Chapter 651

651.

The day following the introductory ceremony.

Pupils literally started streaming out into the main pavilion of the clock tower.

Since the living quarters accommodated every single learner, the residential block itself was bound to be thriving with activity.

Naturally, the fresh arrivals drew the most attention.

During yesterday’s gathering, the newcomers had exhibited a rather disheartened mood, but with the passage of a single day, they had bounced back and retrieved a portion of their spirit.

Luke wore an anxious look on his face as he observed the first-years gathering with their specific departmental peers, talking amiably.

“Luke. What makes you appear so tense?”

Habiden, a peer and competitor from the Knight Department, questioned with a perplexed expression.

Luke offered a response with a quivering tone.

“Th-that’s because… they are our juniors. As upperclassmen, we are obligated to display proper conduct… H-haa… I am terrified!”

Habiden grimaced, observing Luke who was entirely at a loss.

“I repeat this constantly, Luke. You serve as the representative for our entire year. If you project yourself in that manner, others will hold you in contempt.”

“B-but. How should I put this? To ensure the underclassmen respect us, we must demonstrate proper conduct, mustn’t we?”

“Hmph. Conduct or not, simply by reaching the second year, your status as an upperclassman is validated.”

Habiden snorted and beckoned to a passing newcomer belonging to the Knight Department.

“You, over there.”

“Yes, upperclassman!”

Habiden gestured toward Luke, observing the newcomer who stood rigidly upright with an incredibly terrified expression.

“Are you aware of who this individual is?”

“He is Upperclassman Luke Elda, the representative for the second year!”

“What is your opinion of this individual?”

“I hold him in high regard! And I hold Upperclassman Habiden in high regard as well!”

“Very well, proceed.”

“W-work diligently…”

“Tsk!”

“W-work diligently!”

“Understood! Thank you very much!”

Habiden glared fiercely at Luke, who had nearly employed overly formal language without even realizing it. Luke flinched and corrected his manner of speech.

Following his statement, the newcomer showed a deeply moved expression and subsequently sprinted off toward the peers he had grown close to over the course of the night.

“I spoke with Upperclassman Luke and Upperclassman Habiden! Upperclassman Luke instructed me to stay motivated!”

“Ooooh!”

“That is incredibly impressive!”

“Perhaps I should attempt to converse with them as well?”

“How should I say this, it feels intimidating to approach them!”

Habiden snickered, observing the boisterous newcomers.

“They experience such joy simply from a word of support from you. Possess some self-assurance.”

“Th-thank you.”

Luke appeared deeply touched.

Habiden pulled up the corners of his lips, watching Luke.

“Because I refuse to permit our year representative to be viewed lightly.”

“Yes. I shall transform into an individual far more worthy of being the year representative than my current self…”

“Because that title will belong to me shortly.”

“…”

“Cleanse your throat and bide your time. Luke.”

“Pardon me. ‘Cleanse your throat and bide your time.’ Those are incredibly spine-chilling phrases…”

“What is occurring here? Luke.”

“Aina! Habiden commanded me to cleanse my throat and bide my time!”

Upon hearing that, Aina’s expression turned grim.

Subsequently, she glared at Habiden with piercing eyes.

“I shall absolutely never permit that.”

“Aina…”

Luke appeared somewhat moved.

“I shall be the individual to sever Luke’s throat.”

“…”

Luke was left entirely speechless.

“Why is the mood so somber?”

“You ought not to appear so disheartened, year representative, on the very opening day.”

Juen and Shasha walked over to Luke.

“Aina and Habiden commanded me to cleanse my throat and bide my time.”

“Grounded in their background from the Knight Department, their phrasing is rather terrifying.”

“Is it not?”

“Indeed. I intend to plant a gale-force puncture in your forehead.”

“That is terrifying as well.”

“Goodness. Severing throats, creating gale-force punctures. Everyone. Your expressions are quite severe. You ought to temper them slightly.”

Shasha, concealing her smile with a folding fan, spoke in a melodious voice.

“In what manner do you intend to temper them?”

As Juen narrowed her eyes, Shasha adopted a pristine expression.

