Surviving as a Villain at the Academy chapter 91

91 – Owner of the Torch. (2)

-Woah!

“Oh…”

When we arrived at the capital city of the Sacred Kingdom, Sakrum, we were greeted by a multitude of welcoming crowds. Judging by the not-so-serious atmosphere, luckily it seemed that the events that took place before we arrived here were unknown to the people.

Well, it’s natural since everyone present at that time agreed to keep it a secret. There was still a need for strict censorship even after this. If the information was leaked, it would cause uncontrollable chaos for no reason.

Still, the higher-ups need to be informed of the truth. Of course, Adrian will take care of it. Perhaps after this, just like in the original story, he will take action to eradicate the corruption in the Sacred Kingdom.

And at the end of that movement, there will be the purification of the Land of Phantoms. I would need the help of Lina and Nea at that time.

Although I couldn’t come with the envoy, I told them in advance to depart for the Sacred Kingdom about a week after me.

They will probably arrive about a week later than me. When they arrive, they were to wait in the Sacred Kingdom for the time being. There is a lot to be done here.

The goal of this chapter is to eliminate the corrupt officials of the Sacred Kingdom. The process may be more difficult than expected. There may be unexpected interventions.

We shouldn’t let our guard down. We never know when and what will happen without warning.

While organizing my thoughts, the carriage came to a stop. It meant that we should get off from now on. The cheers coming from ahead were getting louder and louder.

It seems Adrian got off the carriage.

Adrian has performed numerous good deeds since becoming a saint… It’s only natural. Unlike the other priests in the Sacred Kingdom who always charge for their healing services, she has never once received any compensation while healing someone.

She is truly the face of the Sacred Kingdom and the beloved of all priests. Having seen her in person…

-Adrian, hooray!

-May there be light in the Sacred Kingdom!

-Woah!

It’s only natural for them to cheer like that. The cheers were piercing to the ears.

“Ugh. My ears hurt.”

Asti complained for no reason, grumbling. It seemed that she didn’t like the booming cheers that were loud enough to burst her eardrums.

Well, she doesn’t have any fond memories of the Sacred Kingdom, so it’s understandable.

“Just hang in there a little longer. Once we’re assigned a place to stay, we can relax a bit.”

“…Alright.”

“For the time being, there won’t be much to do. We’ll ask the Saint directly once Lina and Nea arrive.”

“What about?”

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“The Land of Specters. It was my purpose for coming here in the first place. To obtain the Shackler’s Blade. That’s the main objective of this journey to the Holy Kingdom.”

“The Shackler’s Blade?”

“That’s right.”

Asti looked slightly surprised.

“I’ve heard about it vaguely before. Among the Specters, there is a sword formed by the accumulation of countless Specters’ grudges in their own world. And that sword is so powerful that even demons and angels can’t handle it carelessly… That’s the rumor, at least.”

Can you handle it? Asti’s gaze seemed to ask.

I confidently nodded my head. I didn’t just randomly mention needing Lina and Nea. The first requirement to obtain the Shackler’s Blade is to listen to their voices.

To listen to their voices and fulfill their wishes. That way, a path to communicate with the Queen of Specters will open.

The Queen of Specters. She doesn’t make an appearance in the main narrative, but I’ve set her up separately.

An transcendent existence that possesses power similar to Asti and other high-ranking demons, capable of controlling all existing Specters in this world.

The Shackler’s Blade is a sword that the Queen of Specters has honed over many years, and its power didn’t come randomly. If I can have a conversation with her, I can move on to the second condition of obtaining the sword.

The second condition to obtain the Shackler’s Blade is to win recognition from the Queen of Specters. If she recognizes me, then I can wield the Shackler’s Blade. However, obtaining the sword doesn’t mean it’s the end.

There is still a final third condition remaining. The last condition is simply passing the sword’s trial.

The idea of a sword trial might be more grand than I thought, so I needed to be prepared. Just the roughly set-up already shows that it will present tormenting illusions, or the Shackler’s Blade itself will materialize and try to kill me. It won’t be easy.

If I hadn’t become somewhat stronger, I wouldn’t have dared to attempt it. But now that I’ve defeated Est, I was in a state of confidence.

Of course, confidence shouldn’t turn into arrogance… But still, it’s necessary to take the risk to obtain a sword of that caliber.

“I’ve roughly made all the preparations. We just need to be able to go to the Land of Specters.”

“Well, if you say so. Is there anything I can help with?”

“This time, there probably won’t be. It’s not something that requires immense power. It will depend solely on my personal words and actions.”

“Hmm. By the way, about the Queen of Specters… I’ve only heard about her and never actually seen her, so I guess I’ll be taking her with me anyway?”

“Yes. After all, there’s nothing for you to do here. It would be more comfortable for you over there, wouldn’t it?”

“That seems to be the case. Memories of the Holy Kingdom only bring unpleasant thoughts to mind. It would be better to go to the Land of Specters.”

We’ll have plenty to do there anyway. There will be so many Specters of the Saint and Saintess.”

“…I didn’t know the Holy Kingdom could be this severe.”

Blind faith is dangerous, especially in a land like the Holy Kingdom where the hand of God directly touches.

Yeah.

She also knew very well how dangerous blind believers could be.

Moreover, she had witnessed their blind devotion with her own eyes for many years.

* * *

There is no afterlife in this world. Only those who died with lingering resentment become ghosts. Even if they are cremated, they do not ascend to heaven.

They simply let go of all attachments and disappear from the world, returning to the cycle of reincarnation.

There are no tales of going to hell or ascending to heaven…. Such false stories do not exist.

That is why ghosts are pitiful beings. They are the ones who should have died but remain in the world, scattering their resentments.

The Ghost Queen, Umbradis, opened her eyes. It was a sensation she hadn’t felt in a long time. Something, a great flow, was looming in front of her.

The pitiful cries of the wretched souls wandering aimlessly in this world resounded in her ears. Those who were betrayed by those they believed in and died, those who were abandoned after dedicating their lives, those who died without achieving their desires…

It was a heartbreaking situation. Umbradis thought so sadly as she looked at the ghosts that surrounded her. They reached out to her as if yearning for something.

Umbradis lifted her hand and took hold of their hands. It was as if she was trying to comfort them. As if someone would come someday to bring them to rest.

-Poor children.

She murmured sadly. Her faded ash-colored hair shook. She looked at the shackles that were pinned in front of her.

-If someone comes to draw this sword one day, the world will finally be saved. That’s what I believed.

She recalled the words that someone had told her when she became a ghost. Gather the grudges of the ghosts and forge a powerful sword.

The one who breaks the shackles, will save the world.

The unknown, powerful entity that she couldn’t even speculate about said those words and disappeared.

However, even after many years passed, such a person did not appear. Instead, more pitiful ghosts kept increasing in the world.

She resented the seeds that called themselves heavenly angels or hellish demons. When those beings become active, her power only grows stronger.

She was not pleased with that.

Umbradis never wanted to reveal herself to the world in the first place. What does the magnitude of power matter? The larger her power grew, the greater the sadness she would face.

Hope had been laid to rest for a long time. Even now, her power continued to increase. She would listen to the elegies of the ghosts that would sound every day, sleep, and then awaken.

That’s how it had been.

Why? Suddenly, a sharp intuition whispered to her. A great change was coming.

When did she receive such a feeling before?

She pondered deeply and finally arrived at an answer.

When the entity instructed her to forge the sword of the shackles.

She felt a shiver running down her spine.

Someone was coming before her. Perhaps, someone who would fulfill her hope.

Who could it be? The one who ordered her to forge the sword of the shackles? Or someone new?