Chapter 159
A massive restoration project for Academia has commenced.
Due to the incident that occurred during the festival, numerous buildings in the aerial city of Academia were damaged, prompting the Central Church to send specialized personnel for recovery.
Thanks to their swift and stable tasks, the structures that had fallen apart like an earthquake were beginning to take shape again.
There were zero external fatalities from this incident.
The individuals who had entered Academia as outsiders were well-protected, and there were virtually no serious injuries reported.
However, the human toll within Academia was far from minor.
14 first-year students were dead.
21 second-year students were dead.
1 professor was deceased.
The auditorium, where Archbishop Beris had been, suffered the highest number of casualties, but several other areas also saw a significant loss of students.
Those who sustained serious injuries or had minor wounds were almost always exempt, focusing on recovery while Academia underwent restoration.
The level of damage was unprecedented in the history of Academia.
The world became noisy once again, and the professors and staff members of Academia faced fierce criticism.
Chancellor Gulemashia, being the face of Academia, bore the brunt of the blame, with his previously unshakeable reputation crumbling as factions began to question his abilities.
However, there were forces that spoke in favor of Academia, citing the extensive damage incurred by Altife.
The death of 2 top-tier bishops.
The death of 3 regular bishops and the capture of 1.
While Archbishop Beris and Bishop Pertigle Blurans, who had been hiding in Academia, were missed, the comparative losses in terms of enemy possessions were astonishing.
Especially since the top-tier bishops held the potential to become archbishops.
Their rapid expansion of power made it very easy to massacre the mindless Altife horde that had lost its center.
Heroic figures were dispatched to raid the so-called “vacant houses.”
They were expected to soon bring back results.
Therefore, when valuing human lives and calculating, the outcome of this incident was by no means a total loss—though they didn’t spell it out directly, they might as well have.
……
Shifting from the outside perspective to verify the inside.
Clemens, who had sustained serious injuries, received the news of the death of one of her followers, “Grita,” and frowned in anger at herself for a change.
Grita was a student that Clemens had placed under Pertigle’s guidance. Clemens was unaware of Pertigle’s connection to the Goddess Church and had made a grave mistake.
For someone like her, with high self-esteem and a protective nature towards her own people, loathing for her own foolish oversight began to sprout.
Vargan, who declared that he would actively root out the Goddess Church while stepping on a pile of ancient dragon bones, was indeed making moves.
He had joined forces with his research society, Arbol Frutal, the student council, and several professors to conduct checks for ideological verification.
A check was conducted for verification of female ideologies.
In fact, two more members of the Goddess Church among the third-year students hiding inside the Academia were revealed as a result.
Amidst the chaos, Vargan was elevating his reputation and worth.
He felt that a crisis was like an opportunity.
As if he relished the current situation.
He was charting a rising curve.
The layers of praising forces around Vargan thickened more than before, gathering quite a number.
⎯This is sure to influence the upcoming election. So, Saint. You can continue your research without a worry.
“……”
Saint Diphelia recalled what Vargan had said to her. Inside the dormitory room, she was continuing the research he mentioned.
It had already been a few months.
To be precise, since that day when Vargan had received the Divine Bug.
Diphelia had immersed herself in researching the Divine Bug.
She looked up papers on the Divine Bug and compared various research materials.
She hadn’t brought this up to Vargan.
Yet, somehow he knew she was studying the Divine Bug and handed her Lucien’s research records a few days after the festival ended.
Professor Lucien, drinking coffee mixed with a special poison, had succeeded to some extent in resisting the Divine Bug.
This was the most successful case of resistance against the existing Divine Bugs.
‘…Where did Vargan get this record from?’
However, since the fact that Lucien had betrayed the Goddess Church was not publicized, Diphelia was unaware of it.
He had just vaguely passed it off as useful data found among the research records on the Divine Bug.
Vargan did not disclose the source.
