episode_0099

A noisy classroom after class.

Ariel looked at me with interest.

“Iris, did you hear that?”

“What are you talking about?”

As I tilted my head, Ariel put her mouth to my ear and whispered in a quiet voice.

“The commander appeared near the palace.”

“Huh?!!?!!”

When I got up and screamed loudly, Ariel was startled too.

“Wow! Isn’t Iris’s reaction so good?”

“Ah..sorry..”

“Phehe..No. It’s cute.”

Unlike Ariel, who smiled lightly.

My heart was still trembling violently.

Of course, that’s natural.

This isn’t something that can be passed off as gossip.

The Demon King, an invincible being known as the enemy of all.

And the four overwhelmingly strong men he leads.

Commander of the Demon Realm Legion.

Their power is by no means a force to be taken lightly.

Each of them is a terrifying being with the power to easily destroy a kingdom.

One of them showed up at the palace.

My body kept shaking, worried that someone might get hurt.

“Ariel…are you okay..?”

But contrary to my worried words, Ariel had a rather relaxed expression.

“Will it be okay? The academy professors also went to support, and I heard that Geomseong and Youngwoong went too?”

“Ah…”

Ariel’s words brought me a deep sense of relief.

Athena has gone.

Having had contact with her several times in the past, I knew very well how strong she was.

No matter how terrifying the power of the legion commander may be, Athena can definitely overcome him.

‘…Now that I think about it, I haven’t seen you since then.’

About two years ago.

He brought in a knight with a large hole in his chest.

I couldn’t understand what kind of sparring he had done to get so badly hurt.

While I was sighing in relief.

Ariel looked at me with a somewhat playful expression.

“Aren’t you feeling too safe, Iris? The Academy is empty right now. What if someone attacks?”

I chuckled at her joke.

“Ariel too. You can’t believe that?”

“Phehehe.. Well, the chairman is still here, so there won’t be a problem. Plus, there’s a really strong warrior here too.”

“Lily..are you talking about…”

I felt a little gloomy.

It’s because of Lily, and no other reason.

Since she has been given the fate of a warrior, Lily must continue to fight against the demons.

But I felt sad because I didn’t want to see her get hurt.

To prevent that from happening, I must work hard to grow as a saint.

It’s okay for now though.

The academy is safe even without professors.

As it is an academy where all the Empire’s promising young talents gather, it has enormous security.

First of all, the biggest thing is the great battle unfolded by the Great Sage.

It is a terrifying barrier that instantly turns any being touched by black magic or magical energy into ash.

According to the story, even the commanders of the legions were unable to cross over.

Next is the chairman.

He is a powerful man, counted among the top five in the empire.

As long as he guards the academy.

Those half-assed demons will never survive.

Well, you probably won’t be able to get in in the first place.

Unless someone opens the door from the inside.

But, well, that can’t be happening.

With that thought in mind, I went out to prepare for the next class.

I regret it.

If only I had thought a little more carefully.

The coming tragedy could have been prevented.

.

.

.

“What the…is this…”

– Kieeek!!!

– Grrr….

The Academy, which exuded a majestic appearance like a sturdy fortress.

But it has become quite different from its former strong appearance.

“Ma…Masu?!”

“Are you kidding me..?”

“Kyaaak!!! My arm!!!!”

“Gyaaah!!!”

“Run away!!!!”

Buildings collapsed and lush gardens were engulfed in fierce flames.

The numerous screams and howls heard everywhere created a terrifying atmosphere.

“Everyone, hurry up and get out!!”

In the midst of the chaos, one of the few remaining instructors tried to calmly lead the students out.

“Keuh-eok!”

Until I was ambushed by the demons and was blown to the other side.

“No!!!”

I ran over and put my hands on his bloody body.

‘Compassionate goddess, please grant me the strength to heal this poor creature.’

As if answering my prayers, a pure white light entered the instructor’s body and completely healed his wounds.

He came to his senses soon. He looked at me in a hazy state of consciousness and muttered.

“Saintess…Quickly…run away…”

..Are you worried about me even in this situation?

