Chapter 50

Of course, the reason Roan immediately gave up on the reward was not just because of the lucky pouch itself.

Didn’t he also have the Divine Tree’s branches, leaves, and sap packed inside, which he had thoroughly secured during this service?

Not only that, but also the Divine Beast’s egg, the heretical books, the ingredients brought from the Sunset Hill…

‘If he knew I have his tears as well, he’d think I’m a pervert.’

The lucky pouch was practically a box hiding Roan’s secret items.

Of course, Harden, who saw Roan’s reaction, felt he was detestable.

“Putting aside Wicronon, how did a guy like this come out of Darc.”

Roan couldn’t bring himself to say, ‘Is it because I’m not a Darc?’

“Anyway, the spirit beasts will settle down soon, so get some rest until sunrise. The Principal is leaving now.”

Harden left those words and disappeared as always.

The freshmen forgot their previous hardships because of Harden’s reward and began to rest with bright expressions.

“Roan, is there something that’s making you angry?”

“…No.”

Except for Roan!

Either way, when the three sat side by side, lost in their own thoughts.

Swoosh—

A mysterious sound of wings echoed from somewhere.

It was a very small spirit beast, roughly the size of a Wind Terrier.

“Shall I go?”

Since small spirit beasts were Sion’s responsibility, she was about to stand up when.

“Just wait a moment.”

Roan stopped her.

A hint of surprise was dwelling in his eyes.

Since that in itself was a surprising thing, Sion asked.

“What is it?”

“Is that guy a Diamond Beetle?”

“A Diamond Beetle?”

Both Sion and Demona seemed to hear of it for the first time.

It was fortunate that the two weren’t very interested in holy wars; if it had been Hector, he would have rolled his eyes and gone wild.

“It’s the best tanker among spirit beasts. It’s an endangered species now…”

The Diamond Beetle, whose entire body was made of a hard, diamond-like carapace.

It was characterized by a large horn on its head, similar to a rhinoceros beetle.

Even though it was a spirit beast, it possessed immense defense comparable to a defensive Divine Beast, and it was also popular due to its gem-like appearance.

Naturally, because of that, it was indiscriminately overhunted and was currently endangered.

Did such a creature come because it was the Divine Tree?

While they were thinking that, Demona clapped and marvelled.

“As expected of Roan! You know everything about holy wars!”

Sion also nodded unconsciously, then suddenly realized something.

‘C-Could it be that his lack of interest during the last class was to put me at ease… What a terrifying person!’

Thus, the misunderstanding only deepened.

“Not about holy wars, but about spirit beasts… forget it.”

Roan was the only one whose mouth would hurt if he spoke further.

“Anyway, it looks like a baby. It must have been separated from its mother.”

“How pitiful… Could we let just that child eat some sap?”

“I don’t care.”

Roan also nodded at Sion’s suggestion.

Since the three of them had handled the job so well, normally the tree would be covered in spirit beasts sucking sap by now.

It was fine to turn a blind eye to a single baby spirit beast.

But instead of going to the Divine Tree, the baby Diamond Beetle.

“Uh… Uh-oh? Uh, ugh, ahhh!”

Landed squarely on Demona’s shoulder.

Even though it was a baby, it was quite heavy, and its size was about half of Demona’s torso, so Demona was startled.

But the Diamond Beetle clung tightly and wouldn’t let go.

“R-Roan! Quickly get this guy off me! I’m scared!”

Demona made a noisy fuss.

Flutter— Flutter—

On the other hand, the Diamond Beetle merely fluttered its outer wings in a steady rhythm.

Roan was slightly surprised.

“Ho. It seems it has chosen you, Demona.”

“Eh? Huh?”

A rare event where a spirit beast that had lost its mother chose a master to take care of it.

Of course, even if they lost their mother, most lived alone, so it was a very rare case.

‘To choose Demona?’

There was a reason Roan was surprised.

If it wanted to choose a master, wasn’t Sion, who possessed unmatched affinity for spirit beasts, right there?

‘Did Demona have something to do with spirit beasts?’

He searched his memory thoroughly, but nothing came to mind.

In the first place, despite being from the Wicronon family, Demona wasn’t a character with much significance in “God and Devil.”

He had merely spouted nonsense in the commercial district.

But come to think of it, there was the Fanatic Rabbit King’s egg too.

In many ways, this worldline’s Demona had quite a few strange aspects.

“Anyway, congratulations, Demona. It’s already your second one.”

Furthermore, those two were the Fanatic Rabbit King and the Diamond Beetle, respectively.

The best attacker and the best defender.

He had formed an excellent duo.

Although they were still an egg and a baby.

“Congratulations, Wicronon. To think it’s such an amazing spirit beast.”

Sion also congratulated Demona.

Demona tilted his head.

“You spoke informally to me earlier, didn’t you?”

“Ah, oops… that was…”

“It’s fine. Just be comfortable, comfortable~”

Demona waved his hand at Sion, whose face had turned red.

Upon hearing that he was chosen, Demona was already stroking the Diamond Beetle familiarly.

“Alright, you are Twinkle from now on!”

Hearing that, the Diamond Beetle immediately fluttered its wings and began to poke Demona with the horn on its head.

Even though it was a baby, its horn was so hard that it was no different from being hit with a hammer.

“Yikes! Twinkle, why are you doing this! Roan, it seems it doesn’t like its name, save me!”

Now instinctively calling Roan, Demona cried out.

