Chapter 187: Second Year(1)
Chapter 187: Second Year(1)
Once everything was settled, time flowed as quickly as before, and without any further incidents. However, things did get a bit noisy due to Arwen’s comment about the "person she promised her future to."
A person promised for the future meant a fiancé—someone likely in their twenties. But even this stir died down before long.
If Arwen had been human, it might have been different, but she was an Elf, a race famous for their longevity. They were a people who considered several decades to be a mere "moment."
Furthermore, since she added the detail that they had met a long time ago, any attempt to guess the person's age fell back into a state of mystery. All that was left for me was to return to Helium and enjoy sweet, lovey-dovey dates with Cecile.
Mari also returned to her mansion to prepare for the Academy’s reopening. Along the way, Cecile suggested once more that Mari join us in Helium, but Mari flatly refused.
She admitted she was tempted, but said she would wait until she received a formal invitation in the future. It was just like her—possessive of me, yet surprisingly considerate.
And so, while I spent the remaining time in Helium enjoying intimate dates with Cecile and writing the next volume, the day before the Academy’s reopening arrived.
Cecile sent me back to the mansion, saying we would see each other at the Academy, and I expressed my affection with a final kiss.
She offered to teleport me directly to the Academy if I wished, but I politely declined. This time, I planned to go with Adelia.
"How is it? Does it look okay?"
And back to the present. I was standing face-to-face with Adelia, who would henceforth serve as my guard knight.
She wore leather pants that fully revealed her toned legs, a white shirt, and a vest over it.
With her shirt sleeves rolled up slightly, she gave off the distinct vibe of a free-spirited adventurer. The difference was stark compared to her days as a martial arts assistant instructor, when she would just throw on whatever was lying around.
"Yeah. It suits you perfectly. You have a great figure, Adel, so I think you'd look good in anything."
"Really? Thanks for the compliment. I do have a pretty good body, don't I?"
Perhaps emboldened by my praise, Adelia puffed out her chest and rested her hands on her hips. I couldn't help but smile; I had seen that confident look of hers many times before.
Since she would be acting as my guard knight from now on, she needed to be dressed neatly like this. Steel armor was uncomfortable and prohibited within the Academy anyway.
However, she was allowed to carry a real sword, though there would likely be no reason to use it unless my life was in danger.
"You know how you're supposed to act at the Academy, right?"
"Of course. Except during classes, I have to stay by your side at all times, though I can move separately if the master doesn't want me there. However, I need the master's permission to go off on my own, and otherwise, I have to stay in the guard knight quarters."
"You know the rules well."
"I attended the Academy longer than you did. This much is easy."
Guard knights weren't mandatory, but noble families could bring them along if they wished. Seeing as Lina and Mari didn't have them, it was clearly an optional choice.
The Academy was famous for having much better security than other regions, and students tended to do nothing but study like crazy until their second year. There was little worry about anyone straying from the path.
Because of this, the number of people who brought guard knights was relatively small, so we would likely get a few glances and nothing more.
"You said you were appointed as a recommended student, right, sweetie? Does that mean you become a teaching assistant right away?"
"Yeah."
Just as Adelia said, even though I was only in my second year, I had been appointed as a recommended student and would assist Professor Elena as a teaching assistant.
I had only recently found out that even martial studies students take "Liberal Arts" starting from their second year. For them, the first year was just a process of adaptation.
Furthermore, while martial studies students were divided into knights and mages and took different classes, I understood that history was a common subject for everyone.
However, since what they learned differed from literature students, the classes were divided into different time slots. So, I just had to follow the professor around and fulfill my role as a TA.
"I don't know about martial studies TAs, but I'm not so sure about literature TAs."
"It's nothing special. I just handle the professor's busywork or help with discussions."
"Have you seen any other TAs besides yourself?"
"Hmm..."
Come to think of it, while Professor Elena had assistants like Cindy, I had never seen a teaching assistant. This was a sharp contrast to other history professors, who usually had two or three.
No matter how unpopular history was, there should have been at least one or two, yet I had never met any. I wondered what the reason was.
