Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Problem Child Damon (4)

“What in the.......”

Professor Noel’s words trailed off.

“What?”

Only then did the professor sense something strange and fix her gaze on the formula I had created.

Judging by how she even took off the glasses she was wearing, she seemed quite surprised.

“How is the formula still.......”

I snickered inwardly.

Have you only noticed now?

Professor Noel must have thought my Holy Power would run out before long.

However, even though I had held a long conversation with Professor Noel, the formula had not disappeared.

Of course it had not. 

Even after quite some time had passed, Holy Power was still flowing continuously from my palms.

“You said my Holy Power would run out before the formula was completed?”

Hissssss......!

The Holy Power stored in my heart was still being drawn into the formula continuously.

When one ran completely out of mana, one could no longer maintain a magic formula.

The same applied to Holy Magic formulas that used Holy Power.

I did not know for sure, but for an ordinary Holy Power Awakener, this would probably be enough to use up every bit of Holy Power stored in the heart.

However.

Bzzzz.

The Sacred Mark that continuously supplied Holy Power was engraved on the back of my right hand.

The Holy Power steadily gathered in my heart through the Sacred Mark forcibly held together the Holy Magic formula that was trying to collapse.

“Well then, I wonder if you still think that now?”

“What kind of Holy Power Refinement Speed is that.......”

At the sight of Holy Power showing no sign of decreasing, Professor Noel and the students around us began to stir.

Bzzzz.

The golden light emitted from the Sacred Mark was visible to everyone in the lecture room, but it was fine.

Even Yulia, who possessed the Sacred Mark herself, thought this was a Symbol rather than the Sacred Mark, so what of the others?

“...Holy Symbol?”

Professor Noel’s absentminded mutter affirmed my judgment.

The proportion of formulas I did not understand within the ‘Grace of Strength’ formula was roughly fifty percent.

As Holy Power continued to be injected, the Holy Power composing the formula repaired the formula on its own.

Sssssss.......

The formula, now filled with enough Holy Power, began scattering a calm golden light.

“Whew.......”

I took a deep breath and calmed my throbbing heart.

“Ha....... This actually works?”

The corners of my mouth rose on their own.

Yes. 

There was no need to understand the Holy Magic formula perfectly.

The enormous amount of Holy Power latent within the Sacred Mark... was like the source that allowed me to cast Holy Magic.

When the completed formula gathered in my right hand, amber flames rippled over it.

This was the blessing I had cast.......

I opened my right hand and brought the flames to my body.

Fwooooosh.......

At the same time as a golden haze bloomed over my entire body, a heavy sense of elevation wrapped around me.

Auto-Casting.

Grace of Strength.

“...Good grief.”

Even I found it absurd.

To think I could use Holy Magic despite not properly understanding the formula.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that I had ignored the great premise of magic itself.

As I swept my gaze around, my eyes met Yulia’s as she sat on one side of the lecture room.

“W-was that not Mid-Rank Holy Magic?”

“Did he not only start using Holy Power properly a short while ago?”

Even though the professor and students in the lecture room were shaken, the complexion of Yulia, who was looking at me, remained calm.

Judging by how she was even smiling faintly, she seemed to think I had achieved something obvious.

I recalled the conversation I had with Yulia that morning.

‘There is nothing to worry about too much. If it is you, you should easily grasp any Holy Magic.’

No wonder she had spoken with such certainty.

In her own way, she had judged that my Holy Power Refinement Speed was faster than others, so she had believed without a doubt that I would be able to perform ‘Auto-Casting.’

However, since she had wanted to check my magical knowledge, she had deliberately not told me the exact solution.

I felt a little displeased because it felt like I had been tested in several ways.

Well, I was deceiving her too, so let us call it even.

It was not that my Holy Power Refinement Speed was fast, but because of the Sacred Mark she had passed down to me.

‘If the Sacred Mark is engraved on you even after you return to the past... come find me. I will teach you how to handle the Sacred Mark.’

