Chapter 367
Chapter Title: Preparations for Aleham
-----------------------------------------------------------------
367
After the mission practical was announced.
The first and second-year students busied themselves with preparations.
The students of the magic department gathered in the second-year lecture hall, discussing the upcoming mission.
“I thought it was going to be some kind of secret mission, but we’re just entering the country openly without hiding that we’re Lumerne students.”
Karl, sitting perched on his chair with his legs crossed, propped his head on his clasped hands and pouted.
He had a pen balanced on his upper lip.
“I was picturing something more like covertly gathering intelligence.”
Juen nodded in agreement with Karl’s grumbling.
“I know. That would have been way more fun.”
Hearing their conversation, Chloe clicked her tongue.
“There’s no way we could hide it when all the first and second-years are heading into Aleham.”
She was right.
No matter how they tried to conceal their identities, hundreds of students entering Aleham at once through a warp gate would be impossible to hide.
Especially when it was a large group of teenagers.
“Besides, announcing that we’re Lumerne students will be helpful in putting pressure on Aleham.”
Abad, who was sitting in front of them with his legs crossed, spoke with a gentle smile.
At his words, small shrieks erupted from the first-year female students.
As one of the most popular second-year boys, Abad’s every action drew an intense reaction from his underclassmen.
A first-year male student raised his hand and asked.
“Why would we need to pressure Aleham by revealing our identities? Wouldn’t an official investigation make it easier for them to hide their secrets?”
“If Aleham truly wants to cover up a Hero Dungeon, they wouldn’t welcome people trying to dig up their country’s secrets.”
The first-years nodded.
“In that case, wouldn’t they want to stop those trying to uncover the secret, even if it means ‘killing’ them?”
His smile never wavered, but his words were chilling.
The first-year students flinched.
“But we’re students of Lumerne. Would they really go that far?”
The student who had asked the question spoke in a disbelieving tone, and Abad replied.
“That’s my point. If we sneak in, we’re not officially Lumerne students, are we?”
Abad rested his chin on his hand.
“Concealing the existence of a Hero Dungeon is a very serious matter. Depending on which hero’s Hero Record it is, the world could be at risk. The threat of a Hero Record going berserk has become especially palpable recently. You all know what happened last year and this year as a result of a Hero Record running rampant at Seirun, don’t you?”
At Abad’s words, the first-years swallowed nervously.
During last year’s Lumerne-Seirun exchange.
Everyone knew that a legion commander from a distant past had crossed over into the World of Heroes through Seirun.
And on top of that, there was the invasion of the Monster Queen.
“If the Hero of the Beginning, Sir Kyle, and the Progenitor of the Nebula, Lady Luna, hadn’t miraculously appeared… we probably wouldn’t be here right now.”
The first-years wore tense expressions at Abad's words.
“A country’s very existence could be endangered by a berserk Hero Dungeon, yet they are taking that risk to conceal it.”
Abad said calmly.
“Do you think people like that would care that we’re Lumerne students?”
Sweat trickled down the first-years’ faces at Abad’s question.
“But with the title of Lumerne student, they can’t touch us carelessly. The moment they do, Lumerne will intervene directly. The same goes for the countries the students belong to.”
Abad’s eyes narrowed.
“Whether it’s you or us, the professors have judged that most students still need the protection of Lumerne’s name. Keep that in mind.”
The excited first-years bowed their heads at Abad’s words.
Heading out on their first mission practical, the first-years had been thinking of themselves as representatives of Lumerne.
Getting too excited and overly confident was a surefire way to make mistakes.
Abad was setting the mood to instill a sense of tension in his underclassmen.
“When he’s like this, you can really see that Abad is no joke.”
Karl let out a small sound of admiration, and next to him, Chelsea crossed her arms with a smug look.
“Of course, he’s the next head of the Llewellyn family. By the way, where’s Leo? I thought he was supposed to prepare for the mission with the magic department today.”
Mission preparations were being conducted by department.
Karl answered Chelsea’s question.
“He said he was going to see Professor Tina for a bit.”
***
*Whoosh— Whoosh—*
—My wings!
In Tina’s office, Kiruan was flying around frantically in a figure-eight pattern, looking excited.
Piora, in her polymorphed form, watched him and remarked flatly.
“You look just like a moth.”
“Agh! A moth! Miss Piora! Please scorn me like that too!”
“Elsie told me not to play with Atty. She said I’d learn bad things.”
As Piora drew a line between herself and Atty, the pegasus covered her face with one arm and clutched her heart with the other.
“Ah, to call me a bad influence. How can you say such cruel things with such an adorable face?”
Piora, still so young, couldn’t comprehend this pegasus who enjoyed her words.
The only thing she could be sure of was that she wasn’t in her right mind.
‘Atty isn’t right in the head.’
Piora rolled her large, red eyes toward the frantically flying Kiruan.
‘And that fairy is a moth.’
Piora crossed her arms and nodded firmly.
‘Yes, I’m the only one who’s actually helpful to Leo.’
With the unique air of a child mimicking an adult, Piora took an elegant step forward.
Kiruan flew above her, furiously flapping his now two pairs of wings.
A shower of sparkling light rained down on the bridge of Piora’s nose.
“Achoo!”
Piora sneezed.
“Hmph! What do you think you’re doing!”
—Aren’t my wings cool?
“You look like a moth.”
At Piora’s honest assessment, Kiruan flapped his wings even more violently.
Her eyes blazing at the distracting flurry of sparkling dust, Piora picked up a thin book and tried to swat Kiruan as if he were an insect.
—Hahaha! You little chick! Do you think such a feeble attack can touch me, now that I have my wings back?
“Stay right there! You nasty moth!”
*Crash!*
Tina’s research office grew chaotic.
Just then.
