Legendary Hero is an Academy Honors Student - Chapter 576
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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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576.
After the opening match ended, the spectators who had watched the Festival of Heroes were caught up in a frenzy of excitement.
“Who would have thought I’d live to see a Phoenix!”
“It was amazing… but it was also terrifying.”
“Phew! It was so intense I almost thought it was a demonic beast!”
“Hey! You there! Calling a sacred divine beast a demonic beast! Do you want to be punished by the gods!”
The spectators from outside were chattering excitedly.
Among them, what stood out the most was an enormous group of boys and girls.
“The way he blew away that Lava Golem in one strike was amazing even now!”
“If I enroll next year, I’ll become his junior, right?”
“He looks so small and cute, but to have that level of strength… Haah~”
Leading what appeared to be about 1,000 boys and girls were Artion, the professor in charge of Lumern’s Summoning Department 1st years, and the associate professors.
“E-everyone. Please don’t cluster together and move in formation~”
“I heard Luke Elda is from a commoner background. How impressive.”
“Aina could probably do that much too, right?”
“Same with Havedon. He just stepped up first, that’s all.”
Artion spoke to the children in a timid voice, almost pleading.
But those who appeared to be nobles weren’t listening and were busy saying what they wanted to say.
“What does it matter if you’re noble or commoner at Lumern? Ability is everything!”
Then one girl stepped forward indignantly.
“What? A commoner. Are you talking back to me, a noble, right now?”
“Hmph. I can tell you’re from the west just by how you lead with authority. This is why people from the Rodren Empire’s sphere of influence are no good.”
“Huh? Are you, a mere commoner, disparaging the Rodren Empire right now? Don’t you know that Lumern’s student council president is Leo, a direct descendant of the Jerdinger family?”
“Ridiculous. So what? Are you Leo Flobe himself?”
“Grk!”
“Hey hey, calm down.”
“That guy. He’s the heir to the Rolla Trading Company.”
“What?”
Rolla Trading Company.
A massive trading company based in the Southern Continent.
Not only did they control all the trade routes that humans traveled in the Southern Continent, but they were also a powerful family that wielded influence across the entire continent based on that power.
Though they were a commoner family, their influence was so tremendous that even royal families of small nations would bow and scrape to them.
The intimidated Rodren noble boy soon flared up.
“Even so, you’re just a rich commoner! Who among the famous students at Lumern right now is a commoner!”
“There’s Luke Elda, the 1st year representative! And there’s also Cal Thomas, the acting student council president!”
This time another commoner boy flared up and shouted.
“Hmph, isn’t Cal Thomas a parachute appointment? His grades are terrible too…! Kuhek-!”
Thwack-!
The sneering Rodren noble student was kicked in the side by someone and went flying.
“These brats… Did you drive stakes into your ears? You don’t listen when I speak nicely?”
At Artion’s ominous voice, the children felt goosebumps rise all over their bodies.
“Wh-what…”
“Listen when I’m talking! You arrogant little chicks!”
“Kyaaaah!”
“S-save me… Kuhek!”
Artion’s fury poured down on those who hadn’t followed orders and were chattering as they pleased.
“What are those guys doing getting beaten up by Professor Artion?”
When Iliana, who was sitting by the window in the classroom building watching the scene, tilted her head in confusion, Cal explained.
“They’re examinees.”
“Examinees? What examinees?”
“While preparing for this Festival of Heroes, we also prepared entrance exams for next year. Those are the final examinees who passed up to the third round in that process.”
“Why didn’t I know anything about this? Did you know?”
“I didn’t know either?”
“You were preparing entrance exams for new students while preparing for the Festival of Heroes?”
The 2nd years looked surprised.
“It’s understandable you didn’t know. You were all busy preparing for the Festival of Heroes, right? Leo and I prepared the entrance exams together with Senior Elena and the professors.”
‘Of course, the Dragons helped too.’
Cal recalled the Wisdom students that Leo had brought.
Cal knew Leo’s true identity.
So no matter what he did, Cal wasn’t surprised.
But when Elena saw Leo bringing Wisdom students as labor force, her reaction was calm.
‘Wow~ The Festival of Heroes preparations were incredibly difficult, but now I can breathe a little easier. Please take care of us, Dragons.’
She was just purely happy that new labor force had arrived.
‘Heh. So you’re Elena Jeron? Nice to meet you. I’m called Riden. If you have any difficult tasks, just say the word. As a guide, I’ll help you all.’
The Dragon called Riden spoke with a slightly arrogant expression.
And then…
‘Cal! You tell that Witch! Tell her to stop creating more work! How does the work keep increasing the more we work!’
Not long after, Riden and the Wisdom Dragons were clinging to Cal’s pants and pleading.
