Legendary Hero is an Academy Honors Student - Chapter 373
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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373
After a commotion.
Nine people gathered in Leo’s room.
The four Freshmen sat together, listening attentively to their seniors’ stories.
“So, what’s this information?”
Chelsea asked, tilting her head with her arms crossed.
At Chelsea’s words, Cal spoke.
“There’s something beneath Uargella.”
“What’s your evidence?”
“I heard that recently, students from other hero academies besides ours have been dispatched to Eleheum.”
At Cal’s words, the other students looked surprised.
“Other hero academies? Which ones?”
“Ajonia.”
The Beastman Hero Academy Ajonia.
Certainly, the Southern Continent was Ajonia’s main area of activity.
If Eleheum was hiding a Hero Dungeon, it would be natural for Ajonia to make a move.
“I heard the Ajonia kids were last spotted beneath Uargella before they disappeared without a trace.”
At Cal’s words, Chloe was impressed.
“Where do you even get this kind of information?”
At Chloe’s words, Juwen, who had been listening from behind, pouted.
“Because of that, I had to wander around dirty Back Alleys and taverns all day today.”
“You worked hard.”
Cal smiled bitterly at his mentee Juwen.
Juwen had suffered the most while gathering information together today.
Juwen, the daughter of the Southern Mage Lord, was clearly a noble young lady.
Being an obviously noble young lady, Juwen was enough of a target for the Back Alley vagrants.
All sorts of lewd jokes and insults were just the beginning, and there were even those who recklessly tried to approach her.
‘Well, Cal-senpai beat them all up though.’
Juwen glanced at Cal, who was making an apologetic expression, and put on a slightly sulky face.
“Anyway, we found out various other things while gathering information.”
Cal’s expression became slightly darker.
“This country is indeed different from its appearance.”
“Different from its appearance?”
“It’s truly befitting of the poorest nation. The country’s situation is completely hopeless. The outward appearance is literally just a mirage.”
Juwen grumbled.
When they had just arrived in Uargella, she had questioned the appearance of the wealthy streets.
But wandering through the Back Alleys, what she felt was that this country was diseased.
Hearing Cal and Juwen’s words, the other students also made serious expressions.
A hero is not simply someone who fights against Tartaros.
They are beings who lead and transform the world.
Leading those they encounter to better places is also part of a hero’s mission.
Therefore, from the perspective of hero candidates, the story of this country heading toward catastrophe couldn’t help but be concerning.
“Isn’t there something we can do to help this country?”
Betty, Chloe’s mentee, said with a worried face.
“Not right now. We don’t have justification. Besides, we’re just 1st and 2nd year students.”
Cal crossed his arms and sighed.
It was when a heavy silence was settling in the room.
“What information did the class president get from the Street of Pleasure?”
To change the atmosphere, Iliana asked Leo.
“I also heard that there seems to be something beneath Uargella. I heard that the Eleheum royal palace directly sent people to Uargella’s underground.”
At Leo’s words, the other students widened their eyes.
“And I also heard information that the Eleheum royal palace’s reach extends to other places besides Uargella.”
“Other places? Where would that be?”
“Monster Forest.”
“Monster Forest.”
Cal crossed his arms.
“Certainly, if a Hero Dungeon was created there, it would be easy to hide, wouldn’t it?”
The entire Forest was cursed land by the Monster Queen.
That place, in the distant past.
Before the Age of Calamity, that place was the Elves’ homeland.
And it was also Luna’s hometown Forest.
After the Monster Queen was defeated last year, the Forest’s curse would have been lifted as well.
‘Though driving out all the monsters there would be needed for it to truly end.’
The complete liberation of her hometown was also one of the things Luna had wished for.
It was when Leo was making a bitter smile while thinking of Luna.
“Then shall we start a full-scale exploration of Uargella’s underground first?”
At Chelsea’s words, everyone nodded.
“I know the entrance. Let’s meet tomorrow.”
At Leo’s words, Luke said in a tense voice.
“If it’s underground, it would be like a labyrinth, right?”
“It definitely will be.”
“Let’s prepare thoroughly.”
It was when everyone was making serious expressions.
“I heard it’s not a labyrinth.”
“Huh?”
