An Angel Missing from the Exam (8)
Refri looked at Jack and thought, 'Why is he crying? Does he hate getting help from me that much...?'
Still, there was no need to worry. The White family was famous for upholding their honor. Since so many people had seen him heal Jack, they couldn't just retaliate—they'd have to reward him no matter what. Preventing baseless revenge, getting money, and even Angel Power. At this rate, he could save even the most ungrateful jerk.
Besides, Jack would become a hero in the future. To defeat the Demon King, they needed every hero they could get, so whether Refri liked it or not, he couldn't let Jack break here.
"......"
And with that, Jack fell asleep. It wasn't strange. The otherworldly magic had pierced beyond his musculoskeletal system into his magic circuits. It was so severe that even an active healer couldn't treat it cleanly. Even a famous one would have to use most of their holy power. If Jack returned home and got a full diagnosis, he'd inevitably conclude that Refri had used most of his holy power to heal him.
"Lucky."
Klein called out after sipping his black tea.
"Since Youngshi took the first step. Now let's proceed with the exam quickly. Refri"
Refri stared at Klein. 'Isn't that too cold?'
Refri looked at Klein once more. That calm expression as he enjoyed his tea and snacks. The boy couldn't understand it.
Unlike the chaotic first exam, the second proceeded quietly. No sudden floods of water, no fighting over doors among examinees. You just entered when your turn came, endured for 3 minutes, and if you couldn't, you snapped your bracelet and fled from inside the room.
Cases like Jack, pushing for 5 minutes and overdoing it, were the anomalies. Especially no idiot would refuse to snap their bracelet and give up due to honor, with a body eroded by mana. So, no more Jacks.
Everyone either bolted out the moment 3 minutes hit or snapped their bracelet and ran. Even Yumari emerged right after exactly 3 minutes.
'She didn't bolt out.'
Right. Yumari walked out casually, as if finishing a meal at a restaurant, her body untouched by mana erosion.
'Even Hongwol complained about the heat and bolted.'
Hongwol had chosen the red room, filled with flame mana. After enduring 3 minutes, she leaped out nimbly and licked her swollen hand like it hurt.
"So hot!"
Lick- Lick-
'Wait, am I acting like a beast again? Nya?'
With that thought, she blushed and quietly lowered her hand.
Next was Refri's turn. Naturally, he chose the white room. No one had picked it yet.
The silent Klein suddenly spoke.
"Are you really choosing that room?"
"Yes."
Sip- Klein muttered with a pitying look after another sip of tea.
"Student, the other examinees... didn't choose the holy power room for good reason."
"I know."
Unlike other mana erosions that only wrecked the body, holy power—heavenly mana—shattered both body and mind. Humans couldn't even gaze at or comprehend the heavens, so their minds broke. And before the heavens, no one was innocent, so their bodies collapsed too.
The worst mana erosion. That was why holy power users had short lifespans.
"Even those with holy power fear white mana erosion the most... Well, fine. Go in."
But Refri was confident. The dangers of white mana erosion applied only to humans. Angels lived in heaven originally—what was there to fear from heavenly mana?
Refri opened the door. Inside was pure white. No furniture at all.
Clunk- The door closed behind him, and Refri checked his watch. Ten seconds had passed.
"What, nothing here?"
Whenever he said that, something always happened. A question burrowed into the boy's mind.
Why had Refri fallen from heaven to earth?
'Because he defied God's command.'
God ordered Refri to take a woman's soul. She was a young woman who had given birth to a bastard child with no one to help her. She begged Refri: if he took her, the child would starve. Please show mercy.
A cold city. A merciless rain. People who toyed with her like a plaything. No mercy from those thugs.
No one would show mercy to this young woman. Even less to her nursing daughter.
They'd probably delight in the mother and child's suffering. Refri felt pity.
"...Tears?"
Transparent liquid running down his cheek. Why? Why was he crying?
After a moment's thought, Refri realized.
This was a lingering body memory. From when he still belonged to heaven, heaven's errand boy.
'Bastard child... a bastard?'
The boy bit his lip. His vision narrowed toward a dark crevice.
Lying down, he stared at the gap. Something red approached through it.
'Wait, this memory... it's from my past life's childhood!'
The metallic stench of blood. Even as a child, he knew what that liquid was. Blood.
The boy was scared. But greater than fear, immense sadness welled up. Loneliness too much for that tiny body...
'Dangerous.'
Refri desperately checked his watch. One minute now. Two more minutes of this hell.
'Dangerous...!'
The angel abandoned in a soon-doomed world knelt sobbing. But he didn't pray.
No prayer from his hundreds in this life had ever been answered. He'd forgotten how.
