After the class concluded, Leo made his way towards the Tower of Heroes, situated at the heart of the academy, where the student council resides. Upon reaching the entrance of the Tower of Heroes, Leo gazed up at the towering structure.
“It’s impressively tall,” Leo remarked.
“He’s a freshman.”
“What’s he doing here?”
“Oh, how cute,” whispered some passing upperclassmen, clearly taken aback by Leo’s presence.
The Tower of Heroes was a frequent haunt of upperclassmen, and as is often the case, freshmen tend to have an instinctual apprehension about encountering their more experienced peers. Consequently, they usually steer clear of areas frequented by upperclassmen.
“Huh? Leo?” Someone called out his name, prompting him to turn his head. Standing before him was Torua, a fifth-year student from the Magic Department.
“What brings you here?” Torua inquired.
“I have some matters to discuss with the student council president,” Leo replied.
“With Lis?” Torua asked, her head tilted in curiosity.
“Yes,” Leo confirmed.
“Would you like to join me?” Torua offered, gesturing for Leo to follow as she led the way into the Tower of Heroes.
“So, Leo, when do you intend to drop your other majors?” Torua asked.
“I have no intention of dropping any of my other majors,” Leo responded firmly.
“Leo, as I’ve mentioned before, time is limited. I acknowledge your proficiency in other areas, but your true specialization lies in magic,” Torua remarked, though she refrained from further comment.
Torua had faced similar admonishments from professors in the past.
Inside the Tower of Heroes, Leo couldn’t contain his amazement. The entrance was adorned with portraits of numerous heroes, all of whom were alumni of Lumeren. The facilities here were undeniably superior to those available to first-year students. While the first-year building was by no means lacking, the Tower of Heroes exuded an overwhelming sense of grandeur.
As they stood on the levitation-powered floating elevator, they swiftly ascended to the upper floors. Their destination was the floor used by the student council.
“Hello, Vice-President. Who’s this freshman?” one of the third-year student council members inquired.
“This is Leo.”
“Leo? The renowned first-year representative?” The third-year student council member’s eyes lit up with curiosity.
“Yes, he has some business with the president,” Torua explained.
“It’s intriguing to see a freshman taking an interest in the student council,” the third-year student council member commented with a smile before going off to attend to some paperwork.
The atmosphere in the student council room was bustling with activity.
“So, I heard that the midterm project for first-year students involves the development of unique magic?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have any ideas?”
“I’m considering a magical formula based on attribute-less mana.”
“Attribute-less mana-based? That’s a novel concept. Can you elaborate?”
“Wizards typically have a primary magical attribute, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct. It’s why opposing attributes exist. You can’t simultaneously employ them, even if you’re well-versed in all attributes.”
“Yes, I want to utilize attribute-less mana to manipulate various forms of magic freely, enhancing its versatility.”
“That’s an intriguing concept, but it’s rather audacious,” Torua remarked, chuckling.
“There’s a reason why people seldom attempt it.”
“I’m aware,” Leo acknowledged with a smile, “but isn’t something unique always more appealing?”
Torua, arms crossed, chuckled again.
The underclassman before her wasn’t merely skilled in magical formulas.
‘Novel experiments are always significant for wizards. What a missed opportunity,’ Torua thought, observing this young student, who embodied a wizard’s spirit more than anyone else.
‘Such talents should have a clear path from the beginning. I should discuss this seriously with Professor Ren,’ Torua resolved as she stood before the student council president’s office, determined to contribute to the Magic Department’s improvement.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
Creak.
“Hi, Lis. Leo wanted to see you, so I brought him along.”
“Leo?”
Sitting at his desk and moving his quill, Lis stood up with a warm expression.
“So, Leo, what brings you here?”
“Student Council President.”
“When we’re off the record, you can call me ‘Brother’.”
Lis grinned, and Leo nodded.
“Then, Brother Lis, I have a favor to ask.”
“What is it?”
“I’d like access to the Golden Library.”
“I’m not sure why you want to go there, but students can’t enter the Golden Library freely,” Torua commented, reaching for a snack.
“Can the Student Council President enter freely?”
“Unfortunately, that’s beyond my authority as well,” Lis replied, chin resting on his hands with a smile.
“Of course, there is a way for a student to gain entry.”
“What is it?”
“It involves conquering the Hero Dungeon.”
“The Hero Dungeon?”
“Yes. It’s customary for the conqueror to return the recovered pages to the Hero Record themselves.”
“Even then, you won’t be able to read the books in the Golden Library freely. You should reconsider,” Torua grumbled.
In summary, there was no apparent reason for first-year students to enter, and even if they did, obtaining the desired information would be challenging.
‘Well, in that case, I’ll have to find another way in,’ Leo concluded, unaware that Lis and Torua exchanged enigmatic smiles.
“How’s your exam preparation? It’s your first exam; are you feeling nervous?” Lis inquired.
“I’m making satisfactory progress,” Leo replied calmly.
“Will that be enough? Remember that at Lumeren, the grade representative changes after every exam,” Lis noted.
“Yes.”
“Many students will be competing for your position,” Torua added, munching on a cookie.
Even though it was early in the semester and not much had been emphasized yet, the role of grade representative at Lumeren came with various privileges and put one in line to potentially become the next Student Council President.
“Did you know your grade’s performance is highly anticipated by Lumeren’s upper echelons? Can you maintain your position as grade representative among such competitive students?”
