novelraw Chapter 89 : Chapter 89
Chapter 89 : Chapter 89
Chapter 89: The Genius Mage of the Academy (2)
Cia-Harphe Academy, Abel’s office.
Lizer’s eyes widened as he sat facing the round table. He never thought such a bare office existed. It didn’t look like a space meant for people. Was that why? Abel, sitting opposite Lizer, looked like a machine. Even the simple act of wiping his weapon with a towel was like that. Rhythmic, and repetitive.
‘Anyway, that’s…….’
Lizer saw.
The glass bottle on the round table. The decayed rose in the glass bottle.
It was probably yellowish. A yellow rose had withered absurdly, and was melting into black.
‘Is it alive?’
Lizer’s brow narrowed.
It shouldn't be alive. It should be impossible. And yet the yellow rose was alive. No, it was different. It was being made to live. Abel was making the yellow rose live, and the yellow rose was making Abel live. A strange energy flowed between the two. Lizer sensed it.
‘Is it a hero's ability?’
Or was it a special power that only Abel possessed?
“Monika still doesn't know about ‘The Mother God’s Right Hand’.”
Meanwhile, Abel spoke.
“That child will need a little more time. I tried to tell her a few times, but she didn't believe me.”
“I see. It was hard for me to believe at first, too.”
Haha.
Lizer laughed.
To think that the Demon King would soon arrive,
and that he would become a member of the subjugation team to face that Demon King.
Above all, to think that he had already failed once. If anyone heard it, they would think it was a low-quality joke.
“Anyway, I'm curious. What brings you to me?”
“He said you would need me.”
My father, that is.
Lizer whispered so.
“……Father?”
“Marchen Blackmore, the Mage of ‘The Mother God’s Left Hand’.”
Did he adopt him?
Abel thought, looking at Lizer.
It was common for ‘The Mother God’s Left Hand’ and ‘The Mother God’s Right Hand’ to form family relationships. Sometimes, it was obsessive. There were cases where ‘The Mother God’s Left Hand’, who had never had children, controlled ‘The Mother God’s Right Hand’ as a parent, or where ‘The Mother God’s Right Hand’, who had lost his parents, had a twisted attachment to ‘The Mother God’s Left Hand’.
Only Abel did not do so.
Even if he called himself a father, he was a body that would leave. The relationship between teacher and student was enough.
“My father wrote me a letter. If you read this, you will understand why I came……”
“Throw it away.”
“……What?”
“I don't want to see that bastard’s writing.”
Are they on really bad terms?
Lizer wondered, tilting his head. No, they shouldn’t be. According to his father, they should be close friends.
“You tell me yourself. You know the contents of the letter, don't you?”
“Ah, yes……”
Lizer scratching the back of his neck.
“I heard that you will be leaving to subjugate an intelligent species.”
Lizer recalled the task his father had given him.
The content was simple. Follow Abel Argento. Soon, Abel would leave with his disciples to subjugate a self-aware monster, a so-called intelligent species. This was a rare opportunity for Lizer. It was an opponent that was difficult to gain combat experience against because it was rare.
“In addition, he told me to help you.”
It would be difficult to lead the students while subjugating an intelligent species. Therefore, he had sent Lizer. Lizer was scheduled to graduate from CIAR at the end of this semester, and in terms of experience, there was a clear difference in density with other students. Because he had already completed the curriculum and was active outside.
“In short, it means you should take me as your assistant. I have nothing to do anyway. I can just stay like this and graduate.”
“Thank you for summarizing.”
Thud.
Abel said, placing his beloved sword on the table.
“Your father would have written nonsense in between. I hate that about him.”
“I also think my father is a bit of a chatterbox……”
“He's more than a chatterbox. He's a scumbag.”
“……There's some truth to that.”
They weren't friends.
Lizer was sure, laughing hollowly. His father just considered Abel a friend by himself.
“Anyway, Professor Argento, I'm scheduled to become an assistant professor in the Elemental Studies department after graduating from CIAR. I'd like to gain experience by following you.”
I can fight strong monsters,
and I can also try leading students.
“Will you take me as your assistant for a while?”
“I prefer to act alone. I don't need an assistant……”
“……you'll probably say. When that situation arises, my father told me to tell you something.”
“Don't……”
“……you'll probably say. When that situation arises, my father also told me to tell you something.”
“Please, just stop. I'll take you as my assistant.”
Abel let out a shallow sigh.
Then he narrowed his eyes. He propped his chin on his hand and looked at Lizer. A smiling face. Red hair flowing down the back of his neck. A slender and tall stature. At a glance, he was undoubtedly a human, but,
“Lizer Leinhart.”
Abel could easily guess.
“You are skilled in handling spirits. How many spirits have you contracted with?”
“A little over twenty.”
“The professors in the Elemental Studies department probably think so. You can tell me the truth.”
At Abel's words, Lizer's gaze narrowed.
“You haven't contracted with any spirits. Am I right?”
“Correct.”
An interesting person.
A satisfied smile spread on Lizer's lips. He was said to be the strongest among ‘The Mother God’s Left Hand’. According to his father, that was so. Abel Argento was the hero who had lived the longest.
“I, Lizer Leinhart, do not need a contract with spirits.”
