Chapter 648

Dusk was falling as the sun dipped below the horizon.

The entire student body assembled at the Erek training ground to attend the welcoming ceremony.

Upperclassmen occupied the designated seating arrangements along the outer edges of the Erek training ground, divided according to their respective school years.

Placed right at the center of the Erek training ground were 500 incoming freshmen, standing in organized files based on their hometown regions.

Every single upperclassman present had once occupied that exact position back when they first arrived during their rookie year.

Consequently, during this opening ceremony, a wave of nostalgia typically washed over the crowd, putting everyone in a reflective state of mind.

While that was usually the norm…

“Seriously, what did you do to leave all the newcomers looking so completely drained of life?”

Third-year seating area.

Chelsea asked her question with a tone laced with reprimand, speaking from her spot among her fellow peers in the magic department section.

“My only fault was putting in too much effort.”

“You really should have known when to stop. What is the point if you just utterly crush their spirits before they even start?”

Chelsea crossed her arms, her forehead wrinkling into a deep frown.

Normally, whenever the welcoming ceremony took place, the incoming freshmen of Lumerne would have eyes beaming with unbridled excitement.

They walked around acting as though the entire world belonged to them.

Just securing admission into the Hero Academy—unquestionably the planet’s premier center of learning—provided plenty of reason to overflow with immense pride.

They were supposed to be filled with aspirations, high hopes, and eager anticipation for their upcoming academic journey.

Instead, these newcomers all bore expressions completely shrouded in bleak misery.

Meanwhile, Kal, who was entirely responsible for this heavy mood, looked utterly defensive as if he had done nothing wrong.

“What exactly took place?”

Chloe inquired as well, her countenance reflecting her profound bewilderment.

“I simply laid a thorough web of traps and manipulated the first-years completely. Since I spent time analyzing the freshman entrance exam data, I practically had a general overview of all 500 individuals memorized.”

Kal fished a small container out of his coat pocket and gave it a soft shake.

“The Change Potion. It’s a concoction designed to let someone replicate the exact look of any person for a brief period.”

“Isn’t that just a silly novelty item you created for social gatherings?”

“It absolutely is a toy.”

Kal countered with a smug grin.

Due to its incredibly brief window of effectiveness, it truly was nothing more than an entertaining party trick.

“However, I managed to slightly prolong the duration of the transformation. Afterward, I slipped right into the ranks of the newcomers under various guises and systematically instigated absolute chaos among them.”

The outcome had been flawless.

The situation involved individuals who had barely gotten to know one another yet.

And it was a tactic that succeeded spectacularly because the perception of being intensely competitive rivals was deeply ingrained in them.

“Later on, I went so far as to approach them wearing a disguise even while the actual person I was mimicking was standing right there.”

“And no one managed to spot you?”

“Please, I happen to be quite the mastermind at manipulation.”

Possessing an intimate understanding of the entire freshman roster gave him an undeniable upper hand.

It proved remarkably simple for Kal to shift the blame onto an unsuspecting, innocent rookie, framing them as an imposter.

“That crosses into being rather underhanded.”

“When you have 500 individuals trying to gang up on you all at once, being underhanded is a survival requirement.”

Kal asserted, giving a casual shrug.

Split into fractured factions and locked in internal conflicts, the first-years effectively caused their own downfall.

It made perfect sense for them to feel so entirely cowed, considering how thoroughly they had been manipulated by a lone individual.

To be perfectly honest, Kal had only engaged in actual, direct combat during their very first encounter.

The rest of the time, they were just dancing to the tune of a single player, Kal.

Chelsea let out a slow sigh and shook her head.

“If you ask me, you really need to pick a brand-new moniker for yourself.”

“Like what?”

“The Sovereign of Underhanded Tactics.”

“Oh… for some reason, that actually sounds incredibly appealing to me.”

Chelsea couldn’t help but chuckle as she watched Kal grin in his typical mischievous manner.

“At the very least, those first-years walked away having gained a massive lesson.”

Avad interred, offering his standard, gentle grin.

