Chapter 16: A Premature Encounter
by fnovelpia
“Alright, let’s start with a self-introduction!”
“My name is Shin Tao. I’m 26.”
“Are you from the East?”
“Probably?”
“What about your family?”
“I’m alone. I’ve cut ties with my only living relatives—my parents.”
“What do you do for a living?”
“I’m the gravekeeper of Wellton Academy.”
“What’s the happiest thing that’s happened to you recently?”
“I guess it’d be this morning—my egg had two yolks.”
“And what’s been troubling you the most?”
“Some people keep calling me a saint, and it’s driving me crazy. I’m not some grand, noble figure.”
“Rumor has it you’re a demon spy. Do you have any comments on that?”
“Pfft, seriously? If I were a spy, why would I bother purifying anything? Believing those rumors just shows how low your IQ is.”
“Then are you willing to publicly reveal the method for curing demonic contamination?”
“Nope. It’s hard enough to gather the ingredients, and if someone tries it half-heartedly, there’ll be more victims.”
“Phew…”
While we were conducting the interview in my room, Miriam let out a deep sigh.
She lowered the crystal orb she was using to record the conversation, clearly dissatisfied with how it was going.
“Why the long face? You’re the one who barged in asking for this interview, and I agreed.”
“The topic is great, but your answers aren’t grabbing headlines!”
“Wow, picky much. How exactly should I be answering, then?”
“You could make a promise to travel anywhere purification is needed, or maybe reveal part of the cure…”
“Get out of my house.”
“I wasn’t expecting that much! I just meant maybe say something that gives people hope!”
Reporters are the same no matter what world you’re in—obsessed with making news.
I didn’t expect her to try baiting me into some outrageous claim just for a headline.
No wonder people call them media rats.
I crossed my legs and frowned, and Miriam visibly shrank back.
When I warned her that I could ban her from entering the grounds entirely, she threw up her hands in surrender.
“A-Alright! I was wrong! I won’t make any more demands of you, Mr. Gravekeeper! Happy now?”
“If you don’t want to be dragged in front of the headmaster, you better behave.”
There were plenty of other ways I could make her life difficult—like destroying her recording orb.
I didn’t even have to touch it.
Just a glance made Miriam panic and shove it into her bag.
Her crisis detection skills were freakishly sharp.
***
“Is the interview over?”
“Doesn’t seem like the right mood to keep going, does it? But… can I ask one personal question?”
“What is it?”
“If you went public with the cure, the Holy Nation would probably promote you to bishop, and the academy might even offer you a professorship. Are you really not interested?”
“Not at all. Preaching doctrine or researching divine truths doesn’t appeal to me.”
“If I became a professor, I’d have more authority to intervene in academy matters. But there’d be downsides too.”
“More responsibilities, more tasks, and less time to spare for the students during critical periods.”
“Even if there are things I can’t interfere with as a gravekeeper, I prefer this role. It’s easier on the mind.”
“That’s a shame. Maybe not bishop, but if you became a professor, it would’ve made things more interesting.”
“Anyway, do you have anything else to ask?”
“Not at the moment. Oh right! Here’s the combat training report you asked me to look into.”
“Oh yeah, I completely forgot about that.”
“Here you go.”
I took the report from Miriam and started reading it over.
“Hmm…”
Even after the recent chaos, joint combat training had continued as planned.
Unless a major disaster occurs, Wellton’s academic schedule never changes.
Thanks to that, I could get a good read on how the students were doing.
‘No major changes overall, but a few things stand out.’
Erin, who had been a top-ranking student in the original story, was left out of the report because she got caught up in the recent incident.
Because of that, the students who were supposed to lose to her naturally climbed the rankings.
Since I had already expected this when she was put on probation, I didn’t think much of it.
‘The real issue is the protagonist.’
Luke, knowing the incident during combat training was coming, had originally worked to become stronger.
He would go around the academy, collecting opportunities and growing powerful enough to fight demons alongside Erin.
But this world’s Luke had utterly dismal results.
He was near the bottom of the rankings.
He was walking the path of a complete extra.
‘Could it be… I ended up in a world where Luke isn’t a reincarnated person like me?’
That would explain the blatant neglect he showed back during the entrance ceremony.
It meant I wouldn’t have to worry about him anymore.
But in exchange, someone far more suspicious had emerged.
***
‘Hilde.’
A girl who fought beside Luke during the entrance ceremony and gained the instructors’ recognition.
She was a completely new face—someone who had never appeared or even been mentioned in the novel.
Highly praised, Hilde had claimed the score that should’ve gone to Erin.
‘Just who was she?’
I’d need to talk to her in person to find out more.
“Did that answer your questions?”
“No. But I got something out of it, so I’m satisfied.”
I folded the report in half and burned it cleanly.
