Chapter 2
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Episode 1 - Behringer family [2]
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"How great would it be if famous heroes visited our academy!"
"Our academy hasn't been visited by famous heroes for a long time, but that might change."
After finishing class, the students of Raventhal responded with enthusiasm.
Starting today, the candidates from the Sanctuary of Heroes will visit Raventhal.
The nobles of the Kingdom of Raventhal worked hard to welcome the heroic people from the famous families of heroes into their home.
A famous hero.
It is an honorable title granted to the best families that have produced heroes for generations.
Of course, the probability of being admitted to the Sanctuary of Heroes was high.
"Evan, out of all the famous hero families visiting our country this time, which one do you think is the most famous?"
"Heh, of course, it's Sephir."
Evan's friends started talking.
"Of course, Sephir will visit the Trowman family, right?"
"Of course! Evan is the only talented person in our country who can take the entrance exam for the Sanctuary of Heroes right now, right?"
Evan felt proud as he looked at his friends, who were going crazy with excitement.
Evan's talent.
The successor of the Marquis of Trowman and known as the greatest magical genius of Raventhal.
In the world, he was gaining attention as a talented person who would enter the Sanctuary of Heroes.
The last time the Kingdom of Raventhal produced new students for the Sanctuary of Heroes was 18 years ago.
As a result, the kingdom was focused on Evan.
While everyone was excited…
The student outside the window shouted in surprise.
"Guys! Isn't that the flag of the Sephir family?"
"Oh my God! Where? Where?"
"Are they already here?"
The students flocked to the window.
Meanwhile, I sighed heavily and left the classroom—I wasn't interested anyway.
Then, I made eye contact with Evan's gang as they were about to leave the classroom.
"You want to get the Sephirs' attention, Lucius."
I shook my head.
"Anyway, the Sephir family isn't interested in you, you know."
Evan laughed at me with a mocking smile on his face.
Evan was a student who was considered one of the best in every aspect.
However, Evan was very jealous.
Because there were classes where he could never surpass other students.
Combat class.
The teachers openly favored Evan, so they never placed Evan and me together in the practical exam, but the result was obvious.
I narrowed my eyes and responded indifferently.
"I'm leaving school."
"Wow, I see you understand the situation well."
"All right. Go ahead, wag your tail for Sephir."
Evan turned to his friends.
"I'm getting anxious to see Ashly Sephir."
A spark flashed in Evan's eyes.
「Notice from the professor's office. All students are requested to gather in the banquet hall now. No exceptions.」
Professor Layton's amplified voice echoed throughout the school.
The reason for the gathering was as clear as the blue sky.
It was to welcome the Sephir family, who had just arrived at the school.
"That's why I tried to leave early."
I complained inwardly.
Evan snorted and left the classroom.
Other students also headed to the banquet hall.
I scratched my head while grumbling.
"Ugh, I'm leaving. Goodbye."
"Eh?! Lucius, where are you going?"
A classmate spoke near me.
"Home."
"What? It's a long-awaited opportunity to see people from the Sephir family!"
"No thanks, I'm not interested."
The student looked puzzled as I turned around and waved my hand.
***
"I thank the Sephir family for visiting the Royal Academy of Raventhal."
Professor Layton was in charge of receiving the Sephir family.
Likewise, several students looked at two people from the Sephir family.
"Oh, it's not a big deal. Besides, my niece is also here for the Hero Sanctuary exam."
All the students looked at a girl with white hair and blue eyes.
Ashly Sephir.
The youngest daughter of the Sephir family.
She is known not only as the greatest genius of the Sephir family in this generation but also throughout the world of heroes.
Ashly glanced over her shoulder at all the students who were silently staring at them.
Evan stood with his mouth open, his mind blank as he gazed at Ashly.
"S-she's... so beautiful."
Ashly was undeniably beautiful, with white hair and deep blue eyes.
Her skin was so fine and pale, her curves so alluring in the eyes of all the men, her lips rosy.
Evan had seen countless noblewomen as beautiful as her, but to think that Ashly Sephir was in a league above all the women he knew.
"Ashly."
At the call of her uncle, Grey Sephir, Ashly stepped to his side.
Evan, standing next to Professor Layton, looked at Ashly's face more closely, and his face turned red.
Evan smiled at Ashly.
"You will also be taking the Hero Sanctuary exam?"
"Yes."
"Then we must do our best, Miss Ashly."
Evan was excited and extended his hand to Ashly.
Ashly stared at Evan's hand.
Grey touched Ashly's shoulder, and only then did Ashly lightly shake Evan's hand with a forced smile.
"Please, say a few kind words to our students," said Layton with a smile.
"Hehe. I don't know if my words will be of much help."
"The words of Grey Sephir will be of great help!"
His nickname is the Dragon of Abyssal Flames; Grey is one of the most powerful knights in the entire world.
There is no one who does not know of this walking monster.
Moreover, a single word from him meant a lot to the students, as it was said that he would soon obtain the title of Hero.
"So, have you decided where you will be staying?"
Professor Layton asked, and Grey nodded.
"Yes."
"Then..."
Layton waited for Grey's words.
"Where is the student named Lucius Behringer?"
Professor Layton looked confused, and Evan's eyes widened.
For a moment, he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
'How does he know Lucius Behringer?'