Raw power is far from everything.

Though it sounded like a basic cliché, it remained a particularly challenging concept for green rookies to truly internalize.

Having discovered this reality the hard way through Kal’s schemes, it served as a highly educational milestone for the incoming class.

None of the upperclassmen felt genuinely concerned about the newcomers hitting a wall or feeling demoralized.

If they lack the fortitude to bounce back from a setback like this, then they never belonged as Lumerne students.

That was the unspoken consensus shared by all the returning students.

• We shall now proceed to the address by the first-year representative. Will the freshman representative, Perena Hergin, please step up to the podium?

The moment that name resounded across the area, the attention of the third-year students instantly shifted toward Eliza, who occupied a spot at the very front row of the summoning department section.

Eliza, who had spent the duration of the event meticulously filing her fingernails as though she couldn’t care less about the ceremony, simply spread her manicured fingers wide and remarked,

“Why is everyone gaping at me like that?”

Eliza blew gently across her fingertips with a soft breath and cast a thoroughly disinterested glance over her peers.

Jureden, who held the rank of third-best student within the summoning department and sat directly beside her, chimed in,

“Did your younger sister gain admission this year?”

“She did.”

“Does she happen to possess the same terrible attitude that you do?”

“Pfft!”

“Kh-cough!”

“Ahahaha!”

“Wow, he just blurted it out without any filter!”

Suppressed fits of laughter rippled through various parts of the crowd.

Naturally, people like Chelsea and Illiana didn’t bother hiding it at all, clutching their stomachs as they laughed out loud.

“You must have a death wish, don’t you?”

Eliza growled, rising instantly from her seat and aggressively snapping her whip through the air!

• Third-years. Every single one of you who was just snickering and gossiping, march down to the training ground immediately and assume the prostrate position with your heads touching the earth.

Harind’s terrifying, icy voice echoed through the space.

Upon hearing the command, the third-year students developed utterly miserable expressions as they trudged down to the training ground, lowering their heads against the floor in submission.

Angry and resentful glares were instantly directed at Jureden for opening his mouth when he shouldn’t have.

“Hey, I was literally just asking a normal question, that’s all!”

Jureden grumbled, looking completely wronged.

Because of this, an incredible spectacle took place as a large portion of the third-year class found themselves undergoing mass discipline.

Not a single student attempted to sneak away unnoticed.

With Harind being the one delivering the mandate, trying to feign innocence only to be discovered later meant invoking a literal nightmare.

“What a pathetic display.”

Duran muttered, earning a nod of agreement from Celia.

“Seriously, it’s like they completely lack any sense of situational awareness.”

Once that brief disruption subsided, Perena walked up onto the elevated stage.

• Respected faculty members of Lumerne and esteemed upperclassmen. On behalf of the freshman class, we offer our heartfelt gratitude for this wonderful reception…

Perena delivered her prepared text in a soft, polite, and thoroughly modest manner.

• …Presented by the freshman representative, Perena Hergin.

As Perena finished speaking and turned to make her way off the platform, the master of ceremonies called out to her,

• Student Perena, do you not have any personal thoughts or remarks to share as our representative?

Halting her steps, Perena offered a timid, modest smile before speaking into the microphone,

• I intend to be a student who puts in utmost dedication and strives to do my absolute best.

With those brief words, she hurried down from the stage, looking visibly self-conscious.

Observing her departure, Chloe murmured,

“Eliza’s sister actually seems incredibly pleasant and proper. That’s quite a surprise. Kal, how did she act during the evaluation earlier?”

“…”

Kal kept silent as he envisioned Perena in his mind.

He distinctly recalled the terrifying intensity with which she had lunged at him, fighting with the savage desperation of someone whose life hung in the balance.

She’s an incredible actress.

“Well, on the surface, she perfectly embodies the image of an elegant young lady from a prestigious household… but nobody makes the cut at Lumerne by being soft or naive.”

Kal remarked, rolling his shoulders.

He saw no point in tearing down her polite facade when she was intentionally maintaining it.

