I Became the Savior of the Academy’s Villains

Chapter 197

How to gain qualification from a divine relic.

As already explained, there were two ways for the original main character to do this.

One was to absorb the power held by the divine relic through storage and forcibly use it.

However, when using this method, the divine relic would lose its power completely, so it was not a preferred method.

The other was to inject one's spirit into the divine relic, enter its interior, and directly converse with the shard of the god inside to gain qualification.

Even if a default qualification was not registered within the divine relic, if one went in and persuaded the shard of the god, one could gain a new qualification and use the divine power.

'Well, obtaining qualification from a divine relic that hasn't chosen you is something even the original protagonist only managed after starting the loop.'

To be precise, it was a method he discovered to use the new divine relic he obtained after the three original ones—specifically, the Eye of Time, Ben Dwight's memento.

'Though, persuading the Eye of Time was more like half-coercion.'

Luca shook his head, recalling the moment when 'I Became the Savior of the Academy' was turning into a mess.

He then refocused on the Dominion divine relic.

'Injecting my spirit into the divine relic...'

Luca didn't quite understand what that meant, but he tried doing it as if he were entering his mindscape.

'... It's not working.'

But it didn't go well.

No matter how many times he tried, he failed.

'Hmm... What do I do?'

He had relied on that one thing to collect the divine relics, but when he actually tried it, it didn't work.

Luca chewed on his lip, then quietly took out his phone.

He turned on Chat-GOD.

Luca: Is there any way to obtain qualification from a divine relic if you haven't been chosen by it?

GOD: Currently, among your abilities, there is no way to forcibly gain qualification from a divine relic. However, as a special skill acquired by completing the 'Original Sin of the Mage' hint, you may be able to obtain qualification by conversing with the shard of the god within the divine relic.

"?"

Sometimes I wonder if Chat-GOD is really allowed to say things like this.

'I wanted to obtain the power of Dominion to complete the Original Sin of the Mage... but I guess there's nothing I can do? Anyway, I don't need it urgently right now.'

The current Donovan rescue operation wasn't likely to be that dangerous, so he didn't urgently need the power of the Dominion divine relic.

'I do have the power of wind, and there's Herote, the Devil of Wisdom's nemesis, so things should work out. While I have Chat-GOD open, maybe I should ask something else?'

Since he still had plenty of tokens left, Luca decided to get a bit more information from Chat-GOD.

Luca: What's the difficulty level of the Original Sin of the Mage hint?

GOD: Of all the prepared scenarios, it is the highest level: 10.

'Well, I figured as much, but now it's certain.'

The three great devils are the de facto final bosses.

It was no surprise they were the highest difficulty.

'But "currently prepared scenarios"? Does that mean more scenarios will be added later?'

Luca pondered for a moment, then tapped his phone.

Luca: Are there any scenarios other than the currently prepared ones?

GOD: If the current scenarios are not completed, the next scenario will not occur.

'So they do exist, but unless I defeat all the devils, there won't be a "next".

But after that...'

He hadn't thought much about what would come after defeating Demonz.

He just assumed that after finishing that, he'd choose between enjoying life in this world or returning to Earth.

'Well, I guess I'll only know once I get there.'

With that thought, Luca gazed intently at his phone screen and asked one last question.

Luca: If I get rid of Demonz, does my mission end?

It took a few seconds for the answer to come.

GOD: It depends on your choice.

'... I see.'

Luca twisted his lips and pressed the hold button.

* * *

'Haaa... I said I'd go, but I'm actually a bit uneasy.'

Herote, tracking Donovan's location, wore a complicated expression.

'Leaving the academy... It's really been such a long time.'

It was actually the first time in decades that she was going outside the academy.

Eltima or Zeritz had sometimes left the academy, trusting Herote to hold down the fort, but Herote herself had never left the academy, not even once.

'How long has it been? Twenty years? Thirty?'

Since Eltima had become the headmaster, Herote had continually remained here, so it must have been about that long.

'Staying here never really bothered me.'

For Herote, a transcendental mage, Space itself was meaningless.

If she put her mind to it, she could see and go anywhere.

However, her real body had never actually left the academy.

At most, she'd sent an avatar outside.

A mage by nature, she found her desires mostly satisfied just by researching magic.

'I don't know why this is making me tense.'

Herote sighed.

One of the great mages, getting nervous just because she was leaving the academy.

It was almost laughable.

'But is it really okay for me to leave the academy empty?'

Her concerns weren't baseless.

When she first arrived, if Eltima ever left, strange types would sneak into the academy.

Among them were Demonz, spies from other countries, and even people from the Hernan Empire.

'There's something quite extraordinary hidden here, after all.'

