chapter 17
Disciple (1)
“I finally went.”
As Supreme Commander Adolf was being dragged away by Sofia, Arthuria approached the bewildered Secretarys, who were left alone.
“Your Highness, can you finally tell me about the dream you had today?”
Arthuria clasped her hands together with anticipation.
“What kind of dream was it? Do you remember us walking together in the most beautiful garden in heaven? Or perhaps us standing back to back on the battlefield, defeating demons together? If not that, was it the memory of us whispering love to each other under the glow-in-the-dark lights in bed late at night?”
“Well, you see…”
Secretarys hesitated to speak, feeling that somehow revealing the dream would shatter Arthuria’s expectations.
“So, about the dream…”
“Um, well…”
Upon hearing Secretarys’ words, Arthuria’s expression seemed as if she had lost everything.
“I didn’t appear?”
It wasn’t a dream related to me?
“It seems that the Great Demon Lucifer was sealed inside this bracelet. I wonder if that’s why you had a dream related to her….”
Lucifer!
That woman is useless even after being sealed!
Why did I dream about her instead of me?
Naturally, as your lover, shouldn’t it have been me who appeared in your dream?
That savage woman is giving you attitude just because she appeared in your dream!
No, it can’t be.
Your Highness should be remembering our poignant story!
“But why was Lucifer, who was sealed at that time, in that dungeon?”
There was no mention of the Great Demon Lucifer in [Eclipse].
In the first place, this bracelet itself was just a loose end that was supposed to be a device to power up the protagonist, and it was never properly resolved.
Rather, does this mean that Lucifer is a person who really exists, just like Secretary Vist from the Celestial Realm?
Like the previous life of this physical Secretary Grangnir?
“Ah. I can tell you about that. When we were punished by Deus and fell to this earthly realm, Deus sent down seven artifacts related to us.”
“Seven artifacts?”
“Yes. … It was something I didn’t mention because Your Highness wanted to recover those memories. But I can’t help it. To put it simply, finding those seven artifacts is our trial.”
Trial.
According to what Artoria said, she and I, who were originally angels by Deus’ side, committed a sin and were punished to fall to the earthly realm and become humans.
But it was not a complete fall, just a temporary trial.
She said that if the two of us meet again, regain our love, and go through the trial, we can return to the Celestial Realm.
“So, could it be that the contents of the trial to return to the Celestial Realm are those seven artifacts?”
“Yes. That’s exactly finding those seven artifacts. However, Deus didn’t tell us what those artifacts are. Maybe that sealed bracelet on Lucifer is one of them. Your Highness kept that bracelet in the Celestial Realm.”
In that case, are those seven artifacts related to the Celestial Realm’s Secretarys or Artoria?
But I don’t quite understand.
This sealed bracelet of the Great Demon Lucifer also appeared in the novel.
Then, does that mean Artoria was an angel in the novel and fell to the earthly realm?
Something doesn’t match with the story in the novel.
Even when conquering dungeons, I thought that the story in the novel could be the basis for that information…
Is the world I transmigrated into exactly the same as the world of [Eclipse]?
“So, all we have to do is find the remaining six artifacts?”
“Yes! If we can do that, we can return to heaven!”
The countless artifacts and relics that appeared in [Eclipse].
Perhaps one of the seven artifacts could be among them.
Regardless, my task remains the same. That hasn’t changed.
If I gather all those artifacts, I might uncover the truth.
“Alright. Let’s gather them all.”
“Yes!”
While Vess and Arthuria were in perfect agreement, each with their own thoughts.
“Vess.”
Sophia entered the café once again.
“I’m sorry. I never thought our father would go on such a rampage. It’s my fault.”
She ended up causing harm to Vess.
I never imagined that foolish father would come all the way here to persecute Vess.
This is entirely my fault.
I can’t let Vess hate me.
“It’s okay. Father might just be worried about his daughter. And your current situation is far from ordinary, right? Don’t worry about it.”
“Vess…!”
Sophia looked at Vess with admiration.
Sure.
Secretary Su.
You’ve always been like this.
Even when I caused you harm, you always reassured me that it wasn’t your fault.
But this time…
I promised it would be different.
I haven’t changed at all.
This can’t go on.
I’m just repeating the same cycle.
I have to change.
* * *
Student Council Room, Lichten Academy
“How amusing.”
The student council president of the academy, Diavel, muttered.
“I can’t believe the president of the republic would come rushing to the academy just because of his daughter.”
It shouldn’t be too difficult to bring down the republic, after all.
“Is that so? The entire academy, including the principal, is in chaos right now. No one expected the president to come here without any notice.”
In front of Diavel, the beautiful woman with silver eyes, Robina, was talking to him.
“It’s unexpected, but it’s actually like gaining a weapon to destroy the republic afterwards.”
“That’s true. I never thought the republic would have such a weakness. It’s good information that will help with its ‘destruction’.”
Leading the student council at the academy was the president, Diabel.
She was someone who embodied the admiration and popularity of the academy students, even more so than Robina. But her true identity was the leader of the “organization,” Eah.
For Eah, who even Robina served under, the visit of the academy’s chancellor was merely a means to be used in the future to overthrow the republic.
“What I’m more interested in than the chancellor’s visit is Grogun.”
“You mean Secretary Granquinal? Are you talking about him?”
Before entering the academy, he was the son of a viscount that no one paid any attention to.
But now, he had captivated the saint and the princess of the republic.
Although it was an unverified rumor, there was even information that the imperial princess visited the academy to meet him.
It showed that he was not just someone who seduced women with his looks and words, as he even overwhelmed the son of a famous swordsmanship family in a duel.
“If we can bring him into the ‘organization,’ he will be a significant force.”
If we can bring him in, we can dominate both the saint and the republic.
“That’s right. I also thought that way and met him once.”
Robina recalled her recent meeting with Granquinal.
Unlike other male students, he didn’t just submit to her because of her appearance.
He was definitely a man who had reasons for the saint and the princess to fall for him.
“It seems more difficult than I thought.”
“It doesn’t matter. After all, the grand plan until the downfall is a long-term battle. It doesn’t matter if it takes a long time.”
“Stay alive. You have to live.”
Diabel heard his voice in her head.
Doridori
Diabel tilted his head from side to side.
A selfish master.
Did you think there would be meaning in a world where I live alone?
A world that killed my master.
A world that holds no meaning for her.
Instead, a world that should disappear.
No matter what happens.
Even if the path ahead is treacherous.
I will “annihilate” this world.
And then, I will go meet the master who left me with the terrible curse of a life without him.
* * *
“Time has passed so quickly.”
Because of the Republic’s president, too much time has passed.
My attendance score for this class will be deducted.
Vassarus, along with Artoria and Sophia, headed towards the academy lecture hall.
“The next class location is….”
In front of him, as he was walking around a lecture hall building, he saw a familiar man.
The man with whom he had sparred through a real swordsmanship class not long ago.
It was Naber Schreig of the Schreig family, a renowned swordsmanship clan.
Naber? Why is he here?
“Secretary Granqui.”
Naberka spoke to Secretary as if he had something to discuss.
Ugh.
Is this brat trying to start a fight with me again?
Come to think of it, he started a fight with Genesis just because they were together in [Eclipse].
This is getting annoying.
As Secretary pondered over what to do in this situation.
Thud.
Naberka knelt down.
“Take me as your disciple. I beg you.”
…What is this again?