Chapter 633
Chapter Title: A Surprise Evaluation
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633.
The cold winter had passed, and the warm air of spring now filled the streets.
Kuraju Street, abuzz with anticipation for Lumerne's entrance ceremony, was also brimming with life.
“Look at this! A custom uniform from Blessriger!”
“Huh? Really?”
Two female students, who appeared to be from the west, were chatting in front of <Blessriger>.
Blessriger was one of the tailor shops that specialized in making Lumerne uniforms.
It was known among Lumerne students as the finest luxury brand.
“Whoa! I’m so jealous!”
“My dad splurged and bought it for me as an entrance gift!”
“Ugh! So envious! He said he'd buy me one for the second semester!”
“Oh, come on. Your uniform is plenty nice, too, isn't it?”
“But it’s not a Blessriger.”
As the two girls chattered excitedly,
“Really? You’re passing your uniform down to me?”
“Yeah. As you know, Lumerne uniforms are ridiculously expensive for no reason. For commoners like us, it’s back-breaking. I have to get a new one anyway, so I figured I’d give you this one. It’s not a fancy brand, though.”
“Not at all! This is more than good enough! Thank you so much, senior! I look forward to this year with you!”
The conversation from across the street reached the ears of the two girls, whose hearing was sharp, as expected of Lumerne students.
A faint sneer touched the girls’ lips as they listened.
“I don’t know who they are, but they sound like upperclassmen, right?”
“Yeah. But they seem to be commoner upperclassmen. Passing down a uniform and then actually wearing it. They don’t even have the decency to be embarrassed, just talking about it so loudly. Ugh! Don’t you think seniors like that are a disgrace to the school?”
It was as the two girls were whispering and snickering.
“You must have lost your minds.”
A cold, mocking voice came from behind them.
At the sound of that voice, the two freshmen froze solid.
Startled, they turned around to see a female student with long, wavy silver hair.
The two freshmen’s faces turned pale.
‘Eliza Hergin!’
‘A third-year!’
Even though they were all Lumerne students, they were mere freshmen who wouldn’t dare to even look at a student of that year.
To make matters worse, their opponent was none other than Eliza Hergin.
A hero candidate from the so-called Golden Generation, renowned throughout the world!
They would have been intimidated just by passing her on the street, but they had been caught badmouthing their seniors.
“A mere freshman, mocking her seniors?”
“Eek?!”
“And the acting student council president and the second-year representative, no less?”
At Eliza’s chilling voice, the two girls’ faces went from pale to blue.
They knew very well who the acting student council president and the second-year representative were.
Karl Thomas and Luke Elda.
Karl Thomas, who had already earned the title of Hero, was someone a freshman couldn’t even dream of looking at.
But the bigger problem was that Karl was close friends with Leo, Chelsea, Abad, and Celia.
The same went for Luke.
He was on close terms with Crown Princess Sasha, the next empress of the Lodren Empire in the western continent.
One wrong move could not only ruin their school life but also block their families’ futures.
“Fo-forgive us!”
“Why are you asking me for forgiveness?”
“What is it? Why are you bullying freshmen on the first day of school again?”
Karl popped his head next to Eliza.
“Get that away from me!”
Eliza scowled and pushed Karl’s face away.
Chuckling, Karl took a step back and tilted his head.
“So? Why are you scaring the new juniors?”
“Hmph, who said I was scaring them? I was just trying to educate some juniors who were carelessly mocking their seniors.”
“What?”
Karl’s expression hardened.
“Are you two out of your minds? Did you decide to screw up your school life from the very beginning?”
“We’re… we’re sorry…”
“No matter how notorious Eliza is, how could you even think of badmouthing…”
“It was you! You. They were badmouthing you! You and Luke Elda! And what do you mean, notorious!”
“Gack! Keck!”
Eliza snarled fiercely, strangling Karl with her whip.
Barely escaping Eliza’s grasp, Karl smirked.
“Ah, so that’s what it was?”
“We’ve committed a grave sin!”
“Please forgive us!”
Watching the two female students tremble as they bowed deeply, Karl pondered for a moment before speaking.
“Alright. I’ll forgive you. But on one condition.”
“A condition?”
“Yes.”
Karl pulled two pieces of paper from his coat.
“For the first semester, will you sell the fatigue recovery potions I made to your classmates for me?”
“What?”
