The Angel Awakening to Reincarnation (6)

A chance at atonement, huh. In truth, atonement is a profoundly important act in religion. People can't help but commit sins as they live, and it's religion's role to guide them in properly atoning for those sins.

'But honestly, forget all that complicated stuff—it's for my connections... No. Ahem. As an angel, it's only natural I'd get along well with the Divine Studies students too.'

Imagine if he shouted, "You're all heretics!" and stripped the Divine Studies students of their holy power right here. That would just be picking a real fight with the Divine Studies department. Instead, correcting this wrongful judgment to farm some Angel Power, healing the holy power of the elite seniors selected for reincarnation awakening to gain the Divine Studies department's favor, and granting Ramone a chance at atonement to seize control over the church—that was the best play.

And moreover...

'There's even more to gain.'

Refri managed his expression carefully. The boy forgiving the Divine Studies students who had tried to seize him, even tenderly caressing their judgment-inflicted wounds. And now, offering even the corrupt priest Ramone—a man who embodied utter depravity—a chance at atonement. With an expression utterly devoid of selfish motives, the boy gazed at Ramone and said,

"This sword is something that should never be in the hands of someone like you."

He glanced around at the surroundings.

"How many people have you and the Chugiga Clan judged with it? All that holy power, meant for the common folk, scattered to the winds by the Chugiga Clan's arrogance?"

The students around them nodded in agreement. Who did the Chugiga Clan think they were, judging healers and stripping their holy power? In this era, holy power was more strategically valuable than any medicine. If the Chugiga Clan and the church hadn't conducted heresy trials so frequently...

'Humanity's future might have lasted a few more years. And my past self wouldn't have died like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that.'

Refri bit ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his lip, his face a mask of sorrow. Of course, Refri's sorrowful expression stemmed from his own painful memories of struggling without a healer nearby.

'Refri... he's grieving for all the holy power users who've suffered at the Chugiga Clan's hands.'

The surrounding students, including those from Divine Studies, interpreted his look that way.

"Therefore, this sword is something you and the Chugiga Clan must never possess."

"Th-that means..."

"Renounce ownership of this sword on behalf of the Chugiga Clan... Swear it to the heavens on behalf of the Chugiga Clan."

With those words, cheers erupted from the crowd.

"As expected of the Martial Arts Department's cutie! He talks so well!"

"What? He's our Swordsmanship Department's cutie!"

"So cool! So cute!"

Caught off guard by the sudden wave of cheers, Refri flushed red, looking embarrassed.

'Ugh, way too much attention...! I'm not some celebrity.'

His shy, blushing face sent several of his new fans clutching their hearts and collapsing dramatically.

"Ugh, my heart."

"Kuhk, what a fulfilling life. No regrets."

"You idiots... Tone down the fangirling. This is a serious moment."

Still looking bashful, Refri bowed slightly to the students before turning back to Ramone with a cold proclamation.

"Swear it. Or I'll use this sword to declare your entire church heretics."

"O-our church?"

"Yes."

Refri gave a slight smile.

"You think I can't?"

Ramone's mind raced. He himself—evaluated as possessing the purest holy power among the Chugiga Clan's direct descendants, selected as a reincarnation awakener—and now this boy with even purer holy power. Moreover, the boy had used the Heresy Judgment Sword to nullify a heresy judgment, a miracle in itself. That meant he handled sacred relics better than the church did.

'H-he might really have a way to judge our entire church as heretics.'

Refri opened his mouth.

"Ramone, swear it quickly."

But the Heresy Judgment Sword was also the church's most vital sacred relic. Without it, controlling healers outside the church would be...

But if the church faced heresy judgment, it would mean total destruction...

But controlling the healers...

The church's heresy judgments.

"I swear. On behalf of the Chugiga Clan, I swear on the name of the heavens."

Ramone cried out through tears.

"Our church renounces the Heresy Judgment Sword."

Refri beamed at the sight.

'Now the Heresy Judgment Sword is mine.'

From now on, neither the Chugiga Clan nor the church could summon the Heresy Judgment Sword. But it was already summoned and had chosen Refri as its judge. In other words, Refri could possess it forever.

But this profit angel Refri wasn't one to stop here. He needed more Angel Power, more gains.

"This isn't the end."

"Huh?"

"Confiscating the weapon used in the crime... That's just the obvious first step. True atonement starts now."

Ramone, who had been relieved thinking he'd only lost the sword and that was that, began trembling again.

"Go to everyone whose holy power the church and Chugiga Clan stripped away... And sincerely apologize to them."

This was, of course, the right thing to do. And next...

"Then, if they forgive you... Bring them to me."

"Wh-why?"

Refri continued.

"I'll heal them."

Refri organized his thoughts.

'There must be quite a few holy power users judged by the Chugiga Clan. Healing all of them...'

