episode_0020
by fnovelpiaHere is a grain of sand.
The grains of sand are infinitely small. They are blown around by even the slightest wind.
Sometimes it floats on the water, sometimes it rolls on the sandy beach, and sometimes it settles in the gaps between other grains of dirt and sand.
On top of the sand grains that have settled down like that, other sands are piled up. The sand grains become one of many sand grains that are identical.
On top of the piled sand, other things pile up. Crumbs of broken rock pile up, dirt piles up, and water rushes in.
These tiny sand grains, tightly packed together, gradually harden and eventually grow in size. They become larger and larger sand lumps, and under pressure from above, they finally turn into stones.
It was a day when a storm was pouring down. The dirt and debris covering the stones were being swept away like grains of sand.
In that way, the solid stone is revealed to the world. It finally emerges from the mound of dirt.
Unlike the past, when it was just a single grain of sand in a vast pile of sand that was unnoticeable, stones are now visible to people and other animals.
The stone that has grown so large silently stands its ground. It does not budge even in wind or rain, and it does not split even if someone steps on it. To others, it may just be an insignificant stone.
Then one day, someone picks up this stone. They touch it, sweep it, and smell it.
The stone was still hard and silent. But it could feel the warmth of the hand that held it.
The person who picked up the stone immediately took it and went somewhere. The stone simply followed the hand’s movements.
The name of this stone is Faith.
And he who finds the stone is the Lord.
* * * * *
Is there an end to learning?
If someone asked, Laura von Adelheid could answer confidently.
There is no end to learning. Even old people with gray hair have something to learn from children.
But what about now?
Ding— ding—.
The endlessly annoying bell rang. Laura, who had come out of her thoughts, frowned without realizing it.
“Everyone, I hope you learned something from today’s class. Don’t forget to submit your assignments by the due date.”
The class was over. The students stared blankly at Professor Antonelli. He gathered up the books on the desk and ended the class as usual.
“Okay, see you on Friday.”
Professor Antonelli left the classroom, stretching out his long legs and ignoring the students’ blank stares. There was no hesitation in his steps.
After Deacon Sophia followed him out with a leaflet in hand, silence fell over the classroom.
The students did nothing. During the first class, they took notes or tried to draw pictures of what they had seen.
However, now I wonder if such actions have any meaning. The number of students who just stare blankly into space has increased.
I can hear other first-year students heading out into the hallway to eat lunch. Some are running to the cafeteria, while others are walking in small groups with their friends.
If it were normal, the students of Class 1-A would have been among them as well. But they did not move.
There were only students staring into space, looking at distant mountains, or keeping their eyes closed and silent. No one sitting in the classroom moved a foot.
No, it would be more accurate to say that he couldn’t move.
If I stood up from this spot and headed to the restaurant like I usually do, I was sure I would miss out on something that was so close to my heart.
Professor Antonelli’s class, and the subsequent manifestation of Chloe’s divine power. The students saw it and realized something. They had overcome a wall.
However, there was no clear way to know why something had gone over the wall. The students had unconsciously gone over the wall, but they were just standing there blankly, not knowing why. That was why they continued to explore.
Something that is vague and yet not obvious, a piece of this unknown knowledge that tickles my heart.
Right now, at this very moment, I was starting to resent Professor Antonelli. I never dreamed that I would be in such a frustrating situation.
And that’s one student who forgets to even maintain his dignity and bites his fingernails nervously.
‘What the heck… . What is it… ! I think I know, but I don’t… !’
Laura von Adelheid was no different. She bit her lip.
There was clearly an epiphany. It was something that Laura von Adelheid, the so-called genius and prodigy of the Faculty of Magic, knew best.
The realization that flashes through your head like lightning. The thrilling, ecstatic pleasure that comes with it.
However, this was the first time this had happened. Behind the sweet pleasure of growing up, there were such frustrating and headache-inducing growing pains.
Laura glanced at the theology students. Did they know something? With their wealth of theological knowledge, did they understand what Professor Antonelli was trying to convey?
However, there was no fool who would approach the theology students and ask them that, at least not in Class 1-A.
After class, they were like stone and wood, with their eyes closed and praying without moving an inch. That pious sight was not an atmosphere that could be talked to at all.
Apart from that, a dark desire was also the dominant reason. I want to solve this problem by myself. I want to grab this annoying key that seems so elusive, without anyone’s help.
I want to solve this problem first—.
Among the 89th freshmen of Chaldea Imperial Academy, Class A was the only class that gathered the best. If among these talented individuals, he could be the first to solve the question, stand up proudly, and leave the classroom. If he could become the object of envy and jealousy of all the other students.
It was exciting just to imagine. It was crazy. And now, the students in this classroom were absolutely crazy.
They were crazy about theology. The great meaning hidden in theology. And the realization. The students were running with their eyes on fire to find that sparkling jewel.
