Chapter 95: The Lord is With Us (16)
Chapter 95: The Lord is With Us (16)
The process of selecting an internship dispatch request was a long, drawn-out affair.
The difficulty levels and the corresponding extra credit varied wildly from one request to another. Since the majority of Academy students had no choice but to worry about their grades, which request to pick was the primary topic of conversation among the third-years facing their final exams.
If one simply wanted to avoid failing, choosing a safe request wasn't a bad option. Although the score for the internship dispatch was significant, it wasn't at a level that couldn't be compensated for by theoretical subjects.
Every year, there were always a few groups that failed to achieve their goals after challenging themselves with unreasonable requests. It was a disaster to pick a high-difficulty task that didn't suit one's abilities, only to end up failing.
After all, no points were awarded to those who failed their requests.
Since the internship dispatch accounted for such a high percentage of the final grade, failing a request meant a very high probability of becoming a failing student for the year.
Consequently, students out on their dispatches would struggle desperately just to avoid failure. It reached a point where some students even died in the process.
One might think the Academy would have devised a way to reduce casualties by now, but they had never once abolished the tradition of the internship dispatch.
This was because the Academy was both an educational institution and a training facility.
While the lower years focused on education and protection, the upper years gradually shifted their weight toward practical combat and training. The internship dispatch could be seen as the beginning of that transition.
There was no such thing as real combat where one didn't have to risk their life. The Academy wanted the students to experience at least a fraction of that cruel reality.
Because of these circumstances, the area in front of the request board was always crowded with people ahead of the dispatch period. Today was no different.
On the board, where new requests were added daily, more were appearing than disappearing. It was a testament to how many places across the Continent were in need of talent.
However, the relatively high-scoring and safe missions among them were snapped up in an instant. Some third-years even skipped their classes entirely to camp out in front of the board all day.
That was how desperate many students were for these requests. Of course, I was an exception to that rule.
I hadn't been particularly interested in grades to begin with. Having hovered around the lower-middle tier, simply being classified as upper-middle to top-tier now was a satisfying enough achievement.
It was a remarkable feat for a level of growth shown in less than a month, but ultimately, if I were to diagnose my objective level, that was about the limit.
Defeating the top students of each year had been nothing more than the result of a series of coincidences and luck.
Perhaps it would be different if it were the "me" from the future. Judging by how he had absolutely demolished Senior Delphine, it was clear he possessed skill far beyond that. With that kind of strength, being the top of the year wouldn't just be a dream.
However, discussing a future that might be years away was merely laughable at this point. The letter had a date indicating it was from seven years in the future, but there was no way to tell how many years ahead the future "me" had come from.
It wouldn't be strange if he had flown back from decades in the future. By then, he would have reached a state of mastery as a swordsman, so he might be able to toy with Academy students who lacked practical experience.
It would be great if I could replicate that skill perfectly, but for now, it was impossible. It was better not to be greedy and simply be satisfied with my recent progress.
Therefore, what I was interested in right now wasn't skill improvement or high grades. I had a responsibility far more important than that.
Saving the world—it didn't feel real in the slightest, but that was the mission given to me.
And for that purpose, I needed to go to an "orphanage" for my internship dispatch. Although it had been centuries since the wars ended, orphans were overflowing on the Continent as long as the enemy known as demonic beasts existed.
In other words, there were countless orphanages. So, the first priority was to set the criteria for which orphanage to visit.
Fortunately, I didn't have to start from scratch. It was thanks to the note I received from the Saintess.
An orphanage located in the Eastern Region that was receiving support from the Holy Kingdom but was undergoing financial difficulties.
At first glance, it seemed like a strict set of conditions, but even after narrowing the scope that much, the list of corresponding orphanages numbered in the dozens. I was currently comparing the clients on the board with that list one by one.
Luckily, among the requests remaining on the board, there was only one client that matched the list.
Guilford Orphanage.
The request details were for the reconnaissance and subjugation of demonic beasts.
