The Legendary Hero is an Academy Honor Student

“Wow. Wow.”

Arron held the book and exclaimed in admiration.

“This novel is really interesting.”

Seeing Arron’s eyes sparkling, Leo propped his chin on his hand.

“That’s a history book.”

What Arron was reading was a history book that recorded the deeds of the Great Heroes.

Of course, by the current era, many of the Great Heroes’ deeds had become heavily fictionalized.

However, since it was written by renowned scholars, the book Arron was reading was essentially a textbook that documented the history of the Great Heroes in this world.

'Well, when I first read it, I also thought it was a novel rather than a history book.'

“I like the Beastmen in this book the most.”

“Hey.”

Seeing Arron grin as he spoke, Leo narrowed his eyes.

It was while Arron and Leo were reading a book about their own stories.

Chelsea was lost in thought.

'Come to think of it, there were more than one or two strange things about Leo oppa.'

From the entrance exam, Leo had stood out.

When they first met, he easily subdued Chelsea without even using Aura.

And that wasn’t all.

He faced the monster that Celia and Abad had barely managed to defeat together, all by himself.

Of course, since he couldn’t use Aura back then, he hadn’t been able to defeat it.

'But even then, he had overwhelming strength that didn’t compare to his peers.'

It was like a hero straight out of a fairy tale, and Chelsea had been moved watching Leo fight.

'Even after entering the academy, Leo oppa was the center of attention.'

The biggest topic was, of course, his unprecedented All-Class.

'An All-Class like the Hero of Beginning, Kyle.'

The All-Class—believed to be nonexistent—was proven to exist because of Leo.

Moreover, he didn’t just stop at handling all three powers; he showed remarkable prowess in every aspect.

Leo was a seasoned knight, an overwhelming mage, and an incredible Summoner.

If he had only stood out in the Knights Department, it would have been understandable.

Leo’s maternal family was Zerdinger, and his mother, Reina Plov, had been a famous knight in her youth.

But the skill he showed in Magic and Summoning was so exceptional it almost felt like the authority of someone long seasoned.

'Back then, he’d already transcended the realm of talent.'

And now, a year after entering the academy.

He had gained strength that didn’t compare to his peers.

'Until now, I thought he was an incredible person on par with the Great Heroes.'

Snapping out of her thoughts, Chelsea crossed her arms and looked at Leo and Arron.

'The more I think about it, the stranger it seems.'

As doubt took root, things she’d accepted without question began linking together, one after another.

'Leo oppa has cleared an unusually large number of Hero Records. And wasn’t he the first to reveal that the Hero of Beginning, Kyle, actually existed?'

Chelsea stared hard at Leo’s face.

'Moreover, even before that was revealed, Leo oppa had a deep interest in the Hero of Beginning, Kyle. Didn’t he even try to research the Hero of Beginning, Kyle, for club activities?'

At the time, she’d thought it was because he was an All-Class, so he was naturally interested in the only All-Class who left their name in history: the Hero of Beginning, Kyle.

But looking back, it felt odd.

'Leo oppa definitely has some secret related to Kyle-nim.'

Chelsea racked her brain.

'A descendant or something… a successor, maybe? But that’s probably not it. Could it be… Kyle-nim himself?'

The moment her thoughts reached that point, Chelsea’s eyes widened in shock.

If that were true, everything she’d thought of earlier would make sense.

'Could it really be?!'

(T/N: Uh-ohhhh...)

Just as Chelsea was about to gasp—

“Chelsea, let’s go now.”

“Yes, yep!”

At Arron-nim’s words—who had come up behind her without her noticing—Chelsea shot up from her seat and answered far too loudly.

Sharp gazes from all across the library turned toward them.

Arron-nim bowed his head apologetically, and Chelsea hurriedly apologized to the other patrons.

“Why are you acting so unlike yourself?”

As Leo approached and asked, Chelsea smiled awkwardly.

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

As she spoke, she stared intently at Leo’s back as he walked ahead.

Arron-nim tilted his head, looking at Chelsea.

Evening, after finishing the tour.

Leo settled into the lodging in Delan.

And gathered at that lodging were the students who had known Arron-nim’s true identity from before.

In other words, the students who had cleared Dweno’s Hero Record.

“Why did you come here instead of going home?”

Lunia asked Leo with a puzzled expression.

Since the Plov family mansion was in Delan, Lunia had thought Leo would stay there.

In response, Leo answered.

