Chapter 285

Swish─ Swish─

Indeed, exactly as the effect he knew, Roan could pass through the bookshelf packed with black grimoires like a hologram.

Wooong─

Indeed, as expected of the Void. It is very useful.

The False Divinity also vibrated in satisfaction, apparently thinking the black magic had been cast well.

“Yes, if I’m in a hurry, it will be useful as an escape skill.”

How on earth does a guy like you, with such talent, think of running away first?

“……Then should I think of fighting head-on?”

……Well, that is true.

The False Divinity immediately backed down.

In any case, the Void’s Vain Vessel was highly useful to use as an escape skill, just as Roan said.

Although it was a bit disappointing that the holy light on his chest advertised ‘I am here!’, that was only a matter of time since the intensity would weaken as he grew accustomed to the intermediate level.

Having successfully completed the demonstration of the Void black magic like that, Roan returned to Ludiac.

However, Ludiac, who was wearing an uncharacteristically serious expression, suddenly asked:

“What are you doing right now?”

“……?”

Roan was slightly taken aback and stopped in his tracks.

A low, calm voice and a gaze that even felt dignified.

He could not guess what had gone wrong.

‘Is it because I passed through the bookshelves?’

That he had somehow wounded Ludiac’s pride as a librarian or something……

“Did you not tell me to cast black magic, Lord Ludiac?”

“Yes, I did tell you to cast black magic.”

“Then why……?”

“But why are you casting holy arts?”

“……?”

……?

Roan and the False Divinity simultaneously lost their words.

Ah, of course, their Void black magic did have a side to it that particularly resembled holy arts.

Since it was truly not an easy thing to look like a holy art even when they cast it themselves.

Yet Ludiac was none other than one of the Four Great Saints who founded the Empire five thousand years ago alongside Harden!

Roan spoke with a dumbfounded expression.

“As you well know, black magic and holy arts cannot be cast by a single person.”

As far as Roan knew, it was the most basic common sense and unchanging ironclad rule of “God and Devil.”

Black mana and holy power could not coexist within one body.

Hadn’t even Beleck drawn a firm line at Demona’s question?

Hearing Roan’s words, Ludiac returned to his usual dazed expression and asked:

“What? You can’t use both together? Why?”

Roan’s face crumpled completely.

“Good grief…… *sigh*.”

Wooong─

Well tolerated. That’s how you grow into an adult.

When Roan replaced the harsh words he almost blurted out with a sigh, the False Divinity offered a rare compliment.

Even to another Authority, it was pathetic enough to make one want to roll on the floor, so how much more so for the master?

It seemed the character education of Akerandir would be best conducted by Professor Ludiac and Assistant Demona.

As long as the professor and assistant were not murdered, the effect would surely be magnificent.

However, Ludiac’s fuss was only just beginning.

“If you can’t use both together, how are you using them?! You scammer, did you cheat by pretending to be a black mage when you’re actually just a dark-attribute user?!”

Roan also truly and deeply wished that were the case.

In any case, Ludiac sat on his rocking chair, staggering with an expression of immense betrayal.

“Fine, so what happens if that big brother doesn’t help?”

Roan pondered for a moment before replying.

“Naturally, it will manifest like black magic.”

“Liar! Cast it once!”

Ludiac requested very confidently, as if he had left black magic in Roan’s safekeeping.

Roan hesitated for a moment, trying to persuade Ludiac.

Roan had naturally cast intermediate magic inside the Bell of Eternity without the False Divinity’s help.

That was why he said this.

“It would be better if you did not watch, Lord Ludiac.”

“Why? I lent you the books too~ cast it once~ cast it~ otherwise, you are not a black mage but a dark-attribute priest!”

……The historical hero and holy spirit from five thousand years ago began to roll unsightly on the floor, throwing a tantrum.

‘Should I just leave.’

He had heard that leaving was the most effective way to correct children throwing tantrums.

The False Divinity also found it hard to watch any longer.

Pathetic bastard, why did Hiloa make a guy like that a holy spirit……

It was so bad that it reached the point of blaming Hiloa.

However, because Ludiac was flailing around like that, it was also having a negative effect on Roan’s heart.

He tolerated it because he was a holy spirit; had Demona done that, he would have been flailing for a completely different reason long ago.

Roan let out a deep sigh and spoke.

“Then I will show you just once.”

“Yes, confidently prove that you are a black mage!”

Ludiac instantly scrambled up as if he had never been sprawled on the floor, ready to watch.

Roan cast the same Void’s Vain Vessel as before, using pure black mana.

A faint gray energy enveloping Roan’s exterior instead of the golden light was well within the expected range.

However.

Kugugugugugug───!!!!

“Hieeeek── wh-what is that?!?!?!?!”

The sinister black mana snakes extending from Roan’s heart, flicking their tongues, were simply intolerable to watch.

This was precisely the true manifestation of Roan’s Black Mark, the Pandemonium of a Myriad Snakes.

Furthermore, when casting intermediate Void magic, these snakes were busy devouring all the surrounding black mana!

Consequently, although it certainly had an advantage in Void magic.

‘It certainly won’t help my lifespan.’

……For this reason, he had to go through the False Divinity no matter what.

Step─

“This is why I……”

Roan let out a sigh and took a step toward Ludiac.

At that.

“Kyaaaack──! It’s a snake great demon king ghost!!!!!”

‘A great demon king is a great demon king, and a ghost is a ghost……’

Ludiac began to flee deep into the Forbidden Library, waving both arms frantically above his head.

