"Leo, how have you been during your vacation?"
"Well, so-so."
As they walked down the hallway, Chelsea asked, and Leo shrugged in response.
"Now that you're the king, you can't get much rest even during vacations, right?"
"Well, I've never really had a good rest during the holidays."
Chelsea burst out laughing after hearing Leo's answer.
"That's true. Leo was always causing trouble."
"If anyone heard, it would seem like I'm causing trouble. I'm getting involved."
"Huh? Wasn't Leo the one responsible for the incident?"
When Leo gently patted Chelsea's head, Chelsea burst out laughing.
'I was worried because Leo's atmosphere was a little strange before the vacation, but now he's just like usual.'
Chelsea felt a little relieved as they exchanged small, everyday jokes.
"You came earlier than scheduled, didn't the Lord Lwalin say anything?"
"Father is out of his mind right now because of the Hero League issue."
As the central family behind the establishment of the Hero League, Lwalin was involved in many different tasks.
"And there's also the matter of your brother and Celia, right?"
Whether the heads of the two families were pleased or not, the engagement between Abad and Celia was underway.
"So you don't have time to worry about me."
Leo said suspiciously, looking at Chelsea who was shrugging her shoulders calmly.
"There's no way that could happen, right?"
For Chad, the head of the L'Wallin family, Chelsea is a precious daughter who would not mind being the apple of his eye.
No matter how busy I am, I can't neglect my daughter.
Watching Leo doubt himself, Chelsea recalled what had happened at home before coming to the Arhi Kingdom.
"How long has it been since you came here and you're already crawling out of the house?"
"Father, what are you talking about? Crawling out to your daughter. Crawling out."
"Aren't you planning on going to the Kingdom of Arhi to play and coming back around the time the vacation is over?"
Chelsea covered her ears with her fingers at Chad's loud voice.
"Oh my! There's no point in raising a daughter! She's so enamored with men that she doesn't even bother to look after her father!"
Chade ran to the entrance of the governor's office and lay down on the floor.
"If you like Leo Plov better than this father, step on this father and... ugh! I'm not finished talking yet!"
"Didn't you say to step on it?"
At that attitude, Chad made a look of despair and said to his wife, Airi Lwalin, who was enjoying tea in a corner of the office.
"Honey! Look at Chelsea! She's going through puberty, she's acting up!"
While their father, Chade, was responsible for teaching his children the values of being a wizard of L'Wallin, their mother, Airi, taught them manners.
Airi elegantly put down her teacup and looked at her husband with cold eyes.
"Chelsea was always a bit quirky. When I tried to educate her, you were the one who got away with it."
Chade flinched at his wife's words and averted his gaze.
Chade raised his eldest son, Abad, to be a perfect nobleman, as he was the heir to the family.
But it wasn't Chelsea.
Of course, he wasn't raised as a complete rascal, but he had a wayward side.
To quote Celia, a spiteful, vicious brat.
Chad also found his daughter's appearance cute.
Anyway, I listened to what he said.
But now he was annoyed with his daughter who didn't listen to him.
"Father, Chelsea just goes out to play..."
"You be quiet! I told you not to give your heart to that Zerdinger woman! And you're bringing Celia as your daughter-in-law?!"
Although his relationship with Celia was acknowledged, his feelings for her did not completely subside.
'That would be the same for Jerdinger.'
It was when Abad smiled faintly as he thought of Celia, who must be suffering.
"honey."
"father."
Airi and Chelsea narrowed their eyes.
"After all, since you've given your permission, you should be happy to proceed. What are you saying to Abad now? Besides, aside from the fact that she's Zerdinger, what kind of child is Celia? Isn't she exactly the daughter-in-law you've been longing for? You don't intend to treat Celia that way, do you? If you're planning on embarrassing me and Abad in front of your daughter-in-law, then don't do it."
"Father, I also think what you just said was too harsh."
Chade looked resentful at the attack by his wife and daughter.
"Chelsea! You don't hate Celia, do you? That's why you have to take my side!"
"I don't like Celia, though."
Chelsea looked at Abad and smiled.
"I told you, my brother loves you."
"Profit! Chelsea! I cannot allow you to go to the Kingdom of Arhi! As the head of the family, this is my order!"
At those words, Chelsea took a note out of her pocket and handed it to him.
"What is this?"
"It is the right of refusal to legally reject the orders of the head of the household, granted by the Council of Elders."
"How could the Council of Elders have given you such great authority?"
"That's me!"
Chelsea put her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest.
"Because you are the youngest wizard in the history of the Lwalin family to rise to the rank of hero!"
"Profit! Yes! Do as you please! This father won't care what you do anymore!"
"Oh! So I only need permission from my mother? Then since my mother has given me permission, I'll go straight to the Arhi Kingdom!"
Chelsea laughed and ran out of the house.
Seeing Chelsea like that, Chade lay on the floor and sobbed.
