Chapter 83
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: The Divine Power Lecture
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Why didn't she sit next to me?
Divine Power.
A heterogeneous, inscrutable force utterly different from mana or holy power.
From the absolute ability to dictate others' lives to the corrosion it exacts as a price in return. Everything about it lay in a realm of mystery, beyond explanation.
Countless scholars and mages had tried to uncover the essence of Divine Power, but none had ever succeeded in defining it clearly.
Related literature was virtually nonexistent on the market, and self-study materials were scarce. The only institution that taught Divine Power systematically was Solentia Academy.
And right now, I was attending that exclusive lecture, granted to only a tiny few.
"Welcome."
Moreover, the instructor was none other than the academy's dean himself. His streaked white hair bore witness to the years he had lived.
The lecture hall could easily seat a hundred people. Yet only ten students were seated.
Not just freshmen, but across all grades combined—only ten. Considering the rarity of Divine Power, it was actually quite a crowd.
And among those ten were me and the Hero. So I had naturally viewed this class as a prime opportunity to get closer to her.
But reality didn't match my expectations. I shot a glance at the back of the Hero's head. She was seated at the very front, far away from me.
'Why didn't she sit next to me?'
As the protagonist, it was extremely rare for her to sit alone in class. The moment she spotted even a vaguely familiar face, she would approach without hesitation, flashing a smile—the quintessential social butterfly.
With that effortless charm and flirting, she had gathered countless companions and heroines. So I had no doubt she would approach me first.
We had even shared a meal together outside the academy, after all.
But no.
I had arrived thirty minutes early on purpose to claim a seat, but she didn't so much as glance my way before taking the front spot.
This ruined everything.
I couldn't exactly strike up a conversation first. Unlike the Hero, I wasn't the type to approach people so casually.
If anything, I leaned toward the introverted side. For someone like me to just grin and walk up to her first? That was a stretch.
'Don't get anxious.'
I would be at this academy for the next three years anyway. This was just the first week of that long stretch.
If I steadily built a good reputation, eventually the Hero would come to me.
"First, let me congratulate you all on possessing the blessing of Divine Power."
Just as I was trying to calm myself, the dean began the lecture.
"But don't get arrogant about it. It can be a powerful weapon, but at the same time, it will be the chain that tightens around your neck."
As expected of the dean. There was an inexplicable power in his voice that drew undivided attention.
"I've examined all your Divine Powers. Impressively, one of you possesses a power befitting a hero."
The dean's gaze briefly drifted toward the Hero.
"On the other hand, there are smaller powers that can still prove remarkably useful."
This time, his eyes passed over me. He was probably referring to my Divine Power that strengthened flowers.
Indeed, the only Divine Power I had registered with the academy was the one that reinforced flowers.
And the other one? I hadn't told a soul. Not even Mother or Camilla.
'Of course not. It's my lifeline for the future.'
The power to produce expensive mana herbs every single day. A force that would secure my wealth down the line—I had no intention of revealing it to anyone.
"Relying solely on Divine Power is never a wise choice. The stronger it is, the more your mind and body must support it."
The dean continued. The cadets in the hall listened without a hint of distraction.
"Ah, but before that, I should explain this first."
The dean clapped once. The lights dimmed immediately, and a holographic pyramid divided into five tiers materialized at the center of the lecture hall.
"Divine Powers are currently classified into five types."
He slowly raised his hand to point at the bottom layer of the pyramid.
"The first is what we might call a 'phenomenon' rather than a true power. It's weak, but it is still Divine Power. Most possessors have this level. Even something like excessive sweat from the hands falls into this category."
Isn't that just hyperhidrosis? At any rate, the point about it being a minor power came across clearly.
"The second involves manipulating matter or life itself. Everyone here—save one cadet—falls into this category."
My flower-strengthening Divine Power fit here too. And the exception the dean mentioned was, of course, the Hero.
"From here on, we're in the realm of the truly rare."
The dean's finger pointed to the third tier of the pyramid.
"Powers related to mind and body. In their strongest forms, they allow regeneration even after decapitation, or an unbreakable will that endures death multiple times."
