Chapter 24

Chapter 24

After the mock Holy War for all the students—excluding Hector and Demona—ended.

Vulcan spoke to the students again from atop his earth-made podium.

“Class is over. Go as you wish.”

— Yes, Professor!

The students each answered vigorously and dispersed in groups of two or three.

They looked as though they had no regrets, having personally experienced the Holy War they had only watched every day, even if only briefly.

Roan also tried to head toward Demona and Hector as usual, but.

“Roan Darc!”

Zap—

Vulcan called him, sparks flying from his mouth.

‘…What is it?’

Roan briefly contemplated whether to pretend not to hear and not look back.

Because he had never seen anything good come from getting involved with people crazy about the Holy War.

However, pretending not to hear that thunderous sound made no sense, so he replied to Vulcan with an extremely uneasy expression.

“What is the matter, Professor?”

“You stay behind for a moment! I have something to say!”

Hearing those words, the students began to buzz.

— He told Roan to stay.

— Since he beat the terrier of Sion, the saintess candidate, like that earlier…

— Is it going to be okay?

— What does it matter if it’s not okay?

Most of the chatter was predicting that Roan would get severely scolded by Vulcan.

Roan did not particularly think so.

‘Given Vulcan’s personality, if that were the case, he would have beaten me during class.’

Besides, when the Holy War ended, hadn’t he looked down at the terrier with a satisfied face?

But even so, it didn’t mean it was anything good.

Wouldn’t it rather be better to just get severely scolded?

“Roan, you’re in trouble now~”

Demona, who was coming down from the spectator stands with Hector, grinned brightly and teased Roan.

“Professor Vulcan is a Lightning Bear, a Lightning Bear. Bears tear humans apart.”

“What are you talking about? Professor Vulcan is an extremely honorable person.”

As Demona waved his hands frantically like a bear attacking a person to scare Roan.

Hector rebuked Demona with a pathetic look.

Appointment as a professor at Acherandir fundamentally required passing a personality evaluation.

…The criteria might look ambiguous, but at any rate, it was certain that such a process existed.

Lafia, who had come over with Riel, spoke.

“Roan, you have to stay? Then should we wait outside too?”

Roan shook his head.

“No, it seems the talk will be a bit long. Go ahead and eat first. I’ll eat separately.”

“Ah, really? It can’t be helped then.”

Lafia wore a highly disappointed expression but soon accepted it.

Having realized in this class just how normal Roan and his friends were, her disappointment was even greater.

“…!”

On the other hand, Riel seemed shocked beyond mere disappointment.

It was certain, seeing as her originally pale skin turned just a tiny bit paler.

‘At that rate, it feels like her color changed by about fifty pixels… I feel a bit sorry.’

But it couldn’t be helped.

Since the afternoon class was scheduled quite early, he didn’t want to make his friends run out of time as well.

Moreover, wouldn’t his friends be able to get used to communicating with Riel through this opportunity?

“Everyone, take good care of Riel. Especially you, Demona.”

“Hmm… I don’t really have the confidence.”

As Roan glared at him with slitted eyes, Demona hurriedly ran over and spoke as if whispering.

“I feel like it’ll be really awkward without you. I was raised sheltered, so I can’t talk well with strangers… Can’t we just wait?”

Roan stared at Demona in bewilderment at the sudden confession.

‘You can’t talk well with strangers?’

That was hard to believe, considering how he had babbled from their very first meeting without filtering what he should and shouldn’t say…

“Tsk. Still, it can’t be helped. Go.”

Although Demona’s restless state was quite unexpected, Roan did not change his mind.

Hector and Lafia came, grabbed Demona by the scruff of his neck, and dragged him away.

“Follow us without thinking of being a nuisance to Roan, heretic.”

“Yeah, have some conscience.”

“Why, why! What’s wrong with my conscience!”

Roan shook his head and returned to Vulcan.

“Hmm. Your friendships are good despite it being the beginning of the semester! Social skills are also an important talent in the Holy War!”

Roan swallowed his annoyance.

Because he could already guess the content without even hearing the main point.

“Follow me to my research lab!”

“If you just tell me here—”

However, Vulcan had already leaped away and was striding far ahead.

‘$#@*)%#!’

Roan ran quite fast to avoid falling behind and stuck close behind him.

Vulcan’s research lab was in the basement of Percivalun Hall.

It was a slightly unusual place, decorated like a cave.

The chairs and tables were also of a rustic shape, carved out of stone.

Vulcan had Roan take a seat and then revealed his business.

“I will put it bluntly! Will you enjoy the honor of entering the Acherandir Holy War Club!”

Vulcan exhaled heavily through his nose, looking considerably excited.

Roan answered immediately.

“I decline.”

“Why!”

Sparks crackled between Vulcan’s round ears.

He had apparently not expected to be rejected so flatly.

