The Legendary Hero is an Academy Honor Student-Chapter 31: The Pulsing Page

KakaoPage Originals

The Legendary Hero is an Academy Honor Student

[Original — Yerona]

[TL — MiT7]

[PR — Spades]

[QC — Lumi]

Chapter 31 — The Pulsing Page

——————

"First time coming to Lumeria since enrolling," Leo said, stepping off the ferry between Lumern and Lumeria.

Celia nodded. "Same. It's been so hectic, I haven't had time to visit."

Many Lumern students visited Lumeria on weekends, but few first-years did so regularly, still adjusting to their academic schedules.

Leo tugged at his uniform collar. "Wearing uniforms in Lumeria feels like a strict rule, doesn't it?"

"I don't mind. Our academy uniforms are stylish, and being a Lumern student is a huge honor," Celia said, shrugging. "Plus, the rule's there to keep us from doing dumb stuff. Uniforms make it obvious who's causing trouble, so the school finds out fast. I heard it's a rule lots of students break, though. If a professor catches you—"

Celia mimed slicing her throat. "It's over."

True enough, many students roamed Lumeria in casual clothes, and plenty got caught by professors.

"By the way, why does the student council president want to see us?" Leo asked.

It was odd for the president, away on a mission, to meet them off-campus.

Celia looked at him, incredulous. "You seriously don't know?"

"I don't."

"You don't know who the student council president is?"

"Nope."

Celia sighed deeply.

Entering Kuraju Street, the bustling downtown, she said, "The president, Lis, is our family's heir! Your cousin!"

"Oh? My cousin's the president?" Leo said.

"Oh? That's it? How do you not know Lis? He's Lumern's top student and our family's heir!" Celia exclaimed.

"It happens," Leo said, shrugging casually.

Celia clutched her head as they reached the inn from before orientation.

Jingle, jingle.

A bell rang as they entered.

"Welcome! Oh, Lumern students! Staying for the weekend?" the clerk asked, smiling.

"Is Lis Zerdinger here?" Celia asked.

"Lis Zerdinger, you say? Yes, he's staying. Are you with him, or do you have an appointment?" the clerk asked, wary.

As the Zerdinger heir and Lumern's student council president, Lis was a celebrity.

Many sought him out to curry favor, so the clerk was cautious, duty-bound to ensure guests' privacy.

"I'm—" Celia began.

"Well, who's this? Celia!" a voice called.

A jovial Eastern man with black hair and eyes approached, smiling broadly.

"Senior Li Zamua. Long time no see," Celia said, bowing formally.

Li Zamua, a fifth-year Lumern student, laughed heartily. "Come on, too formal for us!"

He waved to the clerk. "Miss, they're our guests."

"My apologies," the clerk said.

"No worries. Let's go," Zamua said, ushering Celia and Leo inside.

"And this is?" Zamua asked, eyeing Leo.

"Leo Flove, my cousin," Celia said.

"Oh? The famous freshman rep?" Zamua's eyes gleamed.

An all-class ability user.

That alone was enough to shock the entire academy.

In Lumern's history, filled with prodigious talents, an all-class user was unprecedented.

Some students and professors still thought Leo was a fraud.

'Back in my past life, being all-class got curious stares too,' Leo thought, unfazed by the skepticism.

"You seem like a fine knight," Zamua said, grinning at Leo. "Lis is waiting. Let's go."

Leading the way, Zamua squared his shoulders. "Magic's great, summoning's cool, but nothing beats this body!"

He thumped his chest. "Hone your swordsmanship alongside magic and summoning, and you'll be a stellar knight!"

Celia nodded. "He's right. Leo, you've been slacking on swordsmanship lately."

"No way! Neglecting training won't make you a great knight," Zamua said.

"Really? Celia, maybe we should up our training intensity," Leo teased.

Celia, regretting her comment, avoided Leo's gaze.

Zamua, unaware of the context, smiled, impressed by Leo's apparent zeal. "Great attitude!"

"Quiet, Zamua," a sharp voice cut in.

At the top of the stairs, a Southern woman with light brown skin and reddish-brown eyes leaned against the wall.

Her Lumern uniform bore a fifth-year badge, and a book-and-staff emblem on her shoulder marked her as a Magic Studies major.

Stepping forward, her heels clicking, she pushed Zamua aside and faced Leo and Celia. "Hi, I'm Torua Yan. You're Celia? Lis talks about you a lot."

