People's gazes were drawn to the two of them, dressed in the Lumern uniform.
“Oh? They’re the new students from Lumern.”
“My, how fresh they look.”
People on the street smiled and cheered for the two.
At that moment, the fruit shop owner threw them two apples.
Leo, catching them, smiled and thanked him.
“Thank you!”
“Yeah, work hard and study diligently!”
Crunch! Taking a bite of the apple, Leo offered the other one to Selia, but she shook her head.
“I’m fine.”
“Lumern is impressive. Seeing how much people like it, it really is.”
“We are the future.”
Heroes are very popular among the masses.
And the students of Lumern are hero candidates.
They follow in the footsteps of the previous heroes, preparing for when threats arise.
People cheered for these hero candidates.
“Although Tartarus has been quiet until recently, we don’t know when it might become a threat again. And.”
Selia stopped and lifted her chin.
“We can’t keep losing to Seirun forever!”
Humans and elves do not get along well.
As a result, Lumern and the elf hero academy Seirun often held friendly matches to promote racial harmony.
Starting with quiz battles, then sports, and even mock battles.
They competed in various ways, and these matches were called the Luse Wars, a tradition with a history of several hundred years.
The Luse Wars had a positive effect, somewhat easing the relationship between the two races.
However, since it was a matter of racial pride, students often risked their lives in these matches.
In recent years, Lumern had been lagging behind Seirun.
“Just wait. I’ll flatten Seirun’s nose!”
“Yeah, yeah. Work hard.”
With a burning gaze, Selia clenched her fist, and Leo, somewhat unenthusiastically cheering her on, took a bite of the apple.
As they approached the pier, other new students could be seen.
Holding wands and flying in the sky or riding summoned creatures was standard.
Some students were even armed with various weapons all over their bodies.
“They’re really trying to stand out.”
Selia shook her head at the sight.
Then, a boy with light orange hair blocked their path.
“Wait! You two look like you fit in well! Can I talk to you for a moment?”
“Who are you?”
“My name is Karl Thomas. I’m from the Kingdom of Moira!”
“So?”
“It’s nothing much.”
Karl, chuckling, took out a business card from his pocket and skillfully handed it to Leo and Selia.
“Weapons to potions! Karl’s Shop! If you need anything for your school life, feel free to visit us!”
Winking, he burst into a cheerful laugh and ran towards another student.
“Really, all kinds of people are here.”
Selia, looking exasperated, put the business card in her pocket and said,
“I’ll go meet some of our country’s new students.”
The Lodren Empire is a powerful nation in the western part of the continent.
As a result, there were quite a few students from the empire among the western freshmen.
“I’ll be back. I’ll just watch for a while.”
“Okay. See you at the pier later.”
As Selia left, Leo strolled leisurely, observing the people.
The pier was filled with families who had come to congratulate the new students.
The bustling scene of people from various cultural backgrounds was enough to make Leo nostalgic.
‘Like Guardsron.’
The city known as the final line of defense during the Age of Catastrophe.
It was also the city where Lysinas, led by Kai, fired the first shot of the counterattack against Erebus.
While reminiscing, Leo stood there.
Thud!
“Ouch?”
A blonde girl, walking while reading a book, bumped her head into Leo’s back without noticing him.
“Ah, sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
After apologizing to Leo, she focused on her book again and started walking.
‘If she keeps this up, she’ll bump into someone else… huh?’
A card on the ground caught his eye.
The student ID that had fallen earlier, with a picture of the girl, read Chloe Mueller.
Looking around, Chloe was already long gone, lost in the crowd.
‘I’ll return it when I see her later.’
If they were both new students, they would eventually meet.
“Karl’s Shop! Here, take a business card!”
Karl, whom he had seen earlier, was handing out business cards to other new students.
Noticing Leo, he grinned and approached.
“See you again?”
“Is the promotion going well?”
“Not bad. But the noble kids and their high noses don’t even look at me.”
“Lumern has more nobles than commoners, so most of them don’t even look, right?”
“Yeah. Hehe.”
Karl shrugged and laughed.
“Let me introduce myself again. I’m Karl Thomas, fifteen years old!”
“I’m Leo Frob. I’m from the Kingdom of Delard, and I’m the same age as you.”
“Noble, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow, but you don’t really care that I’m a commoner, do you?”
Leo laughed at Karl’s surprised tone.
“Anyway, if you’re from the Kingdom of Delard, didn’t you take the western exam? I heard that exam was really tough, and you passed it, so that’s impressive!”
“It wasn’t easy.”
After that, Leo and Karl chatted.
Thanks to Karl’s outgoing nature, they quickly became friends.
