Chapter 134
The first day of the first-years’ mission practice.
There were no classes taking place during the week of mission practice.
Therefore, students who finished their mission training early were able to return to school and have free time to relax.
Students who were doing their mission practice alongside seniors started the mission practice a little later.
In front of the Warp Gate, a group of first-years leaving for their mission practice were talking.
“I guess you’re the only one going to the Garan province.”
“Looks like it…”
“I know you’ll do well, but… Still, why did you choose mission training that doesn’t even offer a lot of class points?”
Celia looked puzzled.
Then she waved, as it was her turn to leave.
“Anyway, I’ll see you after the mission practice.”
“Have a safe trip. Be careful.”
“Who do you think I am? Don’t worry.”
Celia, who smiled and swept her hair confidently as always, went up to the Warp Gate.
One by one, students climbed through the Warp Gate.
Leo was the last to arrive at the Warp Gate.
Flash!
The view around him changed with a bright light.
Arriving at the Warp Gate in the Garan province, Leo looked around inside the empty gate.
No matter how many times he did it, Warp Gates were always impressive sights to see.
However, since the Garan province itself was an underdeveloped area, even the Warp Gate seemed to have been poorly maintained.
“Who on earth is using the Warp Gate here?”
An old sorcerer, recognizing Leo’s outfit, looked puzzled and exclaimed.
“Huh! Could it be? Are you a Lumene student?”
“Yes, sir.”
“What’s a great hero candidate like you doing in this countryside?”
Leo laughed at the old sorcerer’s wonder.
“I’m here to take a request from the Garan province.”
“A request? Ah! You mean those bandits!”
The old sorcerer’s face lit up.
“That’s so wonderful to hear! The people here have been really suffering because of them!”
The Garan province, located between the western and southern continents, was ruled by a lord who belonged to no kingdom, acting as a neutral region.
The lord of the Garan province claimed to be a king, but in reality, they served more like a lesser lord.
Because of this situation, even if large-scale banditry occurred, it couldn’t be dealt with on a national level.
Leo clicked his tongue at the old sorcerer’s reaction.
‘These bandits seem to be more rampant than I thought.’
The main purpose of him coming to the Garan province was to investigate the old castle site of Godthron, but that didn’t mean Leo intended to handle the request lazily.
‘I’ll just deal with the bandits.’
Leo hated bandits deeply.
In his past life, some people tried to save others amidst the world’s collapse, while others trampled on others for their own gain.
To Leo, a bandit was that second kind of person.
The old sorcerer gave Leo detailed directions to the lord’s castle.
With his hospitality, Leo left the Warp Gate.
As he stepped out, the cityscape unfolded before him.
As he had expected, the city felt very backward for its countryside location.
“In the past, this whole area used to be a guard post,” Leo murmured to himself, observing the cityscape.
The city was unimaginably large, being Godthron, once known as the last line of defense.
As Leo headed to the lord’s castle, he drew attention from those around him.
Outsiders were rare, so everyone looked at Leo curiously.
When he arrived in front of the lord’s castle, the gatekeepers regarded him with suspicion.
“Who are you? I’ve never seen you before.”
“You’re a stranger. What’s your business in the lord’s castle?”
“I’m here to meet the lord.”
Hearing this, the gatekeepers exchanged glances and burst into laughter.
“Why would an outsider want to see the lord?”
“Do you think the lord is someone you can see just like that?”
In response to their reaction, Leo pulled the request from his pocket.
“I came here after receiving a request to subdue the bandits.”
“Subdue who? Ha! What kind of kid is this?”
“What is this piece of paper? A bandit sweep…”
The gatekeepers’ faces, which had previously been mocking, began to pale.
Their bodies trembled as they read the words written on the request sheet.
“L-Lumene Academy?”
“He’s a hero candidate?”
As they looked between the request letter and Leo, wide-eyed, Leo said, “Will you please call the lord for me?”
“P-please wait one moment!”
A gatekeeper scrambled inside.
The remaining gatekeeper said with a white face, “I-I apologize for the disrespect! We didn’t know you were a Lumene student!”
Leo spoke calmly. “You don’t need to apologize so much. It’s understandable you didn’t know. But don’t judge people by their appearance in the future.”
In the meantime, a man who seemed to be a servant ran in a hurry.
“Please send in the great hero candidate!”
Leo sighed inwardly at their overreaction.
‘The title of Lumene student must be really impressive.’
He had never experienced the status of the title of “Lumene student” first hand since everyone around him shared that title or something of a similar caliber.
But traveling alone for his mission practice made it clear.
Leo headed to the lord’s office, guided politely by the servant.
“Oh, for a great Lumene hero candidate to have come to such a humble place! It’s an honor!”
The skinny lord rubbed his hands together and kept bowing to Leo.
“Please, sir, sit here.”
The lord pointed to the guest sofa by the window of his office.
Having gestured to him to sit there, the lord quickly took a seat in front of him and said, “Aren’t you tired from the long journey? If so, please feel free to relax…”
“No. That’s not necessary. Just tell me where the bandits are.”
The Lord of Garan hesitated at Leo’s words.
Then he rang the servant bell.
The servant hurriedly brought a map and spread it on the table.
The familiar terrain unfolded at a glance.
The once-great city may have vanished, but the terrain remained unchanged.
“The bandits have settled in an ancient castle site.”
“An ancient castle site?”
