Ch.333I’ll Become a Professor (11)

The sound of gunfire shook the downtown area. Yet not a single person showed any sign of disturbance as they went about their way.

Gunshots that only I could hear, but others couldn’t. Is that even physically possible?

It is. If someone used spirit bullets.

“Ugh!”

Billord groaned and collapsed.

Thud, thud.

Footsteps approached from behind. Two people. I quickly turned around. Two women appeared in the twilight alley.

“Sonia, and… Sister?”

“I’ve come to escort you, young master.”

Sonia slightly lifted her skirt and bowed her head. Beside her, Ireh Hazlen was putting away her spirit gun.

“Thank goodness. We weren’t too late.”

“I sensed bad energy from that person. Is he the new traitor you mentioned before? Don’t worry. I didn’t kill him.”

I hurriedly checked Billord’s condition. There were no visible external injuries. He seemed to have just fainted. I stood up and asked.

“How did you know where to find me?”

“That foreign god told us.”

“Cartesia?”

“Aren’t you connected with that foreign god, young master? If one can communicate with the foreign god, it’s possible to know your whereabouts.”

“…I owe a debt.”

Given Cartesia’s personality, she would surely demand payment for helping me later. I couldn’t even imagine what she might ask for.

I swallowed dryly and hoisted the unconscious Billord onto my back.

“Let’s go to the spirit shrine for now.”

***

Southern Spirit Shrine.

My father, after examining every corner of Billord’s mind with the power of the Serpent Bearer constellation, let out a sigh.

“Son.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Where on earth did you find such a person?”

“Is it that serious?”

“It’s severe enough to be published in academic journals right away.”

Severe enough to be published in academic journals.

Oh.

“Then publish it. Write a paper too.”

“You fool, what paper are you talking about in this situation? We should think about saving him first. If he continues at this level, he’ll eventually die from Fron addiction.”

“If we make it into a paper, wouldn’t more doctors see it?”

“How long do you think it takes to write such a paper? Have you ever tried?”

“Can’t we?”

“…Your way of thinking is completely different. Well, one shouldn’t judge a tiger by a cat’s standards.”

I tilted my head in confusion. My father sighed for what must have been the umpteenth time.

“Three high-ranking foreign gods plus signs of Laplace. This is no ordinary severity.”

“Laplace is there?”

“High-ranking constellations all warn about something. They say that someday the strongest foreign god will descend to this world and destroy everything. Life forms contaminated by that foreign god show Fron not only in the cerebral cortex but also in saliva and blood…”

My father finished glumly.

“…Your mother died like this too.”

“Let’s say the other foreign gods make sense. Is there a pattern to the people Laplace targets?”

“According to case studies, there is. People around those in important positions in the Federation have a higher infection rate. Close associates of powerful politicians, aides to Megacorp leaders, partners or children of the heads of the Ten Great Families…”

Father placed his hand on my shoulder.

“Son, this might sound irresponsible, but… be careful too. Having the help of constellations doesn’t solve everything.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Father attached various medical devices to Billord. When he connected the electrodes, Billord’s Fron levels appeared on the screen.

“I plan to treat him with a resonator first. Son, meanwhile, contact the Leblen family. Since this is a matter between the Ten Great Families, we need to handle it smoothly.”

“I already did. They’re on their way here now.”

“You already did? Well… good job.”

Father placed Billord on a stretcher cart. An ambulance had already arrived. Doctors disembarked one after another with medical equipment, including resonators and containment devices.

“Ugh.”

It was then that Billord groaned. He suddenly opened his eyes and screamed.

“Wh-where am I…?”

“This is a hospital. Mr. Billord von Leblen, you’ve been infected by a foreign god. We’re from Stellarium Hospital. Based on the Foreign God Response Protocol, we’re trying to treat you. Is that okay?”

“Wait, what are you… Ah, time. TIME! Time is passing!”

Billord’s previously hazy eyes became completely clear. He began spitting wildly and thrashing on the cart. But since he was already restrained, the cart only shook slightly.

“What is this! Release me! Release me right now!”

“Patient, please calm down! You shouldn’t move around!”

“Do I look like I can calm down? Damn it, no, no, NO! Time is passing! Time is passing!”

