" by constantly forcing them to face their limits.
*Luna and Ar-on were terrible at expanding their disciples' vessels, after all.*
Luna and Ar-on were born with immense magical power and overwhelming physical abilities.
Thus, while they excelled at teaching magic and martial arts, they were clumsy when it came to developing their disciples' potential.
“Have you ever taken the seals off?”
“No, sir. You told me, Senior Leo. That it was okay to take them off, but the moment I did, their effect would diminish.”
Wearing Luna's seals made one's body feel heavy, as if submerged in the deep sea, and slowed the flow of mana.
One lived in a constant state of being pushed to their limits.
It was the ultimate training for perfecting one's vessel.
And this method was particularly effective for Luke.
Luke had learned everything on his own.
Because of that, he couldn't properly grasp his own abilities.
If other new students at Lumerne were strengthening their already-filled vessels...
Luke was filling a completely empty one.
*That's why he's so ignorant about himself.*
An empty vessel.
He couldn't feel how much his vessel had been filled, or with what.
Because his abilities were sealed before he could fill it, he had no idea how much stronger he'd become.
He had no way of knowing what his current limits were.
He was definitely growing, but Luke himself couldn't perceive it.
What would happen if he removed the seals in this state?
He would realize how much stronger he'd become, and in doing so, he would naturally learn his limits.
If he sealed his power again after that, his body, now aware of its own limits, would hinder his growth.
The moment he recognized the seal as an unnatural state, the tool's effectiveness would be halved.
*Because he would start to feel the seal as a restriction.*
“Isn't it tough?”
“It's what I prepared myself for.”
“You must feel like you're the only one not making any progress.”
The beginning of the school year is when freshmen improve the most.
Many rankings change during this time.
Failing students might shoot up to the top ranks, while top students might fall.
But Luke, regardless of all that, was in last place.
In the eyes of others, it would surely seem like he wasn't improving at all.
Moreover, Luke was Leo's mentee.
Leo Flove, the most unprecedented student in Lumerne's history.
The fact that he was Leo's mentee was another reason many people paid attention to Luke.
Luke, too, was being called an unprecedented student.
Of course, this was mockery.
The Lumerne student who never improves.
The greatest dunce in Lumerne's history, who was only avoiding expulsion by sheer luck.
This was how his classmates saw him.
For Luke, the situation was bound to be agonizing.
At Leo's words, Luke clenched his fists.
He took a deep breath and said.
“It's painful.”
Luke's eyes darkened.
“Everyone else is moving forward, but I'm the only one stuck in place.”
The failing student, already behind, was making no progress.
On top of that, the midterms were just around the corner.
He would be forced to face the ever-widening gap.
Of course, if he removed the seals, things might be different.
But...
“You told me, Senior Leo.”
Luke said, his voice filled with determination.
“The goal is to be the class representative.”
The top students of his year, whom he had to look up to from so far below.
A goal that seemed impossible.
To be honest, he had no confidence.
But...
“You said I could do it, Senior Leo. So I will.”
It was a guarantee from none other than Leo Flove.
Luke placed his absolute faith in those words.
Watching Luke, Leo nodded.
“Alright. Then tomorrow, after class, come to the second-year classroom building.”
“Huh?”
“I told you I'd teach you magic after I got back from Demian, didn't I?”
Luke's eyes widened.
“I know someone who can teach you magic.”
“R-really?”
“Yes. But.”
Leo smiled meaningfully.
“Keep the fact that you're learning magic a secret.”
“Huh? Wh-why?”
“There's nothing better than a hidden card for catching an opponent off guard.”
***
The next day.
After his first-year classes ended, Luke hurriedly packed his bag.
“Looks like he's off to train by himself again.”
“Wow, how did a kid like that become the student council president's mentee? No, how did he even get into Lumerne?”
“I feel bad for Senior Leo. Isn't he going to get expelled along with him?”
He could hear his classmates whispering.
Luke sighed in response.
He had heard that kind of talk for the past two weeks, to the point of being sick of it.
But he could never get used to it.
*I might have to listen to this for half a year.*
Just as Luke's shoulders slumped.
“Are you aware?”
A dignified voice rang out.
“That there is nothing more despicable than bad-mouthing others behind their backs? Furthermore, were you just mocking Senior Leo?”
“Ugh? Shasha?”
“No, th-that's not what we meant!”
The class president of Luke's class, Class 1.
Shasha glared coldly at the classmates who had been mocking Luke.
Faced with the chilling aura of Shasha—the top first-year student and, on top of that, the imperial princess of the Rodren Empire—the classmates' faces turned pale.
“Hmph.”
Shasha scoffed and approached Luke.
“Luke. Where are you off to in such a hurry?”
“I'm going to meet Senior Leo.”
“Senior Leo? May I come with you?”
Shasha asked, elegantly unfolding her fan.
Shasha was a class president who was fundamentally kind to all her classmates.
Though still young, Luke thought she possessed the charisma befitting a future empress.
