novelraw Chapter 180: Friend Of Pain
Chapter 180: Friend Of Pain
***
Alba left the next morning, and he was far from quiet.
He made sure to bark, nuzzle, and circle Ignotus until he had enough.
Ignotus waved, smelling freshly bathed, his white hair soft as wool.
Eris sat on his shoulder. Her tail curled around his neck.
She did not wave.
Alba didn’t deserve that honor.
The moment the dog-wolf disappeared around a corner, Ignotus turned towards the classrooms.
Eris watched, studied, and savored these moments.
Because today... Ignotus was calm, far from teasing death.
And these small, peaceful moments were new to Her.
Every mortal they passed stared. Some froze, others whispered, but most simply stepped aside, making an interrupted path through the hallway for him.
Ignotus didn’t give them a single glance, nor did She.
They did not matter; they were pieces of a world She tolerated because He was in it.
Besides, Her thoughts were too preoccupied to spare even a sliver of attention to the gawking children.
Because of what happened in that dream.
And no, it wasn’t his complimenting of Her, though that had Her smiling for a long while after.
It was his revelation, the words that broke the illusion. She still didn’t believe how casual he had been about it.
Thinking of all that happened now, She understood how he never really cared for this secret. It was as if revealing the nature of His Soul meant nothing to him. Yet it seemed that telling Her the truth of how his origin came about was what felt heavy to him.
Ignotus had made a desperate gamble, essentially throwing his life away for hope.
He despised any losing gambles, perhaps even more than he did soldiers.
Her pantheon’s interference, his bet, had paid off.
The realm was bent by time, but it fought back with Truth.
Ignotus’s life couldn’t be considered anything but a miracle.
Her claws trembled while he walked.
He didn’t bother to ask why.
Of course he didn’t.
That was Ignotus.
It terrified Her how close to death he was.
How close She was to forever live in a world where they didn’t meet.
A world where She was left to rot in that local Parish, existing only for the sake of it.
But it also comforted Her.
Ignotus didn’t have a Path without Her.
He needed Her... They needed each other to survive.
Fate brought them together, and they’d remain that way until death took them both.
’Let me stay with you.’
His voice echoed in Her mind.
And She, sitting on his shoulder, had answered:
’I will.’
Eris didn’t doubt that.
That was what allowed Her to peer deeper into him than any being ever had.
To glimpse his depths and see how vast and wonderfully strange he truly was.
The more She knew about him...
The more She loved him.
The more fascinated She became.
The more She wanted his Soul for Herself.
So much so that She didn’t notice that they had reached the classroom until he stopped.
Ignotus gently picked Her up and set Her on his chair beside his people, Gaia, Mer, Lykos, Ulv, and Aur, who greeted Her silently and respectfully.
’Good.’
They should fear Her!
Besides sweet Gaia, they only remained safe because he liked them.
Ignotus walked to the front, where Lothar waited along with three Shepherds She did not recognize.
"Priest Ignotus..."
Lothar’s voice carried through the hall.
"I know you didn’t make it official yet, but allow me to call you that."
Ignotus nodded slowly.
"I don’t mind that."
Seeing their interaction, Her ears twitched.
’Interesting...’
Perhaps House Plant had finally stopped pushing hostility toward him. The Shepherds behind Lothar exhaled in relief as well. Perhaps they had hated being forced to treat him like an enemy in the first place.
Which, honestly, was beyond reasonable.
Insulting Ignotus should have been a death wish.
"Since you didn’t join the classes after the first one, you missed the measurement test taken by the others. It’ll be similar to the test you took to get accepted into the Academy."
He gestured to the Shepherds behind Ignotus.
"It will help identify your average."
Her eyes narrowed, red irises glowing.
’Mhm... so it’s somewhat similar to his system.’
A projection appeared, showing the students’ stats:
—
╔═════════╗
║Leader Board!║
╚═════════╝
[Merlin: B+]
[Gaia: B]
[Lykos: B]
[Aurelia: C+]
[Ulv: C]
[...]
—
"As Runebearers, we care mostly for Divinity, and with you here, this batch is arguably the strongest in Saint Academy history. Let’s see if you can lead them."
Ignotus slowly nodded and then sat on the ground.
Eris’s fur bristled while She watched Her Stellae close his eyes.
Three Shepherds stepped behind Him, two of them raised glowing staffs while the third—a healer—waited quietly.
Next to Her, Ignotus’s people began to whisper as the air tightened and a pressure hit the room.
Or rather, it hit Ignotus and spread to them.
"Grade E."
A pressure to determine his mental capability.
"Grade E+."
Though that improved throughout a Runebearer’s life, measuring it now offered an idea of who was truly talented among the creme of the crop.
"Grade D-."
Eris’s claws dug slightly into the chair.
This pressure was incredibly painful, yet She heard nothing from him.
A grade that the others had struggled so hard to achieve was barely an effort for him.
"Grade D."
Gaia stood up in shock.
"Grade D+."
Lykos, Ulv, and Aurelia all stiffened.
"Grade C-."
Merlin’s pink eyes widened greatly.
"Grade C."
But of course, Ignotus remained completely still.
"Grade C+."
Those who suffered for a rank much below this looked like they were about to faint.
"Grade B-."
Ignotus appeared to be in a better state than them, as if no incredible pressure were currently threatening to crush his Soul.
"Grade B."
Even Nora, who wasn’t involved in this, as she was only a guard of a student, not a student herself, seemed incredibly shocked.
"Grade B+."
Eris’s heart beat faster.
"Grade A-."
Her chest constricted.
"Grade A."
She was afraid.
Afraid to both interfere and watch.
She just didn’t know what to do.
Neither did Lothar and the rest.
"Grade A+."
Even he ended up stepping back.
"G-Grade S-."
That was when, finally, blood slid from Ignotus’s lips.
Finally, the pressure seemed to have an effect on him.
But though they knew Ignotus could continue...
"Stop it now!"
The Shepherds immediately stopped.
While Ignotu’s mind could handle the pressure, his body wouldn’t withstand the next step.
The Divinity circulating in his body would falter, and the consequence would be dire.
Still, it was obvious to everyone. He had been able to go further.
His mental strength was just that strong...
It was only that his body had failed him.
That much was terrifyingly clear.
"S-" wasn’t his limit but rather only the highest label they dared to give.
The healer rushed in immediately, casting light that swirled around Ignotus, easing his body and mending the vessels pushing too hard to contain what he was.
Ignotus opened his eyes and wiped the blood away.
That gentle smile he wore curved wider.
It was a smile that seemed to welcome a guest...
Or rather, a friend who was painfully familiar.