Chapter 434

434

“That guest trainer, his name was Akan, correct? Didn’t he seem familiar to you?” Chelsea remarked, sliding a wooden container over to Leo. “He bore a striking resemblance to Lord Arwon, wouldn’t you say?”

“Cough, cough!”

Hearing Leo’s reply, Kal, who was currently taking a drink of water nearby, began to choke and hack violently. The rest of the nearby students immediately backed away from Kal to give him space.

“Oh! Come to think of it, he really did resemble him,” Chelsea noted, her voice filled with sudden realization.

Leo used alchemy magic to ladle a serving of stew out from a stone vessel, presenting it to Chelsea.

“Wow! This smells incredible!” Chelsea cheered, instantly captivated by the aroma rising from the broth.

The individual responsible for cooking this morning’s meal happened to be Leo. Throughout his past life, when he was out on dangerous campaigns, meal times provided the solitary windows where everyone could actually relax and find comfort. Because of that, even the most legendary figures desired the most flavorful dishes possible when it came time to eat.

They took turns handling the cooking duties, though the periods managed by Kyle and Luna were always the most celebrated among the great heroes. Kyle had spent ages as a mercenary, making him highly adept at roughing it outdoors and campsite living, whereas Luna utilized her extensive background in brewing elixirs to put together exceptional meals.

‘Lysinas was absolutely hopeless at it, and Arwon was perfectly content as long as you threw some meat on the fire for him.’

Even so, whenever those two managed the campfire, the resulting food was at least palatable. The true disaster was the dwarf.

‘Culinary arts are a form of true expression! I have put together a wholly original masterpiece just for the group!’

Even though his grasp of alchemy eclipsed Luna’s, he routinely generated horrific concoctions under the guise of artistic expression. Every single time he began hovering over the flames performing bizarre experiments on their dinner, Luna would sprint across the camp and plant a firm kick on him.

“Mmm~!”

Taking a mouthful of the stew, Chelsea kept her utensil between her teeth, pressed her hands against her cheeks, and beamed with pure delight. The playful way she swayed her head left and right made it obvious that the food tasted incredible.

“Is it actually decent?” Leo asked.

“Yes! It is so wonderful! Honestly, I’ve noticed this before, but Leo oppa is incredibly talented in the kitchen as well! Is there absolutely nothing you fail at?!”

Seeing Chelsea’s radiant expression, the teenagers waiting in line behind her swallowed hard in anticipation.

“Leo! Fill my plate up next, quickly!”

“We absolutely must have a proper meal if we’re going to survive another round of that brutal training from yesterday!”

The famished youths, currently experiencing massive growth spurts, eagerly urged Leo along. The group of students who successfully gathered their portions from Leo began eating with immense enthusiasm.

“I’m going to make it, I’m actually going to make it because I ended up in Leo’s group!” Teid proclaimed, tears spilling over his cheeks as he shoveled the food down.

Having suffered through a thoroughly disappointing dinner the previous evening, their spirits had been entirely drained; Leo’s culinary skills felt precisely like a heavy downpour amid a severe dry spell.

“Don’t ever let Chelsea anywhere near the ingredients. Her cooking amounts to actual toxicity,” Kal cautioned mid-bite.

An outraged Chelsea promptly delivered a sharp kick directly into the back of Kal, who happened to be seated right ahead of her. Even as the blow shoved him forward, Kal remained entirely unapologetic.

“The things she whips up could easily wipe out an army of demons.”

As the morning meal got fully underway, ecstatic exclamations began echoing from various tables across the area.

“Alright, everyone, please enjoy,” Chen Sia offered with a bright smile, offering containers over to Chloe and Celia. The remaining students belonging to Chen Sia’s dining circle accepted their portions as well.

Immediately, everyone’s expressions turned rather conflicted.

“…Why exactly is this stew bright green?” Chloe questioned, her face freezing slightly as she stared down.

Chen Sia clarified the matter, looking directly back at Chloe. “I decided to incorporate specific medicinal plants that are highly effective for relieving exhaustion. When they are handled correctly, they provide an incredible flavor. The color might seem a bit unusual, but the taste is wonderful.”

Celia took a courageous sip first. “Hmm. This is actually quite good. Sia certainly wouldn’t serve us anything harmful, right?”

Following her lead, the surrounding teenagers finally ventured to place Chen Sia’s broth into their mouths.

“Wow, it really does taste good!”

“I can actually feel my fatigue starting to fade away.”

“The appearance is certainly unique, but the flavor is top-tier!”

“What specific ingredient did you utilize to achieve this green shade, though?”

“I carefully sorted and threw in some Atropy grass.”

“Oh, Atropy? So that’s the flavor it creates. I had absolutely no idea.”

The teenagers, who had been bobbing their heads in genuine appreciation, instantly froze in place.

“Hold on, isn’t Atropy an incredibly lethal weed?”

“And it isn’t just a standard toxic plant, isn’t it notorious for carrying an exceptionally lethal poison?”

