Legendary Hero is an Academy Honors Student - Chapter 565
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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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565.
“Leo Flobe?”
“Yeah.”
“But Leo Flobe is just a student like you, isn’t he? Of course, he did become a Hero before you. How does someone equal to you have the qualifications to evaluate your potential?”
“He’s more than qualified. And who said we were equal?”
From the moment she first saw him, Ar had felt a strong competitive spirit toward Leo.
The fighting spirit that desires to battle the strong is an extremely natural instinct for beastmen.
Ar had only seen one beastman in her entire life who didn’t possess such an instinct.
‘It’s ironic that it was Lord Arron.’
Arron, the strongest warrior revered by all beastmen.
He was unbelievably cowardly, but that’s precisely why he possessed greater courage than anyone else—Ar’s admiration.
Ar recalled another object of her admiration.
‘My heart races when I think of the Black Rabbit.’
It was a strange emotion, similar to what she felt when thinking of Arron, yet slightly different.
She still harbored strong competitive feelings toward Leo.
But she didn’t think of him as a rival.
‘At first, I definitely felt that way.’
But Ar wasn’t a fool.
She already sensed the gap between herself and Leo.
If she viewed Leo as an opponent to overcome, Ar would never be able to move forward.
‘What I need to overcome is her.’
Ar glanced sideways at the red-haired elf beside her.
Runia El Runda.
The rival Ar needed to overcome.
For Ar, Leo wasn’t a competitor.
He was a goal.
‘A goal to catch up to as a Hero… and as a strong warrior. Yes, just like…’
Someone’s back appeared in Ar’s mind.
That reliable silhouette that made her heart tremble and gave her courage just by looking at it.
‘Lord Arron.’
She didn’t know why.
But Ar’s intuition was telling her.
‘At least for me, the Black Rabbit is equal to Lord Arron.’
Someday, the moment would come when they could stand shoulder to shoulder.
Until then, and even when that time came, Leo would be the only leader Ar would acknowledge for her entire life.
Riden was surprised by Ar’s words.
‘Just what kind of person is Leo Flobe?’
From his perspective, Runia and Ar were special.
Runia had obtained the epithet [One Who Chases the Starry Skies] and risen to the position of successor to the Progenitor of the Starry Skies.
‘Ar Tune is the same. Though she hasn’t received a title as a Hero yet… she inherited the Braver from the Hero who descended to this world recently.’
She would surely receive a title proving her status as the Hero’s successor in the near future.
‘For such people to acknowledge Leo Flobe as their leader.’
Riden’s eyes lit up with surprise.
“I really want to meet Leo Flobe!”
“What do you plan to do when you meet him?”
“I want to become his guide.”
“What?”
“Of course, my desire to become your guide remains unchanged.”
Riden smiled gently.
“Throughout history, great Heroes who accomplished great deeds have had Dragons as their partners by their sides. Of course, I might be lacking right now. But I’ll do my best to become a worthy partner for you all in the future.”
Runia looked incredulous at those words.
‘He wants to become Leo’s guide?’
Not even Mellina, the current Dragon Lord, nor even Rodia, the Dragon of Cataclysm, could become his guide.
Leo’s guide was Risinass, the King of Wisdom.
But what?
‘What expression would Leo make if he heard this?’
“He seems like a troublesome guy. What should we do?”
Ar whispered quietly into Runia’s ear.
“He says his wish is to meet Leo, so let’s let him meet him.”
Runia made an indifferent expression.
“Once he meets him, he’ll back off on his own.”
***
The Dragon Lord’s audience hall.
Mellina was looking up at the beautiful black dragon painted on the ceiling.
The pride and glory of all Dragons in this world.
The great Dragon Hero, Risinass, the King of Wisdom.
Mellina closed her eyes and clasped her hands in prayer.
‘Great King of Wisdom. Your dear friend, the Hero of the Beginning who saved the world alongside you, is about to walk a difficult path once again. Please watch over his journey as his guide. And please give this inadequate me the strength to be of even a little help on the path he walks.’
Mellina herself knew that such prayers were meaningless.
No amount of praying could reach the already dead Risinass.
Even if it could reach him, she couldn’t gain any power from it.
This was simply a prayer she’d been offering for 100 years to steel herself.
Mellina’s hands trembled slightly as she thought about what was to come.
