The Legendary Hero is an Academy Honor Student-Chapter 26: The Wall of Wails

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The Legendary Hero is an Academy Honor Student

[Original — Yerona]

[TL — MiT7]

[PR — Spades]

[QC — Lumi]

Chapter 26 — The Wall of Wails

——————

Carl, witnessing Leo's brutal stamina training, fled on the spot.

Chelsea, after her first session with Leo, sensed something was terribly wrong.

But it was too late to back out.

Celia, initially resistant, gave in and trained with Leo.

Thankfully, having endured it before, she found it more bearable this time.

"Does this actually work?" Chelsea asked, trudging back to the girls' dorm.

"It does. Leo's training is crude but annoyingly systematic," Celia replied, her face drained, soul seemingly gone.

She flashed Chelsea a venomous smile. "Welcome to hell, Chelsea Lewallin."

Chelsea's face froze in fear.

"Chatting means you're managing, huh?" Leo teased, laughing.

"Don't joke, you demon!" Celia, arms trembling, grabbed Leo's collar and shook him.

For some, the weekend was sweet.

For others, it was hell.

Lumern's second week began.

Carl looked at Chelsea, slumped over her desk, limbs shaking. "Chelsea, alive?"

"No... I'm dying."

"Here. I got premium muscle patches from Lumeria yesterday, just for you."

"For me?"

"Yeah, we're classmates."

Carl handed Chelsea patches for muscle recovery.

Touched, she took them.

Then Carl held out his palm.

"What's this mean?"

"Special 30% discount, just for you. Friend price."

"Drop dead."

Chelsea flung the patches at Carl's face, glaring.

Chuckling, Carl set them on her desk. "Still, hang in there. Battle Mages need this, right?"

"Wanna join? I'll ask Leo to let you."

"N-no, I'm good." Carl forced a smile, shaking his head, then whispered to Leo, "Could've gone easier on them."

"I went easy."

"That was easy?"

Carl vowed never to train with Leo.

"By the way, who's our homeroom professor?" Carl asked, leaning back, hands clasped behind his head. "Hope it's a pretty lady."

Creak—

The classroom door opened, and a disheveled middle-aged man with an attendance roster stepped in.

Dark circles shadowed his eyes.

Startled students scrambled to their seats.

At the podium, he tossed the roster down, grabbed chalk, and scrawled his name.

Tap. Tap-tap.

Class 5's faces paled at the name.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Halind Edmond, your homeroom professor."

He was Lumern's most infamous professor.

Usually assigned to fourth- or fifth-years.

Nickname: Wall of Wails.

The professor who expelled the most students.

That was Halind Edmond.

Sensing the tense reactions, Leo whispered to Carl, seated in front, "Famous professor?"

"Famous? He's been at Lumern nearly 20 years," Carl murmured, swallowing hard. "His students include heroes, but just as many got expelled. He usually takes seniors—why first-years...?"

Halind opened the roster. "I'll take attendance. Carl Thomas."

"Y-yes, sir!"

"Iliana Raden."

"Here."

Despite it being just roll call, Class 5 was on edge.

Of 45 students, Leo's name was called last.

"Leo Flove."

"Here."

Thud.

Closing the roster, Halind said, exhaustion on his face, "Some of you must wonder why I'm teaching first-years."

Hands shoved in his coat pockets, he spoke without enthusiasm. "This year's freshmen scored higher on average in the entrance exam than your seniors. Lumern's higher-ups have high expectations."

Students, unaware of this, looked shocked.

The idea of being expected fueled excitement in the room.

A female student raised her hand.

"What is it, Iliana Raden?"

"Are other classes' professors also ones who don't usually teach first-years?"

"Yes."

"Is homeroom assignment random?"

"No, we chose our classes. I picked yours."

Halind wasn't just known for expulsions—he'd also mentored exceptional students.

That such a professor chose them thrilled Class 5.

"Any special reason you picked us?" Iliana asked.

"Your class had the lowest average entrance exam score among the ten classes."

The excitement crashed.

"Why do I expel so many students, Iliana Raden?"

