Chapter 142

Chapter 142

Because he had traveled to places where the Empire’s administrative power did not properly reach to execute all kinds of criminals, black mages, and heretics, it was only natural.

“Of course! Is he not a hero of the Empire? To be able to meet him so early, enrolling was indeed the right choice.”

Just as Hector said, Espard was called a hero of the Empire along with the title of the Saint of the Bell.

It was only natural, since he traveled to areas where the Empire’s administrative power could not properly reach to execute all sorts of criminals, black mages, and heretics.

At a glance, even Roan, who hid his identity as a black mage, should have been trembling.

‘Well, Espard is…….’

Roan did not worry much about Espard.

First, it was almost certain that he would not be detected due to the False Divinity.

Also, Espard only executed black mages who had committed clear crimes; he would report those living quietly in the mountains to nearby offices or, depending on the case, just leave them alone.

‘In the latter case, because rumors didn’t spread much, he was just perceived as a hardliner.’

Since Roan had no record of committing crimes, he had nothing to feel guilty about.

……Though it was questionable whether Espard would think the same way about a black mage who had secretly enrolled in Acherandir.

In any case, since he also had to obtain the Bell of Eternity from Espard, it was all the more reason for Roan to participate in this class.

The students walked along, each harboring different thoughts.

“Darc, could you help this decrepit Principal?”

Suddenly, Harden popped out in front of them.

“Ack! A ghost!”

Even though she should have been used to it by now, Demona was invariably startled by Harden popping up out of nowhere.

While looking at Demona with a pitiful expression, Roan was dumbfounded by Harden’s words.

‘What? Who is decrepit?’

If Harden was decrepit, everyone else in this world would be half-corpses who deserved to die.

In the first place, did a spirit even have a body that could grow decrepit?

Moreover, the fact that he singled out only him out of the six of them was extremely suspicious.

“Principal, what kind of help do you need? We will definitely……!”

Like righteous paladin aspirants, Raphia and Riel stepped forward instinctively.

However, Harden looked at Roan again and said.

“No. I cannot shamelessly borrow your hands as well. Thank you, but having Darc alone should be enough.”

At the same time, he sent a telepathic message.

[It is a very important matter, so slip away naturally.]

If the great Harden went this far, it must be something truly important.

“Then I will go. You guys can go ahead.”

When Roan said this, his friends spoke with envious eyes.

“I’m envious. To be able to help the Principal by yourself.”

“Yeah…… I wanted to help too.”

Roan thought to himself.

‘Then you guys should become black mages too.’

Though they wouldn’t want that.

In any case, Roan took the Abyss Dragon and the Heavenly Sword Peacock King and followed Harden into a dark alley.

If they were thugs and a victim, it might be different.

It did not look like a place where a principal and a student would have a conversation, but neither of them cared.

“What is the matter?”

“I will get straight to the point. Skip the World of Prayer class today.”

“Excuse me?”

Roan reacted in an dumbfounded voice.

No matter how whimsical Harden was, he valued guaranteeing students’ right to learn above all else.

He would almost never tell a student to skip class.

‘Hold on.’

……Come to think of it, he was slightly confused whether letting Roan, a black mage, attend the World of Prayer class counted as guaranteeing the right to learn.

“W-Why is that?”

When Roan asked, Harden spoke as if he was frustrated.

“Are you asking because you don’t know? Keep up with the rumors! The story of the Saint of the Bell’s arrival is spreading all over the school!”

“Yes. I know that. But since I have the authority, won’t I be fine?”

“Of course you will be fi—”

Harden stopped mid-sentence and pondered for a moment.

Deep down, he wanted to say.

‘It is not about whether you get caught or not, the Bell of Eternity is about to fall into the hands of a black mage!’

However,

‘If I tell him honestly, he is the type of guy who would jump in, saying it is actually better.’

Because it was obvious that doing so would have the opposite effect.

……Harden did not realize that Roan was already fully intending to jump in, thinking it was actually better.

“I-It is not fine! Do you know how terrifying the Saint of the Bell is? He is my descendant, but that guy truly loathes black mages. He might be able to recognize you, you know?”

“Yes. Indeed. But even if I want to skip, I don’t have a specific reason. If I get caught, then that is just my fate.”

For some reason, Harden found Roan’s words extremely obnoxious.

‘Is this bastard doing this because he knows something?’

He was right.

“Then say you are sick.”

Harden said in a slightly colder voice.

“I am sorry, but I am too healthy……”

“Oh, is that so? Shall I make you hurt a bit?”

“……Is that something a principal should say?”

Roan asked back in disbelief.

No matter how much he wanted him to skip class, how could a principal say such a thing to a student?

“I told you that you are a black mage before you are a student.”

“And I told you that I am a student before I am a black mage.”

Zzzt—

Fierce gazes shot between Roan and Harden, clashing with each other.

Of course, it did not last long.

Flash—

“……Ugh.”

It was because Harden’s light engulfed Roan’s eyes.

[Ack! What is this!]

Shriek—!

The Abyss Dragon and the Heavenly Sword Peacock King were also startled by the sudden light, almost taking flight.

[Huh……? For some reason, I can see much better now?]

Shriek—?

‘It is always like that.’

Bell found it quite fascinating, blinking his eyes repeatedly and looking around.

— Hey, look over there. A light flashed in the alley.

— It was probably just a common miracle. Have you lived in Acherandir for only a day or two?

