"It seems to be a simple welcoming spell, but Chloe Mueller couldn't handle it?"
"Simple? Did you just say simple, Senior Ein?"
Ren asked with a trembling voice.
"Is it not?"
"It is simple! The spell Leo wrote isn't difficult in terms of its formula! But this isn't a human spell; it's an elf spell!"
Ren, hugging himself, shouted.
"The magic systems of different races are fundamentally different from humans! Just understanding the structure of the formula doesn't mean you can use it! It's a realm of talent and sense that can't be achieved by effort alone! Leo must have that talent! God must have sent Leo to the magic department!"
"I don't understand what you're saying, Ren Hors. Leo Flaubert is aiming for the knight department, right?"
"Senior, with your small brain, it seems you didn't understand properly. Let me explain again."
"I understand well. You mean you want to die."
Ein laughed coldly and grabbed Ren by the collar, but Ren, undeterred, began his speech about Leo's magical talent.
***
The students of Class 5, holding hands, were overjoyed.
Objectively, Class 1 had a perfect advantage, and the match was overwhelmingly in their favor.
However, the result was a victory for Class 5.
Celia gritted her teeth, and Duran's face was contorted.
Chloe, who had slumped to the ground, couldn't even think of getting up, her expression blank.
"Chloe, you need to get up."
"Pro, Professor."
"After the match, you should greet the other team, regardless of the result."
Sedjen patted Chloe's shoulder gently and gathered both teams in the center.
"Everyone did a great job. The students of Class 5 showed excellent teamwork, but if we had more time, we would have definitely turned the tide!"
Sedjen patted Chloe's shoulder again.
"And the reason you couldn't stop Leo at the end was because he completely caught you off guard. No one in the first year could have stopped him. I guarantee that!"
Sedjen pointed to the sky with his finger.
"Everyone! Lift your heads! And look up! The fact that Class 1 is the most elegant remains unchanged!"
"Professor!"
"Uaaaaaah! We admire you!"
The students of Class 1 praised Sedjen in awe.
It was just a misunderstanding based on Sedjen's reputation and achievements.
He wasn't a professor who only wanted top students.
On the contrary, he was known for valuing the teacher-student relationship and never giving up on his students.
The reason he took Class 1 wasn't because of their high average scores but simply because he liked one of the students in Class 1.
Just as Class 1 was creating a warm atmosphere,
"Professor Sedjen."
"Leo. The strategy you showed in today's match was impressive. Is there something you need?"
"Halind Professor told me to go get some drinks right away. And he said to start cleaning the bathroom from today."
Leo's words sent the atmosphere of Class 1 plummeting, and Sedjen's lips trembled.
"Huh? Professor Sedjen! Professors Ein and Ren are going head-to-head!"
At that moment, Haul, a student in Class 1, was shocked by the collision of harsh auras and magic in the middle of the training ground.
"Haul."
"Yes?"
"Can you go to the cafe with your friends and get some drinks? Professors Ein and Ren will be handled by Halind."
As he spoke, Professor Halind was already approaching the two professors.
Haul nodded in surprise and headed to the school cafe with his friends.
Leo, looking at Haul, added a malicious request.
"The most expensive ones."
"Wha—!"
Sedjen felt a chill run down his spine.
'I will definitely win next time! Class 5—!!'
***
A month had passed since the first-year students enrolled at Lumern.
That time was enough for the students to adapt to Lumern.
"Yaaawn! Good morning."
Kai yawned widely and sat down.
"Did you work late again yesterday?"
As Chelsea ate the spaghetti served for breakfast at the school cafeteria, she asked, and Kai scratched his head.
"Yep. The demand for fatigue recovery potions keeps increasing."
Kai, despite being clearly in the lowest tier for combat-related abilities among the first-year students, was in the upper-middle tier for alchemy and support magic.
His homeroom teacher, Halind, had been positively evaluating Kai since his enrollment, as he had chosen to specialize in support roles.
Moreover, his business was thriving.
Ever since he started promoting at the enrollment ceremony, and the top students began using Kai's fatigue recovery potions, they sold like hotcakes.