“We’re still in the middle of the training camp schedule. Besides, if I go, my mother will definitely make a fuss.”

“So you’re also a son who can’t help it in front of your parents?”

Lunia smiled wryly.

“By the way, where did Arron-nim and the silly cat go?”

They had rented an entire small hotel for Arron-nim.

With Arron-nim and Ar nowhere to be seen, Lunia looked puzzled.

“They went to the bathhouse together.”

Driana answered while eating an entire cream cake.

“Hah, together to the bathhouse?!”

Eiran jumped in surprise, then blushed slightly.

“What are you thinking? They just needed a place with water for Howling training.”

“Th-that’s right! I also thought it was for Howling training!”

Driana replied with half-lidded eyes, and Eiran jumped and answered back.

Seeing Eiran like that, Driana frowned.

“Eiran. Do you view every situation with such lewd eyes?”

“L-lewd? I-I’ve never had such thoughts even once!”

“If your head is so full of dirty thoughts, why do you refuse to be a nude model?!”

“I said I’ve never had such thoughts!”

Eiran made a tearful face and grabbed Driana by the neck, shaking her hard.

Watching Driana get shaken wildly, Carr spoke up.

“It’s okay, Eiran. Everyone goes through that during puberty… Gahk!”

“I didn’t do it!”

With tears welling in his eyes, Eiran squeezed his eyes shut and grabbed Carr by the neck too, shaking him.

“H-help… Gahk! Kehk!”

Carr struggled, but the fired-up Eiran had no time to pay attention to him.

Watching that, Driana muttered.

“Carr, that guy is sometimes brave.”

“Isn’t it because you stay calm even when being strangled?”

“Aren’t I sturdy?”

Eiran’s hands looked delicate, but they were viciously strong.

Eventually, when Carr started foaming at the mouth and collapsing, Eiran finally let out a scream and released him.

===

“Blub blub blub blub—! Pwah!”

Ar, who had been Howling in the bath, hurriedly lifted her head.

Seeing Ar panting, Arron-nim spoke.

“Hmm. You’ve improved tremendously. Though it doesn’t seem like the power to trigger other Beastmen’s Beast Transformation has manifested yet. Shall we stop here for today?”

At first glance, it looked like simple water torture, but thanks to Arron-nim’s special training, Ar’s Howling had definitely grown stronger.

Moreover, with Arron-nim explaining from the side, Ar’s technique had noticeably improved.

“You worked hard too, Chelsea.”

Chelsea had been using wind to keep the Howling from leaking outside.

“No, it’s what I should do, right?”

Chelsea shook her head while sneakily glancing at Arron-nim’s expression.

Seeing Chelsea like that, Arron-nim smiled faintly.

“Do you have something to say?”

“Ah, it’s nothing. I’ll go out first!”

Chelsea hurriedly shook her head and left the bath.

'Should I ask Arron-nim or Leo oppa? No. It’s just my speculation, right? Leo oppa being Kyle-nim himself? That’s absurd. Besides, even if my speculation is true, this should be kept secret. It’s not something to pretend to know about.'

As Chelsea agonized inwardly, Arron-nim watched her retreating figure.

Seeing that, Ar’s ears and tail drooped.

“Arron-nim finds Chelsea cuter, right?”

“Hmm?”

Arron-nim looked at Ar.

Ar lowered her head slightly and spoke.

“You’re kind to Chelsea. Of course, you’re kind to me too… but Arron-nim takes the most meticulous care of Chelsea.”

She looked a little disappointed, though it wasn’t clear why.

“Of course, meeting Arron-nim like this, talking, and receiving Howling guidance is an honor beyond my worth. Still, I wanted to be more helpful to Arron-nim and receive praise. I guess I’m lacking.”

The fact that Chelsea had guided Arron-nim today instead of her had been a huge shock to Ar.

Seeing Ar’s disappointed expression, Arron-nim scratched his cheek.

“Ar and Chelsea are different. Of course, I think of both of you like younger siblings. But I receive a lot of comfort from Chelsea.”

“I don’t provide comfort?”

“For you, I have more expectations than comfort.”

“Huh?”

At Arron-nim’s words, Ar’s eyes widened.

Arron-nim patted Ar’s head and spoke.

“Whether you like it or not. Whether you wanted it or not. Ar, you inherited a lot from me.”

Arron-nim smiled bitterly.

“More than what I passed on to Velkia. You received it.”

Arron-nim removed his hand, bent his knees, and met Ar’s eyes.

