Chapter 144

Chapter 144

Because the Bell of Eternity had been passed down and handed down among mediocre clergymen without ever falling into a black mage’s hands, the wrong rumor had spread.

In any case, considering that, Roan felt.

‘There is no one in this place whose fate is more deeply intertwined with black magic than me.’

He had lost his entire family and house to black mages and the Demon King.

Fated to awaken black mana.

Even possessing a black magic talent value of 100, he was Roan Darc.

At this level, it was safe to say that his fate was black magic itself.

Even Espard, who had been the master for fourteen years, had to yield a few steps compared to Roan.

‘Harden probably knew this fact, which is why he tried to stop me.’

To Roan, it seemed plausible enough.

Step—

And so, Roan stood under the Bell of Eternity.

Those in this place were desperately hoping for Roan to become the new master.

Unlike the usual Acherandir, it was a moment of grand harmony where everyone’s wishes united!

‘Roan, make sure to succeed me and become the new master!’

— Darc! You hate black mages anyway! Please take it!

……Although their intentions were slightly quite different.

And at the same time.

Dong—— Dong——

A sound far too grand and clear to belong to a small bell that could be held in one hand filled the small prayer hall of Nerchiora Grand Temple.

At least at that moment, no one could speak.

No, they couldn’t even think.

Only the tolling of the Bell of Eternity, soaking the atmosphere, could be heard…….

Step—

— Your Holiness!

At that moment, Vichius stood up on his own, without anyone’s support.

A single tear even rolled down from one of his eyes.

“I did not know…… that I would be able to see another master of the Bell of Eternity…… in my lifetime…….”

Vichius ascended the podium one step at a time as he spoke.

“I-It’s a miracle!”

Demona cried out.

However, this time, let alone the other students, even the priests did not dispute Demona’s words.

Because it was truly a miracle-like scene.

Vichius stopped in front of Roan.

“Your Holiness.”

Roan knelt on one knee to show respect to Vichius.

Vichius touched Roan’s head with trembling hands.

“The weight of the burden you carry…… seems to be the inadequacy of us adults…… my heart aches…….”

Though it was a faint voice, everyone in the small prayer hall heard him clearly.

“I hope the Bell of Eternity…… becomes the voice of Lord Hiloa showing you the way forward…… young Darc…….”

“I will surely use it to trap black mages.”

At Roan’s stout reply, Vichius wore a satisfied smile and embraced him, helping him up.

“Your Holiness…… Roan…….”

Needless to say, Espard, who had been watching the scene, was not the only one.

“Huh…… why are tears……?”

“Darc is so pitiful…….”

His friends who were seated were also shedding tears.

Particularly, Sion seemed to have strongly empathized, pulling out a handkerchief and wiping his tears.

For a boy from a family annihilated by black mages to now bear the fate of carrying the Bell of Eternity was more dramatic than the finest play.

“How proud…… so proud……”

While Vichius was stroking his head, Roan waited quietly.

Of course, Roan’s words that he would use it to trap black mages were not a lie.

‘Because I’ll use it to trap myself.’

……It was just that the target was slightly quite different from what others thought.

Roan intended to use the Bell of Eternity well for his growth and camouflage.

If there was someone who rushed in without knowing their place, he would have to trap them as an example, though.

Plop—

Thus, having decided on its new master, the Bell of Eternity fell right into Roan’s hand.

Espard shouted in a loud voice.

“With this, the new master of the Bell of Eternity has been decided! Everyone, please bless Roan Darc’s brave future!”

— Waaaah!

— Darc! I believed in you!

After enrolling in Acherandir, Roan could receive everyone’s heartfelt blessings for the first time.

‘Since they’re doing all this, I feel like I’ll feel guilty if I don’t fight black mages later.’

Originally, the event of finding the master of the Bell of Eternity was not something to make such a fuss about.

However, combined with Roan’s past, everyone seemed completely immersed.

Roan felt rather uncomfortable despite bringing down the Bell of Eternity as intended.

***

“……This concludes the special lecture. You all worked hard.”

After the World of Prayer class ended.

— Saint of the Bell-nim! Please give me your autograph!

— I’m a fan!

— Give me a hug!

Students flocked like clouds to Espard, a celebrity and hero of the Empire.

“I, I want to get an autograph too.”

For some reason, Hector seemed to want to go to Espard, though he glanced at Roan.

“If you want to get one, go get it. Why are you looking at me?”

“Roan, aren’t you going?”

“I’m not going.”

When Roan answered flatly, Hector hesitated.

“Hmph, even if he is the Saint of the Bell, wouldn’t it be better to just stay next to Roan?”

“I suppose so……”

At Demona’s words, Hector nodded, and Roan and his friends tried to leave the small prayer hall in the opposite direction of the other students.

“Darc, by the way, are you not very close with the Saint of the Bell?”

“As I said earlier, indeed. He was practically outside for fourteen years.”

“Right, fourteen years ago was when we were two years old.”

Sion also seemed to understand.

He had only held slight expectations because Roan seemed so close to Yusina, the Saintess.

“Roan, are you just being shy~?”

Demona asked, but just as Roan was about to ignore it and walk out.

“Roan!”

From behind, a baritone voice called Roan.

It was Espard.

His friends looked back and forth between Roan and Espard with wide eyes.

Even Raphia and Riel, who were paladin candidates, did so while straightening their postures.

