Even After Reincarnation, I'm Going to the Academy

Chapter 8

『 Translator – Divinity 』

A simple thrust.

Although it was a thrust with a sword, not a spear, its power was by no means insignificant.

Kuuuuu...

Not only the trees, but even the entrances to the caves that exuded an eerie aura collapsed, and some of the vines and trees that had been blocking the sky were blown away.

The warm sunlight poured down, illuminating the clearing.

The brilliant sunlight shone mockingly on the pathetically fallen shadow.

«H-How can you, at such a young age, be unaffected...?»

'...Why do I have this weapon?'

I was just as bewildered. I was clearly told that I couldn't bring any divine artifacts, so I only brought clothes, herbs, and holy water.

'Anyway, it's an opportunity!'

It was fine to figure out why I had this later.

I would kill this guy right here, right now.

Ziiiing!

Sensing the divine power, the sword emitted a clear ring.

I coated the crimson blade with my divine power and strode forward.

The shadow, unable to move properly with half of its body gone, crawled backward.

«W-Wait! I-If you spare me, I'll tell you how to break the curse on that Karma kid!»

Thud.

Ignoring its words, I stomped on the shadow with my foot.

I raised the sword, preparing to accurately pierce its 'core.'

«W-Wait!»

Honestly, seeing it like this, I thought about capturing it alive instead of killing it to extract information.

But that didn't mean I should let it take control of the situation.

«Kieeek!»

The sword pierced right next to the core.

The shadow, driven to the brink of death, formed an arm and grabbed my ankle.

«S-Spare me. Please, please spare me!»

"Have you ever spared someone who begged for their life?"

«I-I've never killed a human! I've never cast a curse either!»

"?"

It was understandable that it hadn't killed a human.

But it had never cast a curse either?

"If you didn't cast the curse, then how can you tell me how to break it? And how do you even know there's a curse?"

«I-I know who cast the curse. And I also know how to weaken the curse!»

"Tell me."

«I-If you let me live...»

"Hey."

I lowered my voice as I looked at the scheming shadow.

"Do I look easy to you? I said I'll let you live if I like what I hear. Hey, don't you trust me? Ha. This isn't going to work."

I brought to mind the image of a thug I had in my head, and while wiggling my legs nonchalantly, I twisted the sword sideways.

«The c-core...!»

"Should I just destroy the core right now? Or should I soak you in holy water? I have a specially made holy water, and its effect is amazing."

Actually, that was a lie. I wasn't good at making holy water yet. Its effect wasn't that great either.

But this guy was a dark mage. For a human, it would feel like having acid poured on their skin, so it wouldn't be a bad effect if it was soaked in it.

«Th-that's...»

"Since you're being cheeky, two pieces of information."

«What?»

"What, are you talking back to me, you little shit? Why, you got a problem? Then you should just die."

«N-No, sir... B-But the information I have is really nothing special...»

The shadow's voice even sounded tearful.

Of course, I didn't care.

"So, you want to die?"

«N-No, sir...»

"So, what other information are you going to give me?"

«…...»

The shadow squeezed its eyes shut.

Actually, it didn't have eyes, but it seemed like the shadow was squeezing its nonexistent eyes shut.

«I'll... give you information about another dark mage... in this forest.»

"It's not the one who disguised himself as a servant, is it?"

«?!»

"You little shit. You wanna die?"

«O-Of course it's a different dark mage!»

There's another dark mage?

'They're hiding like rats.'

I gained a good fishing rod.

Smiling inwardly, I lifted the shadow with my hand.

"Hmm. But just in case you try to escape."

I took out some holy water from the bundle.

"Let's just dip you in this for a bit."

«W-W...»

"Ah, it's alright. You won't die, you won't die."

Tsssss!

A pitiful scream echoed through the depths of the forest.

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

Having lost most of its strength from being dipped in holy water, the shadow went limp.

I carried the shadow and returned to the encampment. Just in case, I put the sword I had used back into the bundle.

'I'll look into it later.'

