Chapter 265: Crossroads (6)
“……Your resolve is truly a great source of strength.”
Yeriel spoke in a quiet voice, as though gently admonishing Lian.
“But unfortunately, I do not think that will be possible.”
“Why not?”
“It is somewhat ridiculous for me to say this when we have just fought through mortal danger together and resolved this incident side by side…… but this is no longer an examination or class of the Academy, is it? I cannot guarantee your safety.”
He continued in a cold tone.
“Furthermore, you are in a state of utter exhaustion and deterioration. Someone who cannot contribute to the battle serves no purpose by accompanying us. Surely someone like you understands that.”
“……While underground, I fortunately had an opportunity to recover my injuries and stamina.”
Lian replied.
Because he remembered the words of Berenistella, he deliberately kept his explanation vague.
“After that, there were no major battles, so I was able to preserve a fair amount of my strength.”
Lian added in a pleading tone.
For some reason…… he felt an inexplicable intuition that he absolutely had to go to the Academy right now—more specifically, to the Room of Memories.
“Besides, if it concerns Professor Windy May, then am I not also a related party just like you, Headmaster? I sincerely ask you, Headmaster.”
“Hm……”
“……If you truly cannot trust me.”
Seeing Yeriel’s reluctant expression, Lian suddenly exhaled and clasped both hands together in a posture of prayer.
Then, just as he had said earlier, he scraped together the strength he had carefully conserved and bestowed a blessing upon everyone present.
It was the simplest blessing, yet precisely because of that, it was widely used.
“Hm.”
“This is……”
It seemed that Yeriel and the others had not expected Lian to still possess this much strength.
“……Very well. If your determination is truly that firm.”
Yeriel slowly nodded, as though he had finally relented.
He then approached Lian, placed a hand on his shoulder, and spoke.
“Though I said otherwise earlier, it is embarrassing to admit this, but I will not have the capacity to protect you should the worst occur. You must avoid danger on your own.”
“That is exactly what I hoped for.”
“Good.”
Just as the two of them were about to depart for the Academy—
“W-Wait, I also……!”
Cecilia hurriedly called out, trying to stop them.
When Lian’s gaze turned toward her, she showed a rare expression of flustered hesitation.
A moment passed.
“……No. I will follow Professor Shagas after all.”
In the end, Cecilia lowered her head and murmured quietly.
She was worried about Lian, and if possible, she truly wanted to stay by his side and protect him.
However, she knew very well that in a situation like this, she could not stubbornly insist on her own wishes.
The place where her strength was most desperately needed was obviously with Professor Shagas.
At the very least, when it came to dealing with a large number of enemies, no one here surpassed her.
“……Be careful, Lian.”
Cecilia whispered softly, and Lian gave a small nod.
When she blinked once—
Yeriel and Lian, who had been standing there just moments before, had already disappeared without a trace.
Something had gone wrong.
With her eyes closed, Lancia thought quietly.
‘This…….’
This—something was wrong.
Perhaps she was dreaming.
She kept thinking that, denying reality.
‘Clearly…….’
From Lian’s body, the aura of Demons had clearly been flowing.
It was exceedingly subtle—so faint that one could not sense it at a glance—but for some reason, she could see it.
…Yes, she could see it, not merely sense it.
“……”
At first, she thought she must have been mistaken.
Her condition had been terrible, and she had been so utterly exhausted that she suspected her eyes had deceived her.
But that was not the case.
Even after being healed by magic, even after recovering some of her strength, she could still clearly see the Demonic magical power coiling around Lian’s body.
Moreover, when Lian had just explained what had happened underground to everyone—
The aura that had been lingering around him had thickened again.
The moment she saw that, she had been overcome with a sense of betrayal unlike anything she had ever felt.
‘……I trusted him.’
The way he had been since the moment they first met.
And the devout faith and miracles he had displayed.
Were all of those merely the tricks of Demons? Of Devils?
If that were true, then since when had she been deceived?
‘Unforgivable.’
How dare he mock her.
Just as she thought that—
Lian had performed a miracle and bestowed a blessing upon everyone.
And that was unmistakably a miracle and blessing of Divine Power—one that only those acknowledged by the Merciful Ilionel could use.
Witnessing this undeniable truth, Lancia fell into utter confusion.
This could not be falsified.
There was no way she could fail to recognize a miracle or a blessing.
Then what in the world……?
‘What in the world……?’
What was Lian?
Was he not connected to Demons?
Was he not a pawn of Devils?
Was he instead someone loved by Ilionel, a follower of the teachings of the Holy Sun Church?
‘……Ah.’
At that moment, something from underground suddenly came back to her.
The Man without a Head.
A being who was her Archrival, a foe she could never forgive.
The memory of herself falling into his trickery and shouting the name of something hollow and profane.
And the fact that it had been none other than Lian who had saved her when she had sunk into doubt and the Mire.
‘Ah…….’
Her faith in Ilionel had been genuine, yet the name that had escaped her lips had been that of the Eight Demon Lords—enemies of Ilionel.
And unbelievably……
At that moment, she had not felt even the slightest doubt about the name she had cried out.
