"As students of Kizen, we..."
Simon focused all his attention on simply reading the text in front of him. Stuttering was not an option, and a voice crack was absolutely out of the question.
The content of the oath seemed to be the usual stuff about honor, dignity, and doing one’s best in education, but he was so focused that even though he was saying the words out loud, the content hardly registered in his mind.
Just like that, a minute passed in a flash, and the oath was over.
’Phew. I didn’t make a mistake.’
"Why are you trembling so much?" Serne asked playfully.
Simon replied with an embarrassed expression, "I guess I was nervous about not making a mistake."
"You spoke so fluently, though..."
Following Aaron’s instructions, the two of them descended the stairs and returned to their seats.
"You did great, Simon!" Kamibarez and Dick welcomed him.
Simon returned to his seat and glanced at Meirin. She wore a very displeased expression.
"Was it nice?" she asked flatly.
For some reason, he felt like he had to answer this carefully. "Not really. My mind was blank."
Meirin snorted.
With that, the student representative pledge was over, and the true highlight of the opening ceremony had arrived.
"Faculty, please enter," Aaron announced.
It was a moment more heart-pounding than any other. As the Kizen professors, each one a star in their own right, appeared in the auditorium, the students cheered louder than ever before.
’They’re all doing well!’
Simon’s gaze lingered on the familiar faces. Jane, the supervising professor for Class A and the Vice-President. Professor Hongfeng of Combat Magic and Professor Bahil of Cursology. In addition, Professor Eric of Jet-Black Dynamics and Professor Umbra of Necrology stood out.
"And there is one more announcement. New professors have joined us for this integrated second semester."
The students began to murmur at Aaron’s words. They had already been talking about who the new Venomology professor would be.
"Now, I will introduce them. The three professors, please step forward."
Three people, somewhat unfamiliar to the students, came to the front of the stage. Aaron introduced them in order, starting from the right.
"This may come as a surprise. On the recommendation of Professor Silage, who is currently on a mission, Professor Walter Han will be taking charge of the Hemomancy classes."
A man in a brown suit and glasses stepped forward. Cheers erupted from all directions. The screams from the female students, in particular, were almost like cannon fire.
"Who is he? Who is he?"
"Whoa, he’s so handsome."
"I can already hear the number of Hemomancy majors going up."
Meirin, seeing Walter for the first time, was also surprised, and even the male students admired him with pure appreciation. He was beyond the point of jealousy; he was like a walking statue.
Walter stepped forward and took the amplification crystal from a subordinate.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Walter Han."
At the sound of his smooth, gentle voice, a few female students swooned.
"I am honored to be taking over the Hemomancy class in Professor Silage’s stead," he announced. "My skills are still lacking compared to his, but I shall do my best."
A roar of applause erupted. After a few more brief words, Walter finished his introduction and returned to his seat.
Aaron introduced the next professor.
"Next is the new professor for Defense Against Divinity."
Until now, the Defense Against Divinity class had been more of an ideological indoctrination than a practical course on defending against divinity. Professor Hulut, who had taught the class in the first semester, was a necromancer who had spent his entire life on the front lines against the Federation. He was a soldier to the bone and harbored an extreme hatred for priests.
’Why are priests evil? Why must we defeat the Holy Federation?’
He spoke of their cruelty and duplicity, inciting the students’ hatred by recounting terrorist incidents caused by fanatics and sharing his own experiences. Because this kind of ideological education was the norm, some pointed out that the fundamental methods of divine defense were being neglected. Ultimately, the recent Saintess incident had prompted Nephthys to make a major decision.
This appointment could only be described as truly unconventional.
"Ahem."
The old man in a white martial arts uniform, waving a folding fan in one hand, was none other than the impossibly strong priest that all the first-years had encountered at the Kizen entrance.
"Before the introduction, I shall say this first," Aaron spoke, his voice solemn. "I will absolutely not forgive any disrespect toward the professor."
At Aaron’s chilling words, the students’ expressions hardened. A few with more extreme tendencies had been preparing to jeer at the word "priest," but they quickly shut their mouths at his stern warning.
"He is someone we had great difficulty in bringing here. He is the head of the Anti-Divinity Federation Association and a former Bishop of Efnel, Professor Parahan."
A smattering of applause followed, a stark contrast to the thunderous reception Walter had received. The students who were clapping quickly stopped, conscious of the glares from those around them. Nevertheless, Parahan chuckled softly and gave Aaron a slight nod—a gesture of thanks for his consideration. Aaron also bowed his head respectfully in return.
Amidst the chilling silence, Parahan stepped forward and received the amplification crystal from a subordinate. This was, without a doubt, an unprecedented situation. It was the first time a priest had officially held a teaching position at Kizen, a fact that was enough to shock the students to their core.
They now had no choice but to listen to a priest’s teachings. A considerable number of students perceived priests as beings to be eliminated, and following the Saintess incident, their animosity reached an all-time high. What would Parahan, a defector from the Holy Federation, say at a time like this?
Everyone’s gaze, including Simon’s, was fixed on him. Even the seated professors were glancing over, waiting for him to speak. His loose, white robes fluttering, Parahan walked forward with the gait of a divine hermit and brought the amplification crystal to his lips.
"Efnel," he began, slowly opening his palm. "More than anything else in this world, they want my head."
A roar of divine flame erupted from his palm, roaring toward the ceiling. Screams and gasps burst out from all sides. Even the professors in the back flinched and leaned away.
"In Efnel, they teach that this divinity is a power bestowed only upon those ‘chosen by the Goddess,’" he said, extinguishing the flame. "However, my very existence directly refutes their logic. How could they not want to kill me? They probably pray a hundred, a thousand times a day for divine punishment to strike me down."
