Chapter 278: The Reason
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 278: The Reason
"Student Muen, do you know about the Life Church’s Pay Homage to the Sage Ceremony..."
"Don't know!"
"Never heard of it!"
"Don't look for me!"
Before Professor Prang could even finish his sentence, Muen bolted upright with a start and began walking away without looking back.
Of course he knew what the Pay Homage to the Sage Ceremony was.
Whenever the position of the Church's Saintess became vacant, this ceremony was held to select the true Saintess from several candidates.
In the original novel, this was a crucial plot arc.
It was during this event that Ariel and Liya leaned on each other for support to compete against the other talented Saintess candidates. Their feelings intensified through one life-threatening crisis after another, until Liya’s affection for Ariel finally transformed from childhood friendship into a full-blown yuri romance. Ariel, that "smooth operator," had successfully made her move.
Furthermore, Liya’s status as the Saintess not only allowed Ariel to show off at least a hundred times but also provided her with immense help in the later stages of the story.
Even though that was followed by the classic "parting with the childhood sweetheart to flirt with the new girl" trope...
But the Church choosing a Saintess and the Soaring Phoenix protagonist building her harem—what did any of that have to do with a harmless "yellow-haired villain" like him?
"Heh, it seems you do know."
Muen hadn't even taken two steps when he heard Professor Prang’s light chuckle behind him.
The professor tapped his cane.
Instantly, Muen’s body stiffened. Like a puppet controlled by invisible strings, he turned around, marched back, and sat down on the bench, completely against his own will.
"Let’s have a proper chat, Student Muen."
"What is there to chat about? Professor Prang, you’re not some beautiful girl. I only have heart-to-hearts with sweet-voiced beauties!" Muen said through gritted teeth.
"A beautiful girl?"
Muen had just been mouthing off, but to his surprise, Professor Prang stroked his chin and began to think seriously.
"Transformation magic isn't actually that difficult. If you’re willing, I could..."
"No, no, no!"
The thought of Professor Prang turning into a beautiful girl to talk to him...
Muen waved his hands in horror. "I was joking! Just joking!"
"Is that so?"
The corner of Prang’s mouth curled slightly. "Then can we have a proper talk now, Student Muen?"
"..."
Dammit.
Muen cursed inwardly.
He hadn't expected the upright and dignified Professor Prang to play such petty tricks. As expected, spending too much time with that old rogue Professor Glen had turned him into a bad influence.
"Fine, speak," Muen said, slumped on the bench with "dead fish eyes," looking like he’d accepted his fate. "What do you want from me?"
"Since you know about the Pay Homage to the Sage Ceremony, this will be easy to explain."
Professor Prang took off his top hat and set it aside.
"In short, the ceremony only happens once every few decades. Its significance is second only to the Saintess Succession Ceremony, which hasn't been held in three hundred years. Every major power needs to send a representative. The Academy hopes that you..."
"Not going!" Muen glared, his neck stiffening. "Absolutely not!"
Was he kidding?
Go to the Church?
Setting aside the fact that he carried the Divine Blessing of the Withered King inside him, Elizabeth—the sword currently in his possession—was formerly one of the Church’s Holy Swords!
One could say his entire being was currently radiating an aura that was fundamentally incompatible with the Church.
Wasn't it better to just stay at the Academy and slack off? Why would he travel all that way just to seek death?
"There are benefits," Prang said succinctly.
"I wouldn't go even if there were benefits!" Muen snapped. "Besides, with my current status, can I really just leave Belland whenever I want?"
His "convenient father" was currently leading hundreds of thousands of the Empire's finest troops at the border, facing off against the Demon Race. If Muen just up and left Belland, wasn't the Emperor afraid that Duke Campbell might have a sudden change of heart and march back to seize that damn throne?
The Demon Race would certainly be happy to see that happen; they might even lend a hand!
From the perspective of imperial power dynamics, such a thing should be absolutely impossible.
"Rest assured, His Majesty has already given his consent."
"Huh? Why?" Muen was dumbfounded.
"His Majesty said he is very at ease with you, his future son-in-law, and very at ease with the Campbell family. He said talented young people should travel more and not spend all their time staring at the breasts and thighs of beautiful girls."
Professor Prang looked puzzled. "However, for His Majesty to say such things is truly unexpected. Did you say something to him?"
"...Did I?" Muen’s mouth twitched.
"Perhaps His Majesty has a charming side as well."
"In any case, choosing you to go is the result of several combined factors. And..."
Professor Prang looked at Muen, once again wearing that strange, half-smiling expression.
"If you could actually establish a connection with the Saintess, it would be beneficial for your reputation, for the Campbell family, for the Academy, and even for Princess Celicia and the entire Empire. It’s a win-win for everyone."
"What have I done to deserve such credit!"
Muen’s eyes welled with tears.
It did sound like a win-win situation.
But that was assuming he wouldn't be caught and burned at the stake by the Church for consorting with an Evil God and destroying a Holy Sword the moment he stepped into the Holy City!
"Shouldn't this kind of thing be handled by the Academy’s most outstanding student? For example, that Ariel girl in my year. Someone as talented as her, who can take on ten people at once—she’s the one who can showcase our Academy’s prestige and teaching standards! Sending a yellow... a useless playboy like me would just ruin the Academy’s reputation!"
"Don't worry, you won't be the only one going. The list is still being finalized, but the Ariel you mentioned will likely have a spot. Her excellence is indeed obvious to all. However..."
Professor Prang paused. "As for your excellence, I wasn't the one who vouched for it."
"Hmm?"
"It was His Holiness the Pope. He personally wrote to the Academy, praising your brilliance in the letter. He stated plainly that Muen Campbell is a rare talent seldom seen on the continent, expressed high praise for your 'great wisdom appearing as folly' over the past decade, and explicitly stated he wishes to meet you in person."
"Huh?"
Muen was stunned.
Brilliance?
Talent?
Great wisdom appearing as folly?
A personal meeting?
Me?
Are you kidding me?
Your Holiness, do we even know each other? I’m just the son of a Duke; what right do I have to catch the eye of the most powerful man on the continent?
Look at Ariel! She’s the Child of Destiny! She’s the one about to kidnap your Saintess!
It’s a trap! There’s definitely a trap!
His intuition, honed by being screwed over countless times, was screaming. Muen felt as if that damned Fate was waving and smiling at him.
"I’m still not going! No matter what you say! Absolutely not!"
Muen crossed his arms, looking like a "dead pig that doesn't fear boiling water."
So what if it was the Pope? He couldn't exactly come here and punish me just because I didn't give him face, right?
I have a powerful backer too!
In short, he was determined to be a shut-in this time!
No one could make him move!
...
"You must go!"
In the Flower Sea.
Teacher Mela was lying on a soft beanbag chair, sipping juice and basking under a miniature sun she’d acquired from somewhere. She spoke to Muen with absolute finality.
"Wh... Why?"
Muen felt like crying when he saw that even his own "big, white, tender leg" of a backer was trying to kick him out.
"So many people want me dead right now. If I go out there, I might actually die."
"It’s a very simple logic," Teacher Mela said, glancing at Muen nonchalantly.
"If you go, you might die."
She paused.
"But if you don't go... you will die."