“If Atropy is neutralized correctly, it does wonders for rejuvenating your body and yields an excellent taste, didn’t you know? There is plenty left over, so please eat as much as you like to regain your stamina.”

Observing Chen Sia encourage them with a cheerful tone, the teenagers forced themselves to continue eating under extreme duress. Recognizing the immense effort she had put into searching for the components and simmering the broth since the crack of dawn, none of them possessed the heart to push it away.

Still, that particular situation could be viewed as vastly superior to others.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“It’s stew.”

As Eliza’s eyelids twitched violently while staring down at the unidentifiable mass inside her dish, Iliana spoke up with an air of pride.

“It might have an odd appearance, but it’s bound to taste fine. Most likely.”

“Most likely? Most likely?! Did you fail to even sample it yourself?”

“Even so, it is guaranteed to be far superior to the disaster you attempted yesterday!”

“Are you intentionally starting an argument with me at the start of the day?!”

“Duran, where are you headed?”

“I am going to track down actual food.”

“Count me in.”

The sector where Iliana had been assigned to oversee the cooking was already descending into complete chaos. Not only within the ranks of the Lumen pupils, but among the representatives from various other institutions, numerous arguments and disruptions were breaking out.

Right at that moment.

“Black Rabbit!”

Ar, who had been tossed around the ground since the early morning hours due to Lienia’s harsh treatment, bolted over and began tugging on Leo with frantic energy.

“Thanks to you, what sort of nightmarish torment am I being subjected to right at daybreak?!”

Leo watched Ar vent her immense frustration before replying calmly, “Then who exactly told you to cause a scene?”

“I didn’t cause a scene!”

“You were fully prepared to cause an absolute scene, weren’t you?” Kal chimed in from where he sat, earning a sharp glare from Ar.

“That isn’t true…! Mmph?!”

Leo shoved a utensil loaded with stew directly into Ar’s yelling mouth while she was mid-complaint.

Initially, Ar’s eyes flared wide with shock, but they quickly narrowed into sharp points. Her ears snapped fully upright, her tail stiffened, and her claws extended fully, as if she were an enraged feline preparing to launch a massive tantrum.

However, the moment the flavors hit her palate, she went completely quiet and began chewing her food obediently. When Leo passed his entire dish over to her, she happily consumed the rest of the meal in absolute silence.

Nella offered a quiet smirk witnessing the interaction. “Every single time I witness this, it strikes me that the Azonia delegate is incredibly easy to please. It’s almost as if she completely dismisses bad luck instantly. Her outlook is remarkably optimistic.”

“Haha—that’s simply because she lacks any complexity, purely simple-minded. Ouch!”

Kal, who had been snickering at Nella’s commentary, was immediately rewarded with a swift kick to his ribs courtesy of Ar.

“Why are you handing over Leo oppa’s portion to her anyway?” Chelsea let out a heavy sigh, subsequently gathering a spoonful of stew and holding it out toward Leo. “Open wide~”

“I am perfectly fine. I have already cleared that particular exercise,” Leo answered.

Hearing his response, Chelsea adopted a disappointed expression and quietly redirected the food into her own mouth.

“On another note, just how long is that cliff exercise from yesterday supposed to drag on?”

“It will likely persist until you manage to successfully complete it,” Leo chuckled, answering Teid’s thoroughly exhausted complaint. “Only after clearing that hurdle will you begin receiving genuine instruction from the training staff.”

“Woah?!”

Ar, who had been thoroughly enjoying her meal, suddenly widened her eyes and began consuming the remaining broth at an astonishing pace. She then slammed her feet onto the ground, swallowed down the last bite, and bellowed loudly.

“In that case, I must conquer that exercise immediately!”

The surrounding Lumen pupils watched with absolute bewilderment as Ar suddenly radiated an immense surge of drive.

“Black Rabbit! I am heading off to get ready for the drills!”

As Ar sprinted away into the distance, Chelsea looked entirely lost. “What exactly brought about that sudden shift in her?”

“There has to be a specific motive behind it,” Kal noted, a spoon still resting between his lips, before leaning over to murmur quietly to Leo. “It seems like a complete certainty that it’s her, doesn’t it?”

“I am of the same opinion.”

“What could have possibly transpired?”

“Something must have taken place during an interval when we weren’t present. Given that I already cleared the opening day’s drill, I will question her the next time we cross paths.”

Kal offered a nod of agreement. “How is it that absolutely no one else has raised any suspicions?”

“Because her current vibe is entirely distinct from before, everyone seems to assume she is merely a lookalike. In reality, a large number of beastfolk intentionally copy the demeanor and look of the hero. It likely never even crosses their minds that she is the genuine article.”

“That makes sense.”

Even if figures like Luna and Seirun had manifested within the modern era, such astonishing events didn’t just occur back-to-back without cause.

“What are you two whispering about so intently?” Chelsea demanded, narrowing her gaze as she brought her face closer to theirs.

