Chapter 10 - The Saintess Loves Darkness (2)
The Saintess Loves Darkness (2)
Translator : Elizabeth
Iris.
Yes, just Iris.
Unlike other Academy classmates who all have fancy surnames,
I am just Iris, a name and nothing else.
It can’t be helped.
Unlike me, a commoner, everyone else is a noble.
But still, I think I’m on the lucky side.
Because I was able to enroll as a Special Scholarship Student in that very 『Saint Royal Academy』,
Where only nobles who can use magic are said to be able to enter.
They say ‘Special Scholarship Student’ (Teuk-dae-saeng) is shortened from ‘Special Treatment Student’ (Teuk-byeol-dae-u-saeng).
Please be careful, it doesn't mean I got in because a certain part of me is especially very large (Teuk-dae)……!
Boys back in my hometown used to tease me looking at my chest every time anyway…… It’s kind of a complex…….
Ah, right! I unwittingly sidetracked the story.
Anyway, originally, I was scheduled to enter the Church's convent as a Saintess Candidate, not the Academy.
But during that process, suddenly, someone among the existing candidates awakened as the Saintess.
So, caught in a dilemma unable to go here or there,
Eventually, the Church suggested I try enrolling in the Academy.
Saying they, the Cathedral Church side, would recommend me as a Commoner Special Scholarship Student.
Honestly, as a commoner, I had no choice but to react like, How could someone like me dare……! though.
But it seems the problem was that despite being a commoner, rarely enough, I could use magic,
And specifically 『Light Magic』, which only faithful Church people are said to be able to use.
Especially since I am particularly specialized in healing and protection among them.
I heard I couldn't return to my original life as it was.
If I didn't want to go to the Academy, I would have to live as a nun or a paladin in the Church for the rest of my life…….
However, commoners like us possess neither the guts nor the right to dare go against the words of the Church and the Lord.
Still, since I was at least offered another option called the Academy, maybe I’m better off.
That’s how I ended up enrolling in the Academy practically half-forced, but…….
—Oh my, which family is that young lady from?
—Who knows? With beauty like that, she should be in my memory…… but there’s no family crest anywhere on her clothes?
—Ah, ah, I think I know. I heard a few commoners who know how to use magic enroll occasionally every year; isn't she that?
—Ah, ah. I’ve heard of it. What was it called…… Commoner Special Scholarship Student?
—Oh my, oh my. Look at my mind. I hope you forget what I just said. To mistake a commoner for a young lady…… My eyes truly are…….
……Yes, that’s right.
As you can see, my life hasn't been smooth since the first day of the entrance ceremony.
I didn't even know them, and we were just strangers seeing each other for the first time while going to school on the entrance ceremony day.
It seems I stood out too much in the eyes of the nobles.
Or did someone secretly write ‘Commoner Special Scholarship Student’ in large letters on my forehead?
Even when they tried to talk to me wherever I went, they would soon realize I was a commoner and just turn away.
After that, the various whisperings I heard that morning alone seemed to be double the amount I had heard in my entire life.
Like that, feeling even more intimidated,
Hearing but pretending not to hear, bowing my head deeply as if looking only at the ground,
It was when I was walking the path to school on the first day of the entrance ceremony, which felt like an eternity.
—Twinkle twinkle!
I saw a light.
Even though I was bowing my head, it was something that had no choice but to enter my eyes.
A light far too brilliant and beautiful.
—Twinkle twinkle!
Lifting my head and properly capturing that light in my eyes, it was indeed the light as I thought.
Light Magic.
Different in dimension from my Light Magic that I became able to use by chance.
Not only that,
So very naturally,
Without any prayer or anything,
The owner emitting just brilliant light,
Was so very beautiful.
—Susang (Suspicious), Susang~♪ If you reverse Susang it’s Sangsu~ Sangsu is a Constant~ Hmph, hmph~♬
And also so very suspicious.
Because she was singing suspicious lyrics suspiciously.
And, was it because we were both Light Magic users?
I could know as soon as I saw that person.
That she was the very Saintess chosen by the Goddess this time.
—……E-Excuse me! I’m called Iris……! Excuse me, but perhaps……!
