How to Survive at the Academy Chapter 125

Joint Combat Practice 2 (11)

The condition of the horses was also not very good.

Of the horses that were pulling the wagon, I only brought one that was unharmed. The brisk sound of hooves hitting the floor continued, but before long the sound also began to become irregular.

You can feel the horse’s body sway little by little. It seemed that my life would soon come to an end. Still, it was easy to run for the owner who had ridden on his back. Perhaps, it may have been the affection she had been pulling the saintess’ carriage for the rest of her life.

―Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

The roar of the Holy Changryong, which seemed to tear apart the ears, echoed again. If you run across the plazas of Professor Dong, you can see the whole view of Professor Dong, which is also stained with blood.

“Listen carefully, saintess. First of all, this episode is over!”

Ed shouted to the saintess, who tightly gripped the horse’s reins and buried her face in her back with her hands wrapped around her waist.

“I’ll help you uncover the truth as much as possible, so if you go back… this time you should be prepared to finish the case really ‘perfectly’!”

The wind brushes past my ear lobe. Clarisse, who had buried her face in Ed’s wide back, nodded.

Once again, an earthquake covers the island of Aken. The high-level elemental magics manifested by Obel cover the sky, and Lucy blocks Velbrok’s huge forepaws from flying toward the living quarters.

―Quaang! Quaang! Quaang!

A huge defense circle that couldn’t be captured at a glance covered the entire area of ​​the living quarters, but each time Valveroke’s forepaw was bounced off, its shape distorted little by little.

Clarisse trembled with fear and hugged Ed tightly, but soon a feeling of discomfort came into his chest.

Ed’s arm gripping the horse’s reins was strangely shaking. He lifted his head and looked at Ed’s face, his teeth clenched tightly and his spleen eyes staring straight ahead as he drove his horse. It is an eye that seems to have made the resolution of a lifetime.

Only then did Clarisse think about it again.

In the repetition of time accumulated dozens of times, Clarisse encountered the majesty of that gigantic dragon over and over again.

Even if this one ends, there will probably be another.

However, every moment is the first for Ed in that time.

He is a human being who has to face a disaster that appeared out of nowhere while leading a normal daily life.

For Clarisse, it’s only one repetition, but for Ed, every moment is a gamble with his life.

Even if you know that time goes back, putting your life on the stake is accompanied by unimaginable horrors.

Grinding his teeth, the hand holding the reins was full of strength… It is very natural.

However, he never showed such fear. He endures even the desire to run away. He knew that if he was agitated, Clarisse would be agitated as well.

Clarisse squeezed Ed’s hand tightly onto his back.

―Kagagak!

At that moment, the horse screamed and collapsed. It’s exhausted.

As their bodies grew louder, a distant sense of floating wrapped around their bodies. Ed quickly pulled Clarisse’s arm and rolled her across the floor in a tight hug.

Fortunately, I fell off the horse to the flower bed and was not seriously injured. However, since Ed had already injured his body quite a bit, he had to swallow his breath heavily to hold back his excruciating pain.

Looking up at Ed’s face in Ed’s arms, Clarice felt her heart break.

“Senior Ed… Bleeding from your arm…”

“It’s okay. I’ve been hurt more than this many times.”

Ed swung his arm to wipe away the blood, then stood up and dusted his pants. Then, grabbing Clarisse and pulling her up, he looked up at the Bachelor Cathedral, where he had finally arrived.

―Quaang! Quaang!

The magic of the Holy Changryong, rampaging as if it would destroy the entire island of Aken, still covers the sky.

Against the background of such a night sky, a large cross towered casually.

It is not a very large building, but it cannot be said that it is small either. The outer wall, which is neatly raised with a mixture of bricks and marbles, is beautifully decorated with stained glass in the middle, and a cross symbolizing the divine protection of Telos is simply decorated.

“It looks like you’ve come to the right place.”

Ed spoke as he gazed at the cross on top of the steeple towering high into the sky.

A man standing against the background of the starry sky where magic comes and goes. It seemed that they were hiding as much as possible with stealth magic, but as we got closer to the cathedral, it seemed to be revealed.

He is wearing a dark red robe with a gold frame, but you can guess his age from the vaguely visible silhouette.

A middle-aged man who shows signs of age. Looking at the angular chin and occasionally exposed forearm muscles, it is clear that he has trained for a long time.

It has wings sprouting on its back. The wings protruding from the back of the robe spread out, making his silhouette resemble a cross on his back.

The weapon he is holding in his hand is an iron spear. Even if you look at it, it was a high-end product.