If played correctly, I might even find a way to make use of her down the line.

• This officially concludes our welcoming ceremony. At this time, please follow your designated homeroom instructors and proceed to your respective dormitories, categorized by year. That will be all.

“Professor Artian!”

“Incredible! Our homeroom teacher is a full professor!”

The third-year students enthusiastically greeted Artian with bright, joyful expressions.

“Welcome back, everyone. Did you all enjoy a restful vacation?”

Artian greeted the upperclassmen, her smile radiating a warmth comparable to a bright spring day.

She stood out as one of the most widely adored educators throughout Lumerne.

She was widely recognized for her gentle demeanor, benevolence, and generous grading system.

Yet, despite her immense popularity, she simultaneously commanded deep terror.

This contrast stemmed entirely from the powerful entities that would inhabit her body whenever students dared to misbehave or ignore her instructions.

The Wall of Lamentation and the Mace of Punishment; one must never cross Harind or Artian.

This rule had already solidified into an absolute law within the walls of Lumerne.

“For this term, I have been assigned to oversee both the third-year Heroics curriculum and the Combat Studies curriculum!”

“Combat… Studies?”

“Wait, aren’t your responsibilities strictly limited to Heroics?”

The entire third-year student body froze in absolute dread.

“That is correct!”

Artian, who had joined the faculty at the exact time these current third-years first arrived, belonged to the summoning department and had previously confined her instruction to Heroics.

However, midway through the previous year’s second term, she additionally took charge of the Combat Studies courses.

Headmistress Riina had concluded that Artian’s unique capability to host legendary knight heroes and wizard heroes within herself would serve as an invaluable asset for practical combat training.

Headmistress Riina’s intuition proved entirely correct.

The sole complication was that Artian’s version of Combat Studies was defined entirely by a brutal “fist-to-fist dialogue.”

Consequently, the second-year students had spent the entirety of the previous year screaming in agony during her classes.

Artian slowly opened her initially closed eyes, sweeping a sharp glance across the paralyzed third-years.

“Oh? Is there some sort of objection to this arrangement?”

“Wow! This is absolutely fantastic!”

“Haha! I couldn’t be happier!”

Faced with Artian’s silent, menacing pressure, the third-years instantly erupted into artificial cheers of delight.

“My goodness… you all seem so genuinely thrilled.”

Swoosh— Artian’s eyes slid shut once more as a deeply moved expression graced her features.

Caught in an awkward limbo between weeping and laughing, the third-years dutifully trailed after Artian toward the residential grounds.

“By the way, which residential hall will we be assigned to this time around?”

During the previous academic year, the third-year class had been split across three separate dormitories, living completely apart from one another.

Their educational tracks were determined not by their original class divisions but by their assigned residential halls, which consistently vied against one another.

“Are we sticking with that exact same setup this year?”

“Class president! Pick me! Hey, make sure to choose me again for this term!”

Illiana called out, tugging her baggage along as she kept pace with Leo, urgently pointing at herself.

“Hey Leo, is there any inside information Kal has picked up on?”

Chloe questioned curiously in response to the discussion.

Leo shook his head in response to Chloe’s inquiry.

“The student council hasn’t been given any details regarding the residential layouts.”

“Hmm. Do you think they will keep the upperclassman mentorship framework for the second-years like they did previously? It honestly functioned pretty well, didn’t it?”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

Just as the third-year group was collectively debating the potential layout of the residential system and academic tracks, Artian called out to them.

“Look over there, everyone. Do you see it? That right there is your brand-new dormitory complex!”

She pointed toward a colossal structure dominated by a massive clock tower.

“The whole third-year class gets to occupy that massive place?”

“Unbelievable! It looks incredibly premium!”

Shouts of excitement rippled through the ranks of the third-years.

Watching their reactions, Artian clarified,

“For this school year, the administration has implemented a system where students are grouped into dormitories based on their academic department. Therefore, the complex is split into three distinct residential sectors.”

“Ah, so that explains why the overall footprint of the building forms a triangle.”

