༺ Spirit (1) ༻
“…Therefore, divine power is an energy that fundamentally exists within the bodies of all human beings, the creations of God. It is unlike the magic power or law power that the chosen are born with. However, that’s also why it’s difficult to cultivate to the point of practical use…”
Professor Griever Lanfeld swallowed the anger boiling from within as he spoke.
The atmosphere in the class was a mess, no matter how one looked at it.
In the first place, there were already not that many people attending. And now, most of them weren’t even listening.
Even those who had once made efforts to catch his eye and get a good evaluation were now ignoring him without a care.
‘…If only that bastard wasn’t a devil worshipper.’
He gritted his teeth, thinking of Marquis Riverback.
Since the Marquis was a young and prosperous businessman, Griever thought that he would be enjoying a sweet fulfilling life by using the Marquis. But, in the end, all he got was a damned gangjeong.1TL Note: Gangjeong (강정) is a Korean snack that is hollow on the inside. So Griever is saying that Marquis Riverback was an empty shell.
That was right. An empty gangjeong.
Griever didn’t care whether Marquis Riverback was a devil worshipper or not.
The only thing that mattered was whether he brought him benefits.
In that sense…
“Um, I have a question.”
While seeing that bastard raise his hand to ask a question, Griever held in such abysmal hate. He wouldn’t have felt satisfied even if he ripped him apart and fed him to the wolves.
Dowd Campbell.
This was the guy who took his emergency tool and erected the barrier during the monster incident.
“Then, what is the best way to quickly increase the total amount of divine power and proficiency in blessings?”
“…The best way to increase divine power and proficiency is by actually using it.”
He replied in a stern voice.
“Don’t ask for the obvious. That’s a very low-level question for an Elfante student.”
“Yes, my bad.”
“Devote yourself to training. I’m ashamed to even listen to that.”
Although Griever intentionally used aggressive language to belittle the other person, the guy simply smiled without any sign of anger.
However.
Those eyes weren’t smiling at all.
“…”
Griever, feeling a chill run down his spine, forced himself to look away.
He could clearly feel something eerie coming from that direction.
“…That’s it for today’s class.”
He didn’t want to deal with that guy any longer. In that context, he ended the class a bit earlier than usual.
Walking along the corridor, Griever thought about the student named Dowd.
‘…He looks like that person.’
A person who had spoken once through Marquis Riverback.
The strange person who called themselves the Prophet.
He had never seen their face, but he vividly remembered the chilling impression he felt from them.
The eerie sensation he felt from that guy just now was very similar to that.
Hell, they might even be the same person.
‘Well, either way, we won’t cross paths in the future.’
Now in his office, he thought with a smile.
Then he took out a letter from the compartment under his desk, which was filled with information he would sell.
They were all high-level information and secrets he obtained while teaching as a professor at the Academy.
‘The Empire has always had many enemies.’
He would sell this off and then disappear.
This could potentially kill people or cause a lot of damage, but that was none of his business.
However.
“Yeah, well. I apologize for interrupting your daydream of a happy future.”
Suddenly, a voice came from nearby.
At the same time, a strong impact hit the back of his head.
“Aren’t you being too heartless to choose to harm others while wishing to keep yourself safe?”
It was a familiar voice.
Because it was the same person who he had just seen in class.
Dowd Campbell. Meanwhile, the one trampling over his fallen body was Lady Tristan.
“…You, what do you think you’re doing!? How dare a small dog baron lieeeekk-!”
His words were cut off in a grotesque manner.
It was because Eleanor’s kick immediately dislocated his arm.
“…Hey, Eleanor. You’re being too aggressive right from the start.”
Dowd complained, but Eleanor only shrugged it off.
“I was just nudging him.”
“…”
‘A nudge?’
‘That?’
Eleanor felt the gaze directed at her, but she calmly responded without batting an eye.
“I didn’t insult him.”
“…”
“I’m being very patient.”
“…Well, anyway.”
After a few fake coughs, Dowd pulled out a book from his pocket.
It was a textbook that contained basic prayers commonly given to new Theology students.
“…Wait a minute, so…”
After reading it for a while with a frown, Dowd finally stammered something out.
It was an awkward prayer.
“—So warmth may dwell in you. Heal.”
Then, a faint white divine power snaked around his arm.
“…Hmm, so this is it. I’m getting the hang of it.”
“…”
Griever looked at Dowd, who was proudly speaking, with an incredulous expression.
This was a very poor execution of blessing even for a freshman, so what on earth was he so proud of?
Alas, as soon as he showed that expression surfaced on his face, Eleanor kicked his other arm.
“Euuuuukk-!”
“…Hey, Eleanor. I told you to go slow.”
“Isn’t this slow enough?”
“…”
“Hmm, that’s strange. The family interrogation training always started by stripping the skin off—”
“You! What do you want, whaaaaargh!”
