Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: 39. Spirit Body
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“...and thus, divine power is unlike innate abilities like mana or spell power that are bestowed only upon the chosen. It is a fundamental energy present in the bodies of all humans, God’s creations. However, precisely because of this, cultivating it to a level usable in actual combat is extremely difficult...”
Professor Gryver Lanfelt swallowed the rage boiling up from within and continued.
The classroom atmosphere was a total mess, no matter how charitably one tried to describe it.
There were barely any students to begin with, and most of them weren’t even paying attention to him.
Normally, they’d scramble for even a scrap of his notice to earn a good evaluation, but now they ignored him without a care.
‘...If only that damned bastard weren’t a devil worshiper.’
He ground his teeth as he thought of Marquis Riverback.
He’d seemed like a young, successful businessman from whom he could squeeze some profit, but turned out to be an empty shell.
Yes, an empty shell.
To Gryver, whether he was a devil worshiper or not didn’t matter much.
All that mattered was whether he could bring profit or not.
In that sense...
“Excuse me, I have a question.”
The one raising his hand so casually was, from Gryver’s perspective, someone he could grind into powder and still not feel sated.
Dawood Campbell.
The guy who’d taken his emergency holy gear during the magic beast incident and set up a barrier.
“So, how can one quickly increase the total amount of divine power and proficiency with blessings?”
“...The best way to grow divine power is, of course, to raise proficiency through actual use.”
He answered in a stiff voice.
“Don’t ask obvious things. That’s a disgracefully low-level question for an Elpante student.”
“Yes. Sorry.”
“Focus on your training. It’s embarrassing even for me to hear.”
He deliberately used harsh language to belittle him, but the guy just smiled without a hint of anger.
But.
His eyes weren’t smiling at all.
“...”
Gryver felt chills run down his spine and forcibly averted his gaze.
There was an unmistakable alien sensation emanating from him.
“...That’s it for today’s class.”
He didn’t want to linger face-to-face with that guy any longer than necessary. Ending early was part of that.
As he walked down the corridor, Gryver thought back to that Dawood fellow.
‘...He resembles that one.’
The man he’d spoken to once through Marquis Riverback.
A strange guy who called himself a precursor.
He’d never seen his face, but he vividly remembered the creepy impression.
It was an ominous sensation identical to the incongruity he felt from this guy now.
Believable enough that they could be the same person.
‘Well, either way, I won’t run into him again.’
He smirked to himself as he entered his office.
The letter he pulled from a drawer in his desk was packed with the “goods” he planned to sell.
All high-grade intel and secrets he’d gathered while holding his professorship at the academy.
‘The Empire always has plenty of enemies.’
Sell this off quick and vanish. That was the plan.
Sure, it might get someone killed or cause massive damage, but that wasn’t his problem.
But.
“Well, sorry to interrupt your happy little future-planning.”
A voice suddenly came from right beside him.
At the same time, a sharp impact struck the back of his head.
“Doing nothing but evil deeds and expecting to come out unscathed yourself? That’s a bit too shameless, don’t you think?”
A familiar voice.
The one who’d been facing him just moments ago.
Dawood Campbell. And stepping on his crumpled body was the Tristan Duchess.
“...You brats, what the hell do you think you’re doing! How dare gutter-born baron spawn like you—ack!”
The sentence cut off grotesquely, unavoidably so.
Elnor’s kick had instantly dislocated his arm.
“...Hey, Elnor. Isn’t that a bit too rough from the start?”
Dawood said in a troubled voice, but Elnor just shrugged.
“I merely caressed him lightly.”
“...”
Lightly?
This?
Such a look shot toward Elnor, but she didn’t blink, responding calmly.
“Didn’t he insult you?”
“...”
“I showed great restraint.”
“...Well, anyway.”
Dawood cleared his throat a few times and pulled a holy book from his pocket.
A basic textbook compiling blessings issued to all freshman divinity students.
“...Hold on, so...”
He read it intently with a furrowed brow, then finally stammered out something.
An utterly clumsy prayer.
“—And thus, warmth shall dwell within you. Heal.”
A ragged white divine power clumsily settled on his arm.
“...Hm, got the feel for it.”
“...”
Gryver stared at Dawood, who spoke proudly with an incredulous expression.
This was subpar even for a freshman— what was he so smug about?
The moment he let that show on his face, his other arm snapped under Elnor’s kick.