“Those massive towers rising at the corners must be the actual living quarters, then.”

“Does that mean the central area houses all the shared amenities? That is phenomenal.”

The upperclassmen could barely contain their awe.

“Professor Tina handled the architectural blueprint for this residential hall.”

The elf Professor Tina Tingel, who had initially joined the academy as a visiting instructor for the magic department the previous year, had officially transitioned into a permanent faculty member for the current term.

“Professor Tina, with her notoriously wild penchant for bizarre experiments, was the one who designed it? Hearing that instantly fills me with anxiety,”

Kal mumbled, a tense expression washing over his face at the revelation of Tina’s involvement.

“Professor! I have a query.”

“Go ahead, student Chelsea.”

“Which specific departmental wing will Leo be assigned to?”

Upon hearing that question, every single third-year student turned their attention forward with intense curiosity.

Which residential zone would an All-Class student like Leo possibly fit into?

This had undeniably been a major topic of speculation.

“Following a comprehensive deliberation among the faculty board, it was resolved that student Leo will be granted an entirely independent residential suite as an autonomous occupant.”

While it was undeniably exclusive favoritism, it was entirely logical.

No individual within Lumerne would ever dare question or complain about Leo receiving special accommodations.

“Wait, seriously? Class president, you’re basically a complete outcast now?”

“Yeah, that’s the reality.”

Illiana teased, letting out a sharp giggle as she peered over at Leo.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to drop by and hang out all the time!”

Illiana enthusiastically gave him a thumbs-up!

“Alright, everyone. I will now proceed to distribute your individual room keys.”

Artian announced, calling out each student’s name one by one to hand over the items.

The third-years looked down at the keys in their palms with slight confusion.

“Now, I want everyone to spin their keys around in the air.”

Following her instruction, the students spun the keys without a second thought.

Right at that exact instant—

“Oh?”

Leo let out a soft gasp of astonishment.

In the blink of an eye, he found himself standing in the center of an incredibly wide, open chamber.

The scale of the room was so immensely vast that it felt entirely disconnected from any standard concept of a school dormitory.

Leo looked around the perimeter, taking in the magnificent space with quiet awe, before stepping outward onto what appeared to be a grand exterior terrace.

The door shut with a heavy click.

Whoshshsh—!

A powerful gust of wind swept past him.

From his vantage point, he could view the entire sprawling layout of Lumerne, the shimmering expanse of Lake Lumeria, and the distant, bustling horizon of Lumeria City all in a single, breathless glance.

“I am standing right at the absolute peak of the clock tower.”

After spending a moment admiring the spectacular panoramic view, Leo turned back around and stepped back into the interior of the suite.

His eyes locked onto a standalone door situated along one of the side walls, causing him to tilt his head inquisitively.

“Is there an additional chamber back there?”

The primary room by itself was already massive, so the existence of another connected space seemed peculiar.

Driven by curiosity, Leo reached for the handle, swung the door open, and stepped across the threshold.

And…

“Wait, what? Whoa! President?!”

“Young Master Leo?”

“Oh my gosh! Class president! How on earth did you manage to get in here?!”

Leo found himself staring directly at several female students belonging to the knight department, causing his brow to twitch with subtle irritation.

“Where exactly am I?”

“Young Master Leo, this is supposed to be the secure living quarters for the female knight department students. Why did you just walk out of our supply closet?”

Hearing this, Leo immediately turned on his heel and retreated straight back through the same doorway he had just used.

The surrounding environment instantly reverted back to the familiar, vast space of his private quarters.

Leo paused, stared at the exact same door, and decided to open it a second time, walking through once more.

“Leo? Why are you suddenly stepping out of my bathroom door?”

Kal greeted him, looking thoroughly startled by the sudden intrusion.

“Is this the residential wing for the male magic department students?”

“Yeah, it definitely is. Man, it looks like students from every single year level are sharing this exact same complex.”

Leo clicked his tongue softly upon hearing Kal’s observation.

It looks like my private suite is directly linked to various different sectors across every single residential building.