Angel Hunt (5)
Continental Calendar 997, March 2nd, 8:50 AM. Old School Building, Zhuque Class Lecture Hall.
Morning had come. I got up on time and headed out for breakfast, but none of the Zhuque Class heroines showed up—not even Instructor Esta or Instructor Cardisha. I wondered if it was some kind of illusion, but thankfully, it wasn't. They had all just overslept.
I arrived at the lecture hall a little before 8:40 and took my seat. One by one, they trickled in, finding their spots.
"Good morning...."
"Good morning.... Yawwwn."
It was obvious they hadn't slept well. They'd dealt with the "Angelica Angel Descent" incident past midnight and then got roped into cleanup afterward.
No, they probably hadn't slept at all after that.
Yesterday in the lounge, after Unia climbed on top of me to demonstrate her non-attribute mana, we wrapped up around 2 AM. But none of them looked like they'd gotten proper rest afterward.
Rydmila stayed up all night purifying her non-attribute mana.
Rydmila seemed to have pulled an all-nighter. She didn't show it much outwardly, but one of her rabbit ears was half-folded from exhaustion.
Evangeline tried to sleep but couldn't because of all her worries.
Evangeline was straight-up blinking slowly, dozing off. She'd probably snap to attention once Instructor Esta arrived at 9 sharp, but until then, she'd stay in that half-awake daze.
Unia, on the other hand—
"Why?"
"Nothing. You just look wide awake."
"Of course."
She seemed to have slept well. People usually need about seven hours on average, but Unia had gotten way less than that and still looked refreshed, like she'd slept a full night.
"Breakfast?"
"Oh, uh, I woke up late...."
"Want me to wake you next time?"
"You'd open my door and shake me awake yourself?"
"Wouldn't violate academy rules, right?"
The mention of academy rules made Rydmila and Evangeline flinch.
Separate from the "angel" issue, Angelica and the other students' assault had crossed the line and broken the rules.
"Phoenix. Even if they crossed the line, we can't stoop to their level."
"Yeah. We should set an example. If word gets out that the special class is abusing the rules, they'll think it's fine to attack us every day."
"That won't happen."
The door opened, and Instructor Esta walked in. She looked like she hadn't slept much either. No one else would notice, but her mana was flowing unrefined over her skin.
"We can't just sweep the Old School Building assault under the rug, so the academy has decided on a 'four-week suspension' for Angelica."
"...It happened last night, and they've already decided?"
"The faculty met about it at midnight."
Instructor Esta tapped the magic panel on her wrist in response to Unia's question.
"Four weeks is a heavy penalty. You only get that for something like intentionally blasting off a classmate's arm during training."
"Uh, um...."
"That's how seriously the academy is taking the Old School Building assault. ...If it weren't for the angel incident, it probably would've been cut to four days."
Just as Instructor Esta said, without the angel descent, Esdinas Academy would've shown some favoritism—"the sun bends toward its own arm," as they say. They might've downplayed it as "Golden Sun's fault for charming all the girls" and sided with Angelica.
In that sense, maybe Angelica deserved a little thanks. She'd given the faculty a reason to take it seriously, and publicizing the harsh penalty would scare the undergrads straight.
"What about the other students besides Senior Angelica?"
"They're getting 'special training' for three days."
Special training. It sounded fancy, but it was basically a short boot camp.
"Isn't that just isolation disguised as training?"
"Spot on, Phoenix. Under the pretext of special training, they'll head to the northern terminal for three days of mental reconditioning."
The three-day harsh weather course, huh.
"By the end, they'll internalize two key lessons. One: don't assault the Old School Building. And two—"
Instructor Esta mimed zipping her lips.
"—never breathe a word about angels to anyone else."
"Isn't it too late for that? They went back to their dorms—couldn't they have blabbed already?"
"The faculty isn't that incompetent. They were isolated during transport out of the Old School Building. No contact with anyone; straight to the northern terminal."
"In that case... it'll look like Senior Angelica led the assault."
"Exactly. If she doesn't want to die."
The Zhuque Class girls tensed up at Instructor Esta's words.
"...Sorry. That was about Angelica. Do you all know she's still in the Old School Building?"
"Huh?"
