113. Became a professor at the academy (3)
not to live But there were eyes staring at me. I couldn’t figure out who was looking at me like that. A child who has been shooting the same gaze at me all the way from the lecture room from earlier to now, to the cafeteria.
Even though I was hiding my presence to some extent, seeing through exactly where I was, it was different. Even the two technicians next to me didn’t notice that I was sitting there.
“Hero.”
With no food on the tray, Natalie slowly approached me and called me. I raise my head slightly, and Natalie blinks her dark eyes a few times as I make eye contact with mine. Those innocent and clear eyes were hard to face. Natalie looked like an ordinary student to anyone.
How is that kid related to demon worshippers?
“[You’re trying hard to hide your mighty power like that. It seems like they’ve done some tricks so they can’t detect it properly. That’s why I can’t help but think that it has something to do with those damn bastards.]”
At the Holy Sword’s words, I slightly frowned. What was the matter with the girl who had just become an adult? Is this child also one of those who hate me and hate me?
“Ha, is it okay if we eat together?”
At that time, a female student standing next to Natalie asked cautiously. Her name was Cora Poison. Scion of the Poyson family. Her uncle is currently making a name for himself in the Royal Capital Knights, and her grandfather was a great man who even served as the captain of the knights. The other one, Eugene Grayson, is also a prestigious family that has produced leading wizards. The two placed 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Well, do I need to think deeply right now? I smiled and nodded. On the contrary, having a natural contact with Natalie at an early age can be said to be a good thing for my mission.
“Sit. Ms. Natalie takes the meal first.”
Natalie shrugged when her name was called. Then, after staring at me for a long time, I quickly turned my eyes away and walked to get the food. Eugene and Cora, who were sitting across from me, looked surprised.
“name… , You memorize it.”
“yes. Mr. Cora. You got a high score on the placement test. The same goes for Yujin next to me.”
Cora looked very happy when her name was called, and Eugene showed a puzzled expression. These reactions showed the student-likeness of that age group. It’s like trying to catch up on the reaction by pretending to be an adult.
“I really respect you, warrior… ! You are the model of a true knight.”
“Thank you for your words, but I am not such a great person.”
If the person to become a knight sees me and follows me, it’ll be a big deal. A knight must look only at his master and be blindly loyal. Even if they were told to jump into the flames, if it was the owner’s order, they would jump in without saying anything. That is the virtue of a person who has been knighted. It doesn’t fit with a nerd who behaves carelessly like me.
“Until humility… . I really want to imitate you.”
Well, Cora and Eugene seemed to take my words like this with some sort of humility. I laughed awkwardly and watched the reaction of the two.
“[That’s called humility, Illroy. Of all the humble people, who would really put themselves down? You must be polite and try to increase your value.]”
The Holy Sword’s sharp reaction was heard. Somehow, it seems that our thoughts are becoming more and more similar. Maybe it’s because we’ve been together for so long? Well, it might just be a fleeting moment to the holy sword.
“[What are you talking about? The time I spent with you… .]”
The holy sword spoke as if it was sad, but stopped talking at that point. Then, in a panicked voice, he brought up another topic and started talking.
“[Rather than that, that kid is coming over there. I don’t know what the devil worshipers have done… . Be careful, Illroy. Even if that child is not a demon worshiper, he is not an ordinary gifted child.]”
As soon as the words of the Holy Sword were finished, Natalie set down the tray right across from me and sat down. For her tiny frame, the tray was quite heaped with food. Seeing the sheep, Cora and Eugene looked surprised again. Ignoring their stares, Natalie calmly and slowly began to eat the food one by one.
“Lecture was great.”
Natalie said so. Those were the first words that would come out of her mouth that I hadn’t even thought of, so I looked at Natalie with a slight frown. Natalie looked up and faced me, and we exchanged subtle glances in silence for a moment.
“Mr. Natalie really showed me an amazing performance in the placement test.”
I could think of it well. The flame that entwined both hands. A terrifying power that melts monsters as soon as they touch them. And above all, very combative moves. no… , rather than proficient.
“You surprised the warrior. I would consider it an honor.”
Natalie replied in a voice that sounded like it was no honor at all. I had to resist the urge to ask right away what your purpose was and whether it was really sent by evil spirit worshippers.
“To the extent that I wonder where he learned all his magic and combat skills.”
“Then I want to ask you the same question. The hero’s strength, where did he learn it?”
Natalie dodged the question like a loach. silence again. I looked into Natalie’s eyes, and Natalie looked at me as if she was looking at me like that. Her eyes were black and clear, as if looking into a mirror. He didn’t seem to want to look away.
“hmm. Looking at the lesson schedule, there are quite a lot of practice. How is it going?”
Have you had a snowball fight for too long? Cora sniffed from the side, clearing her throat. The way Cora looked at me, and more specifically at me and Natalie, was suspicious.
“It will proceed like a placement test. I plan to actively use the barrier. It’s a much more efficient way than taking you to the actual battlefield.”
