Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter Title: Apprentice Priest Leo - (2)
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Lately, Sophia Aquilova had been living as if she were swimming through a dream.
It was true.
Every morning, upon waking, she'd glance at the scraps of bread in the basket on her dormitory desk. Pinching her cheeks hard to check if it was a dream or reality had become the start of her daily routine.
"...Not a dream."
Only after pulling until her cheeks burned red and the stinging pain set in would she finally convince herself that the recent events weren't just a dream.
"Mmm."
She picked up a piece of bread and popped it into her mouth.
Sophia had never eaten breakfast before. Part of it was that she wasn't diligent enough to head to the faculty cafeteria early every morning, but the main reason was that even if she did go, there was never any food provided for her.
Things were different now.
Though dried and shriveled, there were bread scraps that could fill her stomach.
All of them were gifts from her master.
"...Hehe."
Unable to hide her joy, she devoured every last piece.
Priest Leo didn't stop at just providing her with food; he even asked her to come to the chapel every mealtime to keep him company in conversation.
It had only been a few days, but for Sophia, that "chatting companion" time was more precious than anything else in the world. Eagerly awaiting lunch with him every day had become her new routine.
"Sophia, there'll be special training starting this afternoon."
As she left the dormitory and stepped into the Knight Faculty lobby, Swordsmanship Instructor Chiron approached her.
Ever since the faculty exchange tournament, he was the only instructor in the Knight Faculty who still spoke to her.
"Training? We do swordsmanship training in the mornings."
"It's not swordsmanship training. It's special training."
Chiron shrugged and tossed her an academy notice.
"As you know, the Knight Faculty does dungeon exploration practicums between semesters. It's essential training to become a proper knight. As the top student, you need to achieve excellent results."
Dungeon exploration practicum.
Come to think of it, she vaguely remembered seeing that term in a recent Knight Faculty announcement.
"The dungeon we're exploring this time is a high-difficulty one specially designated by the Erebos dean. So we've prepared a detailed training curriculum with the best instructors invited..."
"...Don't wanna."
"What?"
"Not going."
Sophia shook her head.
Afternoon training meant she'd have to rush her intimate lunch with her master.
Chiron looked at her in disbelief, his face twisting.
"Sophia, you seem to be misunderstanding—this isn't a suggestion; it's an order. If you're not trying to test where your tuition comes from or the limits of our leniency..."
"Talk tomorrow."
"Hey, Sophia!"
Sophia left the Knight Faculty building with light steps.
Chiron shouted in fury, but she paid him no mind.
Whatever that dungeon exploration was, she could just show up, swing her sword a few times, and be done.
No way some practicum was more important than lunch with her master.
I wonder what's on the menu today. Maybe meat stew with bread like yesterday.
With that, Sophia hummed a tune and dashed toward the western chapel.
But just as she neared the chapel, her sharp nose caught an unpleasant scent.
"Citrus..."
A nose-stinging citrus aroma wafted from the chapel.
She already knew who it belonged to.
"...Whitey."
The repulsive scent of Saintess Candidate Elise.
Which meant she was in this chapel right now.
Crunch. The sound of knuckles cracking echoed from Sophia's clenched fist.
"Tweet, screeech."
A white sparrow perched on the chapel eaves cried out at the sight of her.
——Creak.
Sophia pulled open the chapel door, her face cold as ice.
*
The holy magic lesson with Elise proceeded in a surprisingly ordinary atmosphere.
"Holy magic, simply put, is the process of manifesting miracles by using the divine power stored within your body."
She'd expected a highly reverent mood since it involved wielding divine power, but it wasn't quite like that.
"Storing divine power in the body is quite tricky, and above all, it requires a devout lifestyle. Of course, that doesn't mean the life you're living here as a priest isn't devout... but. It doesn't seem particularly suited for generating and storing divine power."
"Hmm..."
"More than that, um... Priest, your body doesn't seem to have the constitution suited for storing divine power."
That was Elise's assessment after giving my body a once-over.
It was nothing new.
I shrugged and replied.
"Yes. The orphanage director priest called me an unprecedented calamity. He told me not even to glance at holy magic."
"...That's not entirely wrong, but..."
Elise grimaced, unsure how to respond, then mustered some words of comfort.
"Your constitution does make it hard to store divine power, but that doesn't mean you can't wield it at all."
"What does that mean?"
"Even if you can't store divine power in your body, if you learn to wield it... you might reach a high level..."
"...'Might'?"
Didn't she say I had talent before?
The question nearly slipped out, but I held it back.
Either way, one of the academy's foremost experts on holy magic was giving me free tutoring.
Elise raised her index finger cutely and explained.
"Storing divine power and using it well are separate issues."
"But Sister, doesn't using divine power ultimately mean drawing out the stored divine power?"
Simply put, it's like a car.
You need an engine, but to run it, the fuel tank has to be built into the chassis.
Right now, I couldn't store fuel inside my body. So to make the car run, I'd need to carry a fuel tank.
"There's no rule saying it has to be stored inside the body. In fact, certain objects have far superior storage efficiency than the human body."
So, using external resources.
Like a portable power bank—easy to understand.
"Then what objects can hold divine power?"
"Holy relics are the standard."
"...Holy relics."