‘Soon, a great battle for the world’s survival will begin. And in that battle, a death struggle with Erebos will be unavoidable.’
Mellina unconsciously bit her lips hard.
100 years ago, Mellina had challenged the final stage of the World of Cataclysm with the Heroes she had chosen, and the result was tragic.
Only one person returned alive.
Even he passed away not long after.
Those who died during the final stage conquest couldn’t even leave proper last words.
It was truly a miracle that Mellina alone was able to return in perfect condition.
‘I’m sorry, Mellina. We’re leaving you with a great burden because of our inadequacy. But… I believe in you, that you’ll challenge it again. That you’ll defeat that great evil.’
Those were the last words of Ludvi, the Elf Magic Swordsman who had survived with her.
Mellina clenched her hands.
‘Ludvi, Hallok, Demen, Tiel… you weren’t inadequate. The one who was inadequate was foolish me.’
The Elf Magic Swordsman and the Dwarf Warrior.
The Beastman Mage.
And the Human Spirit Mage.
100 years ago, they were Heroes who dominated their era and were among the greatest Heroes after the return of calamity.
However, they had to close their eyes without fully blooming their potential.
‘Because of me…’
From childhood, Mellina had been special.
She was so talented that she was called the reincarnation of Rodia, the Dragon of Cataclysm.
But that talent made Mellina arrogant, and it ultimately resulted in the tragic loss of all her most precious friends.
Becoming cautious enough to be called the Silent Dragon was also because of that incident.
Silent Dragon wasn’t Mellina’s original epithet.
It was closer to a derogatory term for Mellina, who had done nothing for 100 years despite ascending to the position of Lord.
To avoid creating the same situation as her friends who had to bury their potential due to her arrogance, Mellina willingly accepted that derogatory term.
The crushing defeat from 100 years ago still remained in Mellina’s memory, reminding her of her fear of Erebos.
In the recent battle against the third fragment of the resurrected Erebos, they had succeeded in defeating it, but that wasn’t her doing.
‘I merely relied on Lord Leo and Lord Arron.’
Erebos was still a terror that made Mellina tremble.
‘But I can’t remain trapped by failure forever.’
Gripping her trembling hands, Mellina gritted her teeth.
‘It’s a promise to everyone.’
If only to apologize to the friends who were driven to death because of her.
‘I must dedicate everything I have to defeat Erebos.’
Knock knock-
A small knocking sound broke Mellina from her thoughts.
Mellina, who instantly returned to her Lord form, sat in the audience hall.
“Please come in.”
The one who opened the door and entered was a girl with golden hair and golden eyes, Enkiniass.
She was Mellina’s successor and also the dragon who had been assisting Leo since summer vacation.
This time, she had temporarily returned when Leo came to Dragonnia.
“En, what brings you here at this hour?”
Looking at the gently smiling Mellina, En bowed her head and spoke.
“It seems the students from Wisdom have made contact with the Hero candidates who visited Dragonnia this time.”
Wisdom.
After the end of the Age of Calamity.
It was an educational institution created by the Dragons to carry on the will of the King of Wisdom, Risinass.
Just as most of the countless heroes who left their names in the world were graduates of the Hero Academy, the dragons who led those heroes to great achievements were all from Wisdom.
That great Cataclysmic Dragon, and of course Mellina, had also learned at Wisdom.
“It would be a good opportunity for the Wisdom students. Meeting Hero candidates while still students isn’t an easy thing to do.”
Guides select heroes and lead them to great achievements.
Partners who assist heroes and show them the way.
As such, meeting Hero candidates would surely be good study for the Wisdom students.
Mellina, who had been smiling gently, noticed the worry on Enkiniass’s face and tilted her head.
“Is there something you’re worried about?”
“Ah, yes. The Wisdom students who went to meet the Hero candidates this time are extremely excellent students. However, as excellent as they are, they have strong pride and are still emotionally immature in many ways.”
“Ah. I understand what you’re worried about.”
Dragons are the strongest race.
As such, they had strong pride in their race.
‘To put it nicely, they have high self-esteem, and to put it badly, they’re arrogant. Just like I was.’
“En used to be like that too, didn’t you?”
Looking at the giggling Mellina, Enkiniass blushed.
“It’s a memory I’d like to forget.”
