NOVEL NEXT Chapter 46
Chapter 46
As the door opened, the principal of Soul Academy, Judy Albert, revealed himself, his dark circles hanging long beneath his eyes.
It’s just speculation, but I can’t help but think he hasn’t had a good rest after dealing with yesterday’s fiasco.
“Hello, Principal.”
“Hello, old man Principal.”
Wait, is that really how we refer to the principal?
His hair was completely white, and his face was covered in wrinkles, so he definitely looked old, but hey, he is the principal of an academy!
Is “old man” a bit much?
Those thoughts bounced around my head, but alas, I couldn’t take back my words once they slipped out.
Fortunately, Judy merely chuckled and brushed off the title with a laugh.
Maybe calling a good-natured guy “old man” isn’t too big of a deal?
Or perhaps he’s being lenient since I’m in the position of the victim?
Regardless, I’m glad he didn’t seem too offended.
“I came to lodge a complaint.”
“I came here to complain about the happenings in this shoddy academy.”
When I uttered the word “complaint,” Judy broke into a smirk.
“A complaint, huh? You certainly have the right to do that, Young Lady. It seems like a long story, but shall we step inside first, Arlen?”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
“Trying to pull Young Lady Arlen inside? Suspicious, but for now, I’ll humor you.”
“Haha. How could I ever harm Young Lady Arlen?”
The principal’s office at Soul Academy looked just as I’d seen it in the game.
The shelves cluttered with ancient books.
The worn-out staff leaning against the wall beside them.
And the parrot that used to squawk loudly with the BGM in the game.
If this place is identical to the game, then there must be a secret passage behind those shelves too, right?
As I sat on the sofa and admired the cozy sights of the principal’s office, Judy was the first to break the silence.
“Are you feeling alright, Young Lady Arlen?”
“Yes, I’m perfectly fine.”
“Then it’s no wonder you could walk all this way.”
“Exactly. Fortunately.”
To be honest, I had a close call where I could’ve died, but I’m fine, so there’s that.
As I nodded, Judy sighed in relief.
“First, let me express my gratitude. According to the testimonies from the recently awakened Lady Partran and Young Master Liz, it seems your leadership allowed Young Lady Arlen to escape without any harm.”
“If it weren’t for your quick thinking, the academy might have faced casualties due to our negligence. I sincerely thank you for that.”
Uh, um, what?
“And at the same time, I must apologize. Because we failed to prepare properly, Young Lady Arlen faced a great danger.
I understand that mere words of apology can feel meaningless. If there is anything you desire, please let me know. If it’s within our ability, we will cooperate as much as we can.”
I hadn’t expected this situation to turn out like this, and Judy’s bowing head left me utterly bewildered.
It left me momentarily speechless.
Calm down. Acknowledging their fault means things are tilting in my favor, right?
“Uh, right. What I want is…”
“What I want is simple. The Kerta’s Crystal, one of the magical items kept in this rundown academy. If you hand it over, I’ll graciously overlook yesterday’s mishap.”
Upon mentioning the magical tool for learning the Source of Magic, Judy let out a low hum.
The Kerta’s Crystal was regarded as a valuable item among the various magical tools in Soul Academy.
Asking for something like that would naturally cause some hesitation.
“How do you know about that magical tool?”
“Is that important?”
“Are you questioning me? That’s quite offensive, old man principal.”
Things are finally going the way I had envisioned.
If Judy rejects my proposal, I have a plan ready.
“Well, that’s not it… Yes. I understand.”
Mentioning Judy’s weaknesses to intimidate him…
Huh? What did you just say?
“Please wait a moment.”
Having said that, Judy rose from his seat and, after asking for my understanding, momentarily left.
I couldn’t figure out how things were unfolding.
Is Judy really going to fetch the Kerta’s Crystal?
Without any negotiation or persuasion, he just decided to willingly hand over the Crystal?!
What’s the problem? Isn’t it turning out just as you wished?
“Yeah, but…”
But if Judy comes back with the Kerta’s Crystal, what does that mean for my plan of intimidation based on his past?!
I’d be the only one coming off as the villain!
This is totally unfair!
Judy, why are you nodding so easily?!
In the game, you would only hand over the Kerta’s Crystal after clearing all sorts of bothersome quests!
And now you’re just ready to give it away like it’s nothing?
To think about it, this is a good thing.
It’s a good thing, but I can’t shake off the feeling of self-loathing due to the gap in character between him and me.
Judy is truly a good person in this world.
Unlike that cranky grandpa who just nags at me all the time.
Hey, girl. Are you having strange thoughts?
‘…Not at all?’
Really, he’s just too perceptive for his own good.
Before long, Judy returned to the room, presenting a violet crystal in front of me.
“Is this what you were looking for?”
Beneath the translucent violet crystal, a stream of magic shimmered brightly.
Just by appearance, this had to be the Kerta’s Crystal.
“This is…”
“Is this Kerta’s Crystal?”
“Yes. It is exactly that. A treasured item crafted from the knowledge of the great Mage Kerta.”
It’s such a shame that I can’t have emotions like in the game at this moment.
If this were a game, I would be able to discern right then and there whether it was real or fake.
For now, I guess I have to trust Judy’s character?
“Rest assured, I would never present Young Lady Arlen with false goods.”
Did my suspicion show on my face?