“Then what?”
Leo said calmly.
“It’s an illegal casino.”
***
The next morning, the group all looked at the entrance leading underground with reluctant faces.
An entrance that was dazzlingly splendid.
And around it, well-dressed men in tailcoats were guiding customers.
Seeing this, Chloe said in a reluctant voice.
“You said it was an illegal casino. But is it okay to operate so openly like this?”
Looking at Chloe expressing her doubt, Cal said.
“Considering this country’s hopeless state… aren’t they probably operating by feeding massive bribes?”
Cal’s words were correct.
Uargella’s underground casino was a place that, like the Street of Pleasure, formed one axis of Eleheum’s underworld.
A place that even Uargella’s Lord dared not touch.
For that, the casino provided enormous bribes to nobles and public officials to operate.
‘And it was said to be extraterritorial.’
It was literally a lawless zone.
So the nine students tried to approach the underground casino.
“Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. This is Shadow, the underground paradise.”
A handsome man in a tailcoat greeted them elegantly.
Looking at such a man, Cal stepped forward.
“Hello, we’d like to have some fun here.”
At Cal’s words, Shadow’s employee looked the group up and down.
Then he made a troubled expression.
“I’m sorry, ladies and gentlemen. You are not qualified to enter our Shadow.”
“If it’s because of status, I think this outfit guarantees our status, don’t you? We’re students of Lumern.”
Lumern student status receives VIP treatment wherever you go.
That’s why there were quite a few people who impersonated Lumern students.
Of course, if caught, it wouldn’t end with just a simple warning.
But despite Cal’s words, the Shadow employee only shook his head.
“Being a Lumern student doesn’t qualify you to enter our store.”
At those words, Cal made a troubled expression.
‘Even Lumern student status isn’t enough? Then what exactly do we need to do?’
While Cal was making a troubled expression, not having expected to be refused entry.
Luke, who had been quietly listening, asked.
“What exactly is this qualification?”
“The qualification is simple.”
At the Shadow employee’s words, everyone made tense expressions.
Looking at the students, the Shadow employee smiled and pointed to one place.
It was a clothing store.
“The qualification to enter our store is simply attire that suits our establishment.”
“Huh?”
The group that had been tense suddenly looked deflated.
And they looked at other customers entering.
They were indeed dressed splendidly like people attending a party.
“If you come back to me in appropriate attire, I’ll help you enter.”
The employee in the tailcoat bowed elegantly.
***
“Even so, isn’t this too much?”
Cal’s face turned ghastly when they arrived at the clothing store next to Shadow.
“I understand these are clothes made from high-quality fabric, but what’s with this outrageous price gouging?!”
Cal shuddered as he checked the price tags on the clothes.
At Cal’s reaction, Austin said.
“But didn’t the Academy give us plenty of support funds?”
At Austin’s words, Cal clicked his tongue.
“As expected of a former Jerdinger training knight, you’re clueless about the ways of the world. It’s not about whether we received a lot of support funds or not. What matters is whether you’re paying a fair price for the item! How does it make sense that there’s more than a ten-fold difference from other clothing stores?”
Luke, upon seeing the prices of the clothes, had frozen and was muttering ‘With this price, I could buy one loaf of bread… two loaves…’ while being confused by prices that shattered his common sense.
That’s when it happened.
“Senior!”
Juwen came out from behind the dressing room curtain and stood before Cal.
A pure white dress that highlighted the healthy, light brown skin characteristic of people from the Southern Continent.
Juwen, wearing white pearl necklaces and bracelets as accents and ivory-carved heels, smiled brightly and did a little spin.
“How is it?”
“You look beautiful, Miss Juwen.”
“Oh, you’ve become a beautiful lady.”
Luke smiled brightly and clapped, while Austin expressed admiration.
Just as Juwen was getting pleased and laughing smugly.
Thump thump- Thud!
“Huh?”
Juwen looked confused as she saw Cal approach and place his hand on her shoulder.
“S-Senior?”
Uncharacteristically flustered for the usually carefree Juwen, she called out to Cal.
Cal looked directly into Juwen’s eyes with serious eyes.
“Juwen?”
“Yes?”
Just as Juwen’s flustered face turned slightly red.
