Chapter 446 - 445 - The Weekend Expedition!

The following days passed quickly beneath the steady rhythm of academy life, blending together into a familiar flow of lectures, training sessions, sparring matches, club meetings, and late evening walks through Arcadia Academy’s sprawling grounds. Morning after morning arrived with the sound of students rushing toward classrooms, while afternoons disappeared beneath combat practice and endless conversations shared between friends.

Luca continued training relentlessly, refining his control after reaching Core Compression while balancing the increasingly chaotic relationships surrounding him with varying levels of success. Some days were spent sparring against Kyle and Aiden until the training grounds looked half-destroyed, while others passed more quietly through lectures where Seraphina maintained her composed professionalism even as subtle awkwardness still lingered between them beneath the surface.

Meanwhile, the Hero Research Club had descended into absolute madness ever since the announcement regarding the hidden site connected to ancient heroes. Every single day, John appeared with new theories, maps, or completely unverified historical assumptions while the rest of the club members argued endlessly over what kind of location they might uncover.

And eventually—

The weekend arrived.

Early morning sunlight stretched softly across the academy grounds while the campus still remained quieter than usual, most students either sleeping in or only just beginning their day. The cool morning air carried a refreshing crispness as Luca stepped out from his dormitory building, already dressed for travel.

Unlike his academy uniform, today he wore comfortable dark travelling clothes designed for movement rather than appearance—a fitted black shirt beneath a light reinforced jacket, flexible trousers suited for combat, and sturdy boots prepared for rough terrain. The black-and-gold twin sabers rested securely at his waist while his dark hair moved lightly beneath the morning breeze as he walked down the dormitory stairs.

There was clear excitement hidden within his expression.

Just what kind of place could this be...?

The thought lingered naturally within his mind as he crossed the quiet academy pathways.

Maybe I’ve already visited it before...

Considering how many places Luca had already explored through his knowledge of the game’s original storyline, it was entirely possible.

But if that’s the case...

His brows furrowed slightly in thought.

Then why didn’t I ever find any traces related to heroes there?

That part bothered him.

Because hero-related locations were never insignificant within the game’s lore.

They always carried secrets.

Hidden histories.

Ancient relics.

Or dangerous truths.

Luca exhaled lightly before shaking his head at himself.

"...Well, no point overthinking it now," he muttered quietly while continuing forward. "I’ll find out soon enough anyway."

The academy grounds stretched calmly around him beneath the early morning sky as he approached the front gates of Arcadia Academy.

And there—

Two familiar figures were already waiting.

Lilliane stood quietly near the entrance, her pink hair tied neatly into twin tails that swayed gently with the breeze while she wore light travelling clothes designed for comfort and mobility rather than noble appearance.

Beside her stood Sylthara, the silver-haired dark elf wearing similarly practical attire, though even simple travelling clothes somehow looked elegant on her. Unlike usual, her long silver hair had been gathered into a ponytail today, allowing her pale features and sharp golden eyes to stand out even more clearly beneath the morning light.

The moment Luca approached—

Both girls noticed him immediately.

"Good morning," Sylthara greeted calmly.

"G-good morning..." Lilliane followed softly.

Luca smiled lightly as he stopped in front of them.

"Morning."

His gaze briefly swept over both of them before he chuckled faintly.

"You two look surprisingly prepared."

Lilliane blinked once before lightly holding the edge of her sleeve.

"...We are going to explore an unknown site," she said quietly. "It would be bad if we wore normal clothes."

Sylthara nodded in agreement beside her.

"Especially if the place truly relates to ancient heroes."

Luca could not argue with that logic.

Then after a moment, he crossed his arms lightly before asking with faint amusement—

"So..."

A small grin appeared on his face.

"Are you both excited?"

The reaction came almost immediately.

Lilliane’s usually quiet eyes brightened slightly while even Sylthara’s calm expression softened with visible interest.

"How could anyone not be?" Sylthara replied first, her silver eyes carrying clear curiosity now. "Anything related to the heroes of the past would naturally interest people."

Lilliane nodded quickly beside her.

"...Ancient hero sites are incredibly rare," she added softly. "Most are either lost completely... or controlled directly by kingdoms and large organizations."

"And this one was hidden," Sylthara continued thoughtfully. "Which makes it even more interesting."

Luca looked at both of them before slowly nodding himself.

"...Yeah," he admitted honestly while glancing toward the academy gates ahead.

"I’m looking forward to this too."

