The stained glass illuminated the round conference room.
Originally, this place was where all thirteen apostles would gather for meetings, but now only one of the 13 apostles remained.
A good-looking man with squinting glasses and a robe, the Professor.
Creeeak.
The door to the conference room opened.
A black-haired handsome man in a white suit and white shoes, the Messiah, entered with a gentle smile.
“Master.”
Thud.
The Professor, welcoming the Messiah, knelt on one knee.
“My savior!”
Bang.
The other knee fell to the floor.
Completely prostrated, the Professor kissed the Messiah’s white shoes.
“You are the only savior of this world, Master.”
Seeing this, the Messiah smiled gently.
He bent down to meet the Professor at eye level.
“Please rise, Professor.”
“As you wish, Master.”
The Professor stood up at the Messiah’s command.
Step, step.
The Messiah walked over and sat in his chair.
“How did the meeting with the Secretary-General go?”
“There were no unusual matters. Just as the Almighty Master predicted, the Secretary-General seemed to doubt you and showed intentions to act like a reader behind your back.”
“I see… Somehow… It seems my predictions are never off.”
A smile deepened on the Messiah’s lips.
“It’s been a long time since my predictions haven’t strayed… it feels good.”
“……”
The Professor fell silent at the Messiah’s words.
Because of his paranoid variable control and obsessive planning, the Messiah’s predictions had never once been wrong.
Until the appearance of the Black Beast, Kim Deok-Sung.
“Are you just going to let the Secretary-General be? Just give the order, and I can take action right now…”
“Let him be.”
The Messiah spoke softly.
“No matter what those fools do… it doesn’t concern me. This time, I can just watch.”
The Professor’s eyes trembled at the Messiah’s words.
“After all, the one laughing in the end will be me.”
The smile on the Messiah’s lips grew deeper.
*
The Cult of Truth.
The Saint’s room.
A beautiful girl in a black dress, adorned with a veil and blindfold, was looking at the documents laid out on the table.
“Kim Deok-Sung…”
Reports regarding the royal engagement incident between France and England.
Without fail, the name Kim Deok-Sung appeared again.
“I heard the League had put quite an effort into dominating the human realm of England… to block it just before success…”
The Saint’s only crimson eyes narrowed.
Not only had he interrupted the League’s plans three times in a row, but he had completely sabotaged an important scheme.
It was far from ordinary.
“It seems necessary for me to personally assess this Kim Deok-Sung’s true nature.”
The Saint’s eyes glowed red.
Beatrice’s gift was psychometry.
It was the ability to read the memories of a contact target.
This ability could be applied to not just objects, but also to living beings, human bodies.
“No, it’s a living target. The ability also applies to the human body.
The realization that the archbishop was hiding a black heart came as a result of her using her gift.
‘With psychometry… I can understand what that inferior human is thinking.’
The problem is, she needs to come into contact with him.
But this ‘Kim Deok-Sung’ variable was attractive enough for Beatrice to risk that level of danger.
In a situation practically surrounded on all sides, if Kim Deok-Sung could become a valuable joker card…
Perhaps she could flip the table against the disadvantaged archbishop in their covert battle.
So, she must verify him in person.
To meet him directly…
“Summer school, huh… I have no great interest in the trivial events of inferior humans, but… for the sake of verifying the joker card, there’s no other choice.”
It’s just about participating in summer school.
Resolute, Beatrice stood up from her seat.
*
Shuo Hero Academy.
Chairman’s Room.
A white-haired, red-eyed beautiful girl, Seira, was fidgeting in her chair while fiddling with some documents.
“Hmm… Summer school, huh… It’s already that time of the year again.”
Swish.
She unfolded her black lace fan and cleared her throat.
“There was a time when I would wear a swimsuit at the beach and men would flock around to admire my glamorous figure…”
Seira’s gaze lowered.
Perhaps due to her youthful physical age, her chest was notably lacking.
With a sigh, Seira lamented.
“I want to go to the sea too…”
But she couldn’t.
The instant she stepped out of Shuo Hero Academy, she wouldn’t know when a traitorous disciple would target her life.
So she had to stay safe in Tokyo for as long as possible.
“Ugh…”
She shook her head to scatter the terrible memories that flashed in her mind.
Think of good things.
As she resolved this, an image of her prime self in a bikini appeared in her mind.