Roan spoke to Demona, who had fallen to the ground, begging for help.

“I told you it came because it was hungry. Instead of sap, it will eat well if you give it your holy power.”

“R-Really? Yikes! It hurts!”

While being beaten mercilessly, Demona raised holy power in one hand and brought it to the Diamond Beetle’s mouth.

Immediately turning gentle, the Diamond Beetle ate it up greedily.

“Hehe, this guy is cute.”

Demona, bleeding from his beaten forehead, smiled foolishly.

Who would look at him and think of him as the son of the sage family Wicronon?

“Phew…”

Sion let out a sigh and cast healing holy magic on Demona.

“Tsk. What a waste of holy power.”

Naturally, to Roan, it was an behavior he could not understand.

***

A few hours after the sudden event of the Diamond Beetle’s choosing.

Around the time the dawn sun was slowly rising in the east, Roan dusted himself off and stood up.

“We should start again now.”

“What?”

“We have to clear the remaining branches.”

Although they had cleared more than half yesterday, a significant amount still remained.

“Ah~ I thought it was something else.”

Demona grinned and nodded.

Did he plan to help diligently this time?

Just as Roan had that thought.

“I can’t help because I have to take care of Twinkle. What a pity.”

Demona said, stroking the Diamond Beetle on his chest.

Sion and Roan’s gazes immediately turned freezing cold.

Even the Diamond Beetle, which had been happy in its master’s arms just a moment ago, suddenly flew up and struck Demona’s head with its large horn.

“Crack!”

Demona collapsed in one blow.

The Diamond Beetle didn’t stop there and stomped on him ruthlessly with its hard legs.

Roan and Sion watched the scene warmly.

‘It seems a useful guy has come.’

At least it was entertaining to watch.

“S-Sion… heal me…”

“…”

Swish—

Sion ignored Demona, who was reaching out to her pitifully, and went to clear the branches.

“Deal with it yourself and come quickly.”

Roan was the same.

“Y-You guys are cruel…”

Ultimately, Demona had to gather branches while bleeding and crying.

Fortunately, all three had developed a knack for the task, so they managed to clear the remaining branches by sunrise.

Around the time three piles of branches as large as mountains were created.

“Wonderful! Freshmen, very wonderful!”

Arne, who had finished clearing the remaining insect spirit beasts, descended to the ground.

“Is it mostly finished? Good timing.”

Harden, who had promised a reward, also revealed himself.

Arne finished the settlement by distributing the promised 500 talents to each of the three.

“Then I am going inside to sleep! I’m tired!”

“Yes, rest well.”

Arne, who bowed to Harden, ran into the cabin.

What remained was Harden’s reward.

Fumbling through his pouch for a moment, Harden noticed the Diamond Beetle clinging to Demona.

“What is that guy?”

“Twinkle!”

Demona replied brightly.

Naturally, Harden, who didn’t expect a proper answer from him, cast his gaze at Roan.

“He was chosen last night.”

“Hmm. A Diamond Beetle, it’s been a while since I’ve seen one.”

Staring with interest for a moment, Harden soon withdrew his attention.

“Wicronon did have that kind of useless talent.”

He then took out a box about 30cm in size from his pouch.

Although they wondered how such a large item came out of his pouch, they had no choice but to accept it since he was a Holy Spirit.

Harden took out a wand with a few cute sprouts attached from the box and handed it to Sion.

“Take it. It’s a wand made by growing the seed of that Divine Tree. It will grow with you in the future.”

“Thank you… thank you so much…!”

As if she hadn’t expected to receive such a gift from the Holy Spirit, she shed tears in an instant.

Of course, Roan, who watched that scene.

‘A growth-type wand, I should have just given him the lucky pouch!’

He felt a massive heartache.

He could have just emptied the items inside before giving it!

To think such a growth-type wand would have sped up Sion’s recruitment by half a year, he felt dizzy.

Of course, since Harden’s lucky pouch was just as precious as that wand, such thoughts did not last long.

“Principal, what about me?”

Meanwhile, Demona also awaited Harden’s gift with sparkling eyes.

Harden tilted his head as if asking what he was talking about.

“Haven’t you received it already?”

“Eh?”

Demona also tilted his head.

He had already received it?

Harden grinned and pointed to the Diamond Beetle.

“The greatest gift is friendship.”

Truly, Harden was sincere about playing tricks on the students.

Of course, Demona exceeded Harden’s imagination.

“Then I won’t take him.”

“…”

Even Harden stared at Roan with his mouth open!

[W-What is this guy really?]

He was so flustered that he even spoke via Gospel.

Roan shrugged.

‘How would I know?’

Just then, the Diamond Beetle flew up and struck Demona’s head with its horn again.

Smack—!

With a cheerful sound, Demona collapsed and twitched.

“Oh… They are a good match.”

Harden was extremely pleased by that sight.

Roan and Sion also nodded in agreement.

“Well, study hard next week too. Take good care of your friend.”

Completing his business, Harden disappeared.

Roan and Sion waited for Demona to regain consciousness before returning to Panuroa Hall.

“I’m tired…”

“So tired…”

“Wicronon, what did you even do?”

Each looked ready to collapse as soon as they entered their private rooms.

Of course, Roan maintained a clear mind.

No, even if he was tired, he couldn’t collapse.

And with good reason.

‘I have to unlock the Administrator of the Forbidden Library!’

Because he was right on the verge of achieving the initial goal he had set upon enrolling in Akerandir.