LHAHS Chapter 373
After the earlier commotion, nine people had gathered in Leo's room. The four first-years sat together, attentively listening to their seniors.
"So, what's the information you got?" Chelsea asked, arms crossed, tilting her head slightly.
Carl replied, "There's something underground in Wargella."
"Any proof?"
"I heard that students from another hero academy were sent to Aleham recently, aside from us."
The others looked surprised.
"Another hero academy? Which one?"
"Azonia."
The beastkin hero academy, Azonia. Given that the southern continent was Azonia's primary area of influence, if Aleham was hiding a Hero Dungeon, it made perfect sense for Azonia to act.
"The last sighting of the Azonia students was underground in Wargella. After that, they vanished."
Chloe whistled, impressed. "Where do you even get this kind of information?"
Juen, who had been listening quietly, pursed her lips. "I had to spend the whole day wandering through filthy back alleys and bars because of it."
"You worked hard," Carl said with a sheepish smile.
Among those gathering intel, Juen had suffered the most. As the daughter of the Southern Magic Tower Master, she had an aura of nobility that stood out like a beacon, making her an easy target in the backstreets. Lewd remarks, crude insults—some even tried to approach her recklessly.
Though Carl did put those guys in their place.
Juen shot him a quick, slightly pouty glance before regaining her composure.
"Anyway," Carl continued, his expression darkening slightly, "we found out a few other things while gathering intel. This country is exactly what we expected."
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what you'd expect from the poorest nation. The country's situation is completely rotten. The flashy streets are nothing but an illusion."
Juen scowled. When they had first arrived in Wargella, the streets had looked surprisingly wealthy, raising questions. But after wandering through the back alleys, she saw the reality—this nation was diseased.
Hearing this, the others also grew serious.
Heroes weren't just those who fought against Tartaros. They were meant to lead the world and bring about change, to guide people toward a better future. For hero candidates, hearing about a country spiraling toward ruin was impossible to ignore.
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Betty, Chloe's mentee, asked worriedly.
"Not right now. We don't have the justification. Besides, we're just first and second years," Carl sighed, arms crossed.
The room fell into heavy silence.
Breaking the tension, Eliana turned to Leo. "So, what kind of information did you get from the Pleasure District?"
"I also heard there's something underground in Wargella. The Aleham royal palace has been secretly sending people down there," Leo replied.
Everyone's eyes widened.
"And it's not just Wargella. The palace's influence is reaching elsewhere, too."
"Where else?"
"The Monster Forest."
Carl folded his arms. "If a Hero Dungeon appeared there, it'd be the perfect place to hide it."
That entire forest had been cursed by the Queen of Monsters. In the distant past—before the Age of Calamity—it had been an elven homeland. It was also Luna's home.
The curse should have been lifted after the Queen of Monsters was defeated last year.
Though, it won't truly be free until the monsters there are completely eradicated.
Luna had always longed for the full liberation of her homeland.
As Leo thought about her, he let out a bitter smile.
"In that case, should we start by investigating the underground of Wargella?" Chelsea suggested.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"I know an entrance. Let's meet there tomorrow," Leo said.
Luke gulped nervously. "If it's underground… it's probably some kind of labyrinth, right?"
"It'll most likely be one."
"We should make sure we're fully prepared."
As the group grew serious, Leo casually added, "It's not a labyrinth, though."
"Huh?"
"Then what is it?"
Leo responded flatly. "An illegal casino."
The next morning, the group stood in front of the underground entrance with stiff expressions.
It was dazzling. The entrance was grand and extravagant, with well-dressed men in tailcoats politely escorting guests inside.
Chloe grimaced. "It's supposed to be an illegal casino… but they're operating this openly?"
Carl shrugged. "Considering how messed up this country is… I'd bet they're paying massive bribes to keep it running."
He was right.
The underground casino of Wargella was one of the major pillars of Aleham's underworld, much like the Pleasure Palace. Even the lord of Wargella wouldn't dare touch it. To maintain that untouchable status, the casino paid enormous bribes to nobles and officials.
And they said it was lawless, too.
It was, quite literally, a lawless zone.
The nine students approached the entrance.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. This is the Casino of Shadows, the underground paradise," a well-dressed man greeted them with a polite smile.
Carl stepped forward. "Hello. We'd like to play here."
The casino staff member glanced over the group before putting on a troubled expression. "I'm terribly sorry, but you do not meet the requirements to enter the Casino of Shadows."
"If it's about status, these outfits should be proof of our standing. We're students of Lumene," Carl countered.
Lumene students were treated like VIPs wherever they went. Many even tried to impersonate them. Of course, getting caught resulted in far more than a mere warning.
Yet, despite Carl's words, the staff member simply shook his head. "A Lumene student ID does not qualify you for entry."
Carl frowned. Even a Lumene student ID isn't enough? Then what do we need?
As Carl struggled to think of a solution, Luke spoke up. "What are the requirements?"
The staff member smiled and gestured toward a nearby shop—a clothing boutique.
"The requirement is simple," he said smoothly.
"Appropriate attire for our establishment."
"…Huh?"
The group, who had been mentally preparing for something far more complex, looked deflated.
They glanced at the other guests entering the casino. Everyone was dressed as if they were attending a luxurious party.
"If you return in proper attire, I will be happy to escort you inside," the staff member said with a graceful bow.