"Guess that part didn't come up. No worries. Instructors like Cardisha are taking turns watching her right now."
Instructor Esta subtly nodded toward the window.
"Angelica's in a makeshift camp about a ten-minute walk from this lecture wing. Still unconscious."
"Um, about Senior Angelica."
Unia raised her hand.
"After the angel's ring—that 'halo'—shattered, she ended up naked. Why did that happen?"
"......."
"Instructor?"
"No. It's just... hearing that from you feels a bit off."
Esta calmly pointed to the podium.
"On angels and the power to defeat them, I think you standing here explaining would be more fitting."
"N-no, that's not—"
"Not sarcasm. I'm serious. Out of everyone in the world, you might know the most about this incident, Unia."
"M-me...?"
Oh boy. Unia instinctively glanced at me for a split second—probably thinking Phoenix knows more than I do. But Esta wouldn't miss that look.
"Or does Phoenix know more?"
It's fine. I expected Unia to do that.
"It's just a theory, but want to hear it?"
"A theory, huh. Sure. We need to gather every opinion right now."
"The angel's ring—the halo—and the wings on its back are formed from holy power. Angelica's body must've been infused with holy power too."
I turned to Rydmila and mimed gripping a spear.
"Miss Rydmila. When you thrust your spear, she caught the blade barehanded—even though your mana was infused in it. Right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"I'm good at sensing mana. At that moment, a foreign mana was flowing through Senior Angelica's body. Not the golden light attribute—more like an opaque white."
"...Holy power?"
"Maybe. I've never seen holy power before, so I can't be sure, but if angel mana is holy power, that'd be the color."
Spoiler disguised as a theory.
"If that holy power manifested as a thin layer over her skin, like mana skin, and the halo's destruction shattered that layer too, her clothes would've gotten caught in the blast—like an explosion from the inside."
"So, your theory is: anyone who gets an angel descent will end up naked like Angelica if their halo breaks?"
"Yes."
"......."
Esta covered her face with one hand. She had no idea why angels descended, but she clearly pitied Angelica for "casting off" in front of everyone because of it.
Even a guy would've gone "Ah...." Women—even beauties—might get an "Ooh" for a second before "Aaaah!" hit.
Going full nude in public is hot in memes, but IRL it's social suicide.
Male instincts are one thing, but human shame and empathy don't discriminate by gender.
"Got it. But even so."
Instructor Esta pointed above her head.
"If anyone becomes an angel, destroy the halo immediately to revert them. That's the faculty's conclusion."
"...Destroy immediately?"
"Yes."
Even if it means social death—there's something more important.
"Angels try to kill mortals. Rydmila, you felt it when you thrust your spear. What did you sense from them?"
"...Duty. Or a command."
Rydmila groaned softly.
"Senior Angelica's 'dead eyes' held no emotion. Like her humanity was stripped away."
"Exactly. I saw it too. That wasn't how a person looks at another person. Not even a noble eyeing a slave. It was..."
Angels.
"...like looking at trash that needs clearing."
A race that feels no emotion toward humans. Their one feeling? Racial superiority. Made by the goddess, the superior species. That's it.
"No idea how the Church of the Goddess will react, but angels are humanity's enemy. If they're out to kill us—"
Esta started scrawling big on the blackboard.
"—the special class's goal this semester is this."
"From now on, the special class will train personnel specialized in combating and hunting angels, preparing for humanity's potential end. That goes for everyone here."
They all exchanged determined looks.
"You too. If I become an angel, smash my halo without mercy. Even if it leaves me comatose like Angelica."
Angelica still hadn't woken, but they had some guesses.
"Even if it turns me into a vegetable or worse."
"...Yes."
"Same for me."
"Understood."
The three special class girls replied, and now the eyes turned to me.
"What? Why me?"
"Following the flow, shouldn't you answer too, Phoenix?"
"Miss Rydmila. Just my guess."
I drew a halo over my head.
"Ever seen a male angel?"
"......!!"
Unfortunately, angels only possess women.
"If I become an angel and my halo breaks, I'd be naked in public too. Not that I care...."
Because.
"Who'd want to see a dark-skinned dude strip?"
The goddess wouldn't waste that on a guy.