It was a request posted by a mere orphanage, and reconnaissance and subjugation were very common tasks. The expected difficulty wasn't very high, and the pay was meager.
In other words, it possessed all the qualities of an unpopular request. In fact, the request paper had become quite tattered, showing just how long it had been neglected.
I carefully peeled the request off the board. The second letter had also contained these words:
‘It won't help your grades.’
It was a request that fit that condition perfectly. It was a choice that Senior Delphine or Senior Elsie would have detested, but it didn't matter since those two likely had enough points saved up anyway.
My hesitation didn't last long. New requests might come in soon, but my intuition was telling me that this choice was the right one.
My heart felt heavy yet desolate. I couldn't even begin to guess what would happen at this orphanage.
Only two words remained in my mind.
"Raid" and "Nest."
Ultimately, the meaning of those words would only be revealed once I investigated the site. For now, there was nothing I could know other than the fact that there would be a raid and that a nest existed behind it.
With those thoughts, I turned my steps toward the Department of External Affairs to report the formation of my group and the acceptance of the request.
It was then that a familiar shadow caught my eye in the distance. A gaunt man with a hollow face.
It was Senior Fermin. He was the monk who usually accompanied Senior Delphine, and I owed him in many ways.
First, he had given me first aid, and I had repaid that kindness by biting his nose.
It couldn't be helped at the time. Also, since Senior Delphine was the one who attacked first, it was a form of self-defense. Even so, human emotions weren't that simple.
I still felt sorry toward him. Just as I was hesitating on how to start a conversation, Senior Fermin and I made eye contact.
His eyes widened. It was a look of surprise. I raised my hand with an awkward smile.
"Hello, Senior Fermin."
"Junior, it has been a while... Have you been at peace? Immanuel."
Hearing the Holy Kingdom's unique greeting, Senior Fermin finally looked like a monk. I hadn't realized it because he always carried a sword, but based on my experience last time, he was a skilled martial artist.
Even his swordsmanship was definitely not at a level learned merely as a hobby. He wasn't particularly well-known among the fourth-years, yet he was incredibly strong in actual combat.
He was truly a man who fit the description of a "hidden powerhouse." He was a man of skill one couldn't imagine just by looking at his thin frame and pale complexion, and he even possessed a heart that worried for his opponent during battle.
Whether in character or skill, he was not someone I could afford to look down on.
So, with respect and apology, I bowed my head deeply toward him.
"Um, I'm sorry about last time. Is your nose okay?"
At my cautious question, Senior Fermin burst into a hearty laugh. He shook his head with a good-natured smile.
"There is no need to apologize, Junior. If we are to weigh the rights and wrongs, the fault lies more with me for launching a cowardly surprise attack. You, Junior Ian, simply chose the best option available to you in that situation."
Hearing him speak in such a humble voice made me feel even more apologetic. If he had shouted and demanded an explanation, I would have just scoffed, but his kindness made me clear my throat in embarrassment.
Since Senior Fermin was acting this way, there was no need to drag the issue out further. I decided to consider the lingering debt in my heart settled.
It was then that a typical polite remark escaped my lips.
"Come to think of it, you really are a monk, Senior Fermin."
"Did you think I wasn't?"
When Senior Fermin asked back with a bitter smile, I quickly shook my head to deny it.
"No, no. It's just that you're so good with a sword that it didn't really sink in. But hearing you say 'Immanuel'..."
"It's a good greeting."
Senior Fermin wore a faint smile. He seemed to brighten up now that a question related to faith had come up.
It was a characteristic unique to clergymen. If I just gave him a few words of agreement, Senior Fermin would likely pour out a theological lecture for hours.
Sure enough, an explanation began to pour from Senior Fermin's mouth like a waterfall.
"As you know, Junior, 'Immanuel' means 'May the Lord be with you.' However, because its meaning is simple, it is used in a wide variety of situations. It can be a word wishing a blessing upon someone, a reminder to fulfill one's duty, or a call to obey His will since the Lord is with you."