“We were merely discussing the upcoming drills for today. Seeing if there were any hidden strategies to utilize,” Kal replied smoothly.

“Hmm?” Chelsea maintained a skeptical look for a moment, but eventually gave a nod of acceptance.

Right then, a voice pierced the air.

“Finish up your meals immediately! How much longer do you intend to waste time?!” Lienia barked aggressively.

“I truly want absolutely nothing to do with that woman,” Kal muttered, shivering as he glanced toward Lienia.

Leo clicked his tongue, observing his companion’s reaction. ‘Come to think of it, Lienia was assigned as Kal’s direct instructor, wasn’t she?’ Leo briefly weighed the idea of enlightening his friend regarding what lay ahead, but quickly abandoned the thought.

With that, the morning of the second official day of the training camp got underway.

“Uryaaaaaa!”

Ar opened her eyes wide with fierce determination and began scaling the rock face at an incredible rate of speed.

“What has taken over her all of a sudden?” Celia muttered, feeling utterly baffled as she watched Ar ascend the sheer cliff with such immense ferocity.

However, just short of hitting the crest, she appeared to completely run out of steam, sliding all the way back down to the base with a loud scraping sound.

“Miss Ar, are you unharmed?” Eiran inquired carefully, peering down at Ar where she lay crumpled on the dirt.

Ar snapped right back onto her feet. “I am absolutely going to conquer this wretched cliff and move forward to the next phase immediately!” With her face thoroughly caked in dust, Ar began scaling the stone surface once more.

“I will reach the top before the Azonia representative does.”

“You are throwing yourself into a pointless rivalry yet again,” Duran scoffed, causing Celia to shake her head in irritation.

“Hmph. Just you wait, Celia Gerdinger. I am going to peer down at you from the summit.”

“Excuse me?” Celia directed a piercing glare toward Duran, bared her teeth, and immediately threw herself onto the rock face.

“H-hey, everyone. Please don’t overdo it,” Eiran pleaded with a distressed expression, though the trio paid absolutely no attention to his words.

“I noticed this earlier as well, but the youth of this era are truly remarkable,” Arwon murmured, shielding the sunlight with his hand as he observed the distant cliffside from afar.

“Are you capable of tracking those youngsters clearly with your naked eyesight without relying on magical enhancement?” Melina questioned, her face registering genuine astonishment.

“Yes.” Arwon gave a casual nod.

While Melina remained entirely awestruck by the physical capabilities of the great hero, who had soared past the boundaries of standard human capability, Leo spoke up.

“What is your assessment?”

“Every one of them commands exceptional power that defies their age. Particularly that young lady, Ar. She has grown incomparably more powerful compared to the last instance I observed her, hasn’t she? Did you not mention that roughly a single year has slipped by since then?”

Arwon expressed his admiration before shifting his focus over toward Celia and Duran.

“That human boy and girl are equally impressive. The particular breathing method those youngsters are employing—it bears a striking similarity to my own personal technique.”

“It was developed by subsequent generations who studied the foundations of your own breathing style,” Leo explained.

“Ah, I see. Truly, it can be adapted in such a fashion. That application had never even occurred to me.” Arwon was genuinely fascinated, though he quickly tilted his head in thought. “If that breathing style can be modified like that, would it be feasible for the other youngsters to master hypersense as well?”

Hypersense. It was the distinct sensory technique engineered and utilized by Arwon himself—a hallmark skill that Leo could only replicate to a certain degree.

“If such a thing is attainable, it would serve as an immense asset for the beastfolk race,” Melina remarked, her face flushing slightly with excitement.

“I am pleased to hear it would be of great service,” Arwon replied, looking thoroughly gratified. “Though, that elf girl bears a strong resemblance to Belkia. Even if her presence feels entirely distinct.” Arwon caught a scent in the air and tilted his head. “Even her aroma is virtually identical.”

“Ah, if you are referring to that particular student, she is a direct bloodline descendant of Lord Belkia.”

“What?” Arwon’s eyes widened in profound shock. “I see. So she managed to leave a legacy behind as well.”

At the revelation that his own pupil had a living descendant, Arwon proved completely incapable of suppressing a joyous grin. “How should I put it… it brings me deep joy. It serves as clear validation that our struggles were not entirely in vain,” Arwon stated, his tail swaying back and forth.

Leo looked over at Arwon, who was contentedly licking his lips, and added, “Among the group, make sure to watch the one named Ar with great care.”

“She is a bit intimidating… is there a specific cause for that?”

Leo met Arwon’s gaze as the hero asked the question while shrinking his neck back slightly. “She is a youth who commands the innate ability to force other beastfolk into their primal beast states using nothing but a howl.”

“What?”

Hearing that she wielded the exact capability he had spent his entire life pursuing, Arwon’s gaze snapped back toward Ar, his eyes wide with absolute wonder.

“That sounds incredibly promising, doesn’t it?” Arwon grinned, an intense gleam reflecting in his eyes.