As Griever said that through tears, Dowd replied with a cough.
“Well, since we both know, let’s make it quick and easy. Who in the Academy were you trying to sell this information to?”
“…”
Griever suddenly stopped his struggles despite the intense pain.
This was something he couldn’t give up.
The existence of the seed planted by the Prophet was hiding inside the Academy.
Because he knew that if he revealed this, he would never be safe.
“…I don’t know what you’re talking aboaaaaakk-!”
This time, he couldn’t even finish his sentence before his left leg got crushed.
At this point, Dowd gave up on going slow and just held his head with a sigh.
“I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you anything, so please—!”
In the end, while shedding tears and saliva, Griever revealed the names of those involved one by one.
Beside him, Dowd was jotting down every detail with a hmm, hmm.
“Is that all?”
“All, that’s all…! Please, call a doctor…!”
Griever begged in a completely hoarse voice.
‘At least he’s better than that monster…!’
He thought to himself, hanging onto the man who was drying him off rather than the lady who was mercilessly crushing him.
However, Dowd smirked and shook his head.
“Eh, why bother with a doctor? I can treat you.”
“…”
“I am an aspiring Theology student. I know how to use blessings.”
After all, he couldn’t become a student at Elfante with such low-level skills, right?
After adding that with a grin, Dowd recited another prayer.
Thanks to his abysmal use of divine power and the level of his healing magic, it took a while before Griever’s broken limbs fully recovered.
“Heo-euk… hee-euk…”
Griever took a deep breath and barely managed to stand up.
His whole body was drenched in cold sweat, but he could at least move his limbs again.
As Griever struggled to stand, he silently vowed to himself.
‘…I’ll kill you, bastards…!’
However, he had no way to do it now.
He needed to leave this place first, then prepare and find a way to kill them.
“…T-then now. Is this enough?”
He said with a servile smile, while Dowd smiled and nodded.
“Yes, for now.”
That was right.
Griever grinned inwardly and staggered back.
He’d make sure they would regret letting him live here…
—!
“Eoouuuukkk-!”
Griever, who was about to leave the room, collapsed on the floor again.
Lady Tristan broke his right leg from behind.
Griever screamed in agony as he crawled on the floor.
“Why, why are you doing this!? I told you everything!”
“Well, that’s true.”
As Griever crawled, Dowd approached him again and cast a healing spell on him. It was a healing spell with slightly more proficiency than before.
During this exchange, Griever’s gaze met Dowd’s eyes.
“…”
It was at this moment.
Griever realized that he had severely misunderstood something.
That was.
He thought that this man was, at the very least, better than Lady Tristan.
“Didn’t you say it earlier? The best way to master divine power and blessings is to continuously use them.”
There was that weird feeling again.
The horrifying sensation that he felt from the Prophet.
“You are someone whom I can torment without feeling guilty. I can’t possibly miss such a good training method, can I?”
There was a greater fear felt from those who treat others not as a human, but only as a means to an end.
“Basic blessings usually focus on protecting and healing the other person. So…”
This man, right now.
“You will keep torturing me?”
He didn’t even see him as a fellow human being!
“That’s the only way for me to practice.”
Dowd’s words dawned over Griever’s pale blue face.
Soon after…
Sounds of bones breaking and painful screams echoed within the office.
Completely unconscious, Griever was handed over to the internal knights. They would take care of the rest.
And on the way out, I went through the system prompts in front of my eyes.
[ Confirmed rapid proficiency in Beginner’s Blessing. ]
[ Attribute: Divine Power Manipulation has been acquired! ]
[ The Epic Grade Item Soul Linker resonates with your divine power! ]
[ Checking the current condition of the target Eleanor. ]
[ The unique debuff Madness has been improved under your influence. ]
‘I guess you could call this, ‘Three birds, one stone.”
This was what I got from torturing and healing worthless human trash over and over again. The outcome was more than satisfying. It was quite lucrative, I must say.
Moreover, I obtained the most crucial attribute, Divine Power Manipulation, which was a significant achievement.
With this, I had gained an ability that I could independently utilize, like magic power or law power.
Of course, it was still very weak, but the difference between none and one was like night and day.
‘…Now, with this.’
I looked at the amulet on my wrist.
Until now, growth was impossible, but now that I possessed the Divine Power Manipulation attribute, I could awaken the soul inside on my own.
“…Have you relieved your stress?”
And finally, this woman.
Managing Eleanor’s mental state was always important.
I would definitely need her assistance in the upcoming midterm exams.
“Eum.”
Eleanor replied with an expressionless face that somehow looked much more refreshed than usual.
Having been with her quite often as of late, I could somewhat read her aura even though she was expressionless. It was fascinating.
“…Is there something troubling you?”
That was why I could say things like this.
