Chapter 561
Chapter Title: A Gathering in Dragonia
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“Wow…”
“This is amazing!”
Chelsea and Ar walked down the street, their eyes sparkling.
They passed through the entrance of Dragonia and strolled along the wide, straight avenue.
Temples lined the thoroughfare.
These were buildings that had once served the gods of the past, 5,000 years ago. Now, they stood empty, uninhabited even by dragons.
The place where the dragons lived was the main fortress, visible in the distance.
And the main fortress of Dragonia, the city of dragons, exuded a more mystical aura than the architecture of any other race.
The world had undergone countless transformations over the past 5,000 years.
In the process, various cultures blossomed and evolved, leading to the world of today.
Each race had its own disposition.
Humans, who pursued change.
Elves, who valued harmony.
Beastkin, who sought tradition.
Dwarves, who pursued efficiency.
Thus, the cultures of the four races had developed in different directions.
And yet, despite their differences, one could find many similarities among their cultures.
The reason for these commonalities, found across the distinct cultures of four races with different dispositions and characteristics, was simple.
‘Gardsrone.’
The cultures of all four races had their roots in Gardsrone.
The current world was one rebuilt from the ashes after enduring the Age of Calamity.
As a result, most of the individual cultures that had existed in the past were destroyed.
Eventually, various races gathered in the last city, and their cultures intermingled.
By the time the Age of Calamity ended, the distinct traditions of each race had faded, and they had each developed the blended culture in their own way.
However, there was one race that had remained apart from this cultural blend: the dragons.
“I heard that dragons have maintained their culture from the Age of the Gods, and seeing this, I definitely understand.”
Chelsea let out gasps of admiration.
Since the very foundation of their culture was different, their architectural style was completely distinct as well.
It was then.
A sudden gust of wind—!
Three dragons soared through the sky above the street.
A strong wind blew, rustling their hair.
“Leo! Look at that! They're dragons!”
“Ooooh! Black Rabbit! Look at that! Isn't it cool?!”
Chelsea and Ar shook Leo excitedly from either side.
The two girls were completely thrilled by the sight of the dragons flying in formation.
“Oh?”
The scene seemed to interest Dorbeman, the fifth-year from Azonia, as well, and his eyes gleamed.
“They look strong.”
Then, his competitive spirit apparently stirred, he asked Leo a question.
“Leo. I know you've had a wide range of experiences. Have you ever fought a dragon?”
‘If you're asking if I've fought one, I've fought them several times. And the strongest dragon in history, at that.’
He'd fought for training, and he'd fought a few times when his opponent got pissed off.
But he couldn't just say that out loud.
After all, opportunities to fight a dragon were rare in this day and age.
“No, I haven't.”
“I see.”
Dorbeman clenched and unclenched his fists, then muttered as he looked up at the sky.
“Dragons must be strong, right? They'd surely be worthy opponents.”
At his muttering, Chelsea and Ar, who had been exclaiming in awe, froze.
“Senior Dorbeman. I’m just asking, but… you’re not thinking of fighting a dragon just because we’re in Dragonia, are you? You're not thinking that, right?”
“But I am.”
“Get that thought out of your head! You fighting dog with nothing but brawls in your brain!”
Ar grabbed Dorbeman by the collar and shook him.
It wasn't how a junior should act toward a senior, but Dorbeman didn't seem to mind at all.
“Hmm. Your wrists are as flimsy and delicate as ever.”
Instead, he looked at Ar's arms with great disapproval.
“Ar. You are destined to follow in my footsteps and become the proud student council president of Azonia. As I've told you time and again, you cannot lead the fierce beastkin of Azonia with such a frail body.”
“I think I've already taught those simple-minded muscleheads who think muscles are everything a lesson or two.”
Hearing their conversation, Chelsea tilted her head.
“Ar. You're the next student council president of Azonia?”
“Hmph, that's right, pipsqueak.”
Chelsea bristled at Ar's words.
Whether she knew she'd provoked Chelsea or not, a smug Ar continued to boast.
“Dignity doesn't come from size! Look at this long, slender, elegant form! I might look delicate at first glance, but a wild ferocity lies dormant within! I'm not frail in the slightest!”
Ar placed her hands on her hips and proudly puffed out her chest.
Chelsea stared intently at her.
“You? What are you looking at?”
Ar narrowed her eyes and asked, and Chelsea let out a snicker.
“You're completely frail, like a little kid.”
“You impudent little brat!”
“Who are you calling a brat? You're even frailer than this 'brat'.”
Furious, Ar tried to grab Chelsea, but Chelsea stuck out her tongue and quickly darted away.
Ar's eyes widened in anger, and just as she was about to give chase…
*Yank-!*
“Wha-gyaaah?!”
Leo had grabbed Ar's tail.
“I told you! Don't! Pull! My! Taaaaail!”
Her face bright red, Ar tugged at her tail, trying to free it from Leo's grasp.
“If you're going to be the student council president, shouldn't you try to act a little more mature?”
“Ugh.”
Ar flinched at Leo's words, then nodded.
“Fine, Black Rabbit.”
“Indeed, what impressive authority. To think Ar would obey so readily.”
Dorbeman took something from his pocket and tossed it into his mouth.
Seeing this, Chelsea asked.
“What are you eating?”
“Meat that helps build muscle. Want some?”
Chelsea sniffed the chunk of meat Dorbeman offered her, then shook her head.
“I'll pass.”
