Blessed, Yea, Blessed Indeed (1)
Chloe blinked her sleepy eyes. She covered her mouth with her hand, yawning endlessly, losing count after the first few.
"Ughhh... So sleeeepy..."
She slumped her drooping body into the chair somehow, but the waves of drowsiness were overwhelming. Chloe turned to Eirin beside her.
"Haaawwn... Eirin. Aren't you sleepy?"
"Zzz—."
"......"
Eirin was out cold. It wasn't that she'd had a restless night like Chloe. She'd simply been kept awake by Chloe's nonstop meddling.
Chloe had two reasons for her sleeplessness. One was the looming theology assignment. The other was the ghost of Giovanni, the former head priest.
Professor Antonelli's assignment was brutally tough. No matter how she scoured the theology texts, she couldn't get a grasp on it. And submission was just three days away.
That alone doomed any hope of peaceful sleep, but as the saying goes, misfortune never comes singly. The second reason was no less formidable.
After the ghost fiasco, she'd become hyper-aware of spirits. She'd wrap herself mummy-tight in the blankets to keep her toes from peeking out, or if she left a chair pulled away, she'd shove it back in before lying down—obsessive behaviors like that.
It was pathological. Back then, Priest Antonelli's prayer had kept the fear at bay, but once its effect wore off, that face kept haunting her.
So, she'd chatted with Eirin all night. Eirin had been thoroughly annoyed, of course.
She glanced at the clock. The stubby hour hand pointed at 9. Class wouldn't start for another thirty minutes.
Chloe scooted up to her desk. Resting her two hefty thighs on it eased her aching shoulders a bit.
She flopped forward, settling into a comfy pose, and closed her eyes contentedly.
'I wonder if Professor Antonelli's okay.'
She and Professor Esther had visited him over the weekend, but got no response and headed back to the dorms. Her last memory was him collapsing and being carted off, so worry gnawed at her.
'...He seemed so reliable.'
That day when she'd felt the ghost's presence with her whole body.
Chloe had glimpsed why Lucio Antonelli was a professor at Caldea Imperial Academy. His divine power had been that radiant, that unyielding. It left a profound impression on her.
He'd felt so dependable. The golden barrier conjured by the prayer with Deaconess Sophia. His back standing before it—solid, reassuring...
"Ugh...!"
She looked forward to Professor Antonelli's class. Not just because of the first day's events. She simply wanted to know how he was holding up.
Chloe lifted her head. Time had flown; the clock now read 9:29. She stared at the second hand.
"57 seconds. 58 seconds. 59 seconds..."
And finally, as it hit 12.
Scraaaape—!
'...He's here!'
Chloe bolted upright from her half-slumped position. Eirin, who'd been facedown next to her, now had her writing tools ready and was gazing at the podium.
Thud. Thud.
Crisp footsteps echoed. Enter Professor Lucio Antonelli, theology instructor for 1st Year Class A.
'He looks fine. Thank goodness...'
Chloe smiled faintly. Today, she'd wring out the key to that assignment no matter what.
Professor Antonelli scanned the room briefly, nodded slightly in satisfaction at the quiet, composed atmosphere, and headed to the podium at the front.
The silence held. Not a sound. No student dared look away from him.
This was Professor Antonelli's theology class. Not a moment could be missed.
The assignment he'd dropped on the first day—now with just three days to deadline—had everyone desperately clinging to it.
Beyond that, plenty of students were drawn to the class itself. Mostly magic and theology majors, they craved another taste of that first-day epiphany, that shiver of proven faith.
They saw his lessons as a "wall to shatter walls," greedily devouring the theology knowledge from his intellect and faith to reclaim that pure essence.
"Good day, everyone."
Professor Antonelli gripped the lectern and spoke. Chloe snapped to attention.
"Another week has passed, and here we are again... but this week will be different."
Wearing his usual glasses, he swept the room with tired, sharp eyes. Standing with hands clasped behind his back, he continued.
"In three days—Friday, to be precise—is the deadline for the assignment I gave you."
He raised three fingers. Students gulped collectively. What fate awaited if they failed to submit? They didn't want to imagine.
"I hope you spent the weekend these past two days without regrets."
With that chilling remark, Professor Antonelli silently opened his Bible and theology texts. Students hurriedly followed suit.
