Chapter 350
Chapter Title: Schemes and Celebrations
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The highest point in Seirun.
At the Plaza of Stars, where the entire landscape of Seirun could be seen at a glance, elves were conversing in worried tones.
“How in the world are you going to take responsibility for this?”
The icy gaze of Revet, the supervisor for the second-year students, fell upon the teachers in charge of the first-year upper classes.
At the forefront stood Geras, the homeroom teacher for Upper Class 1, his face pale as he bowed his head.
“For the entire upper class to be defeated by the lower class! How on earth did you teach the students for a result like this to occur!”
Geras struggled to speak in response to Revet's furious shout.
“I... I only started teaching the Upper Class 1 students partway through...”
“You call that an excuse! Weren't you in charge of Upper Class 2 before that!”
Geras turned white as a sheet, looking at Revet, whose neck veins were bulging.
“At a time like this, when so many foolish people fail to understand our grand ambitions and doubt us! To show such a disgrace!”
“Teacher Revet, please calm down for now.”
Orlen adjusted his glasses.
“It's true that we must determine who is responsible for this incident. The prestige of our Pureblood Society has been tarnished, after all. But before that.”
Orlen looked at the first-year teachers with cold eyes and said.
“The first priority is to investigate what happened in the lower class.”
Everyone's gaze turned to Orlen.
“Isn't it strange? For the lower-class students, who had no talent for star magic, to suddenly gain such skill. There must have been some illicit method involved. After all, Lumerne's Leo Flove was in the first-year lower class.”
Hearing this, Revet stroked his chin.
“Indeed, a cunning fellow like him might have used some cowardly trick. But we can't easily interrogate him, Teacher Orlen. He is, after all, the student council president of Lumerne.”
Seeing Revet's displeased expression, Orlen curled his lips into a smile.
“We can't interrogate Leo Flove. But we can certainly interrogate Teacher Laura, who was in charge of the lower class.”
“We'll have to prepare a hearing for Teacher Laura.”
Just as Orlen grinned at Revet's cold voice.
*Step— Step—*
The acting principal, Lhagen, appeared in the Plaza of Stars.
The seated teachers rose to their feet.
“Lord Lhagen. We were in the middle of a meeting to discuss future measures regarding this incident. The agenda includes...”
“I've been briefed. All of you may leave.”
“Pardon?”
The teachers looked bewildered at Lhagen's sudden command.
“Did you not hear me?”
But at his cold voice, though they didn't understand why, they all descended from the Plaza of Stars.
Left alone in the Plaza of Stars, Lhagen let out a deep sigh.
He then turned his head, stared into the empty air, and spoke.
“Would you care to explain what happened here?”
As he spoke, a dark crimson light flashed in the air.
The ominous light soon formed a rectangle, then took the shape of a man.
[I'm not sure what you mean, my dear Lhagen.]
“Don't play dumb. Do you think I'm unaware of your vile schemes?”
Lhagen shouted, his eyes filled with fury, at the man beyond the magic—Hell Kaiser.
“Weren't you plotting to bring darkness to Seirun once again!”
[You misunderstand.]
Hell Kaiser burst out laughing.
[It's true that I lent you my magic to make your precious young sprouts of Seirun stand out, Lhagen. But my power, when it escapes my will, sometimes loses control. The summoning of the Skeleton King was merely such a case, not my intention.]
“I don't believe you.”
[Whether you believe me or not is your choice, Lhagen. But surely you don't think a mere Skeleton King could do anything to Seirun?]
“That's true.”
Lhagen said, not hiding his displeasure.
Hell Kaiser, who had been smiling at Lhagen, saw his expression vanish.
[Before that, I'd like to talk about our deal.]
“Ahem.”
Lhagen cleared his throat at Hell Kaiser's words.
[Lhagen. I certainly gave you the clue to summon the Fairy King.]
Hell Kaiser's eyes narrowed.
[I told you that the Comet Sorcerer, though not widely known, was the Fairy King's contractor, and that the key to fulfilling the elves' long-held wish of a pact with the Fairy King was the Comet Sorcerer's legacy, the Cometes, and his bloodline.]
“And didn't Leah Tingel summon the Fairy King!”
[That could hardly be called a summoning, my dear Lhagen.]
“Hah! It's not my fault she failed to summon him despite my support! What am I supposed to do about the summoner's lack of aptitude!”
Seeing Lhagen's display of anger, Hell Kaiser said.
[I have infinite time, Lhagen. You are the one who is running out of it.]
Hell Kaiser's lips curled into a smirk.
“Hmph.”
[The Fairy King, who subjugated Erebos 5,000 years ago alongside the Progenitor of the Nebula, must know the whereabouts of Erebos's fragments. Find the location of those fragments and subjugate them. In return, I will hand over the remains of the Comet Sorcerer that I possess. Do not forget this deal.]
Lhagen glared at Hell Kaiser.
“It is true that you possess Lord Seirun's remains, isn't it?”
[Yes. I was the one who collected the bodies of the Heroes of Genesis who lost their lives in the battle against Erebos. With your necromancy, it might even be possible to bring Seirun back to this world.]
“If Lord Seirun's remains are damaged in the slightest, I will not let you get away with it, Necrolord.”
[There's no need to worry about that, my dear Lhagen.]
Hell Kaiser burst out laughing.
[Well then, I shall await better news.]
Before the conversation ended.
Lhagen mocked Hell Kaiser.
“Betraying and trying to kill your own master to become the true lord of Tartaros. The loyalty of demons is pathetic every time I see it.”