Back then, the situation had been urgent, and she had been mentally cornered, leaving her no chance to think properly.
But now it was different.
And so her thoughts, suspicions, and reflections began multiplying endlessly.
Excessive suspicion can even conjure ghosts that never existed.
And within that whirlpool of thoughts and doubts, Lancia finally arrived at a single conclusion.
That was—
‘Then…….’
…Perhaps.
Perhaps the one who was wrong was not Lian, but herself.
Was that not the case?
Just moments ago, Lian had bestowed a powerful blessing—so powerful that even she herself had been astonished—upon everyone present.
Yeriel, who stood on the brink of becoming an Archmage.
Shagas, known as the Demon Hunter.
And even Deiare, who had lived for centuries, possessed the Far-Seeing Eye, and was a disciple of Arpentia.
Not a single one of them had expressed suspicion. Instead, they had reacted with amazement.
Which meant Lian’s blessing and prayer had been neither impure nor a crude deception.
And yet she had hastily doubted him merely because the aura of Demons surrounded him.
Even though, as mentioned earlier, it had been Lian Gwendil himself who had saved her when she had been drowning in suspicion and the Mire.
‘Then…….’
Then what of her faith…?
The faith and belief she had devoted nearly her entire life to—pushing herself relentlessly while believing it to be unshakable—
Was it truly so hollow and fragile?
So fragile that it could waver in less than half a day?
It felt as though the entire world she had known was collapsing.
Within that sensation, Lancia murmured blankly.
‘I…….’
What in the world am I……?
Just as she sank deeper than ever before—
“……You may open your eyes now.”
Deiare spoke to Lancia in a quiet voice.
“……”
Lancia pretended not to hear, keeping her eyes shut.
“……Time is of the essence. Please open your eyes. If we are to speak, we should at least look each other in the eye.”
Her voice was quiet and gentle, yet firm enough to allow no refusal.
Eventually, Lancia slowly opened her eyes.
Immediately, she met the gaze of the Centauros quietly looking down at her.
“……Did you know?”
“I have seen many students pretend to sleep or lose consciousness.”
Deiare murmured as if it were nothing surprising.
“And my eyes are quite good as well.”
“……”
“I thought you did not wish the others to know, so I brought you into a nearby empty building. I said I was looking for a place to let you lie down comfortably. No one suspected a thing.”
Lancia nodded at Deiare’s explanation.
She could roughly guess why she had been brought here alone.
“Do you have something to say to me?”
“Yes.”
Deiare nodded.
“More precisely, it would be something I wish to say not to the student of the Academy, Lancia Jintia…… but to an Agent of the Holy Sun Church.”
“……”
It seemed she truly knew everything.
As Lancia remained silent after her identity had been exposed, Deiare raised her hand slightly, as if telling her to calm down.
To show she meant no hostility, she had even left her weapon—the halberd—near the entrance.
“Please do not worry. I have no intention of threatening or coercing you because of your identity. I merely wish for you to hear me out.”
“You wish to speak?”
“Yes.”
She nodded again.
“As I said, my eyes are quite good…… That is one of the reasons I remain at the Academy. There are many people here like Miss Jintia.”
“……”
“Sometimes there are people well into their thirties or even nearing forty who enroll as ‘students.’ Everyone comes with their own intentions and reasons, so I simply accept it. In Miss Jintia’s case, however, your purpose is rather clear, so while we may keep watch, there is no need for hostility.”
Clop.
Her hoof struck the floor with a dry sound.
“……Especially in a situation like this.”
“That is enough small talk.”
If her identity had already been exposed, there was nothing to be done.
And since Deiare’s demeanor showed no intention of harming her, Lancia sat up and straightened her posture.
“You may remain lying down.”
“This is more comfortable.”
“If you say so.”
Looking at Lancia, who was half-sitting on the makeshift bed, Deiare spoke.
“The Holy Sun Church has detected unusual movements. That is why I arranged this meeting—to ask you something.”
“……Unusual movements?”
“Yes.”
Deiare nodded.
“You are surely well aware of Cardinal Bruyant, so I will omit the details.”
“……”
“He has been taking actions whose intentions are unclear. I wish to know whether this was discussed beforehand with you or any other members of the Holy Sun Church.”
“What exactly are they doing……?”
“They have occupied a portion of the Academy while armed.”
Deiare continued quietly.
“They are not merely fortifying their position. They are showing hostility toward us. The problem is that they firmly believe enemies will soon converge upon the Academy, and that they are establishing a forward base to intercept them.”
“……Are they not simply taking extra precautions?”
“If that were all, I would not be reacting so strongly.”
Deiare replied.
“Some of them… including Cardinal Bruyant, are heading toward the core of the Academy.”
“The core……?”
“If they seize that place, the Academy will be as good as stripped bare.”
Then she whispered softly.
“And although I have already informed the Headmaster… there was an Iron Needle embedded in Cardinal Bruyant’s chest.”
“Wait, that means……?”
“Yes.”
Deiare nodded slightly as she looked at the shocked Lancia.
Her gaze had turned cold.
“It is possible that the Holy Sun Church is deeply involved in this matter.”
Once again, Lancia heard the sound of her world collapsing.