Since she was always helping him, Luke momentarily wanted to say yes.
“Keep the fact that you're learning magic a secret.”
But he recalled Leo's words and scratched his head.
“I'm sorry. I think I have to go alone.”
“What a shame. I wanted to hear about the World of Heroes from Senior Leo.”
Shasha smacked her lips, gently waving her fan, and packed her bag.
Luke left the classroom and hurried toward the second-year building.
In front of the second-year building, Luke wore a nervous expression.
A moment later.
The second-year students, their classes finished, poured out in a crowd.
“Let's eat! Food!”
“I heard the Tower of Heroes restaurant has a new menu!”
“Let's go before it gets crowded!”
A group of second-year girls rushed out.
Then they spotted Luke and paused.
“What's a first-year doing here?”
“He's brave. Kinda cute, though.”
“Isn't that Leo's mentee?”
As the second-years started to notice him, Luke shrank back even further.
“Are you Luke Elda?”
“Y-yes? Yes!”
Luke answered, his expression tense at the cold voice.
He then saw the speaker's face and jumped in surprise.
*S-Senior Duran!*
Duran, with his characteristically arrogant expression, was looking down at Luke with cold eyes.
Seeing Luke's even more terrified expression, Duran's lips curled into a smirk.
“Hmph, Habiden is superior.”
Looking at Duran, who seemed satisfied for some reason, Luke spoke cautiously.
“W-well, of course. Habiden is one of the top students in the first-year Knight Department.”
“So you admit it? You have a good eye.”
Duran seemed even more pleased by Luke's words.
Just then.
“How ridiculous. What's there to be so proud of when you were only chosen by Habiden as a second choice to Leo Flove?”
A sharp voice cut in.
*S-Senior Eliza!*
Duran and Eliza, the two most feared seniors among the first-years.
The combination of the two terrified Luke even more.
“You talk a lot for someone who wasn't even chosen by any of the first-years.”
Duran taunted Eliza with a sneer.
“Hmph. A mentee? They're nothing but a bother. I had no intention of accepting anyone, no matter who it was.”
Eliza scoffed.
Beside her, Karl spoke nonchalantly.
“I wonder who it was that threw a tantrum the day they were rejected by Shasha... Gak?”
“Why are you bringing that up now?”
Eliza viciously choked Karl with her whip.
As Luke grew even more frightened by the brutal scene.
“What are you doing over there? Come here.”
Leo called out to Luke.
“Yes! Seniors! I'll be going now!”
After a polite bow, Luke followed Leo.
Watching them go, Duran said.
“I suppose I should have a talk with Habiden today, as his mentor.”
“Juen has been bugging me to tell him a story, too.”
Karl, finally released, scratched his head vigorously.
The other second-years also seemed to be in the mood to go see their mentees.
Left all alone, Eliza scoffed and started walking toward the dorms by herself.
Seeing her, Karl called out.
“Eliza, want to come with?”
“I'm not in the Summoning Department. Why should I go listen to you, a Magic Department student, talk to your mentee?”
Karl just smiled faintly at Eliza's sharp reply.
“Juen asked me to tell him about the Phoenix King, so I was thinking of doing that.”
“Hmph. I suppose that might be worth listening to.”
Eliza folded her arms and walked over to Karl.
***
“Are you going to teach me magic, Senior Leo?”
“My fundamentals in magic are far too old-fashioned. I plan to ask someone who's familiar with the latest magical trends. I'm sure they'll be interested in you, too.”
Leo answered Luke's sparkling-eyed question calmly.
And the place they headed to was the second-year Magic Department building.
Entering the building, Leo made his way to Professor Ren's office.
*Knock, knock—*
“Professor Ren. It's Leo Flove. May I come in?”
Ren, who would normally have come out with open arms, was quiet.
Just as a puzzled Leo was about to knock again.
“Student Leo, you're here.”
Anna approached, her voice sounding somewhat hollow.
“Vice Professor Anna. Is Professor Ren not in?”
At Leo's question, Anna looked up at the ceiling and let out a sigh.
Dark circles hung under her eyes as if she hadn't slept a wink, and her face was worn with fatigue.
“See for yourself.”
Anna opened the door.
Leo's expression soured at the sight inside.
On the desk, usually covered in books on magic theory, empty liquor bottles were rolling around.
Ren was slumped over the desk.
The always-neat professor looked like a complete wreck.
“What's wrong with him this time?”
“...Listen to his drunken ramblings.”
Anna, arms crossed, answered coldly with a look that said she wanted to smack Ren on the back of the head.
Leo walked over to Ren.
“I'm finished... That new first-year professor is going to steal all my disciples... *Sob, sob, sob*.”
“...”
“He's been like that ever since Professor Mel took the second-years to Demian.”
At Anna's words, Leo let out a deep sigh.
*Sometimes Professor Ren's mental fortitude is monstrously strong, but other times, it's as fragile as glass.*