[I am a demon. For you to inherit the will of the Progenitor of the Nebula and the Comet Sorcerer, to become their true successor and lead the elves, may be a noble mission for your kind... but for demons, following a master who was subjugated long ago is an act of utter foolishness. Your mockery sounds like nothing but a compliment to me.]
Laughing, Hell Kaiser soon vanished.
Lhagen, watching him disappear, scoffed.
‘When I become a Great Hero, I will make sure to subjugate you.’
***
“Even in an age without gods, fanaticism blinds people.”
At the words of Artkan, the Grand Duke of Funerals, Hell Kaiser leaned back on his throne of corpses and said.
“That is not fanaticism.”
Hell Kaiser said with a blank expression.
“How could those who do not even know gods understand fanaticism? They are simply blinded by stubbornness and desire.”
“In any case, isn't this a blessing for us?”
At his confidant's words, Hell Kaiser rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought.
“What are you thinking about so deeply?”
“While there are those who lead the world to ruin with stubbornness and desire, there are also those who defy the will of the great gods out of foolishness.”
Artkan's face stiffened at Hell Kaiser's irritated tone.
“Those eyes.”
Thinking of Leo, Hell Kaiser scowled.
“He resembles them.”
Hell Kaiser seethed with anger as he recalled those who had subjugated the gods.
Moreover, Leo Flove is an All-Class, just like the Hero of the Beginning.
And he possesses extraordinary power at such a young age.
“It's best to nip a promising bud before it grows too large.”
Hell Kaiser's lips curled into a smirk, and Artkan bowed his head low.
“I will obey your command.”
***
The lower-class students were glancing at each other warily.
Watching them, Leo spoke.
“Why are you all so nervous? It was the best exam ever. Everyone should be enjoying themselves.”
A celebration party was currently underway in the lower-class classroom.
The party should have been bustling with noise, but everyone was cautiously watching Leo.
“Um... Mr. Student Council President of Lumerne. Thank you for leading us. I mean... um...”
Anr shrank back, unsure of what to say, and Leo clicked his tongue at the sight.
“I'm just the student council president from another school. Why is everyone so on edge?”
“B-but still. Even if you're from another school, you're our senior... and you're the student council president, no less.”
“We haven't been disrespectful or anything, have we?”
Leo was about to let out a dry laugh at the students' words when.
*Creeak—!*
The door to the lower-class classroom opened.
“Hello, everyone!”
Eclair, who had been invited to the party, beamed a bright smile.
Then she noticed the lower-class students nervously watching Leo and became flustered.
“What are you doing standing there? Aren't you coming in?”
Leah followed her inside.
“Leah Tingel? What are you doing here?”
“I heard there was a celebration party. I came to offer my congratulations too.”
Leah smiled warmly.
Seeing her, Anr smiled.
“Thank you.”
“I'm not the only one who came to celebrate.”
“What?”
“What's this? Why is the mood so gloomy? You're the stars of today's exam!”
“Isn't anyone having fun?”
The Tyna siblings appeared behind Leah.
“The Tyna seniors?”
The lower-class students looked surprised.
It wasn't just the Tyna siblings.
As famous second-year seniors followed them into the classroom, everyone's eyes widened.
“Lunia and Eiran, too?!”
The lower-class students looked bewildered.
The last to appear were Herdium and Laura.
“First-year students, as a teacher of Seirun, I offer you my apologies.”
Herdium bowed his head.
“I knew you were being discriminated against, but I was powerless to do anything. To achieve such a feat in such difficult circumstances... Your actions will bring great change to Seirun. Truly... I am truly proud of you all.”
Seeing Herdium, a famous teacher at Seirun, Anr said urgently.
“N-no. It was all thanks to Teacher Laura and... the student council president from Lumerne.”
“If you're going to keep calling me 'Mr. Student Council President' so formally, just call me senior.”
As Leo sighed and said this, Anr blushed slightly and replied.
“Th-then, I'll call you senior...”
Watching them, Herdium said.
“Student Leo, we are truly in your debt. I don't know how we can ever repay you...”
“What did I do? The kids did all the hard work.”
Leo grinned.
“Alright, alright! Let's save the thank yous for later.”
“That's right! Let's all have fun!”
Garin and Aris said with bright smiles.
They had heard about the first-year lower class's situation from Lunia and Eiran.
As siblings who had been in the lower class during their first semester of their first year, they were proud of their juniors who had achieved excellent results on the exam despite their difficult circumstances.
The stiff atmosphere thawed with the seniors' congratulations.
The Seirun second-years gathered around Leo.
“It's a shame. It would have been nice to study together since you're here as an exchange student.”
Garin smacked his lips.
“By the way, you're human, so how are you so good at star magic? Do you have a secret?”
“Thanks to studying hard.”
As Leo spoke while sipping his drink, Aris clicked her tongue.
“There it is, the honor student's trademark line: 'studying hard'.”
“But you must have had a great teacher, right?”
‘Luna wasn't exactly a great teacher.’
Leo recalled the time he learned star magic.
‘Why can't you do this?’
He let out a dry laugh at the memory.
“How long will you be at Seirun?”
Lunia asked with a curious expression.
“I plan to stay until the academic conference.”
***
In the basement of the Hall of Comets, Seirun's recovered Hero Record was being kept under top secret.
*Fwoosh—*
For a moment, a black flame flickered.
As if trying to burst out.
The struggling black flame was soon sucked back in, disappearing into the Hero Record.