Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The authority, False Divinity, had been craving power ever since it entered Roan’s body.

Unlike other authorities that used their own power, False Divinity could only function properly with black mana as a medium, rather than holy power.

Yet, despite obtaining this powerful authority, and possessing a natural talent that made even the authority itself grow weary, this boy rarely tried to use his power.

At most, he had only tried to change his appearance by ignorantly pushing black mana into his circuits.

But only now did the boy finally begin to use black magic that actually felt like black magic, even though it was still hopelessly basic.

[Finally…… it is time for me to step forward.]

False Divinity woke up from its slumber and finally began to move its power.

***

As Roan moved his mana, a brilliant light filled the classroom in an instant.

“P-Professor?”

Atoga’s assistant called out to him, but Atoga reached out his hand as if telling him not to do anything.

He had instinctively felt that he should not interfere with this moment.

Instead, he quietly maintained a certain distance from Roan and began to closely observe his condition.

‘First, blood flow control.’

Around that time, Roan was completely focusing on his inner self, entirely unaware of the situation outside.

Unlike holy magic, which was driven by a combination of emblems and Hilonian, black magic was cast using only a single black magic circle.

Furthermore, it was a unique system of black magic that was clearly distinct from other magic systems.

No matter how much of a veteran player of “God & Devil” he was, he wouldn’t have been able to recall such black magic circles accurately and even figure out what each part meant.

However, Roan was different.

A talent stat of 100 was truly worthy of being praised as a collaboration between God and Devil.

Even without being taught by anyone, solely by instinct.

He could discern what each component of the black magic circle was, what meaning it held, and how they interacted.

‘The blood flow control itself doesn’t need to be touched much. I just need to lower the output barely enough to stop the bleeding.’

After calculating how much mana he needed, Roan breathed exactly that amount into the magic circle.

Under normal circumstances, the magic should have manifested with just that.

But at that moment, False Divinity began to display its hidden effect.

‘What? Yesterday when I practiced, it was driven by a normal magic circle.’

The magic circle into which he poured mana seemed to distort for a moment, and then it began to change into a new shape.

Since it was a completely unexpected phenomenon, the moment Roan tried to hastily retrieve his mana.

‘This is…….’

For some reason, the shape that the magic circle was taking looked familiar.

No, to be precise, it was.

‘Holy magic?’

It had become Hilonian script and emblems of holy magic.

It was a form much more complex and longer than the basic healing recorded on the scroll.

And it was a kind that even Roan, who had memorized a fair amount of holy magic, did not know.

‘Could it be?’

Instead of retrieving his mana, Roan instinctively pushed it right in.

In the process of the magic circle changing, his mana, which was black, was also converted into something like bright holy power.

Roan’s mana, which flowed along the emblems and Hilonian, reached his wound immediately.

And then.

Drip—

Immediately, just as Roan had intended, or rather, even more perfectly than that, it controlled the blood flow.

‘Translation, it’s translation!’

Roan immediately realized the true purpose of False Divinity.

It was also a point that could not be known simply through playing the game.

The true effect of False Divinity was none other than translating the mechanism of black magic into holy magic.

No, rather than a complete translation that changed the very essence, it disguised it craftily like holy magic through this process.

Not only its appearance, but even the aura felt from it was very exquisite.

Roan immediately prepared the next black magic.

He felt excited at the thought of finding a hidden setting he hadn’t known about until now.

‘Next is Flesh Explosion!’

Flesh Explosion was originally a magic used to restore damaged undead or create obstacles using undead.

Normally, the flesh would swell grotesquely and expand as if blood vessels were bursting, making it highly grotesque.

‘If I remove this part and connect this side like this…….’

A simple modification of magic was an easy task for Roan.

It was the power of a talent that transcended the level of talent, where everything turned out to be the correct answer even if he just took a guess when it came to black magic.

‘Will this work too?’

A magic circle where a significant portion of Flesh Explosion was removed, leaving only the principle of simple regeneration.

Roan poured mana into it with a slightly fluttering heart.

If he could translate even such modified magic into holy magic…….

‘It works!’

Roan rejoiced inwardly.

False Divinity quickly changed the magic circle, which was considerably different from the original Flesh Explosion, into the emblems and Hilonian of holy magic.

Although its shape seemed to have become considerably more complex compared to basic healing.

What did that matter?

As long as the bleeding stopped and the flesh filled up well like healing, it was fine!

Besides, if it was done this way, the chance of even Acherandir’s professors recognizing it would be much lower.

Even if the grandfather of a heretic inquisitor came, he wouldn’t stubbornly insist that something working like holy magic on the surface was black magic.

