Chapter 344: Party 2.5



Emilia sighed inwardly, doing her best to suppress the lingering doubts that threatened to creep into her heart.

She knew that, as the Saintess, she couldn’t afford to waver in her faith.

Her devotion to the Goddess was unwavering-her trust in Her absolute.

That much hadn’t changed in the slightest.

And yet… even with her steadfast belief, she couldn’t shake the unease settling deep within her chest.

Something about the divine light from yesterday felt too significant to ignore, like a missing piece of a much larger puzzle-one she needed to solve before the academy found itself plunged into an unseen crisis.

“I wish Miss Uriel could investigate with us…” Emilia mumbled, her voice tinged with quiet disappointment.

Vanessa, walking beside her, gave a small smile. “Well, she’s currently busy reassessing the events from yesterday. The academy’s internal affairs department is also conducting their own confidential briefing on what really happened,” she explained, her voice laced with understanding.

She glanced at Emilia, a knowing look in her eyes.

“Since, you know… we did eliminate a professor and all.”

Emilia frowned slightly at the reminder. It wasn’t as if she had forgotten, but hearing it out loud made the weight of the situation settle on her shoulders all over again.

Right now, she and Vanessa were making their way toward the site of the incident in the commercial district.

Their goal was simple: investigate what happened and uncover the true source of that overwhelming divine energy.

The area had already been sealed off and restricted by the academy, but Emilia had received special clearance from the principal himself.

That meant access wouldn’t be a problem.

Even so, she couldn’t shake the feeling that what they were about to uncover wouldn’t be something so easily explained.

Anna and Amon, Emilia’s personal guards, were at an all-time high alert.

After everything that had happened recently, their vigilance had never been more intense.

The two of them had received orders to return to the Holy See immediately to personally brief the Pope on the events that had transpired, including the mysterious explosion of divine energy from the day before.

Despite their duty, both Anna and Amon had insisted on staying by Emilia’s side for protection, fearing the unpredictable nature of the situation.

However, they had no choice but to comply with the Pope’s direct orders.

They were both loyal to Emilia, but they also knew their responsibility to the Church and the Holy See was paramount.

Their absence left Emilia with fewer trusted allies by her side, but she was determined not to let that stop her.

She couldn’t afford to sit idly by while the world around her seemed to unravel.

As much as she had hoped for more support, Emilia wasn’t one to back down.

Her mind constantly raced through the various possibilities and connections that could explain the unsettling events.

One such possibility came to mind-the dark-field eyes she had heard about in the medical wards.

The rumor had spread quickly, with patients displaying strange and unsettling symptoms. Some were even reported to be in a trance-like state.

That eerie incident had to be connected to the light from the previous day.

‘Could it be?’

Emilia thought, a growing sense of dread creeping into her.

‘Whatever that light was, it could very well be tied to the dark influence that affected those people.’

The unsettling thought that the explosion of divine energy was just the beginning of something far more dangerous weighed heavily on her.

And then there was the matter of the demonic cultists.

Emilia had been briefed on their unusual behavior. It was a known fact that the cultists had been growing bolder, acting with increasing frequency in various parts of the world.

However, something had changed after the divine surge yesterday.

The cultists seemed to have gone quiet, and not just at the academy-everywhere.

A part of her that it was due to the recent actions of the Paladins, or perhaps it was the growing presence of the Church itself, but the fact remained: the cultists had quieted all at

once.

Although the sudden silence from the demonic cultists brought Emilia a small sense of relief, it did little to ease the weight pressing on her shoulders.

The fact remained that there were still cultists lurking within the academy, hiding in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.

And then there was Professor Heinrich’s ominous warning.

Something about their plans already set in motion….

That single sentence echoed in her mind like an unshakable curse.

The cultists hadn’t been eradicated-far from it. Whatever their true intentions were, they were still at play.

Even though things had quieted down for now, Emilia knew this was just the calm before the

storm.

Just thinking about the sheer number of problems she was facing made her feel exhausted.

It wasn’t just about stopping the cultists; she had to ensure they had the strength to stand against the darkness when the time came.

She needed people she could trust-those who carried the light within them.

Alone, she was strong, but not invincible.

And…

One particular person came to mind.

A certain senior who had been carrying around a holy sword as if it were just another weapon.

Lucas.

That name had surfaced in various reports, often attached to feats that shouldn’t have been possible for an ordinary student.

The fact that he wielded a holy sword was already a testament to his potential.

A sword like that doesn’t simply fall into the hands of anyone.

The holy sword in his possession was a sacred treasure originally belonging to the Church.

Emilia was well aware of its nature-it was an ego weapon, a sword that possessed a will of its own, choosing its wielder based on their worthiness.