And so, Lizer told the truth.
“Because I am a spirit.”
* * *
The sensory system of a spirit was wonderful.
It could see the heart with its eyes. It could savor memories with its taste. It could hear smells with its sound, and its sense of touch would be heightened by the emotions of other beings.
Lizer was no different. He could only control it to some extent. It was tiring to grasp the inner thoughts of others without resistance. He had learned how to live with the senses of a spirit reduced.
‘Wow, it's so gloomy.’
But it was not enough.
Sometimes, he felt it even when he didn't want to.
‘Anyone would think they were attending a funeral.’
Cia-Harphe Academy's 0th academic building, also known as the ‘Professor's Tower’.
Lizer had just entered Abel's classroom. A day had passed since he was appointed as a temporary assistant. From today, Lizer would follow Abel and help with his work.
The process of getting to know Abel's disciples would also be necessary. But he hesitated. He had opened the archway and stood there blankly. It was because the inner thoughts of the students sitting in their seats were too transparent. The emotion that made up the four students was undoubtedly sadness. He could feel the sense of loss of having lost someone.
“I heard from Teacher Abel.”
Among them, a girl with a particularly strong scent of sadness.
Monika bowed her head towards Lizer.
“He said you were a senior in the Elemental Studies department? And that you would be Teacher Abel's assistant from today.”
“That's right. It just turned out that way.”
Can I sit down for a moment?
To Lizer's question, Monika,
“……Please do.”
hesitated, then stood up.
The seat next to Monika was empty. There were only four fresh flowers on the desk. Flowers that were lively because they had been placed there this morning. Monika sat facing it. It didn't matter if Lizer sat there, but it was still impossible. Because it was Fleur's empty seat.
“You can sit down now.”
“Ah, right……”
Lizer sat in Monika's seat.
From time to time, gazes were aimed at Lizer; Abel's students would glance at Lizer. Lizer responded with a smile each time, but the effect was not good. It was truly like walking on thin ice.
“I have a question.”
Suddenly, Monika opened her mouth.
“Senior, don't you have to take classes in the Elemental Studies department? How did you become an assistant?”
“I've already passed the graduation exam. I've also taken all the required courses.”
“You're suspicious.”
“……What is?”
“Everything about you is suspicious. The fact that you became Teacher Abel's assistant even though you're not in the Theology department, and above all……”
‘The Mother God’s Right Hand’ and ‘The Mother God’s Left Hand’.
What on earth is that?
“Teacher Abel seemed to recognize you as soon as you said that.”
“No, that's……”
Lizer could not answer rashly.
He could only scratch his cheek with a clumsy smile.
He had not thought that Monika would not know. Lizer had contacted ‘The Mother God’s Left Hand’ several years ago, and it was after a process of persuasion and trust. The situation was different from Monika, who had known Abel for only a short time.
That was why it was even harder to answer. Lizer knew the history before the world regressed. He had died, the other ‘The Mother God’s Right Hand’ members had also all died, and only Monika was left to face the Demon King.
And so, she was defeated.
She had launched a special attack, burning herself, but,
she was powerless. With her whole body burned, turned to ash,
she had perished like that. As ‘The Mother God’s Right Hand’, Monika Lohengrin.
‘You've already died once.’
I can't tell you that.
‘While feeling self-reproach for not being able to protect the world.’
Lizer shook his head.
He rummaged through his red hair and avoided Monika's gaze. That child would also learn the truth someday, but it seemed better to keep silent for now.
──Thud!
Suddenly, the archway opened violently.
Lizer was relieved. Abel had arrived. The students' gazes were focused on Abel, and Lizer also propped his chin on his hand and looked at Abel.
“……Good morning, everyone.”
Abel's dark blue eyes scanned the students' faces.
Their expressions were not good. A considerable amount of time had passed since Fleur's funeral, but they all seemed to have not forgotten the shock of that time.
Abel let out a small sigh. It would be difficult for children who had not even come of age to handle. Meanwhile, only Abel had to hold the center. As if he had forgotten all about Fleur's death, or as if he didn't care, he had to teach with a hardened expression.
“The exam period starts next week.”
Abel said in a silent tone.
“As you know, the semester evaluation at CIAR is held for two weeks.”
For one week, they take the exams for the courses they are taking.
After finishing the exams for the courses, they rest over the weekend, and then for the remaining week, they take the practical evaluation.
“The practical evaluation is not mandatory.”
Abel explained in a sincere tone.
The practical evaluation was so-called relief work, which meant being dispatched to various places in need of help and volunteering. Students belonging to a class move together as a class, and students who do not belong to a class form a separate group. For this, the professor's approval, the parents' approval, and finally, the student's own approval were needed.
The professor, based on the student's abilities,
the parents, based on the child's safety,
the student themselves, based on their own decision,
they take the practical evaluation after careful consideration from their respective perspectives.
“If you perform the practical evaluation, you will be given extra points and a separate reward, but if you don't perform it, it won't affect your graduation.”
Abel placed his hand on the lectern.
“From now on, I will guide you to the place where our class will be heading.”
Everyone, listen to my explanation,
and I hope you will decide after careful consideration.
“Before that, one thing, as a professor, I promise……”
I will protect all of you.