The day after training ended.
Ha Jun dragged his tired body to the classroom where afternoon classes were held.
Was it because he slept in a tired position for three consecutive days during this survival training?
Even after a good night's sleep, his whole body felt stiff and uncomfortable.
"fuu, I need to rest."
Should I take a day off at least? thought as I made my way to the classroom.
Fortunately, this afternoon's class was a written subject, so I wouldn't have to move my body much.
I opened the classroom door and sat down.
As it was, closing my eyes and trying to sleep until the instructor came, suddenly, Ha-Jun's eyes widened, looking at the words on the blackboard.
"What?"
However, it was written in two letters (self-study).
I thought something was wrong.
This instructor I know would never make you study on your own unless something happened…
I thought, but my face still glued to the desk.
Honestly, whatever it is, isn't it self-study for a change?
The only time I can sleep is during class time.
Ha-Jun fell asleep without thinking too much about it.
How many minutes had passed that long?
"There, sleeping one. Wake up."
At the voice of a certain woman, who was expected to be the instructor, Ha-Jun gently rubbed his eyes and raised his head.
(Hm?)
As he did so, he rubbed his eyes like he had seen something strange, and looked at the front of the room.
What is it? Did I look at it wrong?
Ha Jun pinched his cheek and looked at a certain girl standing in front of the teaching table.
Instantly, Ha Jun's expression gradually hardened as he recognized that it was not a dream.
(Why? Is that person over there?)
* * *
Headmaster's office at Rokia Academy
There was a sense of stillness in the headmaster's office.
Headmaster Choi Joong-Won was sitting opposite a woman sitting across from him, sipping a cup of tea.
"It's been a long time, I didn't think you'd visit here without contacting me."
At these words, the woman sitting in front of her gently raised her mouth as she savored the tea on the table.
Quietly putting down her teacup, the woman smiled seductively and spoke to Choi Joong Won.
"Indeed, it's a bit unusual, isn't it?"
She had sparkling green eyes. Light green hair with a glittering sheen, and pale but vividly vibrant cheeks.
This girl, who looks to be in her late teens in every way, is surprisingly the same age as Choi Joong Won in front of her.
"Haha, that's unusual. For you, who likes seclusion, Riera."
Riera – Harness, one of Britain's greatest heroes who once quelled great chaos, "Riera – Harness", the highest level of summoner.
After she had left the mundane world and gone into hiding, she secretly entered South Korea and visited the academy.
"So what business did you come here for?"
This made Choi Joong-won curious.
Because it was very unusual for her to go out like this, as she had been enjoying her seclusion in a dimensional space.
"Since you moved yourself like this, it must not be ordinary."
Riera-Hannis has left the mundane world and lives her life as she lives it in the dimensional space she has created.
At the same time, she is rumored to be the most unwilling to move among the great heroes.
To put it elegantly, she has escaped from the mundane world, or to put it worse, she is stuck at home as it is and does not want to leave.
For this reason, she was one of the heroes whose face was not well known externally, even among the great heroes.
"I'm curious."
In any case, it would be unusual for her to have made a move.
Choi Joong-won looked at Riera with a serious face, and shortly afterwards Riera opened her mouth with a fresh smile.
"Are you trying to trick me?"
"…What do you mean?"
"Isn't the academy raising an monster.?"
Choi Joong-won looked at Riera with a nonchalant expression.
While looking at Choi Joong-won like that, Riera continued to speak.
"I see, well."
"It's not exactly me raising it. That child is growing up."
"But this time you've gone too far."
"Too much, you say? What do you mean?"
"Don't pretend you don't know. I already know everything."
Choi Joong-won looked at Riera with a sincerely questioning expression on his face.
Speaking of monsters, it should be obvious that she was talking about student Kim Ha-jun, but it felt strangely as though they were not on the same page at the same time.
Soon she opened her mouth with a confident smile.
"I'm talking about the student who signed a contract with Divine Beast?."
Strange silence fell at her words.
Choi Joong-Won looked at Riera with a rigid expression on his face.
He looked at her that way for a while and had to ask back what he had just heard.
"Divine Beast? Did you say Divine Beast?"
"Yes, I did. Actually, I already checked her face. I'm sure it was Lee Joo-ah? Pretty sure it's her."
If it was Lee Joo-ah, Choi Joong-won knew her as a student.
A child of Lee Family, and more known as the sister of the student council president.
And I heard that she passed this promotion exam and joined the combat special express class…
(There was a reason for that..?)
It seems that this is not an achievement made simply by efforts alone.
Choi Joong-won looked at Riera again and spoke.
"Hmmm, Riera. What do you want to do with that girl?"
Riera smiled softly at his words.
"I'm going to make her my apprentice."
Choi Joong-won nodded calmly at those words.
Although he did not show it his feelings, he was quite surprised in his heart.
"This is the first time you are taking in a disciple…."
"Probably my first apprentice. She's worth that much."
"I see. Hmm, so you plan to stay here for the time being?"