Of course, Cal himself felt like crying too.
Elena’s truly frightening aspect wasn’t forcing people to work or squeezing them to the limit.
It was her initiative to start new projects as soon as she had spare capacity.
Cal shuddered as he recalled Elena, who had smiled and said ‘Now we can hold entrance exams during the Festival of Heroes too’ with delight upon seeing the Wisdom students.
“Senior Elena really seems to have amazing abilities. I’d definitely like to learn from her in that regard.”
“No, Nella.”
“Huh?”
“Listen carefully, Nella.”
Cal placed his hands on Nella’s shoulders and brought his face close.
“That woman is a Witch. You must never learn from her.”
Seeing Cal speak in a voice filled with terror, the students fell silent.
“Leo! You say something too.”
“Well, I thought she was rather cute.”
When Leo, who was sitting by the window, smiled and spoke, the surrounding 2nd years clicked their tongues.
“Wow, Leo is really Leo.”
“How can he look at Senior Elena and call her cute?”
“Class President, are you treating Senior Elena like a little kid too?”
Leo shrugged at the reactions around him.
In fact, for Leo who had been tormented by Risinass, who was far more vicious than Elena, Elena was at a cute level.
“Anyway! That Witch must never be emulated…”
Cal, who had been speaking seriously, realized that all his friends were looking behind him and fell silent.
Cold sweat ran down his back.
“…Is she behind me?”
When Nella nodded at that question, a small, pretty hand landed on Cal’s shoulder with a tap.
“Cal. What were you talking about so enthusiastically? Could it be gossip about me?”
It was a gentle touch and a beautiful voice that pleased the ears, but Cal unconsciously collapsed upon hearing those words.
And when he turned around with trembling eyes, he saw Lumern’s queen looking down at him with pink eyes.
“F-forgive me…”
“It’s okay, you can gossip about your senior.”
Elena smiled brightly and patted Cal’s head.
“But I’m canceling what I said about letting you rest after the Festival of Heroes ends.”
“N-no way!”
Cal despaired with a face that had turned pale white.
Leaving Cal behind, Elena walked toward the classroom entrance with a slight smile.
Seeing this, Leo stood up from his seat.
“Well then, everyone prepare well.”
Leaving those words behind, Leo exited the classroom.
Elena, who had been waiting at the classroom door, followed behind Leo.
“Looking at them like that, Senior Elena seems like a secretary.”
“They’re the Student Council President and Vice President. It’s originally a similar relationship.”
“How should I put it, when I look at Leo these days, he really doesn’t seem like he’s in the same grade as us. I can feel his experience.”
The students whispered among themselves as they watched.
“It feels like the Class President has gone far away.”
Iliana muttered while drooping her shoulders.
The 2nd year students had recently been feeling an increasing distance from Leo.
It wasn’t just the other 2nd year students.
The tower students were also feeling anxious about the growing distance from Leo.
Chloe gripped the magic book she was reading tightly, and Selia firmly grasped the sword at her waist.
Duran clicked his tongue, and Woreden, who had been sitting with his arms crossed and eyes closed, let out a small breath unlike himself.
Watching this, Chen Xia muttered to herself.
‘Everyone is feeling the distance from Young Master Leo.’
It couldn’t be helped.
Leo and they were fundamentally different.
The years they had lived and the experiences they had gone through were different.
They couldn’t be placed on the same level from the beginning.
But while Chen Xia knew this fact, the others did not.
Chelsea, who knew Leo’s identity, spoke with confusion.
“Why is everyone so dejected?”
“I don’t want to show weakness, but Chelsea. When I look at Leo, honestly… it makes me despair?”
Avad gave a bitter smile while patting his sister’s head.
“Why are you like this too, brother! Hey! Selia! Don’t make that expression like a campfire caught in the rain!”
“…That’s quite an interesting metaphor.”
Selia frowned and glared at Chelsea slightly, but the usual fiery reaction didn’t occur.
Seeing this, Chelsea stamped her feet.
Chelsea knew.
That Leo wanted companions who wouldn’t give up and would stand with him on the final battlefield.
And that they were the candidates for that.
That’s why Leo had been subtly encouraging the growth of those around him.
But they couldn’t receive Leo’s help forever.
‘What should I do.’
Chelsea bit her lips tightly.
‘I promised Lord Arron.’
That I would be of help to Leo.
That I would support Leo.
I can’t do it alone.
Seeing Chelsea at a loss, Eliza sneered.
“How strange, Chelsea Rwallin. What are you so anxious about?”
“The person who gets training from Leo at dawn because of anxiety, where does she live again?”
“Kyaaaaaaah?!”
Eliza was startled to see Cal, who had somehow approached behind her and whispered.
