Chap 54-I’m Sorry?

 

I watched Elise’s back as she was engrossed in her experiment for a moment.

The awkward and tense atmosphere from before had vanished without a trace, and only passion for research surrounded her.

‘If she’s concentrating that much, I’ll only be a hindrance if I stay here.’

It seemed like it would take quite a while for the results to come out.

I decided to leave Elise to immerse herself in the experiment and go outside for a while.

I thought it would be better to take a walk to clear my complicated head rather than stay in the stuffy lab.

“Hey, I’m leaving first.”

I said it casually, but Elise didn’t even pretend to hear me, probably because she was completely absorbed in the experiment.

She was just muttering and observing something with her nose buried in the glassware.

‘…Seriously, she doesn’t even acknowledge me.’

I felt a little annoyed, but what could I do?

Still, I hoped something would come of it since she was working so hard.

Actually, I was curious too.

How could this body be okay even after containing the power of an Evil God of level 11?

It wasn’t ordinary to not only resist Contamination but also seal and even use some of that power.

Perhaps her research could find a clue to that secret.

I quietly opened the lab door and went outside.

And the moment I closed the door, I encountered three people waiting for me in the hallway.

Professor Emilia Gale, Lina, and Bella.

The three of them approached me all at once, as if they had been waiting for me to come out.

And their faces were filled with blatant worry and pity, far more than before.

“Young miss! Are you alright? Did that wicked alchemist make any unreasonable demands or…”

‘…Young miss?’

I inwardly questioned Professor Emilia’s suddenly elevated title.

She was someone who had disliked me until recently.

Did her attitude change because she found out I was Master’s disciple?

But even when we met in front of the headmaster’s office, she didn’t use such honorifics.

What on earth happened in the meantime?

“Yeon! Did she draw too much blood? Are you dizzy? I can heal you…”

“…Did you properly stop the bleeding from the wound? Let me see your arm for a moment.”

I was dumbfounded by the sight of the three of them fussing over me as if I had just come out of a major illness, asking if I was hurt anywhere or if I was having a hard time.

Seriously, why are they making such a fuss over just drawing some blood?

“…It’s okay. It’s just some blood. It’s nothing.”

But despite my words, the three of them still surrounded me with worried eyes.

“Still, we have to treat the wound! You need to replenish your energy since you had blood drawn… I should heal you…”

Lina raised her hand, trying to heal the small wound on my arm. A warm, holy light began to bloom from her fingertips.

“No!”

I reflexively pulled my arm back in shock.

I almost caused a big problem!

At that moment, Professor Emilia quickly stopped Lina’s hand.

“Don’t worry, Lina.”

Professor Emilia said in a soft but firm voice.

“As the academy’s health teacher, I will personally check and treat the young miss’s condition.”

“Yes? But…”

Lina looked puzzled, but Professor Emilia didn’t seem to have any intention of explaining further to her.

“Would you mind if I took a moment, young miss? Let’s go to the infirmary and check your condition briefly.”

Professor Emilia asked me politely, naturally trying to lead me towards the infirmary.

“Then I’ll go with you…”

As Bella tried to follow, Professor Emilia stopped her.

“I apologize to both of you, but I have something to discuss with the young miss alone. It concerns her health, so would you mind waiting for a moment?”

She politely bowed to Lina and Bella, asking for their understanding.

Lina and Bella looked at each other once, then reluctantly nodded slightly.

They still looked worried, but they couldn’t disobey Emilia, who was an academy professor.

‘…Phew, that’s a relief.’

I sighed in relief inwardly.

Lina’s holy power itself isn’t a problem.

But what if she had tried to use the ‘divine power of Benevolence’ that she possesses as a Saintess Candidate, not just simple holy power?

No one knows how the ‘divine power of Malice’ sleeping inside me would have reacted to that power.

In the worst case, the two divine powers could have collided and gone out of control.

That was really dangerous.

But… how did Professor Emilia know and stop her at such a good time?

‘How much does she know?’

I headed to the infirmary, following Professor Emilia’s back with confused eyes.

…

Arriving at the infirmary, following Professor Emilia.

Was it good timing?

There was no one in the spacious infirmary.

It was a time when there would usually be some sick or injured students, but it was unusually quiet today.

The inside of the infirmary was clean and tidy.

On one wall, there was a glass cabinet neatly organized with various medical tools and medicines, and on the other side, there were several beds with clean white sheets.