"Yes, I do. I wish I could take care of her."
With those last words, Riera got up from her seat.
Riera quietly heads for the door and is about to leave.
Suddenly, Choi Joong-Won called out to Riera.
"Riera, since your teaching is not so easy to take, do me a favour. Will you take a look at the other children once?"
"I really have to have a child I really like."
"Hm. Then, would you like to make a bet with me?"
"A bet? What kind of bet?"
At these words, Choi Joong Won's lips slowly rose.
Choi Joong-Won spoke to Riera with a confident smile on his face.
"There's a student in the first year that I'm paying attention to."
"Hmm….. Enough to make you interested ?"
"Not as much as interest. At least I think the boy will be a symbol of peace in this country instead of me."
Riera's eyes widen in surprise at these words.
Riera also smiled at Choi Joong Won's words and asked Choi Joong Won.
"So what's the bet?"
"Find out who that child is."
"Hmm… what are the terms of the bet?"
"I'll do you one favour."
"Interesting, since your request would be to teach the children. I'll think about my request little by little."
* * *
(Why is that woman here?)
"Nice to see you. I'm Riera-Harness."
The children looked at the girl standing in front of the table with an expression of what they had heard at the moment of the very short self-introduction.
The girl, who looked to be the same age as them had introduced herself with the name of one of the great heroes.
Most of the children simply didn't believe it and questioned it, but a few of them noticed her and their eyes began to tremble as if they were shocked.
"Ha! R-Riera – Master Harness?"
One of them was Anna.
When Anna, the British princess, spoke with a startled expression and a trembling voice, the children finally noticed and began to open their mouths wide in astonishment.
"What, no way, she's real?"
"Oh my God!"
"? but I did hear that she went into hiding…"
New Investigation Riera Harness.
Most of the children in this class have probably heard of her name, but don't even know her face. The reason is that she has been living in dimensional space for well over a decade, as she is very much in hiding, even among the big heroes.
"Yes, I'm glad too. As for you guys, I've heard a lot from Choi Joong Won. There are certainly a lot of talented kids here."
Children who could not hold back their excitement at those words.
Some of the children were so moved by the very simple compliment that some of them shed tears. That would be the case, too. For it is precisely she who is the least well-known and mysterious among the great heroes. The hero who has achieved the greatest achievements in times of great chaos.
One of the heroes of past eras said.
If she had not been among the heroes who stopped the Great Chaos, we would not have been able to prevent it in the first place …
That's how great a hero she was, and the person who had the greatest impact in preventing great chaos was precisely her.
"Now, calm down. I can only progress if I can talk too. I came here to see what the rest of you are capable of."
With these words, Riera looks around at the children.
In fact, the children could not contain their excitement whenever Riera's gaze fell on them and began to rejoice that they had seen her.
At the moment, Ha Jun was becoming confused as to whether or not this was an idol concert hall or something.
(Huh… by the way, why is that woman really here?)
The appearance of Riera-Hannis was to happen at least quite a bit later .
Moreover, she didn't just suddenly visit the academy and appear like this.
At least there was now a big change going on that I didn't know about.
(The system would be going crazy again.)
"Hmm…"
Unlike Ha-Jun's impatient mind, Riera was watching a few children with a gaze of interest.
(Right. They certainly deserve Choi Joong Won's interest…)
A boy born with the destiny of a sword and a sage of the future generation, and a boy favored by relics, and a girl clad not in magical power but in a different kind of energy.
There were certainly a few children that Choi Joong-won would have been interested in.
Of course, only one child among them caught my attention.
A girl who shines quietly among these children.
(It's going to be fun)
I could see it in my eyes.
What Divine Beast has she signed up for.?
(I'm sure it's him)
Fenrir.
Beast devours the world he has failed to contract.
This young girl has achieved the contract that even she, the so-called Hero, failed to do.
For a moment, a quest begins to sprout in Riera's eyes…
(This is no good. What are you doing to be mean?)
After calming herself, she waved the children around and said.
"Then I want to check your skills, so you should all go out to the training ground."
* * *
Everyone gathered in the large auditorium.
They were all waiting for Riera's words with nervous expressions .
"The facilities sure are nice. This will be fine."
After looking around the entire auditorium once, Riera nodded in satisfaction and turned back to the children.
"I'm just curious, so there's no need to be too nervous. I just want to see how good you are."
With these words, Riera clapped her hand.
At that moment, a light green, swaying summoning formation was drawn into the air and a hawk appeared.
The hawk appeared to be wearing a shimmering green aura.
All the children looked admiredly at her as she summoned.
To these children, Riera said.
"I simply want to know how good you guys are, so I want each one of you to deal with the summoned Beasts I summoned. It's not a test, so there's no need to be nervous. Still, I want to see your sincerity, so I want you to give it your all."
With these words, Riera gives a gentle smile.
She continued .
"Come forward one by one, starting with the most confident child. I'll do my best to match that child's strength."