Chapter 130

“Ugh…”

At that moment, Hector, who had collapsed at the entrance of Percival Hall, had crawled in front of Roan before anyone knew it, reaching out a hand.

The surrounding students whispered even more.

─ L-Look at that! Hector really has developed a resistance to the Chastisement Spell!

─ It was indeed training!

─ Darc was already raising his own soldiers!

Roan contemplated whether he should cast the paralysis spell once more since he had developed resistance, but decided against it.

He had only done it earlier because it was so urgent, and in truth, Roan didn’t want to cast curse spells on his friends at random.

…He truly meant it, as long as Demona and Hector stayed quiet.

Thud—

Hector, placing a hand on Roan’s toes, spoke haltingly.

“Is it… for real…?”

Roan withdrew the paralysis spell remaining in Hector’s body.

Immediately, he brushed himself off and stood up.

‘Did he really develop a resistance?’

No matter how he withdrew the magic, recovering so quickly like that was the effect of resistance.

He knew Hector’s physical talent was quite outstanding, but who would have thought he’d develop a resistance to curse magic in such a short time.

If Hector’s father, Shencolt, found out, he would surely prepare a generous gift for Roan.

Although he would split his head open with an axe before that.

‘At this rate, I will be at a disadvantage if things go awry later…’

Should he use curse magic a bit less starting now?

But even if Roan tried to do so, Hector and Demona would go out of their way to do things that deserved curses.

“What do you mean by ‘for real’?”

“That we can’t receive an egg if we already have two or more!”

“Yes.”

“No way, even forbidden—”

Roan cut off Hector’s words, easily guessing the rest.

“That includes forbidden divine beasts and holy beasts.”

“Keo-heok!!!!!”

Hector clutched his heart and collapsed once again.

The whispering of the students reached its peak.

─ Darc must have done something again!

─ Look at that expression! Did he cast some instant-death holy spell?

‘How could there be an instant-death holy spell…’

Roan clicked his tongue at the students babbling whatever came to their minds.

Even in black magic, there was no instant-death effect.

This time, it was purely that Hector collapsed out of shock entirely on his own.

Hector lay trembling for a long time, then got up limply and walked to a corner.

“Yes… I only need you guys… Even though you are forbidden divine and holy beasts now, the day will come when you are allowed in Holy Wars, Crybaby and Sil-sil-ie.”

He then muttered desolately as he stroked the Thousand-Eyed Hole Serpent’s egg and the Purgatory Penitence Beast.

Roan thought to himself.

‘Well, if Harden reincarnates as a human again, that might happen.’

It meant there was no way that would happen.

At any rate, among Roan’s friends, only Hector and Demona were affected by the two-beast limit.

Lafia, Sion, and Riel looked quite excited about which egg they would receive.

“Lafi thinks cute ones like Terriers or Five-Colored Squirrels would be nice.”

“That would be nice… Ah, the Five-Colored Squirrel is a bit…”

“Ah.”

The three recalled Wooly at the same time and shook their heads.

The Five-Colored Squirrel was an extremely popular holy beast among girls, but Acherandir was an exception.

“Roan, what do you think? What kind of holy beast would suit me?”

“Well, since you’ll become a paladin, it would be good to have one that can cover the rear. For example, an Ember Sparrow or a Cloud Crane. Or, if you know how to manipulate fire, that would match well.”

“As expected of Darc…”

When Roan listed a few types in a textbook combination, the three were filled with admiration.

Unlike themselves, who had only thought about what holy beast they wanted to raise, they could feel that Roan was truly thinking seriously of his friends.

‘I should learn from that attitude, too. To become a Saintess, sociability alone isn’t enough.’

Especially for Sion, there was much to feel.

A Saintess or Holy Son who was the successor to the Pope could not simply be good-natured.

To remain kind to everyone even after rising to a high position, a corresponding ability had to support them.

Meanwhile, it was time for class to begin.

Denver, Professor Vulcan’s assistant and captain of the Holy War Club, gathered the students scattered here and there first.

“Now, everyone gather round~ The professor will be here shortly.”

The motif of the Holy War Club members, including Denver, was the image of a typical American college American football team.

With solid physiques, clear-cut looks, and gentle personalities.

Naturally, they were popular among almost all students, so the students followed their words well.

“Denver senior! I respect you! I want to become a Holy War player like you!”

Hector cheered even more enthusiastically.

But seeing Hector’s face, Denver blocked his approach with a vague smile.

“Sorry. The professor told us to keep some distance from the Pavilto family. Not just me, but all the Holy War Club members… I’m sorry.”

“……”

For some reason, despite loving Holy Wars so much, Hector couldn’t seem to accumulate any good memories.

‘To think he doesn’t give up on Holy Wars even after that, how persistent. Quite persistent.’

Even Roan acknowledged that passion and stubbornness.

While the students gathered and waited in the center of Percival Hall for a moment.

Creeeak—

The iron gate used by players to enter slid upward and opened.

And a giant figure revealed itself within.

It was Vulcan.

But the students tilted their heads upon seeing his appearance.

─ Doesn’t the professor look a bit strange for some reason?

─ Yeah, he looks exactly like a Lightning Bear, doesn’t he?

─ That’s because he is originally half-Lightning Bear.

It was a bit confusing, but they essentially meant: doesn’t he look like a wild Lightning Bear rather than a half-holy beast?

A hunched back, a shuffling gait, a gaping mouth, and so on.

Had he not been dressed in clothes, a few would have run away by now.

But when Vulcan fully emerged outside the passage.

─ H-Hieeee!!!

─ It’s a Lightning Bear wearing the professor’s clothes!!!

