In the heart of Lumeren stands the Tower of Heroes.
This location primarily serves the faculty rather than Lumeren’s esteemed students.
Perched atop the Tower of Heroes is Principal Galian’s office.
Principal Galian, who had been comfortably seated at his desk, shifted his gaze towards the window.
Swoosh!
A woman with fiery red hair materialized, surrounded by flames.
“Welcome, Pirina.”
Galian, who had initially greeted Pirina with a warm smile, suddenly adopted a different expression.
“Has there been an intruder?”
Five years ago, Lumeren experienced a security breach incident.
Although no casualties were reported, it remained undisclosed to the public, and the perpetrator was never apprehended.
However, Lumeren is more than just an educational institution; it also serves as a repository for Hero Records.
An intruder had not only breached Lumeren’s security network but also triggered an incident that went unresolved.
Revealing this incident to the public would undoubtedly lead to widespread chaos, so it was kept under wraps. However, the pursuit of the culprit never ceased.
Galian extended an invitation to Pirina to come to Lumeren at Ellen’s behest. No being was better suited to oversee the expanse of Lumeren than the Phoenix.
“It’s not that, but I bring good tidings.”
“Good tidings?”
“A Lumeren student has recently formed a contract with a Phoenix.”
“Is that so?”
“Did they contract with you, or did they choose another Phoenix?”
“It was a pact with my newly born offspring.”
“Weren’t your child meant to form a contract with the successor of the Lund family?”
“That was the initial plan, but circumstances took a different turn.”
“An infant Phoenix available for a contract… Still, to contract as a student! Besides Ulta, did we have such exceptional talent among the 5th graders?”
Galian naturally assumed the contractor hailed from the highest grade. Considering the 5th-year students, apart from Ulta, the Pegasus contractor, most specialized in spirit magic, so this revelation was unexpected.
“It’s not the 5th grade.”
“Oh? The 4th grade, then? Well! The current leading 4th graders in summoning magic are indeed remarkable.”
“It’s not the 4th grade either.”
Pirina shook her head. Principal Galian’s expression subtly changed.
“Don’t tell me it’s the 3rd grade?”
“No.”
“…”
“The 2nd grade?”
Without a direct response, Pirina chuckled, prompting Galian to join in.
“So, you’re telling me that a contractor emerged among the 1st graders?”
“That’s correct.”
“Who?”
“Leo Plov.”
“Hehehe, Leo Plov?”
This student, who was highly recommended for the hero title by Albi, majoring in knight studies, was chosen as the grade representative and unexpectedly became the Phoenix contractor.
‘Wasn’t that student specializing in knight studies?’
Surprised, Principal Galian stroked his beard.
‘I’ll have to meet him soon.’
***
“Well done!”
After the summoning class concluded, the spirited 1st graders departed from the training grounds in a swarm.
The evening was already upon them.
These burgeoning students, having also completed the taming exam, had worked up an appetite.
The 1st graders eagerly made their way to the student cafeteria.
“Leo, would you care to join me for dinner?”
“Of course.”
Leo was about to leave the classroom with Chen Shia.
“Student Leo.”
“Yes.”
“The professor is looking for you.”
Carlo approached and informed him.
“I suppose we’ll have to dine separately.”
“It can’t be helped. I’ll see you in the next class, Leo.”
Chen Shia departed from the classroom ahead of Leo.
Leo followed Carlo to the professor’s office.
Upon their arrival, Carlo knocked on the door, and a brief ‘come in’ was heard from within.
“Please, go in.”
After acknowledging Carlo, Leo entered the room.
Despite Professor Yura’s typically free-spirited demeanor, her office was impeccably organized.
Seated behind her desk, Professor Yura gestured toward the chair opposite her.
“Please, have a seat.”
As soon as Leo settled into the chair, Professor Yura began to speak.
“I’ll get straight to the point, student Leo.”
“Yes.”
“The creature you contracted with earlier, was it the Phoenix?”
‘She’s aware,’ Leo thought.
“Yes.”
Leo’s response seemed to unsettle Professor Yura. She had expected this, but hearing the confirmation from Leo himself was still surprising.
“Can you show me?”
With a trembling voice, Professor Yura inquired. Leo reached into the pocket of his uniform.
Pirina had mentioned that she would pick up Fiora tonight, so the young Phoenix was still with Leo.
He gently placed Fiora on the desk.
“I never thought I’d witness a young Phoenix in my lifetime!”
Seeing a mature Phoenix was rare enough, let alone a juvenile one, so even a Lumeren professor couldn’t hide their excitement.
“Oh! Look at this majestic posture!”
Despite the compliment, Fiora looked like a drowsy chick, nodding off.
‘Could her vision be impaired?’ Leo wondered.
“What’s its name?”
“Fiora.”
“How in the world did you come across it? I wasn’t even aware of a Phoenix in the Forest of Spirits.”
The status of a Lumeren professor was far from insignificant. Each one was an expert in their respective field and held significant authority in emergencies.
Even for a professor of this stature, Pirina’s existence remained a well-guarded secret.
Leo, who had learned this fact from Pirina, had prepared an explanation.
“While wandering in the forest, I stumbled upon an egg. I didn’t know why it was there, but it turned out to be a Phoenix egg.”
It was a somewhat flimsy explanation, but there was no other way to account for the Phoenix contract. Furthermore, Leo’s words could not be easily verified.
“It must have been challenging to recognize it as a Phoenix egg?”
