Chapter 416
Chapter Title: The Party at the Hero's Tower
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Central Lumerne.
The Hero's Tower.
In the grand plaza before it, a lavish party was currently underway.
It was an event to welcome the outside guests visiting Lumerne, so all students were required to attend without exception.
Of course, with renowned heroes and the world's most powerful figures gathered, most students attended without much complaint.
The influential people gathered from all over showed great interest in Lumerne's most promising students.
Among them, the ones drawing the most attention were, as expected, the second-year students known as Lumerne's golden generation.
“Hoh, so you are Miss Chloe Müller. Your thesis is currently garnering much attention in the magical world.”
“Prince Duran. The kingdoms of the central continent have high hopes for you!”
“Are you Woreden? Indeed, a vessel worthy of making a pact with a Great Spirit.”
Watching this, Chelsea smiled brightly.
“Everyone's so popular~”
“I guess you guys aren't?”
Karl, who was enjoying the banquet with a plate piled high with buffet food, said teasingly, to which Chelsea replied.
“Because we're from the Rodren Empire.”
“Right. No matter how promising, they wouldn't try to recruit someone from the Rodren Empire. By the way, seniors, you're not fighting today.”
Karl tilted his head, looking at Niel and Machel.
The relationship between Celia and Chelsea was famous among the second-years.
But there was a relationship even more intense than theirs—that of Niel and Machel, the heirs to their respective families' vassal houses.
Despite being a year apart, the two created an explosive chemical reaction whenever they met.
Yet today, for some reason, the two were quiet.
“Chelsea and Celia are being well-behaved today, too.”
At Karl's words, Celia swept her hair back.
“Do you think I just snarl at Chelsea whenever I see her, regardless of time or place?”
“Yeah.”
At Karl's unhesitating reply, all expression vanished from Celia's face.
“Anyway, is there a reason?”
Sensing danger, Karl quickly changed the subject, and Chelsea answered.
“To keep the flies from buzzing around.”
“Flies? Ahh.”
Karl, who had tilted his head at Chelsea's words, nodded in understanding.
His gaze then turned to Leo, who was sitting alone with a relaxed expression.
“Leo isn't technically from the Rodren Empire, right?”
Leo's main family was the Flove family, and his affiliation was with the Dellad Kingdom.
He was recognized as a direct descendant of the Jerdinger line, but that was his maternal side.
As such, countless parties were vying for him.
Lumerne Academy's youngest-ever student council president.
On top of that, an All-Class like the Hero of the Beginning.
He had even achieved incredible feats at a young age.
For any influential figure, a being like Leo was bound to be highly coveted.
Even now, many were furtively glancing Leo's way, eager to approach.
But with Celia and Chelsea glaring, no one dared to approach carelessly.
Even if they were just students, no one would dare make a move on Leo in front of the direct descendants of the Jerdinger and Llewellyn families.
‘They're on dedicated guard duty.’
Karl understood and continued to enjoy the banquet.
‘It's convenient, which is nice.’
Leo chuckled and let the two of them be.
He had thought this party would be tiring, but it seemed he wouldn't have to worry about that.
‘My standing in this era is no longer low.’
Being at Lumerne had made him numb to the gazes of outsiders.
But this event had made him realize it clearly.
Leo's existence was already deeply imprinted upon the world.
Everyone knew of Leo and praised the feats he had accomplished.
Thinking that far, Leo recalled someone.
‘Necro-King, Hell Kaiser.’
The supreme commander leading Tartaros.
And a great demon with power and charisma befitting his title.
‘His most terrifying aspect is his insight.’
The early days of the Age of Calamity.
The defeat of countless powerful nations and heroes of that time, and the vast expansion of Tartaros's domain, were all possible because of the Necro-King's command.
‘Even after we gained enough power to defeat his legion commanders, he pushed us into crisis time and time again.’
That was how fearsome a being the Necro-King, Hell Kaiser, was.
The Age of Calamity came to an end.
And even as people rebuilt the world and the Age of Heroes began, the reason Tartaros was never completely destroyed…
…was likely all thanks to the Necro-King.
‘What does the Necro-King think of me now?’
Since Leo enrolled at Lumerne, countless incidents had occurred.
Each one of them an event that shook the world.
The Necro-King must find it strange.
A young human who appeared out of nowhere was making the impossible possible as if it were natural.
The Necro-King had already experienced a similar situation 5,000 years ago.
‘The appearance of Lisinas and me, and Luna, Ar-on, and Dweno.’
The Great Heroes who had prevented the world's destruction—which had been a foregone conclusion—and ultimately saved it.
From the world's perspective, they were a miraculous hope, but from the Necro-King's perspective, they must have been a calamity.
‘With his insight…’
Leo narrowed his eyes.
‘He might have already vaguely figured me out.’
Leo clenched and unclenched his fist.
‘From now on, I should act under the assumption that he knows my true identity.’
Leo's eyes narrowed.
‘A 5,000-year-old ill-fated connection. It's time to put an end to it.’
***
“Senior Flove!”
Clasping her hands together and letting out a shriek, Leah was about to charge at Leo.
Lunia grabbed the scruff of Leah's neck, clutching her own head.
“Leah, you're the top first-year at Seirun, you know? You're the face of the school. This is a gathering of countless heroes and influential figures from around the world. Shouldn't you refrain from acting disgracefully and tarnishing the school's honor?”
At Lunia's words, Leah squinted.
“Senior Lunia, don't you feel a little guilty lecturing me about Seirun's honor?”