The students could no longer endure and tried to flee Percival Hall.

Denver hastily calmed them down.

“Everyone! Don’t run! He’s the professor!”

The students said, pointing fingers at Vulcan.

─ Senior! Look at that appearance!

“……”

Denver didn’t have much to say either.

Anyone would want to run upon seeing a half-Lightning Bear whose mouth was drooling in torrents rather than drops, with a vacant gaze.

“Urrrgh…”

To make matters worse, as Vulcan drew closer while letting out such sounds, the students grew even more terrified.

Denver sighed deeply and said.

“Everyone, the professor is like that sometimes. Today is a bit extreme, though… So don’t run too far, just stay inside Percival Hall.”

At that, the students all gathered at the entrance of Percival Hall and shivered.

The only student remaining in his spot was one.

It was Roan Darc.

And in any case, in Vulcan’s eyes, no one else but Roan really registered.

‘He must have coveted Bell quite a bit. …No, is he coveting me?’

Vulcan sometimes regained a bit of his wild nature when he got too excited.

In this state, it was to the extent that one wondered why he hadn’t rushed over immediately when the Abyss Dragon hatched.

…Even the peerless Roan hadn’t imagined that as soon as the Abyss Dragon hatched, Harden had sought out Vulcan first and knocked him unconscious.

Thud— Thud—

Walking step by step with giant paws, Vulcan stopped in front of Roan.

Denver cautiously approached Vulcan and spoke to him.

“U-Um, Professor. You remember the Principal’s warning, right? If you lay even a claw tip on Darc or the Abyss Dragon…”

Thrust—

Vulcan thrust the pad of his front paw right under Denver’s nose.

It meant that was enough, so he should speak no more.

Ki-ki-kit—

The Abyss Dragon sitting on Roan’s shoulder let out an ominous cry.

[Is this guy really a professor? He seems like a beast.]

‘…Well, for now.’

Despite Roan’s confirmation, the Abyss Dragon was still anxious, hiding completely behind his back and only peeking its head out.

Roan tried stepping to the side as an experiment.

Roll—

Back to the other side.

Roll—

Sure enough, Vulcan’s vacant eyes followed Roan’s movements every time he moved.

He seemed thoroughly hooked.

“Roan! Run away quickly! A Lightning Bear will tear a person apart!”

From afar, Demona’s terrified voice echoed.

“Grrrr…”

Vulcan’s voice sounded like a cave.

It was less a human voice and more a wild beast’s growl.

A few students screamed in the back.

Even if it was the Great Demon King Roan, it seemed he would be no match for Professor Vulcan.

Having clashed with him during the club promotion period, Roan knew that fact better than anyone.

“Yesterday… the rumor that… you hatched the Abyss Dragon… I heard it well…”

But instead of tearing Roan apart, Vulcan unexpectedly spoke normal words.

Splat— Splat—

…Except for the fact that clumpy drool splattered down in heaps every time he spoke a word.

Frowning at the floor that was growing increasingly damp nearby, Roan nodded.

“Yes.”

Since he had been told that Harden took measures, and in truth, despite Vulcan looking like that, he wasn’t someone completely devoid of reason, Roan didn’t worry too much for now.

“First… take this.”

Rummage—

Vulcan reached into his clothes to look for something.

Was he trying to bribe him to join the club now?

But what was pulled out by Vulcan’s claws was a sheet of paper.

Roan accepted the paper with a suspicious gaze and read it.

─ Club Admission Application: Acherandir Holy War Club ─

Surprisingly, it was a Holy War Club admission application.

Roan stared at Vulcan in bewilderment.

He could have understood it if it were a bribe instead.

Since it was fine for a student to voluntarily join even after the club promotion period had ended.

Secretly, that degree of natural building of human relationships (?) was usually tolerated.

But a professor or club member directly handing out an application form was strictly illegal.

“Professor. I understand your feelings, but if you give me the application form now—”

“Denver.”

As Roan tried to point out that fact, Vulcan cut him off and called Denver, who was standing beside him.

Denver nodded, his eyes filled with firm resolve.

And.

Click— Click—

He placed thick handcuffs on both of Vulcan’s wrists.

“……?”

Roan wondered what kind of stunt this was now.

Vulcan opened his mouth again.

“I will turn myself in. If only you join the club.”

“????”

Even the peerless Roan had no choice but to be flustered when Vulcan resorted to this.

Though he looked like a Lightning Bear, Vulcan was actually an intellectual who knew how to compromise under normal circumstances.

‘This guy seems out of his mind.’

Roan finally acknowledged the fact that other students had realized long ago.

Demona shouted in shock from behind.

“R-Roan arrested Professor Vulcan!”

─ A-As expected of Darc!

─ Professor Vulcan lost!

Roan shook his head.

Then again, come to think of it, there weren’t many sane people in this school to begin with.

***

Fortunately, Professor Vulcan’s arrest commotion ended quietly.

Click—

However, since a freshman member of News took a photo of Professor Vulcan in handcuffs, an extra edition would likely pop up tomorrow morning.

“I have no intention of joining the Holy War Club. I will pretend I didn’t see this proposal.”

“See, Professor? Then…”

When Roan refused once again, Denver tried to unlock Vulcan’s handcuffs.

Snap—

“Tsk, whatever.”

“……”

But Vulcan broke the handcuffs on his own.

…Handcuffs weren’t enough to restrain Vulcan anyway.

Unless it was a special restraining holy relic designed to restrict whole-body mana for giant magic beasts.

This degree of restraint was merely a performance.

But Vulcan grinned at Roan and added.

“Let’s see if you can still say that after this class is over.”