“What major will you choose? My family has been alchemists for generations, so I’m aiming for the magic department.”
“I’m also planning to take the magic department.”
“Really? Then let’s really be friends, Leo!”
Karl beamed with joy.
Of course, Leo planned to study not only magic but also knight studies and summoning.
While they were chatting, a large ship emerged from the mist on Lake Lumera.
It was a ship that ferried between Lumern and the lake.
“Wow! It’s huge!”
Karl exclaimed.
A moment later, a silver-haired man in a uniform stepped off the docked ship.
“All new students, gather here!”
The new students, who had just said goodbye to their families, gathered in front of the man.
“Check the numbers.”
People waiting behind the man used a magic checker to verify the students’ IDs.
As Leo took out his ID, he noticed a girl patting herself down, looking for something.
“Wait a moment.”
“Huh? Where are you going?”
Karl followed behind.
Looking troubled, Chloe looked surprised when she saw Leo approaching.
“Here.”
“Huh?”
“You dropped it earlier.”
“Oh, thank you!”
Chloe, taking the ID from Leo, smiled brightly.
“I owe you one. My name is Chloe Mueller!”
“Chloe Mueller?”
Karl looked surprised.
“Chloe Mueller, the top of the northern exam?”
“Yeah. And you?”
“I’m Leo Frob, and this guy is….”
“Karl Thomas! Weapons to potions! We handle everything you need for your school life! Here, take a business card!”
Karl quickly handed Chloe a business card and started his pitch.
Chloe, taking the card, said with interest,
“A shop? So you’re planning to focus on being a supporter?”
“Haha, as expected of the top student. You figured it out right away.”
“I heard from the seniors at the Magic Tower.”
Lumern students, known as hero candidates, are all talented.
However, there are still differences among them.
Some students realize their talents are lacking during their school life.
These students switch to becoming supporters, assisting heroes.
From combat support to supply and logistics.
They are essential to heroes, but most students are not very interested in being supporters.
Since the goal of attending Lumern is to become a hero.
However, Karl had already chosen the path of a supporter.
“Since I barely passed the entrance exam anyway.”
“I’ll use your services if your products are good.”
“Wow! Already connected with one of the top students! What good luck!”
Karl laughed.
“This is fate. Let’s be friends! We’re all in the magic department!”
“Magic department?”
Chloe tilted her head.
“You’re in the magic department too?”
“Yeah.”
“Not the knight department?”
Chloe, who could see through Leo’s aura in a single glance, as befitting a top student, asked.
“I’m planning to double major.”
“What! You’re a sword mage? That’s impressive!”
Karl was excited.
While rare, those with two special abilities are called dual-class.
There were actually quite a few dual-class students at Lumern.
Leo’s response made Chloe nod.
Meanwhile, a staff member approached and checked the IDs of the three students.
After the staff finished the headcount, the silver-haired man in uniform stepped forward.
“I am Professor Ein Elrandu of Lumern.”
“Ein Elrandu? The Knight of the Ice Sea?”
“That Ein Elrandu.”
“I want his autograph!”
“Be quiet!”
Ein calmed the excited students.
“We are now heading to Lumern. Everyone, board the ship.”
“Yes!”
***
Before the opening ceremony, the new students were busy admiring the scenery on the deck.
As befitting a ship operated by the Lumern Academy, the deck was luxurious.
It was like a social party.
First-class chefs prepared a variety of traditional dishes from different countries, delighting the new students’ taste buds and noses.
Even Professor Ein was sitting on the deck, leisurely enjoying wine.
The neatly dressed silver staff members were busy serving the students, and the noble students were busy building camaraderie, satisfied with the treatment.
“Lumern Academy is different.”
“I’m looking forward to my school life.”
The new students were imagining their future school life.
Leo, however, frowned.
“Something’s off.”
“What’s off?”
Karl, who had brought a plate full of food, asked curiously.
“A hero academy, and it feels like a social party.”
“Well, it’s before the opening ceremony. Anyway, Leo! I got some information.”
“Information?”
“Yeah! Look over there!”
Karl, grinning, pointed to a tall, light brown-skinned boy quietly eating on one side of the deck.
“Walden Taiden! He’s the top of the southern exam and his major is summoning.”
“A spirit mage.”
“Right. You did some research too, huh?”
More like he saw it at a glance, but he didn’t bother to correct it.
“And over there is the top of the eastern exam, Chen Xia!”
A small girl with black hair and black eyes, looking exotic, was curiously tasting foods from different countries.
“Her major is knighthood, and I heard she beat her competitors with her fists in the exam.”
Karl, sticking out his tongue, pointed to the opposite side