It was Lunia, who had long since folded up any pretense of demureness and tossed it to the heavens.
Even so, she didn't throw a fit at any and all times.
“I at least consider the time and place.”
“Do you?”
At her junior's blatant display of disbelief, Lunia unhesitatingly choked Leah.
“Fine, just as you wished, I won't consider the time or place.”
“Gack! I, I surrender! Surrender!”
“Is that how you speak to me?”
“I, I surrender!”
Leah struggled, tapping Lunia's arm repeatedly.
“Hmph! She's got a junior who's just like her!”
Just then, a voice that sounded somewhat smug could be heard.
Standing there with her arms crossed was Ar Tune, neatly dressed in her Azonia uniform.
“Ooh! Lunia! Ar! Have you been well!”
Driana, in her Demian uniform, also spotted the two and greeted them cheerfully.
Seeing them, Leah's eyes widened.
Earlier this year.
The three people who had conquered Dweno's World and were hailed as hero candidates who would lead the next generation were all gathered.
‘Their presence is no joke.’
Shedding the lighthearted mood, Leah also looked at the three with tense eyes.
Amidst this, Driana spoke up.
“That strange way of talking is still with you, I see.”
Lunia said with her arms crossed, and Driana burst out laughing.
“As for me, I am always striving to act like the respected Lord Dweno.”
“You're not like him at all.”
Ar said coolly, but Driana paid her no mind.
“In any case, to commemorate this meeting, I have a favor to ask.”
Seeing Driana speak with a serious expression, Leah's face tensed slightly.
A request from a hero candidate who would lead the next generation?
‘What is it? Does she need help gathering materials to create a magnificent weapon? Or has a huge problem arisen within Demian?’
As Leah's eyes darted around nervously,
“If you're going to ask me to be a nude model again, forget it, you perverted dwarf.”
Ar said sharply.
At those words, Leah couldn't believe her ears.
“It is for the sake of art.”
“Lord Dweno told you to quit art, didn't he?”
This time, Lunia spoke coolly.
“What is important is a heart that does not give up. Lord Dweno surely said so as well.”
“That same Lord Dweno would probably beg you to give up on art.”
“If Lord Dweno were here, he would have told you it's okay to give up.”
Despite Ar and Lunia's merciless words, Driana didn't bat an eye.
Then she noticed Leah and said.
“Hoh, a beautiful maiden. You there. Have you any thought of being a nude model?”
“No.”
Leah, who had answered in a flat voice, asked Lunia seriously.
“Is this conversation just too high-level for me to understand?”
“No, her words are just too crude for you to understand.”
Lunia sighed.
Just as the three students, hailed as the future of their respective races, were having this pathetic conversation…
“Hello, everyone.”
Someone addressed them.
The four of them turned and were startled.
Standing there was none other than the Dragon Lord, Melina.
“I-It is an honor to meet you, Great Lord.”
As Lunia hurriedly paid her respects, Melina brought a hand to her veil and chuckled softly.
“There's no need for such a fuss.”
Smiling, Melina looked at Leah and said.
“Miss Leah Tingel.”
“Y-Yes!”
“Why don't you go speak with the first-years from Lumerne? I'm sure it will be of great help to you.”
“Yes, ma'am!”
Leah answered with a crisp nod and stepped back.
She wanted to talk more, but she didn't dare question the words of the Dragon Lord.
‘Still, it should be fine to eavesdrop from a distance, right?’
Driven by strong curiosity, Leah glanced back at the four of them.
And let out a baffled "Huh?"
The four people who had been there just a moment ago were gone.
‘What?’
Flustered, she looked around.
Despite being a very conspicuous group, they were nowhere to be seen.
‘Come to think of it, people were quiet even though the Dragon Lord appeared.’
Normally, the appearance of the Dragon Lord in the middle of a party should have caused a huge commotion.
But the party's atmosphere remained unchanged.
‘Could it be a perception-jamming spell? Wow, amazing. To think I didn't notice at all.’
Leah couldn't help but marvel at the incredibly sophisticated and subtle magic.
***
Standing before Melina, the three stood at attention with tense faces.
Seeing them, Melina burst out laughing.
“Don't be so nervous. I simply came because I wanted to talk with you all.”
“I-It is an honor.”
Lunia replied in a trembling voice.
“But why us…?”
Ar asked with a slightly puzzled look, and Melina smiled brightly.
“Because you are the hero candidates chosen by this era.”
At those words, Driana's eyes widened.
“My Lord, have you chosen us?”
Dragons had, for generations, chosen the heroes who would shoulder an era.
Among them, the hero chosen by the Dragon Lord was special.
Thus, Melina's mention of 'heroes chosen by the era' was more than enough to startle the three of them.
At their reaction, Melina smiled.
“Rather than my choice… it was *his* choice.”
“His?”
The three wore expressions of shock at Melina's use of an honorific.
The Dragon Lord.
Sovereign of Dragonia and queen of all dragons.
In a sense, she could be called the highest person in the world.
For her to use an honorific for someone…
‘Who could it be?’
While everyone was surprised,
Melina, referring to 'him,' glanced at Leo.
And then, for a moment, she froze.
‘What is that?’
In Melina's eyes, she could feel a foreign power emanating from Leo.
A very faint power.
‘It's a power I've felt somewhere before.’
Melina tilted her head slightly, then soon realized the identity of the power Leo was emitting.
‘It resembles the power of the Hero Record.’