He didn't know Evan, who was considered the most talented person in the Kingdom of Raventhal.
But how did he know about Lucius?
"How do you know about the student Lucius?"
Professor Layton asked, and Grey affirmed.
"I heard from someone I know that he has extraordinary talent."
"Sir Grey Sephir, aren't you mistaken about something?"
Evan became slightly irritated when Lucius' name was mentioned, someone he hated seeing.
"Lucius Behringer is a student in my class. Although it is evident that he is an excellent student..."
Professor Layton said, but...
...Evan shook his head.
"Lucius can't even use Aura."
"Is that so?"
Grey smiled as he looked at Evan.
The students were impressed and saw that Evan did not back down, not even in front of Grey Sephir.
Even Evan trembled at his own confidence.
'Sir Grey Sephir, listen to my opinion!'
Evan, who thought Grey's smile was a positive sign, put on a proud expression.
But the Sephirs laughed at Evan.
Grey is responsible for guiding the blood relatives of the family.
Even the head of the family respects Grey's opinion when he speaks about the qualities of children.
However, he found it absurd that a child without sense would make comments that belittled someone else based on his own opinion.
"So, where is Lucius Behringer?"
Grey ignored Evan, turning to Professor Layton.
Evan gritted his teeth, and Professor Layton shouted.
"Student Lucius Behringer! Please come forward!"
"....."
At his words, Lucius never showed up.
A student cautiously raised his hand.
"Professor, Lucius left for home a few minutes ago."
"W-what?"
Professor Layton was left speechless.
"Are you sure you told all the students to gather?"
The student who had raised his hand replied nervously.
"Well... He said he's not interested in the Sephirs."
The students immediately began murmuring.
Ashly widened her eyes in surprise.
However, Grey simply smiled as he thought,
"Ha, you're just like your mother."
***
After finishing the invitation to the Royal Academy of Raventhal, Grey and Ashly got into a carriage.
"Brother, I'm jealous of the lucky family where the Sephirs will be staying."
"This is what it means to be jealous..."
Meanwhile, the students murmured.
Evan clenched his fists as he watched the members of the Sephir family depart.
'If I enter the Sanctuary, I'll study with girls like her!'
It's the perfect place for someone with exceptional talent.
Evan's eyes lit up with confidence.
'The entrance exam will be held in a week! I'll pass without a doubt!'
...
Grey asked from inside the carriage,
"What's your impression of the students at that school?"
"It was a disaster."
Ashly's face showed a hint of disappointment.
The Royal Academy of Raventhal Ashly had listened to and observed some classes while they wandered around.
Moreover, the concepts, teachings, and subjects were not impressive.
Ultimately, she thought it wasn't worth it at all.
Not to mention that the classes didn't properly teach what a hero should know.
"That guy, Evan, even dared to criticize your words in front of everyone."
However, Grey didn't care about that. Instead, he smiled and said,
"We're going to visit a particular family."
Ashly raised an eyebrow and asked,
"Which family?"
"The Behringer family."
Ashly recalled what had happened at the Royal Academy.
Apparently, among the first students they met, there was one who said he wasn't interested in the Sephir family.
"A pretty arrogant guy."
Ashly, who took great pride in her family, didn't like that attitude.
'Besides, he wants to study at the Sanctuary of Heroes, but he can't even use aura at his age?'
Ashly was completely uninterested in Lucius.
However, she didn't know that she was heading to the house of a brother she didn't even know existed.
At the same time, Grey was looking at a letter.
"If you hadn't left the Sephir family, you would have had such a high position."
Jin Sephir, the current head of the Sephir family.
Grey and Elisa were siblings, just as Jin was their older brother.
The three siblings were once considered the future of the Sephir family.
Although Elisa left the family, it wasn't due to any conflict.
She had two children, Lucius and Ashly. However, she took Lucius with her and left Ashly with the family to be the future head.
"Lucius, huh?"
Grey's nephew, whom his own sister called a true monster.
But aside from that...
"He can't use aura."
For noble children who wanted to become knights, mastering aura energy was essential.
They learned aura techniques from an early age.
But Elisa had said that Lucius couldn't learn aura.
"I'm excited to see what kind of boy he is."
***
Sweat dripped all over my body.
I closed my eyes and focused while standing alone in the training room.
Flap!
I took a deep breath and thought,
"The preparations are complete."
There was a reason I hadn't learned to use aura yet.
First of all, I wanted to train with Elisa, my mother, to keep up with her training.
But the real reason was that I needed to create the 'Nodes' for aura first.
The Node was the foundation of my unique Aura since all modern auras are derived from the principles and concepts of my Aura.
Or in short, different and unique variations of my Aura from my past life.
This was the reason why they thought I couldn't use aura.
"I managed to create the first Node."
Before the final battle against Antares, I had only created five Nodes.
Moreover, my body had limits I couldn't create more Nodes, nor could I handle them well.
'I couldn't control it properly in my past life, but I will master it perfectly in this one.'
The moment you accept an aura into your body, your body naturally adapts to that specific aura.
When that happens, the opportunity to accumulate magical and spiritual power disappears completely.
That's why I laid the groundwork.
Creating more than five Nodes and unleashing their full potential.
I clenched my fists.
'First of all, let's start with aura!'