“First, you’ll have to purchase a certain amount with your own money. In return, I’ll take a portion of the profits when you sell them. If your sales performance is good, you’ll earn points…”
At Karl’s words, the two first-years wore expressions that said, *What is he talking about?*
“If you become my sellers, I’ll pretend I never heard you badmouthing me. I won’t say a word to anyone else. How about it?”
“R-really?”
“Of course. I’m a man of my word. You just have to sign here.”
Karl pointed to the bottom of the contract with a suggestive tone.
The two female students signed without hesitation.
“Be careful from now on. Lumerne is a place where acting rashly can get you into big trouble. I hope you’ve learned a lot from this.”
“Yes! We won’t do it again!”
“Thank you! Senior Karl Thomas!”
Bowing hastily, the two students quickly left.
Watching them go, Eliza narrowed her eyes.
“Hmph. So you’re trying to act like a good senior?”
“Huh? What are you talking about? Their school life is going to be hell from now on.”
“What?”
“What kind of contract was that, anyway?”
Luke asked with a curious expression, and Karl laughed wickedly.
“A multi-level marketing contract.”
Eliza’s brow furrowed.
“And that makes it hell?”
“Of course, it’s hell. Attending Lumerne costs a ton of money unless you get an academic scholarship.”
Karl chuckled.
“They’ll probably have a hell of a time trying to sell off the inventory I give them. With this, I’ve taught them the important life lessons that you shouldn’t carelessly badmouth your seniors and you shouldn’t sign things carelessly. Crucially,”
He tucked the contracts into his coat and shrugged.
“I only said I’d let my part slide. I never said anything about letting the part about Luke slide.”
“Ah, I don’t mind…”
“Ah-ah! No way! Luke. It’s good to be a nice guy, but in cases like this, you have to make them pay the price thoroughly. It’s not a crime if you don’t get caught, but it is a crime once you are. Think about what price you’ll make them pay.”
“Okay.”
Luke scratched his cheek and nodded.
“Anyway, Eliza, did you have a good break?”
“Hmph. About time you asked.”
Eliza looked indifferent as she trimmed her nails.
“It was boring.”
“So you had a peaceful time. I was tormented by Duran to no end.”
Karl, who had been grumbling, spoke as if he just remembered something.
“By the way, you. You once said you’d grant any favor I asked, right?”
“I did.”
“I have something to talk to you about regarding that. Can you spare some time?”
“Hmph. I’m busy right now. I have to go shopping. I’ll listen later when I’m free.”
“Aww, don’t be like that. Just give me a little time. I won’t ask for anything weird.”
“For someone trying to take up the time of the heir to the Hergin family, you’re not being very sincere.”
At those words, Karl grinned slyly, then with a slightly exaggerated gesture, he bowed politely and offered his hand.
“My lady, would you be so kind as to grant me some of your precious time?”
“Hmph. 10 points.”
“Out of 10?”
“No. Out of 100.”
Eliza scoffed and took Karl’s hand.
“Fine. Let’s hear what kind of favor you have in mind.”
Karl walked with Eliza toward Kuraju Street.
“Luke. See you at school later.”
“I’ll take good care of the uniform, Senior Karl! Goodbye! Seniors!”
Luke, carefully clutching the uniform in his arms, bowed his head deeply.
***
“Suspicious.”
Celia said, narrowing her eyes at the Lumeria Lake dock.
In response, Leo, who was sitting on a dock bench, said,
“What is?”
“It’s obviously strange. Why are all the grade levels gathered at the dock?”
Celia was right.
Currently, every student of Lumerne was gathered at the Lumeria dock.
From the highest grade, the fifth-years, down to the freshmen who were just enrolling.
Normally, the second, third, fourth, and fifth-year students, excluding the freshmen, would have already entered Lumerne to prepare for the opening ceremony.
But this time, a notice had been sent out stating that everyone would travel to Lumerne together from the Lumeria dock.
Thanks to that, a rare spectacle of all the students gathered at the Lumeria City dock unfolded.
The freshmen, thoroughly intimidated by the presence of so many god-like upperclassmen, stood in a corner in neat lines.
All the while, they stole glances of admiration toward Leo.
Then their eyes would meet Celia’s, and they would flinch in surprise and turn their heads away.
Of course, it wasn’t just Leo; there were also those who looked at Celia with admiration.
The second-years were also gathered in one area of the dock.
They chatted cheerfully among themselves in a slightly more relaxed manner, but they would flinch in tension whenever their eyes met with an upperclassman’s.
The third-years were freely talking with the upperclassmen they were close to.
“You don’t know anything?”
As Celia squinted her eyes, Leo shrugged.
