Chapter 126 : Chapter 126
Chapter 126
As if he had mastered mind-reading, the Star Child asked me.
“The three great desires. Wouldn’t they be sleep, hunger, and lust?”
“And?”
“Well… the instinct to survive, I suppose.”
“Anything else?”
“….”
What was he getting at?
I decided to list everything that came to mind.
“Uncontrollable fear.”
I had felt it before countless trials.
“Jealousy consumed by inferiority.”
A shared emotion between Kim An-hyun and Martin.
“Endless pessimism and resentment.”
Feelings I held toward this world.
After hearing that, the Star Child casually remarked.
“So, how much would you give up for that maid girl?”
“…!”
My mind went blank for a moment.
For about five seconds, I couldn’t think at all…
“If someone told you to give up your three great desires and die, or else they’d kill the maid, what would you do?”
“I’d do it.”
“If you were told to fight an invincible enemy like a demon lord?”
“I’d fight to protect her.”
“If you were asked to cooperate with someone consumed by endless jealousy?”
“I’d manage it.”
“If you were told to save the world, even if you wanted to burn it all down?”
“I’d save it.”
Martin felt his breath catch.
“…I think I could give up everything….”
“That’s love.”
It wasn’t like I’d accomplished grand feats with Lilac.
We hadn’t saved the world together, searched for treasures, or overcome great hardships.
She simply… welcomed me when I returned.
Even when I had cruelly mistreated her in the past, when the whole world condemned me, when my body was battered and broken.
I had consistently received unwavering love from Lilac.
“Cosmos responds to earnest wishes. The greatest of them… is the Prayer of Love. A prayer made for the one you love.”
“So, what is it…?”
“….”
The Star Child fell silent for a moment.
“…According to ancient texts, true love transcends limits and grants the power to reach lofty heights… but honestly, I don’t know. In my centuries of life, I’ve never seen it or experienced it. The last record was 700 years ago.”
“….”
It was just vague talk.
‘Good.’
I had been so nervous, wondering if there was something more.
“I’ll be off then.”
“Where are you going?”
“The integrated treatment center.”
The integrated treatment center was where the injured from this terror attack were being treated.
A place with top medical staff from across the continent and priests from the church…
“Why there?”
“To announce the Peacemaker’s existence. Oh, just me, not you.”
“…!”
He explained, seeing my surprise.
“We need to show that darkness isn’t the only thing lurking beneath the surface.”
I swallowed hard.
This could mean officially taking on Peacemaker duties.
“I’ve got two candidates in mind. Potential Diamond Knights.”
Diamond Knights.
The legendary rank surpassing the Platinum Knights, hailed as the strongest.
The Star Child pulled out a profile file from his coat.
Probably made at Marquis Arnold’s request.
“Gilbert. A cadet of unknown origins, a commoner, untraceable even by the Elidore family’s intelligence.”
As expected, him.
“And Hectia. The genius of Platinum Numbering No.1.”
Hectia?
Why her, all of a sudden?
“They’re both in critical condition.”
I remembered.
Gilbert had been pierced by Brahmus' weapon and pinned to a building.
Hectia’s body had been saturated with demonic energy.
‘Damn, was I too close to death to check on them?’
They couldn’t die.
Brahmus was merely a skirmish, not even a prelude.
Compared to the great apocalypse to come…
“Please save them.”
“Of course, that’s why I’m going. So, rest well in the meantime.”
With a chuckle, the Star Child vanished in a blink.
***
I honestly don’t know how the past week passed.
There were too many small matters.
“Martin! Martin! Thank you, really…!”
Luri rushed to me, saying she had contracted with the Fire Spirit King and would strive harder to fight alongside me.
Then Adela came.
Wearing the golden hierophant prominently.
“Shall I show you my skill with this artifact and leave you in awe?”
It wasn’t the tarnished gold described in the original… but a truly dazzling golden hue.
Only those two, who had faced life and death with me, visited.
Princess Anette, the protagonist’s party, Hectia, and others… most were likely bedridden with miraculous survival-level injuries.
“The Imperium Empire, the Humanity Preservation Agency, and the Grand Church. They say the three organizations and leaders of various nations are holding a summit. Since Marquis Elidore is attending… I’m going to eavesdrop for a bit.”
With the Star Child off again, I had to rely on Lilac for minor updates.
“There’s going to be a joint funeral.”
Over a hundred people—cadets, teaching assistants, and teachers—had died.
A painful sacrifice.
Of course, it wasn’t all bad news.
There was some deeply personal good news.
“We’ve saved enough for the move!”
With steady business, sales from the Grand Festival, various rewards, and policy grants, we could finally move to a new house.
“When you’re discharged, Master, I’ll take you there.”
Even if I didn’t go, Nerjin would handle it well.
I wasn’t much help in these matters.
“It’s a quiet place with a park right in front. I’m sure you’ll love it, Master.”
“A park?”
I asked.
“You mentioned it a few months ago, Master. That you wanted to go to a place full of flowers someday.”
“Oh.”
That was something I’d said thinking of Lilac.
A place full of flowers like her.
For her alone.
“Yeah, that sounds nice.”
There were also major changes to Imperium Academy’s structure.
I received the news via letter.
[…Thus, the Vice Principal, who failed in their duty to protect cadets, has been stripped of their position….]
It was a notice written personally by the Principal, the Archmage of Imperium Academy.