‘Hmm…… well, no, those guys might actually do that.’

Anyway, Roan, having realized the new function of the authority he hadn’t known before, finally checked his body’s condition and came out of his concentration.

He had finished much faster than he thought, but at this rate, he would be able to pass by more quietly compared to the admission ceremony or other times.

‘I won’t have to use the herbs.’

The only minor regret was that the herbs he had painstakingly plucked had become useless.

Anyway, Roan was inwardly satisfied with the thought that he had managed to get through this crisis well.

And when he finally turned his gaze outside.

─ ……

“……?”

For some reason, all the students were looking at Roan.

‘Why?’

Roan tilted his head, not knowing the reason.

Why are these guys looking at me when blood is gushing from their own arms?

‘Just because they do that, I’m not going to use healing magic on them.’

Clap, clap, clap, clap—

“Now, everyone, applause for student Darc!”

“Professor! The kids’ arms, their arms!”

“Ah, right! Everyone, do not applaud! Treat yourselves first!”

However, seeing the farce that followed, Roan finally realized that the situation had gone a bit wrong.

***

Zion had known to some extent about the Darc family even before entering the school.

That a descendant had miraculously survived from that disaster.

She hadn’t expected to meet him at Acherandir, but upon hearing the news of his admission late, she had felt a sense of gladness for no reason.

The descendant of a fallen great family, and a Saintess candidate abandoned by her family.

She thought they might feel a sense of kinship with each other.

She thought they might be the only ones in this vast Acherandir.

Because of that, she wanted to secretly approach him and strike up a light conversation, but what on earth.

When their eyes met briefly before the admission ceremony, that gaze of ignoring her—or looking with pity at the character he had raised.

She still couldn’t forget it.

Just in case, she tried to make eye contact when Roan stood on the platform as the freshman representative, but the ignoring gaze—or the pitiful gaze as if he had taken Zion’s place—was the same.

By this point, it was not an illusion.

‘Did I do something wrong to Darc?’

There was no way.

It had only been barely a year since she came to the Empire.

During that time, she had refrained from going outside even more.

This was the first time she had seen Darc.

Even if she tried to have a conversation to clear up any misunderstanding, Roan only drifted further away, not giving Zion even such a chance.

He always stood out, making it impossible to approach him.

At the admission ceremony, the baptism, and even at the cliff of Panroa Hall…….

In the end, the mounting misunderstandings slightly changed Zion’s sense of kinship.

‘I will talk to him after winning perfectly in the basic healing class!’

She heard that Darc had awakened his holy power just before the admission ceremony.

If so, he would naturally be lacking in practical holy magic compared to her, who had received preparation from the Holy See.

If she used basic healing holy magic proudly, wouldn’t she be able to say this to him?

Darc. Shall I teach you a bit of the basic healing holy magic?

And starting from that moment, she would always stay a step ahead of Darc, rising to the undisputed lead among the freshmen!

Contrary to Zion’s plan, however, Darc’s holy magic was…….

It was such that it could have run in the Imperial Newspaper’s ‘Brilliant Holy Magic of the Year’ column.

It wasn’t simply because of the brightness of the light, which couldn’t be called basic healing.

‘The noble dignity leaking from the holy magic, I’ve only seen that a few times even in the Holy See.’

Each element felt from the holy magic was of a tremendous level that could not be seen in a mere freshman of the Holy Academy.

Could he possibly possess an authority?

‘There’s no way that’s the case.’

Zion thought it was an absurd speculation.

……Without having the slightest idea that it was the truth.

In any case, with such talent, would she be able to keep being called a Saintess candidate?

Zion felt to the point of self-deprecation.

And look at that cold gaze looking down at everyone after finishing the treatment.

It was as if he was declaring that he did not belong in such a basic class.

Professor Atoga also seemed deeply impressed by Roan’s holy magic.

Naturally so.

The deeper one’s knowledge of healing holy magic, the more clearly they could feel how great it was.

An overwhelming talent—for black magic—that far surpassed her, which she was feeling for the first time in her life.

Zion’s fingertips trembled.

And she made a firm resolution.

‘Just you wait, I will definitely win!’

Someday, she would definitely defeat Darc and strike up a conversation with him while showing a subtle sense of victory!

***

‘What is it? Why on earth are they applauding?’

He thought he had finished the treatment quietly and inconspicuously, but.

Roan was dazed by the sudden commotion that broke out around him.

Was basic healing actually an extremely difficult holy magic in reality?

So was it an achievement worthy of receiving applause just for treating a wound on one’s arm?

‘In the game, even if I did a 3-second clear, the achievement wasn’t unlocked.’

That wasn’t the case.