His face lit up with a grin he couldn't suppress at the thought of the Angel Power he'd reap.

And with all these gains, in a burst of good mood, he'd just forgive Ramone outright with, "This is your atonement."

The surrounding students reacted with things like, "No way! We still need to strip Ramone's holy power!" "Where's the proper punishment?" "Sigh... Refri's just too kind for his own good." "Ugh, this is frustrating. Gimme some catharsis."

But the Divine Studies students saw the verdict differently.

Refri hadn't spoken of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠revenge or retaliation from start to finish. The boy had only preached mercy, forgiveness, and faith in people.

'A heresy judgment like this? One that heals and forgives?'

'Why did that boy heal us? Like I said, we're sinners.'

'We, who sinned as part of the church... He said we're blameless, created in God's name.'

'He got rid of that terrifying Heresy Judgment Sword. No more fearing heresy trials.'

The Divine Studies department and church were hypersensitive about reincarnation. According to their doctrine, holy power users were chosen by the heavens for good deeds accumulated in past lives, so their reincarnations should naturally be powerful and holy. Thus, all the students selected for this reincarnation awakening were the department's top elites.

Tears welled in their eyes.

The sudden influx of massive Angel Power made Refri bite his lip.

'What? What's this sudden windfall?'

Refri quickly checked his Angel Power. If he'd burned about 12,000 using Sanctus earlier, this free haul was around 13,000.

'Used Sanctus and still came out ahead on Angel Power. I can keep hiding my angel identity a bit longer!'

Refri let out a cautious sigh of relief, then glanced at the mansion where Dean James Tardun had entered.

'What the heck is he preparing? All this chaos, and he still hasn't come out?'

Refri tilted his head. The other students were thinking the same.

"What's Dean James doing?"

"Right? Refri's handling everything."

There's a saying in this country: "Speak of the tiger, and he appears."

Dean James Tardun was suddenly standing right behind Refri.

"Originally... I planned to disqualify all holy power users."

Only Refri heard James's mutter.

'Disqualify all holy power users?'

Refri beamed inwardly—he wanted disqualification too. Could he return to the cathedral without his angel side being exposed?

"I watched the whole commotion earlier. The unreasonable heresy judgments and their victims... It was utterly revolting."

Dean James declared coldly.

"All Divine Studies students are disqualified. Return to your department."

The Divine Studies students offered no excuses, quietly packing their things and leaving the VIP quarters.

Of course, Ramone—the ringleader of this incident, perpetrator of disqualifying the entire Divine Studies department, and the one guilty of losing the Heresy Judgment Sword—could only tremble as he rose from his seat.

'Huh, since I'm technically in Divine Studies too...'

Refri made a regretful face as he packed his bags. He sealed the Heresy Judgment Sword inside the holy book used as a Divine Studies textbook, grabbed his other stuff haphazardly, and stood up quickly.

The moment Refri tried to slip away naturally, a voice called from behind.

"Refri, you stay."

"...Ah."

But Refri's trials weren't over yet.

'I no longer believe in the heavens. Thus, I don't believe in holy power users either.'

With a face screaming "I really don't wanna take this test," Refri followed James. The dean glanced back at him, organizing his thoughts.

'That boy has despaired of the world before. Yet he maintains that goodness... Even after such experiences, he speaks of forgiveness and mercy.'

So this time, he wanted to believe. In the light Refri had shown. In the judgment the boy had delivered.

"We will now begin the first and final test. Follow me into this mansion, and you'll pass. If you fail to enter and leave the testing grounds..."

James's eyes glowed red. Central Academy students chimed in one by one.

"If you leave... Does that mean something dangerous? Like getting banished to a dungeon?"

"Nah, too easy. Probably exiled to the otherworld frontlines."

"...Kukuku, nice. That's what makes it a real test."

The Central Academy students chuckled as if it sounded fun.

'...What the heck are these kids saying? I'm an educator. What educator gives out tests that dangerous?'

James muttered in exasperation.

"If you leave the testing grounds, you just fail the test. Nothing else. What kind of insane professors hand out dangerous tests like that?"

He sighed.

"Haa, you lot. Mocking me because I'm from the Eastern Academy? Fine. Let's get going."

James and the students headed toward the mansion. Refri subtly lagged behind. While they focused on the upcoming test...

Refri bolted backward at full speed.

'Know why cheetahs are fast? 'Cause they run away...!'

Escape Angel Refri!

The instant Refri fled the VIP quarters...

"You've arrived."

James's voice came from ahead.

"...Huh?"

Refri looked around. A massive chandelier, marble floors, colorful decorations. No matter how he looked, it was inside the mansion.

"Huh?"

"Congratulations on passing the test, Refri."

James smiled at him. His eyes glowed red.

"Now, shall we check your reincarnation?"

"Ah."

Refri was at a loss for words.