Chapter 58

The priests, who had been listening quietly, blushed at the frivolous content of the question.

However, not a single person came forward.

At first glance, one might say it was because they couldn’t act lightly in front of an angel, but…

‘They are curious too.’

Roan thought otherwise.

As proof, the priests were sneaking glances at Eukerim.

If they were really just angry, someone would have already crept up and imposed a fine.

[…]

Anyway, even the great Angel of Direct Stare, Eukerim, did not seem to expect such a question, rolling its eyes for a moment before speaking in a solemn voice.

[“O nameless lamb, I, Eukerim, personally say: an angel’s flesh does not exist in reality, but is only an illusion created by all of your beliefs gathered together. How is believing only in an illusion not empty and foolish? This lacking shepherd truly finds it painful and difficult looking at you.”]

“Ah, are you saying it hurts?”

[…]

Eukerim fell silent again.

— Is he flustered?

— It seems so?

— So it means it does hurt, right?

The students whispered at the sight.

They also couldn’t understand, just like Demona.

As Eukerim said, the basis of his existence was indeed the belief of the believers.

Of course, just because a few students disbelieved didn’t damage his level, but it was natural that it was unpleasant.

[“O foolish lamb, Eukerim says again: since it does not exist in reality, why do you rattle off only the shallow knowledge you know? I, the messenger of Hiloa, shall weep in sadness. There is nothing more futile than chasing what does not exist. Keep your mind clear at all times and follow the guidance of your heart.”]

Eukerim, with an angel’s patience, repeatedly emphasized that he was not a being bound by such trivial physical reactions.

But Demona was equally frustrated.

“So, you do shed tears, right?”

Vein snap—

Then, blood vessels could be seen slightly bulging in the huge eye that could be called Eukerim’s body.

“No.”

Just then, someone’s voice was heard.

A low, solemn voice that was unfamiliar but enough to draw everyone’s attention.

— Who is it?

— Who said that?

The students whispered.

This was because although it was definitely a voice they heard for the first time, no one newly appeared or opened their mouth.

But they could soon tell who the owner of this voice was.

— P-Please appease your anger!

The priests around Eukerim screamed in great surprise, bowing flat on the ground.

The new voice was none other than Eukerim’s spoken voice!

— Wh-What! It was the angel!

— B-But the mouth… gasp!

— You punk, do you want to get dragged away!?

The Great Prayer Hall became a shambles in an instant.

From crying priests to students who were flustered and spitting out whatever words.

“!!!”

This time, even Roan could not help but be surprised.

‘Eukerim actually talks like that too?’

Angels insist on the Gospel and literary style to the point of being stubborn.

The cases where they used their spoken voice were usually just one.

‘It is when they subjugate demons who do not understand the Gospel…’

However, using his spoken voice against a normal person who was not even a demon was a first for Roan as well.

“Ah, you should have said so sooner. I almost misunderstood~”

But Demona didn’t care in the slightest about having angered the angel, nodding and smiling brightly as if her doubt was resolved.

Then, as if she suddenly had a new curiosity,

“By the way, you don’t have a mouth, so how do you speak?”

she suddenly blurted out another bombshell statement like this.

Demona, who casually asked a question that a sane person would be too scared to ask!

Even a black mage would shut their mouth in fear before an angel.

— !!!

Naturally, not only the students but also the priests were shocked.

…Of course, this time too, no one stepped forward willingly to stop Demona.

Eukerim spoke once again in his spoken voice.

“…Are you by any chance a Wicronon?”

“Huh? How did you know?”

“…”

Then an awkward silence followed for a moment.

Whoosh— Whoosh—

Soon, Eukerim’s eyes turned toward the others, leaving only Demona out.

[“O lambs, the Angel of Direct Stare says: do what needs to be done from now on. Let those who teach call the names, and let those who learn act. The messenger of Hiloa shall look directly into your inner selves.”]

Although it wasn’t spoken, it meant to just ignore her and get on with the class.

— What? Is he not answering?

— Seems so…

Several students were rather disappointed.

Meanwhile, Roan stared intently at Demona.

“Why are you looking at me with those eyes?”

“…No, just that you’re truly amazing.”

“Hehe, it’s nothing.”

He was sincere.

Demona would officially be the first living human to draw out an angel’s spoken voice.

Before long, the priest assisting Eukerim to conduct the class began to call the students one by one.

— Now, Gaston Devan, please come up here. The Angel of Direct Stare will inform you of your attribute in the order of calling.

Wondering what the attribute suited for their aptitude would be, the students excitedly began to share opinions with their close ones.

And a priest quietly approached Demona.

Tap-tap—

“Huh? What is it?”

“Student, you are fined 500 talants for blasphemy.”

“!!! No, I only did it because you told us to ask…!”

Demona looked up at the priest with eyes of grievance and shock, but that didn’t mean the fine would decrease.

‘She’s lucky she didn’t get dragged away.’

If it weren’t for a question that even the priests were curious about, she would have already been dragged away by holy knights and locked in a dungeon.

Or rather, if she weren’t from the Wicronon family…

Although it was Acherandir’s education that was unbound by status, they couldn’t ignore status completely either.

After the priest left, Demona asked Roan earnestly.

“Roan… can’t we do the Divine Tree management service together this weekend too?”

