episode_0056
by fnovelpiaLaura von Adelheid opened her notebook.
The notebook that I flip through is full of notes from previous classes. If someone saw it, they would be shocked.
Of course, it was a natural thing for Laura, who was one of the top students at Chaldea Imperial Academy. The corners of her mouth twitched.
‘… Have you seen it?’
It was because Professor Antonelli’s gaze passed by. Laura secretly changed the angle of her notebook so that he could see it better.
However, Professor Antonelli’s gaze was already turned elsewhere. Laura looked a little resentful.
“Tsk… .”
For a moment, Laura clicked her tongue without realizing it, then realized it later and covered her mouth with her hand. It was rude behavior. It was hard to understand why she was doing this.
No, actually, she knew better than anyone else. Laura recalled the past.
– Let me say this. Of all the assignments we looked at today, the one submitted by Adelheid is… by far the best.
‘Ugh…’
That blunt voice that came with a faint smile. It had already been a month, but Laura’s body trembled as she recalled it, which was still vivid in her mind.
The pleasure of being acknowledged by the person who broke down the wall of learning, not by the magic master, not by the parents, not by anyone else… was truly something that was hard to put into words.
That’s why she wanted to be recognized by Professor Antonelli once again. She wanted to feel that thrill again, even if it was just in a small way.
Yes, she was thirsty for Professor Antonelli’s praise.
But annoyingly, Professor Antonelli did not look in the direction where Laura was sitting. Laura, feeling unnecessarily annoyed, changed the angle of her notebook so that Professor Antonelli could never see its contents.
‘Huh… I won’t show you either.’
Despite Laura’s antics, Professor Antonelli spoke.
“Until last time, we had a class on demonology.”
It was the beginning of a full-fledged class. Laura’s expression, which had been sullen, changed in an instant. The other students were the same.
The students’ eyes were focused on one place. Naturally, Professor Antonelli was standing at the end of it.
“So, I believe you now have a sense of what the devil is like… . ”
The students nodded. Some students even shouted, “Yes—.” Professor Antonelli continued.
“Now, I think you have the minimum requirements for studying spiritual theology. ”
Spiritual Theology. Students recalled the first time they began their demonology classes.
– Spiritual theology. Originally, I was thinking of teaching that, but… Unfortunately, it seems that there are no students who properly understand what spirituality is.
Yes. Professor Antonelli certainly said something like that. At the time, there were students who were upset when they heard that. Most of them were students from the theology department.
“From today, we have taken a step toward spiritual theology in earnest.”
Professor Antonelli’s words were another small acknowledgement, just like when he had solved the first assignment he had given. The students nodded in satisfaction.
“In fact, the word spirituality itself can have infinite meanings. As I said when I first mentioned the theology of spirituality, this spirituality itself is permeated throughout everyday life.”
Professor Antonelli gave several examples: the totality of an individual’s faith, or the faith of a community, the wisdom given by the Lord, or good character, and ethics and values based on faith in the Bible and the Lord.
“That’s a lot, isn’t it?”
The students barely nodded. Their heads were already starting to hurt.
“It’s too difficult. It’ll be a bit burdensome to understand the content. However, that’s before learning demonology.”
If you’ve studied demonology, it’s a different story. How, exactly?
The students questioned. Their expressions became puzzled.
“Let’s take an example. If there are any students who have ever witnessed or indirectly encountered the existence of the devil, please raise your hand now.”
Of course, there was no one. It’s not like a demon is something that can be easily witnessed, and unless you’re crazy, there’s no way a student would come into contact with a demon.
“No one. The reason you are aware of the existence of the devil is probably because I taught a class on demonology myself until recently. Of course, there are definitely students who still don’t believe.”
Some students flinched or even nodded.
Most of them were students belonging to the Faculty of Magic. Since magic itself is a field that discusses reason and rationality, it was not surprising that they had difficulty believing in the uncertain existence of the devil.
“I understand. Whether you believe in the existence of the devil or not. It doesn’t really matter now. Just… .”
Deacon Sophia, who had been down on the stage, soon came up onto the stage holding something that had been lying on the floor. The students’ eyes were focused on her.
It was a cubic wooden box that looked to be about the size of a person’s face. There was a round hole in the lid of the box, so that it seemed possible to put a hand inside at any time.
Professor Antonelli, who received the box from Deacon Sophia, pointed to the box and said.
“Would you like to see this box?”
The students’ attention was already focused. Professor Antonelli continued speaking.
“There is a devil in this box.”
“… … .”
Silence fell over the classroom. The students did not even open their mouths. They just stared blankly at Professor Antonelli, who was standing there holding a box.
Soon, the students whose brains had been inputting his words began to frown and repeatedly touch their ears, as if they were wondering if their ears were malfunctioning.
“… Hey. Did I mishear that? ”
“I heard there’s a devil in there… . Is that so?”
“What? April Fool’s Day is a long time ago?”
A murmur that began in a corner soon filled the entire lecture room. The students were looking at the box in Professor Antonelli’s hand with eyes filled with disbelief and fear.
“I don’t know why everyone is reacting like this.”
However, Professor Antonelli, the one who had pushed the students into this sea of confusion, shrugged his shoulders.
Professor Antonelli’s attitude in the students’ eyes was too calm and composed. Because of his sly attitude, confusion gradually increased among the students.
