Legendary Hero is an Academy Honors Student - Chapter 468
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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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468.
After finishing his audience with the king, Jerome walked through the royal palace corridor with leisurely steps.
Behind him followed the woman who had reported the victory to the King of Petimen.
“You seem to be in a good mood.”
“Do I appear that way?”
Jerome said while stroking his beaming face.
“Yes. You look genuinely happy. Isn’t this just a small victory for you?”
“That’s right. It’s just a small victory for me.”
While he had packaged this victory as something tremendous to the King of Petimen, from Jerome’s perspective it was nothing special.
A hero is someone who possesses the military might to change the tide of battle with just one person.
And Jerome Cadium was the guild master of Justice, a guild to which such heroes belonged.
He was the leader of great heroes who transform and guide the world.
Berin, the royal court mage of Petimen Kingdom, couldn’t understand why Jerome, who possessed such power and influence, would be happy about this small victory.
“But this victory was achieved through Petimen’s strength, not our own. Even if it’s an insignificant victory by my standards, its value to Petimen Kingdom is worth its weight in gold.”
“Ah.”
Berin clasped her hands together and let out an exclamation.
“Jerome-nim. How could you think such thoughts…”
Compared to a hero, she might be like a firefly in the night sky, but the position of royal court mage of a nation was by no means a lowly one.
She too had opportunities to meet various heroes through the Magic Association.
However, the majority of heroes she had encountered were arrogant.
But Jerome was different.
Despite being the head of Justice, he was humble and considerate of people.
He truly seemed like a hero of justice in every sense of the word.
Each and every word he spoke seemed to genuinely care for this country.
“Don’t worry, Royal Court Mage Berin.”
Jerome extended his hand with a gentle smile.
“As long as Justice is with you, Petimen Kingdom will know only victory. Trust us.”
“Yes! Jerome-nim! In the name of justice! We will defeat evil!”
Berin knelt and bowed her head while looking at Jerome, who wore a smile like that of a saint.
Her appearance was as if she were worshipping a god.
A short while later, Jerome returned to his room and spoke with an expressionless face.
“The situation?”
“It’s going smoothly, Master. The Carnel Kingdom forces are suffering near-devastating damage on each battlefield.”
“If they’re carrying Justice’s name on their backs, isn’t doing that much only natural?”
“That’s true, but they’re still hero candidates.”
“Hero candidates. That’s a nostalgic title.”
Jerome, who had been smiling broadly, changed his posture.
“But our guild’s youngsters don’t like being called that, do they? Officers.”
Jerome smiled broadly while looking at the officers sitting in one corner of the room.
“They don’t like it.”
“They hope to be called reserve heroes instead.”
“Then let’s change the title. To reserve heroes.”
Jerome burst into laughter and said.
“Actually, what does the title matter? Anyone can become a hero as long as they have the karma befitting the position of hero.”
“That karma theory of yours. How credible is it?”
One of Justice’s officers asked with a puzzled expression.
At that question, Jerome stood up from his seat with a smile.
“Only those chosen by God can have their names inscribed in the Hero Record. In other words, in some sense, they’re God’s representatives.”
Jerome spread both arms.
“People think that only those who possess power close to God’s, have noble goals, and have achieved great deeds can become heroes. That’s what ordinary people think.”
“That’s certainly true.”
“Right. But we who have already become heroes all know.”
Jerome looked at the officers and curled up the corners of his mouth.
“Weak fools who could never be considered heroes. Trash with character flaws. Even hypocrites with ugly natures become heroes.”
“That’s certainly true. Master Jerome. Since even someone like you became a hero.”
At the words of the vice guild master, Chain, Jerome smiled slightly.
“There are no qualifications for being a hero. There are only standards. And I.”
Jerome looked down at his palm.
“Became a hero on the battlefield.”
On the battlefield, the one who brings victory is truly the hero.
The process doesn’t matter.
No matter how many enemies you kill.
No matter how many allies you sacrifice.
Or how many meaningless lives you take.
Regardless of the process, only leading that war to victory is a great deed.
“Is this war some kind of experiment chamber to test that karma theory?”
One officer propped his chin and clicked his tongue.
“That’s right.”
