Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Chapter 20
I felt warmth. I could feel the devastated surroundings burning from additional magic, yet it wasn’t hot.
“Haha, is that something you can do when you become an advanced-level mage…?”
Gerard muttered in a dazed tone, looking at me without a single scorch mark. I wasn’t significantly injured. The cloak had negated most of the impact from his attacks, and even [Blaze Burst], practically a self-destruct attack, hadn't harmed me due to the characteristics of [Mana Dominator].
“…Shut up.”
“Gah!”
Of course, I wasn't planning on telling Gerard that. I stomped on Gerard's solar plexus, knocking him unconscious.
Now, all that was left was the final step.
All I had to do was hit him with [Wind Piercing], the wind-attribute piercing magic I had prepared. If I killed him, everything would be over.
“Phew…”
My fingertips trembled. The [Erosion Rate] was exceeding 25%. I was hesitating. I was still unsure if this was the right course of action. Was it because Gerard was from Chrysos? He was practically the last citizen of Chrysos. Gerard had planned a crime but ultimately failed to execute it. If I killed him, Eleanor would be truly alone. Conversely, if I could persuade him, Eleanor's mental burden might be significantly alleviated.
“…….”
The benefits of killing him versus the benefits of sparing him.
While I was hesitating, the surroundings became noisy.
“Oh dear.”
In the game, this wouldn’t have attracted attention, but it was different now. I had used [Thunder Calling], an advanced-level magic spell, from the very beginning. After that, I continuously used magic with flashy effects, so there was no way they wouldn’t have noticed the commotion.
[Contemplation] detected the professors talking amongst themselves at a distance. Among them were powerhouses like Prudence Loa, difficult even for the original me to handle, but they didn't seem to have any intention of intervening.
“Tsk…”
Too late. My hesitation had cost me the timing to kill Gerard. If I killed the defenseless Gerard now, Tia wouldn't let me off the hook.
“Ahem!”
“Should someone talk to him?”
“Is it okay to approach him? Isn't he the Mage King’s successor? He might be giving us a warning.”
“I can feel his sharp gaze even from here. I’ll pass.”
“Professor Aira, how about you try talking to him? Isn't Oz a student in your class?”
“W-what? M-me?”
Professor Aira was being bullied again. I kept causing her trouble. I should apologize to her later. Then, [Contemplation] detected new arrivals. They were probably other professors and students who noticed the commotion, but among them were three presences I couldn't ignore. One was approaching me cautiously and politely, the other aggressively and violently. And the last one remained still, as if having no intention of intervening.
“Ha! What’s this, Oz?”
One of them, a man with red hair and sharp eyes like a bird of prey, was aggressively approaching me.
[SSR Fist King]
Alexios
He confidently walked past the hesitant professors and headed towards me. Alexios's gaze alternated between Gerard, lying at my feet, and the [Wind Piercing] forming in my hand. Then, his face contorted with rage, and a red light emanated from his arms. He seemed angrier than I expected. Or rather, he seemed to be seeing something else in this scene. Objectively, I was the asshole. Alexios, despite his rough personality, was essentially a good guy.
“Alexios…”
“You’re quite the wild one, aren’t you?”
If he attacked, could I win against Alexios in my current state? No, I couldn't defeat the [Fist King]. I couldn't even put up a fight unless I relied on the random effects of [Mana Dominator]. It was unlikely that anything other than SSR-rank magic would work. I didn't want to gamble on luck. But if I just stood here, I would be defeated by the impulsive Alexios.
“Yes, I’ve never understood your actions.”
Using [Physical Enhancement] was pointless. That level of stat difference was negligible to Alexios. There was that much of a gap between Gerard, who was only SR rank, and an SSR-rank character.
“Tell me.”
Alexios intensely disliked me. It was too blatant to simply be a personality clash. I didn't know why he hated me. I didn't know what had happened between us.
“Are you not going to answer again?”
And if Alexios realized I didn't know, the situation would only worsen. I had no choice but to remain silent.
“How about making an excuse?”
I dispersed the magic remaining in my hand. This signaled that I no longer intended to attack Gerard, but Alexios didn't seem to care. Alexios's eyes began to fill with rage.
