Chapter 31: Disciple
Glaube Magic School.
Morning, before class began.
Usually, at this time of day, tension flowed through this place.
The pressure of having to safely keep up with today’s lesson. The worry over how the assignment they had stayed up all night working on would be evaluated. The fear that they might suddenly be given another test.
This was the time when the mages would gather very quietly beneath that heavy atmosphere.
But today was completely different.
Instead of loosening their tension and meditating, the mages were busy gathering in small groups and whispering.
“Wait. Why are the theologians suddenly flooding in…?”
“That’s not the problem. At the very front. The one sitting beside the Sage. Isn’t that the Saintess?”
“The Saintess? You mean the Saintess?”
“No doubt about it. It’s the Saintess. Small build. Long platinum-blonde hair. Looks like a doll. It all matches. Even look at her waist. That’s the holy sword Rahat-Herem.”
“Huh…? A pure white scabbard decorated in red gold…What? Is that really it?”
The mages were bewildered by the sudden appearance of people who never left the sanctuary.
And more than anything, they felt uncomfortable.
“Why in the world did they come here…?”
“Exactly. I already find theologians really uncomfortable. And now even the Saintess is here.”
“They’re weirdos who just use some unusual mana, but keep shouting that what they use isn’t mana, it’s divine power.”
“People steeped in the chosen-people mindset that they’re superior to mages.”
That was the relationship between mages and theologians.
It was not that they were hostile to each other, and in fact they had maintained exchanges from time to time, but they were uncomfortable with each other.
The theologians considered the mages, who tried to approach their faith magically, to be irreverent, and the mages found the theologians, who considered themselves different from mages, utterly irritating.
So the presence of the theologians who had appeared in a rush, and among them, especially the Saintess with her long platinum-blonde hair hanging down, could only make the mages extremely uncomfortable.
In that atmosphere, Perseta entered the lecture hall.
At that moment.
Rumble, rumble.
The Saintess and the theologians who had been seated sprang to their feet, crossed both hands over their chests in the shape of wings, and performed the holy rite.
“We behold the Apostle!”
……
……
For quite a long time, silence flowed through the grand lecture hall.
‘A-Apostle?’
The mages stared wide-eyed, their mouths hanging open.
Perseta scratched his cheek awkwardly.
Only Sage Sienel, who at least knew the circumstances, clicked her tongue and shook her head.
“Hmm… First of all, welcome, Saintess. And all of you theologians. For now, please take your seats.”
“Yes, Apostle.”
The group in white answered politely and sat back down in a rush.
The mages were dumbfounded and could only glance at each other.
And Perseta was truly troubled.
‘This will ruin the academic atmosphere…’
There was no helping it.
Originally, he had planned to give them time and let them realize it on their own, but now he had no choice but to prescribe drastic medicine.
“Saintess, and all of you theologians, you will now be attending my class as well.”
“That is correct, Apostle.”
“In that case, for the sake of the academic atmosphere, there are a few facts you must know and accept.”
“We are prepared, Apostle.”
“First. I am not an apostle. I am a mage.”
“…Pardon?”
The Saintess and the theologians’ eyes grew round.
“That is the truth. So from now on, please call me Mage Perseta. Or Teacher Perseta. Would that be difficult for you to accept?”
“N-No. T-Tea, cher…”
When the Saintess barely managed to force the title “teacher” out of her mouth, the theologians followed after her.
“We will accept it. T-Teacher.”
“And one more thing.”
At the podium, Perseta looked at each of them with cold eyes.
“Repeat after me. There is no such thing as theology. It is merely one kind of magic.”
!!!
This time, an even greater shock swept over the Saintess and the theologians.
They murmured among themselves and looked at one another.
Was this not a statement that denied their entire faith?
How could anyone put such blasphemous words in their mouth?
That was when it happened.
Shrrrng!
The Saintess drew the holy sword, Rahat-Herem.
A sacred flame surged up, and the entire grand lecture hall grew hot.
“That’s… the holy sword. Rahat-Herem.”
“What terrifying mana…”
The legendary sword said to have been given to this land by the seraph Salshegen, who descended two thousand years ago.
The strongest weapon, said to possess the power to split mountains and dry up rivers.
The mages grew tense, drew their bodies back, and gathered their mana.
Because it would not have been strange if the Saintess immediately swung that sword at them while calling them thieves of divinity.
And the Saintess.
Slash.
Swung the sword.