Another reason for the success was that many students preferred buying potions rather than making them, as they were surprisingly labor-intensive.
"Still, it would be nice if they bought some other items too."
Kai looked at other business items with a regretful expression.
But he was satisfied with how quickly he had established himself.
Leo, chewing on a steak from the morning, said,
"By the way, have you heard the rumor?"
"What rumor?"
"The seniors who went on a mission to conquer a dungeon are returning."
Kai's eyes lit up at this.
"I've heard! I've heard! According to the rumor, three teams are returning."
The students who had been assigned to conquer the Hero Dungeon and retrieve pages from the Hero Record often left the school.
Especially this time, with three teams gone, all the students who were considered the strongest in the school were absent.
The first-year students, who hadn't yet met the famous named students of Lumern, were feeling quite disappointed.
Chelsea, twirling her spaghetti with a fork and taking a big bite, said,
"Apparently, the next Hero Studies class will use the pages recovered this time as teaching materials."
"Really? We're already entering the world of heroes? I thought we'd have to wait until the practical exam for the midterm?"
Kai was excited.
"Not exactly. I heard that some of the recovered pages are damaged. We'll be trying to deduce the heroes from those pages."
"Ugh, what's the point?"
"What's wrong with that? It's a huge deal to get to see pages from a lost Hero Record."
Chelsea's eyes sparkled as she spoke.
She loved hero tales and had a hobby of researching anecdotes about heroes.
"By the way, isn't the club promotion period starting soon?"
Kai stroked his chin.
Now that the first-year students were familiar with school life, the club joining period was about to begin.
"Do you have any clubs in mind? I'm thinking of joining a commercial club."
"I'm considering joining the music club. I've been learning it as part of my family's cultural education since I was young."
"Wow, typical noble lady hobby, huh? Leo, what about you?"
"I'm thinking of starting a club."
"What?"
"You're starting a club?"
"Yep."
When the class representative said he was starting a club, Chelsea and Kai were intrigued.
"What kind of club?"
"A Hero Research Club."
"Hero Research Club? Sounds like a club related to academics."
Kai showed a negative reaction.
"Most clubs are for relieving stress from school life. Would people really join an academic club?"
Chelsea also shook her head in disagreement.
"It's not related to academics at all. We'll be researching forgotten heroes."
Leo smiled gently, and Kai asked,
"Like, for example?"
"Kail, the Hero of the Beginning."
Leo had a hidden agenda to promote his own exploits in Lumern.
"Kail? He's not forgotten; he's a fictional character. If it's too far-fetched, the club might not be popular."
"Still, it sounds interesting! Kail isn't registered in the Hero Record, so he's treated as a fictional character. But he's so famous! How is it possible for a hero to gain such recognition without being part of history? Maybe Kail's Hero Record just hasn't been found yet!"
Chelsea, who loved hero tales, spoke excitedly.
"Chelsea."
"Yeah?"
"You're a good person."
Leo, who had never met someone who spoke so positively about him, smiled gently and patted Chelsea's head.
Chelsea, surprised by Leo's sudden action, was confused but soon laughed and leaned into Leo's touch.
Kai laughed at the sight.
"You're dreaming too big. Kail is definitely a fake hero. How about Dwenno? The great blacksmith and advisor to the Great Hero Party! A real hero is definitely better than someone like Kail... Gulp! Gulp?! Cough!"
"Kai, eating only bread might make you thirsty."
"Uuuuuuuh! Cough! (Who eats bread and then makes someone else eat it?)"
"Huh? You want more?"
"Muuuuuuuuh! (No way!)"
Leo kindly stuffed more bread into his friend's mouth.
***
After the morning classes ended, it was lunchtime.
Students poured out of the classrooms.
Just as Leo was about to get up after organizing his textbooks,
"Leo."
"Yeah?"
Celia entered Class 5 and stood in front of Leo.
"What is it? Celia. Why are you in another class?"
Chelsea narrowed her eyes and asked, and Celia replied calmly.
"I just came to see Leo. Do you have any plans for lunch today?"