Holy relics.
Holy. Relics.
In other words, priceless.
Something a mere priest like me couldn't obtain.
"How on earth would I get one?"
But Elise tilted her head and pointed to my chest pocket.
"You already have one."
"Hm? I do?"
"Yes. Mind taking it out? The one in the left inner pocket of your priest robes."
I rummaged in my pocket and pulled out an item.
A white cloth.
A handkerchief.
"...That's a holy cloth."
"Holy cloth?"
"Yes. A sacred cloth given only to high-ranking members of the Church. It should be useful for storing the divine power you'll use, Priest."
"...Ah."
Holy cloth.
Sacred fabric.
"I see... No, why do I have something so valuable?"
It was far too coincidental to make sense.
'So this was a holy cloth?'
I'd thought it was just an ownerless handkerchief brought by a white bird.
"...Shouldn't we return it to its owner? If it's that precious, they're probably desperately looking for it."
"...Oh, nooo... I don't think that's necessary."
Elise gave an awkward smile at my words.
"You see... holy cloths... well, if they're lost, the Church just issues new ones, dozens or hundreds at a time. So the owner probably has a new one by now."
"...Is that so?"
Holy relics were like reissuing a resident ID card?
I was skeptical, but since it was Elise saying it, I accepted.
The Church in this world was vastly more powerful and wealthy than Earth's Catholicism.
They must have the surplus to churn out holy relics.
That was my rough conclusion.
"Anyway, if I use this handkerchief as a fuel tank, I can use holy magic."
"Yes. Your divine power affinity isn't bad. When you gathered it earlier, I saw you controlling the energy, faintly though it was."
Good.
I had a lead.
"But how do I charge the divine power?"
"I can do that for you."
Elise took the handkerchief from my hand, wrapped it around her fist, and clasped her hands together as if in prayer.
Flash. Golden concentric circles bloomed from her joined hands and seeped into the handkerchief.
"...This should last you a few days comfortably."
"Ooh..."
"Now, let's practice drawing out the divine power... Ready?"
"Yes, Teacher."
In my mind, Elise's title had been upgraded from Sister to Teacher.
Erebos tuition alone was hundreds of gold. I couldn't afford that. So I had to call this girl nearly ten years my junior "Teacher" posthaste.
"...Ah."
Elise blinked blankly at "Teacher," then burst out laughing with a "Pfft."
"Alright, Priest. Then hold my hand."
"Yes."
Clasp.
"..."
"Teacher? You okay?"
"Y-Yes... I'm fine. Just so sudden... *Ahem*."
Clearing her throat, Elise shook her head and continued.
"Let's proceed then."
A tickling sensation began flowing through my palm.
"This is divine power. You need to cultivate the ability to sense it. Close your eyes and focus?"
"...Yes."
I shut my eyes and tried to grasp the flow from the handkerchief, through my heart, to my palm.
It wasn't that hard.
It felt just like contrast dye spreading through my veins—hot energy permeating every corner of my body.
My exhaled breath carried a citrus scent approaching. Apparently, Elise's fragrance came from her divine power, not perfume.
"...Good. A bit more. Now, gather it?"
Guiding the energy flowing through my body to my fingertips...
Flash.
A miracle occurred.
Golden haze bloomed above my palm.
"...Ooh."
For the first time since possessing this world, I had cast magic.
It was a moving moment.
Of course, thanks to Elise guiding me from start to finish—but hey, training wheels are needed for bikes too.
"I told you, didn't I?"
A gentle, seductive voice.
Before I knew it, Elise's face was right in front of mine.
Too close, almost.
I could feel her breath.
That citrus scent from before wasn't the divine power—it was her breath.
"You have wonderful talent, Priest."
"...I'm just taking my first steps."
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Shall we practice more?"
Elise showed no sign of pulling away, so I leaned back slightly.
That was the moment.
Bang.
The chapel door flew open violently.
Thinking it was a parishioner, I turned—only to meet blazing green eyes.
Blazing, literally.
"...Miss Sophia?"
Sophia Aquilova.
The original Sword Saint stood at the chapel entrance.
Only then did I check the clock. Noon. Lunchtime. Sophia coming here at this hour was hardly unexpected.
Moreover, Elise and I were holding hands, fingers interlaced, pressed close.
Elise and Sophia were mortal enemies.
They'd fought like they wanted to kill each other at the faculty exchange tournament.
"...Ah."
Sophia's lower eyelid twitched faintly.
Swish.
Quietly, she gripped the hilt of the Ink Sword at her waist.
"Oh my."
Sensing the killing intent, Elise slowly turned her head. Spotting Sophia, she smiled even brighter.
"If it isn't Miss Sophia. Perfect timing. Want to watch?"
Elise deliberately wiggled our interlaced hands.
"Looks fun, doesn't it?"
Elise was fanning the flames.
This was dangerous.
I hurriedly tried to let go of Elise's hand, but her grip tightened instead.
"You... what are you doing with Master's hand."
"As you can see, I was giving the priest my own 'special private lesson.' Nothing new."
"Sp-Special... private... lesson."
Special.
Private.
Lesson.
Innocuous words on their own, but strung together? Bound to cause misunderstanding.
"Secret rendezvous."
Sophia's verdict.