"Then, let us begin 1st Year Class A theology."
And so began the bizarre class, every student's eyes glittering with their own desires.
* * * *
The lesson proceeded quietly and smoothly, as always. I continued inwardly pleased.
"Thus Peter said to his disciples, 'Blessed, yea, blessed indeed. Yesterday I rebuked Satan and the schemes of demons in wrath, and heaven opened, sending the Lord's judgment from a palace of glass to drive them into hell. How beautiful is the path to the heavens.'"
With the deadline looming, I delved into assignment-related content. I scanned the diligently note-taking students and pressed on.
"This passage connects to the earlier one where demons tempt Saint Peter. Unswayed by their wicked ploys, he rebuked them at once. By the Lord's responding grace, he wielded divine power to expel them—and at that moment, uttered these words."
Blessed, yea, blessed indeed.
I paused to gauge reactions. That verse pierced the heart of the assignment.
But they just hunched over, scribbling away. No one tried interpreting on their own.
I sighed faintly. Focus was good, but mechanical transcription was folly.
I met a few eyes. Varied thoughts, but a common thread. I could only blame myself.
...Too theoretical, maybe.
Those robotic eyes betrayed my overly abstract lessons—stifling their thinking.
Well, there was a fix.
"Now, a simple experiment."
Eyes shifted instantly. Sparks of anticipation flickered everywhere.
"Hm... You there. Student Chloe?"
"...Y-yes?"
I pointed at her. Flustered, she soon peered at me shyly.
"Come forward."
"Uh, th-that's... Okay..."
Blushing, hesitating, Chloe made her way to the front. Once beside me, I whispered.
"No need to tense up. Just a simple experiment."
"Eek... Got it."
The students' gazes intensified. Rays of curiosity and excitement beamed from all sides. Even Deaconess Sophia, a bit farther back.
"As we just saw, Saint Peter said, 'Blessed, yea, blessed indeed.' Correct?"
Nods rippled. I stroked my chin.
"Don't you wonder why? Why he called expelling demons with divine power blessed indeed?"
The room hushed differently. Students glanced around—no raised hands, despite the buzz.
As I opened my mouth, a slender arm rose from the front row.
"Student Laura von Adelaide."
It was Laura. Her usual haughty expression intact, she rose gracefully upon my call.
"Demons are the root of all evil. By the Lord's aid returning them to hell, he secured the disciples' safety—thus, blessed indeed."
"...Not my intended answer, but a fine one."
Laura's brow twitched; she sat quietly. Her miss deepened the silence.
"...No one else?"
Bitter taste. Spoon-feeding the answer risked blind submissions.
I wanted to teach them to fish, not hand over the catch.
"Very well. I'll show you the answer."
Decision made.
I seized Chloe's hand. She jolted like electrocuted, eyes wide, staring between me and our hands.
"Ah, sorry. Mind if I hold your hand briefly?"
"Uh, th-that's..."
Her face beet-red, she ducked her head and nodded faintly.
"Thank you, Chloe."
I raised our clasped hands for all to see.
"I know you're a magic department student, Chloe. Right?"
"Y-yes... That's right."
"Have you ever used divine power before?"
She shook her head, baffled.
"No...? Never once."
"Then, a question."
Why not?
Foolish question, perhaps. But Chloe was speechless, stunned.
Chloe, 1st Year Class A magic student, couldn't use divine power.
So.
Why?
This shattered common sense—and unlocked my first-day assignment. True knowledge advances by upending assumptions.
Chloe and the class tilted heads, scratching scalps, tapping pens, rubbing chins—various tics.
After her deliberations, Chloe's answer:
"Because... my body can't use divine power...?"
As expected. Others nodded agreement. Even Laura von Adelaide.
"Do you all agree?"
Universal nods. Time to shatter that bias.
"I'll say it plainly."
I scanned their faces. One declaration.
"By lesson's end today, I'll make Chloe here able to use divine power."
"......"
Chloe gaped. The class mirrored her stunned expression.
How long did that heavy silence last, as if they couldn't comprehend?
Crash—!
In a flash. Led by front-row Laura, every student shot to their feet.
And utter pandemonium engulfed the classroom.
It didn't take long.