"Hello, Senior Torua," Celia said.

Though meeting for the first time, Celia had heard of her from Lis—a fifth-year Magic Studies top scorer.

"And... you're Leo Flove?" Torua studied Leo, then snorted. "Professor Ren raves about you, but what's this? That pitiful mana pool? I feel foolish for expecting more."

"You're calling Leo pitiful?" Celia snapped.

"Just stating facts. So, Leo," Torua said, stepping closer, heels clicking. "Drop Knight and Summoning Studies now and focus on magic."

She slung an arm around Leo, pointing at the ceiling. "Leo, look up. See your potential shining like stars?"

"All I see is the chandelier's magic lights," Leo said.

"You missed my point. Close your eyes and see," Torua said.

"That'd just be darkness," Leo replied.

"You've got a knack for blunt assessment—a must for mages. You're a born mage," Torua said.

A typical mage, she spoke only her own mind.

"Senior Torua, didn't you just say not to push majors?" Celia asked.

"Celia, sorry, but this is Magic Studies business. Stay out of it," Torua said.

Celia frowned, turning to Zamua. "Is that okay?"

"Of course not. But she's a magic nut—won't listen no matter what," Zamua said, shaking his head. "If professors find out, she's toast."

"But they don't know," Celia said.

"They will," Zamua said.

"How?"

"I'm gonna snitch."

Celia stared, dumbfounded, at the tearful bond forged over five years of trials.

***

"Big brother!"

"Celia, been well?"

Entering Lis's room, Celia beamed, clinging to Lis.

Leo watched, amused.

As a Zerdinger, Celia upheld poise and decorum, so seeing her act spoiled was new.

'Like this, she's definitely a fifteen-year-old kid,' Leo thought, chuckling at her age-appropriate side.

Lis turned to Leo. "You're Leo. I've heard a lot about you. How's Aunt doing?"

"Yes. You've met my mother?" Leo asked.

"When I was young, yeah. I've exchanged letters with her since coming to Lumern," Lis said.

"With Aunt?" Celia said, surprised.

Lis smiled. "Aunt was famous in her school days. You'll hear legends about her as you go."

"Like what?" Celia asked.

"Like rallying students to storm the principal's office over bad dorm desserts. Super famous," Lis said.

"That was Aunt?" Celia gaped.

"Knew it," Leo said, unsurprised.

"Yeah. Thanks to her, we get tasty dorm desserts now. I tried them back then... as student council president, I fully backed her," Lis said, chuckling and nodding. "Sorry for calling you out on a weekend. I'll be swamped back at school and won't see you for a while, so I arranged this."

"I'm fine with it!" Celia said.

Thrilled to see Lis, Celia chatted animatedly, acting spoiled.

While doting on his sister, Lis made sure to include Leo.

'I get why Celia admires him,' Leo thought.

As the Zerdinger heir and Lumern's student council president, Lis was impeccable.

His skill and character were exceptional.

'He's close to a true hero.'

Leo felt Lis was destined for heroism.

"So, big brother! What Hero Dungeon did you conquer? Who was the hero?" Celia asked mid-conversation.

"That's classified, even for you. But I can say I retrieved two pages," Lis said.

"Really?" Celia said.

"Yeah. One's too damaged to project the hero's world, though," Lis said, regretful.

Checking his watch, he noted it was evening. "Dinner time already. Know any hidden gems in Lumeria?"

"Nope. There's such a thing?" Celia asked.

"Of course. Think I've spent five years at Lumern for nothing? I'll take you to a real tasty spot," Lis said.

"Wow!"

Celia stood, grinning, humming a tune as she pushed Leo out.

Lis pulled a sealed box containing the retrieved Hero Record pages from his bag.

Forbidden to show ordinary students, he always carried it when off-campus.

Holding the palm-sized box, Lis paused.

An unusual pulse of power emanated from it.

'What's this? Is the dungeon we conquered about to rampage?' Lis thought, tensing.

Torn pages were unstable.

Even after conquest, they could surge, spawning new Hero Dungeons.

Opening the box, Lis frowned.

The Hero Record showed no reaction.

'Wait. No way.'

He quickly opened the box with the heavily damaged page.

A finger-sized page fragment glowed faintly gray.

Lis was stunned as the previously inert page pulsed with power.

'What in the world...?'