Of course, it wasn’t so simple that students who had just awakened their holy power yesterday could succeed in their first class.

Even if they did use it, there would only be a brief compliment from the professor, and no particularly special reaction.

Meanwhile, Roan’s eyes also met Zion’s, who was looking back at him from the front row.

‘Why is she looking at me like that again?’

Her face was pale, and her whole body was trembling.

‘Isn’t that excessive bleeding?’

Roan pondered a bit whether he should tell Atoga about Zion’s condition.

At that moment, Zion, realizing late that they were making eye contact, hurriedly turned her head away.

And for some reason, she was trying to use holy magic while waving her hands grandly, which was unlike her.

Only then did Roan seem to understand Zion’s feelings.

‘They say a woman’s jealousy is scary…….’

He had felt it bit by bit since the admission ceremony, but Zion firmly regarded him as a rival.

And that perception must have become even firmer when Roan succeeded in healing holy magic in one go.

……Roan had never dreamed that, from her perspective, it might look like he was picking a fight first.

‘Did I know I would succeed in one go?’

Roan grumbled inwardly.

Although he had planned it to some extent, whether he would succeed or not was a completely different matter.

The proof of that was the bundle of herbs he had gone out to gather at dawn.

Anyway, at this school, it was a problem if he failed, and even more of a problem if he succeeded!

Just then, Atoga approached Roan with a broad smile and spoke.

“Student Roan, excellent. Not to mention stabbing your arm without hesitation, I didn’t expect you to complete the holy magic in one go. Of course, the level of that holy magic was also amazing.”

“Thank you. Doing my best is a student’s natural duty…… Wait.”

Roan answered mechanically, then suddenly noticed an odd point.

“What do you mean by level?”

“My word……”

Atoga, rather delighted by that question, could not properly continue his words.

“Modesty is good, but you can be honest with me, your professor. Surely you’re not trying to call that simple beginner healing?”

“……?”

Of course, it wasn’t.

But that didn’t mean the black magic Roan used was significantly more complex than that either?

Roan looked at Hector, who was between him and Atoga, with eyes demanding an explanation.

Hector also explained with an impressed look.

“It is just as the professor said. The energy of the holy magic you emitted was truly noble.”

No way.

Roan, having a hunch about something, briefly aroused his black mana again.

He adjusted the blood flow control to be weaker than before.

However.

Whoosh—

A light several times brighter than Roan’s expectation burst from his arm.

To be precise, at the very moment the black magic circle was disguised as holy magic!

Moreover, what on earth was this antique atmosphere that felt gentle yet even warm?

‘This is driving me crazy.’

Roan naturally got a headache.

Since even blood flow control, a basic magic, was like this, the modified Flesh Explosion earlier went through an even more complex process, so…….

‘It must have looked like nothing short of a miracle.’

In short, False Divinity emitted far too grand an aura in the process of translating black magic into holy magic.

As if advertising, ‘I am currently using an incredibly amazing holy magic!’

“As expected, though not as much as before, it is excellent. Student Darc seems to have already crossed the wall of enlightenment.”

Seeing the light lingering on Roan’s arm, Atoga nodded once more after interpreting it in his own way.

“Everyone, do your best since student Darc has shown a wonderful example! If anything feels wrong with your body, tell me or the assistant right away!”

Atoga moved away.

Demona spoke in an undertone.

“You are truly a remarkable fellow, Darc. I apologize for calling you an annoying bastard at the admission ceremony.”

‘It was you?’

No wonder he felt annoyed whenever he heard that voice.

“I didn’t say a word. More importantly, would it be alright to invite you to our territory during the vacation? I think my father would like to see you too.”

“Hmph, would Darc really like to go to the land of a fanatic lord?”

Hector and Demona began to bicker again.

While blood was gushing from one of their forearms.

“……Before that, treat your arms first.”

When Roan pointed it out, only then did the two look at their arms and realize.

“Ah. Right.”

“Right, indeed.”

‘By the way, is it okay to call someone else’s father a fanatic?’

Of course, Sencolt, the head of the Pavilto family, was indeed a fanatic.

Because he was an unrivaled master of heretic inquisition in this era.

However, Roan decided to stop caring soon.

Anyway, Hector was the type who would also call Demona and the Wycronon family heretics without hesitation.

‘It would be nice if both of them were dragged away in the middle of the night without anyone knowing.’

If that happened, Roan felt he could develop at least a tiny bit of affection for Acherandir.

After some time passed.

“Well, let’s stop here for today! Everyone did a great job.”

Atoga clapped his hands and declared the end of the class.

No matter how talented the Acherandir students were, it was too early for them to manifest basic healing.