Clarisse swallowed at the familiar silhouette.

A detached corps under the direct control of Holy Emperor Eldain, the ‘Apostle of Telos’.

Among the Seonghwangdo’s holy magicians with its long history and large scale, the most honorable position granted to only 8 people.

Ed was also a group he knew well.

One by one, they were the beings that were revered as the best spellcasters in Seonghwangdo. If all 8 people gather in one place, even Lucy Meiril, who has inherited the lineage of the archmage, cannot easily break through.

-Paang!

The man landed at the entrance of the cathedral, raising dust. The gust of wind blew my collar.

Their most fatal weakness is their piety.

No matter how powerful a spellcaster is… It cannot resist the saintess who received the blessing of Telos.

I had to… .

“I’m sorry, Saint Clarisse.”

Hierarchy is something that always changes depending on the situation.

If the person who gave him instructions is someone higher than Saint Clarisse, he will block their path, even if the opponent is a Saint.

“This is the order of Saint Eldain. After this… no one can pass.”

Clarisse’s eyes trembled.

The apostles he met in Seonghwangdo were always reliable allies themselves.

When he met the saint, he bowed his head politely and knelt down, always revealing his deep faith.

Every word of conversation with the saintess was honored, and they lived with great honor in my life after being baptized by the Lord.

Seeing him guarding the entrance to the cathedral, Clarisse swallowed dryly.

Ed whispered in the bewildered saintess’ ear.

“Break through unconditionally. You’re only thinking about opening that door and entering the cathedral to check the truth. Put all other distracting thoughts aside.”

“What about Ed-senpai…?”

“Maybe we can create a gap for a while.”

Ed drew a dagger from his thigh dance and raised it. The blade of the dagger, imprinted with the spirit ceremony, shone sharply in the moonlight.

Clarisse looked at him and shook his head. Ed was already badly injured.

In addition, the opponent, the apostle of Telos, is the most talented person in the success chart. I don’t know if it’s against the saint, but I won’t take it at all against Ed… Even if he tried to fight him, the outcome would have been obvious.

Clarisse gritted her teeth and ran forward, shouting at the apostle.

“Get out of the way right now…! I need to go inside and see what’s going on…!”

“Holy Maid.”

The man lowered his head with strangely sad eyes and spoke.

“I’m sorry, but you can’t pass by. The only thing I can tell you is… it’s all for the saintess.”

“That’s… I’ll judge.”

Despite Clarice’s words, the man shook his head quietly.

“Saintess. Even if you pass by here, there’s nothing more you can do…”

-Kaang!

Before he could finish his words, Ed’s dagger flew into his eye. Ed jumped out of his seat and tried to drive the dagger he held back into his body.

Of course, the man reacted as if that was natural. When I lifted the handle of her spear and took it at the wrist, her trembling hand could not advance any further.

“You bastard… what is…?”

Of course, he also knew that such an attack would be lightly blocked.

Ed released his grip on the dagger, and a large crystal ball protruded from within. It was a handcrafted magic engineering item, ‘Impact Reinforced Wave Ball’.

The man’s eyes widened, but he couldn’t help but be swept away by the shock that exploded in his face.

“Keugh!”

Ed’s purpose in the first place is to clear the man from the entrance.

The man who was momentarily pushed out by the shockwave and fell, managed to balance on the outer wall of the cathedral.

-bang!

Clarisse had already kicked the door and entered the cathedral.

“Chi-it…!”

The tongue-tied man tried to jump in after Clarisse, but a flying wind blade blocked his path.

-Kaang! Caang!

Sacred law is a magic that borrows the power of Telos, who uses divine power. Most of them convert divine power into magical energy, but the man used most of his divine power to strengthen his body.

After throwing Ed away with strength several times that of a normal human, Ed, who floated in the air for a long time, rolled several times on the floor, raising dust. The taste of blood mixed in between the coughs.

“You’re already bleeding profusely.”

The man brushed off the window once and looked down at Ed, who was rolling on the floor in a battered state, standing on the stairs at the church entrance.

“Just lay there and rest. I don’t know what the purpose is, but given the circumstances, if you think your work will be disrupted, I may take your life. I… don’t even want to kill myself.”

Saying that, the moment he turned his back to chase the saintess, he felt a heavy blow again in his shoulder blades.

Three arrows from Ed’s magical bow flew into his shoulder and crashed into him, but failed to pierce his skin.

“This… he…”

The eyes of the man who turned around are haunting.

