LHAHS Chapter 351
The Magic Conference was an international gathering where the world's greatest mages discussed magic. It was, quite literally, the event that shaped the future of the magical world.
Representatives from various organizations attended, including regional Magic Towers, national magic guilds, and hero academies. Among them, the Magic Towers held the greatest influence.
Publicly, hero academy mages and kingdom-affiliated guild mages were more well-known. They fought on the frontlines, earning fame and proving their skills through battle. However, the strongest mage was not necessarily the greatest.
Battle mages excelled at using existing magic, but the ones who created new techniques, sought change, and dictated trends were the researchers. This was the very nature of magic itself, and no group understood that nature better than the Magic Towers.
This year's Magic Conference was an unusual one—it was held at Seiren. Unlike Lumene, Azonia, and Damien, which frequently hosted magic conferences due to their high academic interest in magic, Seiren rarely did.
The reason lay in the path Seiren pursued.
Stellar Magic—the very system left behind by the Nebula Pioneer, Luna, and considered the pinnacle of all magic.
Seiren devoted itself to this path—to magic exclusive to elves. Most theories and interpretations presented at the conference were incompatible with Stellar Magic. Combined with Seiren's infamous isolationism, the academy rarely hosted such gatherings.
Now that it had, the entire magical world was watching.
Two days after midterms at lunchtime, the lower-class students poured out of their classrooms, heading for lunch.
Though they had achieved overwhelming results in their exams, the scores had not yet been released. The systematic discrimination based on class rankings continued. But unlike before, the lower-class students no longer shrank under it.
Their skills had already been proven.
No one from the intermediate or advanced class openly looked down on them anymore. In fact, they were the ones avoiding eye contact when lower-class students walked past.
Even so, the lower-class students still did not eat in the cafeteria. As always, they prepared their lunches in their usual hideout—the lounge.
As they made sandwiches, Eclair arrived with a bright smile.
"Hey, everyone!"
Ever since she had gotten closer to the lower-class students, Eclair had regularly spent time with them. After the midterms, Lea had also joined in—though her real goal was meeting Leo.
"Today, we brought some guests. Is that alright?"
Angel, smiling, nodded. "Yeah, it's fine."
Eclair gestured toward the door.
Two well-known students stepped inside—Elric, the second-ranked first-year, and Yoina, the fourth.
The lower-class students widened their eyes at the unexpected visitors.
"They wanted to have lunch with us," Eclair explained.
Yoina scoffed. "I'm only here because I have questions."
Crossing her arms, she strode toward Angel. "You're Angel, right? The lower-class representative."
"Yeah."
"I want to know—how did you improve so much?"
Angel scratched her cheek. She couldn't exactly say, We read a book the school banned.
"Miss Laura and Senior Leo guided us well," she answered instead.
Yoina glanced at Leo before stepping forward and bowing formally.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Leo Plov. I am Yoina of the Tela family. I've heard much about the student council president of Lumene. It's an honor to meet you."
She straightened, her expression serious.
"I'll get straight to the point. How did these students improve so quickly?"
Leo leaned back. "I only gave them an opportunity. The progress they made was their own."
"Then tell me about this opportunity."
"I don't feel like telling you."
Yoina's expression twitched. "Because I'm from the advanced class?"
"Because you don't need it."
She frowned. "What do you mean?"
"If your team had just worked together properly, Bells' group wouldn't have won so overwhelmingly. If anything, you were too focused on high-tier magic."
"…That's what the second-years told us as well."
Yoina fell into thought. Rather than deny her loss, she was searching for a way forward.
Meanwhile, Lea placed a sandwich on a plate and handed it to Leo.
"After the midterms, a lot of advanced-class students started questioning the way things are taught," she said. "Yoina is one of them."
It was only natural. Being overtaken by the lower-class students in a matter of weeks had shaken their entire worldview.
As everyone ate, Eclair suddenly tilted her head. "I just thought of something."
"What is it?" Leo asked.
"How do Lumene's first-years compare to us?"
The moment she asked, all movement in the lounge stopped.
Lumene and Seiren.
They were rivals in the Lumeiren Games, and Lumene's current first-years would be Seiren's main competition in the future.
Tension filled the room as everyone waited for Leo's answer.
"Is there even a point in comparing?" he said. "You and Lumene's students are just a bunch of chicks that barely finished midterms."
Elric adjusted his glasses. "I am curious, though. I've heard that Lumene has a mentor system. You have a mentee as well, don't you?"
Lea's ears perked up. She slowly turned, staring at Leo.
"I do," he said.
"Then they must be famous," Elric mused. "The knight department's Aina Beidna? Haviden Birson? Or the summoning department's Sasha Sienne Lordren? If not, then perhaps Juen Torvina from the magic department?"