Then she gritted her teeth and strangled Cal’s neck with her whip while speaking quietly.
“Didn’t I tell you not to spread that around?”
“That’s, that’s why I said it quietly… Gah! S-save me…”
Eliza released Cal and fumed with a reddened face.
“Miss Eliza, even if he startled you, this is a bit too much. Look, there are marks left.”
When Chen Xia spoke reproachfully, Eliza hesitated, clicked her tongue with a ‘tch’, then took out a small container from her pocket and threw it to Cal.
“I was too harsh. It’s an ointment I use that’s good for wounds. Apply it.”
“…”
“…”
Chen Xia and Cal stared blankly at Eliza.
“What?”
“Miss Eliza admitted she did something too harsh and gave medicine that’s good for wounds?”
“Are you perhaps dying from some disease?”
Eliza’s hands trembled, then she frantically swung her whip at Cal.
“Why only me?!”
“Chen Xia won’t get hit anyway!”
After a commotion, Cal applied ointment to his body and said.
“Why are you all acting unlike yourselves? Has Leo feeling like a wall been just a day or two?”
“Hmph. You speak so easily since it’s not your problem.”
Eliza sneered coldly.
“You can comfortably giggle with Leo Flobe because you’re originally a failing student who survives by the skin of your teeth every time, right? Do you even understand how we feel?”
Eliza, who had spoken more sharply than usual due to momentary emotion, made an ‘oops’ expression.
Seeing such Eliza, Cal smiled slightly.
“Right, it’s not my problem.”
Cal shrugged his shoulders and said.
“Anyway, I’m indeed a candidate for failure who wouldn’t be strange to tumble out of this race anytime.”
“No. So what I meant was…”
“Well, I could never become a hero or anything.”
Cal shrugged his shoulders.
“Still, it’s not that I don’t try. I’ve been struggling somehow to survive. And on one hand, I’ve also gained courage from watching you all challenge Leo without giving up.”
“…”
Eliza unconsciously closed her mouth.
“The other guys are probably similar to me. Just like you chase after Leo. The other kids are also chasing after you. As long as you don’t give up chasing Leo, the other guys won’t give up either.”
Just as Leo leads them.
They too had been leading those around them.
“So don’t show weakness. I’ll continue to steadily cheer for you all from now on too.”
Leaving those words, Cal clenched his fist tightly and left the classroom.
“Where are you going?”
To Chelsea’s question, Cal shrugged his shoulders more exaggeratedly than usual.
“Bathroom.”
Creak- Clack-!
As Cal left the classroom, everyone looked at Eliza.
“I, I mean…”
“That was harsh. Miss Eliza.”
When Chen Xia spoke reproachfully, Eliza bit her lips tightly and left the classroom.
Seeing this, Chelsea tilted her head.
“Where is she going?”
“She probably went to apologize to Cal.”
“That bundle of pride?”
“Even if her pride is strong, Miss Eliza is kind. It’s a bit unfortunate that she’s not honest… but that’s also cute.”
“Xia, your range of tolerance for calling someone kind seems a bit broad.”
“Of course~ I say Chelsea is kind too, don’t I?”
“What does that mean!”
“Good boy~ Such a good boy~”
“Don’t treat me like a child!”
Watching Chelsea bristle with indignation, Chen Xia burst into giggles.
***
Swoooosh-! Squeak-
Cal, who had washed his face at the sink, turned off the water and let out a self-deprecating laugh.
“What’s wrong with you, Cal? Just let it go like you always do.”
Cal spoke to himself in the mirror and took a deep breath.
“Guess I still have lingering regrets. You fool. What you’ve accomplished is already amazing enough. Originally, it wouldn’t have been strange if you’d failed the midterms in your first semester as a freshman, but you managed to complete your second year, right? Know your place. Okay? Let’s not foolishly cling to pointless regrets.”
Cal was shaking his hands dry while muttering to himself when it happened.
“How fascinating.”
“Gah?!”
Cal jumped in shock at the voice that came from behind without any sign of presence.
“G-God?!”
“Truly mysterious.”
Rian, holding a bag of snacks sold on the street, crunched on the treats inside while looking up at Cal and said.
“In the entire history of Lumern Academy, you’re probably the first student who doesn’t resemble Lumern in the slightest, Cal Thomas.”
“Haha.”
Cal laughed awkwardly.
Watching Cal like this, Rian licked the cookie crumbs off his palm with his tongue and said.
“But what’s truly fascinating is.”
Rian grinned wickedly.
Seeing those eyes, Cal felt goosebumps rise all over his body.
They were literally the eyes of an absolute being looking down from an unfathomable height.
“You possess something that Lumern never had.”
“Pardon?”
“Two things, in fact.”
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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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