The air was filled with the smell of disinfectant, along with Professor Emilia’s unique faint herbal scent.

It was a calm and stable atmosphere, but it was just awkward and uncomfortable for me now.

Professor Emilia pointed to one of the beds and said.

“Please sit here and wait for a moment, young miss. I’ll go get some things I need.”

She still called me ‘young miss.’

I couldn’t stand that awkward title anymore.

“Um… Professor.”

I carefully opened my mouth.

“That… the young miss thing is a bit… I’m just an academy student.”

I looked at her with a confused expression.

This sudden change in the way she treated me was too awkward and burdensome.

Even if she knew I was Master’s disciple, this was too much.

At my words, Professor Emilia paused and turned to look at me.

A complex emotion flashed across her face.

Apology, guilt, and… an expression as if she had made a decision.

She was silent for a moment, then opened her mouth in a heavy voice.

“Ah… I’m sorry. I was too hasty.”

She muttered self-reproachfully, then suddenly did something unexpected.

“System.”

As Professor Emilia commanded quietly, a translucent System window appeared in front of her.

And the next moment, a phrase that I had never expected began to appear in that window.

[SYSTEM]

Creating a special oath.

[Oath of Master and Servant]

Oath-taker: Emilia Gale → Yeon Bennet

Effect: Emilia Gale’s will and actions are entirely under the authority of Yeon Bennet.

Yeon Bennet’s orders are absolute to Emilia Gale and cannot be refused.

If the oath is violated, Emilia Gale’s soul will be destroyed.

Authority to abolish the oath: Yeon Bennet

“…!?”

Oath of Master and Servant?

[SYSTEM]

Applying a special oath. Oath-taker ‘Emilia Gale’ is absolutely obedient to oath-recipient ‘Yeon Bennet.’

Just like I unilaterally placed the ‘Oath of Death’ on Bella in the past, this time Professor Emilia placed the ‘Oath of Master and Servant’ on me.

This oath had no disadvantages or restrictions for me, the oath-recipient, so it was automatically placed without my consent.

I felt a sense that the existence of Emilia Gale was subordinated to my soul.

“W-What are you doing, Professor?!”

I shouted in shock.

“Professor, now…”

“…You don’t have to forgive me.”

I was about to say something, but she spoke first.

Her voice was low and subdued, and it contained an indescribable deep regret and guilt.

Her gaze, directed at the floor, seemed unable to look at me directly.

“What I… what I did to you is a sin that cannot be washed away by any excuse.”

She paused for a moment and took a trembling breath.

“Through the record… I saw your life.”

Her voice trembled even more faintly.

“You… you saw it?”

I asked back in shock.

The record is not just about watching someone else’s life like a movie.

The person who views the record experiences all the senses and emotions that the owner of that record experienced in the same way.

Whether it’s fortunate or unfortunate.

Unique Abilities are not implemented in the record.

So…

Professor Emilia…

Experienced all the pain I went through, without any buffer, as it was, normally!!!

The moment I realized that, I unconsciously examined Professor Emilia’s face.

Her face was pale, her eyes were bloodshot, and her whole body was trembling slightly.

“P-Professor! Are you okay? Are you not feeling well? Your face looks terrible!”

I made a fuss and tried to approach her to check on her condition.

She couldn’t be in her right mind after experiencing such tremendous pain all at once.

Seeing me like that, Professor Emilia suddenly began to cry sadly like a child.

As if the emotions she had suppressed had burst out all at once, she covered her face with both hands and sobbed.

“Hwaaa… Young miss… I’m really… sorry… I… sob…”

‘As expected… it must have been terrible…’

Her reaction said it all about how messed up my life was and how terrible the pain was.

Seeing Professor Emilia crying, I felt a sense of guilt.

“Um… Professor… I’m… sorry…”

An apology popped out without me realizing it.

‘But what am I… what am I sorry for?’

No, when I think about it, I don’t think I did anything wrong…

I pondered for a moment, chewing over the words I had uttered.

And I added awkwardly.

“Um… so… I’m sorry for living like that?”

At my words, Professor Emilia’s sobs grew even louder.

As if my clumsy consolation had added fuel to her sadness.

I didn’t know what to do and could only watch her crying sadly.

Author’s words

I will upload the next chapter as soon as it is written during the weekdays…

I think I have to do that until May 29th…