“That must be a lie. Think about it. Do you really think you put the devil in there?”
“Before that, does the devil exist? I won’t believe it until I see it with my own eyes.”
Some people did not believe his words.
“No… Professor Antonelli isn’t the type to lie.”
“Is there really a devil…? I’m scared… .”
Some believed his words and trembled in fear.
“Something looks interesting… ?”
“I feel really impressed by Professor Antonelli, who is holding the box containing the devil so nonchalantly.”
“Surprise worship.”
Still others saw it as just another form of entertainment or found it interesting.
“There, inside of me… . The beast of all evil… !”
“Lord… . Please don’t let me be tested… .”
Or else, there were those who relied on a solid faith based on faith.
The thirty-two students split into several groups. Professor Antonelli watched them indifferently, and when the classroom became increasingly noisy, he finally opened his mouth.
“Everyone. Please be quiet.”
The noise inside the classroom was instantly erased as if a wave had swept over it. The students were frozen in their chattering positions, only turning their heads to look at Professor Antonelli.
“Isn’t that surprising? There’s a devil in this box. That’s all.”
“Ha, but…!”
A female student opened her mouth without realizing it. She immediately looked as if she regretted it, but Professor Antonelli’s eyes were already on her.
“You can say anything.”
“Yes… ?”
“I said you could speak. Oh, before that… . Could you tell me your department and name?”
The schoolgirl stood up hesitantly. She was an impressive girl with round glasses.
“My name is Fleta Banks, and I am a student of the Faculty of Magic.”
“Um… . Student Banks. Are you from the Faculty of Magic?”
“Yes… .”
“I would like to hear what you meant by what you just said.”
Fleta Banks pursed her lips for a moment, then quickly shook off her hesitation and answered his question.
“As for the devil, I think it is something we should stay away from, according to Professor Antonelli. However, even though Professor Antonelli himself brought the devil, he didn’t seem to care much about it, so I did that… .”
“… Hmm.”
After hearing her answer, Professor Antonelli stroked his chin and fell into thought. Fleta Banks stood up from her seat, unable to sit down, and just stared at him in a dazed manner.
Finally, Professor Antonelli, having finished his thoughts, opened his mouth.
“Isn’t that a little strange?”
“… Yes?”
“When I mentioned students who don’t believe in the devil, didn’t Fleta also nod her head?”
“That’s right?”
“You don’t even believe in the devil, so why are you afraid?”
The eyes of all the students sitting in the classroom, including hers, opened wide.
It really was. Fleta Banks, she certainly suspected the existence of demons. It was the same with some of the students of the Faculty of Magic.
But, the moment Professor Antonelli dropped the bombshell.
– There is a devil in this box.
The students doubted his words, denied the existence of the devil, but were secretly afraid of his words.
“If you really believe that the devil doesn’t exist, shouldn’t you have no fear?”
Fleta just stood there speechless. Professor Antonelli motioned for her to sit down.
“If I hadn’t started teaching demonology, you might not have been terrified when you heard me say that.”
It could have been. I couldn’t be sure, but it was certainly possible. The students nodded.
“However, now that you are denying the existence of the devil itself, the concept of the devil has already taken root in your subconscious.”
A concept. It became a seed, sprouted in my mind, grew, and took root.
Even if you deny its existence, it comes to mind, its image is roughly drawn, and all kinds of imagination spread out in all directions like tree branches.
“The appearance of the devil, the texture and feel of their skin, the smell they give off, the sounds they make. You can’t describe any of it in detail, but you can still vaguely recall it and feel anxious.”
Thoughts are like frogs, and if you try not to think about something, you will end up thinking about it instead. The students’ minds were like frogs.
Towards those students, Professor Antonelli.
“Spirituality is like this.”
I threw a stone.
On the rippling lake, a large wave overlaps. It seems like it is creating a wave, or it seems like a small rebellion of a lowly stone.
It may have been a theologically blasphemous statement, linking the devil and spirituality together. However, the students of the theology department simply watched his class quietly.
“Something that cannot be interpreted as a functional act performed by humans. Even though we have not experienced all the functional acts of seeing with our eyes, hearing with our ears, tasting with our mouths, and feeling with our skin, we instinctively recognize that it exists.”
– In order to understand spirituality, you must not look at it with human eyes. In other words, you must not try to interpret it with all the functional actions that humans perform. Do you understand?
The day I first introduced the word spirituality into class, Professor Antonelli said something. The students’ eyes lit up when they remembered those words.
Yes. That’s what I mean, it shouldn’t be seen with human eyes. It shouldn’t be interpreted functionally.
Why didn’t I understand it then? Why didn’t I remember it then?
This feeling right now was the same as when Professor Antonelli had made Chloe able to use divine powers.
Something flashed through the students’ minds, almost within reach, and it was making them nervous. It was as if they were playing a game of whack-a-mole, straining their eyes and holding onto the hammer.
“The big framework of spirituality. This is like the law of the world.”
And, Professor Antonelli added. That one word… .
“Last time I talked about human free will, love, beauty, hope, faith, belief, evil… and spirituality.”
That one word, in the shape of a mole that appeared on its own feet.
“When trying to define human existence, the elements recognized. The creative gifts of the Lord. They are all spirituality.”
He revealed himself in front of the students.
0 Comments