"Ah! Wouldn't it be wonderful if a heroic family visited our home?"
"My family has already finished preparing a party for them!"
The Delan students were buzzing with excitement after class.
Today marked the beginning of the Lumerne Academy candidates' visit to Delan.
The nobles of the Delad Kingdom were desperate to host members of the heroic families.
Heroic families.
It was a glorious title bestowed upon the most distinguished houses that had produced heroes for generations.
Naturally, their members had a high chance of being admitted to Lumerne.
"Gulliver, which of the heroic families visiting our country do you think is the most renowned?"
"Hmph, the Jerdingers, of course."
At Gulliver's words, his friends began to chatter.
"The Jerdingers will surely visit the Traden family, right?"
"Of course! Gulliver is the only one in our country talented enough to take the Lumerne entrance exam right now, isn't he?"
Gulliver preened as his friends showered him with praise.
"Hoo… I'm already looking forward to discussing the nature of heroes with the Jerdingers."
"Whoa! Man! I'm so jealous!"
"Gulliver! Can I come over to your house later?"
"I don't see why not."
"Ooh! Thanks!"
"Gulliver! What are friends for? Me too!"
Gulliver Traden.
He was the heir to the House of Marquis Traden and was hailed as Delad's greatest magical prodigy.
A 2nd Circle mage at the age of fifteen.
He was widely regarded as a talent destined for Lumerne.
It had been twenty years since the Delad Kingdom last produced a student admitted to Lumerne.
As such, the entire kingdom was watching Gulliver with great interest.
Amidst all the excitement—
A student by the window cried out in surprise.
"Hey, everyone! Isn't that the Jerdinger family crest?"
"Huh? Where? Where?"
"They're here already?"
The students swarmed to the windows.
Uninterested, Leo left the classroom.
As he did, he met the eyes of Gulliver and his cronies, who were also on their way out.
"Hmph! Are you going to try and get noticed? The Jerdingers wouldn't be interested in the likes of you."
Gulliver sneered at Leo.
Gulliver was considered a top student in every subject.
Even so, he was jealous of Leo.
There was one class where he could never beat Leo.
Combat class.
The professors, who openly favored Gulliver, never pitted the two against each other in practical exams, but the outcome was obvious.
Leo replied nonchalantly.
"I'm going home."
"Hmph, you know your place."
"Right. Go on and wag your tail for the Jerdingers."
"Watch your mouth. I am merely going to observe Celia Jerdinger as a competitor."
Sparks flew from Gulliver's eyes.
A tense atmosphere formed between the two.
[This is an announcement from the faculty office.
All students are to assemble in the banquet hall immediately.
There are no exceptions.]
A magical broadcast echoed through the school.
The reason for the assembly was painfully obvious.
It was to welcome the Jerdingers.
'This is why I tried to leave early.'
He grumbled to himself.
Gulliver scoffed and left the classroom.
The other students also rushed toward the banquet hall.
Leo scratched his head and muttered.
'Ah, screw it. I'm ditching.'
"Huh? Leo, aren't you going?"
"I'm going home."
"What? But this is a rare chance to see the Jerdinger family."
"Not interested."
Waving a dismissive hand, Leo headed in the opposite direction of the banquet hall,
leaving his classmate with a bewildered expression.
***
"It is an honor to have you visit, Lord Jis Jerdinger!"
Professor Jayden exclaimed, his face flushed with excitement.
The other students also gazed at Jis with eyes full of admiration.
"I'm overwhelmed by such a warm welcome."
"This student is Gulliver Traden. He will be taking the Lumerne Academy entrance exam this year!"
"Is that so? My niece happens to be taking the exam this year as well."
The students' gazes naturally shifted to one spot.
A girl standing with the Jerdinger knights.
Celia Jerdinger.
The daughter of the head of the Jerdinger family.
She was the Sword Princess, famous not only in the Empire but throughout the world.
Feeling the students' eyes on her, Celia squared her shoulders.
Gulliver stared at her, utterly entranced.
'Sh-she's beautiful!'
Black hair and large, ruby-red eyes.
A high-bridged nose and red lips.
He had seen many noble ladies, but never a girl as beautiful as Celia.
"Celia, come here."
At Jis's words, Celia strode forward.
She then smiled sweetly at Gulliver.
"You're taking the entrance exam, too? Let's do our best together."
"Y-yes! Let's have a good, clean competition. Hahaha!"
Gulliver laughed confidently and extended his hand.
Celia stared at it blankly.
Only when Jis nudged her side with his elbow did she finally shake it.
A goofy smile spread across Gulliver's face.
"I will give you a tour of the school. Perhaps you could also offer a few words of encouragement to our students."
"Haha. I'm not sure my words would be of much help."
"Any word from you, Lord Jis Jerdinger, would be a great help!"
Known by the moniker 'Flame Blade,' he was one of the most distinguished knights in the Empire.
Tales of his valor were known not just in the Empire, but across the entire world.
A single word from him, a man expected to soon receive the title of Hero, was immensely valuable.
"By the way, regarding your accommodations…"
"We have already arranged for a place to stay."
"I-I see."
Professor Jayden's face fell.
"That being said."
"Yes!"
"I would like to meet a student named Leo Flove."
"Pardon?"
Jayden looked taken aback, and Gulliver's eyes widened.
For a moment, he couldn't believe his ears.
