Ch.3838. Period

[You Want to Exorcise Me?]

“Yes.”

After confirming she hadn’t misheard, the angel incredulously ran a hand across her face.

[You?]

She glared at me with venomous eyes.

[It was only months ago when you couldn’t even handle spirits properly and I had to save you. I was the one who gave you hints about spirit magic.]

“……”

[And now you want to exorcise me? You’re classifying me as an evil spirit!]

The angel’s hair began to fill the entire rooftop.

Like a burst sewer flooding the ground with water, her hair dominated the space densely without any gaps.

[I’ve killed spirit masters far stronger than you in an instant. Do you think killing someone like you would be difficult?]

As I watched the angel growling and emitting a dizzying murderous intent, I calmly opened my mouth.

“I wonder why you were able to exert such power.”

[…What?]

“I’ve already heard about that spirit master. I know what she was trying to do to this academy.”

As I’ve mentioned several times, not all spirit masters can see all souls. That’s a blessing and curse unique to me.

Other spirit masters raise and handle evil spirits that can materialize or cause harm due to their strong resentment through pain.

The concept was similar to that of a summoner, but finding souls with grudges was harder than one might think.

From such a spirit master’s perspective, this academy must have been an irresistible, tempting prey.

She must have been greedy to make all the evil spirits wandering around the academy her own.

“She clearly had hostile intentions, which is why you were able to exert such power. She was trying to steal the souls of Setima for herself.”

Thought entities are more influenced by motivation and mental state than one might think.

After all, they are mental beings made of wishes.

“That’s why you were given that much power. You had to be strong because you were trying to protect.”

[…I’m still the same now.]

“No, not at all.”

In fact, the current situation is the opposite.

“Now it’s not you but I who am carrying on Setima’s will.”

The black sword in my hand was proof of this, and the souls of Setima accompanying me were their answer.

[Why…!]

The people of Setima don’t want what the angel is doing now. From the moment she realizes this, her power begins to gradually disappear.

[No! That’s not true! After dying so unjustly! After dying in such agony! Don’t they still dream of revenge?!]

As cracks began to form in what she thought was an absolute wall of thought, the angel’s wildly thrashing hair started to shrink.

[The goddess they called out to did nothing but remain silent until the end! More than the teachings of such a goddess! More than that cursed nonsense about forgiving sinners!]

After planting the warrior’s sword in the ground, I walk toward her through the opened path.

The warrior and the angel had many similarities. He also sympathized with the angel’s ideology, but remained silent because he prioritized the wishes of the Setima residents.

[You have me, whom you created yourselves! I said I would grant your wishes! For you who died unjustly without leaving even a name! I would leave an indelible scar on the kingdom!]

The sight of the angel crying out desperately was truly pitiful.

Like Icarus, known for having his wings burned as he approached the sun.

She too was steadily heading toward her own destruction.

[I said I would do it! If you just kept quiet, I would avenge your grievances! But why! Why! Why!]

“……”

[Why are you taking that man’s side! Why do you still want to forgive!]

“That’s enough now.”

I couldn’t understand it either.

I wasn’t a saint from scripture or a Saintess of this continent either.

Complete understanding of Setima’s decision was impossible.

But.

“Don’t deny their lives.”

The souls of Setima, transformed into blue flames by accepting my magic, circle around the angel.

[You all…!]

Distorting their wishes could be seen as disrespect toward the individuals who made those wishes.

It was merely using that as motivation, trampling on the opinions of those involved.

Nevertheless, of course, the vengeful spirits of Setima were.

Comforting and consoling the angel.

Saying they were sorry for being inadequate.

Thanking her for being angry on their behalf.

And telling her she had worked so hard all this time.

[Ah, aaaah!]

The blue flames wrapped around my hand. Since she was a thought entity without a soul, she would face complete annihilation rather than rest like other deceased.

“Let go of that burden. I have no intention of carrying out revenge on their behalf since they don’t wish it.”

My flame-wrapped hand rested on the head of the angel who had collapsed in tears.

My flames naturally spread along the girl’s hair, illuminating the entire rooftop.

“I declare that their nobility and brilliance will be known to everyone on the continent.”

[…!]

“Deus Verdi. No…”

I slowly kneel before the girl. With an unconscious comforting smile, hoping to give her faith.

“I swear as Shinwoo Kim.”

[Kim, Shinwoo…?]

“My real name.”

When I nodded with a smile, the girl stared at me blankly before wiping her tears and asking.

[Tell me one thing.]

“Anything.”

[Where is the child who created me now?]

The girl who proudly told the warrior about the angel she had created.

In fact, the angel’s form was essentially shaped and created thanks to her.

“Her name was Lea.”

The name of an unforgettable child I met on my first day at the academy.

“She already entered her rest months ago.”

She was the first girl to find peace and enter rest through our conversation.