“Aaagh—!”
“...Hey, Elnor. I told you we need to take it slow.”
“Isn’t this slow?”
“...”
“Hm. Strange. My ducal education said interrogating enemies starts with flaying the skin—”
“Y-You bastards! What do you want, what do you—aaagh!”
As Gryver wailed with tears streaming, Dawood cleared his throat again and replied.
“Hey, we already know everything, so let’s make this easy. Who in the academy were you planning to sell this to?”
“...”
Even amid the surging pain, Gryver paused.
This was one thing he couldn’t yield.
The existence of the precursor’s plant hidden in the academy.
Reveal it, and he wouldn’t survive.
“...What are you talking about—aaagh!”
This time, he didn’t finish before his left leg shattered.
Dawood seemed resigned now, just clutching his head and sighing.
“I’ll talk! I’ll talk, so please—!”
Finally, he spat out the names in a flood of tears and spit.
Dawood scribbled them all down beside him, humming.
“That all of them?”
“All, that’s all...! Please, call a doctor...!”
Gryver begged in a hoarse whisper.
‘At least this one over that monster...!’
Better to cling to the man who at least tried to restrain the duchess snapping his limbs like twigs.
But Dawood smirked and shook his head.
“Nah, why bother with a doctor? I’ll heal you.”
“...”
“I’m an aspiring divinity student, after all. Gotta know some blessings.”
Can’t be a low-tier student unfit for Elpante, right?
Grinning as he added that, Dawood mumbled another prayer.
Thanks to his abysmal divine power control and blessing level, full recovery of the broken limbs took ages.
“Huff... huff...”
Gryver barely stood, gasping.
Soaked in cold sweat, but at least he could move his limbs again.
He ground his teeth inwardly as he rose shakily.
‘...I’ll kill these shits...!’
But not right now. No way.
Escape first, prepare countermeasures, then kill these two.
“...S-So, that’s it for now, right?”
He forced a servile smile, and Dawood nodded with a smirk.
“Yeah. For now.”
Good.
Gryver smirked inwardly and staggered back.
He’d make them regret letting him live...
-!
“Aaagh—!”
Gryver collapsed again as he tried to leave.
The Tristan Duchess had snapped his right leg from behind.
He crawled on the floor, screaming.
“Why! I told you everything!”
“No, that’s separate.”
As he crawled, Dawood approached and cast another heal. Slightly more proficient than before.
In the midst, Gryver’s eyes met Dawood’s.
“...”
And so.
Gryver realized he’d badly misjudged him.
Namely.
That this man was better than the Tristan Duchess.
“You said it yourself earlier. The best way to master divine power and blessings is repeated real-world use.”
That alien sensation again.
The horrifying chill from the precursor.
“With a guy like you, who doesn’t stir any guilt no matter how much I torment... Can’t pass up such a perfect training opportunity, right?”
The terror from one who views the other not as a fellow ‘human,’ but merely a ‘tool’ for their goals.
“Beginner blessings focus on protection and healing, mostly. So.”
This man, right now.
“Mind getting hurt some more?”
Doesn’t even see him as human anymore!
“So I can practice.”
The words dropped over Gryver’s pale face as Dawood smiled.
Soon after. Once more.
The sound of breaking bones and screams filled the office.
●
Gryver, fully unconscious, was handed over to the internal guard corps. He’d get some fitting punishment there, probably.
On the way out, he scanned the messages scrolling before his eyes.
[ Rapid proficiency in ‘Beginner Blessing’ confirmed. ]
[ Unlocking trait: ‘Divine Power Operation’! ]
[ Your divine power reacts—Epic item ‘Soul Linker’ is affected! ]
[ Checking subject ‘Elnor’s’ current status. ]
[ Unique debuff ‘Mania’ improves due to your influence. ]
One stone, three birds— that phrase must exist for times like this.
Beating and healing a worthless human trash heap netted this much. Profitable enough.
The biggest win: acquiring the Divine Power Operation trait.
Now he had one more self-operable ability, like mana or spell power.
Sure, it was weak now, but the gap between zero and one was heaven and earth.
‘...Like this, right away.’
He glanced at the amulet on his wrist.
No self-growth until now, but with the trait, he could awaken the soul inside alone.
“...Feel any stress relief?”
And finally, her.
Elnor’s mental care was always key.
She’d be essential for the upcoming midterms.
“Hm.”