If it were her prime self… even the little boy who likes big breasts would surely like her…
An image of Kim Deok-Sung playing in the water with her on a dolphin tube while she wore a bikini flashed through her mind.
At that thought, Seira’s cheeks turned bright red.
“Wh-why does that little boy’s face keep coming to mind…?”
Seira bit her lips.
This was not good.
Imagining other girls around the boy—Aris, Olivia, Rin, Eri, Makoto, Kasumi—all in swimsuits appealing to him, a surge of jealousy welled up from deep within her, startling her.
She definitely wants to go.
No matter what, she must find a way to attend this summer school…
“Ughhhh… This won’t do…”
Just as Seira desperately shook her head to shake off her jealousy.
Creak.
The door to the chairman’s room opened, and a mint-haired beauty in a suit, Ritsuko, entered.
“Chairman, I’m here!”
“W-what is it?”
Seira jumped in surprise, fidgeting with her clothes as if she were working.
“I know all about you playing with sweet bean jelly until now. Just approve these documents.”
Thud.
A stack of documents was dropped onto the desk in the chairman’s office.
Seira’s eyes narrowed as she saw the papers.
“Didn’t I give you the chairman’s seal so you could approve most matters? What kind of document could possibly be bothering me?”
Ritsuko, with the fatigue of a working adult in her sigh, replied, “You really! Can’t you read the title? It’s a joint training application from the St. George Academy in England! Can you stamp this without consulting me at all?”
Only then did Seira’s gaze finally shift to the top of the document.”
British St. George Academy.
There was a document labeled “Summer Joint Training Application Form.”
“England…?”
The students of Shuo Hero Academy, including Kim Deok-Sung, were at the center of the recent engagement fiasco, and as a result, it was the students of St. George Academy who suffered.
Though it was all William’s fault, considering the unfortunate incident between the two academies, it wouldn’t be surprising if the joint training was canceled.
But they decided to proceed with the training as scheduled?
“Well, there’s no justification for refusing it…”
Were they feeling the pressure of canceling the schedule?
Seira tilted her head and picked up a pen to sign the document.
Thus, the summer joint training between St. George Academy and Shuo Hero Academy was officially decided.
Is something wrong with their heads?
The last official event in France was the medal awarding ceremony.
In the garden of the Élysée Palace.
“I shall award you the Legion of Honor and a bonus for saving the motherland from crisis.”
The ceremony attended by the French Emperor and the Prime Minister, like all official events, was long and tedious.
But the reward was anything but boring.
Sure, there was a medal, but the bonus was a rather useful potion.
[I never thought they would process it like this.]
Ten years ago.
The Omega Rank otherworldly monster Pafnir, which led France to the brink of destruction, was defeated when the Black Prince Raul sacrificed his own life.
The essence extracted from the monster’s heart was processed into the French Vision Potion, ‘Dragon’s Blood Drink,’ given to all the cooking club members and the student council president, as well as Olivia.
I don’t get why it’s called Dragon’s Blood when they processed a dragon’s heart. Is it a light novel naming convention?
Well, whatever, it’s good.
What’s important is that not just me but other key characters from the original work are powered up with Dragon’s Blood.
The original story is already twisted.
For emergency preparedness, it was necessary for not only me but also my allies in the cooking club to become stronger.
[Still, my sacrifice wasn’t entirely in vain.]
The Black Prince speaks in a sentimental tone.
Back in the hotel room after the event.
[Go on, drink it. Partner.]
The Black Prince points at the pink, sparkling liquid in the glass bottle, Dragon’s Blood Drink.
I was going to drink it without anyone telling me.
Plop.
After removing the cap, I gulped it down.
“Ugh!”
My throat felt like it was on fire, just like when you drink strong alcohol over 50 degrees.
The essence of Pafnir contained in Dragon’s Blood violently surged through my magical circuits.
Thump, thump.
My heart raced.
Vwoooom!
The Black Stone embedded in my chest vibrated.
It greedily absorbed the energy from Dragon’s Blood.
“Ahh.”
My chest felt like it was burning hot before slowly calming down.
I opened my eyes after closing them.
I barely managed to suppress the surging energy.
The Black Stone felt even more activated.
If only I had a status window, I could know exactly how much stronger I had become, but without it, I was just guessing, and there might be some error.
[At this rate, I’ve gotten quite stronger, partner. Well, still not to the point of my little brother who has reached complete True Name Liberation, but you know.]