“So that time, that too…”
Could I persuade him? No, it was impossible. Alexios was already past persuasion; he was just going to attack me. I was planning to surrender peacefully, but Alexios looked ready to throw a punch. So, I had to rely on the other presence and hold on. Even if they didn’t intervene, I couldn't avoid this attack. [Spatial Barrier] was still on cooldown. Intermediate magic like [Parma Shield] wouldn’t be able to block Alexios’s attack.
“So, you want to do this, huh?”
“If you insist…”
So here, I had no choice but to gamble again, to hope that [Mana Dominator] would block Alexios’s attack.
『That strong faith will eventually become light.』
But at that moment, a single line of a chant reached my ears. Simultaneously, a translucent barrier of light appeared between Alexios and me. If magic was art, drawing formulaic inscriptions with mana, then divine magic was music, appealing to God with a voice filled with holy power and faith. And in my mind, there was only one person who could produce such a beautiful voice. Yes, it was one of the two presences [Contemplation] had detected.
[SSR Saintess of Hope]
Arietta Domine
Three SSR-rank characters had gathered in one place. If this were the game, deployment would have been restricted due to insufficient cost. I pushed aside such frivolous thoughts and lowered the [Erosion Rate], which had reached its limit. The situation was over. There was no need to be on edge anymore.
“You’re both too worked up. Why don’t you calm down for a moment?”
Only Alexios had lost his composure; I wasn’t worked up. I was merely observing the situation calmly. It probably appeared that way due to [Contemplation].
“Arietta… you!”
“Stop. We cannot tolerate any threats against the Saintess.”
[Shield of Light], the Saintess’s personal guard, including Olivia, began to surround Alexios. From SSR to SR rank. It was a meeting of champions. If Eleanor had been here, it would have been complete chaos. She hated not being the center of attention.
“Tsk…”
Fortunately, even Alexios, as strong as he was, didn’t seem to want to fight the Saintess’s personal guard, [Shield of Light]. The sun-like light emanating from his arms began to fade.
“Oz.”
Arietta spoke with a gentle smile. A refreshing scent of apple mint seemed to waft around her as she approached.
“Are you alright?”
Despite the situation, she didn’t ask about Professor Gerard. She didn't show a single shred of doubt towards me. [Contemplation] proved it. Her unwavering trust felt incredibly heavy. A sense of guilt washed over me. Even though I had done what I had to do, remaining silent felt like a sin.
“I’m alri…”
“But just in case.”
『I shall respond to the pleas of the weak with warmth.』
Arietta clasped her hands together and chanted a short spell. Then, my stiff body felt lighter. The pain from Gerard’s attacks also subsided. As expected of the best healer in the game. That chant was only low-level magic. Yet, her specialness was evident in its effect. She was better than me.
“Aren’t you going to ask why I attacked Professor Gerard?”
She still remained silent. So, I decided to speak. Why didn't she ask any questions?
“Oz, did you injure Professor Gerard without reason?”
“No.”
“Then I’ll believe you.”
Arietta trusted me. She showed absolute trust, believing there must be a reason. There was that level of trust between them in the past.
“If you did that, there must be a reason. I believe that.”
“Why do you trust me so much?”
“Hmm… I wonder? Is it because we’re both in the Disciplinary Committee? I’m not sure. But please keep this in mind.”
“What is it…?”
“No matter what… yes, even if you attacked Professor Gerard without reason, or with malicious intent, I will believe in you, Oz.”
And that conviction of hers became an immense burden. It was frightening. I never imagined the Saintess’s unconditional trust would weigh so heavily on my heart. Her trust demanded integrity from the other person. So that one wouldn't dare betray that trust, so that if one lied or committed a wrong, one would repent. That heavy conviction, declaring that she would share the burden of betrayal, shaped the other person. It molded them into someone worthy of that trust.
“…….”
It was nothing short of terrifying. And the fact that it wasn't a calculated action, but genuine, made it all the heavier.
“…I…”
[Erosion Rate 30%]
Something flashed through my mind. A promise made in childhood, to surpass God. It must have been Oz’s memory, not mine. Yet, it felt unavoidable.
