Chapter 657

First light.

The dormitory for Summoning Department students at Clock Tower Dormitory.

Within this structure was an extensive garden, accessible only to those enrolled in the Summoning Department.

Pitter-patter- pitter-patter-

‘For a garden, it certainly is immense.’

Eliza, having entered the garden with bare feet, inhaled deeply.

Though spring had arrived, the predawn air remained chilly.

Breathing in the early morning spring atmosphere, Eliza opened her eyes.

A vast, natural panorama spread out before her.

While termed the Summoning Department dormitory’s garden, this location was, more accurately, one of the islands within Lake Lumeria.

It was originally among the islands off-limits to students.

This area had been designated as the dormitory garden.

Such a space was not exclusive to the Summoning Department.

Both the Knight Department and the Magic Department had also been allocated an island for their respective gardens.

The assigned islands possessed distinct characteristics tailored to each department.

If the island for Knight Department students served as a suitable training ground, and the island granted to Magic Department students was apt for magical experimentation, then for Summoning Department students, it was provided as a place with a well-preserved natural environment.

Summoners are individuals who exist alongside spirits and phantom beasts, entities of great nature.

Consequently, an environment where they could intimately sense nature and absorb its energy was indispensable.

It is here that they interact with their summoned beasts and refine their skills as summoners.

And Eliza was among the earliest to rise among the Lumerne Summoning Department students.

“Oh! Eliza! Good morning!”

“Good morning, Senior Lil.”

Observing Lil smile broadly and wave, Eliza nodded slightly in greeting.

After exchanging pleasantries with Lil, Eliza walked to one side of the garden.

And she commenced tidying up the cultivated patch of ground there.

This was Eliza’s small pastime, as she was also a member of the horticulture club.

In fact, even during her second year, Eliza had maintained Noble’s garden.

“Ohh…! That. That was Eliza’s vegetable garden!”

“Huh…?”

Lil admired Eliza as she cultivated the soil.

“What kind of crops do you intend to grow?”

Lil’s eyes sparkled brightly.

“I’m planning to make it a flower garden, not a vegetable patch.”

“What? A flower garden? You mean you’re cultivating flowers?”

“Yes.”

“Miss Eliza? Flowers?”

“What does that imply?”

Seeing Eliza momentarily bristle, Lil felt flustered.

“But you can’t eat flowers, can you? Wouldn’t crops be more efficient?”

Eliza felt her head throb.

‘This is why individuals from military families are this way.’

Observing the typical behavior of someone from a military background, overemphasizing efficiency, Eliza remarked.

“It’s a hobby.”

“That’s a good hobby.”

“Leo Flobe, I never anticipated seeing eye to eye with you.”

“Though it doesn’t suit you.”

“You really!”

Eliza, who rolled her eyes and turned her head, was momentarily startled.

“B-Brother?”

“No, wait, where did you emerge from?!”

Lil, who wouldn’t be easily unfazed, also regarded Leo with extremely surprised eyes.

“My room possesses a door that can travel anywhere within the dormitory.”

The door in the student council president’s room transports you randomly anywhere if opened without forethought.

However, Leo had confirmed through experimentation that if opened while contemplating the destination, one can travel to the desired location.

“Ohh! That’s the student council president’s authority.”

“That would be convenient… Wait. You can travel anywhere?”

Eliza’s expression hardened.

“Surely that doesn’t imply you can travel to the bathroom or other people’s rooms, correct?”

“Oh come on. Even if it’s Lumerne, not to that extent…”

“You are aware too, Senior. This is the kind of school that would do such a thing and more.”

“……”

Lumerne was one of the world’s premier educational institutions, but it was also a school that occasionally exhibited insane, chaotic management commensurate with its prestige.

“I have no intention of misusing it in an unusual manner, so do not worry.”

“It’s still crazy. This school.”

Eliza displayed an expression of utter disbelief.

She even contemplated protesting to the school immediately, but knowing it would achieve nothing, Eliza sighed softly.

‘Leo Flobe. This person is certainly not one to engage in anything sinister.’

Having struggled to make him her objective, Eliza also understood Leo well.

And as such, there was trust as well.

“By the way, Brother. What is the matter at this late hour before the sun has even risen?”

“I have something to discuss with Eliza.”

“With me?”

Eliza, with arms crossed, wore a puzzled expression.

“Yes. I’ve received a request this time.”

“And?”

“I wish to include you in the party.”

“Who made the request?”

“Damian.”

“……”

Eliza’s expression turned slightly serious.

Lil, who was listening to the conversation, was likewise.

Both of them instinctively sensed it was a significant matter upon hearing that Damian was the one who requested the mission.

“Brother. Don’t you require my assistance?”

“You are also departing for a mission shortly.”

“Ugh! I desired to be of assistance to you, Brother!”

Lil wore a slightly vexed expression.

“Let’s hear the details.”

“Alright. Then let’s proceed to my room now.”

“To your room?”

“Yes. We depart tomorrow.”

“Indeed, we only have one day to prepare. But it’s still curfew, is it not? Leaving the dormitory at this hour is a violation of school regulations.”

“School regulations are intended to be broken, are they not?”

“Hmph.”

Eliza snorted.

“Lil. Keep it a secret.”

“Of course!”

Lil clenched her fist and nodded firmly.

After Leo opened the garden door, he stepped back a pace from the doorway.

Eliza stepped inside.

Whoosh-!

With her vision altered, Eliza realized she had arrived in a vast room that felt desolate.

“Sit on the sofa and wait. I’ll bring the others.”

The reason Leo brought Eliza first was straightforward.

It was because Eliza woke up the earliest among the third-year students.