I pondered it for a moment before shrugging. It didn't matter if I was the only one; I liked history as a subject and was confident in it.
"No, none. I visited the professor's laboratory often, but I never ran into one."
"Really? Hmm... well, I guess it doesn't matter. Are you going to keep your hair like that?"
During my stay in Helium, Mora-nim had "kindly" infused me with a generous amount of divine power. Thanks to that, my hair, which had grown out when my wings appeared, now reached all the way down to my waist, which horrified me.
I protested vehemently, arguing that the waist was a bit much, but she wouldn't hear a word of it. To make matters worse, it just grew back even if I cut it.
As a result, every morning after washing up, Cecile and I would affectionately brush each other's hair. It was a novel experience, so it wasn't all bad.
Though it was a massive pain to maintain. My head was already throbbing at the thought of having to manage this damn hair on my own from now on.
"Probably. It just grows back even if I cut it."
"You're not sick or anything, are you? Did you go to a temple?"
Adelia, who didn't know the circumstances, asked with a worried look. I figured I could at least tell her it was a blessing from Mora-nim.
I gauged her reaction before giving her a bitter smile and confessing.
"Well... actually, it's been like this ever since I went to the temple."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I visited the temple briefly while I was in Helium. It's been like this ever since."
When I said that, a stronger sense of confusion settled in Adelia's clear, sky-blue eyes.
Understandably so; it was hard to grasp why someone's hair would grow long just from visiting a temple. Usually, people went to temples if they were clergy or sick.
However, I had learned something while visiting the temples of Luminous and Mora: these two were extremely human-like. Mora, in particular, was a prankster with even higher energy than Luminous.
"Hmm... come to think of it, does Helium worship Mora-nim instead of Luminous-nim?"
"Yeah."
"I don't know the reason, but Mora-nim must really like you. That happens sometimes. Occasionally, gods bestow certain traits upon believers they favor. Their hair might grow long, they might get taller, or they might smell like flowers."
"Does Luminous-nim do that too?"
Since I was the one affected by Mora, I became curious if Luminous did the same.
"Yeah. You like history, sweetie, so you know what kind of flower Luminous-nim likes, right?"
"He likes lilacs."
"Exactly. If a believer smells like lilacs, it means they are favored by Luminous-nim. Because of this, many people offer lilacs as offerings. It's also why Luminous believers use a lot of lilac perfume."
"That's an interesting story..."
As soon as I heard that, I flinched and hurried to sniff my own arm. If Luminous liked lilacs, Mora liked peaches.
So, did I smell like peaches? The thought suddenly occurred to me.
Since Cecile smelled like peaches, there was no guarantee I wouldn't as well.
However, since I wasn't even sweating, it was hard to tell what I smelled like. Cecile and Mari had just said I smelled good; they never told me exactly what the scent was.
Sniff. Sniff sniff.
"...What are you doing?"
As I buried my nose in various parts of my body to catch a scent, Adelia asked in a dubious voice. I answered as if it were nothing.
"I was just wondering if my body smells like peaches. Mora-nim likes peaches, you see. Since my hair grew long, I thought maybe my body scent changed too."
"...Is that so?"
Adelia responded a beat late. There was no change in her sky-blue eyes, but she licked her lips as if she wanted to say something.
She seemed to deliberate for a while before closing her eyes tight, as if she had made a decision. Surely she wasn't going to sniff me herself or something...
"M-maybe you could ask Princess Mari?"
...It wasn't such a wild suggestion after all. For a moment, I felt a surge of greed, but I strictly maintained the boundary.
"Ah. That would work. Thanks."
"D-don't mention it. It's... a simple thing, after all."
She tried to smile, but she couldn't hide her bitterness, and the corners of her mouth wavered. Since I had inadvertently ended up in a position where I was teasing her, I felt just as awkward.
I needed a topic to break the atmosphere. Fortunately, I had something appropriate, so I could transition naturally.
"Oh, right. Take this."
"This is..."
"A summoning stone. I'll usually go to your quarters myself, but I thought it would be better for you to have this just in case."
I handed Adelia a blue stone about the size of a child's fist. If I needed her, that magic stone would shimmer with blue light.
