While Class 5 as a whole was in a celebratory mood, the students from other classes seemed unconvinced.
Emio Luchan from Class 2, who had placed third in the Magic Department, raised his hand.
"Wait a minute! I have an objection! Why can a student like Leo Flaubert, who didn't even make the top three in departmental grades, become the class representative for the year!"
"Yeah! That's weird!"
"Please explain the reason!"
"I can't accept it!"
Complaints poured in from all directions.
Just as Artian was taken aback by the reaction, Halind spoke up.
"Let me explain the scoring criteria."
"First, the ranking of Dual Class students does not reflect their departmental grades. This is because the characteristics of Dual Class students do not allow for a fair competition."
For example, a Sword Mage is weaker in pure Aura ability compared to a pure Knight and weaker in magic ability compared to a pure Mage.
However, when the two abilities are combined, they create an incredible synergistic effect.
"Second, Leo Flaubert's combined practical test score in Hero Studies and Combat Studies is the highest among the first-year students."
"Huh? Isn't the combined practical test score the highest for other students as well?"
"I don't understand?"
"Leo Flaubert exceeded the world of heroes."
Students who didn't know this fact stared wide-eyed at Leo.
"In the process, he defeated Chubarn. Does that explain Leo Flaubert's score now?"
No one could argue with that.
It seemed strange to be dissatisfied with giving the top rank to a student who had accomplished the impossible.
"Defeated Chubarn? And alone? Are you serious?"
"Professor Halind said that any student who fights Chubarn will be expelled without question! Aren't you scared?"
When Taid and Iliana asked urgently, Leo sipped his drink and replied.
"There was no other way to escape the Hero Dungeon."
"Wow! You're crazy. No matter how you look at it, you're crazy! Sometimes I feel like you're really not in your right mind?"
Seeing Iliana stick out her tongue, Leo smiled.
Meanwhile, the teaching assistants revealed the ranking board.
Students rushed to the board.
"Oh...! It's higher than I thought!"
"No way! My grade is that low?"
Reactions varied among the students.
Seeing this, Chelsea said,
"Just as Professor Halind said. Many students who were at the bottom have climbed up, and many who were at the top have fallen."
As Halind had predicted at the beginning of the semester.
Of course, the only student among the top-tier who experienced a change in ranking was Chloe, due to the trouble she caused during the midterm exams.
Of course, in terms of actual ability, she was still one of the best in the first year, so no one underestimated her.
"Kids usually grow fast. If you let your guard down, you might be caught up by the students below you."
"Huh. That won't happen. But, Leo, your tone is too old-fashioned. You're our age, you know."
As Chelsea pointed out, Leo smiled when Carl came over.
"I just came back from checking the reactions of the other classes. The talk about Leo is a real mess."
"It's understandable."
Chelsea nodded.
The party then officially began.
Leo enjoyed the party while choosing food from the buffet.
There were a variety of dishes from different regions.
"The eastern dishes are really delicious!"
Carl happily said as he put fried pork on his plate.
"Indeed."
Professor Ren, watching the two enjoying the party from the faculty table, idly swirled his wine.
"Professor Ren, you don't seem happy."
When Anna, Ren's assistant professor, asked with a puzzled look, Ren clicked his tongue.
"Assistant Professor Anna, how can I enjoy this party?"
"Your favorite student, Leo, became the class representative. Didn't you hope for that?"
"Of course, I'm happy. But to fully enjoy that happiness, Leo should have been a Magic Department student."
"That's a shame, indeed."
Anna also sighed and looked at Leo.
Half a semester had already passed since the first-year students enrolled.
While there were many outstanding Magic Department students, if you had to pick the three who stood out the most, they would be Abad, Chloe, and Leo.
'Abad and Chloe have boundless potential.'
To the extent that he had never seen such talent in his life as a mage.
Honestly, it was a joy to teach them.
They understand and absorb everything he teaches.
'It's like processing a raw gemstone.'
There was nothing more fulfilling for an educator.
'On the other hand, Leo...'
Anna shuddered slightly.
'If Abad and Chloe are raw gemstones with boundless potential... Leo is too deep. His potential is unfathomable.'
When Leo learns something in class, he doesn't just make it his own; he reinterprets it to fit himself and absorbs it.
The Magic Department professors marveled at this as a sign of talent.
But Anna didn't feel like she was processing a raw gemstone with Leo.
'It's like polishing a perfect gem to make it shine even more.'
Sometimes, the depth of his potential, which was beyond comprehension, gave her goosebumps.
Of course, she didn't wish he hadn't come to the Magic Department.
On the contrary, she hoped he would choose it sooner.
If his terrifying potential were to be used solely for magic, how much more effective would it be?
"Sniff! Why did heaven give Leo the useless talents of swordsmanship and summoning as well! Oh, Anna Professor! What should we do?"
'This guy is drunk again.'
Anna screamed.
Ren has a low tolerance for alcohol, and when he gets drunk, his emotions fluctuate wildly.
The problem is that he doesn't hesitate to say things that would cause a commotion if other professors heard them.
'That's why geniuses don't care about what others think.'
Seeing Ren, who was now hugging a wine bottle and crying, Anna thought she needed to stop him quickly.
"He might choose the Magic Department soon."
"Why?"
"Think about Leo's closest classmates. Chelsea and Carl, right?"
"......!"
Ren's head snapped up.
"Anna! You're a genius! Yes! There's a way! We can persuade Leo through these two."
"Persuade? Professor Ren! Hold on a minute!"
"Ha-ha-ha! Why did I agonize over this for so long when there was such an easy solution!"