Eclair raised an eyebrow. "Elric, you sure know a lot of Lumene's first-years."
"They're our future rivals. It's only natural to keep an eye on strong opponents," he said simply.
Lea's eyes blazed with determination.
Who is it?! Who's lucky enough to get direct guidance from Senior Plov?!
Angel chomped down on her sandwich like she was biting into an enemy.
"His name is Luke."
"Luke?" Eclair turned to Elric. "Do you know him?"
"…Never heard of him," Elric admitted.
Luke! From today onward, you're my enemy! Lea silently vowed.
Without realizing it, Luke had just become the sworn rival of Seiren's first-year representative.
"Anyway," Elric changed the subject, "the conference starts tomorrow. I wonder what kind of magic theories will be presented."
"I'm personally curious about Introduction to Stellar Magic," Yoina said. "Seiren calls it a heretical text, but it's supposed to be a new interpretation of Stellar Magic that anyone can use. As a mage, I can't help but be intrigued."
The entire lower class tensed.
Introduction to Stellar Magic.
The very foundation of their recent triumph.
Only Leo grinned. A conference, huh? I should meet Assistant Professor Anna this evening.
That evening, Seiren was bustling with preparations to receive its guests.
It was rare for so many outsiders, regardless of race, to visit Seiren outside of the Lumeiren Games. Even under the heavy influence of the Pureblood Society, Seiren could not afford to treat its visitors lightly—not when they included some of the world's most renowned mages. Among them were those who had earned a place in the Hero Record, having risen to the rank of hero.
The entire student body had gathered at the academy entrance to welcome the arriving mages.
"Hahh! It's freezing! So cold!" Lunia shivered, rubbing her arms for warmth. She glanced to the side and frowned. "You do realize you stand out like crazy dressed like that?" She clicked her tongue in exasperation.
Leo smirked. "This is what I always wear."
He was wearing Lumene's uniform. Attending the conference as Assistant Professor Anna's aide meant he was representing Lumene. Naturally, he had to wear its colors.
Still, at this moment, with no guests having arrived yet, he was the only one among the entire Seiren student body in a foreign uniform. It made him stick out far too much. Even as countless Seiren students stared at him, Leo didn't so much as blink.
Sometimes, I swear he's made of steel, Lunia thought, shaking her head. "You looked good in Seiren's uniform too," she muttered under her breath.
Before Leo could respond, figures appeared at the academy gates.
"Welcome to Seiren." The students raised their voices in unison, greeting the arriving mages.
Leo scanned the crowd and soon spotted Assistant Professor Anna. Without hesitation, he walked over. "Assistant Professor Anna."
"Ah! Leo!" She beamed as she saw him. "How's life at Seiren?"
"It's been…interesting."
She studied his face for a moment, then let out a knowing sigh. "I can already tell it hasn't been easy."
"Well, in any case, leave this conference to me," she said, her expression firm. "You've already been through enough here—I won't let you deal with even more trouble."
Leo laughed. "About that…I may have stirred things up a little."
Her smile stiffened. "…What exactly do you mean by that?"
Leo gave her an easy grin. "I'll explain once we get to the dorms."
"It's been a while, Mr. Herdium."
"It has."
Herdium exchanged a warm handshake with an elf mage—none other than Algren Becks, the Tower Master of the Northern Magic Tower.
Despite being an elf, Algren had risen to the highest position in the Northern Magic Tower—an impressive feat. Yet, he was not a graduate of Seiren.
The reason was simple. He had never mastered Stellar Magic.
A few Seiren teachers narrowed their eyes at him—Pureblood Society members. But even they could not openly show disdain for a mage of his caliber.
"I look forward to this year's conference as well," Herdium said.
"Yes, but I'd rather you look forward to…" Algren smiled as he pulled someone close by the shoulder, "—my daughter's performance instead of mine."
A stunning young woman in her early twenties bowed politely. A half-elf.
Several Pureblood Society teachers made no effort to hide their displeasure, but Herdium paid them no mind.
"What a shame," he remarked. "If Miss Anya had enrolled at Seiren, she would have done great things here."
Algren chuckled. "She has no real interest in becoming a hero."
"What? But she certainly has the talent for it," Herdium said in surprise.
"No, I won't become a hero," Anya said firmly, shaking her head.
Herdium watched her with a puzzled expression.
As the father and daughter turned to leave, Anya suddenly stopped. "Father. Look over there."
Algren followed her gaze. "Oh?"
Among the Seiren students, one figure stood out in particular. Dressed in the Lumene uniform, utterly unfazed by the attention, Leo Plov stood in stark contrast to his surroundings.
Algren's eyes gleamed. "So that's Leo Plov."
A knowing smile spread across his face.
A prodigy who shares the same all-class capability as the Great Hero of Shadows.