“Capital punishment.”

“You appear to be the most terrifying individual here, though?”

‘Why must they converse in such a spine-chilling manner?’

Luke formed a weeping expression, observing his companions who were perpetually targeting him.

The newcomers observed the second-years from a distance with longing gazes.

It was precisely at that moment.

Clack-clack- clack-clack-

The rhythm of elevated footwear resonated.

The gazes of the newcomers shifted toward the origin of the noise.

“Oh! It is Upperclassman Iliana.”

“Wow!”

“She possesses such beauty.”

Cries of admiration burst forth from all directions at the arrival of Iliana, who ranked among the elite capable scholars within the third year.

The third year was already renowned as the most magnificent golden generation throughout the annals of Lumen.

Within that golden generation, putting aside the topmost exceptional scholars, there was virtually no one who could contend with Iliana in terms of capability, rendering her literally an object of devotion for the newcomers.

“However, I received word that she is somewhat, how might I frame it, eccentric? I received word that she was rather rowdy.”

“Oh? I caught wind of that rumor as well.”

“Could it be a mistaken rumor?”

“It must be a mistaken rumor! How could an individual of such refinement have such a rumor circulated about her?”

The newcomers tilted their heads and murmured among themselves.

As they chatted, the newcomers made direct eye contact with Iliana.

Precisely as the fresh arrivals turned rigid and became flustered,

Iliana bestowed upon them a tender smirk.

At that smirk, the male newcomers instantly turned red.

Observing them, Iliana elegantly ran a hand through her hair and proceeded toward the dining commons.

Chelsea, who had just stepped out of the living quarters and observed this display, formed an inscrutable expression.

Subsequently, she walked toward Nella, who had emerged from the Knight Department sector, and inquired.

“Sister Nella. What is the matter with her? Did she consume something spoiled during the night?”

“Well. She uttered something peculiar regarding possessing a hidden asset to triumph in the residential block rivalry, and she has maintained that demeanor since the morning hours.”

Nella formed an intensely concerned expression.

“Could she have harmed her skull during the clash with the upperclassmen yesterday? She did not appear to exhibit any external wounds.”

“If she endured a heavy blow to the skull, in what manner ought we to administer aid?”

Nella, who commanded a restorative aura, functioned as both a primary practitioner of the third year and an expert in restorative disciplines.

Nella contemplated for a brief period at Chelsea’s inquiry, then remarked.

“You simply require delivering another heavy blow to her skull… Ought I to attempt striking her with my spiked club once?”

“…Then she might expire if you are not careful. Sister Nella.”

“Is that so?”

Iliana, whether conscious or oblivious to the fact that her companions were exchanging spine-chilling dialogue, entered the dining commons and scanned the environment.

She subsequently identified Leo taking a meal in a particular spot, and her gaze kindled slightly.

“So. This band simply materialized from the spatial pocket of your mantle, which possesses no equals in devotion, correct?”

“Yes.”

Leo signaled in agreement, taking a drink of dark brew from a chalice, responding to Kal’s inquiry.

Kal, scrutinizing the band in his palm, uttered a cry of admiration.

“My~ Regardless, it is truly magnificent, is it not? I would credit it if someone claimed it was a masterpiece of artistry.”

On the whole, it was an exquisite silver band that appeared as though it might dissolve into fluid at any moment.

A diminutive sapphire was set within it.

Centered in the sapphire, an incantation sequence was etched, practically imperceptible to the naked eye.

On the interior boundary of the silver band, exquisite blossoms were likewise patterned.

Precisely as Kal asserted, it could legitimately be deemed a masterpiece of artistry.

“This piece by itself could procure a respectable holy figure, could it not?”

“Because Dweno crafted it.”

“Ah, I comprehend. Little wonder. It is a band fashioned by Master Dweno.”

Kal signaled in comprehension and then clicked his tongue.

“It is an asset that could procure a respectable domain and still leave wealth remaining. Ugh, I am far too intimidated to grasp it.”

Kal bantered and offered the band back to Leo.

Leo, balancing the band on his palm, gazed fixedly at it.