With any other professor, he would have spoken indirectly out of politeness, but since his opponent was Vulcan, Roan could not back down either.

‘If I beat around the bush, there’ll be no end to it.’

Of course, the Holy War Club was one of the best clubs in Acherandir.

Not to mention the size of the funding, but one could also leave the school periodically.

And it served as a huge asset when getting a job or entering the central clergy society later.

Yet, all those benefits were useless to Roan.

“I have no particular interest in the Holy War. I don’t enjoy it either.”

“Nonsense! I saw with my own eyes how you commanded the Wind Terrier!”

Vulcan countered, unable to understand.

A student with no interest in the Holy War made a Wind Terrier they saw for the first time use such skills?

Roan had also expected this much, so he added another word.

Cut it clean when cutting it off!

“Furthermore, I have no talent for the Holy War.”

“Puhahahahahahahahaha—!”

Rumble— rumble—!

Then, instead of saying anything, Vulcan burst into roaring laughter.

Every time he clapped his hands, and every time he let out a laugh, the inside of the cave flashed with lightning.

Roan frowned.

‘Is this really something to laugh this much about?’

It was a sight that reminded him of Harden back on the mountain behind the dormitory.

After calming down a moment later, Vulcan continued.

“Roan Darc, the blood of the Darc family flows thickly within you! I guarantee it!”

“…What does that matter?”

It would flow, of course.

Since he was a member of the Darc family.

“What do you mean, what does it matter! The Darc family was one of the four great families of the imperial Holy War League! What a disappointing thing to say!”

Roan had no choice but to be slightly surprised at those words.

The Darc family was what?

“Aren’t the four great Holy War families Hush, Faith, Doradin, and Ziper?”

The fact that Seary was already leading followers around was also thanks to her family.

However, Vulcan shook his head.

“As expected, you know well. But Doradin merely squeezed in after the destruction of the Darc family. They cannot dare to compare with Darc!”

Roan wore a bewildered expression.

‘Just what on earth is the Darc family?’

Maintaining status as one of the four great families of the empire must have been overwhelming enough, but one of the four great Holy War families too?

Naturally, just like the Holy War content, it wasn’t a particularly important setting for a player, but it made him feel strangely unpleasant.

‘These guys were indeed imperial bastards too.’

The four great Holy War families were families in name, but in truth, they were places where the most insane of the Holy War-crazy imperials gathered.

He felt extremely displeased at the thought that the blood of such a Holy War hooligan flowed within him.

Vulcan reminisced with an unusually sentimental expression.

“Hmm, the reason I first fell for the Holy War was also because of the Darc family’s Holy War club matches.”

Of course, Roan had absolutely no interest.

In the first place, Vulcan would pick the most talented student in the first class and urge them to join the club for hours.

Conversation with a professor couldn’t even be skipped, so he just had to endure it.

Every time, Vulcan would always pick up even a speck of history linking the student’s family to the Holy War and exaggerate it.

For instance, asking if he knew that the younger brother of the in-law of the family elder was a relatively famous player in the region…

‘That might also just be exaggerated fuss mixed with bluffing!’

Roan did not want to admit that the Darc family was famous in the Holy War world.

“Even so, I will not enter the Holy War Club.”

“Why on earth! With your skills, it would even be possible to rebuild the Darc family based on our club!”

“…?”

Was he in his right mind?

Rebuilding a family through the Holy War, what nonsense.

It wasn’t as if family reconstruction was some snack won in a neighborhood card-slapping game.

‘…If they are imperial bastards, they might actually think that way.’

However, Roan soon came to accept it.

Seeing that the Holy Emperor or the Pope poured immense sponsorship into the Holy War now.

Winning the Holy War League to obtain a new family crest did not sound like a joke.

Even under imperial law, the Holy War was treated as highly important, receiving various benefits.

But even so, not the Holy War!

Acceptance and choice were two different things.

Roan declined firmly once more.

“I respect your proposal and the trace the Darc family left in the Holy War, but I do not believe the path to rebuilding the family lies in the Holy War.”

After laying down the groundwork like this.

“I have an obligation to follow the last wishes left by my parents.”

He sold out his parents’ last wishes extremely naturally.

He didn’t know if Roan’s parents had actually left any wishes.

But if they were people in their right minds, they wouldn’t have left words like, ‘Son, make sure to win the Holy War League and resurrect the family.’

‘If they were those kinds of people, they deserve to be sold out!’

Roan decided to rationalize it that way.

…It felt like he spoke of his parents’ story more and more casually, but what could he do?

This was a place where it was hard to survive otherwise.

Vulcan also backed off a step, seeing Roan speak to this extent.

“Hmm… If you go that far, it can’t be helped. Still, think it over carefully. You are welcome anytime.”

“Yes. I will take my leave then.”

Roan stood up from his seat right away and left the research lab.

Watching Roan’s retreating figure thoughtfully from his seat, Vulcan soon clapped his hands hard.