Ed quickly finished the power check. I already knew the prior information about the Apostle of Telos.

There was no way that Ed’s specs, which had now entered the growth trajectory, could beat the best spellcaster. If so, you need to come up with a different number.

The man fixed the spear and spread his wings. It was an intention to quickly deal with her Ed and follow her saintess.

Ed took out Glast’s phoenix ring from his bosom. If it’s time to go back anyway, there’s no burden in using the magic of the future.

If the flow of magical power in the future and even the determination to not be able to use magic for the rest of our lives, how far could we draw our magical power?

Ed thought so, injected mana into the ring and threw himself again. The dagger engraved with the spirit ceremony flew back to find its owner, and the mana manifested from the earth wrapped around the area.

The man has good intuition. Noticing that things were not going so easily, she raised her hands in prayer behind her back, gathering her strength. The holy magic that strengthens his body and makes him agile turns him into a monster beyond humanity.

wizards and warriors. Naturally, the opponent tries to close the distance.

Having noticed that the other person’s feelings are not serious, the man will try to subdue Ed at once.

As if to prove that fact, the man kicked the floor in an instant and ran. The spear flies with its aim at Ed’s heart. In terms of speed alone, it is no problem even if it is almost comparable to a bullet.

The man, who had moved at a speed that surpassed human cognitive ability, was convinced right before the spear touched Ed’s heart. got it

In addition, I shook off the guilt of taking one life and put a spear into it.

-Poo-wook!

“Cheuk!”

I must have twisted my body just before, so I couldn’t pierce my heart. However, blood gushed from Ed’s body, which had been completely pierced right up to her chest.

Red blood splattered on the high priest’s robe. Seeing the scene, her man silently prayed to God.

Again, I ended up killing myself. She confessed it carefully in her heart.

– Dig!

That was the moment.

Ed’s hand, covered in blood, quickly grabbed the man’s hand holding the spear.

The man who looked down at Ed in surprise… I swallowed in vain.

Impaled by a window… Ed had his eyes wide open. Fresh blood gushed out of his mouth, but he endured the intense pain and grabbed the dagger in his other hand in reverse.

The direction the dagger was facing was her right hand holding the man’s hand.

-Poo-wook!

The dagger pierced Ed’s hand and penetrated the man’s hand. Mixed blood overflows.

The dagger binds Ed and the man’s hands like handcuffs and does not let them go.

Ed’s trembling hands tightly gripped the back of the man’s hand, sealing his movements so that he could not hastily pull back.

“This… is this…?”

A fishy smile does not belong to those who are about to die.

“When the difference between the original specs cannot be narrowed…”

Once again, fresh blood spurts out of Ed’s mouth. Ed continues the story while spilling his blood.

“You should rely on luck and gambling.”

“Oh… Mmm… My brother…!!”

Ed Rosteyler asks. My stake is life. Then what will you bet?

The correct answer is to shake off Ed and widen the distance with the determination to throw away one hand. However, a single moment of hesitation drives him to death. In the world of a swordsman’s game, a slight suspension of judgment can change the outcome of a fight.

―Hwaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

The Spirit Summoning Ceremony finally manifested. Merilda, a high-ranking wind spirit who bursts through the floor, opens his mouth and bites him in one bite.

“Quaaaaaagh!”

Fresh blood gushed out of Merilda’s mouth. No matter how high-level holy magic is wrapped around the body, its essence is human. Even marble shatters if it enters the mouth of the great wolf.

His body covered in blood fell from Merilda’s mouth and rolled across the floor. It was like he was barely breathing.

-Teouk.

Ed sat down on his knees as if he were stuck in the spear.

The flowing blood soaked the floor.

―Hwaaaaaagh!

Ed is already mortally wounded. The amount of blood loss would increase exponentially with just a slight amount of magical energy.

Merilda quickly canceled her original form, returned to her human form with less magical power as much as possible, and landed on the floor. She and she dove towards Ed.

[Are you really crazy? Are you insane? no! Wake! ]

I tried to squeeze Ed’s wound tightly, but I wouldn’t be able to do anything with this wound with that much.

[Why did you do this crazy thing! If only they honestly summoned me and competed head-on… ]

“Quietly… a bit… my ears ring…”

Ed vomited blood once more, clutching Merilda’s reddening collar.

Ed already knew the man’s name. The Apostles of Telos were a group already in his knowledge.

The elite detached corps of 8 members directly under the Holy Emperor, the Apostle of Telos. Among them, Taldarek the Swift who sat on the third seat.

