Chapter 80

Around the same time.

In a quiet corner of the dormitory, at a secluded gazebo away from prying eyes, three individuals—two men and one woman—were engaged in a hushed conversation.

“Still, I’ve gotta say, I was shocked. Everyone who tried to pull a prank on that Luden woman ended up taking themselves out.”

It was Gino who spoke, his voice low but filled with clear amazement. He sat cross-legged on the hard floor, shrugging his shoulders as he polished his partner, a longsword.

“Insects, a man-eating tree, fire, and wind-blades all crashing into each other and turning into candy? I mean, it sounds like something out of a joke book, a bit too perfect to be true.”

“—It’s too perfect.”

Raul, who was transferring holy water into small vials on a nearby chair, muttered in a cold tone.

“Do you seriously think that was just ‘a coincidence where the harassment happened to cancel itself out’?”

“Huh? Honestly, yeah, that’s what I thought.”

“…You muscle-brain.”

Raul looked down at his friend with exasperation, still clutching his vial.

“…Looking at the details, the students who set that up must have drawn summoning circles in the waiting room beforehand. But normally, a circle defined with a specific target cannot exert its power against anything else.”

Chloe, who had been staring blankly at the night garden from the opposite chair, sensed the chilly atmosphere Raul was projecting and offered a hesitant explanation. When Gino’s eyes widened with a “Wait, really?”, she gave a small nod.

“Yes. So… um, perhaps the candidate who came from Luden is… the possessor of an incredible amount of Holy Power. Enough to easily rewrite a sacred circle drawn by someone else…”

“Eh? But isn’t a circle just a diagram of Holy Power? You should be able to rewrite it even without Holy Power, right?”

“Fool. Do you have any idea how complex the sacred words and diagrams required to visualize even one unit of Holy Power are? It would take massive effort, but pouring in Holy Power to force a change in the formula is at least realistic. If she’s so well-versed in circles that she can decipher and redraw someone else’s formula in an instant, she’s at the level of the Pope—no, she’s got one foot in the realm of the gods.”

Of course, the person who had nonchalantly stepped both feet into that realm had just arrived at this academy.

Unaware of this reality, the three continued their conversation with solemn expressions.

“Besides, even if the spells simply collided and were reflected, why would the insects be coated in candy? And why would they be sent back in stylish wrapping, perfectly matching the number of attackers? That wasn’t some ‘accidental cancellation.’ That Luden woman clearly struck back.”

“Stylish wrapping, huh… I didn’t know that.”

“Rumors immediately started spreading about a high-spec candidate who doesn’t even let you see her counterattack. Everyone was restless during the opening ceremony, wondering ‘Where is the student from Luden?’ Especially the Holy Maiden candidates—the girls were incredibly high-strung about tomorrow…”

“The same goes for the Holy Mage candidates.”

According to the materials distributed at the opening ceremony, the candidate from Luden had apparently entered all three categories: Holy Maiden, Holy Swordsman, and Holy Mage.

For that reason, the Holy Maiden and Holy Mage candidates—whose roles primarily tested the quantity of Holy Power—were particularly on guard.

Gino wrinkled the bridge of his nose. “But still,” he said.

“I caught a glimpse of her at the opening ceremony, and she looked totally plain. You know, small and gloomy. Could someone like that really have taken down four groups of candidates?”

He held his polished longsword up to the moonlight. “Besides,” he added, suddenly glancing behind him.

“No matter what rivals show up, the three of us are the ones who will join the Holy Trinity. —Right? Great Mentor Guido.”

A man stood at the end of his gaze.

He looked to be in his mid-forties. He had a disciplined posture and a sharp, piercing look in his eyes. His face, marked by impressive short gray hair, wore a stern expression, and his sturdy build was a reminder of his days as a swordsman.

He was dressed in the liturgical robes of an Academy Mentor—a teacher—complete with the academy crest. However, he also wore the crimson stole permitted only to Great Cardinals.

This was the man who had been informally selected as a Holy Swordsman in the previous Holy Chalice Cup but, because the Holy Trinity itself failed to form, was appointed to the rank of Cardinal despite his commoner origins—Guido.

Belatedly noticing his presence, Chloe and Raul quickly stood up, pulling Gino by the arm.

In the religious nation of Aurelia, the status of a Cardinal was absolute. Moreover, for these three, he was the savior of their lives—the man who had shown them the new possibility of the Academy when they were otherwise forced into lives of oppression as pawns of noble power struggles, slum dwellers, or children of concubines.

Inevitably, the eyes the three turned toward Guido were filled with quiet respect.

“Holy Maiden candidate Chloe, Holy Swordsman candidate Gino, and myself, Holy Mage candidate Raul. We heard that we might receive a word from the Great Mentor before the start of the tournament tomorrow, and so we have come.”

Raul spoke as their representative.

Indeed, they had gathered at this gazebo specifically because Guido had summoned them.