[…Acknowledging that Imperium Academy’s education system has clung to outdated traditions, future cadet classes will follow a more rigorous, practical curriculum….]
A curriculum by the Archmage.
I was curious how intense it would be.
Soon after, the Star Child returned from the summit.
The results were very positive.
“Humanity has decided to add demon worshippers to the top public enemy list alongside Time Chaos Dungeons.”
Until now, Time Chaos Dungeons had been humanity’s primary foe.
Anyone in the know would be shocked.
That’s how much impact Brahmus' descent had.
“Half the forces pushing back and conquering Time Chaos Dungeons at the border will return to the mainland to root out demon worshippers. Until the interior is stabilized by eliminating them, only minimal efforts to prevent dungeon encroachment will continue.”
Half.
In terms of Platinum Knights, that meant 17 out of 35 would return.
“There’ll likely be a massive search and purge soon.”
The Star Child looked relieved.
‘Is this… right?’
I couldn’t be entirely happy.
‘This development… was supposed to happen in the mid-to-late story….’
It was an event meant for when Gilbert graduated in his third year.
Since it was the Grand Festival in the fall of first year… it had been accelerated by two years.
“You don’t look thrilled, Martin.”
“…Yeah, something’s nagging at me. But it’s fine.”
Things were definitely improving.
The Star Child before me was living proof.
In the early days of possessing Martin, many incidents arose from people mistaking me for him, but what problems could there be now?
‘Wait, no.’
Princess Adela.
She had once obsessively sought the Peacemaker.
‘Hold on.’
Nerjin.
The last heir of the Wisdrammus alchemical family, former head of the dimension research institute.
‘Come to think of it.’
Gilbert.
Of the Cosmos Empire’s imperial bloodline.
‘This is more than one or two problems!’
Should I say something now?
“Oh, I heard the academy’s break is ending soon. You’ll be back in action, right?”
“Yeah, well…”
“Then take care of yourself until then. I’m off. Contact me through Marquis Elidore, as you know.”
I couldn’t stop the Star Child, who seemed to have urgent business.
“Oh, and!”
He turned back to look at me.
“Your handling of the rosary was a complete mess!”
He suddenly hit me with a fact.
“Ugh, that’s not how you use a rosary.”
“…Uh, yeah…”
He was centuries older and technically my mentor, so I couldn’t argue.
…And it was true.
I had wielded the rosary, a final weapon against demons like Brahmus, pathetically.
“So, Martin, next time I’ll teach you the proper way to use the rosary.”
“…! Please…!”
My eyes lit up.
Right now, even…
“See you!”
The Star Child vanished in a blink.
“….”
Leaving me with nothing but anticipation.
***
And so, the week of rest ended.
Imperium Academy was perfectly restored, as if nothing had happened.
The only thing that couldn’t be restored was.
“….”
“….”
People.
“….”
“….”
Class A’s atmosphere was grim.
The number of cadets, once nearly 40, had dwindled to 20.
Memorial flowers on empty desks signified their owners’ fates.
Desks with neither flowers nor owners belonged to deserters.
Class B was likely the same.
Classes C and D, mentioned only by name in the story, too.
‘…Bleak.’
I didn’t want to dwell on what this week’s closure meant to them.
‘It was horrific.’
When Brahmus appeared, the Academy turned into a living hell.
Even recalling it sent chills down my spine.
‘But.’
Look.
Could anyone say it was meaningless?
‘Those who remain here overcame even that.’
They not only survived the chaos of hell but conquered their fear to sit here.
Look at the bandages and splints they wore.
It must have taken courage equal to or greater than their wounds.
Whether driven by ambition, bravery, duty, revenge, hatred, or anger.
Their reasons for returning didn’t matter.
They were here.
Their presence was so intense that.
“H-Hello.”
The teacher at the podium was intimidated by their aura.
“Since Teacher Hectia is recovering from injuries for an extended period, I’ll be temporarily taking over as Class A’s homeroom teacher—no, I’ve been officially appointed as a teacher…”
Yet the teacher at the podium was a hero who survived that day.
“I’m Hailey von Lua Etrande.”
Even if she looked like a pink chick resembling spring, the courage within her was as fierce as a mother hen shielding her chicks from a storm.
“You’ve all come with your own resolve, haven’t you?”
It wasn’t a question expecting an answer.
She knew, and it meant to be prepared.
“Without further ado, let’s dive into the curriculum you’ll be tackling.”
Hailey extended her hand, and a magical hologram appeared on the blackboard.
“The Academy has established a new curriculum suited for the new era and to prepare for humanity’s newly designated public enemy. The education will focus heavily on practical combat training.”
The hologram displayed the upcoming curriculum in video form.
At a glance, it didn’t look easy.
Giant monster battles, close-quarters combat, magical warfare, underwater battles, aerial battles… and combat against demons.
When the video ended, a new class assignment chart appeared.
“Based on the emergency curriculum, we’ve decided to reorganize classes by skill level, moving away from the previous system that ensured minimal fairness and respect for individuality.”
Skill-based class assignments.
A complete overhaul of the Academy’s policy, which had balanced the combat strength of the four classes.
“I’ll now call names.”
Class D was for failures.
Only two went there.
Class C was below average.
About three went there.
Class B was above average.
Seven were called.
“Class A, I’ll call now.”
In truth, only eight of the 20 hadn’t been called.
They were all that remained.
“Gilbert, Lina, Elisha, Bord, Mary, Martin, Adela, Anette. These eight are the elite Class A.”