—Hmph, hmph~♬ Hm?
What happened to me back then?
Or did I feel a sense of kinship from hearing that she was from a commoner origin like me?
Maybe I just wanted to be saved by the Saintess on this hellish path to school.
Fortunately, the Saintess didn't discriminate against me or particularly avoid me like other nobles upon seeing me.
—Hm? What, what~? Light Magic, you know it too? Ah! Are you perhaps interested in light too?! Yep yep?!
Rather, she welcomed me gladly.
And while doing so, I was able to have really many conversations with the Saintess.
—So, if we assume that the existence who created something…… (omitted)…… then how can that existence called God be observed?
Of course, rather than a conversation, it was closer to an explanation led mostly by the Saintess…….
It was too noble and difficult as well…….
Being a commoner, let alone having convent life, since I never studied proper theology, it’s natural I couldn't understand.
Nevertheless,
Even though it was certain to anyone looking that I wasn't understanding well,
The Saintess kindly explained again and again, adjusting to my level several times.
There was not a bit of frustration or boredom contained in her face doing so.
Ah, how can she be this kind?
Even to me, who is merely a commoner.
Indeed, this person is truly the Saintess; it was a moment where I had no choice but to repeat that inwardly.
Of course, unfortunately afterwards, the Saintess talked about this and that with the Crown Prince and…… perhaps the Duke’s daughter?
While talking with those two,
Suddenly, all the young ladies and children gathered in the campus went into an uproar together,
And then, as a faction fight suddenly broke out, I eventually had no choice but to part ways with the Saintess.
Still, to me, she was the first friend I made after coming to the Academy…… saying that seems too undeserved for me and like I don’t know my place.
At least, she was the only person who treated me kindly.
……Actually, the bigger reason is that there wasn't a single person I could rely on except for her.
Like that,
After chasing behind the Saintess somehow,
One lecture room I entered.
—Yes, that’s right.
Like this, the story returns to the original 『Introduction to Dark Magic Basic Theory』 class.
However…….
I wondered ‘no way, no way, is it real’,
But to think the class the Saintess was interested in was truly a 『Darkness』 Magic class…….
At first, naturally, I thought the Saintess, the Apostle of Light,
Came to have a go at Professor 『Snake』 who teaches Dark Magic.
And looking at the situation now,
It seems certain that she is at least having a go(?) at something.
“Wow, woaah! I see, so it was that! I wondered why it felt like a system I had seen somewhere for some reason, yep! As expected, Imprint Language was a primitive-level programming language based on Runes~! Just like Assembly language based on 0 and 1 machine code!!”
“……Saintess. I have told you, sigh…… for the fourth time already, to please allow yourself to speak only with my permission during class.”
“But, but I can’t help but say this is incredibly amazing! I mean, starting from the fact that they developed it into a programming language system independently without the concept of discrete mathematics!! Surely the person who first devised the Imprint Language, no, that demon must be a genius like me, right~?!!”
The Saintess was currently listening to Professor Snake’s Dark Magic class harder than anyone else.
Even though she is a Saintess who wields Light Magic.
“Phew…… Saintess. It is not for me, who is hated by the Church because I research Dark Magic, to say, but regarding how many things a Saintess shouldn't say were in your words just now…….”
“Woaah~! If that demon is still alive, I want to meet them in person once! I definitely want to meet them and make them take an IQ test~! And if their IQ is over 180…… Ufufu♬”
“……I will pretend I did not hear those words just now. So please, just shut your mouth quietly and—Ugh?!”
“This, what is on Professor’s wrist here is that very Imprint Language engraved directly on the body, in other words, the Imprint of Darkness, right~? Woaah, it really possesses a system like coding~”
“S-Suddenly what……! As one who has become a Saintess, you shouldn't approach so unhesitatingly!”
Is that really the same Professor Snake who was trying to fail all the students just a moment ago?
Besides, he’s even blushing…….
It’s an image so different from what I first felt that it’s a bit jarring.
It seemed that even the strict Professor Snake couldn't do anything recklessly against the Saintess’s talent.
