"Alright, everyone. Our class has decided to go to Elsabekia, right?"
"Yes!"
In response to Sena's question, all the students in Class 5 answered in unison.
The day after the party.
Despite it being the weekend, all the students in Class 5, including Leo, were in the classroom.
Not only Class 5, but students from other classes were also busy discussing the field trip destinations from early Saturday morning.
Leo, who had gathered the class's opinions with Nella, smiled contentedly at the chosen destination for Class 5.
'Now we just need to go to the city with the Fairy Forest.'
"The class president must have a reason for suggesting it~"
"Right. If it's the class president's choice, we can trust it."
The reason Class 5 decided to go to Elsabekia was largely due to Leo's influence.
"I'm glad it was decided quickly."
Hallingd, who had been sitting in the corner of the classroom, watching the class meeting, snapped his fingers.
"Class president and vice president, please distribute these printouts."
A stack of printouts flew from his bag to the two of them.
Leo and Nella distributed them to their classmates.
"Let's see."
"Preparation items?"
"Do we need to prepare these ourselves?"
As the students voiced their doubts while looking at the printouts, Hallingd said with a blank expression.
"You only have this weekend to prepare. So, once the class meeting is over, each of you should start preparing. That's all for the class meeting. Dismissed."
Rustle-!
The students all stood up at once.
"Class president and vice president, stay behind."
At this, Leo and Nella, who were about to leave, paused.
"Let's go to Lumera City right now!"
"Okay!"
"If Elsabekia is a cold country all year round, I want to go look at winter clothes!"
The students of Class 5 left the classroom, chatting happily.
"Brother Leo, Sister Nella! We'll wait for you at the pier!"
"Come quickly."
Chelsea and Karl waved and left the classroom.
Only four people remained in the classroom.
Hallingd spoke to Leo and Nella, who were standing in front of him.
"Everyone is excited, but I hope you, as class president and vice president, don't take the field trip lightly."
The two nodded at Hallingd's straightforward question.
"Yes."
"I hope so, but Lumerne isn't an easy place."
Hallingd nodded at their answer.
"Good. Then I have one thing to ask you."
"What...?"
"I was originally planning to set the schedule myself once the country for the trip was decided. But I suddenly thought it might be fine to leave it to you."
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly. Would you, as class president and vice president, like to set the schedule? Of course, if it's too much of a burden, I'll do it as planned."
'The whole class schedule, just Leo and me? Professor Hallingd trusts us, but will it be okay?'
Nella was lost in thought.
But Leo subtly smiled.
'This is perfect.'
For Leo, whose goal was the Fairy Forest, this was a fortunate turn of events.
"We'll do it."
Nella, as well as Sena, was surprised by his immediate response.
"Can you handle it?"
"I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't think you could."
At his bold words, Hallingd's lips curled into a smile.
"Nella Kaven. What do you think?"
"It's the vice president's duty to assist the class president."
Nella sighed lightly and smiled lazily.
"Understood. I'll be expecting good results. Report to Professor Sena regularly every night."
After hearing this, Leo and Nella bowed and left the classroom.
"Quite unconventional."
"I was just curious about Leo Flaubert's capabilities."
Hallingd opened the attendance book and looked at Leo's photo.
"This year's first-year class is exceptional."
"Indeed, they are outstanding. Celia, Duran, Chen Xia, Abad, Chloe, Woredden, and Eliza are all capable enough to be class representatives."
Even in Lumerne, where only the most talented gather, it's not easy to have such a concentration of talent in one generation.
"Among them, Leo Flaubert is special."
"He's an all-class student, after all."
"It's not just because of that."
"Is that so?"
"Professor Albi's evaluation that he has the makings of a hero wasn't wrong."
Sena's eyes widened.
Hallingd was a professor with the most accurate eye for evaluating students.
'For Professor Hallingd to say this...'
Hallingd closed the attendance book.
'Whether he likes it or not, Leo Flaubert stimulates those around him. The students influenced by him are making great progress.'
A presence that exerts a significant impact on those around it.
Such a person is called a hero.
'That boundless potential is indeed impressive.'
After thinking this, Hallingd stood up from his seat.
"I'll leave the field trip schedule to you."
"Of course, it's because of the midterm exam incident, right?"
"Don't ask more. It's a story that non-formal professors shouldn't know."
Sena smiled and bowed slightly at this.
***
After reaching the entrance of Kurage Street, the main thoroughfare of Lumera City, Iliana suggested:
"Let's split into three teams of two!"
"It would be more efficient than all of us going together."
Nella agreed with a smile, and Teid asked:
"How do you want to form the teams?"
"Let's play rock-paper-scissors, and those who get the same result will be a team."
Everyone nodded at Karl's suggestion.
"Rock, paper, scissors!"
After a few rounds of rock-paper-scissors, the teams were decided: Leo and Chelsea, Karl and Nella, and Iliana and Teid.