And cut off
her long hair
short.
Holding the severed platinum-blonde hair in her hand, she spoke reverently.
“I will cast aside my obstinacy.”
At those words, the theologians who had been confused suddenly came back to their senses.
Because the words the Saintess was speaking now were the very words they had heard from the seraph Meisha yesterday.
“I will learn humbly.”
The theologians hurriedly straightened their posture and repeated her words.
“I will learn humbly.”
“I will return to the beginning. I will look back on everything and follow the teaching of true truth.”
“I will. I will. I will.”
The Saintess burned away the long platinum-blonde hair clenched in her hand with divine power, no, with mana, and said,
“There is no such thing as theology. It is merely. One kind of magic.”
When the Saintess went this far, the theologians could no longer hold out.
Everyone spoke reverently.
“There is no such thing as theology. It is merely. One kind of magic.”
A tremendous tremor swept through the grand lecture hall.
Who could possibly have imagined it? That such words would come from the mouths of the Saintess and the theologians.
And the mages somehow even felt a refreshing sensation, as though indigestion that had been sitting for hundreds of years had suddenly gone down.
“Good. Then let us proceed with the lesson.”
Perseta was just spreading out the lecture materials he had prepared when the Sage, seated in the front row, raised her hand and asked,
“Um. Teacher.”
“Yes, Sage.”
“Hmm… If new students are allowed to come in like this, may I invite a few more students? I know some clever friends.”
“They are welcome anytime.”
At those words, the mages other than the Sage also had their eyes flash.
All of them had such acquaintances, one or two each. People overflowing with talent and intelligence, but who had been unable to attend this forum due to their circumstances.
Everyone shifted restlessly at the thought of inviting them.
Seeing this atmosphere, someone whispered.
“Wait. But… What exactly is Teacher Perseta…? Now even the Holy Angel Church follows him? With that tremendous magical ability of his. And on top of that, even more mages will gather… Then his influence won’t be anything to scoff at either. What kind of future is he envisioning? Where is he trying to go through this forum…? Is he trying to conquer the world or something?”
“…World conquest would be hard. Some people are already saying that this is the age of knights. No matter how powerful magic is, it’s difficult to surpass knights in terms of martial force.”
“Still, wouldn’t becoming the king of one nation be more than possible?”
“…Certainly. If it’s only that much…”
Then someone else sharply scolded them.
“You idiots. Is that what you should be worrying about right now?”
“Then what?”
“Our competition increased. And it’s going to increase more.”
“Gasp!”
“If you don’t want your grades to fall behind, you need to stay sharp.”
“Umm…!”
The academic atmosphere of Glaube Magic School grew even hotter.
Seeing their concentration, Perseta smiled with satisfaction.
“Now then, today, since the Saintess happens to be here as well, let us discuss the Divine Realm. Why is the Divine Realm difficult to explain through the movements described in the Almagest?”
This question seemed insignificant, but it was extremely important. Because the five upper realms, including the Divine Realm, the Demon Realm, the Spirit Beast Realm, the Tale Realm, and the Netherworld, were the logical errors contained in the Almagest.
The deeper one dug into this, the greater one’s doubts about the Almagest had no choice but to become.
Through this process, the mages would learn magical thinking.
In that way, Perseta wanted to cultivate mages who doubted and sought out evidence for themselves.
Mages for whom magic became not a means, but an end.
He wanted true colleagues like that.
In this classroom, he could see several mages with such qualities.
That fact satisfied Perseta.
Perseta had come out for a short walk.
In the classroom, the mages were still continuing their debates and self-study.
Why did the Divine Realm not follow the predictions of the Almagest?
Now, no one gave any absurd answers about the Divine Realm being a great upper realm and therefore having a separate special law that applied only to it.
That was an extremely satisfying point.
Now then, how should he proceed with the next lesson?
How should he guide the Saintess and the theologians?
It was while he was walking around the school, thinking such thoughts.
Crunch.
He heard footsteps and turned around to see Sage Sienel Mirsa and her two disciples.
Perseta was puzzled.
What was going on with Sienel, who was always more serious about studying than anyone? Was she slacking off instead of doing self-study?
That was what he was thinking.
“Teacher Perseta. I have something to say to you.”
“Yes. You are always welcome, Sage.”
And the next moment.
Thud!
Sienel Mirsa knelt on both knees.
Perseta was startled and opened his eyes wide.
“I want to take you… as my master!”