If it got out that the gravekeeper was keeping tabs on internal academy affairs, it’d be a hassle.
Once I erased the evidence, I dusted off my hands—just as something else happened.
“Is anyone there?”
***
Knock knock!
Someone had come to the lodging where I was staying.
Miriam casually sipped the tea I had served her, signaling that I didn’t need to mind her and should go take care of it.
I flung the door open and came face to face with a new visitor.
It was the Chairman’s secretary.
“Apologies for disturbing you during your disciplinary leave, Mr. Tao. May I have a moment of your time?”
“I don’t mind, but isn’t the Chairman currently on a business trip?”
“That’s correct. That’s why I’ve come in her stead, to deliver a message and a letter from her.”
The secretary handed me an envelope sealed with wax.
Receiving a letter from the Chairman was a first for me, and I felt a bit uneasy.
The secretary continued speaking.
“The Chairman asked that I deliver the rest of her message after you’ve read the letter.”
“Understood.”
I broke the seal and quickly skimmed through the contents.
There wasn’t much to read—it was just one line.
But that one line was enough to shock me.
[Shin Tao, Cemetery Keeper, is hereby appointed as a temporary professor at Wellton Academy.]
It wasn’t a letter—it was an official appointment.
I thought it might’ve been some kind of joke, but the Chairman’s name and seal at the bottom were genuine.
She had truly changed my position.
Lowering the appointment letter, I looked at the secretary with trembling eyes.
She began to speak again, clearly prepared for this moment.
“This is the first favor she’s asking of you. I trust you won’t refuse.”
“This is absurd! How can someone under disciplinary action be given a professorship?”
“Your disciplinary status, as well as Erin’s, has been lifted. Both of you are to resume classes starting tomorrow. Don’t worry about your lecture schedule or class setup—the secretary will take care of everything for you.”
The Chairman must have predicted every possible reaction of mine and left the secretary with all the answers.
She was truly admirable—and, at the same time, terrifying.
“What about the Holy Kingdom? I heard they were sending an Inquisitor to the Academy. Wouldn’t it be a problem if I’m moving around freely?”
“We are subjects of the Empire, not the Holy Kingdom. Furthermore, Wellton does not yield to outside pressure. So, there’s no need to worry.”
“Won’t this lead to diplomatic issues? Like the Holy Kingdom getting offended and canceling the Saintess’s admission or something…?”
“You don’t need to worry about that!”
A firm voice interrupted me from behind the secretary.
Only then did I realize there were more visitors.
People cloaked in hooded mantles stepped forward from behind the secretary.
As they cast off their cloaks, the embroidered emblem of light—symbol of the Holy Kingdom—was revealed.
Two figures stood before me, one in a pristine white nun’s robe, the other clad in silver armor.
The silver-haired woman among them was none other than the Saintess of this generation—Lucia.
“Saintess?”
“Oh my, it seems you recognize me?”
“Ah, yes. I’ve seen your image before—through a crystal orb recording, I believe.”
‘Total lie.’
‘I recognized Lucia from the illustrations in the novel.’
As for the knight standing next to her, I had never seen her before, but she was likely Erin, Lucia’s personal guard.
Still, Lucia wasn’t supposed to appear until a month later.
‘Why was she here now?’
“It’s an honor to be recognized by the miracle-working Saint!”
“Saintess, I’ve never once thought of myself as a saint. So…”
“Yes, I know. Everyone else calls you that, so I’m just borrowing the term for now!”
“Whew! That’s a bit much, you know.”
Lucia chuckled at my reaction.
Right, I had forgotten—Lucia might be a Saintess, but she also had a surprisingly playful side.
Realizing that, I shook my head and let out a sigh of relief.
At least I wasn’t about to get dragged away by the Holy Kingdom for blasphemy.
“Apologies. More importantly, do you know why I came here, Saint?”
“Is it because of the rumor that I colluded with demons? Are you here to personally interrogate me?”
“Exactly! You’re quite sharp.”
So that’s how I ended up bringing Lucia to the Academy earlier than scheduled.
A completely unexpected butterfly effect.
“Since you already know why I’m here, let’s move on quickly.”
“What do I need to do to prove that I’m not allied with demons?”
“It’s simple. Just repeat after me.”
“Okay.”
‘Was she going to make me recite a divine incantation to prove I wasn’t a demon?’
Divine spells were exclusive to the Holy Kingdom.
Teaching one to an outsider like me was unexpected.
But it was a peaceful and wise method—very fitting for a Saintess.
“‘The Demon King is a bastard.’”
“…What?”
“Come on! Say it with me now. The. Demon. King. Is. A. Bastard!”
“…The Demon King is a bastard.”
“With this, I officially clear the Saint of all suspicion of being a demon spy! I guarantee it with my name!”
‘…She’s sharp.’
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