Exam Hell and the Moon Saintess's Petals
The professors, who must've died without ever taking a performance evaluation in their past lives, dumped an insane amount of work on us.
'I'm gonna die...'
How many had I memorized? Ugh. Even breathing felt like history was spilling out.
"Alright. Let's begin the exam."
I chugged several energy drinks and maxed out my Divine Power across my whole body.
After about two hours of testing, I thought it'd be better to just take a few more exams instead.
"Oh, right. There was a cheating attempt last time."
Would've been weirder if there wasn't.
With this insane difficulty, anyone would try just to survive...
"Let me see... Mamtaro tried to copy from Eugene."
What the fuck?
Who the hell tried to cheat off me?
The yellowish-haired kid whose eyes met mine quickly turned away.
You're fucking caught, punk.
"Quiet, quiet!"
The professor smacked the desk with his palm.
"So, from now on, you'll take the exam in 'isolation.'"
No sooner had the professor spoken than four walls shot up around my seat.
Magic walls.
I tapped one, and it gave a solid, rubbery thud.
— No external sounds or sights can reach inside here except my voice. Focus only on the exam. Oh, and if you don't get every question right, you can't leave. It's the last class anyway, right? Spending a day like this isn't so bad.
Like hell it isn't.
I cursed inwardly and unrolled the paper.
Just you wait till I get out.
"......"
"Eugene, Eugene. You alive?"
After finishing the problems for the fifth time or so, I collapsed onto my dorm bed the second I got back.
Revenge? First, a guy needs sleep. Revenge can wait.
Ash, who came back late, climbed on my back and poked me, but I didn't even have the energy to react.
"Guess he's dead."
Yeah. Dead. So leave the corpse alone, will ya?
"Hey, hey. Get off him. He looks exhausted."
Good job, Adria!
"Hm. Doesn't seem like it."
"Why else would he stay still? He must wanna sleep. Aren't you sleepy?"
"Of course I took a nap. The problems weren't that hard. It was quiet and comfy—perfect for sleeping."
What is this, a new kind of duel challenge?
"Hey, hey. He's gonna wake up. Let's go."
"No, but this is my spot."
"What do you mean your spot? Why're you acting up today? Throwing a tantrum outta nowhere."
"If we leave now, I feel like Eugene'll get gobbled up..."
Just get out already!
In the end, Ash got dragged out by Adria.
Ah, finally.
'Gotta sleep for real. Hey. Eodukshini.'
-Master not sleeping? But why'd you stay still...
'Shut up and lock the door over there.'
-Yep.
Eodukshini obediently locked the door and headed off. Ah, now I can finally sleep.
-Huh? Sle, sleep. Mmph. Mrrgh?!
I'd thought the same once upon a time.
I felt a shadow slip in as the door opened.
The figure approached and whispered in a tiny voice.
"...You asleep?"
Jenella?
Something felt off, but I ignored it and squeezed my eyes shut tighter.
Yeah, sleeping.
"Doesn't seem like it."
Sleeping.
"Mm, really asleep?"
Yeah. Sleeping.
But where the hell's Eodukshini?
-Ugh, ugh... How... Jenella, you...
"Shh."
The girl who usually never spoke first if I didn't was acting weird—it creeped me out.
Did the performance eval break her brain too?
"Mm. Yeah. Maybe this is better. Wouldn't wanna wake you."
I felt the bed's weight shift slightly.
Like she sat right next to me.
I could feel Jenella staring holes into the back of my head. My scalp was gonna cave in.
"Umm... Honestly, I don't even know what I'm feeling right now."
Why wouldn't you know your own feelings?
"Adria kept grilling me all day, y'know? But I still don't get it. Arrhythmia? My heart keeps racing whenever I see you."
That's arrhythmia, alright.
"So I came to check for sure."
'?'
???
Hey, hey!!
What the hell are you doing?!
I screamed internally at the approaching sensation.
Ash! Ash, where are you!!
Help! Snake in here!!!
-...What the hell just happened?
'Beats me.'
Jenella, who'd been acting like she was about to do something crazy, suddenly bolted out of the room.
What was she even trying to do?
No clue. I rubbed my aching back and got off the bed.
The room felt empty for the first time in ages. Jenella, who'd tried causing trouble last night, got kicked out, leaving just me and Eodukshini.
'...Hm?'
A familiar yet unfamiliar aura seeped in through the door crack.
I'd felt it before.
The aura of Duchess Neona Solari, who dragged off the Sage that popped up mid-fight with an ancient monster.
A bit different, but the essence was the same.
'What the...?'
Did she come here herself?
I'd been wondering since there'd been no word. She was the wielder of the Holy Sword from the War God, after all—not some nobody.
She couldn't be dead, but maybe she lost an arm or took a critical hit and couldn't move...
-Everyone, come out one by one!
"?!"
I froze at the sight outside.
Was I seeing things?
In a world turned pure white, countless petals swirled in the wind.
