Karl ran away after witnessing Leo’s intense stamina training.
On the first day of training, Chelsea realized something was seriously wrong.
But it was already too late to back out.
Even Celia, who initially refused, eventually gave in and joined Leo’s training.
The only saving grace was that she had experienced it before, making it slightly more bearable this time.
“Does this really work?”
“It does. Leo’s training may be absurdly tough, but it’s surprisingly systematic.”
On their way back to the girls’ dormitory, Chelsea asked, and Celia responded with a drained expression.
Then, Celia gave Chelsea a malicious smile.
“Welcome to hell, Chelsea Lewallin.”
Chelsea looked terrified at the smile.
“Judging by how you’re chatting, it seems you’re holding up well,” Leo said with a grin.
“Shut up, you demon!”
Celia grabbed Leo by the collar with trembling arms and shook him.
Thus passed the weekend—sweet for some, hellish for others—as the second week at Lumerne began.
Karl looked at Chelsea, who was slumped over her desk, trembling.
“Chelsea, are you still alive?”
“No… I feel like I’m dying.”
“Here. I went to Lumeria yesterday and got you the best muscle relief patch.”
“For me?”
“Yeah, we’re classmates, right?”
Karl handed Chelsea a patch known for its muscle recovery benefits.
Chelsea looked touched as she accepted it, but Karl held out his hand.
“What does this hand mean?”
“For you, I’ll sell it at a special 30% discount. Because we’re friends.”
“Get lost.”
Chelsea threw the patch at Karl’s face and spoke coldly.
Laughing, Karl placed the patch on her desk.
“Still, hang in there. You have to do this if you want to be a Battle Mage, right?”
“Want to join me? I can ask Leo to let you train with us.”
“Uh, no thanks.”
Karl awkwardly laughed and shook his head before whispering to Leo.
“Don’t you think you’re pushing them too hard?”
“I went easy on them.”
“That’s what you call going easy?”
Karl silently vowed never to train with Leo again.
“By the way, I wonder what our homeroom professor will be like.”
Karl leaned back in his chair, interlocking his fingers behind his head.
“I hope it’s a beautiful lady professor.”
Click—
Before Karl could finish his sentence, the classroom door opened, and a middle-aged man dressed sloppily entered, holding an attendance register.
With dark circles under his eyes, the man walked to the podium, prompting the startled students to return to their seats quickly.
He dropped the attendance register onto the podium and wrote his name on the chalkboard with a piece of chalk.
Tap, tap.
When the students saw the name on the board, their faces turned pale.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Halind Edmond, your homeroom professor.”
He was one of the most famous professors at Lumerne.
A teacher who usually taught senior classes like fourth or fifth years!
His nickname? The Wall of Lamentation!
He was known for expelling the most students at Lumerne.
Halind Edmond was infamous.
Seeing their classmates’ reactions, Leo leaned forward and whispered to Karl.
“Is he a famous professor?”
“Famous doesn’t even begin to describe it. He’s been teaching at Lumerne for nearly 20 years.”
Karl whispered back, swallowing hard.
“He’s trained many students who went on to become heroes, but he’s also expelled just as many. He usually takes senior classes, so why is he our homeroom professor?”
Halind opened the attendance register.
“Let’s begin roll call. Karl Thomas.”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
“Iliana Laden.”
“Yes.”
Even though it was just roll call, the students of Class 5 were visibly tense.
Out of 45 students, Leo’s name was called last.
“Leo Plov.”
“Yes.”
Snap!
Closing the register, Halind spoke with a weary expression.
“Some of you might be wondering why I’m your homeroom professor.”
With one hand in his pocket, he spoke with a lack of enthusiasm.
“This year’s cohort has higher average entrance exam scores than your seniors. That’s why Lumerne’s upper management has high expectations of you.”
The students, unaware of this, looked surprised.
Upon learning they were highly regarded, the classroom atmosphere became lively.
A female student raised her hand.
“Yes? Iliana Laden.”
“Did the other homeroom professors also not usually teach first-years?”
“That’s correct.”
“Were the homeroom assignments random?”
“No. Each professor chose their class, and I chose yours.”
Halind wasn’t just known for expelling students. He was also renowned for nurturing exceptional talents.
Hearing that such a professor had chosen them, the Class 5 students couldn’t help but feel excited.
“Was there a special reason you chose our class?”
“Your class had the lowest average entrance exam scores out of the ten classes.”
The excitement in the room immediately died down.
“Do you know why I expel the most students, Iliana Laden?”
“N-No, sir.”
“Efficiency.”
Halind looked at Iliana with detached eyes.
“It’s better to filter out hopeless students early and focus on those with potential. Don’t you agree?”
Even the most seasoned fifth-year students at Lumerne trembled under Halind’s gaze. Iliana, on the receiving end, teared up.
