Blood flows.
It's my blood.
The blade of the sword dug into my skin.
The shadow of death creeps up.
What happened to my head? Even though I am on the verge of death, my spirit is extremely calm. It feels as refreshing as the open sky.
―My heart pounding, my heart pounding.
An irregular beating sound rings in my ears. It feels like my heart is in my ears.
"No."
Cold eyes scan my entire body.
"What do you mean it's not?"
Her eyes reflect unwavering faith—sharp, cool, and straight as the sword she holds.
Suspicious looks pour in from all directions.
Here and now, I am a complete stranger.
'At least twelve instructor-level opponents...'
As the best educational institution in the empire, the instructors who taught the students were also among the strongest.
'… Can I win?'
Maybe it was possible.
Because I had the power of Asmodeus.
Even if only a part of her incarnation appeared here, the situation would end easily. In the first place, the existence of a demon god is a disaster that goes beyond human reason.
But the question is whether I can handle that power. With my current body, even the slightest amount of strength could lead to death.
This was also what she was concerned about. To compare the size of her power...
- Bottomless pit.
It is an abyss with no end in sight.
An ordinary human being would become engulfed in madness and lose their sense of self just by taking a peek at that part.
Even considering the special nature of this body's lineage, it was a high-risk gamble.
Because this was no longer the world of a novel to me, but reality. And even if I am lucky enough to escape this place, I will have to spend the rest of my life being chased by the empire.
That is no different from allowing the world to perish and choosing to kill oneself.
The main characters in the story that will unfold will inevitably gather here at Salomon Academy.
If I can't placate them and make them my allies, and then kill the Little Heavenly Demon, Cheonakcheon...
- This world will be destroyed.
If I can't change the ending, the only thing I will face is a certain end.
"I am not a pagan. Please listen to me."
Think about it. Use the information only you know to come up with the best option to overcome this situation.
"I am simply the heir of a fallen count family. There must be some mistake..."
Before I could finish speaking, a cold, sharp voice pierced my ears.
"Don't lie."
"Im not lying…!"
The blade pressed deeper.
The woman's eyes, which had been smiling just moments before, were now filled with blatant murderous intent born of hatred.
"You only get one warning."
"… … ."
"If you move even one step, I will cut your head off."
She wasn't the type of person who could be reasoned with. My stomach was boiling. It felt like the blood all over my body was boiling.
"Examination number 444. Zail Sieghardt. From now on, you will be transferred to the Church of Raphael for heresy interrogation. There you must prove your innocence. Otherwise…"
She didn't even allow me to open my mouth.
Emotional upheaval. Blood rushed to my head. Her voice began to fade away. Let's calm down. I must remain calm.
"… If you want to prove it, just calmly submit to the interrogation there. The heresy inquisitors directly under the church are not as soft as me. If you use your tongue for no reason—"
Even though I knew that getting excited in this situation wouldn't do any good, an indescribable anger welled up in me.
My eyelids were shaking. A powerful impulse that I had never felt before came over my entire body.
I wanted to tear the mouth of the woman in front of me, break her head, and rip out her heart.
"You will never be able to use your tongue again."
I wanted to see that cold face stained with pain and fear.
What if I proudly revealed that I am an apostle of Andromalius? If I made that choice, the infiltrated church members would be willing to come forward.
Because they couldn't let God's apostle die in front of them.
And this place would quickly become a sea of blood. I was so angry that a single instructor dared to install something without even knowing the topic.
- What are you worrying about? Kill her, kill her.
Excited. Very Excited.
Now I could even hear auditory hallucinations.
Is this what people addicted to drugs feel like? I was convinced that if I gave in to this impulse, I would end up becoming something other than human.
Nevertheless...
"What kind of fuss is this?"
A shrill voice reminiscent of a bitter cold wave.
Again...
The sound of shoes echoed softly in the silence.
"I asked what the fuss was about. Chief Instructor Rachel."
Skin so white and fair as to be pale, hair that shone softly as if bathed in moonlight.
"… Ah, Chairman. We have hunted down the infidels."
Eyes shining bluishly. An intelligent appearance that seemed to have been created by God himself with his own desires in mind.
"infidel?"
She is the chairman of the Salomon Academy and a transcendental person who was given the name of the most noble star, Luna.
Great Mage, Ashtar.
She looked at me.
"He is the one?"
"That's right."
Her cold eyes, reminiscent of blue crystal, shimmered like a calm lake.
"What's your name?"
"… Zail Sieghardt."
A ripple appeared on her expressionless face.
"It's Sieghardt... Do you have your family's seal?"
I took the seal out of my pocket and glanced at the instructor. Her face was distorted, as if she was shocked by the unexpected situation.
"Here it is."
She gestured, and the seal rose into the air and landed in her hands.
"It's true."
Ashtar muttered that and then turned her gaze to Rachel.
"Chief Instructor Rachel, how were you sure this man was a pagan?"
"The sacred stone containing Bishop Alton's blessing has been destroyed."
"I'll check it myself."
Rachel reluctantly nodded. Ashtar approached me and placed her hand on my head and whispered softly.
- Stay still.
My stomach, which had been boiling like lava just a moment ago, calmed down in an instant. She said, removing her hand.
"To conclude, this person is not a infidel."
Rachel shouted angrily, "But the sacred stone—"
"I said, he is not a infidels."
I took a deep breath. The ordeal was not over, but for now, I had a reprieve.