— Ah, is that so?

It seemed the nearby students did not think much of it.

“Tsk, do whatever you want if you want to attend. Others are dying to skip, yet a fellow who is a black mage……. I thought the one to break your head would be Professor Kaina’s hammer, but it seems it will be Espard’s share.”

“Because offering prayers is a joy even for a black mage.”

Harden’s mouth fell open at Roan’s shameless words.

Of course, even now, there was Beleck in Acherandir, and there were many black mages who had religions.

But since Roan, of all people, spoke of prayer as a joy, nothing could be more awkward.

‘He is doing this because he’s afraid I’ll receive the Bell of Eternity.’

In fact, at this point, Roan could roughly guess what Harden’s goal was.

It was because of Harden’s recommendation that Espard came to Acherandir to give the Bell of Eternity to a student.

However, he would not want Roan to suddenly receive the Bell of Eternity.

……No matter how open-minded Harden was, he was still the first Saint and Holy Emperor of Hiloaism, a Holy Spirit, and currently the Principal of Acherandir, which fosters the Empire’s talents.

“Joy my foot. Still, I will pray for your soul.”

Harden disappeared after making a threat too petty to be spoken by a Holy Spirit.

Without caring in the least, Roan left the alley with an even lighter heart and headed to the Nerchiora Grand Temple.

‘Seeing even Harden talk like that, I have a good feeling!’

As a rule of thumb, Roan had established a few grand principles while playing God and Devil, and one of them was:

Always do the exact opposite of what Harden tells you to do!

That was it.

***

Buzz—

The small prayer hall of Nerchiora Grand Temple was even more chaotic, mixed with the voices of students and the resonating sounds of holy relics.

Naturally, it was because the rumor that Espard would attend this class had spread throughout the school.

Moreover, even a few professors whose class hours did not overlap had come to meet the Saint of the Bell in person.

— What kind of person is the Saint of the Bell?

— I heard that as soon as he sees a black mage, he crushes their head with a mace!

— Gasp! Where is Professor Beleck right now?

……The students were instinctively worrying about Professor Beleck.

Fortunately, Professor Beleck was not present here.

— Didn’t they meet already?

— Hieeeek!

Meanwhile, Roan, who had left the divine beasts at the temple’s Sacred Spirit Beast Conservatory, went to his friends who were gathered together.

Demona said with a tearful face.

“Roan, what should we do?”

“……What is it?”

“They say the Saint of the Bell mercilessly crushes the heads of black mages!”

“Well, that is not such a special thing, is it?”

When Roan spoke indifferently, Hector nodded.

“Indeed, Roan is right. The Saint of the Bell is the path we inquisitors should rightfully aspire to.”

“But isn’t that murder?”

“……?”

“If he is going to just kill them on sight like that, why do we have trials and why do we have courts?”

Both Roan and Hector were speechless at the same time.

No, Hector aside.

‘Have I also become too used to this place?’

Roan was creeped out by the fact that he was already thinking, ‘If a black mage is caught, it is only natural for their head to be crushed.’

“……The Saint of the Bell does not kill just any black mage. He only executes those like Pierrebo whom we saw last time, who have no room for rehabilitation. Such people can be executed on the spot if one has the proper authority, and in remote areas, it is hard to rely on the Empire’s judicial system anyway.”

Feeling a sense of self-loathing, Roan explained at length for no reason.

“Ah~ So he is a good person.”

“O-Of course!”

Hector, who had been wearing a complicated expression, belatedly agreed with Roan’s words.

Indeed, in this world with a medieval setting, it was understandable, but from Earth’s perspective, the Saint of the Bell’s actions had many problems.

Since the circumstances and conditions were different, one had to understand.

“Ah, so he didn’t just kill any black mage on sight?”

“Gasp!”

On the other hand, Raphia and Riel seemed surprised to hear Roan’s words.

……Since the tales of Espard’s exploits spread among the Empire’s children were mostly of a crude level like ‘He went somewhere and crushed a black mage’s head!’, such perceptions were commonplace.

In any case, not long after Roan sat down.

Woooom— Ooooh— Wiiiiiing—

The resonance of the holy relics grew strong enough to drown out the students’ murmuring.

— The Professor is entering.

With the guide of a priest, the door of the small prayer hall soon opened.

Professor Vichius, supported by an attendant priest, entered first.

Standing at the podium, Vichius spoke in a voice weaker than last week.

“Everyone…… to be able to meet like this again this week…… is indeed a relief…….”

It was a normal greeting, but since Vichius said it, it did not sound normal.

‘It sounds like we really won’t be able to meet next week.’

Vichius said with a faint smile.

“This week…… specially, the Saint of the Bell…… has agreed to give a special lecture…….”

Then, suddenly.

Thud—

Vichius’s head dropped powerlessly.

— Ack! Your Holiness!

— P-Please wake up!

The surrounding priests rushed over in surprise.

A few students also screamed.

“……Ah, I am sorry. As I get older, I suddenly fall asleep like this……”

Fortunately, Vichius had merely dozed off for a moment.

— What a relief.

— Phew, that startled me.

The students sighed in relief.

“My late mother…… prepared a delicious breakfast for me……”

— …….

However, they could no longer feel relieved at Vichius’s next words.

Demona asked in a trembling voice.

“Ro-Roan, is it true that he was just dreaming?”

“……Well, who knows.”

Roan could not know for sure either.