<553 – Sanctuary of the Race God (1)>
Surely… does this precocious apprentice like me?
Professor Bronze expressed his curiosity candidly.
“First Year Oknodie. Do you perhaps have feelings for the Main Building?”
“Of course! Professor Bronze, you’re the mentor I have yet to conquer in my true feelings.”
What an intriguing expression.
“What do you intend to achieve by conquering the heart of your mentor?”
“To gain favorability bonuses!”
“And what good is that bonus?”
Oknodie’s subsequent answer left Professor Bronze speechless.
“It boosts my combat power!”
“What about having a child or getting pregnant?”
“That would lower my combat power, so that’s a problem, right?”
“Some foolish folks believe that love and justice make them stronger; I didn’t think Oknodie, the first-year student, would belong to such a category.”
“Can you, the Justice Thief, say such things?”
“Justice does not call for power. It is power that calls for justice. Love does not call for power either. It is power that calls for love.”
A simple and straightforward reality of the world.
The professor felt a sense of resentment that this naive apprentice—who didn’t even understand the essence of love or the ways of the world—had managed to fluster him.
Shall I show them some real maturity?
What it means to be an adult…
Training them in a special way as a mentor, indeed.
The sadistic desires boiling from deep within stirred her mind switch.
But Professor Bronze quickly remembered.
– Oknodie. Are you more accustomed to such images, not because you can’t focus on your studies?
– Wow. How did you know?
– Have you seen anything more shocking than this?
– Ah.
– Professor… You’re not scolding me for seeing inappropriate things too early, are you…?
Last semester in First Year, during the Developing Insight class.
Oknodie exhibited a strangely familiar reaction to lewd images during a lecture about the value of erotic paintings.
What she referred to as erotic paintings could only be surpassed by the real deal.
Oknodie had witnessed actual sexual scenes at a young age.
Those who could have threatened her, claiming that if she didn’t obey the foundation’s education, she would end up being a whore of the Light Stand.
Even the director, who might have been a bystander, or perhaps even gave instructions…
‘There’s no way I can perform acts just as trashy as the foundation’s scum.’
The heat rising from her lower abdomen subsided.
The switch in her head was locked away in a drawer.
Thoroughly regaining control over all desires, Professor Bronze decided to impart a small, strangely remorseful service to this commendable child who followed their mentor closely.
“I’ll give a special piece of advice to a talented child who listens well to their mentor.”
“Wow!”
“This is a sanctuary for vampires. All sanctuaries are strongholds set up by divine classes in the Middle Realm, and each stronghold has special devices that prevent any divine class above a certain size from invading the sanctuary.”
“What kind of device is that?”
“A Divine Damage Prevention Device. No divine class is exempt from it. Even if they cannot specifically manifest their divine class, large beings must not enter. They would lose their accumulated power.”
Thus, sanctuaries of demigods do exist somewhere in the world, separate from the mainstream 24 divine classes.
If they cannot be destroyed, they are made to be forgotten or kept off-limits due to the influence of other gods, thus remaining unknown to the world.
The previous ruler must have helped erase such sanctuaries.
“The first-year Oknodie’s capacity still remains at demigod level, so you can enter safely.”
“And you, Professor?”
“The capacity of the Main Building is indeed quite large, but it’s insufficient to fill the sanctuary entirely. I won’t be able to acquire anything upon exiting, but I can accompany you.”
Glancing back, she gazed upwards towards the Ancient Book Museum, estimating the controlled window casting down towards the ground.
Did the shadow concealment of Professor Bronze really fool even the Emperor’s eyes?
What would the Emperor think upon seeing the professor?
“Not coming in?”
“I’m going now!”
The Ancient Book Museum.
A belated thought for being inside a vampire sanctuary.
[Underworld High Noble's Bloodline] [How to Efficiently Increase Human Blood Draw Amount] [Let’s Learn About Blood Pouches 3: Human Edition] [AG Year 003, Diary of a Celestial Child] [DM Year 097, Ramblings of a Demon Clan Elder]
Not all ancient books hold value simply due to their age.
What immediately caught my attention were the trivial books.
“Professor! Would you like to read the Celestial Child’s Diary together?”
“Oh my.”
Professor Bronze looked shocked, rubbing his forehead with one hand.
“Is this what a student who attended the Developing Insight lecture would say? I’m starting to regret what I taught you last semester. With valuable books and artifacts like Bloody Jewel and True Blood Tracker all around, the first thing you pick up is the Celestial Child’s Diary?”
“So, are you not going to read it?”
Curiosity must have stirred within, as the professor set down the Bloody Jewel and approached.
“I’ll help you interpret it, just a little.”
━━━
[AG Year 003, Diary of a Celestial Child]
January 11, AG 003
I was told to write what I regret today and what to do tomorrow in my diary as instructed, but I got scolded.