Heavenly mana eroded Refri's body. Irreversible now.
'Death...?'
He tried to snap the bracelet, but his hand wouldn't move.
'This is dangerous...!'
Refri thought as he collapsed.
Sprout Angel, Lephriel.
A wingless angel is no angel.
Heavenly mana, holy power fully erodes the body!
Body eroded by mana... death...
Racial trait activated.
Angels can convert holy power to %$#.
Reconstructing body and soul using holy power.
(New!)
'Wh-what?'
He got lucky. No superhuman, no matter how strong, survived holy power erosion. But Refri was an angel. Wings lost and dirtied on earth, but still an angel.
Yes. His racial trait had barely saved him.
Regaining his senses, Refri checked his watch. 2 minutes 50 seconds. Now 2:55. And 3:00.
'Done!'
"Urk!"
He barely rammed the door open with his body. Professor Klein stared in shock.
"Impressive."
"Hah, hah..."
Refri regretted it. He'd never, ever do this again.
'Whoa... even as an angel, enduring 3 minutes was this tough. Shouldn't have picked it.'
Adults warned for good reason.
Klein couldn't hide his surprise and whispered to Refri.
"Want to work in our lab...?"
"...What? I'm not even an academy student."
"Talents who endure the white room for 3 minutes are rare. We have a backlog of holy power experiments..."
"Wait, that sounds like you need me as a test subject. What are you even..."
He wanted to curse, but couldn't.
'Can't swear since becoming an angel.'
Yes. A minor angel trait. How could heaven's representative utter vulgar words?
No use complaining. But he gained something. Level up boosted his stamina and magic slightly, and a new authority.
This one.
King-Anointing Angel's Blessing (Authority) Lv.1
In ancient times, people consecrated objects by anointing them with oil, even blessing people. For those with kingship, they euphemistically called them "the anointed one."
Yes. The heavenly oil poured by angels grants kingship-like blessings to people.
From now on, you can consume power to obtain heavenly oil. Spread that light widely upon the world.
Angelic authorities activate by consuming Angel Power.
'Hmm, a blessing skill. My role's healer-ish now, so this blessing... not bad.'
Refri tested the new authority. Transparent oil gathered in his hand.
'Whoa, smells good... Should I taste it?'
Lick-
Nutty and sweet, whetting the appetite.
'Bibimbap with this would be killer. Fry eggs in it too.'
...Refri lightly committed blasphemy.
Thus, the second exam neared its end. Half the remaining examinees dropped out.
Refri regretted not getting Klein's recommendation, but decided not to dwell.
'Barely made 3 minutes. 5? I'd be dead.'
You had to know when to quit cleanly. Especially when your life was on the line.
"Four left. We'll give 20 more minutes—decide if you'll forfeit or challenge."
Four. Refri eyed them with the victor's smugness.
He didn't recognize three, but one he did.
'Soya...'
Who'd have thought Soya would fail again. Where was that overwhelming magic genius from the future? Just this lost girl remained.
Refri understood.
'Soya ultimately fails the Central Academy entrance exam. This is the only academy offering scholarships, so she can't attend.'
If Soya had trained under top professors at a good academy, she'd be far stronger than the future Black Magic Princess.
Future Soya wasted time on absurd interest payments to giant guilds, illegal jobs holding her back—no time for magic research. Her slow progress was inevitable.
'And that was her "slow"...'
Of course Refri had to help her. For Demon King hunting. And Angel Power.
"Soya."
"...Why?"
Soya eyed him warily. Refri found her pulling her hat brim down to avoid his gaze a bit cute.
"Taken the exam?"
"...Not yet."
Soya switched attitudes suddenly. Hiding fear, she declared boldly.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I can pass plenty fine. I'm just rationally gathering info from those who went first."
"I know."
"Then scram. Don't interfere with my intel."
Strange. Desiring help more than anyone, yet speaking like that?
As Refri pretended to leave, her hand twitched toward him. When he turned, she feigned ignorance.
"Hmm, yes. Those room readings..."
Refri felt a twinge of guilt.
'What am I, an adult bullying a kid? Better stop teasing.'
Refri looked at Soya and said,
"Soya, how do you make black with paint?"
Hearing that, Soya scowled down at him. But she looked... thrilled?
"What? You don't even know that for Central Academy? Black is mixing red, yellow, blue equally..."
The red room, yellow room, blue room in view.
No black room.
Of course. Soya was a black mage with high dark mana affinity. To pass, she needed a dark-dominant room.
"...I see."
Soya muttered.
Enlightening future heroes is truly angelic!
Acquired large amount of Angel Power!