"Atlas?"
Matthias's brow raised at the unexpected na.
He suddenly recalled the ti he spent with him in the dical ward and frowned. Was he really?
"...I'm not entirely sure. It's just my guess from what I've managed to observe."
Hollowe answered flatly.
"The fact that so many incidents occurred when the two of them were in power makes question their entire system. Atlas is quite well known for his capabilities while Delilah is more known for her strength. If there's a fault in the system then it is highly likely linked with Atlas."
"Oh?"
A look of interest flashed across Matthias's face.
"So that's the reason why you believe that he's likely connected with the Inverted Sky?"
"For now, yes."
Hollowe answered with a small nod. Picking up the teacup, he took a small sip before crossing his legs.
"I've been trying to investigate him for the past few months but he's as clean as they co on the outside. He's got the perfect image, and considering his background, it's a little difficult for to fully investigate him."
"Do you need my help?"
"That won't be necessary. Considering the latest incident, it's highly likely that he will remain low for now."
"Then are you just going to wait until he does sothing?"
"There's no need for that."
Hollowe took another sip of his tea.
"...Just because I can't target him doesn't an that I don't have a direction to head." "Oh?"
"You see, there's a certain student that I'm very curious about."
Hollowe placed the teacup down, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"He's soone that I like quite a lot. Our personalities sh quite well." "sh well, you?"
A strange look crossed Matthias's face.
It only grew worse as Hollowe continued to speak.
"Especially his sense of humor. That is sothing that I can-"
"Was there such a monster in this place?"
"Tsk."
Hollowe lowered the teacup and clicked his tongue.
"...We both know you're the problem."
"No, I'm not."
Matthias shook his head. While the two of them had vastly different roles, they both ca from the sa Templar institute. The two knew each other quite well, and Matthias was well- versed with Hollowe's sense of humor.
It was sothing he dreaded. Not just him but everyone within the institute.
For there to be soone who had the sa sense of humor...
'Goosebumps.'
Matthias felt goosebumps.
Tak-
Placing the teacup down, Hollowe sighed.
"Going back to the topic in hand, I believe that I'll be able to find a breakthrough if I investigate him further."
"Why do you believe so?"
"Because he's at the center of most of the events that have occurred."
Hollowe answered firmly.
"Most incidents always seem to find a way with him, which should be enough of a clue. At first, I thought it was because he was the possible holder of one of the Holy Relics, but now I'm no longer certain of that fact."
"...You aren't?"
"No."
Hollowe shook his head.
"I fear the real reason might be different than what I expect it to be, and that's what worries
."
"Could it be?"
Picking up the hints in Hollowe's words, Matthias's face turned serious.
"Yes."
Hollowe closed his eyes and leaned back.
"Seeing how much he's been interacting with Atlas, I fear that he might be directly related to the Inverted Sky himself."
"A spy, I see. What is their na?"
"You should know him well by now."
With a bitter laugh, Hollowe raised his head to look at Matthias.
"...It's Julien of the Evenus Household."
***
[Foresight] --> [Eyes of the Seer]
I struggled to make sense of what I was seeing.
'Is my mind still foggy from the experience? Am I hallucinating?'
Rubbing my eyes, I looked at the notification that stood in front of . My expression shifted when I realized that I wasn't seeing things.
My innate skill...
It had really upgraded.
But how was this possible?
"This is the first ti that I've heard of Innate skills changing.'
"No, wait."
Now that I thought about it, spells also couldn't be upgraded. I was the only one that was capable of pulling such a move. The fact that my innate skill changed shouldn't really co as
a surprise to .
'Right, why am I even surprised?'
Perhaps it was more likely due to the fact that I didn't see any experience bar in the innate skills, making think that it was impossible to upgrade them, but it looked like I was
wrong.
"No, that's not it either..."
Lowering my head to stare at my skin, which was completely red, I had a vague idea of what
truly had caused the upgrade.
"It's the blood."
The blood was assimilating with my body, injecting the powers that once belonged to ,
Oracleus.
"...Wait, so does that an that the more blood I consu the more likely my foresight will
evolve?"
Realization dawned on right then.
If there was one thing that had been bothering for quite so ti was the vagueness of
my 'foresight' skill.
There was no real specific ti for when it ca, and while I had managed to catch a glimpse
of its potential back when I first ca to this world when I had relieved my death in the Mirror Dinsion, such power never revealed itself again.
"The current upgraded version of [Foresight] is [Eyes of the Seer]. If I take more blood will the skill upgrade further? Will I reach a point where I gain the powers of the one whom
everyone refers to as a god?"
The thought drumd wildly in my mind.