“Hmph. You won't grow tall if you're a picky eater.”
‘Are people from Azonia naturally skilled at teasing others without any malice?’
Chelsea wondered this with all seriousness.
“Anyway, when did you become the next student council president of Azonia?”
“I won the Festival of Strife that was held a little while ago!”
Ar snorted.
The Festival of Strife.
It was an annual ceremony to determine the strongest student at Azonia.
A tradition at Azonia where the last person standing in a survival battle royale is crowned the winner.
The student who won this Festival of Strife would become the next student council president of Azonia.
“Anyone can participate in the Festival of Strife! The chance to become the strongest in the school is open to all! Though, it's extremely rare for anyone other than a fifth-year to become president!”
“That's impressive.”
At Leo's praise, Ar's ears perked up, and her tail swayed gently.
But she quickly shook her head.
“No! I'm still a long way off!”
Ar said with a determined expression.
“I can't be satisfied with just this! I have to stand on the same stage that Lord Ar-on stood on! I have to keep working hard so that Lord Ar-on can rest easy.”
At her words, Leo glanced at the sword hanging from Ar's hip.
The broken Braver that Ar-on had left for Ar when he descended to the mortal plane.
‘It was left as a conquest reward.’
It wasn't that they had conquered Ar-on's world.
But at the time, Ar-on had wanted to pass this sword down to Ar.
The sword that Dweno had gifted him, the one that had always given him courage.
Though it was now nothing more than scrap metal, its symbolic value was irreplaceable, worth more than any treasure.
‘That sword is the very symbol of Ar-on's courage.’
He had only not seen her for a few months, but Ar had grown stronger.
“Ar-on would definitely be happy if he saw you now.”
“I told you, it's not enough.”
Ar scoffed and turned her head away, but the corners of her mouth kept twitching.
Her tendency to get puffed up meant that Leo's praise had put her in a very good mood.
“That's right! I earned the position of student council president with my own strength! Unlike that parachute thug from Seirun!”
With a triumphant expression, Ar crossed her arms and lifted her chin.
“Black Rabbit, you think so too—”
*Thud-*
“Who are you calling a parachute thug, you stupid cat?”
A foot shot out from behind, shoving Ar mercilessly in the back.
Lunia was glaring at Ar with a cantankerous look.
“You're here?”
“Yeah.”
Nodding at Leo's words, Lunia swept her hair back.
“Lunia, we are in a place with countless dragons. As the student council president of Seirun, you must conduct yourself properly.”
Hadin, the vice president of Seirun's student council, said from behind her, adjusting his glasses.
“Yeah, yeah.”
Though Lunia's reply was half-hearted, she straightened her posture and put on a gentle smile.
Chelsea watched in admiration as Lunia instantly transformed into a diligent, model elf student.
“The Seirun student council president seems to be getting better and better at acting.”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
Lunia smiled sweetly and tilted her head.
“So, are we just waiting for Demian now?”
At her words, Leo looked down at the ground.
“If you mean Demian, they're already here.”
“Huh?”
As he spoke, the ground stirred, and a face emerged.
Lunia, Ar, and Chelsea recoiled in shock as someone's face suddenly popped out from beneath the earth.
The person wearing goggles was none other than a female dwarf.
“Heave-ho. Dorbeman, Hadin… and Leo? That was it, right? And the Seirun student council president, Lunia. It's been a while, everyone.”
*Thump, thump-*
The female dwarf, having completely dug her way out, slung the pickaxe in her hand over her shoulder.
“Oof.”
“The president of Demian! What were you doing?”
After calming her startled heart, Ar asked with a bewildered expression. The president of Demian, Marigold, answered with a serious face.
“As a miner, isn't it basic to assess the geological characteristics of a new location?”
“It seems you still haven't kicked that habit, Marigold.”
In response to Dorbeman's comment, Marigold proudly pulled a fist-sized ore from her pocket.
“But look. You can find rare ores this way, can't you?”
“I heard the president of Demian was a bit of an eccentric, but I didn't expect someone like that.”
Lunia sighed at Chelsea's murmur.
“The real eccentric from Demian is someone else. Has Driana not arrived yet?”
“Driana? She's over there. I brought her along since she's also a candidate for the next president.”
Marigold pointed down the road.
In the distance, a dwarf girl was sketching the dragon architecture.
Leo walked over to Driana.
“What are you doing?”
“Oh! Leo! Long time no see!”
Driana stood up, smiling brightly.
“Actually, I arrived here at dawn. But seeing the dragon architecture in person gave me a flash of inspiration! So I was sketching!”
They were currently on the road connecting the entrance of Dragonia to the main fortress.
A place lined with temples that were no longer in use.
To actually see the dragons, they needed to go to the main fortress, and this was just the middle of the road leading there.
These two students, the representatives from Demian, had arrived at dawn and, instead of heading to the fortress, had decided to dig tunnels and draw pictures.
“She really is strange.”
“You can say that again.”
Lunia and Ar shook their heads.
“I don't need to hear that from an elf thug and a stupid cat.”
“Huh? Did you just call me a thug?”
“You called me stupid? You perverted dwarf!”
Lunia and Ar growled.
Staring at the three of them bickering the moment they met, Chelsea asked the upperclassmen from the other schools.
“Aren't you worried about entrusting the student council to those three?”
At her question, the three student council presidents could only remain silent.
They were, without a doubt, the most talented individuals in the history of the hero academies.
And yet, they were three people you'd be ashamed to introduce anywhere.