“I don’t have a particular interest in the grade representative position. However,” Leo grinned, “I have no intention of relinquishing the top spot either.”
“Your confidence is admirable. I look forward to it,” Lis remarked, sporting a contented smile.
***
After gaining admission, the first-year exam left students feeling quite nervous. Yet, at the same time, all first-year students were eagerly anticipating this exam.
Seated in the spectator stands of the first-year classroom building’s arena, Chelsea swung her legs as she spoke.
“Professor Hallind was right; you’ve changed so much in just a few months,” she murmured softly while twirling her wand in the air. The magical rune expanded into the air, and a spell was instantly completed.
“You’re as fast as ever,” Tade, her classmate, commented.
“High-speed casting is my specialty. Naturally, I’ve gotten even faster.”
As Hallind had predicted, the skills of the first-year students had rapidly improved. Even Chelsea, who had received exceptional education since childhood as a Hero, had visibly progressed. Now, the freshmen were feeling a peculiar sense of confidence and excitement.
“But I’m concerned about Leo,” Chelsea remarked, her gaze fixed on the arena.
“Yeah, quite a few guys are eyeing Leo,” Tade sighed.
Since it was early in their enrollment, most major courses emphasized theory over practical aspects. Leo, who consistently outshone his peers in class, was recognized as a top student by all the professors. However, even Leo had areas where he could be considered weak.
“Will he do well in the Lumeren exam, which carries significant weight in practical skills? Aura, mana, spirit energy—Leo is weaker in the foundational aspects of these abilities,” Chelsea pondered aloud.
Especially considering that Leo was studying all three major subjects simultaneously, there was a substantial gap between him and other students who typically specialized in just one area. Consequently, many students regarded Leo as strong in theory but weak in practice.
“While mid-tier students won’t pose a challenge to Leo, I believe the top-tier students will give him a run for his money.”
“This might be a good opportunity for him to choose one major.”
As Tade voiced his thoughts, Professor Ain, positioned at the center of the practice field, began to speak.
“We will now commence the practical examination for first-year knight studies.”
His resounding voice filled with aura echoed across the vast practice field, prompting whistles and applause from various directions.
Although the examination period was still two weeks away, the practical exams for knight studies were commencing today. The first-year classroom and practice field were teeming with students who had gathered to witness the knight studies practical exam. Among the spectators were not only first-year students but also upperclassmen.
“Is Karl really considering going into business?”
“Where people gather, money accumulates. Isn’t that his thesis?” Chelsea responded disapprovingly, while Tade chuckled.
Indeed, as she mentioned, Karl had set up shop to sell snacks.
“Professor Sedgen.”
With levitation magic, Karl floated snack stands around him as he approached Sedgen, the homeroom teacher for Class 1.
“What can I help you with, student Karl?”
Professor Sedgen regarded Karl with a sour expression. His response was far from welcoming, likely due to Karl being a student from his rival, Hallind.
“How about some popcorn and drinks?”
“Hmph, do you think I would buy that? Sell it to your homeroom teacher, Hallind, and your classmates,” Sedgen scoffed, showing no interest.
Karl’s face fell, and he wore a disgruntled expression. “I thought Professor Sedgen possessed leadership skills to boost class morale. My apologies, it seems I was mistaken.”
“Hmph. If you believe such an obvious tactic would work on me, student Karl, you are sorely mistaken.”
Just then, the students of Class 1 cheered. “Professor! Are you buying popcorn for us?” “Wow! That sounds delicious!” Their excitement filled the air.
Sedgen perked up at their reaction. “See, I told you! Professor Sedgen does have the leadership skills to boost class morale!”
All the students from Class 1 had come out to cheer under Sedgen’s guidance. Hearing their cheers, Sedgen couldn’t help but smile broadly. “If the students want it, I have no choice. Go ahead.”
“Okay!”
“One with caramel, please.”
“Thank you!”
With the transaction complete, Karl distributed popcorn and drinks to the Class 1 students with a friendly smile. To a few particularly enthusiastic students, he discreetly slipped some candy.
“Alright, everyone! Let’s cheer with style! Class 1, fighting!”
“Class 1, fighting!”
The energized students of Class 1 cheered loudly, their spirits high.
Meanwhile, Karl sighed as he noticed Chloe, who sat alone in a corner, absorbed in reading a black magic book.
“Chloe.”
“…”
“Hey, Chloe!”
“Huh?”
Chloe looked up, her face showing signs of fatigue.
Karl sighed, concerned for his friend’s well-being. “You need to take breaks; otherwise, you’ll exhaust yourself. You should know how to enjoy yourself at times like this.”
“I don’t have time for that,” Chloe replied, a frown on her face.
Scratching his head, Karl retrieved a fatigue recovery potion from his bag and handed it to her.
“I don’t have any money,” Chloe protested.
“It’s fine. I’m giving it to you because I’m worried as a friend.”
“Here! Popcorn and drinks!”
“Okay! Okay! I’m going! Hey, take it easy, you hear?”
After waving his hand to Chloe, Karl swiftly ran toward a senior who had placed an order.
Watching Karl’s retreating figure, Chloe managed a slight smile and quickly downed the potion.
Just then, an announcement was made. “The first duel is about to begin. Howl Naif from Class 1 and Leo Plov from Class 5, please step forward.”
Chloe’s gaze locked onto Leo, and she clenched her fist.
“I absolutely won’t lose.”
Cliche Novel 