“It’s okay. I was like that too. Children are naturally immature, and everyone has at least one memory they’d like to forget.”
“I can’t imagine it.”
“Everyone says that. All dragons who don’t know the world are arrogant. But that also means they become humble once they know the world.”
Mellina knew.
That humility was the greatest virtue Risinass possessed.
“During the age of the Gods, dragons were… even more noble and dignified beings than now.”
The honor of being God’s representatives.
That made the dragon race arrogant.
During the age of the Gods, there were times when nations perished just for the reason of insulting a dragon.
“We back then were beyond arrogant to being insolent. We took it for granted to rule over other races. We were definitely twisted somewhere.”
Even among such dragons, Risinass was special.
In a world that mocked him as a fool, Risinass humbled himself and continued to speak of hope.
Even to the Hero of the Beginning who laughed at and despised him, he never lost his smile and reached out his hand until the end.
That virtue saved the world.
“A guide isn’t simply a being who leads heroes.”
Mellina spoke firmly.
“Certainly, there are times when guides stand before heroes and give commands.”
Just as the King of Wisdom Risinass and the Cataclysmic Dragon Rodia were leaders of the Great Hero and the Heroes of the Cataclysm.
“But they shouldn’t always be in high places. They must know how to serve heroes from the lowest place, sometimes lead from the front, and follow from behind. And they must support heroes so they don’t fall.”
“That sounds very difficult.”
“Right, it’s very difficult and hard work. But remember. Even during the age of the Gods, our ancestors merely ruled as guardians, which brought about the world’s crisis.”
They regarded only themselves as the strongest race and didn’t believe in the potential of other races.
They just ruled and gave commands.
Facing the Age of Calamity was certainly the fault of the entire world.
All races walked the path of self-destruction, unable to harmonize and resolve internal conflicts.
“Lord Risinass said that our race being born with strong power is because we have work to do for the world.”
Risinass made that the pride and belief of the race.
‘Because such a Risinass existed, I didn’t give up until the very end.’
Recalling what Leo had said before, Mellina smiled faintly.
“Remember this. That’s what a leader is.”
“Yes. But still, should we just leave the Wisdom students to be rude to Lord Leo?”
“It will be a good experience for those children. Though they might face some rough treatment.”
Enkiniass, who learned of Leo’s identity through Mellina, sighed and changed the subject.
“By the way, it’s strange.”
“Hm?”
“Lord Risinass commanded, served, led, followed, and supported Lord Kail?”
“Yes. Lord Kail probably treated Lord Risinass the same way.”
“An ideal relationship of trust… it’s like a married couple.”
“I’ve never thought of it that way, but you’re certainly right. Of course, that would never have happened.”
When Mellina made a slightly regretful expression, Enkiniass nodded as well.
“Lord Kail has Lady Luna.”
The heroic tales of the Great Heroes are the most famous and popular stories in the world.
That’s why even thousands of years later, fairy tale books and novels related to the Great Hero continue to pour out.
Popular across all times and places, regardless of race.
And the story the world has been paying the most attention to recently was the story about the relationship between Kail and Luna.
The great incident where the Progenitor of the Starry Skies, who appeared in the present world, shouted that she liked Kail while countless people watched.
Thanks to that unprecedented shocking declaration in history, novels involving Kail and Luna continue to pour out even now.
“Lord Risinass and Lord Kail. I thought those two also suited each other very well. But since he’s in a romantic relationship with Lady Luna…”
“Have you ever asked about that?”
“I couldn’t ask because it seemed like it would be difficult for him.”
Mellina smiled bitterly.
The world now regarded their relationship as a romantic one as an established fact.
Since someone as significant as the Progenitor of the Starry Skies Luna had descended to the present world and boldly declared it, it was natural in a way.
Mellina, who had never heard Leo talk about either Risinass or Luna, thought so too.
“Could you ask about Lady Luna next time?”
Looking at Enkiniass who asked with sparkling eyes and an excited face, Mel pondered and then nodded.
“I’ll ask carefully. For now, shall we go meet the Wisdom students?”
“You said meeting Hero candidates would be a good experience. Are you planning to mediate?”
“Yes. Good experiences are fine, but they shouldn’t become trauma.”
“Ah.”
Enkiniass nodded and followed behind Mellina.
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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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