To the doctors, it seemed like simple delirium. But I sensed something strange and approached him.

“Billord von Leblen.”

“Eidel Rheinland…? Yes, good timing. You, I need to kill you. If you don’t die, I’ll die! Quickly, give me a weapon, a knife or a gun! Someone, anyone, cut this bastard’s throat!”

Billord’s face was contorted with extreme fear. Strange. He was supposedly plotting to assassinate me, but this was different. It was as if he was racing against time…

Ah. Time.

“Your Majesty! Please give me more time! I’ve been wronged! I’ve been wronged!”

Without a storm, it’s impossible for a foreign god to control its host in a spirit shrine. But what if a time-limited quest had been set beforehand?

“Lord Rheinland, the head of the Leblen family has arrived!”

A tall woman with dark brown hair rushed in, out of breath. Though I’d never seen her before, I knew who she was. Imyur von Leblen. The head of the Leblen family and Billord’s birth mother.

As soon as Imyur arrived, Billord screamed.

“AAAAARGH!”

“My third child, what’s happening?!”

“Mother…? You came at the right time! You must kill the head of the Rheinland family…!”

CRACK!

Billord’s words were cut short. His limbs twisted grotesquely. His joints bent outward, and his neck flipped backward until the back of his head was pressed against his upper back. Bluish moss grew on his face.

In that state, Billord slowly rose. The ropes binding him stretched taut before snapping helplessly.

Standing upright, Billord could hardly be called human anymore. His eyes were completely black without any whites, and yellowish liquid poured from his gaping mouth. His height had nearly doubled, exceeding 3 meters.

[— ‘Billord von Leblen’ has died.]

[— Due to <Color of Destruction>, 200 Fron has been added to those who witnessed the <Transformation>.]

“Ah, aah…”

Thud.

Imyur collapsed. She rolled her eyes back and fainted. I quickly called Sonia to move Imyur to a safe place.

“Wh-what is that?”

“A monster.”

“Call the inspectors stationed at the spirit shrine! Now!”

Grrrr.

The monster that was once Billord made a strange noise and stomped its feet. Many people made eye contact with it, but the monster ignored them and turned its gaze toward me.

No way.

Crack.

The monster’s head split in half, revealing a shining crystal inside. It was a crystal with a dark purple light. The tip was sharp like a spear.

Whoosh!

Sensing danger, I immediately turned my body. Half a beat later, the crystal embedded itself in the ground. It was a ranged attack.

“Damn it.”

“Brother, duck!”

Bang!

As soon as I lowered my head, Ireh’s spirit bullet whizzed overhead. The spirit bullet hit the monster in the solar plexus.

[— ‘Bullet of Slowness’ takes effect.]

“Grrrk.”

The monster’s movements slowed down. It was as if it existed in a different time from everyone else.

In that brief moment, elite inspectors rushed in. They protected the doctors and me while charging their Plasma Swords.

Keeeeeng.

The inspectors and the monster began a fierce battle. Though the monster’s movements were sluggish, its skin was tough and constantly regenerating, making it difficult to penetrate with ordinary attacks.

I helped my sweating father and the unconscious head of the Leblen family onto the ambulance and said:

“Father. Please go ahead and request reinforcements.”

“Son, what about you?”

“I need to handle this somehow.”

Bang! Bang!

Gunshots rang out repeatedly.

“It’s dangerous! Stop talking nonsense and get in!”

“I have something I need to do.”

“What can someone who’s not even a soldier do!”

“Because I’m not a soldier, there are things I can do.”

Before my father could say anything more, I closed the door and started the engine from outside. The ion engine roared and sped away like light.

This is the Southern Spirit Shrine.

Which means, the former saint of the Megnus Order, Julia, is here.

I went to the deepest isolation room-cum-chapel in the spirit shrine.

Perhaps tired from her long confinement in the spirit shrine, Julia was giggling to herself. But as soon as she saw me, she hiccupped and fell on her backside.

“Wh-why are you here again?”

“Didn’t you hear the commotion outside?”

“This room is soundproof, what commotion? I haven’t taken a single step outside today. Really, I swear!”

“Never mind that, I need to turn back time.”

“T-time?”

Julia tilted her head in confusion before turning pale.

“Don’t tell me… you’re trying to use me for your research again!”