Chapter 143: Favoritism Hurts a Bit
Chapter 143: Favoritism Hurts a Bit
Underwater breathing was a cheat code.
And underwater fellatio was divine.
Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time for the main event, so I had to get dressed and leave.
With my hair still damp, I made my way across the needlessly vast academy grounds.
Despite the various incidents lately, the atmosphere had turned somewhat calm, likely because exam season was approaching.
Well, the cultist purge was already over. Unless someone was planning to drop out because they were scared, they had no choice but to focus on school.
The Academy doesn't have midterms or finals; instead, there’s only a single "Semester Evaluation" once per term.
However, it’s impossible to ignore. The results of this evaluation determine class assignments for the following year. For those with truly exceptional grades, they might even be moved to a different class starting in the second semester.
While being in a lower class doesn't necessarily mean you're penalized, being in an upper class grants so many benefits that the quality of life is on a different level.
For instance, you get access to the private training rooms in the Class A dormitory or the chance to go on an extra dungeon practice session.
Furthermore, employers look most closely at which class a student graduated from when hiring.
For those seeking personal advancement—like commoners or illegitimate children—every single exam is a matter of life and death.
I walked past students with their heads buried in books and others making appointments for sparring matches after school.
Carla, who had been grinning incessantly—perhaps because she was happy about finally grasping the Thread of Resonance, regardless of the process—tugging gently on my pinky finger.
"Master, Master. You said you were going to see Priestess Helena before heading straight to class, right?"
"Yeah. I was going to take a quick bath and close my eyes for an hour or two... but somehow, I didn't even get to do that. I figured I'd ask her for some fatigue recovery and brag about clearing another dungeon while I'm at it."
"Bragging?"
"We're currently steamrolling everything with raw firepower, but once we meet stronger enemies, party balance becomes crucial. In that sense, Priestess Helena is in the perfect position."
A dealer-tank who can also heal? That’s a god-tier combination.
That’s probably why Helena has that Berserker penalty.
As I was mentally theory-crafting various team compositions...
For some reason, Carla and Elisha began whispering to me with grave expressions.
"Master... is Priestess Helena also scheduled to fall...?"
"It might be that the entirety of the Righteous Light is going to collapse, Carla."
"...When you put it like that, it sounds like I only recruit people who have fallen."
The bitter remark slipped out of my mouth involuntarily. However, the reaction I got was one of even greater shock.
"Huh? Was that not the case? From what I heard about Miss Fay’s family situation, she’s practically subordinate to you anyway, isn't she?"
"And you refused so many times when I asked you to serve under me, yet you came running to buy me the moment I became a slave. So, I thought this time would surely be similar..."
"......"
Is this karma?
No. This is all because of the Boiling Silence.
It’s because the followers of the Silent Sect try to drag down anyone who shows even a bit of potential.
Anyway, it’s the cultists' fault!
"Well, it's true that the Church of Light will fall if left alone."
"See!"
"I knew it!"
I had just shared some shocking news, yet instead of being surprised, the two of them high-fived each other with smug looks on their faces.
Just what do they take me for...?
As I shook my head, Carla and Elisha’s expressions stiffened as they belatedly realized the gravity of the situation.
"Wait... if the Righteous Light falls, doesn't the military strength of the Union of Good Gods get cut in half?"
"Given the nature of clergy, as long as they can prove their holy power, they can clear themselves of most charges. If they fall despite that... is it total corruption of the Church? Or perhaps the absence of the God they serve? Either way, it's not a problem that can be easily overlooked."
The two of them looked up at me with worried eyes.
I patted both of them on the butt and let my lips curl into a smirk.
"Don't worry. Do you think I brought this up for no reason? There’s a way, so don't fret."
Since there was no longer a need to keep everything a secret, I shared the rough outline of my plan.
Well... it wasn't exactly anything grand enough to be called a "plan" in the first place.
First, build rapport with the Righteous Light to join secret missions that outsiders normally can't participate in.
Not all of them—just a few missions where the cultists have set traps.
Whether we pretend to go on the mission and stay behind, or flip the script and raid the trap itself, the goal is to return with our strength fully intact.
Then, we head straight for the headquarters of the Righteous Light and backstab the Cultist Alliance that will be busy backstabbing the Church.
See? Simple, right?
"...That doesn't sound simple at all."
"A Cultist Alliance? Did you say those needlessly prideful bastards are forming an alliance?"
"They're already in a loose alliance right now. They're just pretending they can't mix because their doctrines are too different."
I shrugged, and Carla and Elisha’s faces turned pale.
Seeing that, I added with a bitter smile:
"Oh, and for the record, if we don't even show up for the trap missions, they'll launch a frontal assault using everyone they had stationed there. This is a plan the cultists have been preparing for a very long time. They won't give up just because of a few variables."
At least, this was something you couldn't find out while playing H&A.
Not just me, but even the players who were considered "hardcore veterans"—none of them could avoid the Righteous Light raid event itself.
As I finished speaking, a strange sense of resolve appeared on their pale faces.
The two of them exuded a solemn aura, drawing glances from those around us...
But perhaps because I had already caused a scene earlier, the other students just pretended not to see and went about their business.
Thanks to that, we were able to reach the Theology Department classroom without much trouble.