Judy opened his mouth to reassure me.
“Furthermore, I should clarify that I’m not just giving this to you. This is a bribe.”
“A bribe?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I wish you to assist in soothing the fury of the Iron-Blooded Marquis when it reaches this academy. Lord Benedict is rather weak against you, Young Lady.”
Why suddenly bring up Benedict’s name here? But after hearing Judy’s explanation, it made sense.
Regardless of the circumstances, I nearly faced death during the entrance exam at the academy yesterday.
What would Benedict’s reaction be upon hearing this news?
A man who loses all sense of reason when it comes to his daughter might commit unspeakable acts.
He would undoubtedly unleash his wrath upon the academy.
That wrath would surely be massive and overwhelming. Ordinary people would hesitate to even touch it.
However, I alone would be the exception.
If I could manage things, Benedict would definitely take my cues into account.
He did the same when that sword incident happened last time.
So, the Kerta’s Crystal was a reward and a bargaining chip at the same time.
If I hand this over, he’ll ask me to calm down Benedict’s fury.
It seems Benedict really is quite the powerful individual.
To think the principal of Soul Academy, a figure of immense stature, would be accommodating towards him.
“Alright. I’ll help you.”
“Is the old principal already looking to appease a single family? Very well. If my silly father pulls any nonsense, I’ll step in to assist.”
Is this thanks to that doting father of hers that things are turning out easier than expected?
I should definitely show my appreciation later.
Though I can’t thank him for that Mesugaki translation, I could just throw in a bit of charm as a substitute.
Thinking about how I’d have to call him “silly father” again made me feel a bit embarrassed, but I shrugged it off as it was manageable.
With my nod, Judy’s previously rigid expression softened slightly.
“Thank you, Young Lady Arlen. Oh, and may I ask one more thing?”
“What is it?”
“What is your request?”
“I feel sorry for reminding you of such distressing memories, but may I hear about what happened in the dungeon yesterday?”
Ah, that?
You want to hear it directly from me instead of Luca?
Good! I’ve been wanting to avoid talking with that guy.
As for Judy, I can definitely share everything as generously as I can now that I’ve received something in return.
“Alright then.”
“I can manage that much.”
*
Even though I’ve acquired Kerta’s Crystal, I didn’t use it right away.
I couldn’t possibly do it after recalling my previous experience with the elixir.
Using Kerta’s Crystal would grant me the “Source of Magic” skill, which increases the max mana and recovery rate.
I was certain that a similar situation to when I drank the elixir would unfold.
I didn’t want to be rolling on the ground in agony, nor did I want to faint from pain and lose an entire day.
Thus, I decided I would use this magical tool after I returned to my lodging once my schedule was finished.
With the crystal entrusted to the sword, I exited Soul Academy and headed toward the Holy Church within the academy.
I was thinking of checking on Joy and Jacob while I was at it, and maybe even getting baptized too.
I wondered what kind of skill that underwhelming deity would grant his apostle.
When you become an apostle of God at Soul Academy, skills suited to the role come down.
For instance, the God of War might grant skills beneficial in group battles, the God of Arts would offer skills related to charm or craftsmanship, and the God of Flame would greatly enhance fire resistance and proficiency in fire-based magic.
I had memorized perfectly what skills God’s apostles might obtain, but I was completely clueless about the skills given by that underwhelming god.
That’s mainly because Armadi never actually made an appearance at Soul Academy in the game.
He was rarely mentioned, only referenced in passing without any involvement in the main action.
Now that I think about it, Armadi was indeed a lazy and incompetent character in the game.
Although he’s a lazy and incompetent god, he is still the central figure among all the gods.
Considering that the skills possessed by the apostles of a god are proportional to the abilities of the god himself, he must at least grant decent skills.
My heart raced.
Even after spending over ten thousand hours in Soul Academy, seeing a skill for the first time made me giddy.
I hope it’s a useful and entertaining skill.
If it’s an incredibly impressive skill, I’d be willing to refrain from calling Him “that underwhelming god” and use his actual name.
“Lady Arlen.”
The person guarding the church’s entrance was one of the priests who had treated me yesterday.
Upon seeing my face, he stepped back slightly but then halted, realizing he was the only one available to attend to me.
During my healing in the church yesterday, I noticed something.
It seemed like the infamous reputation of Lucy was well known even here!
Every priest in the Jushin Church located in Soul Academy seemed reluctant to approach me.
The reason was pretty clear.
Didn’t Lucy stir up quite the ruckus at the church before?
Even though I might have gained some favor just by possessing Lord’s Cross, seeing this unwillingness made me dread to think how it would have gone without it.
I truly don’t even want to imagine the scenario.
“Why have you come here?”
“Am I not allowed to come here?”
“Hey, you sloppy priest. Am I a demon? Do I not have the right to enter a church?”
“No, that’s not why I asked. Well, uh.”
When I frowned and questioned him, the priest visibly panicked and waved his hands.
His reaction was entertaining enough that I considered teasing him more, but I dropped that notion since I had urgent matters to attend to.
“I’m joking. I’m here…”
“Cease the sloppy act. I’m here for baptism.”
“W-what? You want to be baptized?”
“I’ve become an apostle of Armadi.”
“I’ve been chosen as an apostle of the lord you believe in.”
“…W-what?!”