Sitting on the sofa, arms crossed and legs crossed, Eliza closed her eyes and waited for all the party members to assemble.

A moment later, Chelsea appeared with Leo.

“Chelsea, wait a little.”

“Okay!”

As Leo disappeared, Chelsea glanced at Eliza and remarked.

“What is it, Eliza?”

“Are you displeased?”

“Not particularly.”

Chelsea lightly sat on the sofa.

“The fact that you and I were chosen as party members implies the next one will be that guy too, correct?”

“Yes. It can only be him.”

Chelsea and Eliza, having anticipated the party member Leo would select, waited for Leo to arrive.

However, as time passed and there was no sign of him, they both appeared puzzled.

Bang-

“What~ I need to sleep. Who just drags a lady out at this early hour of dawn? Can’t you inform me later?”

“Quiet, Illiana Laden.”

Illiana’s whining and Duran’s irritated voice could be heard.

Leo, who had entered behind the two, closed the door.

Duran, dressed in training attire as if he had been in morning training, grabbed Illiana by the scruff of her neck and headed towards the sofa.

“What? Why Illiana?”

“There’s an impurity among us.”

Chelsea, with wide eyes, leaning back on the sofa, and Eliza, narrowing her brows.

Whoosh-!

Duran, who roughly threw Illiana next to Chelsea, sat down heavily on the opposite sofa.

“Don’t ask me. It’s Leo Flobe’s choice.”

At Duran’s words, Chelsea nodded and settled herself onto the sofa with a grunt.

“I’m sorry for calling you all out so early in the morning.”

“Inform us of the mission details first. Leo Flobe.”

As Duran immediately got to the point, Leo scratched his cheek.

“First, I think we need to wake Illiana up a bit.”

Duran, seeing Illiana nodding off, snapped his fingers.

Crackle-crackle-

Illiana’s eyes flashed open.

Illiana, with her hair disheveled as if from static electricity, looked around with clear, bright eyes.

It was a delicate electric shock, just enough to clear her mind.

‘Oho? When did he become capable of controlling his power to this extent?’

Watching Duran subtly control his aura, Leo admired him inwardly.

Amidst that, Leo spoke.

“They say that the frequency of monster appearances has recently increased in the Tartaros border region of the Eastern Continent. Damian dispatched an investigation team to look into it.”

Leo spoke about the details of the request.

“So it’s a reconnaissance mission to confirm the survival of the investigators and the presence of a hero dungeon?”

Leo nodded at Chelsea’s question after hearing the explanation.

“Yes. That’s why I chose you guys, who have good mobility, as party members.”

“I understand everything else, but why did you choose Illiana Laden?”

“Because I’m faster than all of you!”

Illiana, having come to her senses, remarked as if it were obvious.

“Hmph?“

As Duran gave a chillingly belligerent smile, Illiana quickly hid behind Leo.

“I chose this lineup because I think it’s the best.”

Indeed, these four boasted the best mobility among the third-year students.

“What do you say?”

“Hmph. Is there any reason not to go?”

“It will be a good experience.”

Duran and Eliza answered immediately.

“Of course I’ll go!”

Chelsea also nodded as if it were obvious.

“Heh heh. The class president needs me, so of course I have to go!”

‘If I do well, I might even get mission points for free. Heh heh heh.’

Although Illiana gave a slightly sly smile, she readily nodded.

“Alright. Then everyone, spend today preparing for the mission.”

For Lumerne students to go on a mission, several procedures were required.

First, they had to write a statement of absence since they would be missing classes, even if it was for future make-up lessons.

And then, preparing supplies to be used for the mission.

“Brother Leo, if we’re moving as a party, we need to write a party name, so what should we write?”

Chelsea, who was writing the statement of absence, inquired.

“Is it okay if I decide?”

“Hmph. It’s the party you formed, so you decide.”

At those words, Leo glanced at the clothes rack in one corner of the room.

And after looking at the black cloak hanging there for a moment, he opened his mouth.

“Arhi. Write the party name as Arhi.”

At those words, Chelsea’s eyes widened.

“This means ‘beginning’ in Draconic, does it not? Come to think of it, Class President. You said you’d also change the name of the country you’re inheriting to this, did you not? So you decided to push for this as the party name too?”

“That’s not the reason.”

Chelsea shook her head.

“Huh?“

“Arhi was the name of the party of great heroes led by Master Risinas.”

“What?”

At Chelsea’s words, Illiana’s eyes went wide.

Duran and Eliza also wore surprised expressions at this unknown fact.

“Chelsea, how do you know that?”

“That’s…”

“Luna told me about it when she came to the mortal realm previously.”

It was Leo who answered instead.

“The name of the great heroes’ party was Arhi.”

At Leo’s words, Duran’s expression turned serious.

“Are we permitted to use such a name so casually?”

Using the party name that previous heroes used was tantamount to inheriting their will.

And for those living in the present, the great heroes were a kind of sanctuary.

They, mere hero candidates who hadn’t even taken their first steps as heroes, hesitated, wondering if they dared to use that name.

Not only Duran, but Eliza and Illiana felt the same way.

Watching them, Leo remarked.

“I’ve already obtained permission, so it’s fine. But if you’re still concerned.”

Leo looked at his party members.

“Become heroes worthy of that name as quickly as possible.”

“……”

The four people, who had been silent at Leo’s words, wrote the party name in the blank space with determined expressions.

Before they knew it, dawn was breaking.

Leo gazed at the sunlight streaming in through the window and murmured.

‘It begins now.’

The dazzling morning sunlight, unchanged from the morning sunlight he had barely reclaimed in the past.

‘Your will. I will surely pass it on to future generations.’