“I won’t leave you behind..!!”

I lifted him onto my shoulders.

I dragged my heavy body and continued walking towards a place where there were no monsters.

I walked like that for a long time.

I stopped in a relatively safe place and put the instructor down. I took a breath and looked around.

Blue mana was falling from all over the place like shooting stars, intercepting the monsters.

It must be the chairman’s magic.

Yet countless monsters, demons, and even demons were still attacking the academy.

A scene without any chaos.

How did it end up like this?

Let’s look at the sky.

We were able to confirm that the barrier was still maintained.

So where on earth do these monsters and demons come from?

My mind was in turmoil. Suddenly, a person came to mind.

“Lily..!!”

By the way, I wonder if Lily is okay..?

I began to feel deeply worried that she might have been hurt.

The moment I decided to go find her.

Someone approached me with urgent steps.

“Oh my…gasp…Saintess..!!”

A black-haired female student wearing the academy’s uniform.

It was a face I had never seen before, but I could tell from the color of the business card attached to her top that she was in the same grade as me.

She has a pale face and is breathing heavily.

I rushed over and treated her. Her breathing calmed down.

Soon the female student grabbed my collar and looked at me with an expression that looked like she was going to cry.

“My friend…is trapped under the rubble…sob…can’t move…sob…”

“Ah..”

It was such sad news.

I hesitated for a moment, but then I immediately hugged the girl tightly and calmed her down.

“Please guide me quickly. I’ll go and save you..!”

The female student’s eyes widened at my words.

Soon she was bowing to me repeatedly to express her gratitude.

“Thank you.. Saintess!! Thank you..”

Just wait a minute, Lily.

I think there’s someone I need to save first.

.

.

.

“This way, Saint!!”

“Yes..!”

After mindlessly following the female student for a while, I felt the magic surrounding me growing thicker.

So I entered the academy building. The deeper I went inside, the more an unknown sense of anxiety began to bloom in my heart.

“Oh my… gasp… not yet?”

“Yes! We have to go a little further!”

I felt something strange and stopped walking for a moment.

Then the female student looked at me with a puzzled look and tilted her head.

“Saint..?”

“….Sir. May I ask which class you are in?”

“Me..Me? I’m in the alchemy class..?”

“…..”

The sense of alienation I felt towards her.

From the outside in, I ran without taking a breath.

The female student didn’t show any sign of difficulty at all.

Unlike me, who was out of breath, he ran all the way here without even breaking a sweat.

Of course, it would have been possible if he had been a student in the swordsmanship or martial arts class.

The schoolgirl’s body was so delicate that it didn’t look like she had ever been trained.

Besides, she said that she herself was in the alchemy class.

As I watched quietly, she spoke with an urgent expression.

“We must hurry, Saint! My friend is in here..!”

“I’m sorry, classmate. I just need to check something.”

Before she could answer.

I recited a prayer and poured out divine power around her.

Obviously, if you have a body covered in magic or black magic, you will feel unbearable pain.

Such a divine light pierced her.

I watched the girl’s reaction carefully.

but.

“Saint..?”

“Huh…?”

Contrary to expectations, nothing happened.

..Maybe I was mistaken?

While I was staring ahead with a blank expression.

The schoolgirl ran towards me in a hurry.

“Saint..!!”

“..Ah..I’m sorry..I made a mistake..I’ll hurry.”

“I think this place will be enough!”

“Huh?”

Phew-

I felt something warm against my stomach.

Let me slowly lower my head.

On my boat.

A small knife, covered in bright red blood, was deeply embedded.

“..Huh?”

Let’s look ahead with a trembling expression.

The face of the innocent schoolgirl in front of me was distorted in a grotesque way.

It’s like melting.

“I told you, Iris. You never know what happens to people.”

Soon her body began to twitch strangely.

It transformed into an adult’s body.

The person who appeared like that.

A mature woman with short black hair, just like the schoolgirl.

“Ka..Trina teacher…”

“You should have listened to what the teacher said, right?”

Phew-

She smiled faintly and then thrust the knife deeply into my other stomach again.

“Ah…?”