Chapter 414
Chapter Title: The Summit Begins
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When Juen opened her eyes, she was met with an unfamiliar ceiling.
Blinking a few times, Juen hurriedly sat up.
“…Where am I?”
Looking around in a panic, Juen soon realized she was in the infirmary and let out a hollow laugh.
‘So I lost.’
*Clack—*
Just then, the door opened, and Karl walked in.
“Juen, you're awake?”
“What happened?”
“Shock from mana exhaustion.”
Karl pulled a chair over to Juen's bedside and sat down.
“It was a really close match. Everyone's saying if it wasn't a place that favored Aina, if you'd fought on neutral ground, you would have won...”
“A loss is a loss.”
Juen replied, gritting her teeth.
“Anything else is just an excuse. The result doesn't change.”
“…Right.”
Karl, who had been trying to comfort Juen, fell silent and smiled bitterly.
Watching Juen, who sat with her head down in silence, Karl grew flustered.
“Hey, are you crying?”
Juen's shoulders were trembling slightly.
“I'm sorry. You helped me so much, senior.”
While Juen had devised the winning strategy against Aina, it was Karl who had predicted and analyzed Aina's movements.
“I just did what any mentor would do. Don't cry. You were truly amazing, you know?”
“I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. But it's just so frustrating.”
“It's okay. It's just one loss. This is only the first-year final exams, right? There will be plenty of chances to get her back.”
Karl comforted the distraught Juen.
***
After the first round of the first-year final exam tournament ended, Lumerne was buzzing with excitement.
The one who drew the most attention was, without a doubt, Luke.
His completely unexpected and astonishing victory was bound to attract a great deal of interest.
The question of why someone like him was the student council president's mentee had also largely subsided.
“Student Luke! Why have you been hiding your power until now?”
“Was it a strategy to make the other students let their guard down?”
Students from the newspaper club swarmed Luke, bombarding him with questions.
“It was part of Senior Leo's training method.”
“Oh? What was the student council president's training like?”
At that question, Luke's face turned deathly pale.
‘What in the world kind of training did he go through?’
Watching Luke tremble, the newspaper club students exchanged strange looks.
The next match to receive attention was the one between Aina and Juen.
“Student Aina, what are your thoughts on your match with Student Juen?”
“She was very strong.”
Aina answered quietly with her eyes lowered and said nothing more before returning to her dormitory.
The students who called themselves Aina's faction chased after her in confusion.
Watching the scene, Luke muttered.
“She doesn't look happy.”
“She probably didn't expect such a tough fight. She almost lost, after all.”
Sasha, the class president of Luke's Class 1, replied, gently waving her folding fan.
“Anyway, that was excellent, Luke. You've brought honor to Class 1.”
Luke scratched his head at Sasha's words.
“I look forward to our match.”
As Sasha spoke with a smile, a scoffing sound was heard.
“Sasha Sienne Lordren, you won't be facing Luke Elda.”
“What did you say?”
Sasha narrowed her eyes.
“Because you'll lose to me before that.”
“Heh heh—you've said exactly what I wanted to say. Habiden Birsen.”
Sparks flew between Sasha and Habiden.
Seeing the two of them, the other students stealthily backed away.
“From the beginning, I've been planning to defeat Luke Elda.”
“The same goes for me.”
Watching the two growl at each other, Jane—Habiden's classmate from Class 10 and Chen Xia's mentee—made a fed-up expression.
“Weren't you two ignoring Luke Elda? You didn't know his true skill until now.”
“I've been determined to defeat him ever since he became Senior Leo's mentee.”
Sasha scoffed, and Jane gave a sly grin.
“Jealousy?”
“Of course not?!”
Seeing Sasha flare up with a bright red face, Habiden let out a chuckle.
“How pathetic, Sasha Sienne Lordren.”
Provoked by Habiden, Sasha turned to Luke.
“Luke, you tell us! Who would you rather fight, me or this person?!”
“Naturally, he'd rather face me, a fellow student from the Knight Department.”
“I'd like to fight both of you.”
Luke replied, scratching his cheek.
From Luke's perspective, both Sasha and Habiden were students he had admired since their first year, as they had been exceptional from the start.
They were also formidable opponents against whom he wanted to test his skills someday.
‘I want to see how far my current skills will take me against them.’
That was Luke's honest feeling.
Of course, there was no way Sasha and Habiden would accept Luke's answer.
“Choose, Luke Elda.”
“Choose, Luke.”
Seeing the two of them approach him with fierce expressions, Luke looked like he was about to cry.
“Somebody help me!”
Not wanting to get involved with Sasha and Habiden, the other first-years looked away from Luke.
Amidst the commotion among the first-years.
One of the second-years who had come to see their mentees, Nella, muttered as she watched.
“Leo's mentee is quite popular.”
“Yeah, he is.”
Iliana nodded.
“I'd pass on that kind of popularity, though.”
***
The final exams weren't just for the first-years.
After the first-years' tournament, the exams for each year level began.
However, since the main event of these finals was the first-year tournament, the exams for the other years were generally concluded quickly.
The first-years' written exams also finished early, with only the tournament continuing.
Luke smoothly secured victory after victory, advancing through the ranks.
The top students from other departments also continued to claim victories.
Even Juen, who had an unfavorable bracket, fought her way through the repechage to rejoin the main tournament.
And while the repechage was underway, the biggest issue of the semester began.
The summit meeting had finally started.
All year levels gathered in the grand training grounds, organized by department.
“Wow.”