“If we get involved in war under the guild’s name, it creates troublesome situations, so we have to disguise guild members as belonging to the kingdom. But it’s an experiment worth all that trouble, isn’t it?”
“What’s the reason for involving Lumern’s dropouts in the experiment?”
Another officer who had been listening asked.
“Guild Master, weren’t you disgusted by dropouts? You should have argued that only graduates of Hero Academy have the qualifications to be heroes?”
“My thinking has changed. In reality, there are many who have risen to the position of hero even without being Lumern graduates, right? I thought it wasn’t right to deny them. Excessive elitism doesn’t lead to anything good.”
Jerome crossed his arms.
“Besides, they’re juniors anyway, right? Giving opportunities to desperate juniors is the natural thing to do as a senior, isn’t it?”
Jerome turned around and looked outside the window.
“For my goal, I need more heroes.”
“What is your goal?”
“Didn’t I mention it? Creating a just world led by chosen heroes.”
Jerome smiled brightly.
“In that sense, we need to find the treasure room sleeping in Tamus’ Tomb, where the Knight of the Underworld lies somewhere in this land.”
The Knight of the Underworld buried countless treasures in his tomb.
Among them, the weapons and armor of his followers were also buried together.
“Tarim’s legacy will be of great help in the birth of new generation heroes. Our Justice guild will take the lead in helping Lumern with the birth of heroes.”
“Don’t you have any thoughts of creating a new Hero Academy?”
“Is there a need for that? We have Lumern, a perfect Hero Academy.”
Jerome shrugged his shoulders.
Watching such Jerome, Chain spread his palm.
“A junior from that alma mater you love so much might stand in your way, you know?”
A magic circle appeared on Chain’s forehead as he closed his eyes.
“Clairvoyance?”
The vice guild master of Justice guild.
This was Chain Ritna’s unique magic.
Jerome, who had been making a puzzled expression, was amazed when he saw the distant scenery that Chain showed him.
There, a boy with white hair and red eyes was facing off against a knight of Petimen.
Interest flickered in Jerome’s eyes.
Among those present here, there wasn’t a single person who didn’t know this boy.
An all-class like Kail, the Hero of the Beginning.
And the one who had recently helped the hero Arron, who had returned in modern times, to subjugate fragments of Erebos and obtain the position of hero.
“Leo Flobe.”
Jerome curled up the corners of his mouth.
“My heart is racing. I’ve always wanted to have a conversation with Leo Flobe.”
“Why? Because he’s famous?”
“No, because he’s chosen among the chosen.”
Jerome smiled benevolently.
“I’m curious about what sense of justice he possesses. I’d love for him to join our guild.”
“But Leo Flobe has rejected all guild recruitment offers.”
“I know.”
Jerome, who had gone to sit in his seat after Chain’s words, fell into thought.
“Leo Flobe will surely be a splendid hero. A true gem who climbed to that position on his own at such a young age without anyone’s help. But he’s still young. He hasn’t fully shined yet.”
“Do you want to polish and refine him further?”
“Yes.”
Jerome nodded.
“It wouldn’t be bad for him to learn how vast the world is at his age. Trials make heroes stronger, after all.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Jerome smiled slyly at Chain’s question.
“Leo Flobe needs baptism.”
***
That night.
Leo, guided by Baron Essimon, was led to the Carnel Kingdom Army Camp.
As students of Lumern, Leo and Lil received exceptional treatment.
“It seems like the Carnel Kingdom wants us to mediate this war.”
Lil said while chewing on the jerky that was served for dinner.
Though they were trying their best to treat Leo and Lil well, this was the middle of a battlefield.
The food served was extremely rough.
Dried jerky, hard rye bread, and warm soup.
And even wine.
‘Just having warm soup served on the battlefield at this late hour is exceptional treatment. It seems the Carnel Kingdom itself is in a difficult situation.’
“You eat well.”
Leo said, watching Lil eat her meal with discipline.
“Soldiers must eat well when they can. Hmm, this might not suit Leo’s taste though.”
Lil looked at Leo with slightly worried eyes.
It felt like looking at a young nobleman.
There wasn’t any sense of contempt.