Diphelia, conducting experiments based on the materials he provided, ended up creating a poison that indeed had a certain degree of resistance to the Divine Bug—a piece of information too valuable to keep to herself.
Thus, Diphelia had gone to Vargan to say.
⎯I need to provide this research result to the Church.
It was clear that having the Church’s professional personnel undertake a large-scale project would yield much better results than her working alone.
⎯No. It’s not time yet. Saint, for now, you must continue this research by yourself.
Perhaps due to the danger of the poison, or perhaps for some other reason, he refused her proposal.
“……”
Was he trying to monopolize this research information to make a fortune?
If so, would he even need to pass the records to her?
It seemed like he aimed for the progress of the research… but what was he thinking?
“Phew… there’s really no point in overthinking this.”
Diphelia decided to take a break from her research for a moment. Slowly moving the wheels of her wheelchair toward the window.
Her thoughts spiraled whenever Vargan was involved.
His actions were rarely predictable, always leading to extraordinary outcomes.
At first, Vargan merely appeared to be a villain.
But… as time passed, she couldn’t deny that her perception of him was changing.
What kind of picture was he drawing?
How intricately and grandly was he plotting, pushing himself relentlessly?
Before his wounds were fully healed, or even showing any signs, Vargan had resumed activities and continued to move actively.
He always acted casual, yet upon closer inspection, he sometimes appeared chased by time.
Schugenharz Troa Vargan.
What on earth are you…….
Attempting to shake off her thoughts, Diphelia found herself lost in deeper contemplation again. Instead of her hazy eyes, she looked at the world through the eyes of the small familiar perched on her shoulder.
Light faded, and darkness fell like blackout curtains. The sun, which brightly illuminated the sky, was slowly setting.
The day fades away.
The once vibrant scenery changes its appearance as time passes.
It showcases a new look.
The complex feelings of the Saint, Diphelia, stir within her mind.
And as if to mention a small wish, she murmurs softly.
“…Is it okay for me to trust you like this?”
The answer to that question is not shown even by her familiar, who acts as her eyes.
It was something she needed to judge and act on herself.
*
“Come on, call me senpai!”
Naias said confidently.
With both hands on her waist, she stands proudly with a beaming smile.
“What are you doing? Hurry up and say it!”
“…….”
“Respected Naias-senpai. I, the underclassman Arcane, will follow you for the rest of my life. Say that!”
“……Tch.”
“Huh? What’s this? Are you sticking out your tongue…Ah, Young Master, wait a moment!”
I grabbed Naias by the scruff of her neck and tossed her far away. There were many things I needed to test right now, and she was wasting time with her nonsense.
It was late at night, and Alicia had also returned after taking care of the swordsman.
Inside the dormitory, with Naias’s help, I finally succeeded in humanizing the dark spirit Arcane, who was trapped in a black jewel.
I had kidnapped the core system of Lucien’s main golem and brought it into the world.
Forced out, Arcane also appeared in the form of a young child, about ten years old, just like Naias.
Gender indeterminate, their appearance didn’t reveal whether they were male or female.
Their hair was a deep purple, similar to Altife’s mana.
Their eyes were the same.
Eaten by the Judgment Weapon, just by looking at the colors, it seemed more fitting that Naias was the one called the dark spirit.
“Hey! Hurry and call me Naias-senpai! Do you even know how much higher my rank is than yours in both the spirit realm and here, you little punk?”
Unwilling to give up, Naias approached and tried to assert her dominance.
Arcane turned their head away, pretending not to listen, while Naias started getting furious.
“Hey, come here. I’ll totally wreck you. Do you see this beautiful hair color? I’m a spirit who has absorbed the Judgment Weapon—are you really acting up right now?”
Ignoring Naias’s relentless chatter like a woodpecker, Arcane kept their lips sealed tight, moving them just slightly.
“…You’re so annoyingly loud.”
“What, what? What did you say—?!”
I agreed with Arcane’s comment and placed a binding force to avoid further commotion.
Instantly, Naias fell to the ground with a ridiculous sound.