Although she appeared refreshed, I could feel that there was also a shadow cast over her. It was as if she was constantly worried.
“…”
As expected, Eleanor swallowed for a moment upon hearing that. However, she didn’t deny it.
It seemed to be quite difficult for her to express it.
“…Dowd.”
“Yes.”
“I heard you met Duke Tristan.”
Not Father, but Duke Tristan.
This clearly showed their broken family relationship.
While smiling bitterly on the inside, Eleanor continued with some difficulty.
“He must have done something terrible to you.”
“Something terrible?”
“If it’s that person, he would definitely think it’s a waste of time for me to interact with anyone.”
Ah, that was true.
Even in terms of the setting itself, Gideon had always despised such interactions.
Because of this, Eleanor’s circle of friends was extremely narrow. Unless it was someone like Beatrix, who had been her friend for 10 years.
‘…There’s a reason.’
I couldn’t explain it here.
It was a story that would be revealed later in conjunction with the main scenario.
“He didn’t really do anything like that. But it was a little scary.”
Well, if I had failed with my scam, I could have died right there on the spot.
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t scared.
“But well, I somehow managed to resolve it. I’ll probably keep seeing him in the future.”
“…What? You’ll continue seeing each other?”
Hearing Eleanor ask such a question, I simply answered with a shrug.
“Yes, well. He is an important person to me.”
“…Important? To you? That person? Why?”
Eleanor said in an incredulous voice.
Uh. Wasn’t that obvious?
There were plenty of things I could absorb from that person with Guidance, and he played a significant role in the main scenario.
And above all…
“Because he’s related to you. He’s your family.”
In the end, this person was the most important.
In order to reach the ending, wasn’t the most important thing to control the final boss?
And Eleanor, who heard my words…
Her face turned red.
“…”
I blinked a couple of times.
‘…Did she just blush?’
Her?
The person who seemed like they could win against a moyai in being stone-faced?
“You, that means, so…”
Eleanor struggled.
“You consider him important because he’s my family, and will continue to see each other… that…”
Then, she kept her mouth shut.
It seemed like she couldn’t bring herself to say the rest.
“…Couldn’t have you set the mood first or tell me beforehand? It’s a little hard to react when you say it like that out of the blue.”
“…”
‘I’m not sure what’s going on.’
[ Favorability level of the target Eleanor Elinalise La Tristan increased! ]
[ The favorability level has been upgraded to Love Level 2! ]
[ Rewards Available! ]
I then realized I said something wrong.
Uh.
“Young Master, have you caused another accident?”
“…Yes?”
As I returned to my quarters, Herman looked at me with a worried expression.
Why was he like this?
“As someone who has served the Young Master for a long time, I feel like you have once again ignited someone’s heart without any awareness.”
“…”
“It has always been like this. Even now, in Baron Campbell’s territory, there are countless women shedding tears over you, Young Master…”
“…Don’t be ridiculous.”
He was talking as if I was some kind of natural playboy.
How could he unjustly accuse me?
“…This old man really can’t tell if the Young Master really doesn’t know or ju…”
I heard Herman muttering something from behind, but I ignored it and quickly entered my room.
There was something I needed to check.
Type: Exclusive Equipment
Item Grade: Epic
[ Hero Fragment Fusion ]
Description: An item imbued with a great spirit that can awaken by increasing the synchronization rate. Always retain magic power due to the influence of the great spirit.
[ Current Synchronization Rate: 10% ]
[ The First Stage Spirit Awakening can now be unlocked! ]
[ Would you like to proceed? ]
[Y/N]
“…Hu.”
The reason why the Gregory Hall’s Spirit was recognized by players as an item that needed to be used especially quickly was because most of the Spirits that came out when it was enchanted with other items were Great Figures that could bring the player a tremendous amount of growth.
It wasn’t an Epic Grade for nothing.
The problem was…
‘…It’s randomized.’
While there was no doubt that there were great spirits, the specific individual assigned changed randomly each time.
So I’d just have to hope for the best.
There were plenty of crazy folks like The Killer Ghost of the Misty Forest or The Giant Eater.
‘…They’re definitely not ordinary even among the great figures.’
As soon as they started to awaken, a series of events related to Iliya and the Heretic Inquisition would take place.
They would undoubtedly be an exceptional case.
‘Please be someone good, please be someone good…!’
With that in mind, I pressed the Y button on the status screen.
Subsequently, a tremendous energy surged into the amulet. Amidst the swirling ethereal energy, an image emerged.
At the dawn of a battlefield, a lone knight was carrying a tattered flag.
His armor was shattered, his body battered and wounded, and yet he kept pushing forward with unwavering determination.
Indomitable.
That was the first word that came to mind.
“…!”
I recognized that figure.
‘…This.’
Perhaps.
This might be even more incredible than I thought.
With that in mind, a spirit suddenly emerged before me.