If we had to confront him head-on, it was obvious that this side would be inferior due to the far-fast speed and control of the air through the wings.

There is still a huge difference in specs, but if you go through the battle with the tactical elements handed over to the opponent, you won’t be able to die or eat.

That’s why it’s a short-term battle. The stake was life, and what was won was a victory that overturned the vast difference in specs.

Victory in a duel is always determined by the strong and not the weak.

Ed Roth Taylor is a matchmaker who moves only in the direction that leads to victory at all costs. If the stakes were to come back anyway, even if it was for his life, he had to be able to throw it without batting an eye.

The key was just whether or not he had the mental strength to overcome the fear.

[ you… really… ! hey… no… ! Wake… ! do not die! don’t die! ]

Merilda didn’t know what to do, clutching at Ed’s bleeding wound.

Ed raised his creaking head and looked at the cathedral with its open entrance.

And then… With a satisfied face… She closed her eyes as if she was slowly falling asleep.

* * *

The structure of the cathedral is usually similar. After passing through the entrance and crossing the small hallway, you will come to a large chapel.

All cathedral buildings are the same. The space that occupies the largest proportion is the chapel, no matter what anyone says.

however… From the beginning of the hallway, the door was locked. It felt like there was a lock on the inside.

Clarisse has been to this church several times. She is a saint of the Church of Telos. It is only natural for her that if there is an event on the weekend or during the school year, she will come out to show her face once in a while.

So I knew roughly what the internal structure was like. Knowing that the other side was a fairly wide hallway, Clarisse raised his holy power and broke down the door.

―Quaang!!

The situation of destroying the space where the spirit of God resides with the Holy Law was not very pleasant. But now was not the time to question religious beliefs.

If you cross the corridor and enter the chapel…

It was the moment I thought so.

“what….”

“…!”

After breaking down the door, Clarisse saw a girl staggering out from the end of the hallway leading to the chapel.

Several flowers were beautifully embroidered on the light yellow hair that came down neatly.

It’s been almost two years, but Clarisse remembers that face clearly. The one who always played the lute at the window of the saintess’ room at the top of the seonghwangdo… That young minstrel.

Clarisse was always frustrated because he hadn’t seen her even after a long time since he entered school.

“Ah… Del….”

Adele is now Clarisse’s senior. According to the undergraduate bylaws.

However, Clarisse was taken aback by the unexpected face, so she called him by the name like an old friend.

Adele staggered out of the darkness… It was covered in a lot of blood. All of that blood belonged to Adele.

The body is full of all kinds of scratches. Some of the cuts were so deep that blood was seeping out in the present progressive tense.

“Adele… Adele…!”

“Ah… hot….”

Clarisse jumped out and caught Adele’s body as she was about to fall forward.

I sat down on the floor and looked at the disfigured Adele, crying.

“Adele… how… what the hell…! Like this….”

“Holy Maid…”

As they sat down side by side facing each other, Clarisse hugged Adele’s shoulders tightly, and tears welled up in Clarisse’s eyes again.

How the hell did this happen? what happened inside the cathedral? why did you come out here There were a lot of things I wanted to ask, but the most urgent thing was to check Adele’s condition.

So, the moment Clarisse is about to ask Adele if she’s okay…

“――You came earlier than I thought.”

At those words, Clarisse swallowed in vain.

“…what?”

“But… you don’t have to come back.”

Adele gritted her teeth and lifted herself up in Clarisse’s arms.

“I’m sorry for making you have a hard experience…”

“Adele… what are you talking about…?”

“But… there’s not much time left…. it will be over soon…. just a little bit… if you bear with it…”

At that time, a tremendous amount of light emanated from Adele’s body. The glowing thing engraved on one arm… It is clearly the ‘protection of the holy law’ that is only allowed to the saints of the Church of Telos.

The protection of this holy law that protects oneself from all kinds of holy magic and protects oneself from attacks that harm one’s body… One archbishop, six bishops, eight apostles, and the sacred law of the Holy Spirit must come together to be the highest level of blessing in the church. In other words, unless you are a saint, you cannot get her hands.

And what rises soon is a giant law circle based on ‘aspect magic’. That huge time reversal magic that manifests and spreads from Adele’s body… I’m trying to rewind the hands of the world’s clock forward again.

A sensitivity talent that can turn divine power into Aspect magic. Adele is a girl with a rare talent that has never been seen in the church’s history.

No matter what kind of incidents and accidents hit Sylvania, the leisurely feeling of being able to play the lute and recite the arts… After all, it was because she was a saint not recorded in her history.