“Yes. I don’t know which era it dates back to, but at the eastern end of the Garan province, there are the remains of a castle. Well, you could almost call it a ruin now.”
The lord pointed to the location at the edge of the map.
Leo, staring at the spot, felt a surge of recognition.
‘This is where the Godthron’s defense line was.’
A defense line built to ward off Tartaros’ army.
Kyle and Lysinas had been outside this wall, as it was the area where Kyle stayed most in the past.
While Leo was focused on the map, a commotion erupted.
“My lord! There is trouble!”
“What’s going on? We have an important guest!”
“There is a visitor here!”
“Another visitor? Who?”
‘Who’s more important than a student of Lumene?’
The servant, storming into the office, faced a bewildered lord.
“S-students from Seiren are asking to see the lord!”
At that moment, the lord struggled to understand the servant’s words.
‘Students from Seiren? The Elven Hero Academy? No. Why would students from Seiren come to this countryside? What on earth are Seiren students doing here?’
He pondered, but couldn’t think of any reason other than the Elf Hero Academy.
Leo stood and glanced out the window of the office next to the sofa.
“It’s really Seiren.”
“What?”
The lord looked out the window, perplexed.
When he saw five elves at the entrance of the manor, he made a stunned expression.
“W-why are they here?”
“Well, there must be a reason. Lord, go and receive your guests,” Leo said with a smirk, tucking the map back into his arms.
“I have a rough idea of where the bandits are. I’ll go deal with them.”
There was no need to linger in the lord’s castle.
Leo came to the province to explore the ruins of Godthron.
This province had once been the base city for Leo and Lysinas, and it was a place where the old heroes had lived and breathed.
He came with the small hope of finding something related to that time.
His mission practice had to be completed within a week, so Leo wanted to finish the task quickly to spend the rest of his time locating the remains of Godthron.
The lord looked perplexed at Leo’s words.
The lord wanted to make a good impression on Leo, the hero candidate.
But he couldn’t help feeling embarrassed when Leo cut straight to the point.
‘So this boy doesn’t intend to stay here any longer! Hmm!’
The lord rolled his eyes.
‘It might be better to cut my losses and make a good impression on the Seiren students.’
Though they were of a different race, they were still sent by a hero academy.
Building his network with them could be beneficial.
“Okay! Then please take care of the bandits!”
‘This lord sure is quick to change his interests.’
Leo burst out laughing.
‘What, like it’s more fun to hang out than get work done?’
With that, Leo left the office.
“Prepare to welcome the Seiren students! Hurry up!”
He left behind the bustling noise and headed to the entrance of the manor.
The gatekeeper, who had previously apologized to Leo, was now even more flustered with the sudden appearance of the Seiren students.
In such a remote area, even ordinary elves were rare, let alone Seiren students.
Elves generally avoided human realms, and the city’s people were excited about their arrival.
When Leo stepped out of the castle.
“Oh?”
There was an exclamation from the Seiren students.
Leo turned his head and, upon seeing a familiar face, made a similar expression.
“Leo?”
“Lunia?”
The Lumene and Seiren freshman representatives both looked a bit surprised.
The other Seiren students also focused on Leo in response to Lunia’s reaction.
“A Lumene student?”
“Miss Lunia, weren’t you just talking about Leo?”
Leo Plov.
Though not publicly announced yet, he was known among Seiren students as the master of the Sorcery of the Stars.
He was famous for completing the sorcery of blossoming flowers.
Haddin’s cold eyes turned to Leo.
“Is this human being Leo Plov?”
Lunia smiled and asked Leo. “What are you doing here?”
Leo made a puzzled expression while looking at Lunia.
Then he glanced at Lunia’s group.
None of them apart from her appeared to be first-years.
‘I guess they’re in a tough spot.’
Leo smiled at Lunia.
“Just be yourself.”
“I don’t understand, Leo.”
“If you try to suppress your personality, you’ll get sick.”
A vein momentarily appeared on Lunia’s forehead as she watched Leo tease her.
“Ho ho ho—Leo. I’ve thought about it before, but you have a mischievous side to you.”
‘Oh, you lucky bastard! There are too many people watching. You can’t grab you by the collar and shake you.’
“So, Leo, what brings you here?”
“I’m here for mission training. I’m out to deal with the bandits in this area.”
Lunia’s eyes brightened at his words.
‘This is it!’
Lunia shouted internally and then said, “Oh? Bandits? Sounds like a pretty big deal.”
Leo clicked his tongue as he saw Lunia covering her mouth in exaggerated concern.
Lunia was visibly struggling to maintain her composure, but she managed to hold it in.
Then she looked worried.
“It must be really tough for the people here, living under such stressful conditions.”
It was a pity to see Lunia’s trembling heart and kind nature on full display…
Knowing her, though, her reaction seemed out of place–too similar to a typical schoolgirl, entirely unbefitting.
“Leo, let me help you out.”
“Miss Lunia, what are you talking about?”
“But seniors, the people here are suffering because of the bandits. As a Seiren student, I can’t just stand by!”
Lunia, speaking earnestly, made eye contact with Leo and said, “Leo, I’ll help you!”
‘Take me! Take me! Please take me away from them!’
Leo couldn’t help but burst out laughing at Lunia’s desperate internal pleas.
“If you can help me, well.”
‘Hell yeah!’
Lunia beamed at her seniors, clearly delighted.
‘Now I can finally get away from these frustrating people!’