Indeed,
The fact that we can take the class without failing like this now,
Is all thanks to the Saintess just a moment ago.
The hidden question and intention of the orientation exam, and even its trick.
Since she revealed all of this in front of everyone,
Professor Snake withdrew the exam, saying there was no longer any meaning in taking it.
Thanks to that, we, who were certain to fail except for the Saintess,
Gained a reprieve from failure until the next exam with an undecided schedule.
“Mmm~ Also, looking closely, it seems similar to graphic-based LabVIEW coding too…… Then is this the place where mana starts, and is this the multiplexing code that distributes mana appropriately to each? Mmm~”
“I. Said. As a Saintess, you must keep your dignity and formality……! ……Wait. Saintess, the Imprint just now…… Did you perhaps recognize it?”
“Hm? Well~? I don’t know well if it’s correct, but for now, probably~ Ah, here, here. This part that goes zing~ around from this edge and returns to the beginning again, is this perhaps an Error Function? Isn't it to prepare for possible mana malfunctions?”
“…….”
It’s Professor Snake’s silence, I don’t know for the how-manieth time already.
He looks like he has really a lot to say, but seems to be holding it back on purpose.
Indeed, I would probably be the same.
I am still far too lacking in learning,
Especially regarding Dark Magic, which I’m a stranger to, I don’t know what is what at all,
But the Saintess just now, enough to make Professor Snake speechless again,
Seemed knowledgeable as if she already knew about Dark Magic.
Even though she is a Saintess who wields Light Magic, the exact opposite attribute.
Not only that, she is beautiful, and kind even to someone like me.
Her appearance always overflowing with confidence makes me unwittingly admire her, such a…….
On the other hand, someone like me…….
……Is it because the Saintess is a genius as she claimed?
Is it because the genius Saintess can grasp something like Dark Magic in an instant just by knowing Light Magic?
I don’t know well,
But surely this must be something incredibly amazing and worthy of being called a genius.
However,
Perhaps I knew the fact that,
Rather, precisely because of that, it was bound to become even more of a problem.
“What is that, a Saintess interested in Dark Magic…… Disgusting…….”
“Isn't she really fallen? How does she know so much detail like that?”
“……Seeing that she found even the hidden question alone and got a perfect score in the exam just now, she might have been reading Demon Language or Dark Magic and the like since long ago. How scary.”
Yes, that’s right.
Everyone is looking at the Saintess now and starting to talk bad behind her back.
Saying she’s fallen, or a Saintess of Darkness, or that it makes no sense for something like that to be chosen as a Saintess and so on…….
As if they had completely forgotten thanks to whom they were not kicked out of this class right away,
And are able to sit in those seats.
Whisper whisper.
Whisper whisper.
Noisily, far too noisily.
And,
When I came to my senses—
“S-The Saintess is not like that!!”
—Scrape!
There was me, who had suddenly kicked the chair back, stood up, and shouted that towards everyone.
Ah, just why did I do that?
When I couldn't say a single word to the nobles who looked down on me and despised me for being a commoner until now.
But the moment the Saintess was being insulted,
For some reason, the string of reason in my head snapped.
Iris.
The Main Heroine of this world based on the original work 『Saint Royal Academy』.
As you can see, she had a very timid personality.
More than anyone else, she was aware that she was a commoner, and was careful and careful again.
That was natural.
In the Middle Ages and Early Modern times adopting the feudal noble system, doing so is basic.
It’s a world where if a noble is walking down the street and a commoner doesn't pay respect properly, they wouldn't be punished even if they cut them down with a single stroke.
Of course, the reputation of that noble family would hit rock bottom.
Anyway, the background of this era was that even if they get criticized, it doesn't go as far as punishment.
“……Oh my?”
However,
“Just who are you to defend the Saintess so heatedly?”
“I-I am…… That is…….”
It is such an era, but,
“Lady Erancia! That girl is a Special Scholarship Student! And not just a Special Scholarship Student, but a Commoner Special Scholarship Student; I, Clarice, heard it clearly!”
“Oho…….”
Dare,
“……A Commoner, Special Scholarship Student, you say?”
A commoner talks back?