It was just a purely concerned gaze for a junior.
In fact, it was common for Lumern students to not like this kind of food.
“I’m not particularly picky about food.”
Leo dipped his rye bread in the soup and ate while lost in thought.
“Is it okay for us to intervene in this war or report to Lumern?”
At Leo’s question, Lil sighed deeply.
Then she poured wine into a cup and drank it like water.
Even though she drank the quite strong wine like water, she showed no signs of being drunk.
It was so bold it felt tough.
-Wow, she’s like a real man.
Kirran admired in a voice only Leo could hear.
“We probably won’t have room to intervene.”
“Why not?”
“It’s probably true that the Justice Guild is operating covertly in the northeastern regional war. I heard about it from my family during summer vacation too.”
Lil sighed deeply.
“Just as Lumern students shouldn’t carelessly intervene in other countries’ wars, guilds also shouldn’t intervene in wars. But even if we have suspicions, it’ll be hard to find concrete evidence.”
“Hmm.”
“Moreover, from our perspective, Justice is not an enemy but an ally.”
Lil frowned.
“I don’t know what they’re aiming for by being active in this northeast region, but they won’t do anything harmful to our allies. So it’s also difficult to investigate the Justice Guild carelessly.”
“You seem to be in a bad mood.”
“Of course! Leo! I hate politics! And this is the realm of politics!”
Lil frowned deeply, which was rare to see.
For the upright and honest Lil, politics would be an unwelcome element.
It was natural in a way, since politics made it difficult to call wrong things wrong.
‘I also dislike it because it’s a headache-inducing field. Politics is Risinass and Dweno’s area of expertise.’
“What do you think Justice is aiming for?”
“I don’t know either. Justice’s guild master is someone whose intentions are impossible to read.”
“What kind of person is he?”
“Jerome Cadium. He’s one of three heroes considered to carry the era following Sword Saint Kalian.”
“There are three candidates to succeed our former principal?”
“Leo, you don’t read newspapers much, do you?”
“No.”
Seeing Leo look at her with a dumbfounded expression, Lil smiled incredulously and drank her wine.
“He’s a hero with the alias Light Seeker. He’s a fair and saint-like man whose goal is to establish justice.”
“Justice?”
“Yes. He’s someone whose life goal is justice. He’s famous for not caring about means and methods when it comes to punishing evil for the sake of justice.”
At those words, Leo narrowed his eyes.
“Somehow I feel like there’s going to be something really fishy about him.”
“Why?”
“I’ve never seen a proper human being among those who shout about justice.”
“I certainly don’t like him as a hero either. He might be popular with the public, but… there are definitely inhumane aspects among the achievements he’s built. Though they’ve all been forgiven under the name of justice.”
Lil let out a deep sigh and drank her wine.
Now she wasn’t even pouring it into a cup but drinking straight from the bottle.
‘She doesn’t have bad drinking habits, does she? At least she looks fine on the outside.’
Of course, she looked fine on the outside, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t drunk.
If someone drinks and does things they wouldn’t normally do, that means they’re drunk.
Leo, who had been watching Lil for a moment, looked up at the tent ceiling.
Lil, who had been drinking, also stopped her movements abruptly and removed the bottle from her mouth.
Leo stood up and clicked his tongue.
Kwaaaaang-!
Then a massive explosion occurred.
“Wh-what?”
“Enemy attack! Enemy attack!”
The Carnel Kingdom army fell into panic at the sudden explosion.
“Lord Leo! Lord Lil!”
It was when Baron Essimon, who had run over seeing the tent where Leo and Lil were staying catch fire, urgently called for the two.
Whoooosh-!
The flames distorted and gathered in one place.
The flames gathered in Lil’s hand that wasn’t holding the wine bottle.
Lil looked up at the sky and said.
“An excellent ambush. I didn’t notice at all.”
“Indeed. Worthy of Lumern’s Student Council President and 3rd year representative. We couldn’t deal even a little damage.”
A robed mage in the air admired.
Around him were four more people.
“Who are you guys?”
The mage who had attacked answered Leo’s question.
“We are executors.”
“Executors?”
“That’s right.”
The mage raised his magical power.
“We came to execute justice.”
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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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