Even she, upon first seeing it, was nearly captivated.

― You do have the right to know what it is you're protecting.

― But do not let yourself become too enchanted by that light.

― If you lack the qualification, your wings may melt away.

Eltima had shown her the Sun Stone, Kabul.

For a moment, she almost coveted its power.

It was easy to understand why so many strange types desired it.

― If the unqualified touch this, they turn to ash.

― However, even if you lack qualification, there are endless ways to use it.

― We must guard this until it is given to someone with the right to have it.

That was Eltima's warning.

'For the last ten years, things have been peaceful, even when Eltima was away...'

Maybe it was a learned fear.

Now, it would be no exaggeration to say that people had given up targeting the Sun Stone.

They'd realized that as long as Herote was guarding it, it was impossible to obtain.

'But if I'm not here for a while...'

Of course, she'd only be gone a short time, so probably no one would even notice her absence.

Even so, something bothered her.

'... I should make certain, just in case.'

Herote sent her avatar to Kryphi.

"Ah, I heard about it from Luca. Don't worry. I won't even let a rat into this place."

"And besides, how about enjoying a bit of vacation? I heard you've never left the academy. Sometimes you need to get some fresh air."

Kryphi nodded reassuringly, as if he already knew everything.

Herote hesitated for a moment and spoke up.

"Still, I'm a little uneasy, so maybe just..."

"Come on, headmaster."

At Herote's words, Kryphi narrowed his eyes a little.

"You're worried something could go wrong when I'm here?"

Chills!

Kryphi's amber eyes, like those of a wild beast.

Even though she was just an avatar, one look into his eyes sent chills down her spine.

Herote swallowed hard and nodded.

"All right. I'll leave it to you."

'He's unusual, that one.'

For the first time, she understood why Eltima had left him here instead of Zeritz.

After withdrawing her avatar from Kryphi, Herote sighed.

'Still, something feels off.'

After hesitating, she opened a cabinet in a corner of her lab.

There were two water bears inside.

She picked up one, and put a magic circle inside the other.

"Just in case..."

Muttering to herself, Herote released the one with the magic circle.

It crawled away until it vanished from view.

"... And, just in case, again."

She muttered once more, looking to the center of her lab.

There was a mysterious spirit stone pulsing like a heart.

* * *

Time passed, and weekend arrived.

A message came to Luca's spirit stone panel.

― Found Donovan's location.

He responded immediately, and with the blink of an eye, he was in the laboratory.

Herote looked a little tense—which was unusual.

Miros's eyes were filled with resolve.

"We found the location. Obviously, he wasn't in Marquis Kisen's domain. I'm not sure, but right now it's some land that isn't being used anymore."

"I see."

Luca answered plainly. Miros, who had been quiet, spoke nervously.

"That's where I first met Donovan."

"You first met Donovan there?"

Luca's question made Miros nod.

"It's almost... my oldest memory; I heard they were doing all kinds of forbidden research there."

"That's where they conducted the Hyperhemia experiments."

"That's right. I was watching Donovan, who was being held there, and I asked my father—can you give him to me..."

Miros spoke in a dreamy tone.

"My father said, 'That's an interesting idea... as expected of my best...'"

Miros stopped talking.

She bit her lip.

"My memory's hazy..."

"That doesn't matter right now. What matters is whether you know the inside of that place or not."

When Luca changed the subject, Miros nodded.

"Unless they've changed the layout, I pretty much know how it's structured. I think I have a rough idea of where Donovan would be, too."

"Good. Let's set off right away. By the way, Miros."

"?"

Miros looked puzzled at his sudden call, and Luca stuck out his lower lip.

"Don't use honorifics with me. It just feels weird."

"... Okay."

At that moment, Herote, who seemed slightly tense, looked Luca over and asked,

"Where's your bird?"

"Don't worry about Whistle. No matter where we go, she'll follow right away."

With the power of wind, wherever they went, Whistle would follow.

Besides, the power of the sky was packed to the limit in Luca's body.

Unless it was the Devil of Wisdom, it would be enough to buy time.

"Whew... All right... Then..."

Herote took a deep breath and raised her hand.

*Snap!*

The moment she snapped her fingers, the scenery changed.

"Huh...?"

Luca looked around in admiration.

Ruins of crumbled buildings.

Green-covered fragments, as if untouched by humans.

A slightly dark sky, and an eerie atmosphere.

It was like a post-apocalyptic scene.

"There's a special magic placed inside the research lab, so it's hard to warp directly in. We have to walk from here."

"I see."

At her explanation, Luca nodded—and glanced at Miros.

Miros met his gaze and nodded resolutely.

"I'll lead the way."