It had been a week since I had returned to the academy from Marias Great Forest.
As I ca back quietly, so students and professors didn't even realize that I had returned.
However, I made it known that I had indeed returned during my lecture, which I resud the previous day.
As they were upset that I sent them ho first, Findenai and the Dark Spiritualist irritated slightly with their blunt reaction upon my return, but I decided to let ti sort it out.
More importantly, there was another thing that needed to be addressed now.
"Huff."
Right now, Eleanor Luden Griffin was in my lab, tearfully writing a reflection.
There was a sign hanging around her neck that read,
I'm stupid.
I didn’t know why she was wearing sothing like that. Was it perhaps a joke by Findenai?
Well, it was not wrong, so I just let it be. Then, another female student approached carefully.
It was Aria who had her long black hair tied up, probably because it was sumr. She cautiously handed her sheet with her reflection written.
She also had a sign hanging around her neck.
I'm sorry for behaving like I'm in a rut.
"...Take that sign off."
Regardless, asking a student to wear sothing like that was a bit too much. Upon hearing my words, Aria smiled brightly as she imdiately removed the sign, tearing it in half.
"I-it's Findenai’s doing."
As expected.
I sighed and began reading Aria's short reflection.
I deeply reflect on the incident of drawing an unpleasant picture resembling Professor Deus this ti. Actually, I was not the one who drew the picture; it was Eleanor who did... (omitted)... But down the line, wouldn’t this also beco a bittersweet mory of my school days? Just like how Professor wants to, am I not living faithfully as the student Aria Rias? A curious and innocent child...-
Scrunch.
As I read it until there, I found myself crumpling the reflection before I realized it.
Glancing beyond the crumpled ball of paper, Aria scratched her cheek with embarrassnt.
"Please, look at ~!"
She winked while acting cutely.
Normally, I would have calmly let the student act cute. However...
"Write another two pages."
"Huwaaah!"
Since it really soured my mood, I imdiately doubled the length of the reflection she had to write.
Aria trudged back to the seat next to Eleanor and began writing her reflection again on the paper she received from Owen.
She glared at Owen, the informant, but as soon as I glanced at her, she withdrew her gaze and focused on her reflection, like a puppy running away.
It seed like it was going to be a long day.
Frankly, it felt uncomfortable that they were drawing weird pictures of . However, both of them were my precious students for now, and they were still young, so I decided to overlook it.
"Hmmm."
At that mont, Illuania, who was sitting beside and flipping through the drawings, let out a murmur. I had told her to stay at the hotel and rest, but she insisted on coming all the way here with Sevia to visit.
She was flipping through the pictures Eleanor had drawn while holding her child in her arms.
Then.
"Pfft."
Finding sothing amusing, she chuckled to herself.
"Perhaps because they're still kids, their imagination is lacking. You’re much more impressive than this."
"...Pardon?"
"What did you say?"
Both Aria and Eleanor imdiately stared at Illuania. I also frowned and glared at her. Covering her child's ears, Illuania smiled awkwardly.
"Oops, an old habit of mine."
"Sigh, stop looking at them and go burn it outside. Findenai is also getting ready."
"Alright, understood! Goo-goo ga-ga, Sevia, shall we go~?"
Holding Sevia tightly, Illuania carried the drawings, and walked out.
I sighed and turned to look at the woman who shared the lab with .
Since there were an unusual number of people present in the lab today, I was worried that Professor Fel Petra would be bothered by it. However…
"......"
With her pink hair tied up ssily, and her lips sealed tight, she was completely focused on her work.
According to Erica, her lectures were so advanced that students found them difficult to understand at tis. That was how much of a genius she was in her field.
Other than her actions of erratically waving her arms around, which made her look no different from a mad scientist or a serial killer, it was hard to see her as anything else.
"Ugh."
Professor Fel sighed wistfully, and since I had finished my tasks, I approached her slowly, wondering what troubled her.
The two female students glanced at briefly but imdiately averted their gazes back to the paper when I glared at them.
"Is anything troubling you?"
"Ah, Professor Deus. I must have disturbed you! I-I apologize!"
Professor Fel scratched her head apologetically. After reassuring her that she didn't need to apologize, I simply stood by her side and said so.
It was truly a sophisticated imitation body.
I was amazed at how it was made. From what I heard, it was sothing akin to alchemy.
Although I was curious, I had no intention of prying into soone else’s personal research recklessly.
As I stared intently at the imitation body she had created, as if embarrassed, Professor Fel fidgeted a bit before answering.
"Actually, the process of making the imitation body itself isn't that difficult, but I don't have anyone to help test it."
"Hmm."
"I’ve tried it myself, but I feel like using three arms would feel very different compared to what actual users would experience."
I briefly wondered about where she would attach and use the prosthetic arm, but if that was the issue, I imdiately thought of soone I knew who would be able to be of so help.
"I think I can help."
"Huh? Really?!"
"Just wait a mont."
After saying that, I headed out of the lab.
"Please keep an eye on those two until I return."