Adelia stared blankly at the summoning stone on her palm before clenching it tight. Then, she cradled it preciousy with her other hand and held it to her chest.
I could feel her determination never to lose it. She probably still cherished the handkerchief I gave her.
I wondered if she realized it herself—that her pure feelings for me were showing through.
Adelia was harboring a deep, unrequited love.
"I'll be in your care from now on, Sir Guard Knight."
Before I knew it, the eventful first year had passed.
"...Yeah."
And the second year, which promised to be even more eventful, began.
*
Everyone likely knows the incident where Luminous praised Isaac, leading the Holy Nation 'Savior' to begin hailing him as a Saint.
Previously, he had done nothing more than present a new path for theology by spreading the concept of the 'Seven Deadly Sins,' but now the situation had changed 180 degrees.
The feat Isaac achieved was beyond imagination, to the point where Luminous himself personally acknowledged it. No matter how much of it was a coincidence, the achievement remained.
Consequently, Savior took action in earnest, even sending a Cardinal on a pilgrimage to find Isaac.
That Cardinal's name was Kate Louise Angelica.
Born with naturally powerful divine power, she rose to the position of Cardinal at the young age of 19. Her personal combat prowess was also outstanding, leading her to concurrently serve as the Grand Inquisitor.
Years passed, and at the blooming age of 20, she was...
CRUNCH!!
...currently smashing the skull of a demon worshipper hiding in the city's underground.
"H-hiiiieeeek...! M-monster!"
"Monster?"
When the demon worshipper, draped in a dark robe, spoke in a voice trembling with fear, the woman tilted her head.
Though darkness shrouded the underground, her emerald eyes shone brightly.
Furthermore, even though blood had splattered on her after she crushed the demon worshipper's head with a heavy mace just moments ago, her refined beauty could not be hidden. If anything, the blood splatter gave her the image of a powerful warrior.
Schlick—
As she slowly lifted the mace that had crushed the skull, thick blood and bits of flesh dripped down. Drip. Drip.
Having retrieved her mace, the woman quietly gazed at the trembling demon worshipper before speaking.
"A monster can be saved. But a demon cannot. For a demon..."
"D-don't come any closer! P-please...!"
Whether the demon worshipper pleaded or not, the woman broke into a cheerful smile, raised her mace high, and said dryly:
"There is only divine punishment."
CRUNCH!!
As she swung the mace down once more, the demon worshipper's head burst apart like a smashed watermelon.
Blood, flesh, and sticky brain matter splattered onto her face, but the woman didn't even blink.
"How dare a mere demon worshipper."
Flick—
The woman muttered as she gave the mace a sharp shake. Blood and various other bits of filth scattered across the floor.
Without even thinking of wiping her face, she scanned the corpses of the demon worshippers strewn about. Every single one of them was missing a head.
It was a cruelty that showed not a shred of mercy, but these were demon worshippers—people who tried to summon demons by sacrificing living humans.
Naturally, the victims were people from the surrounding area. After receiving too many missing person reports recently, an investigation revealed that demon worshippers had been sneaking in.
'If they had been left alone, they would have caused even greater damage.'
She turned her gaze toward the altar where the demon worshippers had been offering sacrifices. Piles of victims' bones were already stacked near the altar.
Human sacrifice was the ultimate taboo, gaining power at the cost of life force. Once a sacrifice was offered, the victim immediately became nothing but gaunt bones.
'Luminous-sama. Please grant them rest...'
After mourning the victims she couldn't save, the woman turned her back as if she had no more business there. The cleanup crew would handle the rest.
Soon, upon exiting the altar room, she met with the personnel who were already tidying up. Her eyes met those of a woman who was giving orders.
"Ah, Cardinal Kate! Have you finished everything?"
"Yes. What about the rest?"
"We have contacted the Order. Clergy will be dispatched from the Order shortly."
At the satisfactory answer, the woman—Cardinal Kate—nodded. Recently, the activities of demon worshippers had intensified, requiring many hands.
The reason, apparently, was that since they had already been discovered, they were going all out in a desperate struggle. It was as if Xenon had lit a fuse, but this was actually much better.