Because if you have the protection of the Holy Law that protects your body, you can protect yourself from any attack with the intent to kill.

“This… this….”

Clarisse’s pupils trembled as she watched the magic circle unfolding.

The whole world was bathed in light. In that gap… I could barely see Adele’s difficult smile.

“Adele…! Adele…!”

Clarisse shed tears and somehow managed to hold on to her fading spirit…

Sadly, the world did not allow her the next time.

* * *

“Saintess. Let’s talk… What are you talking about…?”

Afternoon of joint combat practice day. A wide blue sky, warm sunlight, and a wooden table.

Ed closed the book and placed it on the table, looking at Clarisse with a puzzled look.

“…”

Suddenly, Clarice hit the table and stood up.

for such a while… He was staring into space with a blank face.

Ed and Jenika were the only ones staring at such a saint with bewildered faces.

After a minute or so had passed, Clarisse turned her gaze to Ed.

He is a man like a benefactor who tried to provide the answer, even repeating death for himself over and over again.

Thanks to his help, I seem to have come close to the truth of the matter, but the puzzle pieces are still not completely put together in my head.

just… Clarisse… As usual, I sat down next to him and hugged him tightly. A strange sense of stability settles in her heart.

therefore… . What was the sight he saw… endlessly… thought constantly.

“……???”

“……Eh????”

Of course, from Ed and Jenika’s point of view, it was just a lightning bolt in a dry sky.

* * *

― ‘The protection of the Holy Law seems to have been successfully placed on the body. Now, if you complete the ‘stigmata baptism’, announcing that you have become a saint in front of the public, you will officially reign as a saint at the top of this chart. Mr. Adele.’

– ‘Yes. I can definitely feel my strength rising more than usual.’

― ‘The protection of the Holy Law will make you use the divine power in your body to the limit. Adele can use her divine power to even reach the power of her Aspect, so she will raise her name as the most powerful saint in the history of the Holy Emperor.’

― ‘That’s too much to say. Archbishop. It feels like I’m acting extravagantly to think that I’m monopolizing such a tremendous amount of magic power.’

― ‘This is a protection worthy of the saintess’ nobility. The protection of the holy law will forever protect the body of the saintess. Since he has the aptitude to bring out all the abilities of God’s protection, it will always feel like he’s wearing a strong shield.’

Open your eyes. It was a dark corner hallway leading to the Glockt Hall’s combat practice field.

He was sitting nearby and playing the lute… It felt like a long time ago.

Cool, he sneezed and a stream of blood ran down his mouth.

The spilled blood formed a puddle and soaked the surface of the lute lying next to it.

“Aha.”

Seeing this scene over and over again, Adele intuited that she had returned and let out a laugh.

The sight of Seong Chang-ryong destroying Aken Island and slaughtering students flickers before my eyes… It all happened.

The protective protection worn on Adele’s body reverses even the flow of time.

Adele lay still for a long time. His wounds are all intact.

“When everything becomes nothing and no one remembers…”

After about ten minutes or so, I slowly got up when my energy returned.

And, as I have repeated dozens of times, I bring my lute and lead my staggering body… Slowly, slowly, we make our way to the cathedral.

“Rather… it won’t be lonely.”

No matter how many times I repeat it, I don’t get used to the moment I leave this quiet hallway.

– ‘hey.’

– ‘yes? Senior Ed.’

― ‘You will die soon.’

– ‘i know.’

Now it feels like an old story. This is the conversation I had with Ed in this hallway.

I don’t know what the hell he meant, but strangely, he accurately pointed out Adele’s fate.

It’s a strange thing. The world will always go back the same. However, Ed never appeared in front of Adele except for the first time.

It must have been for some reason, but Adele didn’t think deeply. But he had no time to disperse his thoughts.

I just think about standing up against the wall and heading back towards the cathedral.

“Whoa…”

I finally feel that my body is running out of energy. I can’t even remember how many times I repeated it, but finally I can see the end.

It was a long journey. who to blame This is the path I chose for myself.

Just like that, Adele left the Glockt Hall with a staggering gait.

The night before the stigmata baptism, the night sky I looked up at shimmered before my eyes.

That day, Adele finally succeeded in getting a glimpse into her future.

And, afraid of that future, she gave up becoming a saint. For various reasons, Adele ran away with a job as a torch manager.

yeah, i had to do that.

The future seen through the distant starry sky…

It was a future where she was sacrificed as a saint in order to undo the resurrection of the Holy Changryong.