“Does it lack a band possessing a distinctive significance?”

Kal inquired prudently.

He recalled Luna’s admission from earlier.

Leo chuckled softly at that.

“It is merely one among the enchanted bands Luna kept in her possession.”

Aside from her enchanted staff, Luna kept an array of magical instruments.

This band, designated Seolhwa, represented one of them.

“It is merely a band that amplifies the intensity of frost-aligned incantations. It represented one of the tokens Luna left behind at the conclusion. For that reason, it was preserved within my mantle.”

“Oh ho? In that case, you are capable of employing it.”

“The majority of Luna’s enchanted instruments possessed extraordinary capability, yet many among them proved troublesome to employ.”

These represented instruments Dweno had fashioned following Luna’s directives.

“In the instance of this band, a frost-aligned spellcaster would need to command it to fully unleash its capability.”

Even if Leo employed it, the band’s authentic capability could be entirely manifested.

Nonetheless, doing so would diminish the intensity of incantations of alternative alignments by half.

From Leo’s standpoint, it served as an unfavorable attribute.

‘Only an individual such as Luna could employ such enchanted bands and entirely harness the intensity of sorcery.’

“It is an excellent band for Chloe to employ.”

“If it serves as a token, is it not invaluable?”

When Kal inquired prudently, Leo chuckled softly.

“It is a duplicate I obtained as a compensation for subduing the domain of champions regardless. The authentic band vanished long in the past.”

Leo flipped the band into the air with a sharp snap and subsequently captured it with a crisp catch.

“Virtually none of the tokens left behind by our comrades have been inherited by subsequent eras.”

Every token left behind by his comrades had been devoured by flames alongside him during their concluding moment.

“Why is there nothing remaining from you and the Illustrious Champions?”

“Pardon?”

“It resides here.”

Kal gestured toward the ground with his finger.

“The domain.”

“You are adopting a solemn expression, contrary to your usual self.”

“I rank as a respectable champion at present as well. I must remain solemn when the circumstances demand solemnity.”

Leo dissolved into laughter at Kal’s remarks.

“In truth, even if I intended to present it to Chloe, I am unable to. This band. Its capability is solely triggered when it remains in my proximity. Within another’s grasp, it is merely an empty shell.”

“Hmm. That is unfortunate.”

Kal folded his arms.

“Is it owing to your possession of Master Dweno’s essence?”

“Conceivably.”

Artifacts fashioned by Dweno react to Dweno’s essence and momentarily revert to their most magnificent era.

This band, likewise, was highly prone to be impacted by that dynamic.

It was during the interval when Leo and Kal were dining.

“Class representative, Kal. A pleasant morning.”

Iliana, holding a dining platter, grinned elegantly and offered a greeting.

“A pleasant morning.”

Leo smiled cordially and offered a greeting in return.

“Did you consume something spoiled? What causes you to greet us so alluringly this morning?”

“My? Did I behave in that manner? Fufufu.”

Kal tightened his brow, observing Iliana conceal her mouth and offer a tender grin.

“What causes you to duplicate Nella? Oh, I intend to consume one.”

Kal speared a link from Iliana’s dining platter utilizing a utensil and consumed it.

Iliana, who normally would have widened her eyes in anger and struck back, observed him with a sympathetic grin.

“Kal, do you experience great hunger? Ought I to offer you an additional portion?”

“…”

At Iliana’s inquiry, Kal formed an uncomfortable expression and massaged his arm vigorously.

“Ugh, chills.”

Observing Kal, Iliana dissolved into amusement and dined elegantly.

And she conversed with Leo.

“I am anticipating the engagement session today. I received word it represents a combined session featuring the 1st and 2nd years.”

“You already verified that circumstance?”

“Yes. It was displayed upon the main pavilion notice board, was it not?”

Leo formed a peculiar expression, observing Iliana who presented herself like a model student.

“Where is Nella? Nella!”

Kal stood up and urgently scanned for Nella.

“Kal is tempestuous from the morning hours.”

Iliana shifted her head with an expression that implied she was powerless to restrain him.