“I will not betray your trust, now or ever… Arietta.”
When I came to my senses, I had uttered Arietta’s name. I had always addressed her as “Saintess.” Then who uttered her name? Was it Oz? Or me? Was this due to the 30% Erosion Rate? Or was it because of the weight of the [Saintess of Hope] Arietta’s conviction? Either way, whether it was Oz’s sincerity or mine, I couldn’t bring myself to lie. And beyond that, even pretending felt unbearable.
As I was overwhelmed by a suffocating sensation, far more intense than during confession, Arietta muttered,
“Oz…”
It was a gentle smile, but the expression I saw through [Contemplation] was closer to a wry smile. For the first time, her inner and outer selves, which had never wavered until now, were misaligned. But they quickly realigned. Both the outward expression and the inner thoughts.
“…You’re a liar.”
She looked sad.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After subduing Gerard, I surrendered peacefully, and on the assumption that there must have been a reason, Gerard was also detained. Due to my position, no one dared to question me, so I was left alone until Tia returned. And the moment Tia returned, a disciplinary hearing was convened again. The difference this time was that I was at the center of the hearing. Was it my imagination that it felt like a courtroom?
“Defendant, let’s hear what you have to say. Didn't I say I’d twist your neck and rip it off if you caused trouble?”
“To a student…”
A strange sense of déjà vu washed over me. I covered my mouth and carefully observed Tia and the others’ expressions. Arietta was shaking her head with a pale face. What? Had I killed someone before coming here?
[Contemplation– Activated]
“Where do you think you’re glaring? Do you want to die?”
[Contemplation– Deactivated]
I only glanced briefly, but it was no joke. What I saw before me was clearly Tia’s polymorphed form, but when I activated [Contemplation], I saw a red dragon against the backdrop of a volcano. This meant she was more serious than ever. She really intended to kill me.
“…Could you please dismiss everyone?”
“If you’re saying you don't want others to see you explode into a lump of flesh, I’ll accept.”
“Calm down…”
Why was she so angry?
“…It’s a bit different. This is about a matter of conviction between us.”
“Conviction my ass. Sigh… fine, I understand.”
But despite saying she understood, Tia closed her eyes and began to ponder. What was she thinking?
[Contemplation– Activated]
“Stop glaring.”
“Yes.”
[Contemplation– Deactivated]
…Were her eyes really closed?
I briefly activated [Contemplation] to confirm what I saw earlier, and Tia’s chilling voice immediately pierced me like a dagger.
“Everyone, leave for a moment.”
As Tia dismissed everyone, the professors and witnesses cautiously began to leave. Among them were Olivia and Arietta.
“…Olivia, surely the Headmaster won’t kill Oz, right? Considering her personality…”
What kind of being was Tia to her? As a senior who had experienced Tia's tyranny a year before me, her reaction was understandable.
“It’ll be alright. Of course, the Headmaster is in a bad mood today, but I doubt she would kill him.”
“Is that so…?”
“Yes, Saintess. If you’re that worried, why don’t you go back and offer prayers? It will ease your mind.”
Olivia nudged Arietta, whose face was pale, and they left the hearing room.
The conversation I just overheard bothered me, but my priority was to plead my innocence to Tia.
“Now then, let’s hear your excuse.”
“…….”
“Why did you act on your own?”
Her eyes were literally burning. If Arietta created an atmosphere where lying was impossible, Tia created an atmosphere where lies were unacceptable. I didn’t even need to use [Contemplation] to know. What stood before me was the most powerful being in this world.
A giant ‘dragon.’
“Tell me what’s going on.”
“Professor Gerard… he was planning to attack the students.”
“Ha! Do you think I’m asking about that?”
Then what? What was she asking about? Tia's unusually angry appearance and this question… an unsettling thought inevitably crossed my mind. I would have understood if I had killed Gerard. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
“What happened to him?”
But her reaction was different. So I couldn’t help but ask about Gerard’s current state.
“You don’t know? He’s dead.”
The answer I received was the worst possible.
Something I didn't know about was happening in this damned situation.