Elnor replied with her usual blank look, but somehow fresher than normal.
Hanging around her so much, he could read her even when expressionless. Weird.
“...Something bothering you?”
That’s why he could say that.
She looked refreshed, but shadowed, like harboring worries.
“...”
Indeed, instead of denying, Elnor hesitated.
As if it was hard to voice.
“...Dawood.”
“Yes.”
“I heard you met Grand Duke Tristan.”
Not ‘father,’ but Grand Duke Tristan.
A title laying bare their father-daughter rift.
He smiled wryly inside as Elnor forced out the words.
“Didn’t that man... do anything vile to you.”
“Vile?”
“That man would surely resent me mingling with anyone.”
Ah, yeah.
By lore, Gideon had always forbidden it.
Hence Elnor’s human connections were narrower than expected. Only Beatrix, her decade-long friend.
‘...There’s reasons for that.’
But he couldn’t explain here.
It tied into the main scenario later.
“Didn’t suffer anything like that. Was a bit scary, though.”
Yeah. Failed the bluff, and he might’ve died on the spot.
Denying fear would be a lie.
“But, well. Worked out fine somehow. And I’ll probably see him more.”
“...See him more?”
Elnor asked, and he shrugged.
“Yeah, well. He’s important to me too.”
“...Import, ant? To you? That man? Why on earth?”
Elnor’s voice held uncharacteristic disbelief.
Yeah? Isn’t it obvious?
Guidance skill had tons to drain from him, and heavy main scenario role.
And above all.
“Because he’s connected to you. Family, right?”
She was the priority, after all.
To reach the ending smoothly, controlling the final boss— her— was key.
And hearing that, Elnor.
Blushed.
“...”
He rubbed his eyes briefly.
‘...Blushing?’
Her?
The one who’d win a blank-face contest with a stone?
“You, that means, so...”
Elnor struggled onward.
“You consider him important because he’s my family, and you’ll see him ongoing, so...”
Then she clamped her mouth shut.
Unable to voice what followed.
“...Couldn’t you set the mood a bit first? Dropping it like that suddenly... hard to react.”
“...”
No idea what.
[ Subject ‘Elnor Erinarije la Tristan’s’ favorability stage changes! ]
[ Favorability rises to ‘Adoration Stage 2’! ]
[ New rewards available! ]
He’d said something wrong, apparently.
Yeah.
●
“Young master, caused another incident?”
“...Pardon?”
Back at the dorm, Hermann eyed him with deep concern.
What now?
“From long experience serving you, it feels like you’ve gone somewhere and unwittingly set some lady’s heart ablaze again.”
“...”
“You’ve always been like that. How many girls back in Campbell barony still wipe tears thinking of you...”
“...Don’t talk nonsense.”
Making him sound like some born philanderer.
Unfair.
“...Well. Whether such a shrewd young master truly doesn’t know, this old body can’t say...”
Hermann muttered behind as he hurried to his room.
Something to check.
[ Soul Linker ] [ Exclusive Gear ]
[ Enchant: Epic ] [ ‘Hero Fragment’ Fusion ]
[ Gear housing a great soul. Increase sync rate to awaken the soul’s consciousness. ]
[ Always infused with mana due to the great soul’s influence. ]
[ Current sync rate: 10% ]
[ Can unlock soul’s Stage 1 consciousness! ]
[ Proceed? ] [Y/N]
“...Whew.”
Why players see Gregory Manor’s ghost as a must-eat early item: enchanting it into gear summons a soul from a ‘great figure’ that massively boosts growth.
Not epic-rated for nothing.
Problem.
‘...It’s random.’
Sure, a lingering great soul from this world, but who is randomized per run.
So, pray for the optimal one here.
Plenty of crazies like ‘Mist Forest Killer’ or ‘Giant Eater.’
‘...Definitely not average among greats.’
Events with Eliya and heresy inquisition triggered right after partial awakening.
Exceptional case.
‘Please be a good one, please...!’
He hit Y.
Vast energy gathered in the amulet. Amid creeping soul energy, an ‘image’ emerged.
Dawn battlefield. Twilight settling in. Tattered flag borne by a knight.
Armor shattered, body mangled, yet pressing forward flag on shoulder.
Indomitable.
First word that came.
“...!”
He knew that figure.
‘...This.’
Might be a jackpot beyond expectations.
As he thought that, a spirit body popped out before him.
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