“How could you choose something so expensive~! You promised me we’d save as much of this support fund as possible… Guhk!”
Juwen’s straight punch hit Cal’s solar plexus.
Trembling with anger, Juwen stomped toward the counter.
“I’ll take this outfit!”
Watching this scene, Luke and Austin looked at each other and smiled awkwardly.
Cal got up abruptly and sighed.
“If she wasn’t so quick with her fists, she’d be one of the top three beauties among the first years.”
Even so, he reached out and took a hair accessory from the display case.
“Even though you say that, you’re buying it for her with the support funds.”
At Austin’s words, Cal grumbled.
“To calm her anger, I can’t use the support funds. I have to dig into my own money. Ugh. My precious money.”
Just as they were watching Cal head to the register with a tearful expression.
“You guys! What are you doing not choosing clothes!”
Iliana suddenly appeared wearing a black dress with a short hem that gave off a lively feeling.
“We’ve never had to choose clothes like this before.”
Luke said with an awkward smile, and Austin nodded as well.
Iliana glanced at Austin and picked out two suits.
“Try this one first.”
“Yes, Senior.”
After Austin entered the dressing room, Iliana looked at Luke with a serious face and reached out her hand.
“You wear this.”
“…Senior, this is a dress.”
“Yeah, cute things suit you perfectly.”
“Here’s a wig too.”
Chelsea, who had appeared wearing a light green dress, thrust even a wig toward Luke.
Just as Luke was about to cry.
“Don’t bully the underclassman.”
Swoosh-
The dressing room door opened and Leo came out.
Seeing him, Iliana’s mouth fell open.
“This is the first time I’ve seen the class president in formal wear since after the midterms in the first semester last year…”
Iliana, whose mouth was hanging open, said.
“You’ve become a complete gentleman.”
“Leo oppa! You look cool.”
Leo, who had grown much taller compared to last year, exuded a mature atmosphere that blended with his unique presence.
Seeing him hook his finger to loosen his tie because it felt tight, Iliana muttered.
‘Even trivial gestures look like a painting.’
Newly realizing that Leo was in the top 3 most popular among 2nd year male students, she picked out a suit for Luke.
“Th-this doesn’t seem right.”
“Senior! You look absolutely beautiful!”
Then from inside the dressing room, they heard Chloe’s flustered voice and Betty’s excited voice.
Shortly after, Chloe, pushed out by Betty, emerged from the dressing room.
Chloe, wearing a light sky-blue dress that revealed her shoulders and collarbone with a slightly open back, was blushing as if embarrassed.
“Wow! Chloe! You’re really pretty!”
Iliana’s eyes widened as she burst into admiration.
“You look incredibly mature.”
Chelsea also widened her eyes in admiration.
At those words, Iliana grinned wickedly.
“Looking mature means… like an old lad…”
Crackle-!
“Eek!”
Iliana, who had been teasing Chloe for no reason and got thoroughly punished, hid behind Leo.
Chloe, who had been glaring, made eye contact with Leo and slightly blushed before quickly turning her head away.
Watching such Chloe, Leo smiled softly.
“It suits you very well.”
“Th, thank you.”
Chloe, who had been answering primly with her face slightly turned away, smiled without realizing it.
And so the group left the clothing store.
“Well then, if we’re all ready.”
Cal smiled triumphantly.
“Let’s go!”
***
Knock knock- Click
“Master.”
The man who entered the room bowed his head respectfully.
“What is it?”
A wolf beastwoman with gray hair and golden eyes asked, removing the pipe from her mouth.
The man spoke toward her as she exhaled smoke.
“More Hero Candidates have set foot in Shadow.”
At those words, the beastwoman narrowed her eyes.
“So?”
Seeing her openly annoyed expression, the man answered.
“Lumern’s Student Council President is included in that list.”
The beastwoman who had been smoking her pipe paused.
Then she tapped her pipe into the ashtray with a thud and answered.
“Go check it out.”
At that answer, the man bowed his head and left.
Creak-!
The beastwoman leaned back in her chair, crossed her legs, rested her chin on her hand, and curled up the corner of her mouth.
“So the God of Shadows has graced us with his presence?”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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