Chapter 89
After the opening ceremony ended, in front of the Main Building.
Amidst the large crowd, I was walking while flipping through the booklet handed out by the academy.
Grab!
At that mont, soone seized my clothes.
“Villed.”
Lapin.
And sticking right beside Lapin, holding her hand, was Arowell.
Lapin held onto my clothes, pushing through the crowd as if unwilling to let go again.
‘Just as I thought. Sa as always.’
Sohow, Lapin had figured out where I was and brought Arowell along, holding her hand.
“During the opening ceremony, the seats filled up too quickly……. Where were you, Villed?”
“There weren’t any seats left. I had no choice but to stay in the back.”
When I answered, Arowell gave an awkward smile as if regretful.
Then, glancing at the booklet I was holding, she seed to rember sothing and replied.
“Ah, right. There’s a lecture orientation a little later. Let’s go together!”
“Sure.”
I nodded in response.
It was ti for the explanation of the lecture’s curriculum.
According to the booklet, the lecture orientation to be held twenty minutes later was for the 1st-year mandatory course, ‘Understanding Basic Magic (2)’.
The instructor was Professor Hilda.
‘……We’ll be eting again.’
I had already expected this since she was appointed as the successor to Professor Belzrover, who was in charge of the 1st years.
‘Still, sothing feels off.’
Like during the opening ceremony, when she had suddenly lifted my arm with magic.
I could sense that she was paying attention to .
The reason was, of course, unknown.
‘Maybe I’d know if I tried talking to her. No, perhaps it’s better to avoid even that and just keep things cut off?’
I was lost in deep thought over this unexpected developnt.
“Villed! Lapin!”
A familiar voice.
Karin, having spotted , ca over.
Arowell looked at Karin and greeted her with a bright smile.
“Hello.”
“……Ah, hi.”
Karin looked at Arowell, hesitated a little, then gave a nod.
The next schedule was the orientation for the Introduction to Basic Magic lecture.
“You’re on your way to class, right? Mind if I join you?”
When Karin asked while glancing at Arowell, I gave a light nod.
“I don’t mind.”
Since we were heading the sa way, there was no reason to refuse.
After walking for a while—
“Co join the Alchemy Departnt if you love research or aspire to be a scholar!”
“If you prefer crafting and processing, the Hephaestus Departnt is for you!”
In front of the Main Building, upperclassn were waving placards and shouting at the top of their lungs.
Dozens of departnts were promoting themselves here.
Since the decision for the 1st-years’ majors was only four months away, each departnt was advertising actively.
“If your goal is to beco the greatest swordsman of the continent, join the Blue Ivory Knights!”
A man in a blue cape shouted vigorously.
Next to him, a cadet in a red cape raised his voice even louder.
“Those weaklings who rely on mana can’t be called swordsn. True knights are defined by pure physical might! If you have talent in swordsmanship, co to the Red Hawk Knights!”
“Don’t be fooled by outdated swordsmanship—join the Blue Ivory Knights with the new school!”
“What did you say, you fake bastard?”
The man in the red cape snapped irritably at the one in the blue cape.
“Let’s settle this with facts. Among last year’s graduates, didn’t the Blue Ivory have a higher appointnt rate to the Imperial Knights than the Red Hawks?”
“It’s not about numbers, it’s about peaks. Far more Imperial Knight Commanders have co from the Red Hawks.”
“No matter what you say, it won’t be resolved. Let’s just settle it with swords.”
“Fine by .”
“Hey, knock it off before I have to report you!”
As the Blue Capes and Red Capes growled at each other, other upperclassn had to step in to break them up.
The Blue Ivory Knights trained in both sword and magic, becoming magic swordsn.
The Red Hawk Knights focused far more on swordsmanship than magic, raising pure swordsn.
As traditional rivals, they had never gotten along.
Their records and scale were neck-and-neck, which made things worse.
‘……So there are so departnts not doing promotions here.’
The only ones absent were the three elite departnts.
The most representative of the elite was ‘Hawkeye’.
Hawkeye was the departnt for training commanders, focusing on tactics.
After graduation, its students were guaranteed official positions in the Empire and command of a unit as appointed commanders.
Only students with the highest grades could choose that departnt.
‘The entrants to Hawkeye are all Imperial nobles. Its upper-level departnts, Alkymia and Finders, don’t need to bother with promotion at all.’
Moreover, being called the top-class departnts, their pride was also high.
“I’m going to Alchemy. Villed, which departnt are you applying for?”
Karin suddenly asked.
“……Well.”
I shrugged as if I didn’t know.
But the departnt I wanted was already decided.
‘Let’s go with Common Magic.’
The two most basic departnts in the academy were Combat Magic and Common Magic.
‘Even with low grades, you can get into Combat Magic or Common Magic. Especially Common Magic doesn’t involve much practical combat, so it’s convenient.’
I thought it would be best to graduate easily from the most comfortable departnt.
While walking past the promotion booths, a voice caught my ear.
“If you are interested in healing and earnestly wish to serve God, please co to the Briarflower Monastery.”
A sweet voice, almost like singing.
Turning my gaze that way, I saw a cadet in a nun’s habit.
Light blonde hair.
A modest and graceful deanor.
Even her faint smile looked sacred and benevolent.
“Ah, unni!”
Arowell spotted the nun, waved high, and shouted.
“Sister Angela!”
“……Arowell!”
The nun ca toward us.
Then she took both of Arowell’s hands and smiled brightly.
“Congratulations on skipping a grade this ti!”
“It’s all thanks to you. Were you promoting here?”
“Yes, if we want lots of new entrants next year, we have to work hard.”
“You must be busy with prayers, but you’re even involved with recruitnt……. You really are a strong candidate for Saintess. I admire you!”