The only ones who succeeded perfectly were Roan and Zion.

In particular, although Zion’s healing was not as grand as Roan’s, it spread a warm and lingering light for a long time, drawing admiration from Atoga.

And as soon as Zion succeeded in healing like that, she stealthily looked back at Roan.

‘By this point, what did I really do?’

Or maybe there was an ill fate between her and Darc before possession…….

Although he was still way off track, Roan was gradually getting closer to the truth.

When their eyes met, Zion was startled and turned her head away again.

However, that appearance had already instilled a deep sense of vigilance in Roan.

‘I should avoid getting involved with Zion as much as possible in the future.’

Zion was highly competitive, but she was not that kind of student.

To begin with, that was not her personality in the early days of admission either.

However, as Roan Darc intervened in Zion’s original spot, it seemed that her competitive spirit had awakened a bit early and directed itself toward Roan.

Inevitably, there was no choice but to distance himself from Zion as much as possible.

Meanwhile, among the other students, Demona was about the only one who barely succeeded in producing an effect similar to treatment.

‘Is he still a Wycronon family member after all?’

At least looking at that achievement, it seemed that being a member of the three major families was not an empty title.

“Heh, as expected, there are some things that cannot be done with fanaticism alone.”

“You…… are you done talking?”

Though seeing him immediately provoke Hector as if he had caught a pretext made him look like nothing but a street thug.

Meanwhile, Atoga, who had been wandering around treating the students’ wounds and checking their conditions thoroughly, spoke in a bright voice.

“Everyone, don’t be too discouraged. Actually, using basic healing in the first class is not an easy thing to do.”

Only then did the students relax their expressions slightly.

—As expected, right?

—Yeah, how can we beat the Saintess candidate and that Darc bastard?

‘No, the titles seem a bit different…….’

Roan was annoyed by the stark contrast in the students’ treatment of them.

Zion, who should have been receiving this envy and jealousy under normal circumstances, had somehow become the Saintess Candidate ‘Lady.’

Roan suddenly remembered thinking during the admission ceremony that he would rescue Zion if she seemed to be bullied too much.

Of course, since she was a character he had cherished and raised to the end, his feelings were still the same.

But now, it wasn’t a matter of helping her; it was as if he had taken the burden entirely upon himself.

‘Should I be happy about this or not……?’

He hadn’t wanted Zion to be happy to this extent.

“The next class will also be conducted like today, so I hope the students who couldn’t stab themselves will gradually get used to it.”

—…….

The students, who had been rationalizing to themselves, soon became depressed.

It was the normal reaction to hearing that they would have to stab somewhere on their bodies with a sharp dagger next time as well.

“And, although it’s rare to give something like this from the first class. Student Darc? Would you come forward?”

“?”

Roan expressed doubt at the sudden calling.

However, there was no way he could not go after being called by the professor.

Roan soon stood up and walked up to the podium.

“It’s my first time seeing a student stab their arm without hesitation and use such wonderful healing holy magic. I will give you Talents. Oh, everyone knows what Talents are, right?”

—Talents…….

—He’s receiving them already?

Atoga chuckled as he heard the students’ jealous voices.

Then he took out a wallet from his arms and handed him a bill.

‘Just to receive a measly 10 Talents…….’

Now the Talents Roan possessed were 10,010 Talents.

Instead, by receiving his first Talents in the first class along with the professor’s first high praise, he attracted a huge amount of attention.

“Thank you.”

“Yes, I hope you use it well. Oh, and—”

The words ‘What is it now?’ rose up to Roan’s throat, but he barely managed to suppress them.

Why did he talk so much?

“I have something to say to student Darc, so could you follow me to my lab for a moment after class?”

“……It’s an honor.”

“Hahaha! Don’t mention it.”

Atoga laughed out loud and lightly patted Roan on the back.

His refreshing laughter had the effect of making those who heard it feel good, but.

‘@&*$@#$!’

At least not for the current Roan.

Roan returned to his seat while receiving the full attention of the students.

“As expected of Darc…… I’m to the point of feeling jealous now.”

“To be invited by the professor from the very first class…….”

“Shut up for a bit.”

“???”

“Ah, sorry. The wrong words came out.”

Even though it was his true feeling.

“Th-Then what were you planning to say?”

“Tell you to quiet down.”

“That’s the same thing……!”

“Then do you want to go with me?”

“No thanks. If I tried to steal such an honor out of envy, the honor of Wycronon would be tarnished.”

“The same goes for Pavilto.”

Roan found it absurd to see Hector and Demona getting along so well.

‘Weren’t they on bad terms?’

Do they just want to mess with me?