'How does he know Leo Flove?'
Jis didn't seem to know Gulliver, who was considered the greatest talent in the Delad Kingdom.
So how could he possibly know Leo?
"H-how do you know student Leo?"
"I heard from an acquaintance that he is an exceptional talent."
"Lord Jis Jerdinger, might you be mistaken about something?"
Gulliver bristled slightly at the mention of Leo, whom he couldn't stand.
"What would I be mistaken about?"
"Leo Flove is in my class. He is certainly a skilled student, but…"
Gulliver shook his head.
"That boy can't even properly handle Aura."
"Is that so?"
The staff of Delan Royal Academy were impressed that Gulliver didn't shrink before Jis.
Gulliver himself trembled at his own boldness.
'Jis Jerdinger is listening to my opinion!'
Taking Jis's nod as agreement, Gulliver wore a proud expression.
But the other Jerdingers were sneering at Gulliver.
Jis was responsible for training the younger members of the family.
Even the family head respected Jis's opinion when it came to assessing the children's potential.
So it was simply absurd for some greenhorn to offer his opinion by disparaging another.
"So, where is Leo Flove?"
Jis asked again, ignoring Gulliver completely.
Gulliver was flustered, and Jayden spoke urgently.
"Student Leo Flove! Please step forward!"
"…"
"Student Leo?"
A student timidly raised his hand.
"Professor, Leo took a carriage home a while ago."
"Wh-what did you say?"
Jayden's jaw dropped.
"I'm certain the announcement said all students were to assemble."
"Well… he said he wasn't interested in the Jerdinger family…"
The students began to murmur among themselves.
Celia looked dumbfounded.
Jis, however, smiled faintly.
'Just like my sister's son.'
***
After concluding their business at Delan Royal Academy, Jis and Celia boarded their carriage.
Those who came to see them off gasped at the sight of the carriage the two were boarding.
'A-a griffon?'
A carriage pulled by a mythical beast!
The carriage departed as the people clicked their tongues in awe.
"Ah, I wonder which family they'll be staying with."
"I'm so, so jealous."
As the students muttered among themselves.
Gulliver clenched his fists, watching the departing Jerdingers.
'If I get into Lumerne, I'll be studying with girls like her!'
It was, indeed, a place befitting a talent as outstanding as himself.
Convinced of this, Gulliver's eyes gleamed.
'The entrance exam is in one week! I will definitely pass!'
Meanwhile.
Inside the griffon-drawn carriage, Jis asked.
"What did you think of the students at Delan Royal Academy?"
"They were a mess."
Celia said with a disappointed look.
She had listened to a brief overview of the Heroics curriculum taught at Delan Royal Academy.
In conclusion, it wasn't even worth listening to.
Regardless of country or race.
Heroics, the study of past heroes, was a crucial subject for anyone aspiring to become a hero.
But the content of Delan Royal Academy's classes was all wrong.
"And that boy, Gulliver? He didn't know his place and even dared to talk back to you, Uncle."
"The family we are visiting now will be a little different."
"The Flove family, you said?"
Celia recalled what had happened earlier.
Someone had said that one of the students who left early had claimed to have no interest in the Jerdinger family.
'Hmph. What an arrogant brat.'
Celia, who took immense pride in her family, did not approve of that attitude.
'And he's supposedly a knight-aspirant, yet he can't even use Aura at his age?'
Celia felt no interest in Leo whatsoever.
She had no idea that the place they were heading to was her cousin's home.
Meanwhile, Jis took a letter from his coat.
'If she hadn't left the family, my sister would have held a key position.'
The current family head was Seld Jerdinger.
He, Jis, and Reina.
The three siblings were once considered the future of the family.
Although Reina had left the family due to an unfortunate accident, Jis knew her skills well.
And this was the nephew his sister had described as a 'genius.'
Moreover…
He can't use Aura?
For children of noble families who aspired to be knights, Aura was essential.
They trained in it from a young age.
And yet, Leo supposedly couldn't use it.
'I'm curious to see what kind of child he is.'
***
Evening.
Leo, alone in the training grounds, closed his eyes and focused his mind.
He had just finished his training, and his entire body was drenched in sweat.
"Hoo."
He took a deep breath.
'The vessel is complete.'
The reason he hadn't learned Aura until now.
Part of it was to keep pace with his mother's lessons.
But the main reason was to build a proper vessel.
In terms of martial talent alone, his current body was better than his body as Kyle in his past life.
However, his aptitude for his other abilities, magic and summoning, was close to zero.
That was why he hadn't recklessly learned Aura.
In his past life, Kyle had been a battle-hardened warrior,
a wielder of powerful magic,
and one who had forged pacts with spirits and mythical beasts.
One by one.
Even as his friends drew their last breaths, the subjugation party hadn't crumbled
because Kyle, who had mastered all supernatural abilities, was there.
'I was able to just barely fill the gaps they left.'
Just before the final battle.
Kyle, left alone, still held the essence of the powers his comrades had possessed.
It was the will, the hope, they had entrusted to him.
'I couldn't handle it properly in my past life, but I will master it perfectly in this one.'
The moment Aura is accepted into the body, the body naturally specializes for it.
If that happened, the opportunity to build up mana and spiritual power would be lost forever.
That was why he had been building his foundation.
To carry on the will of his comrades.
Leo clenched his fist tightly.
'First, I'll start with Aura!'