"Ah, yes! Understood!"
"Owen, you as well. If they harass you, inform imdiately."
"Yes, Soul Whisperer!"
The two girls, who were looking forward to taking advantage of my absence, beca dejected, and the light in their eyes went dim once again.
These kids… it seems like I had been too lenient with them.
Not only that, but they were also doing weird stuff with my face.
Well, to be precise, it was with Deus' face, and that didn’t exactly make feel very unpleasant.
Although I took a bit of ti outside, I was able to find soone to help.
"Why are you here?"
[...]
The Dark Spiritualist was sitting on the rooftop railing of the academy, looking at the surrounding scenery. Although her behavior was unusual, and I was confused about that, she still didn't look at .
"Sigh, can you not let it slide this ti? It was really sothing I had to do alone."
After forcefully using the souls in Marias Great Forest, it was naturally my responsibility to seek forgiveness from them.
So, there was no need for the Dark Spiritualist to accompany .
[What would you do if a student of yours commits a serious offense?]
“…….”
[You will ask them to bring their parents, right? You will also contact their family, correct? Aren't I in a similar position? When you make a mistake, don't you think that I also need to bow my head along with you?]
"You do not need to do that."
At my words, the Dark Spiritualist turned her head abruptly, descended from the railing, and approached with long strides.
Unlike her usual self, she seed incredibly angry this ti.
[Who taught you Necromancy?]
"...You did."
[If it weren't for , you would have still been struggling with the basics of Necromancy, let alone mastering it, and you would have been devoured by Legeton, you know that right?]
The Dark Spiritualist's tone beca quite harsh.
I thought ti would help soothe her anger, but it seed like the situation had only worsened.
Her anger seed to have been festering inside.
[Isn't it within my capacity to do that much for you? Am I not in a position where I can accompany you to kneel down and apologize?]
The Dark Spiritualist closed the distance confidently, clenched both fists, leaned forward, and glared at .
From her attitude, I felt as if she was saying, ‘I dare you to say sothing.’ However, I still opened my mouth.
"Yes, you are right."
[...Excuse ?]
She must have not expected to accept it so easily. Despite the puzzled expression on the Dark Spiritualist's face, I continued speaking.
"If you want to think like that, of course, you have every right to do so."
At so point, the Dark Spiritualist had sohow also beco quite significant to .
She stamred in surprise.
"However, please do not misunderstand. It is not because I ignored or distanced myself from you."
In fact, I had instructed her to leave first because I didn't want her to suffer like that just because of .
[A-hem. Okay. I understand.]
Feeling awkward, the Dark Spiritualist cleared her throat nervously and averted her gaze. Though barely visible from behind the semi-transparent veil, it seed like she was forcibly stopping the corners of her lips from rising.
After giving her a mont, the Dark Spiritualist finally regained her composure and asked with a brighter mood.
[Did your apology in the Great Forest go well before you returned here?]
"I did my best. Not everyone accepted it, but I paid a suitable price for that."
Currently, I was fine, thanks to Saintess Lucia's treatnt.
However, when I had erged from Marias Great Forest, I was covered in blood and lost consciousness because there were no souls who would graciously accept being used by force.
"And I also gained sothing as well."
[Gained sothing?]
When the Dark Spiritualist stared at in confusion, I slowly stretched out my hand.
In it was a burning red orb.
While so might consider it to be a re ember, it was not the sa for the Dark Spiritualist.
[Horua?!]
Her eyes widened in surprise. I nodded slightly in response to her.
"He has weakened considerably, but since guardian deities are spiritual beings as well, I was able to collect his soul."
Initially dumbfounded by my calm response, the Dark Spiritualist eventually let out a bitter laugh.
[From a Saintess to a Demon Lord, and now a Guardian Deity who has lost his land as well. You're truly remarkable.]
"You forgot another one."
[What?]
"The greatest Necromancer on this continent is also with , right?"
When I glanced at her with a faint smile, the Dark Spiritualist gaped for a mont before straightening her shoulders and exclaiming proudly.
[Of course! No doubt! I have no intention of stepping down from the top position! I will continue to keep moving forward!]
"Indeed, keep working hard. Anyway, how about we go now?"
As I turned around, the Dark Spiritualist followed in a good mood.
[Fufu, you were unusually kind when you ca to find today. I should get upset with you more often.]
Her humming response surprisingly didn't put in a bad mood either.
Although it wasn't my intention, asking her for a favor while in this state didn't seem difficult.
After returning to the laboratory, I pointed to a lone artificial arm lying there and said.
"Put it on."
[...]
"Professor Fel said she needed an actual user. I thought you would probably feel sothing similar since you don't have a physical body."
The Dark Spiritualist, who had been staring blankly at , slowly clenched her fist.
And then, as expected, she burst out in anger.
[You! YOU! YOU FOOOOOL! You deceived ! You used sweet words to manipulate ! Scum! Garbage! Necromancer!]
"...You too are a Necromancer."
[SHUT /genesisforsaken
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