Roan clicked his tongue and replied.

“Divine Tree management is only done once in the first semester and once in the second semester.”

“Nooo!”

Demona screamed pitifully, but no one paid any attention.

***

— Now, students who are to receive attribute classification, please stand before the Angel of Direct Stare and look straight into the center eye. Each of your attributes will be discharged outside your body.

The method of attribute classification was simple.

The students just had to stand in front of Eukerim and meet the large eye on its body.

In the case of the first student, Gaston Devan, since he had a wind attribute, a slightly strong wind wrapped around him and swept out of the Great Prayer Hall.

Of course, for just one person in this vast Great Prayer Hall, it was not such a simple matter.

“R-Roan.”

Rafia called Roan carefully.

Roan turned to look at her.

“What is it?”

“Although Demona said some thoughtless things, I don’t think you need to look like you’re going to kill her…”

“?”

At the sudden words, Roan wore an expression that showed he had no idea what she meant.

That’s not just a day or two?

More than that, he had no room to think about Demona right now.

Just then, Rafia held up the hand mirror.

For some reason, these days she seemed to reflect Roan’s face more often than her own, the owner.

Anyway, Roan’s face in the hand mirror was truly a sight.

He had already looked menacing from staying up two nights in a row.

Now, perhaps because of tension, he looked like a heinous criminal who would go down in the history of imperial crime.

“Hmm. Right. As a faithful subject, I made a mistake.”

Since he had an excuse anyway, Roan simply admitted Rafia’s words.

“Roan!”

Demona shouted with a face full of betrayal, but it was none of his concern.

Even if something were to happen, the priests would surely pretend not to see it.

Roan let out a small groan.

‘…Anyway, I have no choice but to be tense.’

While the other students were waiting with fluttering hearts to see what their attributes would be,

in Roan’s case, he was experiencing the queue to the guillotine shortening step by step.

What if the Angel of Direct Stare used its unique ability to realize the fact that he was a black mage?

Even if it spoke in the angel’s unique style, there was no way the surrounding priests wouldn’t understand.

The priests were not Demona, after all.

The only silver lining was that Roan’s attendance number was near the end, so he had some breathing room.

…Though even if the order to climb the guillotine was last, he wasn’t sure if that should be called breathing room.

Anyway, the students who received their attribute classification steadily increased.

Whoosh—!

— Student Hector Pavilto is of the fire attribute. I hope you show the bravery that burns away the darkness.

“Thank you!”

Clang—!

— Hmm, student Riel Haylick is of the ice attribute.

“Thanks.”

— Student Rafia Kedan is of the earth attribute.

“Wow! Thank you!”

Hector, Riel, and Rafia were fire, ice, and earth respectively.

Next was the Saintess candidate, Sion’s turn.

Gulp—

Sion stood up, gulping unlike herself as if she was quite nervous.

“…Don’t be too nervous.”

Roan, who was watching, casually threw out a word.

“Yes? Ah… yes. Thank you.”

Sion showed a momentarily flustered expression.

And then,

“By any chance…”

“What is it?”

“Ah, no. It’s nothing.”

She budged her lips as if to ask something, but soon walked toward Eukerim.

‘There’s no way he knows my attribute too.’

It was a question so absurd that even she let out a hollow laugh thinking about it.

But thinking that way, she felt the tension she had held until now release a little.

Of course,

‘Sion is of the light attribute at an incredible level.’

Roan knew that absurd piece of information.

Attributes varied in quality in countless ways depending on individual talent stats.

Even for the same attribute, detailed traits and specialized utility differed for each.

Sion was of the light attribute among the numerous attributes.

It was known to be the most excellent among holy powers, and was also the attribute with the highest probability of rising to high positions.

In particular, Sion’s light attribute was so outstanding that it earned her the nickname of a once-in-a-generation talent.

Step—

Sion stood before the Angel of Direct Stare, Eukerim, and faced those giant eyes.

Flash—— Flash——

An immense halo of light soon rippled out from her body like a wave.

— Oh!

A holy and warm light that spontaneously drew exclamations even from among the priests.

Her light-attribute holy magic, starting today, would eventually reach the pinnacle of the Empire.

— Student Sion Beatrice is of the light attribute. Amazing!

[“I, Eukerim, say: it is the light shining from the sun, the justice that burns the darkness, and the salvation that cares for the weak. A light source born in a small land that will become the grandest. Indeed, it is a blessing bestowed upon the continent.”]

Not only the priest informing the students of their attributes, but Eukerim, who had kept silent until now, also left high praise.

“Ah…”

Sion couldn’t even hear those words properly, only watching the light wrapping around her as if possessed.

Roan, who had already attained enlightenment long ago, nodded contentedly.

‘Hmm, as expected of Sion. Looking at it this way, the attributes match well.’

Even just considering the friends excluding Sion, it could be said to be a fairly balanced combination of attributes.

But if the renowned Sion was also included?

Even though he would disappear as dew on the execution ground, at least the remaining people would be happy…

“Whew…”

Roan shook his head and let out a sigh.

Before long, it was Demona’s turn.

Demona, as always, had been clinging and pestering Roan for a while now.

“Roan, isn’t it obvious without even looking for me? Wouldn’t it be the dark attribute?”

“…No way.”