However, not the kind that distracts and causes hallucinations, but on a scale that actually distorts space, and also serves as a practice for Daphne’s envisioned magic. At my words, as Cora and Eugene’s expressions became subtle, I grinned and added,
“By the way, my class would be kinder than the placement test, but it would be a big mistake to think it would be easier than that. I mean what I said in class.”
After hearing my words, Eugene put on a confused expression.
“What do you mean we will have to fight monsters before the end of the year?”
“Always keep an eye on everything. Always keep your ears open, but don’t be fooled.”
Even if I wanted to tell you everything I knew, this was the limit for now. I didn’t want to tell you something like a Zen dialogue, but I mean. I understood the feelings of the people who were talking to me like riddles. Eugene quietly scooped out the spoon without asking me for further explanation.
“Okay then, I’ll see you in the next class.”
I quietly got up from my seat and said. It wasn’t the time to approach Natalie first. The danger posed by the crash was too great for a head-on collision.
“[You’re careful. Especially this time.]”
Evil spirit worshipers are the ones who can pull off their tails at any time. Never raise your head all at once. While one side reveals its identity and moves, the other side watches with bated breath. Just as everything was not revealed during the last Bakhtins incident.
“Someday the opportunity will come. After all, they won’t be able to just watch the disaster disappear in vain.”
The same is true for evil spirit worshipers who feel impatience. The one who takes action first will create a disadvantageous picture. I looked around the restaurant and sighed. The comet is still approaching. And the secretive devil worshipers. What do they want to gain by destroying this world?
“… Head hurts.”
You’ll have to teach those chicks not to be swept away by the aftermath of the catastrophe, you’ll have to catch the devil’s hook in hiding, and you’ll have to fend off a comet that’s poised to tear the planet apart in real time. At this point, I just miss the peaceful vacation.
“I just hope it doesn’t all happen at once.”
Somehow, I guess I shouldn’t have said that out of my mouth. Feeling chills at the words I suddenly uttered, I moved to the lab where Daphne was waiting.
—
midnight. student dormitory.
“I have contacted you.”
Natalie’s voice was plain. Darker than night hair, like a curtain, cast a shadow across Natalie’s profile. Natalie, who was sitting upright, was watched by someone who was hidden in the darkness. The person receiving the report nodded very slowly and opened his mouth.
“Yes, how was the first hero you met?”
“I do not know.”
I do not know. That was Natalie’s assessment. In her eyes, the hero was strange. I couldn’t properly gauge how strong it was. It seemed like he could kill her on the spot if he told her to kill her right away, but on the contrary, it seemed like her neck would be blown off in an instant. Ever since the goal entered into her head was set to be a hero, Natalie had only been looking at the hero. He also traveled the world in his footsteps.
“What do you mean I don’t know? We don’t remember ‘making’ you that way.”
Natalie shook her head. Because what I didn’t know was that I didn’t know very well.
“I really don’t know. I think it’s close to impossible to gauge its strength.”
“If you don’t know, you should find out more. However, there is information we have identified, so there is no need to rush.”
A quiet voice rang in Natalie’s ears.
“Let me tell you one good thing. If you really approached pretending to be a student of the hero, the hero will never be able to kill you. No, let alone killing, he would hesitate even to do harm. Even if you realize you’re our spy. Even you will try to save it.”
The voice did not ridicule the hero, but simply told the plain truth.
“Perhaps half of you are already suspicious of you. A hero is stupid enough not to kill his enemies, but he’s not stupid enough to not know his enemies.”
The man in the shadows accepted the hero’s doubts as if they were quite natural.
“You’re not going to kill me.”
The shadow nodded.
“And you are designed to be able to fight as equals to a certain degree, even if the warriors give their all. It has to be. Don’t make us regret the fact that we made you.”
It was like a threat, but Natalie’s expression didn’t even move. It was only natural for her that she had to obey her words. If the voice told her to die, she would die, and if that voice commanded her to live, she would live. That was Natalie’s only principle of action. That’s why I didn’t even feel resentment.
“You decide when. Of course, the most appropriate time will come sooner or later. Until then, make it a priority to imprint your existence on the hero. Dig into his sympathy. Make them aware of the fact that you are the existence that needs to be saved. Use whatever is available. Because we didn’t make it so lax that you would fall for the hero’s petty sympathy.”
The shadow lowered its head and met Natalie’s eyes.
“Kill the warrior like that. You can do it. And, be a milestone toward our grandest goal.”
The shadow said in a proud voice. The greatest ‘masterpiece’ of the demon worshipers’ history, which he participated in and created together, nodded and answered the shadow’s words.
“All right.”
I thought it wouldn’t be her since she’s the most obvious suspect but I guess I was wrong.
Since it’s her, I’m already predicting that she’ll turn against the demon worshippers and side with Illroy sometime in the future
Is she perhaps created by the remains of the disaster? 🤔 Or her parents were fed/merged with the remains then she got conceived or something 🧐
so it was her