The old man’s voice echoed throughout the grand auditorium. Simon, seated, was in awe at how he had completely captivated the disorderly crowd with such a masterful display.
"If Efnel truly represents the Goddess’s will, then how can they explain the divinity of this old man who opposes them!" Parahan’s eyes held a deep darkness and pain. "Listen, you young people. Efnel rules its people with lies. They cover their eyes and block their ears. No other ideology or knowledge is permitted. They place only a lamp and a scripture in a dark room and force people to read only that, calcifying their minds, hearts, and values. That is their method."
His firm and compelling voice spread like a ripple.
"In the name of the Goddess, the people must consider it a joy to have their property unjustly taken. In the name of the Goddess, they must reject other cultures, claiming they cloud the mind. Those who question are tortured by Heretic Inquisitors and suppressed through fear. Indeed."
The air grew heavy.
"Who, then, deserves the Goddess’s divine punishment!"
One of the students, with a dazed expression, clapped once.
Two or three others around him joined in.
Scattered applause poured out from various places. The old man smiled faintly and gave a slight bow.
Parahan believed in God, but he was a man who thought that Efnel was distorting the true will of God to reinforce their own power and pursue their selfish desires. The scriptures said the Goddess equally cherished all things and all people. Then why did they teach their followers to kill half of humanity?
The scriptures said the Goddess told all people to remain vigilant. Then why did they make people cover their eyes and block their ears? As he continued his life of faith, these questions grew until he ultimately relinquished his position as bishop. His destination was the Dark Alliance. Nephthys had readily accepted him and entrusted him with the role of uniting the apostate priests.
"I shall not force my values upon you," Parahan declared. "However, I am certain that Efnel is our common enemy. This old man will probably not live to see the day of liberation, but I can plant the seeds of hope. With my knowledge and experience, I will teach you how to stand against divinity. I hope that you all will one day drive out this evil and save the innocent."
Parahan took the crystal from his lips and nodded toward Aaron, signaling he was finished.
Aaron looked at the students.
"Let’s have a round of applause."
The students clapped. Hostility and deep-rooted perceptions couldn’t be changed with just a few words, but the applause was a little louder than when Parahan had first taken the stage. Parahan returned to the professors’ section and sat next to Walter.
"And finally, the last professor to join Kizen," Aaron announced. "We also had a very difficult time bringing this person here."
A woman in her late twenties with ashen-brown hair tied neatly in a fluttering ponytail walked to the front of the stage. A wave of murmurs swept through the crowd.
"Wh-Who is that?"
"I don’t know either."
"Doesn’t she kind of have Professor Hongfeng’s vibe?"
"I was thinking the same thing."
Byulya stopped walking in front of the students. Simon, sitting in his seat, suppressed a laugh.
’She must be incredibly nervous.’
She had shed her bizarre, tattered clothes and was appropriately dressed in a black suit. She had even put on makeup, her face looking clean. Dressed like a normal person, he found her surprisingly beautiful. However, Byulya herself seemed unfamiliar with her current appearance, looking somewhat dazed. A subordinate placed the amplification crystal in her hand as Aaron explained.
"In place of Professor Lang, this is Professor Byulya Toon Soqum Marlat, who will be teaching Venomology from now on. She is the twin sister of Professor Hongfeng, whom you all know well."
"Ooooh!"
The students’ eyes filled with anticipation, and this time, a huge reaction erupted from the male students. The Venomology aspirants, in particular, were about to explode with excitement. However, Byulya’s condition was somewhat unusual. Her eyes were wide and round, her shoulders were hiked up so high they nearly touched her ears, and her back was hunched. She would occasionally twitch her body uncomfortably.
She looked like a cat that had been forced into clothes it hated and had simply broken down. Byulya remained in that state for several minutes without saying a word. The students noticed something was wrong and began to whisper. Aaron, who was hosting, cleared his throat and spoke.
"Professor? A word for the students, please."
Byulya still showed no movement, her shoulders held high. The students’ whispering grew louder, and the broadcasting subordinates, on the verge of tears, were silently screaming at her to say something.
"Uh..."
Finally, the first word came out. Then silence again. Simon’s gaze shifted to Hongfeng, who was sitting in the professors’ section. He could see her clutching her forehead and sighing heavily.
"Ugh."
Just then, Byulya’s shoulders began to twitch violently.
"Uhhh... Ugh..."
Aaron said in alarm, "Professor. Is there something wrong?"
"This is so! Fucking! Un! Com! Fort! Able!!!!" she shrieked.
She suddenly grabbed the suit she was wearing and began to rip it to shreds in a fit of irritation. The grand auditorium fell into chaos at the bizarre behavior of a Kizen professor. Pieces of the suit scattered in all directions. She tore her skirt straight down the middle and ripped gaping holes in her stockings. Byulya’s usual tattered clothes, worn underneath, were revealed.
She kicked off her high heels, becoming barefoot, and when she untied the string that held her hair, her ashen-brown hair scattered and flew freely.
"Hah!" she gasped, taking a deep, dramatic breath. "Now I can finally breathe!"
The broadcasting subordinate was tearfully signaling for Aaron to stop her, but Aaron, who was supposed to be controlling the situation, wore a satisfied smile as if he had met a kindred spirit.
"If you ever make me wear these suffocating clothes again, I’ll kill you!" After loudly warning the coordinators, she picked up the amplification crystal that had fallen to the floor. "Nice to meet you, brats! I’m Byulya!"

Comments

Loading...