‘Right, if he has no interest in the Holy War, I just need to make him interested!’

Vulcan’s round ears fluttered.

Coincidentally, he possessed a divine beast egg that he had struggled to obtain not long ago.

***

Having escaped from Vulcan, Roan headed straight to the commercial district to get lunch.

‘I don’t know how long it has been since I’ve had time to myself.’

Having come out earlier than expected, he intended to enjoy lunch leisurely on his own.

Coincidentally, a decent place had come to mind.

— Grey Whale Restaurant —

A corner of the commercial district.

On the old wooden sign, these words were written in faded, ancient writing.

At a glance, one would easily just pass by without even knowing it was a restaurant.

‘This is one of Acherandir’s three best restaurants.’

Roan opened the creaking old door and went inside.

The interior also wafted with the musty smell unique to old wooden houses.

“…Hmm? A freshman.”

An old woman who was sleeping in a rocking chair at the counter woke up at Roan’s presence.

She took it as a surprise and opened her eyes slightly wider.

Because usually, professors or upperclassmen who had attended the school for a long time were the ones who visited.

“Yes. Is the Ainsbury Set Meal available?”

“Hooh…”

The old woman kept marveling.

Not only had a freshman visited this place, but they had even placed an order familiarly.

Without even looking at the menu, at that.

“Please sit and wait a moment. I will bring it out soon.”

As the old woman entered the kitchen, Roan moved further inside.

The restaurant was not very spacious.

There were only two or three tables for two, one table for four, and three or four single seats by the window.

Even those were all empty.

Roan sat at one of the tables for two in the corner, which gave a clear view of the restaurant’s interior.

‘It is indeed just like the illustration… Still, the feeling of actually coming here in person is different.’

He could check the general appearance through illustrations, but the details were impossible.

For example, the holy statue of Harden placed on each table.

“…Tsk.”

Roan clicked his tongue and quietly waited for his meal.

Moreover, it was a comfort to think that he would absolutely never meet Demona’s group if it was here.

“Enjoy your meal.”

Just then, the old woman placed a tray in front of Roan.

On it sat a bowl of steaming rice, grilled fish topped with seasoning, and a few side dishes.

‘This is the Ainsbury Set Meal.’

Ainsbury was a small port city in the Yuten Kingdom at the western end of the continent.

This set meal was made using seasonal fish caught in Ainsbury, a dish possible because it was the old woman’s hometown.

It looked humble, but…

“Hmm.”

An exclamation naturally escaped Roan’s mouth after he took a bite of the grilled fish.

It was grilled fish on par with high-end Korean restaurants he had never even thought of visiting back in Korea.

The three best restaurants of Acherandir easily surpassed that level of elegance.

The oil melted away the moment it entered his mouth, but the flesh remained firm, offering a satisfying chew.

Furthermore, the topping of seasoning filled the volume of flavor that might otherwise have been bland to the brim.

This is what grilled fish should be.

‘Moreover, there’s a reason why this place is particularly famous among players.’

As Roan ate more of the food, his dantian vibrated slightly.

In “God & Devil,” ‘temporary stats’ and ‘origin stats’ existed separately.

While temporary stats rose and fell depending on the environment, condition, or situation.

Origin stats were literally the character’s fundamental stats.

Base of 10, with values adjusted according to talent metrics.

With a black magic talent value of 100, there would probably be a weight of about 10.

‘Of course, after that, it will shoot up just by breathing.’

At any rate, because of that, origin stats were naturally much harder to raise than temporary stats, and held higher value.

The ‘Ainsbury Set Meal’ here increased the player’s mana origin stat by 1, limited to a single time.

Since performing all kinds of eccentricities and penances was the norm to raise origin stats, it could be called a minor hidden piece.

‘I thought it would be fine even if the taste was terrible since it’s like that, but…’

Now that he actually ate it, it was delicious enough to blow his mind.

Just as Roan was savoring the food with his eyes closed.

Creak—

‘Huh?’

Suddenly, the sound of the chair opposite Roan being pulled back was heard.

Followed immediately by the sensation of someone sitting down lightly.

Could it be Demona?

Roan opened his eyes, frowning reflexively.

Unless they had some sort of location tracker attached…

“Roan Darc. Long time no see?”

However.

The person who sat down without Roan’s permission was someone incomparable to the likes of Demona.

Roan got even more goosebumps than when Harden had suddenly appeared before his eyes.

Did Roan have any points of contact with that character?

He could not guess.

However, if it was her, she was fully capable of playing such a prank.

“…Do you know me?”

Roan calmly asked back.

The woman in front of him smiled gently, as if she had expected it.

A fourth-year with blue points.

Sparkling with silver-toned ash hair and eyes that were vaguely similar to Roan’s but much brighter, she was.

‘Yushina Le Fanelia.’

One of only two saintesses currently in the Holy Empire.