I had nothing to regret, and I had a hell of a lot to do tomorrow, so I simply wrote it down, but I was told to write it sincerely—what kind of extraordinary daily life do they expect from a meager life?
AG Year 003, January 12
I wrote something cheeky in my diary and got ten hits on my thigh.
I regret writing something cheeky.
Starting tomorrow, I’ll share energy with the starving beings of the Middle Realm through volunteer work, and I’ll diligently recharge the energy I’ve consumed through meditation.
━━━
“This is what the content is about.”
“What does AG mean?”
“Chronology. It’s a term that denotes the era during which the Celestial God ruled the Middle Realm within the calculations of years. It’s also known as Angel Chronology or AG Chronology.”
“Aha!”
“For the same reason, DM Year 097 refers to the era when the Demon God ruled the Middle Realm, known as Demon Chronology.”
“So now it’s the year 981 of the Empire, right?”
“You’re mistaken. Empire years are just what the Empire claims, but in reality, they should be referred to as Dragon Years, or simply DG years.”
“Why?”
“The strongest ruler of the world is the Principal.”
That seems to make sense, and I nodded.
Excluding players who have completed their growth, the Principal Omoshiroi is certainly stronger than both the Emperor or the Demon King, who have lived for centuries!
In the game, I had skipped over the uninteresting background stories and was unaware of such facts.
“Are the Celestial God and Demon God related to the current mainstream 24 divine classes?”
“There are famous theories suggesting that those who were doing well back then became the background figures of the mainstream 24 divine classes.”
“Wow. Professor, how do you know all this?”
“The records of valuable items are documented in history. First Year Oknodie, if you wish to become a greater rogue than you already are, you must not neglect your language studies. Any species with language surely holds at least one treasured item they cherish.”
“Is it righteous to steal treasures from ancient races?”
“At least for Celestials and Demons, yes. The Celestials executed countless living beings under harsh rules, while the Demons twisted many lives with their brutal dark mana. Their treasures are rightfully yours to take.”
“But I’m not a rogue; I’m a magic swordsman! Isn’t it enough if I don’t know about such things?”
Professor Bronze let out a laugh for what felt like the umpteenth time today.
“First Year Oknodie.”
“Yes!”
“If there were a thief who overthrew the Empire’s tyrant and allowed the populace to enjoy benevolent rule, what would you call that thief?”
“A Justice Thief?”
“Exactly. You are indeed a seasoned rogue already—a continent’s top ten rogue surpassing even Bronze de Estrada.”
“Whaaat?!”
Wait, am I a continent’s top ten rogue?!
“Soon enough, the vacant spots in the continent’s top ten rogues will be filled, and new names will be added. When that time comes, be prepared for your name to occupy a place there as well.”
“Who determines that?!”
“The Empire’s divine artifact [Ranking Board]. The roguery ranking displays the top ten in each field and will be updated at the beginning of every year—coming soon, on January 1st, 982.”
Gasp.
I never expected the game system to manifest like this in reality!
Originally, the ranking board was a veteran content for players to compete over achievement scores.
Commonly known as the Hall of Fame.
Or should I say, a retirement home for veteran players?
In reality, it seems the NPCs had been putting their names up on the rankings.
“Wait?”
Then another question arises.
Rogues listed on the rankings receive ranking rewards…
Do NPCs also receive ranking rewards?
How do they receive properties?
If they do, who gives it to them?
If someone gives it, where did the properties come from?
An endless curiosity flowed in a line, just like a five-year-old’s incessant “Why?”
“Whoa! I’m no longer five years old!”
I’m ten years old—no, with each passing year, I’m about to be eleven!
Am I eleven already? Are they counting me as twelve?
I’ve never known how old I am, so I’m confused myself, but… anyway, I’m not five!
So “Why?” is now forbidden.
There must be a reason!
“A trivial record of ancient history, but perhaps this will serve you better.”
“Why?”
Uh-oh, I let slip another “Why”…
Am I inevitably a five-year-old Goo?
As I was dazed by the despair of my reborn mental age, the professor kindly answered.
“Your capacity is already at semi-divine level, so there’s a risk that your higher divine capacity could overflow, leading you to instinctively pick up less valuable items and show interest. It’s an unconscious value judgment at play.”
Still, I certainly couldn’t walk out carrying the stone with the Celestial Child’s Diary inscribed on it.
“I’m going to take the assurance enhancement ticket!”
“Hmmm? I’ve never heard of such an item.”
“I just need to find a hidden page with a strong mana response!”
Thanks to Professor Bronze’s help, I quickly found the assurance enhancement ticket.
The problem lay elsewhere.
“Oknodie. Were you only enjoying yourself while I was waiting a bit?”
“Whoa!”
Ziang, who had been absorbed in viewing the ancient books (diaries) at the Ancient Book Museum, finally wandered over, wearing a mask that looked quite discontented.