Looking at such a Chade, Abad spoke cautiously to Airi.
"Mother, I think Father has been too emotional lately."
To those words, Airi answered in a cold voice.
"You must be going through menopause."
Chelsea nodded, recalling what had happened a few hours ago.
"Yeah, my father definitely doesn't care about me."
"Don't make your father feel bad."
"Huh? Where else can you find a daughter as filial as me?"
Leo shook his head at Chelsea's shameless words.
***
Kkaang- kkaang-!
Hwaaak-!
Sparks fly with a violent hammering.
The one forging the red-hot lump of iron was a pretty and cute female dwarf.
Chiiik-!
Driana put the lump of iron she was working on into the coolant.
Despite being a special solution made through alchemy, the coolant boiled over.
Driana took out the cooled workpiece, checked its shape, and then assembled it with the existing parts.
Driana, who had finally completed the large gauntlet, nodded with satisfaction.
"From now on, your name is Dog Paw."
"Don't be ridiculous. Do you think I'd use equipment with a name like that?"
Dion Den, a third-year student at Azonia who had been watching Driana's work from behind, frowned.
Wolf Suin, who was about to advance to the 4th grade, was a promising hero candidate with the second highest grades among his classmates.
Driana said, watching Dion fiercely resist her naming sense.
"Oh! When did you get here? Dion! Here are the dog paws you requested!"
"Poohahahaha! It's a dog's paw!"
The tiger who had come with them, Borman, burst into laughter, and Ar scolded Driana.
"Driana. Dion is a wolf. You should call him a wolf's paw."
"Get out. I hate the word 'sole'!"
Dion shouted fiercely.
Driana clicked her tongue at the reaction of the Azonia students.
"As expected, Suin doesn't know art."
"Driana, Dwenno told you not to discuss art."
Driana neatly ignored Ar's sharp criticism.
"That tiger seems to have been well persuaded. Come here. I need to measure the size to make the armor."
"Do you think you could make something like that?"
At Driana's words, Borman burst out laughing.
When Driana saw Ar in response, Ar shrugged.
"I was told to just bring him here, so I brought him here by force."
During the winter break, the Azonia students visited the Damian students who had signed an exclusive smithing contract with them to create weapons.
Bormann was not in charge of Driana.
However, he was asked by Damian, a classmate of Bormann's, to persuade Bormann to wear the armor.
"Borman. I've said it many times, but you need armor to protect your body. Especially if you're charging to the front lines like you."
At Driana's words, Bormann slammed his fist into his muscular chest.
"A strong body is the best defense! For the descendants of the brave, these steel-like muscles are their armor!"
"Stop talking nonsense about dogs eating grass. Even Aron-sama is wearing light armor."
"Light armor only helps!"
"So, shouldn't you have some light armor to help you out? Your smith, Zephas, is worried."
But Bormann vehemently refused to put on the armor.
"Armor is something only a small dwarf like you needs! A man like me doesn't need it…!"
Swish-!
Before Borman could finish speaking, Drianna punched him in the chest.
Even among the dwarves, who are smaller than other races, Driana was particularly small.
Of course, despite his small size, his physical strength was the strongest among Damian's classmates.
"Then I will personally tell you why you need armor."
Driana smiled cutely and started beating Borman with her fists.
"Where's the cowardly surprise attack… Hey! Wait! I hit a bone… Aah! Time! Time…! Aah!"
Even if Borman was the strongest among the Azonia classmates, there was no way he could defeat Driana with pure brute force.
Bormann, who had secretly looked down on Driana as a blacksmith, was beaten without even being able to properly resist.
Driana, who had brilliantly proven herself as the successor of Dweno not only as a blacksmith but also as the shield of the great heroes, muttered while measuring the size of Borman, who had passed out and was foaming at the mouth.
"As expected, big fools only realize the importance of armor when they get beaten up."
"You said you could convince me if I took you?"
"indeed."
Dion was amazed by Ar's words.
The two men had long advised Bormann to get his armor fitted, but he refused to listen.
From Suin's perspective, fists were also an excellent means of persuasion.
"By the way, Ar. Are you really going to take on the challenge?"
Ar, with his arms crossed, wagged his tail at Dion's words.
All of Azonia's summer vacation homework is battle-related.
Up until the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades, it was simply about defeating monsters, but from the 4th grade onwards, it was different.
It is none other than challenging the Colosseum and proving one's worth as a warrior.
If you fail to complete the assignments given during winter break, you will not be promoted to the next grade.
And the Colosseum that Arwa and Dion came to challenge was the Colosseum of Water in the country of water in the Holores region.
Arwa Dion and Borman were able to prove themselves without difficulty as they were among the strongest players in Azonia.
But Ar was not content with simply that.
"Because the Black Rabbit became the leader of the Hero League."
Arga made a serious expression.
"Shouldn't I at least get the title of Colosseum Champion?"