Why this weapon was in my bundle was as unprecedented as the disappearance of my dinner yesterday.

Returning to the encampment, I saw that security had been significantly tightened.

"?"

Soldiers stood guard with a heightened sense of alertness.

One of them spotted me and shouted cheerfully.

"Priest! You're safe!"

"Uh... what happened?"

"You suddenly disappeared, and Priest Marin testified that you chased after the dark mage into the forest, but we were suspicious... We're currently conducting an interview."

Isn't that torture?

"Please guide me there immediately."

"Follow me."

The soldier led me to a tent. I could sense a commotion inside.

I passed through the tent flap and entered. Reinhardt was pouring holy water over Marin's head.

Oh, what a waste of precious holy water!

"Uwaaa... no, it's not true..."

"There's no reaction to the holy water."

"Really? Then bring the divine artifact..."

"What are you doing?"

Why were they pouring precious holy water over his head?

When I spoke with a dumbfounded expression, Reinhardt, who had been pouring holy water over the priest's head, turned to me.

As if nothing had happened, he stopped pouring the holy water and handed the empty bottle to a servant beside him.

Then, after managing his expression, he burst into hearty laughter and approached me.

"Haha! It's a relief that you returned safely, Priest. I heard you entered the forest following the dark mage. It's truly fortunate!"

"No, I'm asking why you were pouring holy water."

"Because you suddenly disappeared, we were worried that Priest Marin might have colluded with the dark mage and caused your disappearance, so we were conducting a brief interview..."

"That's ridiculous. This isn't an interview, it's torture!"

"But if Priest Marin really colluded with the dark mage, he would be corrupted, so there should be a reaction to the holy water..."

"No, no. There's no way."

Magical power doesn't disappear just by recklessly pouring holy water like that.

In the first place, holy water doesn't react to magical power itself, but rather to a soul 'contaminated' by 'magical power.'

Reinhardt had a bewildered expression at my words.

"But the High Priest last time did this..."

"That's a purification ritual done with prayer. Anyway, step aside. I've caught the dark mage."

I threw the shadow, which I was holding like a rag, into the middle of the encampment.

Thud.

"Wh-What is this?"

"It's the dark mage. The spiritual body, that is, the main body. He tried to frame you and escape."

"D-Dark... S-So, you're saying I was framed..."

Marin, covered in tears and holy water, was released from his restraints.

Reinhardt cleared his throat and changed the subject.

"Then we just need to kill this dark mage."

«Ugh... W-What? K-Kill?»

"Not yet."

"But Priest, dark mages are extremely wicked, and we never know what they might do..."

"I know better than you, so don't worry about it. More importantly, shouldn't you take care of something else first? You tortured this priest."

"That's..."

Marin glared at Reinhardt while brushing the holy water-soaked hair off his face.

No matter how much of a noble he was, torturing (?) an innocent priest with holy water was undeniable.

"First, you sit here."

"But first, the dark mage..."

"Don't touch it, I said sit down."

I spoke firmly, glaring at him as he kept trying to change the subject.

Reinhardt's eyes met mine.

He slowly lowered his gaze and nodded.

"...I understand."

Why did he keep trying to change the subject?

Just in case, I had Marin hold the shadow.

Since it was soaked in holy water, simply holding it should be enough to subdue it.

"Knight."

"...Yes, Priest."

The knight with learned helplessness happened to be standing guard.

"Bring the others as well."

While I was at it, I might as well heal them all.

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

The examination didn't take long.

No one was contaminated, nor were there any dark mages among them.

"I'll receive the examination fee now."

"...Will 10 gold coins be enough?"

"Since there were no problems, that will be sufficient. If you pay later, I'll give you a 10% discount."

I even threw in a discount promotion just in case.

While examining Professor Niphella, I asked,

"Are you considered a noble as well, Professor?"

"I was granted the title of viscount."

"Then it's 10 gold coins."

"......"

'This is quite profitable.'

Looking at my bulging pockets, a satisfied smile crept onto my face.

But I had a slight question about the absence of dark mages.