*Shwick! Thwack—!*
With a sharp sound that cut through the air, a scalpel flew and embedded itself precisely between Piora and Kiruan.
Tina, who had thrown the scalpel, spoke to the two frozen familiars.
“If you keep being noisy, should I dissect you?”
She spoke in her characteristically languid tone.
But the crazed look in her eyes made her threat more than effective.
The two familiars scurried in fright to hide behind Atty.
At this, Atty spoke in a pathetic tone.
“To be scared by such a simple threat. Have you no shame? You should be embarrassed as one of the Three Great Familiars.”
Piora and Kiruan retorted in unison, ‘We don’t want to hear that from you, of all people.’
Meanwhile, Tina examined Cometes with a fascinated expression.
“It really is strange. For Cometes to react to someone other than a member of the Tingel family.”
Leo, who had come to collect Kiruan’s wings as compensation for his time as an exchange student at Seirun, was showing Cometes to Tina.
It was originally a treasure of Seirun Academy, but since Seirun had given it to Leo directly, ownership now clearly belonged to him.
“You really are a research subject, Student Leo.”
Tina took a sip of her strong coffee and smiled sweetly.
“Would you like to play doctor with your professor?”
Tina licked her lips, her expression somehow dangerous.
“You don’t have to be scared. I won’t eat you up.”
“I refuse. Please content yourself with studying Cometes.”
“What a shame.”
Tina smacked her lips at Leo’s words but didn’t seem to hold any lingering attachment to the idea.
“The Pureblood Society has been dealt with, and it looks like Seirun is about to undergo a reformation. Isn’t it about time you returned as a professor at Seirun?”
“That might not be a bad idea. There is a student at Seirun I’d like to dissect.”
‘…Lunia, I presume.’
The only student who could pique Tina’s curiosity was Lunia, who wielded the flames of the Flame Emperor.
“Well, for now, I’d rather continue my research on the magic contained within Cometes.”
Currently, Tina’s interest lay in researching why Cometes, which had only ever reacted to the Tingel bloodline for thousands of years, was now responding to Leo.
Of course, he had been acknowledged by Seirun, the owners of Cometes, but even so, the artifact’s magical wavelength was more than enough to capture Tina’s interest.
Tina, humming as she looked at Cometes, spoke.
“You’re going to Aleham, right?”
“Yes.”
“If you’re going to Aleham…”
Tina jotted something down on a piece of paper.
“Go find this place in Uargella.”
“Uargella? Isn’t that the largest oasis city in Aleham?”
“That’s right.”
Leo accepted the paper Tina handed him.
“The Castle of Delights.”
“It’s a tavern run by someone who controls a part of Aleham’s underworld.”
Tina wore her signature languid expression.
“Show them this, and it will be a great help for your mission practical.”
“Thank you.”
Leo tucked the note into his pocket.
***
The week after the mission preparation period ended.
The first and second-year students gathered in front of the warp gate.
“Where are you headed?”
“I’m planning to focus my investigation on the capital.”
“I’m going to the area around the Forest of Monsters. It should be easier to gather information where mercenaries congregate.”
The students seemed to have decided on their respective investigation areas.
They were talking animatedly.
Of course, their investigations wouldn’t be limited to just those places.
With all of Aleham as their target, they would surely make active use of the warp gates.
Furthermore, collaboration with other teams was also possible.
Fundamentally, this mission practical was centered on cooperation, not competition.
As such, information sharing was crucial, and it was necessary for students to be aware of each other’s movements.
The first-years listened intently to their mentors’ words.
They were thinking that next year, they might be the ones mentoring their own underclassmen.
As they were all talking animatedly before departure.
“Everyone! Are your preparations complete?”
Sedjen made his appearance.
Standing on a platform set up in front of the warp gate, Sedjen spread his arms wide.
“This is no ordinary mission practical! You are representing Lumerne to investigate Aleham! The international political landscape could shift based on your achievements, and the nations surrounding Aleham may rest easier! Therefore, do not forget the weight of this responsibility as you undertake your mission!”
“Yes, sir!”
The students answered powerfully.
“And the country of Aleham itself may be a ‘stimulating’ place for you all! I trust you will not lose your way or have your judgment clouded by excessive temptations!”
At Sedjen’s words, Karl raised his hand.
“Professor Sedjen! What’s the punishment for engaging in unstudent-like activities or using certain facilities?”
It was Halind, standing below the platform, who answered Karl’s question.
“There is no punishment.”
Coming from Halind, who was stricter than anyone about school rules, the unexpected answer surprised the entire student body.
Looking at the students, Halind continued.
“You are hero candidates before you are students. You must be able to take responsibility for your own actions.”
Halind flashed his characteristic icy smile.
“There’s nothing wrong with having a variety of experiences. But whether your lives are ruined by getting too caught up in them is no concern of the academy.”
The students gulped at Halind’s words.
Halind scanned the students one more time before speaking.
“The duration of this mission practical is two weeks.”
“What?”
“Two weeks?”
Everyone wore shocked expressions at the unexpectedly long mission period.
“Correct. As this is a long-term mission, you will be provided with the necessary funds now. This is also part of your classwork, so using your family’s power or your own personal funds is forbidden. Also, be aware that there will be no additional support for the next two weeks.”
With that, Halind handed out money pouches to the students.
Karl’s eyes widened as he checked his pouch.
“Whoa! What do we do with any leftover mission funds?”
Karl asked in surprise at the enormous sum of money inside.
“Any remaining funds are yours to handle as you see fit. That is all.”
The money provided for the mission practical was a huge sum, enough to startle even students from noble families.
Once all preparations were complete, Sedjen spoke.
“Well then! I wish you the best of luck, everyone!”
The first semester’s joint mission practical for the first and second-years had begun.