"Ugh! The Fly magic class is no joke! Really! It's like forced labor!"
"What's so hard about it?"
When Chelsea said this with a look of disdain, Kai sighed deeply.
"Ah. How would you know our struggles, having passed the test on your first try and gone to Professor Albi? Torua-senpai is no joke! She pushes us like she's about to eat us alive!"
Chelsea was one of the four students who had passed the Fly magic test on their first try.
Those four were Leo, Chloe, Abad, and Chelsea.
"Want some help?"
"What?"
"I can help you practice to use the Fly magic better."
"Really?"
"Yeah, we're friends, aren't we?"
Kai looked moved.
"I'll help the other first-year magic students practice too."
"Kuh! Chelsea, thank you!"
'They're going to be in for a rough time.'
"Have you heard about Elena-senpai?"
At Leo's question, Kai looked bewildered.
"About Elena-senpai? It would be strange not to know!"
"Is she famous?"
"Not just famous! Elena-senpai is the third-year class representative!"
"Really?"
"Sometimes, Leo, you seem too indifferent to school affairs. I'll tell you."
Chelsea cleared her throat.
"Elena Juron. Age 18. Currently a third-year. Her skills rank her second in the entire magic department. Even as a third-year, she's right after Torua-senpai."
"Wow, that's impressive."
"Not just impressive. She's a genius magic girl who became a dungeon raider in her second year!"
Kai exclaimed excitedly.
"I wish I could meet her once!"
Seeing Kai's slightly dreamy expression, Leo tilted his head.
"Seems like she's popular."
"Yeah, she's incredibly beautiful. Her nickname is 'Queen.'"
"Queen?"
"Even the fourth and fifth-year seniors can't treat her casually, and she has many followers. As a result, she's a strong candidate for the next student council president, despite being a third-year."
"Thanks for letting me know."
Leo patted Chelsea's head.
Chelsea, who had been giggling, asked,
"Why are you asking about Elena-senpai?"
"Just, I have to meet her."
"Right now, she's on a mission until next week, so she's not at school. Even if she were here, she's a celebrity, so it would be hard to see her face, but as a class representative, you might be able to meet her if you want."
Chelsea's words made Leo nod.
"Leo, don't you have to go straight to the next summoning class?"
"Yeah."
"Then see you back at the dorm."
After parting ways with the two, Leo headed to the summoning class location.
'Today's all outdoor classes.'
Today's summoning class location was the Island of Summoned Beasts, where the first class had taken place.
Upon arriving at the dock, other summoning students were preparing to cross the lake.
Just as Leo was about to use the Fly magic,
"Who's this?"
Someone approached from behind and covered his eyes.
"At 17, aren't these kinds of pranks a bit childish?"
Leo chuckled, pushed the hands away, and turned around.
There stood Chen Xia.
"Anyway, you don't treat me like a little kid, Leo."
Chen Xia shrugged.
"Are you going to the Island of Summoned Beasts now? Want to go together?"
"Sure."
Chen Xia ran towards the water.
"Whoa."
She left footprints on the water.
Seeing Chen Xia walk on water naturally, Leo used the Fly magic to hover in the air.
Typically, summoning students would cross the lake by flying with a summoned beast, using a water-traversing summoned beast, or by using wind and water elementals.
However, Leo couldn't summon his contracted beast due to the presence of others, and Chen Xia found it faster to use Aura Steps than elemental magic.
"Leo, want to race to the Forest of Summoned Beasts? The loser buys lunch."
"Sounds good."
Chen Xia lowered her stance, and Leo gathered his mana.
"Ready, go!"
Whoosh! Roar!
Both shot off at incredible speeds.
Seeing the water spray and the waves at the dock, one summoning student muttered,
"Let's avoid them in the inter-departmental competition."
The other students nodded.
Roar!
'She's not just using Aura Steps.'
Seeing Chen Xia run ahead, Leo's eyes sparkled.
'Is it elemental magic?'
Leo accelerated even more.
"Eliza. A, are these monsters really not going to attack us?"
"Tsk. Do you doubt my control over Ruri?"
"Of course not! How could I!"
On the lake, Eliza, sitting gracefully on a dolphin's back, crossed her legs and filed her nails while snorting.
"Our Ruri is still young but a full-fledged Delphinus. With my enhanced control, she can handle these kinds of monsters easily."
Delphinus.
A top-tier aquatic summoned beast.
Eliza, one of the top students in the first year and the successor of the summoning noble family, the Herkin, could handle such a beast.
Squeak!
"Right, Ruri. I'll give you a lot of premium beef when we get back."
Eliza, who was usually cold to everyone, smiled softly and stroked Ruri's back at the dolphin's cry.
'She's so kind to us.'
The students of Eliza's faction smiled bitterly.
"Huh?"
One of the students riding a monster turned back.
"What's that? What's causing those water sprays?"
The students all looked bewildered.
"Eliza! Something's coming at us really fast! Let's get out of the way!"
"Tsk! What's all the fuss about...?"
Eliza, who had been enjoying a moment with her summoned beast, turned back with an annoyed look.
Roar!
A massive water spray hit Eliza.
Squeak! Squeak!
Ruri, Eliza's summoned beast, quickly pulled her out of the water.
"Whoa! What was that!"
Eliza, eyes wide, shouted sharply. One of the students who had been swept by the wave spoke urgently,
"It was Leo Flob and Chen Xia!"
"Leo Flob!"
Eliza's eyes sparked with anger.
"Did you dare to be so rude to me, the successor of the Herkin family?! Ruri, follow them!"
Squeak!
Roar!
"Ah! Eliza!"
"Take us too!"
The students of Eliza's faction, left behind, panicked.