"Forcing a department choice is against the rules! If a professor encourages such behavior, it won't end with just a reprimand!"
"Call them over right away..."
"Hey! You! Listen to me!"
Anna lunged to cover Ren's mouth.
"Why are you stopping me? This is a golden opportunity to prevent Leo from wasting his time!"
"What do you mean by wasting time?"
Anna's face turned pale.
The person she least wanted to see was there.
"Ah, Professor Ein, you're here."
"Nice to see you, Senior Ein."
"Interesting conversation just now."
Ein chuckled.
"Leo Flaubert is getting along well with the Magic Department students. That's proof that he should choose the Magic Department."
"Just because of a friendship? You're naive. Isn't it the educator's duty to provide the best opportunity for a student to maximize their talent? Leo Flaubert is a talent suited for the Knight Department more than anyone else."
"I understand your desire for Leo. But think objectively. The ability to see things more accurately is a skill of a mage... Oh-oh! My mistake. Senior Ein, with your head full of muscles, you can't see it clearly. I'll explain why Leo should choose the Magic Department step by step."
"Does a mage with such keen insight think he can speak so politely to me and get away with it?"
Anna looked up at the ceiling and sighed.
'It's over.'
Ein, with a cold smile, grabbed Ren by the collar.
Meanwhile, Ren was busy trying to push his own logic.
"Are you two just standing there? Don't you feel embarrassed in front of the students?"
Seeing Yura ask incredulously, Ein replied.
"We were discussing Leo Flaubert's department choice."
"Leo?"
'These guys are dreaming again. Leo is in the Summoning Department.'
Yura looked at the senior and junior professors with a very sympathetic face.
'Isn't it obvious that a student who can summon a Phoenix would choose the Summoning Department?'
Shaking her head in pity, Yura looked at them with a lukewarm expression, which made Ein and Ren frown.
Among the three, Yura was the one with the least sanity and the highest ambition for her department.
'Why is she looking at me with such an unpleasant expression?'
'Senior Yura is probably thinking of some unpleasant scheme again.'
Ein and Ren muttered to themselves.
The other professors, witnessing the tension between the three, shook their heads with the expression, 'There they go again.'
At that moment, Professor Sedgen elegantly tapped his wine glass with a spoon to get the students' attention.
"Everyone, pay attention. Are you enjoying the party?"
"Yes."
"Good! As promised, I will announce the field trip destinations."
The students' eyes lit up.
"Of course, the field trip is not just for fun. It's to broaden your horizons in places you've never been before."
Sedgen gestured grandly to the side.
An assistant professor brought over a bulletin board covered with a cloth.
Sedgen snapped his fingers.
Snap! Flutter!
The assistant professor removed the cloth.
The bulletin board displayed a map of the continent.
"Was it really necessary to make it so fancy?"
"Professor Sedgen likes that kind of thing."
Leo chuckled in agreement with Carl's muttering.
"The destination will be chosen by each class based on the region they want to visit."
This caused a commotion in each class.
"Eastern region! Let's go to the East!"
"What? No way. I'm from the East, remember?"
"How about the South? I want to see the desert."
"Ew! It's just hot there. Let's go to the cool North instead!"
The noise grew as students argued among themselves. Then Duran raised his hand.
"Oh! Duran! Do you have a question?"
"You said it's to broaden our horizons, but Professor, I believe some first-year students have already visited various regions depending on their circumstances. Is this trip just for those who haven't had such experiences?"
Duran was right.
While some students, like Leo, had never left their country, many others had visited multiple countries and cultural regions. Quite a few had traveled to various regions.
As many students nodded in agreement, Sedgen chuckled.
"Good question! Duran."
Sedgen spread his arms wide.
"Indeed, some of you may have visited all regions since childhood! For those students, it can't be called broadening horizons! Lumern will never give you such trivial experiences!"
The students murmured.
If it's not just about visiting different regions, what else could it be?
Sedgen approached the continent map and tapped the northern region.
"The place you will go is not within the human domain!"
The students were shocked.
"Wh-what? You can't be serious!"
"Yes! Another race! The territory of the Elves!"
The students erupted in cheers.
"Wow!"
"Amazing!"
"Of course, it's Lumern! We get to visit the territory of the Elves!"
Duran, though a bit taken aback, smiled.
Seeing this, Leo blinked.
'Times have really changed.'
In the past, there were no barriers between races, but the current era is different.
While there is basic interaction between all races, they cannot freely visit each other's territories.
'Did races even go to war in the past?'
Humans and Elves have a poor relationship.
It was something unimaginable in the era when Kyle lived.
'Well, the past is unimaginable in the current era as well.'
"Hey, Chelsea! Have you been to the Elven territory?"
"No way."
"I'm excited! Where will we go? Which country?"
"Leo! Where do you want to go?"
Leo pointed to the map in response to Carl's question.
"Here."
"Huh?"
"I want to go to Elsalkia."
Elsalkia.
A small country among the Elven territories.
And this country has something special.
[Fairy Forest]
It's now just an old name.
Despite the name Fairy Forest, there are no fairies living there now.
It's said that the fairies left after the Age of Catastrophe ended.
But before that, it was a sacred land of the fairies.
'The opportunity to visit came sooner than I expected.'
Leo clenched his fist.
As a summoner, Leo has one particular pact.
The pact with the Fairy King.
'I don't think the fairies would have abandoned their sacred land so easily. Even if they did...'
Leo's eyes sparkled.
'There's a high probability they left something related to the Fairy King behind.'