[I see.]

Thud.

The angel’s lowered head trembled slightly. The hot tears she shed contained emotions of relief.

[I’m glad.]

“……”

[I’ll believe in you.]

The girl’s form burns away and disappears. Eventually, the entire rooftop is engulfed in blue flames, and shortly after.

The dark sky begins to crack, letting in cold moonlight.

Along with the screams of evil spirits from all around, people’s cheers rise.

The cityscape, which had been obscured as if covered in fog, unfolds, and the familiar rooftop scenery enters my view after a long time.

The blue flames die down.

The vengeful spirits of Setima who comforted the angel begin to close their eyes one by one and depart to find rest.

“I won’t seek forgiveness for enemies with total sacrifice like you did.”

I simply followed without complaint because forgiveness was what they wanted.

“But the direction and beliefs your lives showed.”

As the flames rising into the sky and fading away looked like stars floating nearby.

“Were certainly noble beyond approach.”

I could only raise my head and pray for their peace and rest.

* * *

“What, is it over?”

Findenai, who had come up to the rooftop, watches Deus who was already saying his final farewells.

Having heard that a quite powerful spirit master had died, she had come looking for Deus after saving the students, worried he might be in danger.

“Hmm.”

Contrary to her expectations, he was clean without any wounds.

Rather, the sight of him wearing a slight smile, unlike his usual self, as if somewhat relieved.

“I don’t like it.”

Findenai didn’t like it much. She was still annoyed about the burned mast while he seemed fine.

“Is everything over now?”

As Findenai looked up at the brightly risen moon and asked, Deus nodded slightly.

“Yes, the academy’s evil spirit incident is completely over.”

“Huh?”

Something about his words seemed strange.

Instinctively, Findenai felt there was some clever wordplay involved, but couldn’t figure out what was wrong with it.

“Have all the injured students been healed too?”

“At least everything that was damaged or injured after the barrier was created should have returned to normal.”

The barrier connecting life and death disappeared before it could be fully formed.

Originally, since the dead couldn’t interfere, the damage situations couldn’t become reality and simply disappeared.

“Well, it’s not like everyone loses all their memories. Things will be quite complicated for a while, huh?”

“I suppose so.”

Deus doesn’t deny it.

In reality, the path the academy must walk from now on will be quite a thorny one.

“Well, at least the master got paid well, so that’s good, right?”

The only reason Findenai was deliberately trying to keep the awkward conversation going was one.

She wanted to find the contradiction she felt in Deus’s first words.

She was forcing herself to talk while racking her brain, but no answer came.

But then.

Deus tells her the answer, as if finding her ridiculous.

“The ‘academy’s’ evil spirit incident being resolved. That’s the source of your uneasiness.”

“What?”

“Findenai.”

Deus, standing slowly by the railing, looks at Findenai.

His calm, expressionless face and black eyes were enough to freeze Findenai’s body for a brief moment.

And the words Deus uttered next were beyond her comprehension.

“You shouldn’t save me.”

* * *

“Waaaaaah!”

“I-it’s over! It’s over!”

As the barrier broke and the bright full moon greeted the academy students, everyone shouted, cried, and expressed their gratitude.

The faculty, who had gathered the students in the field and continued fighting evil spirits to protect them, also sat down wiping their sweat and sighing in relief.

“Good work.”

“Good work to you too.”

When Professor Karen, who had been standing on the front lines with her, offered a handshake, Erika smiled slightly and took his hand.

The two were today’s MVPs, showing that academy professors were not just teachers but also capable in actual combat.

“This resolves everything, right?”

“I suppose so.”

At Karen’s words, Erika sighed but felt like the burden that had remained in her heart like sediment had completely melted away.

Her relationship with Professor Deus had deteriorated beyond repair, but.

‘At least he’s safe now.’

Thinking that even the possessing evil spirit had been completely resolved, Erika felt her heart lighten considerably.

From now on, even if Deus stayed in Robern, he wouldn’t attempt suicide while possessed like before.

“Oh my.”

Just then, Deus appeared on the railing of the main building’s rooftop.

Seeing this, Karen chuckled.

“What, is he saying we should worship him because he saved us or something?”

“……”

Just as Erika was feeling that Deus had such a side to him.

Dieeeeeeee!

It was a scream from her memory.

A hateful cry of resentment deeply embedded in her heart like trauma.

The moment she heard it, Erika Bright found herself already running forward desperately.

She tried to use mana, but her depleted reserves from fighting evil spirits for so long crumbled helplessly and scattered like dust.

And.

Deus threw himself off the rooftop.

Thud!

Without any interference, he fell.

Erika Bright’s white-gloved hand, having fallen right in front of him, becomes soaked in blood.

“Nooooo!”

With the woman’s desperate scream, the academy’s long, drawn-out incident comes to an end.