"N-no, sir."

"Efficiency."

Halind's flat gaze fixed on Iliana. "Weed out the hopeless early and focus on those with potential. Don't you agree?"

Iliana's eyes welled up under Halind's stare, which made even fifth-years tremble.

Except for Leo, Class 5 held their breath, wary of Halind.

Rescuing Iliana, a woman in her mid-20s with glasses entered.

"Oh, come on, Professor Halind! Scaring students on the first day?" she sighed, standing beside him. "Hello, Class 5! I'm Sena Tilia, your assistant homeroom professor."

With light brown hair and a sunny disposition, Sena was Halind's polar opposite.

"Don't be too scared of Professor Halind! He talks tough, but he cares deeply for—"

"Sena Tilia, step outside."

Sena, reassuring the students, was summoned.

"You haven't changed since you were a student. How many times have I told you to fix that scatterbrained attitude?"

"Sorry! I'll do better! Won't happen again!"

Through the slightly open door, Sena's pale face bowed frantically.

"I like our assistant professor," Chelsea said, smiling.

"Me too. A nice assistant means we can breathe," Carl nodded.

The mood lightened as other students agreed.

The two professors soon returned to the blackboard.

"I said I took your class because your entrance scores were the lowest," Halind said.

"Yes..." the students replied, deflated.

"At Lumern, entrance exam scores lose meaning in three months."

Students' eyes widened.

"No matter what education you had before, Lumern teaches beyond that. First-year grades fluctuate wildly. Top students can plummet, and the reverse happens too."

Halind slammed the podium.

"By midterms, one of you could be first in the year."

The class buzzed.

"But remember this: Conquering the Hero's World is a hero cadet's privilege—and duty. Anyone know why it's a duty?"

Chelsea raised her hand.

"Chelsea Lewallin, answer."

"Because it can cost your life."

"Correct."

Halind's voice was cold. "In my 20 years at Lumern, I've attended many students' funerals."

Gulps echoed.

"As Lumern students, you can't refuse to conquer the Hero's World. It's a life-or-death matter. I only want students with the ability to survive sent there. Those who can't—"

Halind's voice grew firm. "I'll expel before they die needlessly. That's why I chose the lowest-scoring class."

Handing the roster to Sena, he said, "That's all. Combat Studies starts now. Change into gym clothes and head to the training grounds."

Halind strode out.

"See you at the training grounds!" Sena said, smiling, then left.

Students grabbed gym clothes from classroom lockers and headed to the changing rooms.

"Seems he's not just scary," Carl said in the boys' changing room.

"Right. Halind's one of Lumern's most respected professors," a classmate said.

'Tade, right?' Leo recalled.

Tade continued, "He has the lowest student death rate."

Lumern saw significant student deaths annually.

Not because the academy forced them into danger.

Lumern prioritized student safety.

But deaths happened because students pursued heroism.

Heroes leapt into trials to save others.

Conquering the Hero's World, Hero Dungeons, and resolving global incidents.

Lumern's life was inherently perilous.

"Halind scared us to remind us of that. Let's work hard," Tade said.

Everyone nodded solemnly.

"Oh? You're the type who looks skinny in clothes!"

A soprano voice came through an open window.

Squeals and chatter from female students followed.

The boys' changing room was right next to the girls'.

Hearing the voice, the boys grew serious.

They huddled in the center, whispering.

"Who do you think 'looks skinny in clothes' is?"

"Iliana?"

"No, that was Iliana's voice."

They debated with unmatched gravity.

"Maybe Nella."

When Carl mentioned Nella Carven, the petite beauty, the boys gasped.

"Makes sense!"

"Yeah, Nella's got that hidden charm."

Leo shook his head at their absurdly serious talk.

'Are these really hero cadets?'

Others might question their candidacy.

But Leo knew someone who'd debate such topics amid life-or-death stakes.

A hero.

Not just any hero—a Great Hero.

The [Divine Blacksmith], Dweno.

'How's that guy still revered while I'm forgotten?'

Leo felt wronged again.