Chapter 053
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“So it’s settled, everyone? Our class is going to Elsalvekia?”
“Yes!”
At Sera's question, all of Class 5 answered in unison.
The day after the party.
Despite it being the weekend, all the students of Class 5, including Leo, were in the classroom.
Not just Class 5, but the other classes were also busy with heated discussions about their school trip destinations since that weekend morning.
Leo, who had gathered the class's opinions with Nella at the front, wore a satisfied expression as he looked at Class 5's chosen destination.
*‘Now, all I have to do is get to the city where the Fairy Forest is.’*
“Since the class president suggested it, there must be a reason~”
“That’s right. We can trust the president’s choice.”
Leo's influence was the biggest reason Class 5 decided on Elsalvekia.
“Good that it was decided quickly.”
Halind, who had been watching the class meeting from a corner at the front of the room, flicked his finger.
“President, Vice President. Distribute these printouts.”
A stack of printouts from his bag flew toward the two of them.
Leo and Nella handed them out to their classmates.
“Let’s see.”
“A list of supplies?”
“Do we have to prepare these ourselves?”
As the students voiced their questions while looking at the printouts, Halind spoke with a blank expression.
“You only have this weekend to prepare. So once the class meeting is over, get ready on your own. I believe that’s all for the meeting? Dismissed.”
*Drrrrk-!*
The students all rose from their seats at once.
“President and Vice President, stay behind.”
At his words, Leo and Nella, who were about to return to their seats, froze.
“Let’s go to Lumeria City right now!”
“Okay!”
“Elsalvekia is a country that’s cold all year round, right? I’m going to look for winter clothes!”
Chatting cheerfully, the students of Class 5 filed out of the classroom.
“Leo! Nella! We'll be waiting for you at the docks!”
“Hurry up.”
Chelsea and Karl also waved and left the classroom.
Only four people remained in the room.
Halind spoke to Leo and Nella, who stood before him.
“Everyone seems excited, but as president and vice president, you two aren’t planning to treat this school trip lightly, are you?”
The two nodded at Halind’s blunt question.
“No, sir.”
“That would be nice, but Lumerne isn't such an easygoing place.”
Halind nodded at their response.
“Good. In that case, I have one thing to ask of you.”
“What is it…?”
“Originally, I was scheduled to set the itinerary once the destination country was decided. However, it occurred to me that it might be alright to entrust it to you.”
“You mean?”
“That’s right. As president and vice president, why don't you two create the itinerary? Of course, if it's too much of a burden, I'll do it as planned.”
*‘The entire class itinerary, just Leo and me? Professor Halind is trusting us, but… will this be okay?’*
Nella was lost in thought.
Leo, however, slowly curled his lips into a smile.
*‘This is perfect.’*
For Leo, whose goal was the Fairy Forest, this was a fortunate turn of events.
“We’ll do it.”
At his immediate reply, not only Nella but also Sera looked surprised.
“You’re confident you can do it well?”
“Didn’t you bring it up because you thought we could do it well?”
At the bold remark, Halind’s lips curled into a smirk.
“Nella Kavn. What is your opinion?”
“Assisting the president is the vice president’s duty.”
Letting out a light sigh, Nella gave her characteristically languid smile.
“Understood. Then I shall look forward to it. Report to Assistant Professor Sera regularly every night.”
Hearing that, Leo and Nella bowed and left the classroom.
“That’s quite an unconventional move.”
“I was simply curious about the extent of Leo Flove's capabilities.”
Halind opened the attendance book and looked at Leo's photo.
“This year’s generation of first-years is exceptional.”
“They certainly are outstanding. Celia, Duran, Chen Xia, Abad, Chloe, Woreden, Eliza. They're all skilled enough to be the year representative.”
Even for Lumerne, which gathers only the most brilliant talents, it's rare for a single generation to be this stacked with gifted individuals.
“And among them, Leo Flove is special.”
“Because he’s an All-Class.”
“It’s not just because of that that he’s special.”
“Then why?”
“It means Professor Albi's assessment of him being ‘hero material’ wasn't wrong.”
Sera’s eyes widened.
Halind was a professor whose eye for evaluating students was more accurate than anyone else's.
*‘For Professor Halind to go this far...’*
Halind closed the attendance book.
*‘Like it or not, Leo Flove stimulates those around him. The students influenced by him are making great strides.’*
A being who exerts immense influence on his surroundings.
Such a person is called a hero.
*‘His bottomless potential is truly astonishing.’*
Having thought that far, Halind rose from his seat.
“I'm delegating the matter of the school trip itinerary to you.”
“You’re busy because of the midterm incident, aren't you?”
“Don't ask any more than that. It's something those who aren't official professors shouldn't know.”
At his words, Sera smiled and bowed her head deeply.
***
After reaching the entrance of Kuraju Street, the main thoroughfare of Lumeria City, Iliana proposed.
“First, let’s split into three teams of two!”
“That’ll be more efficient than moving around in one big group.”
As Nella agreed with a smile, Dade asked.
“How should we decide the teams?”
“Let’s just do rock-paper-scissors and group up with whoever throws the same.”
Everyone nodded at Karl's suggestion.
“Rock, paper, scissors!”
After a few rounds, the teams were decided: Leo and Chelsea, Karl and Nella, and Iliana and Dade.
“Alright, now let’s decide who buys what.”
Leo and Chelsea were in charge of groceries.
Karl and Nella, equipment.
Iliana and Dade decided to buy the potions.
Groceries, equipment, and potions.
These were all the items the students had been instructed to prepare.
They were even given funds per student.
