Apostle of God (1)

"Gwahk!"

I jolted awake with a scream, bolting upright in bed. I frantically scanned my surroundings, and only once I realized I was in my own lodgings did I let out a sigh of relief. So even after watching Carl beat the living daylights out of the Alchemist yesterday, I still dreamed of that thing hunting me down. I'd thought I was fine, but apparently nearly dying to that monster had burrowed itself into me as trauma after all.

Wiping the cold sweat from my forehead with my hand, I lifted my head—and there, floating before me, were the window I'd seen so many times I was sick of it, and a new one I was seeing for the first time today.

Receive baptism at the Church of the Main God? What now?

Ah. Oh, it's that. It's related to the contract I made with that pathetic Chief God yesterday, isn't it.

Ever since I got rescued from the dungeon, she wouldn't answer me no matter how many times I called, and now she chooses this way to nag me? Honestly, that Chief God is so full of her own chosen-people complex. Instead of pestering me like this, why can't she just talk to me like a normal person?

By the time I finished grumbling about the useless Chief God's behavior, my pounding heart had calmed down. Because her pointless antics annoyed me even more than the nightmare that had just threatened me. I doubt she did it on purpose, but hey, it helped.

I got out of bed and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠called for the maid waiting outside.

"Did you sleep well, Lady Lucy?"

'I did.'

"Do you think I slept well?"

"...I sincerely apologize."

At my words, the maid's eyes trembled and she fluttered about, at a complete loss, before bowing so deeply her forehead nearly touched the floor.

What's wrong with her? That's just the greeting she always gives me. When has Lucy ever once answered that she slept well?

I'd say it's because you're on edge after everything that happened yesterday, Grandpa finally broke his silence with a quiet voice.

'Why would that be?'

She asked whether you slept well after you woke screaming from a nightmare. She believes she committed a grave discourtesy.

Ah. Right, asking someone who had a bad dream if they slept well is pretty rude, isn't it.

'But how did you know I had a nightmare?'

You screamed loud enough to rattle the room. How could I not know?

So the scream I let out when I woke up was apparently loud enough to shake the walls.

'It's fine, so lift your head.'

"Useless maid. I'll forgive you just this once, so raise your head."

"Thank you so very much, my lady!"

The maid lifted her head, crying out her gratitude. Her face had drained pale—she must have thought she'd made an enormous blunder. When really I couldn't have cared less.

'Anyway...'

"Anyway, useless maid. Did anything come in while I was sleeping?"

"There was one message. The Academy is requesting your presence. It seems they wish to speak with you about yesterday's incident."

Really? Perfect timing, then. I was planning on paying them a visit anyway. I'd intended to stop by the Church of the Main God first and then head to Soul Academy, but I suppose I'll have to reverse the order.

Ever since being rescued from that dungeon, I'd made up my mind about one thing.

I have to get stronger. Strong enough that no matter what happens, I can push through it with my own two hands.

Now that I've agreed to become Armadi's apostle, Agra would surely come at my life with an even wider variety of schemes than before. So to avoid dying a dog's death, I needed the strength to overcome every trial headed my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠way. I had to stockpile anything and everything I could put to use right now. Do everything in my power before danger finds me.

To survive.

'By the way...'

"By the way, useless maid. Where's the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Useless one?"

"If you mean Carl, he is waiting outside."

Perhaps because I'd called Carl "Useless" so many times, the maid understood me perfectly the instant the word left my mouth. At this rate, I wonder if the day will ever come when she figures out what I actually mean by it. No idea when, but I hope it comes. Because then I could ask her to stay by my side at all times and translate my words for me.

'Is the preparation already finished? Good, let's head out right away.'

"Is that Useless one a puppy that falls apart the moment it's separated from its master? Either way, good. Once you're ready, let's leave at once."

After all, I have an Academy to shake down.

After being rescued from the dungeon yesterday, I'd been whisked off by the priests and subjected to a battery of examinations. Whether I'd picked up any curses. Whether I'd suffered any lasting injuries. Whether anything had gone wrong with my mind. I understood it was all for my safety, but after already exhausting myself just surviving the dungeon, those examinations were truly gruelling. About halfway through, I'd more or less checked out entirely. By the time the verdict of "no abnormalities" came down and I finally emerged from the church, the sun was already sinking low in the sky.

Seeing the heavens stained crimson, I did nothing else—just returned straight to my lodgings and face-planted into my pillow. And then this morning, I woke up from a nightmare screaming like a little girl.

Had Joy and Jacob come to their senses by now? The two of them hadn't regained consciousness even when they were pulled out of the dungeon, so they'd been transported somewhere other than where I went. The church priests would no doubt handle things on their own, but worrying about them was beyond my control anyway. And a nagging thought kept clawing at me—what if the blows I'd dealt them while knocking them out had caused a problem? It was the best judgment I could make at the time, but looking back on it now, maybe I'd been a bit excessive. I did smack them across the face with a massive shield, after all. If this weren't a fantasy world, that would've been attempted murder.