“Just because I’m the student council president doesn’t mean I know all the professors’ schemes.”
“True.”
Just as Celia nodded in understanding,
“Hey! Leo! Celia! I heard you guys were amazing during the break! I don’t see Chelsea and Abad.”
A cheerful voice rang out.
Leo and Celia turned their heads to see Karl approaching with his characteristic friendly smile.
“Chelsea and Abad haven’t arrived at the dock yet. More importantly, what’s with your eye? Did you get hit by someone?”
Leo asked with a puzzled expression.
One of Karl’s eyes was bruised blue.
“Something like that happened.”
Karl made a face as if it were no big deal.
“He probably got hit for acting up again.”
Celia said with a look of pity, and Karl grinned slyly.
“Class Preeeez!”
Just then, Iliana, having spotted Leo, ran over, hopped onto the seat next to him, and asked,
“Class Prez! Why are all the grades gathered at the dock? Is something happening again? Huh? Huh? What are the professors planning?”
Watching Iliana chatter away with questions, Leo simply smiled faintly.
“Looks like the Class Prez doesn’t know either.”
Iliana crossed her arms and tilted her head.
Then she waved at Celia and Karl.
“Hi?! Did you two have a good break? By the way, Class Prez! You’re ascending to the throne of Tongkon, right? Wow! The fastest rise to power, as expected! You better not ignore me just because you’re a king, okay?”
Flash—!
At that moment, a massive rectangular screen made of magic appeared in the sky above the lake.
[Greetings! My students! It is I! Your elegant professor! Sedzen!]
Sedzen, one of Lumerne’s famous professors, greeted them cheerfully.
[Returning students, did you have a good break! To the new students, I offer a warm welcome! My dear returning students must be feeling that something is amiss in this situation! And your predictions are correct! Sudden developments are the very spirit of Lumerne, are they not!]
At Sedzen’s words, the second through fifth-years wore expressions that said, *Of course*.
The freshmen looked bewildered and confused.
[We will now commence a combat practical evaluation for each grade level! The rules are simple! Starting now, each grade level must snatch the school gate key from a specific individual! Through this evaluation, the professors will identify your weaknesses and plan the upcoming year’s curriculum accordingly!]
Just then, Chloe raised her hand.
[What is your question! Student Chloe!]
“What if we can’t get the key?”
[You cannot enter the school until you do.]
At those words, the students’ eyes widened.
[Now! We shall announce the opponents for the fourth and fifth-years!]
As Sedzen spoke, the fourth and fifth-years looked on with tense expressions.
When they saw the face that appeared on the screen, gasps erupted from all around.
[The enemy you fourth and fifth-year students must defeat! It is none other than Leo Flove! Your duty is to knock this so-perfect-it’s-annoying Leo Flove down a peg! Risk your lives! My students! How long will you let a junior intimidate y—]
[Drag him out.]
The rampaging Sedzen was grabbed by Ain and Ren at Halind’s cold command and dragged away.
[Continuing.]
Halind continued in a frigid tone.
[The ones holding the keys for the third-years are these two.]
The faces that appeared on the screen were none other than the fourth and fifth-year representatives, Lil and Elena.
[This is the student holding the key for the second-years.]
The second-years’ target was none other than…
“Oh my?”
The target, Chen Xia, smiled gently.
The second-years let out a sigh of relief.
No matter how strong Chen Xia was, they thought they could easily win if the entire second year attacked her at once.
However, the faces of a few students hardened.
They were the second-years who had been Shadow candidates, like El Jein and Fritz.
[And finally.]
Seeing the person who appeared on the screen, Karl’s jaw dropped.
The first-years’ gazes all turned to Karl.
“Why me! Are you crazy, Lumerne!”
Karl grabbed his head and screamed.
[Hoh? Do you have a complaint with my choice, Karl Thomas?]
“No, sir. Not at all.”
At Halind’s words, Karl immediately shrank back.
Vwoom—!
A giant warp magic circle formed over the entire dock.
[Then do your best.]
With Halind’s brief reply, a brilliant light erupted.
When Leo blinked his eyes open, he found himself on one of the countless uninhabited islands in Lumeria Lake.
“Hmm.”
Stroking his chin once, Leo let out a smirk.
“So they want to thoroughly check the students’ areas for improvement before beginning lessons on the World of the Legion?”
Leo nodded, recalling the key holders for each grade.
Leo walked over to a rock in the middle of the forest and plopped down.
“Well then, shall I wait for my seniors?”