The quiet morning atmosphere near the academy gates gradually became livelier as Luca, Lilliane, and Sylthara continued talking beneath the soft golden sunlight. Students occasionally passed through the entrance behind them, though most paid little attention to the small group gathered there, too focused on their own weekend plans to notice the unusual excitement building among the members of the Hero Research Club.

Their conversation drifted naturally from ancient hero sites to absurd theories about what they might discover there, with Luca occasionally throwing in dry comments that caused Lilliane to quietly giggle while Sylthara responded with her usual calm seriousness.

Then—

A loud voice suddenly echoed from the pathway leading toward the gates.

"MY DEAR FELLOW SEEKERS OF HISTORY!"

Luca immediately sighed.

"...And there he is."

The rest of the Hero Research Club soon appeared walking toward them, though "walking" barely described John’s energy as the dark-haired senior practically charged forward with enough enthusiasm to scare nearby birds away from the trees.

His academy coat fluttered dramatically behind him while his eyes sparkled with terrifying excitement.

"The day has finally arrived!" John declared while spreading his arms toward the sky like a prophet announcing the end of the world. "The Hero Research Club shall once again carve its glorious name into history!"

Several nearby students visibly avoided eye contact while walking past.

Behind him followed the other senior members, all carrying travelling bags and supplies, though unlike their vice president, they at least retained some degree of public dignity.

The moment John noticed Sylthara standing with the group, his expression brightened even further.

"Lady Sylthara!" he exclaimed dramatically while nearly grabbing her hands before stopping himself halfway through sheer force of survival instinct. "A descendant of the ancient era shall now walk alongside us in uncovering the mysteries of heroes themselves!"

Sylthara blinked once.

Then subtly moved half a step behind Luca.

"...He’s even more energetic in the morning," she whispered quietly.

"I warned you," Luca muttered back helplessly.

Meanwhile John continued talking endlessly without needing anyone’s participation whatsoever.

"Do you understand the significance of this?!" he continued passionately while pacing around the group. "An undiscovered hero-related site! Ancient ruins! Forgotten relics! Hidden truths buried beneath time itself!"

At some point nobody even knew who he was speaking to anymore.

A second-year student wearing glasses finally stepped forward with the exhausted expression of someone who had clearly dealt with this behavior for years.

"...Please forgive him," he said politely toward Luca, Sylthara, and Lilliane while adjusting his glasses. "Vice President John becomes... slightly unstable whenever hero-related discoveries are involved."

"Slightly?" Luca repeated immediately.

The second-year paused.

"...That was generous of me."

Lilliane quietly covered her mouth while laughing softly while even Sylthara’s expression visibly relaxed with amusement this time.

John, meanwhile, remained entirely unbothered by the insults aimed toward him.

"Anyway!" he declared loudly before clapping his hands together dramatically. "What are we waiting for?! Let us depart immediately toward destiny itself!"

He turned around as though fully intending to start marching away right then and there—

Only for Luca to stop him.

"Wait a minute," Luca said casually.

John paused dramatically.

"What now?"

"Eric still isn’t here."

The moment those words were spoken, several members looked around in realization.

"...He’s late?" one senior muttered in disbelief.

"That’s rare," another added.

Luca crossed his arms lightly while glancing toward the pathway leading back into the academy.

"Maybe he finally overslept himself to death."

Then—

Right on cue—

A distant voice shouted desperately.

"WAIT—!"

Everyone turned.

Eric came sprinting toward them from across the academy grounds at full speed, sweat visible across his face while his clothes looked only half-organized as though he had prepared in complete panic before running all the way here.

"I’m here—!" he shouted between breaths. "Don’t leave without me, you bastards!"

John looked deeply offended.

"You are late to a historic expedition!"

"I KNOW!" Eric replied immediately while finally reaching the group, slightly bent forward while catching his breath. "Something came up!"

Luca raised one brow suspiciously.

"...You overslept."

Eric instantly looked away.

"...That’s not important."

Luca burst into laughter almost immediately.

"You actually did."

Eric straightened dramatically while trying to restore his dignity.

"I was meditating."

"You were unconscious."

"That’s basically advanced meditation."

Both of them laughed while the rest of the group watched with varying levels of amusement and exhaustion.

Finally, after confirming everyone had indeed arrived—

John stepped forward once more, excitement practically radiating off his entire body.

"Excellent!" he declared grandly while pointing dramatically toward the distant roads beyond Arcadia Academy. "Now that every member has gathered..."

His grin widened.

"Let us depart!"