Has there ever been a time when theology has delved so deeply into the discipline of theology? At least not to the students of theology departments.
It was not surprising that students from other classes, who were heading to the cafeteria while chattering noisily, looked at the first-year Class A students with questioning eyes as they passed by their classroom.
Professor Antonelli clearly intended this appearance. Laura knew it.
The assignment he gave in the first class. He wanted to make the students explore the answer to that assignment on their own.
That’s why he left, leaving only vague and decisive clues, seemingly giving the answer. It was understandable that Laura would grit her teeth and feel resentful.
Laura sighed. Suddenly looking at her watch, she realized that twenty minutes had passed since class ended.
thud!
She slumped down on her desk, scratching her head nervously. There was a loud noise, but no students paid any attention to it.
‘I’m struggling like this…? Me, Laura von Adelheid? All the clues have been thrown out! This can’t be happening!’
And Chloe, a student who received divine power directly from Professor Antonelli, was no exception. Even though Professor Antonelli demonstrated it himself, she still did not fully understand his intentions.
‘Uuuuu…! I don’t know…! I guess I’m an idiot… Should I discuss it with Elin?’
Elin, sitting next to her, was reading the Bible with her eyes wide open. Chloe quickly put her thoughts aside.
The time that everyone spent in agony grew longer. Twenty minutes became an hour, then two hours, and finally even lunchtime was over.
Until the bell rang to signal the start of afternoon classes, no students were allowed to leave the classroom.
* * * * *
After finishing my work in the professor’s office, I suddenly looked at the clock on the wall.
I am so happy to see the hour and minute hands ticking towards 5 p.m. I can’t believe I’m only an hour away from work. What could be happier than that?
Today was an especially tiring day. Helping Chloe use her divine powers was more tiring than I thought.
Chloe had almost no divine power, which she had accumulated over a lifetime of faith and prayer, so it was my divine power that caused the trouble.
Fortunately, my right arm only spasmed a little, and I didn’t feel much pain. It was a good thing I gave it just a little bit of divine power.
After stretching, I got up from my seat and started stretching for real. I felt the gaze of Deacon Sophia, who was sitting on the sofa in the professor’s office.
“Deacon Sophia. Have you finished everything I asked you to do?”
Deacon Sophia, who is affiliated with the Chaldean Imperial Academy, but is also my deacon and assistant professor of theology, always seems to be busy. This is partly because the Academy professor has more work to do than expected.
Deacon Sophia, who had been looking at me with soulless eyes while sinking into the sofa, opened her mouth.
“Yes… . I just finished it.”
“When will the visiting priests from the Holy Land arrive?”
“I contacted both of you and was told that it will probably arrive next Monday.”
“Good job. Please give me the rest of the documents and I will process them.”
Deacon Sophia handed me a stack of documents as if she had been waiting for them. I placed the heavy stack of papers on the desk.
“Chief Priest. I think I’m going to die.”
“Deacon Sophia. Humans don’t die that easily.”
“Ugh… . The head priest might have misunderstood… .”
How dare you say such weak things. I shook my head.
“Deacon Sophia. Do you have time this Sunday?”
“… … in?”
Deacon Sophia, who had been groaning, sat up in a panic as if she had a seizure. Her sparkling emerald eyes were shaking wildly, having lost their way.
“That, that, why is that… . Ask… ?”
“Even if you have a schedule, I would like to keep that day free if possible.”
“So, why…?”
Deacon Sophia, her face flushed bright red, continued to ask the reason.
But, I rather wanted to ask on my side. Why are you clearing your schedule on Sunday? Of course… .
“Shouldn’t we hold Sunday service? We couldn’t hold it last week, so we definitely have to hold it this week.”
“… … .”
Deacon Sophia’s eyebrows twitched. Her green eyes, which had been swaying here and there, soon lost their light and became eyes like dead fish. For some reason, Deacon Sophia’s expression became a little scary.
“Haa… . Then that’s right. I was an idiot.”
“What do you mean?”
“No. I just made a mistake. Sunday service. Of course it should be held. Yes… .”
Deacon Sophia slumped even more helplessly. I just looked at her with an expression that still seemed incomprehensible.
“Oh my… . Why did I have such a misunderstanding… . Against such a stupid head priest… .”
“I can hear everything.”
“… Huh.”
Leaving Deacon Sophia behind, who was sulking, I turned my chair and looked out the window.
There were many students returning to their dormitories, walking around the school grounds, and heading to the training grounds.
Among them were some familiar students walking to the dormitory with feeble, stumbling steps.
‘The one with white hair is Laura… and the one with pink hair is Chloe.’
Laura is a genius in the Faculty of Magic, and Chloe is the main character of this world, so I personally had high expectations for them. How would they solve the task I gave them?
How will you interpret the proof of faith I have shown? What will be the result of my efforts over the past month? Even I do not know the end.
Surely, it will give me a taste of sweet fruit that will exceed my expectations.
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