It was as if gravity was several times stronger just in that space, pressing down on her.
I looked back at Arcane while leaving Naias to her antics.
Upon noticing my gaze, Arcane turned away, seemingly not wanting to meet my eyes.
I spoke to the dark spirit, who was being rather petulant.
“Even if you make it obvious that you dislike it, it can’t be helped. Half of your authority has already shifted to me, meaning we are an inseparable community now.”
“…….”
“You’re not unaware that this was transferred from your previous master, Lucien. In the long run, your current attitude is like eating away at your own flesh.”
“…….”
“Still silent, huh?”
“Young Master! Teach that brat a lesson! Let’s unleash violence just like you did to me, overpower her!”
I triggered the binding force again, silencing the noisy Naias.
If outsiders heard this, they’d think I was beating up a ten-year-old child.
What a terrible misunderstanding that would be.
The contract with Naias was formed under the strict premise of non-violence and fairness… Not to mention, Naias wasn’t even ten years old.
“Well… Naias isn’t even 10 years old to begin with.
Sure, there was a bit of intimidation and suppression at first.
But in the end, Naias is living happily (?), so isn’t that good enough?
‘… How was the end?’
As I briefly recalled the first time I met Naias, I heard the gentle voice of Arcane, who had her head bowed.
“I couldn’t hear properly because the sound was fading away. Speak again.”
I urged Arcane to speak up.
She lifted her head and asked, “… How was Lucien’s end?”
Arcane’s question was clear.
She had witnessed Lucien’s deeds through his Golem.
Though I couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason, she had grown quite fond of Lucien, who was already dead, and she was the only one in the original story who mourned his death.
I clearly saw Lucien’s demise.
Thus, I was able to explain.
There was no need to lie.
Lucien… that foolish man’s end was simple.
“He died as a human.”
I spoke to the spirit mourning Lucien’s death.
Lucien did not become Altife; he passed away in a rather grotesque yet decent human form.
Moreover, in his last moments…
“With a peaceful smile, like someone who had let go of everything, he met his end.”
“… I see.”
Arcane lowered her head again and nodded lightly.
Her trembling voice sounded just like that of a child.
“I’m glad…”
That he could at least close his eyes as he wished… truly, I am glad.
Though Arcane seemed cold, warm tears fell from her eyes.
I couldn’t empathize with Arcane’s emotions, but I waited in silence.
After some time, it wasn’t me or Arcane who broke the silence. It was Naias, who was sprawled on the floor, stubbornly resisting the force that had gripped her.
“No, Young Master! Why are you being so nice? Aren’t we treated very differently?!”
Naias complained with a voice filled with injustice.
“I should be tying up that guy who doesn’t listen and torturing him, or at least beating him up! I should get way worse than that!”
I turned away from the struggling spirit to see what she was trying to say next.
Reason?
Is that even a question?
“You’re so foolish. The situation has changed from then to now.”
Naias was in a weakened state, struggling to survive in the crumbling secret dungeon, and I was in the position of saving her.
In other words, I was completely in the powerful position, so a ‘certain degree’ of action was acceptable, but this dimwit thinks her situation is the same as Arcane’s.
“A contract, by nature, depends on each party’s circumstances. There’s a clear difference between you and Arcane.”
“… Ugh! Ugh!”
The contract with Arcane was initially formed under equal conditions from Lucien, which has now been transferred.
Therefore, while Arcane was forced to play the role of not escaping, it was impossible to impose the force unilaterally; it would also be inefficient to make her comply by coercion.
“So shut up and just stay still, Naias.”
Arcane was going to be the ‘Ego’ of the ‘Weapon’ I was going to create, so I shouldn’t treat her harshly.
I need to slowly strengthen our bond.
“Ugh!”
Naias squirmed on the floor, resisting, but the contract-bound force tightened around her body even more.
After a while of writhing, once I finished checking all of Arcane’s information, I released Naias’s personification and returned her into the sword.”
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