It was a dangerous thought, but the more I thought about it, the more likely this seed to be
possible.
'Right now, I do have a little bit of Oracleus's blood in my ring. Should I use it?'
I hesitated for a mont before shaking my head.
'No, maybe now's not the right ti.'
Finally, I shifted my attention towards the Pope's body and my shoulders started to feel
heavy.
"What do I do?"
I had tried reviving him using Mortum's blood, but that didn't work. I didn't understand why
but that was the least of my problems.
"How should I handle this?"
Should I just go out and tell them that he died?
Seeing all the blood scattered on the ground and the slits on the Pope's wrist, I knew that this
wasn't feasible. They'd imdiately start questioning and I saw no way out of the entire
situation.
'Running away?'
I laughed bitterly at the thought.
All of a sudden, I was reminded of the vision I had not too long ago and I understood that
running was pointless.
"This is fucked."
It was a despairing situation.
One that I couldn't find a way out of.
"Let's calm down for a second."
Slumping down on the chair, I cooled down my emotions and took deep and steady breaths.
Drumming my finger against my cheek, I thought about all the possible outcos of my actions. From involving Atlas to other more crazy ideas.
However, regardless of how much I thought about it, they all ended up with the sa end in
my mind.
...My death.
A pulse of anxiety rose up within my chest.
Tapping my foot against the floor, I looked all over the empty room. I searched for sothing. Anything that could help get out of the situation, but regardless of how hard I
thought, my mind was blanked.
There was no way out.
There...
My head abruptly lifted as my ears pricked up.
Sensing movent from the other side of the door, my heart jolted awake.
'Oh, shit.'
I scanned the room, feeling a lump form in my throat. As my body tensed up, my face changed
drastically when I noticed the door knob twist.
I imdiately stood up from the spot, and then...
Click!
A gentle click resounded across the room.
"Is everything all right over here?"
***
'This room is taking longer than anticipated.'
Priest Marian stopped before a certain room.
Room [E07].
Checking the ti, Marian found that the hearing was taking longer than it usually did. They
were now several minutes above the expected ti.
Of course, Marian was well aware of who was staying in the room.
He was one of the only few who knew.
Still, he decided to check.
Bringing his hand forward, he pressed his hand against the knob of the door, gently turning it
to the right.
Click!
With a gentle click, he opened the door and peeked inside.
"Is everything all right over here?"
"....Pardon?"
Looking into the room, Marian was t with the sight of an empty but clean room. Within the
room stood a young cadet who looked his way with a confused look.
"Is sothing going on?"
"...."
Frowning, Marian looked around.
"Is it just you in the room? Where is your confidant?"
"My confidant?"
Julien blinked for a mont before coming to a realization.
"Oh, he's gone. He told to wait here so that's what I've been doing."
"He told you to wait here?"
The frown on Marian's face deepened. However, when he thought about who the person in
question was, his brows started to loosen.
'Yes, his holiness may have received so urgent ssage. That is not unnatural.'
Furthermore, what could a cadet even do to the Pope? Smiling, Marian was just about to open his mouth when Julien spoke.
"He told to wait here and that soon soone will co to replace him. Are you the one?"
"Eh?"
Marian's face froze.
"He said that?"
"...Yes. He said that soone would co later to do the hearing. I would assu it's you
considering that you've co."
"No, but-"
"Aren't you a priest? Great, let's get ready."
Julien sat down and urged him forward.
"I'm ready to confess my sins."
"I, ah..." Pursing his lips, Marian sighed.
'Well, it shouldn't take too long.'
Looking behind him, he entered the room and approached the cadet. There was sothing
strange about the room he couldn't quite place his finger on, but he decided to ignore it while
facing the cadet who stood up and gestured at the seat. "Please."
"...Thank you."
Marian sat down and made himself comfortable.
"Do you know how this will proceed?"
"Yes, I've already done the first part with the previous priest." "....Alright."
Marian closed his eyes and leaned back.
"Please confess your sin."
"Haha, yes. I have several."
"Go on."
A strange silence ensued after his words. It was an unfitting silence that made Marian frown.
"Are you not going to-"
By the ti he opened his mouth, a hand pressed against his face and his eyes shot open.
What the!?
But it was too late.
Staring at the deep hazel eyes staring at him from behind the hand, all he could make out was
a faint, yet hoarse voice.
"This is my first sin."
Julien murmured, his lips trembling slightly as the room around him shifted, revealing an
entirely different scene with blood splattered everywhere and a figure lying motionless on the
floor.
m!"
"...I'm sorry Priest."
Marian's mind grew blank.
"I just want to live."
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