As the three looked on with earnest gazes, Guido’s expression remained unchanged as he spoke quietly.

“There is no need for stiff greetings. I have only come tonight to confirm one thing with the three of you.”

“Confirm… what?”

“Your resolve to enter the Holy Trinity.”

Guido’s voice was slow, heavy, and dark.

Raul and Gino looked at each other with wide eyes, as if they had been asked something completely unexpected.

“Resolve? I don’t see why I’d need that. If I become part of the Trinity, even a slum-born guy like me can live in luxury for the rest of my life. That’s the only reason I came to this academy, so why would I need resolve? …Uh, I mean, do I need it?”

“I agree. As a member of the Trinity, even the third son of a low-ranking noble—someone who’s currently just a mouth to feed—can involve himself in politics with a rank second only to the Pope. What part of that dream-like scenario requires resolve?”

The voices of the two boys were filled with a pride that masqueraded as questioning.

“Luxury and power—but in exchange, the Trinity is severed from all secular ties. You will be cut off from your parents and your friends. You are young. Can you truly resolve yourselves to cast them aside and remain deep within the Church for the rest of your lives?”

As Guido explained this quietly, they laughed it off.

“Of course! My friends from the slums just hang around and get into trouble. And I’d be happy to be rid of parents whose only skill is butchering pigs… uh, I mean, I would.”

“If I enter the Trinity, my family will think of nothing but sucking the nectar of my power. If I can cut ties with those people and their ugly struggles, that is my heart’s desire. Besides—”

Raul glanced briefly at Gino and Chloe beside him.

“As for friends, as long as I have the two of them, who will also be in the Trinity, that is enough for me.”

Surprised by the Ice Mage’s unusually straightforward words, Gino widened his eyes and then rubbed his nose with a grin.

“Same here!”

“…Or so they say. What about you, Chloe?”

However, Chloe remained silent, her hands tightly clasped together.

Prompted by Guido, she finally managed to squeeze the words out of her throat.

“…I think so, too.”

“Chloe?”

Raul knit his brows at her strange behavior.

“Do you not want to enter the Trinity with us?”

“No! Not at all! …It’s not that. It’s just…”

She snapped her head up to deny it instantly, but then immediately looked down again.

“It’s not so much about after I become part of the Trinity, but before… that is… I wonder if someone like me can really become the Saint… I just lack confidence—”

“What are you talking about!?”

Her murmur was cut off by Gino.

“The power to make plants grow just by singing is practically equal to the first Saint! Besides, whether it’s a pauper like me or a first wife’s brat with a nasty personality, you’re kind to everyone. If you’re not fit to be the Saint, Chloe, then who is?”

“He’s right.”

Raul agreed with a shrug.

“If it were me, I’d be turning everyone who insulted me into blocks of ice, but you didn’t even flinch when that woman was harassing you. Some might mistake that for weakness and look down on you—but I think it shows the size of your heart.”

“Gino… Raul…”

Moved by their strong words, Chloe’s eyes wavered.

Then Guido, who had been listening in silence, added his voice in an advisory tone.

“—In truth, the Academy also believes your affinity with plants and your power to promote growth make you worthy of being the Saint. Even the pro-Luden faction considers you the top candidate and is wary enough to send in a last-minute rival. You should take pride in that.”

“…Master, what do you think of the abilities of the candidate from Luden?”

When she asked this quietly, Guido fell silent, appearing to think for a moment.

Then, twisting his lips, he spoke an unexpected word.

“I don’t know.”

“You… don’t know?”

“Cardinal Celso is the sponsor for that exchange student, and he pushed her into this tournament claiming she possesses immense Holy Power. However, from what I saw, she lacked the aura characteristic of a Holy Power wielder. At first, I thought the Cardinal had filed a false application for the sake of the power struggle, but… considering the circumstances, the commotion earlier today was clearly her doing. If that is the case, we must assume she possesses a vast amount of Holy Power after all.”

“So… she is either a martial arts master who doesn’t need Holy Power, or she is someone so skilled at controlling it that she can completely deceive your eyes, Master…?”

As Raul confirmed this with a suspicious tone, Guido replied cautiously.

“In any case, it is certain that she is an opponent who must be approached with the utmost vigilance.”

Chloe’s innocent, dark-green eyes shook with confusion.

Seeing this, Guido continued in his deep voice.

“But even so, Chloe. You are the top candidate for the Saint. You are my pride and joy—students I found myself and trained for over three years.”

“Master…”

At his firm words, Chloe looked up.

For just a moment, she reached toward her uniform pocket with a look of desperation, but then she clenched her fist and nodded slowly.

“…Yes. Since you were the one who found us, Master, we will make it into the Trinity no matter what.”

“Chloe.”

The boys looked delighted at the girl’s declaration.

Guido also looked her over carefully, and seeing a look of resolve on her face that hadn’t been there before, he nodded with satisfaction.

“…I’m counting on you.”

After exchanging a few more words, they quietly left the gazebo.