“I didn’t want children to go to the battlefield. I hoped children like you and Chelsea would live lives unrelated to combat. For that, I squeezed out courage I didn’t have.”

“Arron-nim…”

“But because I was lacking, we couldn’t conclude everything and ended up leaving the Calamity Flame to future generations.”

“Arron-nim is definitely not lacking!”

Ar flared up and sprang to her feet.

Seeing Ar like that, Arron-nim smiled.

“Thank you for saying that. Anyway, the Calamity Flame still remains in this world.”

Arron-nim continued.

“So maybe I’m being strict with you because of that.”

'You’re not being strict, though.'

Ar muttered inwardly.

But Ar had some sense.

She wore a catlike smile under the gentle hand patting her head.

If she said something unnecessary, Arron-nim might stop.

Whether he knew Ar’s ulterior motives or not, Arron-nim spoke.

“You’ll stand on the battlefield in my place someday. You mustn’t become like me.”

“But I want to become like Arron-nim?”

At Ar’s words, Arron-nim shook his head.

“If you become a coward like me, you’ll just be a burden again.”

“Arron-nim is not a coward! And you’re not a burden! You’re a Great Hero who saved the world!”

At those words, Arron-nim didn’t reply and only smiled warmly.

“I hope you become a true hero, Ar. So you can truly create a world where future generations can smile without worry. Because you’re my successor.”

At the word “successor,” Ar’s eyes widened.

Then she lowered her head deeply and trembled.

“Are you hurt somewhere?”

Arron-nim asked worriedly, and Ar lifted her head.

“Nyaaaaaaah!”

“Wahhhh?!”

“Successor! Successor! Successoooor!”

“Eeeek! S-save me!”

Ar, eyes rolling back, shrieked and lunged, and Arron-nim screamed and fled the bathhouse.

===

Rumble rumble rumble—!

“An earthquake?”

In the Plov family territory, as a small earthquake rippled through the deep mountains, Luke made a puzzled expression.

Seeing Luke like that, Juen spoke.

“Are you listening to me?”

“Yeah.”

“So! Why aren’t we given free time?!”

Juen grumbled as he roasted meat on a skewer over the campfire.

“The sunbaes said they went through a lot of hardship. Maybe that’s why?”

Luke answered with a smile, and Juen pouted.

“We’re going through plenty of hardship too?”

“Can you still say that after seeing the sunbaes’ condition yesterday?”

Aina retorted from beside them, and Juen snapped back.

“I didn’t ask you!”

“Weren’t you two reconciled?”

Luke asked awkwardly, and Aina nodded.

“Yeah.”

“Who needs to reconcile? And we never even fought?”

Juen half-lidded her eyes.

Luke tried to take a bite of the meat on his skewer.

Swish—!

Something snatched it from his hand.

After quickly creating distance, the one tearing into the meat while casting an askance look at Luke was Seiren’s first-year President, Lea.

Seeing Lea like that, Luke smiled brightly.

“Lady Lea, would you like some more?”

At those words, Lea furrowed her beautiful brows, clicked her tongue, and left.

“Luke Elda.”

“Yes. Haviden-ssi.”

“Why are you smiling and offering more?! That’s picking a fight with you, isn’t it? As Lumene’s first-year President, you shouldn’t take such a soft attitude!”

“Eeek?”

As Haviden-ssi shouted with wide eyes, Luke let out a scream.

Watching them, Sasha covered her mouth with her sleeve and narrowed her eyes.

“Seiren’s second-year, Lunia El Lunda, was terrifying too. But the way Seiren’s first-year President picks fights with Luke is like a thug.”

“Why is that elf so desperate to get at Luke?”

Betty tilted her head in confusion.

Grrrrrrrr—!

A faint killing intent swept through the area.

The first-years, eating dinner around the campfire in front of the lodging, looked up.

“This presence… it’s monsters.”

Haviden-ssi said, tearing into the meat on his skewer.

“Must be an impromptu situation prepared by the training camp.”

“No wonder it felt too peaceful.”

Juen snorted.

Students from other schools reacted similarly.

Even though they were first-years, they were Hero Candidates.

They were all too familiar with impromptu situations like this.

“Well then, shall we lightly digest our dinner?”

Sasha smiled faintly.

At the mountaintop of the Plov territory, Melina’s eyes—which had been closed—twitched and opened.

Her face stiffened slightly at the sudden situation.

“……Monsters?”

***

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