Chapter 46: Thievery

Back at the academy, I headed straight for the dormitory.

My schedule with Hestia finished earlier than expected, allowing me to enter the academy when it was quiet.

I walked down the empty streets, looking around.

With the students gone, most restaurants and shops catering to them were either closed or, if open, had no customers.

‘It’s natural to not see many student customers during vacation, I suppose…’

It couldn’t be helped that it was even emptier since the professors who should have remained had all left for disciplinary training.

‘Should I have been a shop owner instead of a student…?’

‘I would have been even more free than now…’

That thought crossed my mind for a moment, but it remained an unchangeable fact that posing as a student was the best way to keep a close eye on them.

‘Getting entangled for various reasons is a headache, though…’

Back in the dormitory, I peeled off the Academy Head’s notice from the door and entered my room.

Even though I had only been away for a short while, the interior, feeling long-missed, welcomed me.

I casually tossed my belongings aside and immediately lay down on the bed.

I wasn’t tired, but the situation with Hestia had given me a lot to think about.

‘To walk the path of transcendence together…’

‘Does she know how difficult that request is for a talentless mortal?’

Her obsession with me seems to be growing, and my worries are immense.

‘Still, well…’

‘Since I’ve already made a promise, I intend to keep it.’

‘As long as I stand on the same level as her, in any form, that should be enough, right…?’

In truth, I have a secret I haven’t told anyone.

‘…No, honestly, it’s not just one or two, but let’s pick one and talk about it.’

There are various forms of transcendence.

A Transcendent, who can be reached by gaining enlightenment through asceticism, training, or fortuitous encounters, thereby surpassing a certain level of attainment.

A Transcendent Spirit, which can be seen when countless resentments or wills gather into one, their concentration surpassing transcendence.

A Transcendent Being, born with a body of a different caliber from birth, reaching transcendence solely through pure physical ability.

Roughly, it can be divided into these three.

The goal of many, including Elisha, Hestia, and Arie, is the first type: a Transcendent.

Since Transcendent Spirits or Transcendent Beings aren’t something just anyone can become simply by wishing, most beings who desire to ascend to transcendence have only one option.

But I am different.

Strictly speaking, I am not a typical Transcendent.

Nor am I a Transcendent Spirit or a Transcendent Being.

I am a being that belongs nowhere, but it is true that I have, in effect, surpassed transcendence.

Even if it’s difficult for those with ordinary talent, there’s no way I couldn’t break through a realm of transcendence that just anyone can reach.

Therefore, Hestia’s request to walk the path of transcendence was as good as already fulfilled.

‘Later, when the time comes, I just need to casually let her know that I’ve transcended…’

‘…No way!!!’

Hestia is fine, but Elisha is the problem.

I have never shown Elisha my transcended form in any timeline.

Hestia and Elisha are currently presumed to be close, and if they were to discuss me and Hestia let slip something unnecessary, it would become quite problematic.

[Elisha must absolutely not know of my existence until she uncovers the truth of the regression.]

To prevent a conflict that could lead to a catastrophe, I must show Elisha a form of transcendence that she can accept.

Rolling around on the bed, I fell into thought.

A few things came to mind.

The best thing would be to awaken in front of her.

If I were to transcend during a desperate battle with someone, Elisha would surely accept it.

The problem is that she, along with a few others, would never stand by and watch me be driven into such a situation.

‘…Hmm, let’s put this on hold.’

If I’m not careful, it might steal away their chance to grow.

I am merely a supporting character, and they are the top priority, so I must not become an obstacle.

As I pondered if there was a better way, I soon erased the worry from my mind.

‘Well, a suitable time will come later…’

‘Thinking about it now won’t immediately create an opportunity, will it?’

Thus, I surrendered to my laziness and closed my eyes for a while.

****

Time passed since I returned to the academy after what wasn’t quite a farewell with Hestia.

The temporary closure had long ended, and vacation was also nearing its close…

An unexpected visitor came to find me.

“Hehe, it’s been a while.”