...Was this what you meant, Yulia?

Yulia from the previous round must have known this fact.

The fact that all those who inherited the Sacred Mark could use Holy Magic more easily through ‘Auto-Casting.’

‘A Black Mage like me would surely be welcomed if I went to the Holy Empire, would I not? Besides, you will not even remember what happened between us.’

‘T-that is for you to handle on your own!’

‘How irresponsible.’

“I called you irresponsible, did I.......”

After muttering softly, I chuckled.

It seemed I would have to take back what I said about her being irresponsible.

***

A week had already passed since I entered Saengterminum.

“Hmm... is this roughly it?”

Inside the dormitory, I read through the details I had written myself.

These were the results of my experiments in various areas to use Holy Magic through the ‘Sacred Mark’ and ‘Auto-Casting.’

To summarize the contents, they were as follows.

Elementary Holy Magic can be cast sufficiently with my calculation ability as long as I invest enough time.

Starting from Mid-Rank Holy Magic, it is impossible for me at my current level to understand the formulas themselves.

If I memorize only the structure of a Mid-Rank Holy Magic formula, I can cast Mid-Rank Holy Magic through ‘Auto-Casting’ by using a large amount of Holy Power.

When activating ‘Auto-Casting,’ it places a considerable burden on the heart.

Holy Magic and Black Magic cannot be used together.

Number three in particular was insane.

When I first learned Mid-Rank Black Magic, I had only barely managed to cast it after spending a month trying to understand the formula. 

But this was.......

The Holy Empire had not classified the detailed information about the Sacred Mark as top secret for nothing.

If I had possessed such an overpowered ability, I would have kept my mouth shut and enjoyed the benefits too.

The fact that I had become able to use Mid-Rank Holy Magic so quickly was extremely positive.

As for the side effect in number four, if I could use Mid-Rank Holy Magic easily, it was at a level where I could grit my teeth and endure it.

However.

Holy Magic and Black Magic cannot be used together.

Was this not far too damned troublesome?

Snap!

I cast ‘Shadow Forging’ and held a Shadow Dagger in my right hand.

Sssssss.......

And in this state, if I tried to move Holy Power to my heart in order to cast Holy Magic.......

The result was as you could see.

Crackle! 

Clang!

“Tsk.”

The Shadow Dagger failed to maintain its form, cracked, and scattered into the air.

The result was the same no matter which of the Black Magic spells I could currently use I tried.

“I thought this would be the case.”

From the moment Holy Power was gathered in my heart, I could not use Black Magic.

That was because Black Magic also used the mana stored in the heart as fuel, just like ordinary magic.

Because of that, if even a little Holy Power entered my heart, the Holy Power mixed with mana reacted violently with the Black Magic and destroyed every Black Magic formula I had created.

This was not an unexpected problem. 

To begin with, Holy Power was the natural enemy of Black Magic.

It was possible to use Black Magic and Holy Magic separately, but impossible to use them at the same time.

That was the conclusion I reached, but.

“Tsk, it is still a shame.”

I smacked my lips.

For now, I would have to be satisfied with this much.

Thanks to the ‘Sacred Mark’ and ‘Auto-Casting,’ I had achieved meaningful results faster than I expected.

At this level.......

“I should be able to visit the demon worshipers’ headquarters.”

After stretching, I headed to a restaurant to soothe my hungry stomach.

It was because there was someone I needed to meet before going to the demon worshipers’ headquarters.

Before visiting the headquarters, it was only proper to inform the owner of the place, was it not?

***

I opened the entrance door of the alley restaurant I had visited with Lloyd last time.

“Welco.......”

The beastfolk woman with a business smile stopped abruptly, then began glaring at me with eyes full of wariness.

What is this?

“B-blacklist.......”

Who? 

Me?

Before I even had time to ask anything, the employee hurriedly entered the kitchen.