“Oh, stop that. I’m still lacking.”
After chatting warmly with Arowell, the nun slowly turned her gaze to .
“……”
When her eyes t mine, her expression stiffened for a mont.
Then she stared at silently for quite a while.
‘……Did she get scared?’
I was used to situations like this.
As usual, I kept my mouth shut.
“You are……”
The nun carefully opened her mouth, but Arowell hurried to answer, a little flustered.
“Sister Angela, this is Mr. Villed……”
Arowell seed unsure how to explain .
Just then—grab!—the nun clasped my hands with both of hers.
“Brother Villed of the Dedenkman Territory!”
A radiant smile spread across her face.
She looked overjoyed.
……But why?
“Ah, how could this be? This is destiny. This must be God’s guidance!”
The modest deanor from a mont ago vanished, and suddenly she beca very forward.
Seeing that bright face, I felt a bit bewildered.
‘Why is she acting like this toward ……?’
Everyone usually avoided Villed.
‘Is it because she believes so firmly in God’s protection that she’s lost all fear?’
Instead of avoiding , this nun welcod eagerly.
And what she said next was even more absurd.
“I’ve already heard much about you. Brother, you are a sinner who has committed far too many sins.”
Clutching my hands tightly, she continued without pause.
“Therefore, you must wash those sins clean!”
Looking at her eyes that sparkled almost excessively, I thought—
‘This is trouble.’
It was my first ti experiencing this, but sohow it felt familiar.
Like when people on the streets with “blessed faces” asked if I knew the Way.
It was sure to beco botherso, just like then.
I had to escape this situation.
“This is no ti to waste. Ti is urgent. Let’s go to the monastery at once!”
She tried to pull along, but I stood firm, unmoving.
“……Brother Villed!”
When her strength didn’t work, the nun ended up grabbing both of my arms.
And loud enough for everyone around to hear, she shouted.
“Now, let’s repent!”
The nun clung tightly to my hands, desperately trying not to let go.
‘Adrian Angela.’
That was her na.
‘……She wasn’t a main character, but she did show up in the story from ti to ti.’
A devout believer, known as the senior and representative of the Briarflower Monastery, and a strong candidate for Saintess.
‘When a character revived, they would wake up at the Briarflower Monastery. Anyway, she was a character that left an impression on any player.’
She had little direct involvent in the story, but was a familiar face.
‘But then, what’s the reason for taking an interest in ?’
There was absolutely no connection between Villed and this nun.
And it was strange that she not only labeled as a villain but seed to welco that fact.
I couldn’t understand it.
Angela held my hands and ca closer.
“Is repentance difficult for you? Don’t worry. All you need to do is repeat after . So let’s quickly go to the monastery……”
“Um…… s-senior!”
Karin, who had been watching beside , gathered her courage and shouted.
“I-I understand your good intentions, but still…… if you force it like that……!”
Hesitant but raising her voice, Karin protested.
“……”
Angela seed to understand her aning and quietly released my hands.
“……Hmm. Was I being a bit too forceful? My apologies.”
Angela cleared her throat, then spoke again in a calr tone.
“It’s not by force. But I can see it clearly. Brother Villed, you must repent.”
Even as I glared sharply at her, Angela didn’t look away.
Instead, she began to smile brightly.
“Even if you do not repent, at the very least, I want to introduce you to our Briarflower Monastery.”
After listening to everything she said, I gave a short sigh and replied.
“……Let’s do that another ti.”
Hearing my answer, Angela nodded.
Then, clasping my hands with both of hers—
“Brother.”
Her eyes bore into mine so intensely it felt burdenso.
“I will be waiting for you to co repent.”
She squeezed my hands firmly, greeted , and walked away.
Karin wiped the cold sweat off her forehead as she watched Angela’s back.
“That senior looks so modest, but she’s really overwhelming……”
“Ahaha……”
Arowell scratched her cheek with an awkward smile, embarrassed by her sister’s boldness.
“You don’t look very surprised, do you? Your face is still the sa.”
Karin blinked as she looked closely at my expression.
‘……No, I was a little unsettled too.’
But maybe because of my ingrained habits, no emotion showed outwardly.
I walked on silently.
Yet I couldn’t shake the feeling in the back of my mind.
It didn’t feel like that nun’s connection with would end here.
A bad premonition stirred……
Yggdrasil Luminous Hall.
The third floor’s large lecture hall.
It was wide enough to accommodate all the first-year students.
It was the sa classroom used last sester for ‘Understanding Basic Magic (1)’.
The place, the students sitting there—
Everything was the sa.
The only difference was……
“Hello!”
The professor in charge of the lecture.
“It’s my first lecture, so I’m a little nervous……! I’ll be in your care. I’ll explain this sester’s curriculum.”
Professor Hilda Annebrier.
Her voice trembled slightly, but she continued explaining gently and clearly.
“If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Professor, I have a question.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
The Q&A flowed smoothly.
She explained what we would be learning this sester, what goals we should set.
Even as a new professor, I could tell she had prepared thoroughly.
‘The other students don’t seem to doubt her either.’
In a prestigious academy like this, there were always students with sky-high pride.
It was a situation where they could easily look down on a new professor, but no one spoke rudely or raised objections.
“……Alright, if there are no more questions, let’s end the session here. You may all go for today. See you next week!”
Students rose en masse from their seats.
Sitting in the back row, I waited until the crowd had left.
At that mont, my eyes t Hilda’s by chance.
And then, her dainty steps began to move.
‘……No way?’
It felt like Hilda was coming toward .
……No.
She was definitely heading straight for .
Tap, tap……
Her footsteps stopped right in front of .
“Student Villed.”
Hilda looked down at with a gentle smile.
“Shall we have a little chat?”
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