Iliana, who was reading the school newspaper, exclaimed in amazement and clicked her tongue.
Chloe tilted her head.
“Why?”
“Well. At this rate, I'm wondering if that Emio guy is actually going to get expelled.”
“Ah.”
Chloe also let out a sound of understanding at Iliana's words.
Judging by his grades alone, Emio was skilled enough that it wouldn't be strange for him to remain at Lumerne until graduation.
But things got complicated because of this first-year tournament.
Emio's mentee, Lement, suffered a shocking defeat to Luke in his very first match and was sent to the losers' bracket.
The problem was that Juen had also been sent to the losers' bracket.
The one who won in the repechage was Juen.
It was a showdown between the first and third-ranked students of the Magic Department, but Juen claimed an overwhelming victory, resulting in Lement's elimination.
“The expulsion criteria for first-years haven't been clearly defined yet. We'll have to wait and see.”
Iliana scoffed at Chloe's words.
“I hope Professor Halind is extremely strict about it. Please, let me never see that smug face again.”
“I agree.”
Chelsea, who was listening nearby, also nodded.
“But why are you here?”
“Huh?”
“Get lost and go to the Knight Department.”
“Gasp! How could you say something so harsh when we've been studying together in the Magic Department all this time!”
As Iliana feigned a hurt expression, Chelsea narrowed her eyes.
“Harsh my foot. The reason you came to the Magic Department was because it has a better view! You're only part of the Magic Department when it's convenient for you, aren't you?”
At Chelsea's words, Iliana feigned ignorance.
Watching Iliana, Karl said.
“Should I drag her out?”
“Chloe! They're all picking on me!”
When public opinion turned against her, Iliana clung to Chloe.
After the commotion died down, Iliana, who had successfully secured her spot, spoke.
“Anyway, our president is so lucky. He gets to see all the world leaders and heroes from a VIP seat, right?”
As the student council president, Leo was standing in front of the warp gate to greet the world leaders.
***
“Leo, don't be nervous. I'll be sure to assist you well.”
“Senior Lil. I appreciate the sentiment, but could you please look at me when you say that?”
Lil was so nervous she had her eyes squeezed shut.
The duty of greeting the leaders and heroes of each nation up close fell to the representatives of each year.
Since Hark and Elena were scheduled to return from their mission tomorrow, Lil was currently the highest-ranking student present.
Therefore, it was Lil's role to assist Leo, who, despite being the student council president, was still only a second-year.
However, she was standing stiffly, completely tensed up.
“Ooh—Leo, aren't you nervous? Aren't you worried about making a mistake and embarrassing yourself?”
“Not really.”
“As expected of you, Leo. You're amazing.”
Lil was filled with admiration.
She had thought he was incredible since they first met.
But now, he wasn't just an incredible junior; he stood at a dizzyingly high position as both the student council president and a summoner.
“Senior Lil, you just have to act like you normally do.”
“Right, then they won't think I'm strange.”
‘...They'll think she's strange if she acts normally, and they'll think she's strange if she doesn't act normally, so what's the difference.’
Leo muttered to himself inwardly.
Lil considered herself to be ordinary, but in reality, she had a very unique personality.
Of course, as a spirit master, she could be considered quite standard.
‘Although, she's not just standard; she's a well-rounded monster.’
Despite possessing such incredible talent, Lil always found someone more amazing than herself to compare herself to, causing her to lose confidence on her own.
‘But even so, she never stops trying.’
She was the type of person who used comparison as a foundation for growth, always looking up rather than down.
Leo turned his gaze toward Aina.
‘She's in a similar state to Lil.’
If Lil had her eyes closed out of nervousness, this one was staring fixedly at the ground.
‘Looks like she still hasn't recovered from the shock of her match with Juen.’
“Aina.”
“Yes?”
Aina flinched in surprise at Leo's call.
“You seem to have something on your mind.”
At his question, Aina lowered her gaze again.
Her lips parted as if to speak, but she quickly closed them.
This was the same Aina who, previously vowing to earn his recognition, would never avoid Leo's gaze.
But now, she seemed to be avoiding him.
Watching her, Leo spoke.
“If you're worried about something, try talking to Celia. She's your mentor, isn't she?”
“…”
At his words, Aina gave a self-deprecating smile.
“…Someone like me… Senior Celia wouldn't even bother with me.”
“It's not good to belittle yourself so much, Aina.”
Lil, who had been listening, gently chided her, but Aina just kept staring at the ground.
Looking at Aina, Leo said.
“Why do you think mentors exist?”
“Huh?”
Aina lifted her head, a slightly surprised expression on her face.
However, the conversation couldn't continue, as the warp gate activated and the leaders and heroes of various nations began to arrive.
***
*Flash—!*
Numerous rulers and heroes from various races arrived.
Each time, the students of Lumerne sent up a cheer.
Amidst the enthusiastic welcome from everyone.
*Flash—!*
The warp gate activated again, and someone else emerged.
The Lumerne students, who had been about to cheer again, froze for a moment.
It wasn't just the students of Lumerne.
The kings and heroes who had been greeting each other also wore looks of surprise when they saw the new arrivals.
*Flutter— Flutter—*
A flag billowed in the wind.
The group, composed of people from the eastern continent, began to walk forward.
Many summit meetings had been held since the time of the Heroes of the Beginning.
However.
They, who had existed in the world even before the Heroes of the Beginning, had never once attended a summit meeting.
The nation with the longest history in the world.
The nation of shadows, which had written its history in darkness.
Someone softly uttered its name.
“The Shan Empire.”