Checking the printout, Iliana stroked her chin.
“It feels like we're preparing for an expedition mission.”
“It’s a Lumerne school event, after all. Maybe it’s like a practice run for the missions we'll have starting in the second semester?”
“Ooh! That could be it!”
Iliana nodded at Chelsea's words.
“Alright then, let's meet back here in three hours for lunch! For now, dismiss!”
And so, they split off into their teams.
Chelsea, who was about to set off enthusiastically, paused.
“But… how do you even buy things like groceries?”
For her, an elite noble lady from a renowned hero family, this was a surprisingly difficult challenge.
“Follow me.”
“Huh?”
Chelsea's eyes widened, and she trotted after Leo.
Leo headed for the Kuraju Street market as if it were familiar territory.
Along the way, he began buying the necessary groceries for the trip.
He started with preserved foods, then bought fresh ingredients.
He had brought a subspace for food storage, so there was no issue storing the groceries.
Watching Leo skillfully buy everything they needed, Chelsea's eyes widened.
Finally, they stopped at a fruit stand.
It was the same stand whose owner had tossed apples to Leo and Celia on the day of the entrance ceremony.
As they approached, the owner greeted them with a hearty laugh, just as expected.
“Oh! Lumerne students! What year are you?”
“First-years.”
“Hoh? First-years? What's your name?”
“Leo Flove.”
“Leo Flove? You don't mean… the first-year representative, Leo Flove?”
The fruit stand owner's eyes went wide.
“You know Leo?”
“Of course I do! Kid! Look at this!”
“It's the newspaper from our school's journalism club.”
Leo accepted the newspaper with a fascinated expression.
[Unprecedented All-Class First-Year Leo Flove is the Talk of the Town.]
An article about Leo was written in it.
“This is a huge honor, isn't it? Hahahaha! Can I get a handshake?”
*‘What a cheerful guy.’*
Leo thought as they shook hands.
“Agh! What the hell! I'll give you a discount!”
“Thank you.”
Leo grinned.
“I once dreamed of becoming a hero myself, but I didn't have any talent for it!”
Slapping his forehead and laughing boisterously, the fruit stand owner smacked his lips in regret.
“So when I see students like you, I can't help but feel envious and want to treat you well. Aren't you all the future of this world?”
Hearing that, Chelsea looked a little embarrassed.
“I'm just an ordinary guy who can't do anything but cheer for you, you see.”
“That cheering is what will give us strength.”
“Huh?”
“Because that's what a hero is.”
Leo smiled warmly.
In an age of despair.
What had raised the expedition party from the brink of frustration time and time again were the people who placed their hopes in them and cheered them on.
Hearing Leo's words, the fruit stand owner's eyes widened, and then he laughed heartily.
“I've seen a lot of Lumerne students, but there's something special about you! Alright! Starting today, I'm your fan!”
Laughing loudly, the fruit stand owner pressed an apple into both Leo's and Chelsea's hands.
“You’re really good at this, Leo. It’s like you’ve done it a hundred times.”
Chelsea asked, taking a crisp bite of her apple.
“I've had to do this kind of thing a few times.”
In his past life, supplies were crucial.
*‘I had no choice but to get used to it.’*
He took a bite of his apple, recalling the past.
“We still have a lot of time left. What should we do?”
Chelsea bit her index finger, lost in thought.
“I have somewhere to be.”
“Where? Want me to come with?”
“It's a personal matter.”
Chelsea nodded at Leo's words.
“I'll see you at the meeting spot in a bit.”
“Okay.”
Leo chuckled at Chelsea's disappointed expression as she waved, then he slipped into a back alley.
*‘It should be somewhere around here.’*
While searching the back alleys, Leo soon stopped in front of a shop called 'Lutech'.
“This is it.”
From the outside, it looked like an ordinary general store in a back alley.
But this was none other than the place that had sold the demonic artifact to Chloe.
He tried the doorknob, but it was locked.
Leo chanted an unlocking spell.
*Clack-! Creeak-!*
Inside, the shop was dark and gloomy.
“Light.”
A simple light spell illuminated the interior.
*‘Lumerne must have already finished their investigation, but…’*
He narrowed his eyes as he surveyed the trashed interior of the shop.
*‘This place is connected to the demonic artifact. They might have left something behind.’*
Leo slowly investigated the inside of the shop.
However, he found nothing out of the ordinary.
The only thing left was a worn-out teddy bear stuck in the corner of a display shelf.
*‘Wait. A teddy bear?’*
Lumerne had already conducted a thorough investigation of this place.
They would have taken every single item in the shop, no matter how trivial, for the investigation.
So why was a teddy bear here?
Thinking that far, Leo flinched.
*‘A perception-lowering spell?’*
The moment he thought that.
*Gwooooo-*
A black energy flowed out from the teddy bear's eyes.
*Gurgle! Gurgle! Squish! Squish!*
The doll, which had been scattering black energy, soon began to swell, turning into a lump of flesh.
*‘A demon!’*
*Flash-!*
A giant eye popped out from the center of the flesh, squirmed, and met Leo's gaze.
*Crack-!*
Simultaneously, a tendril of flesh shot out, aiming for Leo.
*Crash!*
The shop floor caved in.
*Fwoosh-!*
Leo ignited the flames of his aura.
*KWAANG-!*
The demon's body went up in flames.
But the flames died down.
[Kikikik. Kihihihik!]
A mocking laugh could be heard.
The laughter sent a chill down Leo's spine.
*‘This voice...!’*
It was a voice Leo knew all too well.
*‘The Monster Queen… Silatuna!’*