“……Naturally, we are acquaintances.”

Roan made an excuse for now.

Since things had turned out this way, he couldn’t claim they didn’t know each other at all.

The students who had been following Espard around were equally surprised.

— Oh my, the Saint of the Bell met Roan!

— Is he asking him to return the Bell of Eternity?

‘If he was going to do that, why would he give it in the first place…….’

When Roan glared back, they quickly avoided his eyes and scattered.

Regardless, Espard said excitedly.

“Are you leaving already? We met after a long time, so let’s talk a bit.”

Espard acted friendly as if treating a younger brother.

‘‘‘Didn’t you just say you weren’t close?’’’

Since he looked close no matter how they viewed it, his friends looked at Roan suspiciously.

“See! I told you he was just being shy, didn’t I?”

Demona smiled and joked as if she had expected it.

Espard also tilted his head for a moment, then smiled brightly and said.

“Aha! So you did it because you were shy. Roan, has puberty already hit you?”

“……No, it hasn’t.”

Roan denied it through clenched teeth.

Puberty my foot.

Only his appearance was like this, but the soul inside was as old as could be.

“Roan! Since you know the Saint of the Bell, why didn’t you let us get autographs too!”

Hector spoke in a slightly disappointed tone.

He seemed to have already forgotten the words telling him to go without worrying.

“Are you going to claim you aren’t close to us in other places too, Roan?”

Although he looked a bit pitiful when asking with dejected spirits,

‘I will claim we aren’t close.’

Having suffered enough from Hector and Demona, Roan fully intended to do so.

There seemed to be nothing to gain by being close to those two.

Only losses, if anything.

“Oh, are you Pavilto? Is your father healthy?”

“Of, of course!”

When Espard recognized him, Hector looked thrilled.

“I’ve always received a lot of help from Lord Schencolt. I should drop by the Pavilto territory sometime soon.”

Espard, who had been deep in thought while stroking his chin, soon laughed heartily and said.

“Hahaha! That aside, come to think of it, you were quite shy since you were young, Roan.”

Because it was somehow similar to his first meeting with Yusina, Roan asked just in case.

“……When was that?”

Espard answered immediately.

“It was before I left the Holy Palace, so fourteen years ago!”

“““…….”””

Now, his friends stared at Espard, not Roan, with dumbfounded eyes.

‘Basing this on what happened when he was two years old……?’

They wondered if everyone in the Holy Palace was like that.

However, after thinking about it, they soon felt a new wave of surprise.

‘But didn’t Roan say they definitely knew each other?’

……His friends changed their minds again.

It seemed the people of the Holy Palace all had extraordinary memories.

Well, since there could be a holy relic that increases memory or something.

“Anyway, congratulations on obtaining the Bell of Eternity. And thank you.”

“Not at all. It is my rightful duty.”

At that, Espard and his friends looked at Roan with touched expressions once again.

“Darc, you are really……”

Sion pulled out his handkerchief again.

Espard also greeted Sion.

Unlike his public image, Espard had extraordinary sociability.

“Oh! You must be Sion Beatrice? The one who recently became a Saintess candidate.”

“Ah! Yes, that’s right! It, it is an honor to meet the Saint of the Bell.”

Perhaps not expecting Espard to recognize even him, Sion hastily showed respect.

In fact, Sion had never met Espard before.

“That’s alright, that’s alright. We’re practically family.”

“Gasp!”

Sion seemed deeply moved by Espard calling them ‘practically family.’

Roan looked at Sion anew.

‘So he was just the type to get easily moved.’

Was Sion, who was not ostracized by students, such a character?

“It would have been nice if Beatrice also stayed at the Holy Palace. Though I was outside, so I wouldn’t have seen you much anyway.”

“Ah…… me too. But the people from the Curia treated me well too.”

“Yes, of course they did.”

Espard nodded with a warm smile as if he understood everything.

“Anyway, Roan! Let’s make sure to talk when you have time later! I really have so much to talk about after all this time! Pavilto, Beatrice, ah, Caedan, Haylick, and Wicronon too! You all met when you were young, though you probably don’t remember~”

After lightly hugging Roan, Espard waved and left.

His friends were even more surprised that Espard knew the families of the friends he hadn’t even spoken to.

‘‘‘He said we even met?’’’

His friends felt like they understood why Roan said he wasn’t very close to Espard.

This was partly due to Espard’s personality, but also the result of him traveling across the entire Empire.

Meanwhile, Roan thought with a slightly hardened expression.

‘Even if I have time, I don’t particularly want to meet.’

Although the Bell of Eternity had been passed to him, that didn’t mean Espard’s own strength vanished anywhere.

Espard was still a troublesome opponent for Roan.

To a named character of Espard’s level, the Bell of Eternity was merely a symbol, not his decisive power.

……If he had snatched the mace on the other side of his waist instead of the bell, they could have conversed more safely.

Anyway.

“Phew, the Saint of the Bell seems to be a very nice person. Don’t you think?”

Rafia, who had been stiffly frozen while Espard was nearby, let out a sigh of relief and said.

Riel also nodded slightly in agreement.

At that moment, Demona clapped her hands as if remembering something she had forgotten.

“Huh? But now the Bell of Eternity belongs to Roan, right?”

“Right?”

“Then what should we call the Saint of the Bell now?”

“That is……?”

His friends tried to answer easily but found it not so simple, naturally turning their heads to Roan.