Rumble!
The aquatic monsters, out of Delphinus's control, revealed their hostility.
"Hey! Hurry up and deal with them!"
"Ah! Undine, help me!"
"Ah! Get away!"
The students' screams echoed as they suddenly found themselves fighting monsters in the middle of the lake.
***
Leo was the first to reach the dock of the Island of Summoned Beasts.
"I won."
"Heave! Heave! That's a shame."
Chen Xia, who had arrived just a hair later, panted and looked disappointed.
Watching her, Yura clapped.
"Excellent! But if you had used only summoning techniques, I would have praised you even more."
Professor Yura, who had been waiting at the dock, grumbled.
"Especially you, Leo! Where did you learn to use magic while coming to a summoning class? Minus 10 points."
When Yura growled, Leo smiled and said,
"I can't just summon my beast in front of everyone, can I?"
"Perfect logic! I'll cancel the deduction."
"Exactly what was the reason for the deduction, and what convinced you... cough?"
Yura glanced at the vice professor, Carlo, who had tackled her.
"Anyway, someone else is here."
A massive wave, like a tidal wave, hit Leo.
"Leo Flobuuuuu!"
Boom!
Water sprays shot in all directions.
After easily defending against the water cannon, Leo looked puzzled.
"Why the sudden attack? And why are you so drenched?"
"Who do you think caused this? It's because of the water spray you caused!"
"Oh, you were on the way? Sorry."
"Sorry? Is this something that can be resolved with just an apology?! How dare you be so rude to me, the successor of the Herkin family!"
Seeing Eliza's anger, Chen Xia looked apologetic.
"Eliza-san, the water spray wasn't caused by Lord Leo, but by me."
"Xia, you did this?"
"Yes."
Eliza, seeing Chen Xia bow in apology, stepped back with a huff.
As one of the oldest and kindest first-year students, Chen Xia was always gentle to everyone.
As a result, even the usually arrogant Eliza would back down in front of Chen Xia.
"Yeah, yeah. We should all get along as fellow summoning students."
"I'm not a summoning student."
"Me neither."
"Huh? Look at you two."
Yura, who had been rubbing her eyes, looked at them.
"Well, I was the one who suggested the race, so it's not just Chen Xia's fault. I'm sorry."
When Leo apologized sincerely, Eliza, who had been staring at him, snorted.
"To refuse an apology would be petty. Fine, I'll forgive you, Leo Flob."
"Even if it's not a proper apology, I'll dry your clothes. It's embarrassing to see a girl drenched."
Leo gathered his mana.
He used a spell to remove moisture.
In an instant, Eliza's wet clothes dried.
The sudden loss of moisture caused static electricity in Eliza's hair.
"Whoosh!"
"Kuh!"
Chen Xia and Yura couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Eliza, who had taken out a mirror from her bag to check her hair, trembled with anger.
Her once sleek hair was now frizzy and messy.
Eliza, looking ridiculous, glared at Leo with terrifying eyes.
"I'll fix it right away. Do you have a comb?"
After sighing, Leo took a comb from Eliza and fixed her hair.
***
The first-year students gathered at the Forest of Summoned Beasts.
The atmosphere among the first-year summoning students was strangely excited.
This was because rumors had spread throughout the school that the knight and magic departments had entered special training for the inter-departmental competition.
The summoning students also thought they would be training for the inter-departmental competition today.
Indeed, the class was held on the Island of Summoned Beasts.
With everyone looking enthusiastic, Yura scratched her head.
"Why isn't this guy here yet?"
"Professor, who are you waiting for?"
When Taid raised his hand and asked, Yura sighed.
"Today's class was supposed to be special training for the inter-departmental competition, as you might have guessed. But Ulda suggested a special class."
"Ulda-senpai?"
"Yeah. He thought of a great training method and suggested holding the class on the Island of Summoned Beasts."
The students were impressed.
Some looked anxious.
Ulda of the summoning department.
A rival to Lis Jerdinger, the strongest student, and a renowned summoner with a Pegasus as his bonded beast.
However, he was also known for being eccentric.
He had even boasted about love on the day the inter-departmental competition was announced.
'Even so, he wouldn't give us strange training, right?'
Just as the students were trying to shake off their anxiety,
"Ulda-senpai is here."
One student noticed Ulda walking towards the dock.
"Hey! Why are you so late!"
"Sorry, Professor Yura."
Ulda greeted her elegantly, like a stage actor.
"The supplies for the first-years were delivered late."
"Supplies?"
Snap!
When Ulda snapped his fingers, a giant eagle appeared in the sky.
Whoosh! Thud!
The eagle, causing a strong wind, placed a burlap sack next to Ulda and soared away.
"Was that a Wind Eagle?"
"To use a high-tier wind summoned beast just for transportation... truly, Ulda-senpai!"
The students looked at Ulda with admiration.
"What kind of training are you planning for the first-years that you need supplies?"
As Yura checked the contents of the sack, her face turned grim.
"What are you planning to make the first-years do with this?"
The supplies Ulda had brought were dragonfly nets.
"Professor, haven't you heard? There are!"
Ulda spread his arms wide.
"Fairies appearing on this Island of Summoned Beasts!"
"Fairies?"
"You don't mean...?"
The first-years' eyes widened.
A vein popped on Yura's forehead.
"So? You're planning to make the first-years catch fairies?"
"Exactly."
"Exactly? Are you out of your mind? You crazy guy! We're busy preparing for the inter-departmental competition, and you're planning this nonsense? You're going to get a beating from me today! No, just dieee!"
Yura, who had caught Ulda's head with the dragonfly net, pulled him towards her and shouted.
Carlo and the students panicked and tried to stop Yura.