An Angel Lives in the Academy
Chapter 120: The Angel Meets the Assassin (5)

Most religious scriptures contain accounts of the end of the world. Destruction by fire, destruction by flood, destruction by locusts. And destruction by corruption.

Such destruction always requires a proclamation.

A declaration that the world has entered its final days, and that sinners will not be saved.

And that proclamation is always,

An angel’s duty.

Angels blow their trumpets to announce the end of the world.

‘The end doesn't come suddenly.’

In Leffrey's hand, which was now concentrated with karma, a small ivory trumpet had appeared.

‘When people fall to corruption, consumed by rage, envy, and jealousy… when the world is darkened, and destruction seems like the only answer.’

Leffrey looked at the assassination department assistant teachers. They disliked him because he was an otherworldly being, hated him because the professor ordered them to, and were jealous of him because he was a talented student from another department.

‘They say that angels blew their trumpets to announce the end of the world.’

That’s why the name of this Angelic Ability is…

The Breath of the Angel Blowing Seven Trumpets.

The Breath of the Angel Blowing Seven Trumpets (Angelic Ability) Lv.1

Angels have many duties. The duty of a messenger of Heaven. The duty of a warrior who slays evil. The duty of a guardian angel who protects the world. And the duty of a judge who proclaims the end by blowing the trumpet.

But the sad truth is that most people only remember an angel’s last duty.

Forgetting the justice they tried to protect, forgetting the love they cherished, they only think of the coming judgment and salvation.

This Angelic Ability can shake the karma within the hearts of humans. If many are affected by the sound of the trumpets, [Special Effect: Song of Karma] is activated.

[Angelic abilities are activated by consuming Angelic Power.]

‘So, to summarize… it’s like a bard’s buff song. But with added scary features like brainwashing and agitation.’

Leffrey, holding the trumpet, was lost in thought.

Standing before him were the intimidating assistant teachers of the assassination department.

“Everyone, fighting is bad.”

Leffrey said those words, but these assistant teachers weren't the type to listen to such a gentle-looking boy.

“What are you saying? You’re not a child anymore.”

“Do you still have something to say?”

“How funny.”

Crack, crack—As ominous sounds came from their fists, Leffrey sighed and put the trumpet to his lips.

“So everyone shut u— be quiet and listen to my song!!!”

Naturally, the assassination department assistant teachers were professionals. And professionals don't let their guard down when they’re working.

‘Leffrey, he’s a genius who achieved decent grades during the first semester and even messed with the student council.’

The assistant teachers thought highly of Leffrey. They had witnessed his achievements with their own eyes.

‘And that Leffrey has summoned a trumpet and is holding it. That trumpet must be… imbued with some kind of troublesome power.’

So, when Leffrey blew the trumpet,

All the assistant teachers tensed up.

But the sound that echoed from the trumpet…

*Toot—Toot—Toooot—Toot—*

…sounded pathetic.

Although Leffrey blew on it with all his might, it didn't seem to trigger any special ability whatsoever. It just sounded funny.

“How was my performance? You’re all moved, right?”

Leffrey confidently raised his head.

The boy's two eyes sparkling brightly.

“What the…?”

The assistant teachers tilted their heads. A few even chuckled at the ridiculous sight.

“Kid, what are you doing?”

“Kuk, heh.”

“Pwahahaha, why is he so confident?”

The assistant teachers burst out laughing. Leffrey, seeing that, cleared his throat, ‘Ahem…’ and covered his reddened face.

‘It worked.’

People can't see, hear, smell, or taste karma. So the assistant teachers couldn’t hear the true sound of Leffrey’s trumpet.

And they were oblivious to the fact that the sound had dispelled the hatred and resentment within them, returning the laughter that had been lost to their negative emotions.

They thought they were simply laughing,

Because of a ridiculous situation.

They laughed heartily for the first time in a long while, then, feeling a little embarrassed, trailed off.

“Leffrey, was it? Anyway, we can’t give you any information about the Assassination Department.”

“Right, unless you have an official request…”

…And that's when the assistant teachers finally realized.

That Leffrey was already gone.

“Wait a moment.”

“Don’t tell me…”

The assistant teacher looked at the staff member sitting next to him.

The staff member, terrified, muttered,

“…We’ve been robbed. He took all our documents.”

“Damn it.”

Meanwhile, Leffrey…

‘Lord, please grant me the power to become a righteous thief…!’

…had become Leffrey, the Thief Angel.

Leffrey, having copied all the Assassination Department documents with magic, was now running towards the cathedral. Of course, with ‘Steps of the Fallen Angel Walking Through the Night’ activated.

‘I just have to reach the cathedral!’

If he could just get to the cathedral, the assistant teachers wouldn’t be able to catch him. Why? Because the cathedral was practically a fortress, more heavily protected than any other building at the Central Academy.

Leffrey flew swiftly,

And landed at his little cathedral.

‘Professor Merrill probably thought that I would eventually fight with the assassination department assistant teachers.’

A professor who hated otherworldly beings.

So she would naturally welcome a fight between humans and otherworldly beings.

‘But I can't let that happen.’

He had to avoid fighting. It’s much better to become a righteous thief, blessed by God… than to fight.

‘Professor Merrill must be watching me. If I had fought, Professor Merrill would have been disappointed, thinking all otherworldly beings are the same. But by resolving this without fighting…’

Leffrey, looking at the messages popping up, sank into thought. He felt he was almost there.

[Showing the light to a hero consumed by hatred is an angelic act!]

[You have gained Angelic Power.]

* * *

Merrill, watching the commotion unfolding in the Assassination Department, couldn’t hide her complex emotions.

‘Leffrey is strong. He’s an angel and the favorite student of the other professors. And considering the fact that he even defeated the demon king’s avatar…’

Leffrey could have easily subdued the Assassination Department office with force and taken whatever information he wanted.