Despite its fame, the Phoenix was a mythical creature about which little was known. As a result, any related information commanded a high price.
“My maternal family has a connection to the Phoenix, and I’ve had access to ancient documents about it.”
“Which family is that?”
“Zerdingher.”
Professor Yura was visibly surprised.
‘Ah, Zerdingher… Now I understand. The source of their flame aura is the power of the Phoenix.’
If someone possessed the talent of a summoner, there could be no better condition than having a Phoenix contract.
‘But for a mere fifteen-year-old to have a contract with a Phoenix…’
Professor Yura’s eyes sparkled.
Numerous questions remained, but for now, the immediate focus was on Leo’s extraordinary talent, as he had forged a contract with a Phoenix on just his second day.
“Very well. Thank you for your time. You may leave now.”
Professor Yura escorted Leo to the office’s entrance.
Before opening the door, she spoke with a solemn tone.
“Student Leo.”
“Yes.”
“It’s best to keep your contract with the Phoenix a secret for now. If word gets out, it will create quite a stir.”
“Understood.”
“All right, enjoy your dinner, and I’ll see you in the next class.”
With a reassuring pat on Leo’s shoulder, Professor Yura closed the door.
As she returned to her seat, she contemplated, ‘How should I instruct this gem of a student?’
Yura was elated. Having such a talented summoner as a student was a dream come true. Surely a student of such caliber wouldn’t consider transferring to another department, right?
“Haha, for the next five years, our Summoning Department will be unparalleled!”
Unbeknownst to Professor Yura, Leo didn’t have a declared major.
***
The following morning, Leo headed to the Magic Building with Karl to attend their magic class.
“Oh, Chloe!”
Karl waved at Chloe, who was walking ahead with a magic textbook tucked under her arm.
“Hello, Leo, Karl. Yaw~n.”
“Yawning this early in the morning?”
“I was up late reading magic books.”
“Really? How about this?”
With a sly grin, Karl produced a small bottle from his belongings.
“Karl’s Fatigue Recovery Potion! Only 5 shillings.”
“It’s not some weird concoction, is it?”
“Look, it even has a label with the ingredients and certification mark.”
“Hmm.”
After inspecting the label, Chloe nodded and purchased the fatigue recovery potion.
She took a sip and stole a glance at Leo.
“So, you’re really attending magic class, huh?”
“I did say I would.”
“He even had a summoning class yesterday,” Karl added.
Upon hearing this, Chloe regarded Leo with curiosity.
“What class did you have yesterday?”
“I aspire to be a pure mage, so I had no classes yesterday. Instead, I spent my time studying in the library.”
“Wow, you’re truly a top student.”
The trio chatted as they arrived at the Magic Building.
Today’s classroom, the “Grand Lecture Hall,” was a large circular auditorium capable of accommodating up to 500 students.
Observing the lecture hall, Karl grinned.
“Look! The best seats in the back are still available! Come on, let’s hurry!”
“The optimal seats are in the front.”
“It appears we have differing preferences.”
Karl was all set to leave Chloe behind without a second thought.
However, Chloe acted swiftly, seizing his ear.
“Ouch! Ouch?!”
“You’re planning to doze off at the back, aren’t you? As a magic student, you should concentrate on the lecture.”
“Hey! Let’s discuss this, okay? Ouch! Ouch!”
Eventually, Chloe compelled Karl to occupy a seat in the front row.
“If we sit this close, the professor will notice if we nod off!”
Chloe grinned in response to Karl’s lament.
“On the contrary, if you pay attention, the professor will appreciate it.”
Karl gave her a resentful look, but Chloe simply opened her textbook, paying him no further attention.
Leo, who had ended up in the front by association, suppressed a chuckle.
At that moment, a man ascended the podium.
Tak Tak.
Dressed in a sharp suit with meticulously styled hair, he epitomized handsomeness.
A few female students gasped when he positioned himself at the center of the stage and smiled.
“Hello, first-year students. I am Ren Hors. I will be your instructor for the Magic Theory course this year.”
Applause broke out at Ren’s introduction.
“Any questions before we commence the class?”
A barrage of questions from female students followed.
“Professor! Do you have a girlfriend?”
“How old are you?”
“What’s your ideal type?”
Irrelevant queries inundated him.
Yet, Professor Ren patiently addressed each one with a smile.
“A handsome professor, huh? The female students will be smitten. But Ren Hors? I’ve never heard that name. Chloe, do you know him?”
While Karl pondered, his pen poised above his upper lip, Chloe shook her head.
“I’m not familiar with him either.”
After the personal inquiries waned, Professor Ren continued.
“Today, we will start with an overview of magic theory. But before that!”
Snap!
With a flick of Professor Ren’s fingers…
Swirl!
Sheets of paper began fluttering about the classroom.
The bundles of papers landed precisely in front of each student.
“Before delving into the lesson, we’ll begin with a brief magic theory test.”
“What?!”
“A test on the first day? That’s too demanding, Professor!”
Complaints erupted.
Some female students even tried to charm him.
“For those who don’t meet the standard, they won’t be permitted to attend any magic major classes.”
“……!”
The cheerful atmosphere suddenly turned frosty.
Amid this, a student cautiously raised his hand.
“Professor, what if a magic department student fails the test?”
“That’s self-evident.”
Professor Ren responded casually, as if questioning why such a question was raised.
“They will be expelled.”
Cliche Novel 