"This is just ridiculous." Carl's face twisted in dismay as they arrived at the clothing store beside the Casino of Shadows.
"I get that these are high-quality fabrics, but what's with these outrageous prices!?" He grimaced as he checked the price tags.
Austin, watching his reaction, spoke up. "Still, didn't the school provide us with plenty of funds?"
Carl clicked his tongue. "You're a trainee knight from Zerdinger, so I guess you're clueless about how the world works. This isn't about how much support we got. What matters is whether the price matches the value of the product! How does it make sense for these clothes to cost ten times more than those from other shops!?"
Meanwhile, Luke stood frozen, staring at the price tags with wide eyes. His brain struggled to process the numbers, murmuring, "With this much money… I could buy one loaf of bread… no, two…"
At that moment—
"Senior!" Juen pulled back the fitting room curtain and stepped in front of Carl.
She wore a pristine white dress that highlighted the healthy glow of her tanned southern complexion. A pearl necklace and matching bracelet added elegance, while ivory-carved heels completed the look. Twirling once, she grinned.
"How do I look?"
"You look lovely, Juen."
"Oh, a true lady," Luke added with a bright smile, while Austin nodded in admiration.
Juen smirked, pleased with the attention—until Carl stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Huh?" Juen blinked in confusion as she looked up at Carl.
"S-Senior?" For once, she wasn't her usual carefree self. She fidgeted under his serious gaze.
"Juen?"
"Y-Yes?"
Her face started to flush.
"How could you pick something this expensive~? We agreed to save as much of the support money as possib—Guhk!"
Carl's words were cut off as Juen's fist slammed into his gut.
Shaking slightly with anger, she stomped over to the counter. "I'll take this one!"
Luke and Austin exchanged awkward smiles as Carl groaned and got back on his feet with a sigh.
"She'd be one of the top three beauties among the first-years… if only she didn't have such a brutal punch."
Despite his grumbling, he reached for a hair accessory from a display case.
"You're going to buy her a gift with the support money anyway?" Austin asked, smirking.
Carl scoffed. "Nah, if I want to calm her down, I can't use the support funds. This one's on me… Ugh, my hard-earned money…"
With a look of pure misery, he trudged toward the register.
At that moment—
"You guys! Why aren't you picking anything!?" Eliana suddenly appeared, wearing a short black dress that exuded a playful charm.
Luke smiled awkwardly. "I've never picked out fancy clothes before."
Austin nodded in agreement.
Eliana glanced at Austin and picked out two suits. "Try these on first."
"Yes, Senior." Austin obediently stepped into a fitting room.
Eliana then turned her gaze toward Luke and held out an outfit. "You wear this."
"…Senior, this is a dress."
"Yeah. Something cute suits you best."
"Here's a wig too," Chelsea added, suddenly appearing in a pastel green dress, pushing a wig into Luke's hands.
Luke looked close to tears.
"Don't bully the juniors."
Shhhk—
The fitting room door swung open, and Leo stepped out.
Eliana's jaw dropped. "This is the first time I've seen you in formal wear since last year's midterm exams…"
She openly gawked. "You look like a proper gentleman now."
"Leo, you look amazing!" Chelsea chimed in, eyes sparkling.
Having grown significantly since last year, Leo's frame and natural presence exuded maturity. As he hooked a finger around his tie and loosened it slightly, Eliana muttered, "Even a simple action like that looks like it deserves a painting…."
She was once again reminded of why Leo ranked in the top three most popular second-year boys.
As she helped Luke pick out a suit, he hesitated. "This… this doesn't feel right…"
From another fitting room, Chloe's flustered voice mixed with Betty's excited squeal.
"Senior! You look gorgeous!"
Moments later, with Betty practically shoving her out, Chloe stepped forward.
She wore a pale blue gown that revealed her collarbones and shoulders, with a subtle dip in the back. Looking embarrassed, she blushed slightly.
"Wow! Chloe, you look amazing!" Eliana's eyes widened in admiration.
"You look really mature," Chelsea added.
Eliana smirked. "Mature, huh… So basically, you're saying she looks like an…"
Crack!
"Eeek!" Eliana yelped as Chloe hit her with an electric shock. She quickly scurried behind Leo.
Chloe narrowed her eyes—until she met Leo's gaze. Then, as if realizing what she'd done, she blushed and turned her head sharply.
Leo chuckled. "You look great."
"Th-Thanks," Chloe muttered, turning slightly away—but despite herself, she smiled.
With everyone dressed, the group left the boutique.
"Alright, now that we're all set," Carl grinned confidently. "Let's go!"
Knock, knock—creak.
"Master." A man entered the room and bowed respectfully.
"What is it?" A gray-haired beastkin woman with golden eyes removed the smoking pipe from her mouth and exhaled a puff of smoke.
"A new group of hero candidates has entered the Casino of Shadows."
Her golden eyes narrowed slightly. "And?"
She didn't even try to hide her disinterest. Among her many responsibilities, this was just another nuisance.
The man continued. "The student council president of Lumene is among them."
She paused. Then, tapping her pipe against the ashtray with a sharp clack, she replied, "Leave."
The man bowed and exited the room.
Creak—
Leaning back in her chair, the beastkin woman crossed her legs, resting her chin on her hand. A smirk curled her lips.
"So, the God of Shadows has arrived, huh?"