Chapter 365
Chapter Title: The Mission to Alleham
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Mission Practical.
The first-years couldn't hide their excitement at the mention of it, coupled with a Hero Dungeon exploration.
“Wow! It’s only our first semester, and we’re already having a mission practical!”
“And didn’t Professor Halind just say it’s a Hero Dungeon exploration?”
“Does that mean we can get clear rewards?”
“This is the best!”
The first-years buzzed with excitement.
Unlike them, the second-years felt a sense of doubt.
‘Hundreds of people are going to explore a Hero Dungeon?’
It was impossible.
A Hero Dungeon referred to a World of Heroes created by a Hero Record going berserk.
Whenever a Hero Dungeon was discovered, the hero academies moved to clear it immediately, meaning there were very few of them.
The idea of first and second-year students exploring one together was unheard of.
Of course, some Hero Dungeons did require hundreds of people to clear simultaneously.
But such dungeons were not something first and second-year academy students could handle.
While the entire second-year class was filled with doubt, a few of the first-years also sensed that something was off.
One of them raised a hand.
“Professor Halind! I have a question!”
Chloe's mentee, Betty Marste, shot her hand into the air.
Betty was an honors student, ranked second in the magic department after Juen.
“What is it, Betty Marste?”
“What exactly does a Hero Dungeon exploration entail? I can’t imagine the entire first-year class and our second-year seniors clearing a Hero Dungeon together!”
The excited first-years paused at Betty's clear, articulate question.
Now that she mentioned it, it did seem strange.
The students turned their gazes to Halind.
“Not a bad question, Betty Marste. I’ll award you five points.”
Halind highly praised her for calmly analyzing the situation and asking a question, unlike the other students who had simply gotten excited.
“To think that most of you would just take the words ‘Hero Dungeon clear’ at face value. Disappointing.”
The first-years flinched at Halind’s cold voice.
As a tense atmosphere settled over the group, Halind opened his mouth.
“This dungeon exploration is not about clearing a Hero Dungeon, but finding one.”
Duran raised his hand.
“Speak, Duran Moira.”
“Is this a mission with a client?”
“No.”
“Does that mean there’s a faction out there concealing the existence of a Hero Dungeon?”
“Correct.”
At Duran’s words, the first-years began to murmur in surprise.
Juen, who was at the very front because of Karl, tilted her head in confusion and asked quietly.
“Why doesn’t Senior Duran get any points for his answer?”
“Hey. That’s the kind of question first-years get points for. A second-year answering that and getting points from Professor Halind should be ashamed of himself.”
Juen squinted at Karl’s reply, who was still groaning with his head pressed to the ground.
“Then it would be great if you answered, Senior Karl. The professors like questions, whether they give points or not.”
“Why would I draw Professor Halind’s attention for something that won’t even get me points?”
“So you only answer questions for points, is that it? Karl Thomas.”
“Eek!?”
Karl let out a scream at the icy voice coming from above him.
Halind inflicted an even harsher punishment on his student.
“Juen Torbina.”
“Yes, Professor Halind!”
“It must be uncomfortable to stand. Sit on top of that fool.”
“Yes, sir!”
Juen promptly sat down on Karl’s back.
“Aaaaargh!”
“Light as a feather, right?”
Juen asked with a bright smile, and Karl yelled back.
“You’re incredibly heavy!”
Offended, Juen started bouncing up and down.
Karl’s screams grew louder.
“Hero Dungeons are an extremely dangerous phenomenon.”
Halind strode to the front of the students and stopped.
“An abnormal World of Heroes generated by the rampage of an unstable Hero Record. You can’t even escape a Hero Dungeon midway through. One wrong move, one failed clear, and you will meet your end. In fact, countless seniors of yours have lost their lives in such a way.”
The first-years, who had been excited, froze at Halind’s words.
Looking at them, Halind spoke in a chilling voice.
“Those of you who were just chattering about clear rewards need to know your place. If you’re going to die a dog’s death by going through your academy life with such a complacent mindset, then drop out of Lumerne right now.”
At Halind’s words, most of the first-years hung their heads low.
Lumerne students begin undertaking official missions in their second year.
Until then, the requests they handle are relatively low-risk.
But from the third year onward, they start taking on genuinely dangerous missions.
And sometimes, they get caught up in Hero Dungeons.
Lumerne even has specialized Hero Dungeon clearing parties composed of its most outstanding students.
But even those select students meet their end in Hero Dungeons.
In reality, every year, not just at Lumerne but at all hero academies, many students fail to clear Hero Dungeons and lose their lives.
It was a topic that should never be mentioned lightly.
Following Halind’s stern words to the first-years, Mel spoke up.
“Hero Dungeons are dangerous not just because of the high risk during the clear. As you all know, if a Hero Dungeon is left alone for too long, it will begin to encroach upon reality.”
Mel, who was usually popular with the students for her gentle demeanor, was solemn today.
The records in a Hero Record are tales of a hero overcoming trials.
Among the various crises a hero faces, only the most severe dangers are labeled ‘trials.’
Leaving a Hero Dungeon unchecked meant that a crisis that had once threatened the world would manifest in reality once more.
And yet, many nations conceal the discovery of a Hero Dungeon.
The reason was simple.
If a Hero Dungeon is cleared, its Hero Record becomes the property of a hero academy.