Watching him do that, there was one person who always came to Roan’s mind.

‘I truly want to introduce Ludiac and Demona to each other.’

Wooong─

Still, it is good to slip away in the meantime.

‘Right.’

Roan accepted the False Divinity’s advice and tried to leave the Forbidden Library quickly while Ludiac was gone.

Just then.

“I-I forgot! Master, wait a second! Hey, I’m the librarian! Stop that! Uh?”

Ludiac protects his head with both arms—naturally due to the assault of books swarming like bees—and hurriedly called Roan.

Roan, who reluctantly cancelled the magic, turned his head at the Forbidden Library’s door and asked:

“What is it?”

If he called him so urgently just to babble useless nonsense again, Roan was resolved to not let him off, holy spirit or not.

Ludiac ran over, panting.

‘……But why is a holy spirit panting?’

It was a minor question, but it wasn’t the first or second day that Ludiac did or said things unbefitting of a holy spirit.

At any rate, Ludiac held out a crumpled note from his pocket.

Its appearance looked like garbage a primary school student had thrown away after scribbling on it.

Gleam, gleam─

Surprisingly, the note emitting an auspicious light was no ordinary object.

Ludiac wiped the sweat from his forehead—why sweat flowed from a holy spirit was also a question—and spoke.

“It is Lord Hiloa’s first request!”

“!!!!!! Good grief……!”

Roan, who had already taken the note, was shocked by Ludiac’s words and almost threw it away.

If it was a note from Hiloa, wasn’t it practically an assassination attempt for a black mage like Roan?

“Uh-oh? Divine punishment? Master, if you throw that, you will receive divine punishment?”

However, as Ludiac warned him with wide eyes, he could not bring himself to throw it away.

……Indeed, throwing a note given by the chief god to the ground would carry a much higher probability of divine punishment.

Roan, unable to do either with the note in hand, asked Ludiac resentfully.

“Did Lord Hiloa give the note like this?”

Roan wore a face showing that it was impossible.

Ludiac also shook his head casually as if asking how that could be.

“Huh? Of course not. I crumpled it. That happened because I was so startled by the snakes while running away.”

Guuuung─

What a crazy bastard……!

The False Divinity raged violently.

In truth, so did Roan.

‘Even a holy spirit like this doesn’t receive divine punishment!’

At least he tried his best to treat not only Hiloa but also Harden and the other gods politely!

Having gently sent back Gelsroin not long ago, his pride was overflowing.

At that, Ludiac instead glared at Roan, like the proverb about the one who farted getting angry, and spoke:

“It is all because of your Black Mark or whatever! Apologize quickly!”

Only then did Roan understand the reason why the use of black mana was prohibited inside the Forbidden Library.

Was it because training here would make it a broken Authority?

Because he shouldn’t escape in urgent situations?

It wasn’t that.

‘It was Hiloa’s benevolent intention to leave even a guy like Ludiac alone instead of killing him.’

……Roan was certain that it was simply a side effect of Hiloa loving everything in the world so much.

Otherwise, why would Hiloa allow him to cast magic instantly whenever Ludiac requested it?

If things went wrong, he could evade responsibility, saying it was a self-inflicted disaster caused by Ludiac’s request.

Roan glared at Ludiac, scowling even deeper than usual.

Glare─!

“H-Hieek……. You don’t have to apologize……”

Ludiac immediately backed down.

“*sigh*…… But is there a reason why Lord Hiloa descended this note?”

“Ah, yes. He told me to deliver it to Harden.”

“……To the Headmaster?”

“Yes. Is there another Harden?”

Ludiac spoke with an innocent expression.

Naturally, there was only one Harden in this world.

It might be different in the very distant past, but at least since Harden became the saint of Hiloa, no one dared to name their child ‘Harden.’

But why suddenly?

Even if it was a crumpled note like this, if it was indeed Hiloa’s will, it would be an immense revelation.

Roan was quite curious about the reason, but he could not ask.

For the messenger of a revelation to sneak a peek at its contents was, in itself, a grave blasphemy.

“Understood. Then I will be on my way.”

“Yes, ah right, and Ludiac said Harden will give you the reward instead.”

Ludiac waved his hand to Roan, who was leaving through the Forbidden Library’s door, and spoke.

A reward from Harden just for delivering a note.

As expected of Hiloa’s request quest, which offered generous rewards despite the easy content.

* * *

Having returned to reality, Roan was naturally in the restroom, just as when he entered the Forbidden Library.

“Let’s go now.”

When Roan opened the door and spoke to Bell and Charlotte, the two divine beasts tilted their heads.

[Yes? You just went in…… wait, Master?]

Kirrrr─?

Even if Charlotte, an ordinary divine beast, didn’t know well, Bell, who also used black magic, vaguely realized that Roan had changed.

“Do you feel that something has changed?”

[Yes…… how? You just went in, didn’t you?]

Roan smiled, proud of Bell.

……Bell was slightly scared, but since it was in front of its master, it remained mature and tolerated it without showing any sign.

‘Right, they might not know well yet, but I—’

A moment that was nothing but a split second to Bell and Charlotte.

However, Roan proudly intended to inform them that he had spent a week inside the Bell of Eternity undergoing tremendous training.

Although he hadn’t bothered to brag about every single thing until now, mastering the Black Mark and the Void was fully worthy of it.

[You cured your constipation just by going into the restroom?! You are truly amazing, Master! What kind of black magic is that?]

‘Black magic to cure constipation…… what?’