The Black Prince proudly brings up Olivia again.
Unlike my incomplete True Name Liberation, Olivia has successfully achieved complete integration since her first True Name Liberation.
Truly a deserving talent of the main heroine.
‘I’ve got to do my own thing.’
[Oh, partner. That’s the spirit. Yes, that’s it.]
Ignoring the Black Prince’s words, I lay down on the bed.
Thus, my last day in France passed by.
The next day.
Returning to the academy, nothing special happened.
In the remaining time, I finalized the cooking club’s field trip report prepared from the materials I collected while wandering around Paris and submitted it to my mentor, Mayuzumi Mayu.
After a modest after-party, I collapsed into bed and fell into a dead sleep.
I slept like I had just collapsed and died.
Since the day I returned was Friday, I spent the entire weekend holed up in my room, doing absolutely nothing and just lounging around.
And finally, today.
Monday.
“Ugh, ugh!”
I dragged my still-tired body, creaking like my bones were about to snap, to my seat in the classroom.
“My lord. Good morning.”
My desk mate is Makoto.
Originally, my partner was Eri, but ever since Makoto transferred, this seating arrangement has stuck.
“Uh, yeah. Good morning.”
“My lord, your face… You look tired. Are you okay? You’ve got dark circles under your eyes.”
Makoto spoke in a worried tone, reaching out to lightly touch my cheek but recoiling instead.
“S-sorry! My lord. I-I shouldn’t touch you…”
Blushing and flustered, Makoto stammered.
She waved her hands away and squeezed her eyes shut.
“What? Why would you apologize for that?”
Honestly, Makoto is way too timid.
When she was dressed as a boy, she was this super confident ‘prince charming’ character, but once she switched back, it’s like this every day.
“Thank you, my lord…”
Makoto giggled cutely, twirling her fingers.
“Ughhhh…”
“Makopi, I’m jealous.”
“Keheh…”
Olivia let out a groan at that scene.
Eri propped her chin on her hand, pouting, while Rin bit her lip.
[Your partner is really… pathetic.]
The Black Prince’s useless comment echoed in my head.
Pathetic? What a joke.
Just as I was about to argue back against the Black Prince’s nonsense—
Creeeek.
The classroom door swung open and Mayuzumi-sensei walked in.
“Hello, students! I’m Mayuzumi Mayu! Did everyone have a nice weekend?”
Thud.
Mayuzumi-sensei placed the attendance book on the teacher’s desk with a bright smile.
“Let’s begin HR! Today, I have some truly amazing news for you all!”
Waving her pointer stick and placing her hands on her chest, Mayuzumi-sensei was putting on quite the performance.
The over-the-top action is so typical of a light novel world.
I’ve seen it so many times now, I’m practically used to it.
Is it really okay to get used to this kind of thing?
“What about summer school?”
One of the extras raised their hand and spoke.
“Huh?! How do you know that already?!”
In response to the extra’s words, Mayuzumi-sensei, clutching her pointer stick, was at a loss.
The animation’s breast morphing was playing out right in front of me.
There’s really no need for a reenactment of that.
[Whoa… ]
The Black Prince’s astonishment rang out in my head.
Is this really the great hero of the French Empire?
Not just some pervert?
“I can’t believe it’s already that time.”
“Once summer school is over, the first semester is done, right?”
“I-I still haven’t bought my swimsuit…”
“Ugh, my diet is still not complete… I can’t just go to summer school like this…”
As soon as summer school was mentioned, the classroom erupted with chatter.
Everyone must be excited about going to the beach.
The summer school at Shuo Hero Academy has a program that’s pretty similar to Imgan School’s.
Well, considering that the original Japanese high school summer school program is basically a ‘school retreat at the beach’ concept, it makes sense for the Imgan School and summer school programs to be alike.
Anyhow, just like in the Japanese light novel convention, the summer school takes place in Okinawa.
The marine erosion site ‘Coral Beach’ is the backdrop.
Like with Imgan School, the summer school also has this grand purpose of teaching survival and combat techniques in underwater environments through practical exercises.
But in reality, true to Japanese light novels, it’s just about inserting illustrations of the heroines in swimsuits and the quintessential summer vibe! With everyone shouting “It’s summer!” on the sandy beach, and creating scenes of splashing around and tanning, just a gimmicky background setting for that.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.