Which meant Lucas wasn’t just anyone.

He had been chosen.

The question that remained, however, was whether he was truly capable of wielding its full

power.

Being selected by the holy sword meant he possessed at least a sufficient level of divine energy, likely enough to rival some of the Paladins within the Holy Church.

Perhaps even enough to stand on par with her personal guards, Anna and Amon-both former Paladin Captains with immense combat experience.

Emilia had yet to meet him in person, so she didn’t know how much light truly resided within

him.

Divine energy alone wasn’t enough.

One needed the conviction to carry out the will of the heavens, the resolve to wield such power

against the darkness.

He needed to see the light within them first.

“Hey, Vanessa, have you ever met Senior Lucas before?”

“Hm? Can’t say I’ve actually met him, but I did saw him once during the class placement

exams. He was a really strong senior from the Knight Department- and stood out even

among the upperclassmen. Why do you ask?”

Emilia hesitated for a moment, gathering her thoughts. “I just have a feeling… He might be

able to help us.”

Vanessa raised an eyebrow, her expression turning curious. “So, does that mean he carries the

light within him as well?”

“Uhm…” Emilia frowned slightly, thinking it over. “I’m not entirely sure… but potentially,

yes.”

If Lucas really was someone they could trust, then having him as an ally would be invaluable.

The more people they had who could wield the light, the better their chances of pushing back the darkness festering in the academy.

Taking a deep breath, Emilia exhaled slowly, calming her restless mind.

She forced herself to push aside her unnecessary thoughts-her focus needed to be on the

investigation first.

Then she would seek out her senior, and then, maybe she could finally start deciphering the

last cryptic words the goddess had left her.

[Help, Riley Hell]

The supposed blessed son of the goddess… or at least, that’s what Emilia had thought he was.

Yet, no matter how many times she replayed those words in her head, she still didn’t

understand their meaning.

Why him?

Why did the goddess instruct her to help him?

More importantly, in what way was he supposed to help her?

Up until now, Riley had been completely uninvolved with everything happening behind the

scenes.

The cultists, the divine energy explosion, the mass teleportation of afflicted individuals— none of it had anything to do with him.

If he truly was meant to be a key figure in what was to come, then… why had he remained so

uninvolved?

For the first time, Emilia found herself questioning whether she had misinterpreted the goddess’s words that day.

Uriel mentioned that Senior Riley was back yesterday… so he’s probably somewhere around

the academy.

That much was clear.

But what Emilia couldn’t understand was why Uriel had seemed so shaken when she spoke

about him.

The way her voice had wavered… the unease in her eyes… It wasn’t like Uriel to be scared so

easily.

‘Now that I think about it… why was she all bandaged up yesterday?’

A flicker of unease ran through Emilia’s mind as she recalled the sight of Uriel wrapped in

bandages, as if she had just walked out of a battlefield after being healed to the extreme… She turned to Vanessa, who was walking beside her with an air of casual confidence. “Vanessa… did something happen during the Knight Department’s practical exam?”

“Hm?” Vanessa blinked, then hummed in thought. “Well… there are a few things I can think of. Why?”

“It’s just that… Didn’t you think Uriel’s appearance was a little strange yesterday?” Vanessa tilted her head slightly, as if only now considering it. “I did find it surprising at first,

but Stacia already gave me some context, so it wasn’t too shocking once I put the pieces

together.” “What do you mean?”

Vanessa smirked, as if relishing the opportunity to share something interesting. “From what I

heard, Senior Riley beat up all the S-Class Knight Department students.”

“…E-Eh? What?!” “That’s what Stacia told me,” Vanessa continued with a chuckle. “Apparently, it was an

alternative method to re-evaluate the S-Class students.”

Emilia’s mind blanked for a second.

Senior Riley… beat up all the S-Class students?

She had known that Riley was strong, but this? This was beyond anything she had expected.

‘But… Senior Riley didn’t seem like someone who would hurt a fly…’

The memory of him flashed through her mind-his calm demeanor, his polite way of

speaking.

She had never gotten the impression that he was the type to flaunt his strength or recklessly throw it around just to prove a point.

Why would he go that far just for a reevaluation?

BUMP !!!

Emilia’s thoughts were abruptly cut off as she rounded a corridor and slammed into

something solid.

Or rather… someone.

A sudden impact against an unyielding surface sent her stumbling backward.

Her balance faltered, her body tilting as she felt herself falling-

Until a firm hand caught her by the waist.

Her breath hitched. “O-Ouch…” she mumbled, blinking dazedly.

“I’m sorry about that… Hm?”

A deep, familiar voice reached her ears.

Emilia’s eyes widened as she slowly looked up, her vision meeting a strikingly familiar,

handsome face.

“…Senior Riley?”

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