While the rest of Class 5 held their breath and avoided Halind’s gaze, someone entered the classroom.
It was a young woman in her mid-twenties, wearing glasses.
“Oh, come on, Professor Halind. Scaring the students on the first day?”
She sighed deeply and stood beside Halind.
“Hello, Class 5! I’m Sena Tilia, your assistant homeroom professor.”
With her light brown hair and bright personality, Professor Sena was clearly the opposite of Halind.
“Don’t be too scared of Professor Halind! Despite how he talks, he really cares abou—”
“Sena Tilia. Come with me outside.”
Sena was cut off mid-sentence and called out of the classroom.
“You haven’t changed since you were a student. How many times have I told you to fix that overly cheerful personality?”
“I’m sorry! I’ll fix it! I promise it won’t happen again!”
Through the slightly open classroom door, Sena could be seen pale-faced, bowing her head repeatedly.
“I like the assistant homeroom professor,” Karl remarked.
“Me too. At least if the assistant professor has a good personality, we can breathe,” Chelsea said with a laugh, and Karl nodded in agreement.
The atmosphere in the room lightened slightly, as it seemed other students felt the same.
Soon after, both professors returned to stand at the front of the classroom.
“Earlier, I mentioned that I was assigned as your homeroom professor because your entrance exam scores were the lowest,” Halind began.
“Yes…” the students replied weakly, sounding defeated.
Halind looked at them indifferently and continued, “At Lumerne, entrance exam scores become meaningless after three months.”
The students widened their eyes in surprise.
“Regardless of what kind of education you received before coming here, Lumerne teaches beyond that. That’s why first-year grades tend to fluctuate significantly. It’s not uncommon for top students to hit rock bottom, or for bottom students to rise to the top.”
Halind slammed the podium. “One of you could be the top student by the midterms.”
The class buzzed with excitement.
“However, you must keep this in mind: tackling the Hero’s World is a privilege of cadets but also a duty. Can anyone tell me why it’s considered a duty?”
Chelsea raised her hand.
“Chelsea Lewallin, answer.”
“Because you could lose your life,” she replied.
“Correct,” Halind said coldly. “I have conducted many student funerals during my 20 years at Lumerne.”
The sound of students swallowing nervously filled the room.
“As Lumerne students, you cannot refuse to explore the Hero’s World. It’s a life-risking endeavor. I only want to send students capable of surviving. Those who cannot…”
Halind spoke firmly. “...will be expelled before they die a meaningless death. That is why I chose to oversee the class with the lowest average scores.”
Halind handed the attendance register to Sena. “That’s all I have to say. From now on, we’ll begin combat class. Change into your gym clothes and gather at the training ground.”
Halind walked out of the classroom without looking back.
“See you at the training ground, everyone!” Sena said cheerfully before following him.
Students retrieved their gym clothes from the lockers at the back of the classroom and headed to the changing rooms.
“He doesn’t seem to be all that scary,” Karl said in the boys’ changing room.
“True. If you think about it, Professor Halind is one of the most respected professors at Lumerne,” another classmate remarked.
‘His name is Teid, right?’ Leo thought, recalling the boy’s name as Teid continued speaking.
“He has the lowest student mortality rate.”
The number of student deaths at Lumerne each year isn’t small. Not because the academy recklessly sends students into danger, but because of the path these students choose.
Heroes are individuals who dive into trials to save others.
Exploring the Hero’s World and Hero Dungeons, along with resolving incidents around the world, means that life at Lumerne is fraught with danger.
“Professor Halind’s harsh demeanor at the start was probably to remind us of that reality. So let’s work hard from now on,” Teid said.
Everyone nodded seriously, moved by Teid’s words.
“Oh my, do you look slimmer when you’re dressed?”
A soprano voice floated in through an open window, accompanied by laughter from the girls in the neighboring changing room.
Realizing the girls’ changing room was right next to theirs, the boys exchanged solemn looks.
Gathering in the center of the room, they lowered their voices.
“Who do you think she meant by ‘slimmer when dressed’?”
“Iliana?”
“No, I just heard Iliana’s voice.”
The discussion turned serious, much to Leo’s dismay.
“Maybe Nella,” Karl suggested, mentioning the petite beauty Nella Caven, causing the boys to gasp in agreement.
“Makes sense!”
“Yeah, Nella does seem like she’d have that kind of hidden charm.”
Watching the entirely unnecessary, serious conversation, Leo shook his head.
‘These kids are supposed to be hero cadets.’
Still, Leo wasn’t one to judge too harshly.
After all, he once knew someone who would have similar discussions even during life-and-death situations.
A hero.
No, a great hero, none other than [God’s Blacksmith] Dveno.
‘How is it that someone like that gets remembered and respected, while I’m forgotten?’
Leo couldn’t help but feel wronged once again.
End Of Chapter