If the hero was human, it would go to Lumerne.
If elven, to Seirun.
If beastkin or dwarven, to Azonia and Damian.
And if it belonged to a dragon, Dragonia would retrieve it.
Three thousand years ago.
The Pact of Genesis was forged by the Heroes of Genesis.
The hero academies and Dragonia manage the Hero Records, but they never monopolize them.
They are used solely for the purpose of nurturing heroes for the sake of the world.
If not for that, the world might have fallen into chaos long ago.
A Hero Record was an object that could be used to dominate the world if one were to use it to satisfy their own greed.
That was why a Hero Dungeon was also a powerful force that could drastically shift the balance of power between factions.
If a minor nation succeeded in obtaining a powerful clear reward, it was not impossible for it to instantly rise to the status of a major power.
Or one could seize immense authority.
There are always factions willing to monopolize and conceal Hero Dungeons to fulfill such avarice.
History was rife with instances where this led to the fall of nations and, further, the recreation of past crises in the world.
But such mistakes are repeated time and again.
“Preventing that is also a duty of the hero academies.”
At Mel’s words, Celia raised her hand.
“Are you certain they’re concealing a Hero Dungeon?”
“We can’t be certain. However, it is certain that a series of suspicious, abnormal incidents have been occurring in that country. Your mission practical is to go to the nation suspected of concealing a Hero Dungeon, find it, and report back to Lumerne.”
The students’ eyes widened.
“Which country is it?”
At Celia’s question, Halind stated with a blank expression.
“A nation in the south-central part of the continent. Alleham.”
***
Alleham.
A nation situated in the middle of a vast desert that stretched across the southern continent.
The country’s history spanned 2,000 years.
It was a nation that boasted a considerable history, and its territory was vast.
In the past, it had been a great power that ruled over much of the southern lands.
But now, it had been reduced to a poor nation in the southern continent.
Most of its vast territory was useless desert, and its population was small.
“It has a 2,000-year history, but it fell into decline 500 years ago and became an incredibly poor country.”
Chloe said.
“How do you know so much?”
Karl said in admiration, and Chloe smiled brightly.
“I read about it in a book once.”
The books Chloe devoured were not limited to grimoires.
Fundamentally, Chloe was a girl with a very strong thirst for knowledge.
“There are three peculiar things about Alleham.”
Chloe continued.
“First, Alleham’s territory includes a Monster Forest.”
“The Monster Forest, brings back memories~”
Chelsea said with a grin.
The Monster Forest.
It had been the entrance exam for the second-year students from the western continent, including Leo, Celia, Chelsea, and Abad.
“I heard you were exceptionally active during the entrance ceremony too, Senior Leo.”
Juen’s eyes sparkled.
“What was it like?”
“What was it like? It was amazing!”
Chelsea crossed her arms and chuckled proudly.
“He single-handedly held off a monster that my brother Abad and Celia barely managed to defeat together, and he did it without even using Aura!”
“Without using Aura?”
Luke’s eyes widened.
Aina, who was sitting next to Celia as her mentee, also felt her eyes twitch.
Martina, another of Celia’s mentees, answered in awe.
“I’ve heard a lot about the Young Master’s exploits from Lady Celia. I’m very curious to hear the details.”
“I’ll tell you the story later. For now, let’s focus on the meeting.”
At Leo’s words, the students focused on Chloe again.
Leo and his group were currently in a private study room attached to the central library.
The room was well soundproofed for group study or important meetings.
Inside the room were the second-years Leo, Chloe, Celia, Chelsea, and Karl.
And their mentees: Luke, Betty, Aina, Martina, and Juen.
A total of ten people.
They had come together at Leo’s suggestion to discuss the mission practical while having a meal after class.
“Second, it’s a country where no heroes are born. It’s been 500 years already.”
Heroes are extremely rare beings.
Not everyone who successfully graduates from a hero academy becomes a hero.
There are often cases where an entire graduating class fails to have a single name recorded in the Hero Record.
It only seems like there are many because countless heroes’ names have accumulated in the Hero Record over an immense period of time.
They were exceedingly rare.
But the peculiar thing about Alleham wasn't just that no heroes emerged.
“On top of that, there hasn’t been a single student admitted to Lumerne in 500 years.”
It was because not even a single hero candidate had been born there.
Everyone was astounded.
“As for the third peculiar thing.”
Chloe blinked.
“It’s the birthplace of the Dragon of Genesis, Rhodia.”
Rhodia, the Dragon of Genesis.
The name of the great Dragon Lord who, 3,000 years ago, like the King of Wisdom Lisinas 5,000 years ago, gathered the Heroes of Genesis to counter the second coming of the Calamity.
“That’s all I know about its peculiarities.”
At Chloe’s words, Leo rested his chin on his hand.
“Is there anything special related to the Dragon of Genesis?”
“Not really. Oh, there is a legend that there might be a secret library left behind by Rhodia.”
“Hmm.”
Leo narrowed his eyes.
‘That one didn’t write down something weird related to me and Lisinas and leave it behind, did they?’
Having already been burned by Seirun, Leo was sufficiently suspicious of Rhodia as well.
Just then, Karl chuckled and said.
“I know something about Alleham, too.”
At Karl’s words, all eyes fell on him.
“What is it?”
Chloe asked, showing her interest, and Karl grinned.
“The Land of Pleasure.”