'...Petals?'
No. Not just petals.
Divine Power. Overflowing from a body that couldn't contain it, taking the form of petals on their own will, dancing in the breeze.
Control and output beyond my imagination. At the center of the swirling flowers stood a white-robed woman I'd never seen before and a lich.
-...Who the hell's that woman?
"...The Saintess."
I muttered softly as I gazed at her.
First time seeing her, but I knew who she was.
I was the War God's sole priest. Lacking in skill, sure, but as the only one, I was also the 'Pope,' the 'Saint,' the 'Holy Knight,' and the 'Priest.'
That's why I could tell. The beloved proxy of the God of Light—sister to Arcana, holding the same divine rank.
'The Moon Saintess.'
Don't ask why a priestess of light is nicknamed after the moon.
She was the de facto pillar and public face leading the Church of Light right now.
I got all the War God's blessings and attention dumped on me, but I was still miles behind the Saintess.
Difference in time invested and backing.
Her Divine Power manifested as swirling petals. When one brushed my skin, it melted away, seeping into my body.
Healing.
Put simply, massive area healing. If she wanted, she could restore everyone on Sky Island.
No idea about physical prowess, but her magic was probably top-tier too.
A true proxy of god. If the Pope was more 'political,' the Saintess was the front-line 'face' stepping up directly.
"...But why's she here? She didn't show during the terrorist attack. Coming now outta nowhere?"
-For the performance eval...?
"The island got wrecked by a grand mage terrorist, and she didn't come then? But shows for a stupid eval? That make sense?"
The Saintess's ass is heavy.
She's not invincible. Gods have many cherished children. She's especially loved, but doesn't monopolize the attention.
History had rare cases of Saintesses getting murdered or assassinated.
A powerful black mage ambush, or someone hired to kill her... Bad luck struck occasionally.
'...Or getting beat down by a War God priest.'
Learned that in history class, FYI.
That mad bastard's exploits were even recorded there.
As a rabid dog.
'She won't come at me hostile, right?'
From what I remembered, relations between War God and Light God priests weren't bad.
But personal grudges? Who knows.
Like if this Saintess idolized one who got thrashed by my predecessor, or just hated other gods...
'If she charges, I bolt.'
That's when a vibration hummed from my body.
"...?"
My Black Obsidian Sword, tucked in my priest robes. Why was it still in there? Did I sleep without taking it out?
'How'd I not stab myself?'
Amazed, I pulled it out—and the moment I gripped it, a weird impulse surged.
Something.
Wanna smack that beaming Saintess right in the face...
'??'
What the hell?
Wrrrrrm!
Like it was screaming Hit her quick! Smack her!, the sword buzzed like mad.
What's wrong with this thing?
I ignored the vibrations and shoved it back in my robes. Once secured, they died down a bit.
'...This is fine, right?'
But I felt uneasy.
Better stay away from there.
"Oh, Eugene. You're up?"
Ash, with a Choco Pie in her mouth, waved lazily at me.
Looked like she was gonna shove the whole thing in, but she took a tiny nibble when she saw me.
"Yeah. Eat comfortably."
"What? This is how I always eat."
Liar.
"Ahem. Anyway, sit here. This is a rare sight. Never thought the Saintess would step outta the temple."
"Yeah. What if she gets attacked out in the open like that?"
"Principal's probably there, and the Saintess's shadow—the Holy Knight Captain—too... Oh, and Professor Nipella's over there."
"No wonder I couldn't reach him!"
There he was!
I plopped down where she patted. Ash naturally handed me her half-eaten Choco Pie.
-Ooh. Gimme that. Hand it over.
"Sure, you can ha—"
"No way. This is mine."
"??"
-??
Ash snatched it back from Eodukshini and popped it in her mouth.
See? She could do it in one bite but pretended not to.
She glanced at Eodukshini after swallowing, making it flinch.
"...?"
Perfect timing—Jenella walked by.
Dark circles down to her cheeks. Hadn't slept.
I raised a hand to her.
"Yo. Jene—"
Whoosh!
"Hey?"
Jenella spotted me, flushed beet red, and bolted.
What.
Where's that tank Jenella from yesterday? Clocked out?
"Why's she acting like that?"
"No idea."
Why? Needlessly scary series vibes.
"Wanna tail her? Looks like she's trying to leave the plaza altogether."
"Why bother?"
"Yeah. Could be fun."
I caught the weirdness in Ash's reaction.
A sense of dissonance.
Like she wanted to avoid this place.
"Why? You trying to dodge her on the sly?"
I asked straight up. Ash stared, then sighed deeply.
"I just... don't like that woman. The Saintess."
"...?"
Why?
"She a bad person?"
"No, not that... Ugh, anyway."
"??"
What, she into some perv shit?
'...With that face?'
I glanced at the Saintess. If she whipped out an S or EX rank, I'd get insta-chopped.
But I was serious.
'Might be possible.'
Appearances are the opposite of truth, after all.