*
"Pardon? You came to see me because you're tired, Brother?"
"Yes. But it's not just regular tiredness; it's fatigue from clearing a dungeon in a single day yesterday."
Helena looked at me with disbelief until I showed her the bottle containing the lingering Blessing of the Sea and demonstrated how I could breathe perfectly fine even if I dunked my head in a basin of water. Only then did she believe me.
"Ahem. Well, it's no wonder you're tired! Come here! I'll give you a blessing while I'm at it, Brother!"
Helena reached out and stroked my forehead, murmuring a prayer.
Immediately, a pure white light enveloped my body, and my heavy limbs and foggy mind rapidly returned to normal.
In fact, her offer to bless me wasn't just empty words; my body felt even lighter than usual.
"Ah, these two also ran the dungeon with me..."
"Hmm... If that's the case, then I must, of course."
Helena, who was usually kind to me but consistently ignored Carla and Elisha due to their ties to cultists and spirit summoning, immediately recited the prayers for recovery and blessing once she heard they had contributed to the dungeon clear.
Just as I was about to thank her for the relief and head to the Magic Department classroom...
"Ah, Brother? Could you wait a moment?"
"Yes? What is it, Lady Helena?"
Helena grabbed my wrist.
"Don't tell me the last nun's habit I requested is already..."
"Not that yet! ...Instead, a conclusion has been reached regarding the dungeon story you mentioned before."
Saying so, she pressed something into my hand.
It was a silver, shining lion-shaped medallion.
The symbol of the Righteous Light.
"We found a dungeon in a cave in the Cyclops Mountains. Our investigation suggests it's a raid-type dungeon, so we decided to invite Brother Yandel after making full preparations... Would that be alright with you?"
"Oh..."
Unlike regular dungeons designed to hold many monsters, a raid-type dungeon is one that imprisons a single, exceptionally powerful creature.
A raid dungeon in a cave in the Cyclops Mountains... is it the Twin Head Ogre?
It’s certainly a tough one.
To take down even a regular ogre, you need a well-balanced party of Aura Users or Intermediate Magicians.
But a Twin Head Ogre?
You’d need to triple the numbers, or add at least one Aura Expert or High Magician to the mix.
Of course, either way, it’s a level that the battle-crazed Righteous Light could handle.
So, they’re inviting us to such a dangerous dungeon.
Should I think of it as a sort of self-boasting and proselytizing?
Look how well we fight because we believe in the Righteous Light! So, why don't you come join us for a service today?
Something like that.
Even if it’s not that, raid dungeons have few variables, and you can escape immediately if things go south.
Setting aside the clear rate, it might be because it's the dungeon with the highest survival probability.
I looked at the medallion in my hand, gave a broad smile, and tucked it into my inventory.
"Sounds great! But would it be okay if I brought a few more people besides myself?"
"Pardon? It will be difficult to protect you if there are too many people..."
"They'll follow instructions well, so don't worry about that. Besides, everyone will pull their own weight."
"If you say so... Understood. I will relay that to the Church for now."
"Thank you, Priestess Helena."
No matter how far the dungeon is, traveling back and forth won't take the entire summer vacation.
On the way back, I can take out the cultist branch by the seaside and hang out there for a bit.
Grinning at the perfect vacation plan, I exchanged well-wishes for the exams with Helena and headed to the Magic Department classroom.
*
Roll, roll.
"Iona has arrived!"
As usual, Iona did three somersaults before striking a "ta-da" pose.
In that state, she started waving one arm vigorously to announce today's class schedule.
"Hello, hello! Did everyone have a good weekend? The professors were all agonizing over what kind of questions to put on the Semester Evaluation!"
Groans erupted from all over.
It seems that sighing at the mention of exams is the same here as it is on Earth.
"But the Magic Combat exam has already been decided, so I'll let you know in advance! Drumroll, please..."
Iona tapped her feet and made drum sounds with her mouth, spun around in place, and continued while striking a bizarre pose.
"Ta-da! The Semester Evaluation for the 1st Year, 1st Semester Magic Combat subject is... a league-style sparring match!"
As expected, it’s a round-robin.
In Class B or Class C, where there are many students, they use a tournament format where only the winners advance, and points are awarded based on ranking.
There are loser brackets, but luck of the draw was also important.
However, in Class A, where there aren't many people, they conduct the exam in a league format where everyone gets to spar at least once.
Since I’m confident I can win no matter who comes out, I didn't really need to worry...
"Ah, but Student Yandel is an exception!"
Beep-beep! Iona made a sound and crossed her arms over her head to form an 'X'.
"Why?!"
"Well, seeing you duel last time, the other kids won't even be a match for you! There's no point in sparring when the winner is obvious, right?"
"Huh."
I was about to nod, thinking that made sense, but then...
"So, Student Yandel, your exam is to spar with me! For the same reason, you'll be sparring with me in future classes as well!"
"...Pardon?"
Sparring with Iona, the embodiment of practical combat?
I looked at her in dismay, but Iona only grinned, revealing her sharp fangs.
"How is it, how is it? A one-on-one date with none other than Professor Iona! Great, right? Yeah, yeah. Of course it is! No need to thank me!"
"......"
Iona's always cheerful voice sounded particularly annoying today.
Sparring... it’s going to hurt a lot, isn't it?