'Why aren't there any?'

The dark mage disguised as a servant whom I subdued earlier wasn't the one who cast the curse.

He was probably... a minion of the dark mage.

'Was he acting alone?'

No way.

Since it was getting late, we decided to stay the night.

I slept comfortably, but it seemed to be a different story for the others.

"Ugh, this place is so uncomfortable..."

"My back..."

Two nobles were complaining endlessly, and the servants and knights who had to listen to their complaints looked completely exhausted after just one night.

'It seems like it really is an era of peace...'

I heard that this was normal in the past.

Niphella, perhaps having adapted to the situation, was still impeccably clean.

"...But what's that on your back?"

"Ah, it's a magically heated compress. My back hurts if I sleep on hard surfaces."

"......"

It seemed like he needed to take care of his health first.

I entered the tent where the dark mage was confined. Thanks to the knights and the holy water sprinkled everywhere, the dark mage couldn't move an inch.

"Are you asleep?"

"......"

This bastard is not asleep.

I nudged the dark mage's leg, who was pretending to be asleep.

"Hey, wake up."

"......"

"Should I pour holy water on you?"

When I spoke threateningly, the dark mage finally opened one eye slightly.

"You little shit want to die? How dare you pretend to be asleep?"

I kicked the dark mage.

They say appropriate violence is necessary when interrogating someone. I learned that from a movie, by the way.

Thud!

"Ugh!"

"If you don't answer properly, I'll pour holy water on your face. No, wait. Should I dip your fingers in first?"

The dark mage was someone whose soul was stained with magical power to its core.

Naturally, his body was also affected.

When I took out the holy water from my pocket and smiled, the dark mage opened his eyes wide and shouted urgently.

"W-Wait..."

Tsssss!

"Kyaaaak!"

"Are you ready to talk now?"

As I poured holy water on his finger, the dark mage screamed and writhed.

But I didn't care and continued pouring the holy water.

'This is how you use it properly.'

How wasteful it was to see the holy water poured over Marin's head earlier.

"P-Priest..."

"Shh."

I pushed Reinhardt, who kept trying to talk, aside and tossed the empty bottle behind me.

"Please leave for now."

"But,"

"Do you have a preference for how you want to be hit?"

"Of course not."

Reinhardt quietly left.

Inside the tent, where only the two of us, or rather, three of us, remained, I squatted in front of the dark mage and met his gaze.

"Do you feel like talking now?"

"Ugh..."

"Not yet? That's a shame. You need to tell me quickly so I can decide whether to let you go or not."

I spoke in a truly regretful voice and lifted the shadow, who had just regained consciousness.

"Well, this guy already said he'll talk. So I spared him."

"What...? Y-You, you traitor!"

«Traitor my ass! You became a dark mage because you wanted to live too!»

The shadow, feeling betrayed, shouted back, and the dark mage also gritted his teeth and spewed out curses indiscriminately.

«This son of a @#%!#@%*!»

«@#$!%$@#!)52!»

What a commotion.

"Stop."

As it got louder, I stopped them both.

"Gasp, gasp..."

«Gasp, gasp...»

The two, who had been spitting out curses like rapid-fire rappers, simultaneously gasped for breath.

But the light in their eyes hadn't died.

'They both want to live.'

I grinned and spread my palm wide.

"I'll spare the one who betrays the other first."

"...What?"

«...What?»

"Now, let the games begin."

There were five fingers on my palm. In other words, five seconds.

As I folded one finger and muttered "four," their faces filled with urgency.

"Three."

I folded another finger.

"Two."

Not going to talk?

"One."

Still not going to talk?

"Zero..."

As I reached for the holy water bottle, the shadow shouted urgently.

«Secret dungeon! Another dark mage is hiding in the secret dungeon!»

"You, you bastard..."

"Okay. You pass. You get 10 minutes in holy water."

"S-Save me... Kyaaaaaak!"

Good.

Before I leave this forest, I'll completely eliminate all these cockroaches.

And earn some money as a bonus.