And I ended up reuniting with a familiar employee once again.

“With what nerve did you come back here.......”

It was the employee who had mediated when Yulia and I argued a few days ago.

Her eyes had been half-lidded to begin with, but now they had gone beyond half-lidded and nearly become a straight line.

Compared to her gentle-looking appearance and manner of speaking, her actions and atmosphere possessed quite a bit of charisma.

“You are quite shameless. After making such a huge argument, no less.”

“Your expression is far too blatant. Is that any way to treat a visitor?”

“How rude. My face has always looked like this.”

Ah, is that so?

“Why not relax that stiffly raised tail before saying that?”

“Oh my, sorry. My mistake.”

Look, look at how her tail immediately went down.

She was clearly making it obvious that she was displeased I had come.

“Is it not too much to treat me like I am blacklisted just because we had a bit of a loud argument?”

“You are one to talk, speaking so casually when it has only been a few days since we met. I am a second-year student, you know?”

“I am speaking politely right now.”

The woman looked as though she was about to say more, but perhaps because she found further arguing bothersome, she pointed at the entrance.

“Sorry, but... this restaurant does quite well, you see. Students like you have to be put on the blacklist and banned from entering for a week before you learn your lesson.”

“What if I say I do not want to leave?”

Without saying a word, she pointed toward the kitchen.

I followed her gaze.

“If you want to be thrown out by the head chefs... you can do that?”

Grrrrrr.......

Rrrrrrr.......

Mm.

The beastfolk chefs were glaring at me as if I were prey, with only their heads and arms poking out.

They were baring their teeth, flexing their forearms, and extending their claws. 

It was quite the commotion.

It was said to be a good restaurant known only to those in the know, but even though it was evening, there were quite a lot of people. 

I could not help wondering whether they should really be doing that.

“As expected of beastfolk.”

My hand naturally went to my forehead, but I decided to let it pass.

“Fine. I did not come here for food anyway.”

“Hm?”

Resting my chin on one hand, I stared at her.

“...You are Lucia Dorg, correct?”

Lucia Dorg.

I had already known it before, but over the past week, I had investigated her a little.

She was a second-year student enrolled in Saengterminum’s Martial Arts Department. 

Since she had connections with fellow beastfolk, she had been earning tuition by working part-time at this alley restaurant from time to time since before she entered the academy.

...That was how she appeared on the surface.

“Why are you saying my name again?”

Her hair was black, and her ears and tail were a mix of black and white in equal measure.

Just looking at her like this, she seemed like an ordinary student working part-time, but.

In truth, Lucia was a student far removed from ordinary.

Because she was a contractor who had made a formal contract through Descent Type Black Magic with ‘Valak,’ the reptilian demon.

On top of that, she was the cult leader of the demon worshipers who served ‘Valak’ and secretly operated in the shadows of Saengterminum without catching Levia’s eye.

“When does your part-time shift end? I would like you to spare me a little time afterward.”

“...All of a sudden?”

I handed her a crumpled, folded note.

“Read it once. Once you see it, you will think differently.”

Lucia unfolded the folded note with a suspicious expression.

Thanks to my knowledge from the previous round, I knew she was the cult leader, but that did not mean I could say it openly.

Because of that, I threw out bait she could not help biting.

Bait that was based entirely on the truth.

“You.......”

The tips of Lucia’s fingers holding the paper trembled faintly.

Of course they would. 

Even within the Dark Empire, only a very small number of people would know this fact.

What I had written on the note was as follows.

This woman called herself ‘Lucia Dorg,’ but in truth, that was not her real name.

Her real name was ‘Lucia Baskerville.’

She came from a branch family of the Four Great Houses that had fled the Dark Empire.

“Haha.......”

Lucia exhaled weakly.

However, her voice contained a wariness that had not been there until now.

“How... did you know this......?”

“There are too many people here.......”

After looking around, I jerked my chin toward the door.

“Shall we go outside and talk?”