"Now, let's decide what each team will buy."
Leo and Chelsea were assigned to buy food.
Karl and Nella were to buy equipment.
Iliana and Teid were to buy potions.
Food, equipment, and potions.
These were the items the students were instructed to prepare.
Even funds were provided to each student.
Iliana stroked her chin while checking the printout.
"It feels like we're preparing for an expedition."
"It's a Lumerne department event. Maybe we'll have a mission experience starting from the second semester?"
"Hmm! That could be it?"
Chelsea's words made Iliana nod.
"Then let's meet back here in three hours for lunch! Dismissed!"
The teams split up accordingly.
Chelsea, who was about to start enthusiastically, paused.
"But how do we get food supplies?"
For her, an elite noble from a hero family, this was a considerable challenge.
"Follow me."
"Huh?"
Chelsea's eyes widened, and she hesitantly followed Leo.
Leo headed to the market on Kurage Street as if he were familiar with it.
He began buying the food supplies needed for the expedition.
Starting with preserved foods, he bought ingredients.
Since he had brought a subspace for storing food, there was no problem storing the supplies.
Watching Leo skillfully buy what they needed, Chelsea's eyes widened.
Finally, they stopped at a fruit stand.
The owner of the stand, who had thrown apples to Leo and Celia on the opening day, greeted them with a hearty laugh.
"Ah! Lumerne students! What year are you in?"
"First year."
"Hmm? First year? What's your name?"
"Leo Flaubert."
"Leo Flaubert? Could it be the first-year representative, Leo Flaubert?"
The fruit stand owner's eyes widened.
"Do you know Brother Leo?"
"Of course! Student! Look at this!"
"It's the school newspaper published by the journalism club."
Leo took the newspaper with a curious expression.
[The unprecedented all-class first-year, Leo Flaubert, is making headlines.]
The article was about Leo.
"This is a great honor, isn't it? Hahaha! Can I have a handshake?"
'What a hearty uncle.'
Leo thought as he shook hands with him.
"Wow! I'm in a good mood! I'll give you a discount!"
"Thank you."
Leo smiled.
"I once dreamed of becoming a hero, but I had no talent at all!"
The fruit stand owner laughed heartily and sighed regretfully.
"So, when I see students like you, I feel envious and want to be kind. You are the future of this world, aren't you?"
Hearing this, Chelsea blushed slightly.
"I can only cheer for you, but I'm just an ordinary uncle."
"That cheering will give us strength."
"Huh?"
"Heroes are such beings."
Leo smiled.
In the age of despair.
The people who had given him hope and cheered for him had repeatedly lifted the expedition team when they were about to give up.
Hearing Leo's words, the fruit stand owner's eyes widened, and he laughed heartily.
"I've seen many Lumerne students, but you are special! Great! From today, I'm your fan!"
The fruit stand owner, who laughed heartily, gave Leo and Chelsea an apple.
"Brother Leo is really skilled at this. It doesn't seem like he's done it just once or twice."
Chelsea bit into the apple and asked.
"I've done this a few times before."
In his previous life, supplies were very important.
'I had no choice but to get used to it.'
He recalled the past as he bit into the apple.
"We have a lot of time left. What should we do with the remaining time?"
Chelsea bit her finger, lost in thought.
"I have somewhere to go."
"Where? Can I come with you?"
"It's a personal matter."
At Leo's words, Chelsea nodded.
"Let's meet at the designated spot later."
"Okay."
With a slightly disappointed look, Chelsea waved as Leo smiled and entered a back alley.
'Where was it supposed to be?'
After searching, Leo stopped in front of a store called Lutek.
"It's here."
From the outside, it looked like an ordinary杂货店 in the back alley.
But this was the place where Chloe had bought the demonic artifact.
The door was locked when he tried to turn the handle.
Leo cast a spell to unlock the security mechanism.
Click! Creak!
Inside, the store was dimly lit.
"Light."
He cast a simple light spell to illuminate the interior.
'They must have finished their investigation at Lumerne already...'
He narrowed his eyes at the disarray inside the store.
'This place is related to the demonic artifact. They might have left something behind.'
Leo slowly searched the store.
However, he found nothing unusual.
The only remaining item was an old teddy bear stuck in a corner of the display shelf.
'Wait. A teddy bear?'
This place had already been thoroughly investigated by Lumerne.
Every item in the store would have been taken for investigation.
So why was there a teddy bear?
Thinking this, Leo was startled.
'A debuff spell?'
At that moment,
Goo-!
A black aura flowed from the teddy bear's eyes.
Gurgle! Gurgle! Squish! Squish!
The bear, which was spreading the black aura, soon began to swell and transform into a mass of flesh.
'Demon!'
Flash-!
A giant eye emerged from the center of the mass and twitched, locking onto Leo.
Crunch-!
At the same time, the mass of flesh extended and lunged at Leo.