Even if the number of victims increased significantly in the short term, it was far more serious not to discover them at all. In fact, before the Xenon Biography, people didn't even know demon worshippers existed.
That was how much demon worshippers had been operating under the radar, and some even had high-ranking nobles as supporters.
"Understood. Then I'll leave the rest to you."
"Yes. But may I ask where your next destination is?"
"First, I plan to head to the Minerva Empire. I must find Xenon as soon as possible. I'd like to go to Albenheim, but the Queen is busy, so I'll continue my pilgrimage for the time being."
"Hmm... do you really think we can find him?"
The female believer expressed doubt. Although Xenon had reportedly received help from a priest to heal his right hand last time, they couldn't pinpoint exactly who it was.
There were many priests on pilgrimages like Kate in this world, and no small number of them performed good deeds. Savior had been momentarily tempted by that news, but they gave up immediately because there were too few clues.
Because of this, Savior had sent Kate on a pilgrimage to find Xenon, essentially searching for a needle in a haystack.
The believers had asked Luminous for a hint, but the oracles that returned were vague at best.
"Luminous-sama must have given such an oracle so that we would find him. Though a god may speak vaguely, if one offers sincerity and offerings, they will never give a false oracle."
"That's true, but..."
"It is our duty to discern the god's intent, Sister. You must not doubt."
Kate spoke in a voice that was both gentle and firm. It was a statement expressing her steadfast faith in Luminous.
The female believer flinched for a moment and immediately bowed her head in apology. One never knew what might happen if they were caught saying the wrong thing.
"I am sorry. I spoke out of turn. Please forgive me."
"Lift your head, Sister. In order for trust to deepen, one must occasionally doubt."
Kate placed a hand on the believer's shoulder, her voice infinitely merciful rather than that of a blind fanatic.
The problem was that her hand, much like her mace, was stained with blood. Naturally, that blood rubbed off onto the believer's shoulder, staining the snow-white nun's habit red.
The believer, who had anticipated this, cried inwardly. Blood was hard to wash out even with laundry, so she would have to resolve it with divine power.
"...Thank you for the advice. Before you go, Cardinal Kate."
"Yes. Speak, Sister."
"I heard you went on this pilgrimage to find Xenon of your own accord. May I ask why?"
Kate had gone on the pilgrimage not by Savior's command, but of her own will. She had even personally requested it from the Papal Court.
It was a fact not well known to the public, but those closely associated with the Order generally knew. They just didn't know the reason.
At this, Kate broke into a smile that anyone would find beautiful and spoke her reason aloud.
"Sister. As you know, Xenon has saved this world from crisis. Even Luminous-sama personally expressed his gratitude."
"I am aware of that."
"Achievements equal divine power. If he so desires, he will possess divine power that would make even the Pope look trivial."
"I suppose so."
"I have gone on this pilgrimage to receive that Xenon's seed."
"...Pardon?"
What on earth did that mean? While the believer's eyes went wide with a bewildered expression, Kate gently stroked her lower abdomen.
And then, despite her warm smile, she began to utter one fanatical statement after another.
"I rose to this position through Luminous-sama's blessing. A country girl who had nothing possessing such vast divine power... it's a phenomenon that can only be called a blessing. In fact, I have received a great grace."
"Y-yes. But..."
"To repay that grace, I will receive the seed of one who harbors strong divine power. The child born between us will surely possess divine power far stronger than mine, and even stronger than their father's. If that child grows up to be a priest, nothing would be more helpful to Luminous-sama. This is my way of repaying the grace I received from Luminous-sama."
To reiterate at this point, her rank was Cardinal and Grand Inquisitor.
It was a position impossible to reach without extraordinary faith and divine power. Her way of thinking was second to none when it came to fanaticism.
The believer was dumbfounded by those words, but a practical problem suddenly occurred to her.
"Then what if Xenon is a woman?"
"It doesn't matter. I can just petition Luminous-sama to change either me or Xenon into a man. It's happened before, so there shouldn't be a problem."
"..."
She felt like she finally understood why the oracle had been so vague.