He seemed like a quiet person, but Senior Fermin was a clergyman through and through. The way he recited information I hadn't even asked for proved it.
Normally, I would have chosen to just nod silently and play along, but today, one word in particular caught my ear.
"Obedience"—it was also the word scribbled in the second letter.
"...'Obedience'?"
"Yes, 'Obedience'... It is one of the core doctrines of the Heavenly God Religion. In the beginning, Arus created human reason and spirit, while the Evil God Omeros fashioned the flesh. Because of that, sin came to dwell within humanity. In other words, it means our bodies have an inherent instinct to commit sin."
The explanation, which continued without a hitch, was something I already knew well. Unable to see how it connected to the concept of "Obedience," I stared blankly at Senior Fermin.
His previously hollow face was now full of life. Clergymen were all the same.
"Therefore, we cannot live without sinning through our own strength alone. Only by emptying ourselves and obeying the will of the Lord can we live a flawless life."
"...Is that even possible?"
"It is not easy."
Senior Fermin asserted with a bitter smile. He immediately added a detailed explanation.
"Everyone is afraid of discarding 'themselves.' If even I, who have pledged my life to the Lord, feel that way, how much more so for others? Discarding oneself is only possible if one is prepared to end their own life."
"But is there a need to go that far?"
"That, too, is unknown."
With that, Senior Fermin made the sign of the cross for me. A mysterious smile now hung on his lips. It was an expression that seemed to hope I would find the answer myself.
"I am a clergyman, so it is expected of me, but there is no reason for you, Junior, to necessarily practice obedience. However, perhaps one day you will encounter it... a situation where you must discard yourself..."
Leaving behind those words that sounded like a prophecy, Senior Fermin departed. He didn't forget to bow and offer the greeting "Immanuel" until the very end. I stood there for a while, lost in thought.
Obedience? Discarding oneself?
For now, it was nothing more than a puzzling religious slogan. But since it was a word my future self had gone out of his way to scribble down, it couldn't be meaningless.
Holding those two words in my heart, I began to move again.
It was almost time to depart for the dispatch.
*
The Warp Gate—the hub of transportation connecting the major strongholds of the Continent.
Although the toll was expensive due to the massive amount of mana required, it was a convenience of civilization that allowed one to travel distances that would take days or weeks in an instant. It could be called the essence of modern magic theory.
Originally, it was so expensive that even lower nobility couldn't use it freely, but Academy students were allowed to use the Warp Gate for free specifically for dispatch duties.
Even so, my destination, "Guilford Orphanage," was located quite far from any major city, so I would likely have to rent a horse and ride for another half-day. I was a bit disappointed by that, but there was nothing I could do.
I should just be grateful that I could avoid sleeping in the dew thanks to the Warp Gate. With that thought, I checked the items I had brought.
Along with clothes and daily necessities, several potions Emma had given me were mixed in with my luggage.
One potion to reduce heart rate and conceal one's presence, one to increase natural healing, and one antidote.
I didn't know if a situation to use them would arise, but they were all useful potions. Since I didn't know what kind of situation might occur, it was better to be thoroughly prepared.
In the end, the dispatch would be undertaken by three people instead of four.
Although a four-person group was the rule, students' social circles varied so much that many groups left as pairs or trios depending on the situation. I decided to follow that precedent.
After all, weren't the two joining me Senior Delphine and Senior Elsie, who were among the top of the fourth-year? Since I didn't know what kind of unexpected situations might occur, quality was more important than quantity.
Bringing along a bunch of riffraff would only result in the loss of precious lives. I formed the internship dispatch group based on that calculation.
The only slightly lonely part was that since Senior Elsie and Senior Delphine each led their own factions, they had many things to wrap up.
In other words, it was impossible for them to depart at the same time as me. Still, they said they would arrive within a day or two, so I just had to endure a few days.
It was just as I entered the Warp Gate with those thoughts.