‘…Why did this person come so quickly…?’

“Excuse me?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

A familiar yet still suspicious way of speaking…

It was Arie, as expected.

Meeting her after a long time, she treated me with the same demeanor as before.

It seemed she had completely let go of the doubts she briefly held.

“By the way, what brings you here?”

“Hmm, must there be a reason for me to visit my assistant?”

“That’s not it, but…”

‘You’re the Holy Maiden.’

‘Isn’t this your busiest time?’

I looked around, searching for someone who should be closely accompanying her.

As if noticing my gaze, Arie chuckled softly and whispered to me.

“Hehe, my cute Yulia didn’t come along.”

“Um… Even if it’s just in name, isn’t Ms. Yulia your boss’s escort?”

“That’s right. But she kept bothering me, so I just snuck out.”

I wore a slightly dumbfounded expression.

‘At this rate, she might get fired…’

“Unfortunately, Yulia is my only younger sister, so that won’t happen.”

‘…I never thought it was unfortunate.’

‘She seemed to have some skill, so I never imagined…’

‘Yulia, were you a parachute appointment…?’

I couldn’t help but shake my head at the unfair reality, but it wasn’t that I didn’t understand.

If the Holy Maiden, the highest authority in the church, threw a tantrum, who could stop her?

Yulia was the only one who could somewhat appease her, which is why she was kept by her side.

At this point, the church should be grateful that Arie hasn’t cast Yulia aside.

Anyway, putting aside the church’s pitiable circumstances, I focused on my conversation with Arie.

“Assistant, do you know something?”

“What are you referring to?”

“The academy is currently more defenseless than ever.”

“‘…Is that really true?’”

‘Defenseless? What’s defenseless about it?’

‘The Academy Head fixed all the barriers as soon as she recovered and left…’

‘Even the plans of those who invaded when it was truly defenseless all failed…’

I had many things I wanted to refute, but I held back and decided to listen to more of her nonsense.

“The Academy Head is away more often than you think. She’s always busy, just like the Pope.”

“Yes, well… She is a Transcendent, after all…”

“But there are rumors that even the professors are away this time.”

“That would be correct. I’ve been at the academy all through vacation, and I haven’t seen any of the professors.”

Of course, there are some professors who remained.

They must be struggling, unable to sleep, as they handle all the academy’s affairs.

The workload of the other professors who were dragged away by the Academy Head is also being divided and handled by them, so an unprecedentedly murderous amount of work must be tormenting them endlessly.

‘Perhaps this is also a kind of punishment given by the Academy Head…?’

Suddenly, that thought occurred to me.

“Hehe, indeed… In that case, an unprecedented disaster might strike the academy now, and it couldn’t be helped.”

“If you really cause a major incident, the Academy Head might come running.”

“‘…I know how to exercise that much discretion.’”

‘Then that’s a relief.’

“Hmph, ahem… Assistant! Did our organization seem so flimsy that it would kneel to such an unreasonable situation?!”

“‘…No, it did not.’”

“Good! That’s a very good mindset…!”

“So, what are you trying to say?”

She kept dragging the conversation, so I spoke a little irritably, but Arie didn’t mind at all and said with a sinister smile.

“Since our organization is strictly an evil one, we must commit evil deeds.”

“Well… Should we steal something from the girls’ dormitory?”

“You are indeed my assistant. To guess the correct answer right away!”

‘What?’

“It will start with light theft, but its end will be a grand organization that dominates the academy.”

“Wait a minute. What I just said was a joke…”

“Hehe, of course I know.”

I panicked for a moment and spoke hastily, but thankfully, Arie smiled and nodded.

Just as I felt relieved and let my guard down…

She opened her mouth.

“Given our assistant’s courage, the girls’ dormitory would be less than a child’s playground.”

“‘…Huh?’”

“So, let’s take our first steps in a much larger place.”

“Wait a minute. Boss…?”

“The place we need to raid this time is…!”

And then, an absurd statement flowed from Arie’s lips.

“The Academy Head’s office!”

‘This is insane…’