This was the stage of the Hero's Divine Power. In the game, it was labeled as the "Unquenchable Justice."
This ability evolved alongside the Hero's growth, boasting absurd performance at its max level.
40% damage reduction. 50% increased stamina recovery. Attack power that rose as health dropped. And crucially, immunity to all status effects—a god-tier buff.
Of course, it required immense investment of time, but once the Divine Power hit max, boss difficulties plummeted.
"And this stage is possessed by only a handful across the entire continent."
The dean's hand moved up another level. The fourth tier of the pyramid, far narrower than the last.
"Powers designed to destroy life. Overwhelming forces that treat an enemy's life like a toy, bending it at will."
Rare even across the continent. Astonishingly, one bearer of such power was very close to me.
The being once called the Red Witch. A boss with instant-death abilities that manipulated the enemy's blood freely. The moment bleeding started, players had to hit the quit button—infamously brutal difficulty.
Roselia Rahel Tani.
My mother.
'Who knew Divine Powers were classified this granularly.'
In the game, this class was just a formality to gain Divine Power experience—a click-and-done disposable event.
But hearing it live in a real lecture hall like this? Surprisingly engaging.
"And the final stage."
The dean's fingertip pointed to the pyramid's apex. A heavy solemnity crept into his previously relaxed eyes.
"In all my years, no one has possessed this power."
His deepened, resonant voice gripped the room's air, drawing every gaze.
"But tracing back through records, there is one. A being who wielded it."
With a casual wave, the pyramid vanished, replaced by a hazy silhouette.
The faint outline looked straight out of a wanted poster. Hooded entirely, even the face was indistinguishable.
"The Demon King Nuzess."
A quiet murmur rippled through the lecture hall. No one present was ignorant of his infamy.
Two hundred years ago, the entity that drowned half the world in plague. The lives Nuzess claimed numbered far beyond mere millions.
The very figure the Black Altar sought to revive.
"We can't verify the truth, but according to histories, Nuzess wielded a unique power."
I held my breath, listening intently. This was hidden lore absent even from the game.
As the room fell utterly silent, the dean spoke again.
"Flies were born in his wake."
A beat of stunned silence.
Then confusion dawned on the students' faces one by one.
"Flies?"
"Indeed."
The Hero blinked blankly. I was just as thrown by the unexpected twist. The power of history's greatest villain, who ravaged half the world, reduced to... flies? What a letdown.
"Hm... not as destructive as I imagined."
"Let me ask you something, cadet."
The dean's gaze settled on the Hero.
"If a being could create humans with its own hands, what would that mean to humanity?"
The Hero pondered briefly, finger to her lips.
"Um... a god?"
"I think so too. The power to create life is a divine authority no ordinary being can possess."
The cadets, who had started listening lightly, grew serious again.
"Black mist shrouded everywhere he passed. But its true nature? A legion of countless insects. Their buzzing wings sounded like a raging storm."
A few female students shuddered at the image of swarming bugs.
"His flies spread disease, parasitizing the corpses of the sick to spawn maggots. Those maggots grew, formed swarms anew, and spread death across the continent."
The dean pointed to the pyramid's apex once more.
"This is the final tier of Divine Power. No concrete proof of its existence—just tales from ancient histories."
A moment of silence. Then the dean continued.
"The ability to create life."
With those words, the solemnity lifted from his face. A soft smile took its place, the warm expression of an elder.
"Starting next class, we'll have training sessions on properly wielding your powers."
The dean stretched his stiff body, muttering in the low grumble of an old man.
"Since it's the first lesson, we'll end a bit early today—Hm?"
His eyes turned to me.
"Are you alright, cadet? You don't look well."
My body twitched involuntarily. At the same moment, the Hero's gaze swung my way.
I forced my expression steady and nodded quietly.
"Yes, I'm fine."
To suppress the trembling, I pinched my thigh hard.
I glanced at my hand, hidden beneath the desk. I clenched it tight, then slowly opened it.
There, on my reopened palm.
A single flower had bloomed, bearing leaves of pure white.