Yet he didn't fight.

He distracted them with a strange trumpet because he didn't want to hurt anyone, then stole the information he wanted and escaped.

Such a foolishly kind method. But Merrill didn’t hate it.

‘No, from the beginning… To even antagonize the Assassination Department for the sake of a woman who has nothing…’

It started with that.

Merrill, disguised as a powerless civilian. And Leffrey, gently holding her hand, comforted her with kind words, telling her to trust him.

He was so incredibly cute,

But his actions were manly.

And he was pure, kind, and bright.

Fidget- fidget-

Merrill blushed a little as she recalled that moment.

‘I thought he was just saying empty words. I thought he would just make up an excuse and leave, saying it couldn’t be helped.’

But to think he would actually follow through with his promise.

For an otherworldly being to work so hard for a human he had no connection with, a human who couldn’t offer him anything.

Leffrey is really...

Merrill couldn't help but recall her past.

A certain swordsman, who fought for someone who had no connection to him, someone who couldn’t offer him anything.

Park Jin-ho.

‘But he’s an angel, one of the worst among those who came from the other world.’

Merrill felt herself wavering. She couldn’t understand why her heart pounded and her face flushed red whenever she thought about Leffrey.

Of course, Leffrey was the cutest and the coolest among all the boys she had ever seen, and his personality was incredibly good…

‘And I love his scent that reminds me of the vast sky and the way his eyes sparkle when he smiles is really pretty, and his golden hair shimmering in the sunlight is really love…’

ly?

Merrill bit her lip.

She couldn't possibly acknowledge these feelings.

Especially not for a hateful otherworldly being, and even worse, an angel!

Headmaster Iriel, who merged worlds and tainted the human world, and Demon King Luciel, who invaded the human world from the other world.

Those hateful angels.

But Leffrey…

“Professor. No, I mean Master.”

Koo Sang-hyuk, the assassination student who had been watching her, thought this was enough and slowly began to advise his master.

“You’ve realized by now, haven't you, master?”

Koo Sang-hyuk said,

“That Leffrey is different from the other otherworldly beings…”

Merrill shook her head. There are no ‘good’ otherworldly beings. Otherworldly beings were the ones who shattered the barrier of this world, bringing in monsters. They destroyed the human nations, turning humans into slaves. They even killed her parents and turned her into a plaything…

Grit—

Merrill put on her mask.

Hatred burned in her heart once again.

“Well then, I’ll test him one last time.”

Merrill made some kind of expression. Whether it was a happy expression, a sad expression, or a distorted expression, no one could know.

Not even herself.

“Using one of the worst otherworldly beings. The Mooncat Tribe.”

“No, Master. Are you serious? We decided to handle this internally within the Assassination Department.”

Koo Sang-hyuk asked in a trembling voice.

“Rescuing a student kidnapped by the Mooncat Tribe… it’s really dangerous. You know that too, right?”

“Yes, the Mooncat Tribe. A race with severe matriarchy and arrogance. They’re incredibly cruel and have long abandoned any conscience.”

Merrill continued,

“In addition, the Mooncat Tribe is very strict towards other races. They’ll never accept someone like Leffrey. A young male and an otherworldly being, to boot?”

Her voice trembled.

“Unless something unbelievable happened that made the entire tribe be redeemed…”

Surely, Leffrey would fall for this trap. Leffrey would be hurt and reveal his true nature.

Then… then…

Merrill’s heart was filled with complex emotions.

Headmaster Iriel, who merged worlds, bringing in otherworldly beings who killed her family and enslaved her. And Demon King Luciel, who was trying to destroy this world, the one who killed all her companions.

Leffrey, their kind. But Leffrey was so incredibly ‘lovely’ and kind that…

Complex emotions, complex thoughts.

She hated otherworldly beings, and she hated angels even more.

But…

“Ahhh…”

Merrill was glad she had her mask on.

If her face was revealed, they would see her pitiful state.

The sight of her holding back tears and rubbing her eyes. An act unbecoming of a Central Academy Professor.

* * *

“Ah, so noisy.”

“Don’t worry, it’ll be over soon. Professor Hexi should be arriving any minute now…”

Soya grumbled quietly.

The assassination department’s assistant teachers, unable to break through the cathedral's barrier, eventually had no choice but to retreat.

Of course, they had tried everything. They even tried to blow up the cathedral door with help from the Magical Studies Department assistant teachers, but…

The angel’s cathedral was too sturdy.

And when Professor Hexi, who resided here, came out to confront them, the Assassination Department assistant teachers had to leave, shame showed in their face.

Leffrey, watching the assistant teachers leave, examined the documents he had taken from the Assassination Department.

‘A month ago, Koo Jin-hwa, an illegitimate child of the Hanshin Guild, a second-year student from the Assassination Department, was dispatched to the Old Citadel and went missing…’

So there really was a missing student. The assassination department students had such a low profile that it seemed even this kind of incident could be easily buried.

Leffrey quickly read the next page.

‘The Mooncat Tribe is demanding a ransom. Professor Merrill refused to pay, saying that they couldn’t yield to the demands of terrorist otherworldly beings. An operation to subdue the Mooncat Tribe in the Old Citadel was proposed at the Central Superhuman Academy professors’ meeting, but it is currently on hold because it’s too dangerous.’

That made sense. An operation to subdue the Mooncat Tribe in their own territory. It would definitely be a dangerous mission, even for the professors.

After reading everything, Leffrey said,

“This is easy.”

Leffrey, looking at the pink cat that was clinging to him, muttered those words. The pink cat, with an expression that said “Kitty knows nothing”, meowed.

It might be difficult for the professors,

But it was an easy task for Leffrey.

It was time to meet the assassin cats.