Ugh. I'll have to check on how they're doing when I go to receive my baptism later. I hope they're perfectly fine.

Lost in these circling thoughts as I walked, I found myself arriving at the main gate of Soul Academy before I knew it.

Soul Academy was in an uproar. The Academy's professors and priests had gathered together, deep in some discussion. Probably because of what happened yesterday, no doubt. With the revelation that Agra could interfere even inside dungeons, they were probably scrambling to find countermeasures. You all have it rough, don't you? If you're going to do it anyway, prepare properly, please. Once I enroll in this school, things like this will happen until I'm sick of it—you can't very well raise this kind of ruckus every single time.

"Good morning to you, Lady Alrn."

Just as I was about to pass through Soul Academy's main gate, a guard standing beside it stepped into my path.

"Have you come for the interview regarding the incident?"

I'd expected as much—they'd called me in to ask about what happened in the dungeon yesterday. This was the first time Agra's curse had ever struck one of Soul Academy's artificial dungeons, so of course they wanted information. I'd been fully prepared to cooperate with whatever the Academy asked, too. The faster they got their countermeasures in place, the safer my life at the Academy would become, wouldn't it?

"You'll want to go to Professor Luka's research office, second floor of Building Three."

'...Who?'

"Useless guard. Say that one more time?"

"Professor Luka's research office, Lady Alrn."

Cancel that. Retraction on my cooperation.

If I were anyone else, I'd probably just quietly go along with it—but I have zero interest in getting cozy with that lunatic. Yesterday, that insane bastard looked at me like I was something he liked. And if I personally sat down and told him everything that happened in there, what do you suppose happens? I'd win myself a permanent spot in his eyes, that's what. I already have a headache from Agra and Armadi as it is. I refuse to add Luka to the pile.

Well, no help for it at this point. Time for a change of plans.

'Sorry, but I'm not here to cooperate.'

"Sorry, but I have no intention of cooperating with this pathetic Academy."

"Then may I ask why—"

'I'm here to lodge a complaint.'

"I'm here to complain. That dungeon nearly got me killed thanks to this pathetic Academy—did you really think I'd sit still about it?"

When I flashed a deliberately sweet smile, the guard panicked and stumbled backward. I was giving him such a friendly smile—why was he reacting like that?

'So would you mind stepping aside?'

"So get out of my sight? Looking at your face is bringing back the ugly memories from yesterday, and it's putting me in a foul mood."

The guard didn't try to stop me again and stepped aside. Lucy's terrible reputation, combined with my newfound victim status, made for a powerful combination.

And so, having stormed into Soul Academy, I headed without a moment's hesitation toward the largest building at its very heart.

"Lady Lucy. Might I ask where you are headed?"

'The Principal's Office.'

"I'm off to meet the principal of this pathetic Academy—who's bound to be just as pathetic as it is."

Like I said before, I intend to work hard to become stronger than I am now. But even that effort has its limits in the end. I've already pushed my body to its absolute breaking point to pass the Academy's exams. No amount of training beyond this point would make me grow any faster. Forsell himself said that crossing this line would only harm my body rather than help it.

But here's the thing.

That limit is a limit of the flesh and body alone. If instead of conditioning my body, I condition something else entirely, then there's no problem at all. And as it happens, I've just acquired something new to train.

By making my contract with Armadi yesterday, I became her apostle. And what does that mean?

It means I can now learn the many useful divine spells that exist within the Church. Magic that requires none of the complicated calculations other spells demand—simply ask the god, and your mana is devoured while a miracle unfolds before you. Magnificent magic!

While my body recovers, I grind my divine magic proficiency; while my mana recovers, I train my body. Tell me—what a beautifully efficient cycle is this?

At this point, a question has probably formed in your mind. If I'm going to learn divine magic, why on earth did I come to the Academy?

There's a reason for that too. It's true that divine magic differs greatly in lineage from other schools of magic, but it is still, at the end of the day, magic. It devours your mana every time you cast it. Naturally, low mana means poor training efficiency. And the amount of mana I currently possess is so pathetic that using Mercy of Armadi three times would drain me dry.

I'll say it outright: if I started training in my current state, I'd hit rock bottom and collapse in less than thirty minutes.

And the solution to that problem exists within the Academy.

'The Spring of Mana.'

One of Soul Academy's essential skills—it raises your maximum mana and your mana recovery speed, all while accelerating the rate at which your mana itself grows! Normally, it's a passive skill you can only obtain after enrolling and completing a whole chain of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠quests handed down by the principal. But this isn't a game. This is reality. If I negotiate with the principal, I can skip all those tedious quests and get the skill outright.

Oh, please let the principal be cooperative. Because if she isn't, I'll have no choice but to dig into her dirty little secrets.