"...Ugh."
A voice of disgust reached me from the opposite side. Silver hair, pale pink eyes, and the man with jade-colored hair following behind her like a shadow.
It was the Saintess and her escort knight, Yuren.
As soon as Yuren saw me, he smiled slightly and waved, but the Saintess frowned as if she were in a foul mood and lowered her upper body slightly.
It was a blatant display of dislike. It seemed her hatred for me had intensified after she found out I was the one who had used violence against Senior Delphine.
I could understand that feeling. But that didn't mean it didn't put me in a bad mood.
I felt an impulsive urge to draw my hand axe, but I restrained myself.
Using brute force recklessly did not fit the spirit of a noble. I wanted to make the Saintess submit through a dignified attitude.
"...You don't have to hate me that much, do you?"
However, unlike the imaginary me who would have subdued the Saintess with eloquent speech, the real me only let out a grumpy voice. At times like this, I truly resented my lack of eloquence.
If it were Reto, he could have rebuked the Saintess in a more sophisticated manner. Come to think of it, Reto didn't even come to see me off today.
I wondered if something was wrong. The one who broke my train of thought this time was also the Saintess.
"Hmph, excuse me. My true feelings slipped out without me realizing."
"They're still dripping out right now."
"Ah, please understand... I'm naturally a person who doesn't act coy."
With that, the Saintess politely bent her waist to ask for my understanding. Though, because of those voluminous curves of her chest, nothing else even entered my sight.
However, as a man, I couldn't let myself be bewitched by breasts, so I cleared my throat and spoke to her.
"Not acting coy, what nonsense... More importantly, where are you two going? An internship dispatch is supposed to be a four-person group."
The Saintess scoffed and shrugged. Her attitude said it was none of my business, but surprisingly, she gave a straightforward answer.
"Do you think a Saintess just wanders around anywhere? I have to go on a 'volunteer dispatch' instead of an internship dispatch. I go to a place designated by the Holy City, stay for a few days, and do some image management. Well, it's also good if I can do some proselytizing while I'm at it."
It was a statement excessively devoid of pretense. It felt as if the "Saintess" I used to meet and the Saintess now were two different people.
Well, they half were. According to Yuren, there were only a few people on the Continent who could see that "sharp-tongued face."
I felt truly proud to have become one of them. Of course, that was sarcasm.
It felt like my head would only hurt if I kept dealing with the Saintess. I shook my head with a sigh and offered a half-hearted farewell.
"I see. I hope you manage your image well with that expert lack of coyness. Immanuel."
"And you, I hope you suffer as much as the sins you've committed. Immanuel."
She really was a woman who wouldn't let me have the last word. I clicked my tongue inwardly and quickened my pace.
The Warp Gate was one large building. Once inside, one had to pass through dozens of short passages depending on the target city.
In other words, the Saintess and I should have parted ways by now.
But it was strange. We should have gone our separate ways long ago, yet the Saintess and I were still walking side by side.
Our gazes flickered and met in the air. It meant that even though we were pretending not to notice, we were both bothered.
Ultimately, the one who reached the limit of her patience first was the Saintess.
"...Excuse me, why are you following me?"
"Aren't you the one following me? I'm just going my own way."
As the two of us showed signs of bickering, Yuren, who had been watching, chuckled and stroked his chin. Both the Saintess and I turned our gazes toward him.
He wore a smile like a mischievous boy who had discovered a fun prank. It was as if he had sensed something.
"Ian, where did you say your destination was?"
"...Guilford Orphanage."
At those words, the Saintess's eyes flew open. Seeing that, I was also able to deduce one fact.
The smile on Yuren's lips grew even deeper.
"Bingo! It looks like we'll be eating from the same pot for a while."
The Saintess's pale pink eyes and my golden eyes met in bewilderment.
"Guilford Orphanage"—it was the moment the gazes of the man and woman heading there finally locked.
It meant that for the next two weeks, I would have to live with the Saintess.