At those words,
“Ehh?!”
“M-Master!”
Her two disciples, Jin Lianne and Al Adne, seemed to be hearing this for the first time too. They jumped in shock, then practically collapsed beside their master.
“M-Master, what are you saying?”
“The Sage of the Empire is taking someone as her master? This is serious, Master!”
“Oh, be quiet!”
Sienel Mirsa snapped in irritation, then looked up at Perseta with serious eyes.
“I saw the Song Chrysanthemums of the Fairy Realm in the garden.”
“You saw them, then.”
“Yes. And after seeing you summon an angel last night, I realized it clearly.”
“What did you realize?”
“You taught me the true center of the world. But I realized that even that is not the end. Teacher. You know the truth beyond that as well, do you not?”
At her earnest gaze, Perseta answered honestly.
“I do.”
“Then please. I wish to take you as my master. I, Sienel. With what little life I have left, I want to realize the truth before I die.”
Perseta quietly looked down at her.
Sage Sienel, who was far older than him and whose social standing could not even be compared to his, becoming his disciple…
Perseta also knew that, by social custom, this was extremely strange.
‘But, well. As long as other people don’t find out, isn’t it fine…?’
Suddenly, he thought that this was not necessarily something he had to refuse.
After all, his goal was to raise true mages in this world.
Wasn’t it to cultivate colleagues who would research alongside him?
Teaching slowly like now was good too, but… if he taught a few more people he could keep under control more quickly… that would be helpful.
Because that would mean there would be more teachers to spread true magic in this world.
Perseta gathered his thoughts and asked,
“Then. Would you like to learn with the spicy flavor, or the mild flavor?”
“M-Master!”
Sage Sienel was delighted. Because Perseta’s words now were no different from consent to accept her as his disciple.
“Master. Please speak comfortably to me. This disciple finds it difficult to bear.”
“No. I’m more comfortable this way. We also need to be mindful of other people’s eyes. So. Spicy? Mild?”
“Please make it spicy.”
At those words, a smile he could not hide bloomed on Perseta’s face.
He was truly enjoying himself.
If it was the clever Sienel… perhaps he could teach her to his heart’s content?
“Very well. However, if you use my knowledge without permission to wield power, then you will have to be prepared.”
“Of course! I’m old anyway, so I don’t have time to wield anything! I’ll only be busy learning.”
Sage Sienel Mirsa sprang up from her seat, then immediately prostrated herself again and bowed.
“I greet you, Master!”
Her two disciples, Al and Jin, could only stamp their feet beside her, not knowing what to do.
Then Sienel shouted at them.
“What are you doing!”
Only then did Al and Jin come back to their senses. They threw themselves flat beside Sienel and shouted,
“We greet you, G-Grandmaster!”
Perseta watched them with a faint smile and asked,
“Then what would you like to learn first?”
“What would you like to learn first?”
“Thanks to you, Master, I learned that the mana sun is the true center of this world. Then I am curious what lies beyond that realm, and what other truths we can know.”
At that question,
Perseta was genuinely happy.
For the first time in a long while, he thought of his own master, Bardente.
Recalling the shock he had received from him that day, he said,
“What you should pursue next is this. Why do the coordinates of the Mystic Worlds keep moving? Why do our Human World and the many Mystic Worlds revolve around the mana sun as their center? What is the force that exists at the root of it?”
“Ah……!”
Sienel Mirsa trembled all over.
She had felt a shiver from the awe inspired by that deep insight.
Perseta looked at her with satisfaction.
Because when he had heard this question from Bardente, he had felt no differently from Sienel.
“Think it over. If you think about it and then come to me, I will give you hints one by one. Then for now, let us return to the classroom.”
Perseta clasped his hands behind his back and turned around.
Then, after walking a few steps, he tossed out a comment as if something had suddenly occurred to him.
“Ah. And. A moment ago, you said the mana sun is the center of the world, didn’t you?”
“Yes. It is a truth I came to know thanks to you, Master.”
“No.”
“Pardon?”
“From a larger perspective, even the mana sun can never be called the center of the world.”
“Excuse me…?”
Perseta smiled.
Because he truly felt good.
“Well, this will be part of the lesson much later. For now, just remember it.”
Feeling light and cheerful, Perseta strode toward Glaube Magic School.
The sky happened to be clear, and the forest colored by autumn leaves had a deep, graceful atmosphere. Just like the wide and many-colored universe of dimensions.
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