An Angel Lives in the Academy
Chapter 183: The Angel Who Receives Observation Class (6)

Blue blood flowed onto the azure blade.

The cold metal becomes coated in hot liquid.

The frightened junior’s expression mirrored Leffrey’s own frightened face.

“Ah, no.”

A single drop. Just one drop of blood.

However, both Leffrey, and his junior, who had seen countless amounts of blood shed, were frozen in place, staring at that drop of blood.

“I’ll heal you right away.”

Trembling trembling. Seeing the junior's pupils submerged in fear, Leffrey approached while clumsily speaking.

“I… I will take care of the healing myself.”

His voice and attitude, everything about him, suggested he was looking at something terrifying.

As if he were looking at a ghost or a monster, or perhaps even a demon.

“…..”

Leffrey was a little shocked by that. It had been over a year since he awakened as an angel, and not once had he been the source of another’s fear…

A display case with products arranged inside.

His own reflection in the glass before it.

That image of himself holding a blood-stained dagger with such a cold expression.

Sicario.

The appearance of an assassin holding a dagger.

Seeing this reflection, Leffrey could not utter a word.

Could Leffrey truly handle seeing himself like this. What thoughts could possibly be running through this boy's mind as he stares at this glass window.

“I'm sorry. I, really, didn't intend to scare you.”

The boy’s voice trembled.

That trembling voice answered the earlier question.

“I, I really, didn’t want to do this.”

Sob- His emerald eyes welled up with tears. Leffrey, unable to show his tears to his junior, quickly wiped his eyes with his sleeve, but…

“I had no choice, but to do this.”

Sob sob—

Even though he tried his hardest to make his voice sound more mature, it would not cooperate.

Unless he was Leffrey, the Voice Actor Angel, there was no way to hide the fact that his voice is becoming choked up.

“I had no other…”

“…Senior.”

The junior, seeing him like that, approached him again.

Although he had been terrified just a moment ago, that fear had now completely vanished.

The sight of the beautiful boy, who somehow looks like an angel, desperately holding back tears made even the junior, whose emotions had been quite worn down from a rough life, feel something.

Emotions like sympathy or pity.

“Ah, why are you acting like this, just because you showed a bit of killing intent.”

The junior moved his lips, finding it strange that he was feeling such emotions.

“It’s fine. Well, you can show some killing intent during a spar. It’s my fault for being a pussy and being scared by it, what the.”

The junior belittling himself.

Scratching his head as if confused by his own behavior, he continued speaking.

“How can anyone live without showing any killing intent? In a life where you’ll encounter a truckload of people you want to kill. You’ve lived too kindly, senior. Even an angel wouldn’t be able to live like that.”

Words of comfort that cut deep.

As if he knew that Leffrey was an angel.

Although it was surely just a coincidence, Leffrey’s thoughts became complex as he heard those words.

Killing intent. The desire to kill another.

Yes.

Leffrey, right now, wanted to kill someone.

And he couldn’t deny it.

‘That’s right. Angels shouldn't ever think about killing someone, absolutely not. Why can’t angels curse? Why would they become a demon or fallen angel from committing even the slightest misdeed? Because they’re incredibly pure beings… the whitest of beings…’

If even a slight impurity stains them, they cease to be angels.

But the human heart is called the ‘heart’ because it doesn't follow commands. If the heart could be manipulated like typing commands on a keyboard…

How could all that love, all that hate, all that tragedy, all that comedy emerge.

‘But I can’t help it.’

This emotion of hating someone, to such an extent, was undoubtedly unavoidable.

It was truly difficult to endure and control.

‘My heart hates those bastards so much.’

Throb—Leffrey felt a pain in his chest, wiping away his last tears.

“Thank you. Ugh, I’ve shown you such an embarrassing side of me.”

Leffrey made a fake smile. The junior, seeing that smile, was momentarily speechless.

Eyes brimming with tears and a smile that seemed barely maintained.

A fragile beauty.

Like looking at an exquisite glass artwork that could shatter at any moment.

The junior quickly spoke while hiding his reddened cheeks.

“Ah, please don’t mention it.”

And then he scolded himself, blushing at the sight of another man? That absolutely must not happen. Even though Senior Leffrey is more beautiful than most girls.

After reprimanding himself like that, he spoke as if nothing has happened.

“Why don’t we take a break before continuing? It doesn’t seem like you’ll be able to train in this state.”

“W-Would that be okay?”

“Of course.”

With that, the junior promptly sat down on a nearby destroyed sofa.

“Do you know my name?”

“Yes, your name was Gori, right?”

“Ah, I am honored. To think you would remember my name.”

Gori. A boy who, despite belonging to no family or guild, was considered as the next promising talent in the Swordsmanship Department.

His sharp features and the scars that covered his body made him look like a thug or a gangster, but he was actually a little different.

Gori wasn't just some simple thug or gangster.

No affiliated school of swordsmanship.

He didn’t follow any particular sword style.

He simply used swordsmanship to survive and kill his enemies. And with that alone, he stood at the top of the first-year Swordsmanship Department.

That was Gori.

“Honestly, your killing intent was terrifying. I’ve been living in the underworld since I could talk… but I’ve rarely felt such a thick killing intent like yours, senior Leffrey. No, perhaps this is the first time.”

“Ugh, I’m sorry.”

“No, there’s nothing to apologize for. I mean it. I'm saying this with respect, your killing intent, it's good killing intent.”

Gori, with a cheerful expression, said those words that were far from cheerful.

“Senior, you’ll surely become a great killing master. I’m sure of it.”

“A killing master, I don’t want to be anything like that.”

“Huh? From guild masters around the world to Professor Park Jin-ho... They are all killing masters, but you don't want to become a master like that? Then why did you come to the academy?”

Snicker snicker- Gori lets out a light, almost thug-like laugh. Leffrey was slightly flustered, unsure of what to say.

“The term 'killing master' does sound a bit vulgar. However.”

Gori opened his mouth.

“In this world, there’s no greater compliment.”

Leffrey knew that this boy, Gori, was saying this to console him.

And he knew that nothing Gori had said was wrong.

“It seems you’re not very familiar with killing intent and murder. Consider this fate, then. Shall I help you out from today?”

“It's fine.”

“You don't look fine at all? Killing intent at that level will tear your heart apart if you don’t resolve it. Be honest. It hurts, right? That is how it starts.”

Flinch- Leffrey hurriedly gathered his belongings and prepared to leave the training hall.

‘Become accustomed to killing intent and murder. How is that even possible.’

Such a being, wouldn't that be too much like a demon.

How could a being like that be called an angel.

‘Are you still clinging to being an angel when you've already abandoned that life? Leffrey, you’ve already decided to take revenge. On the day of the observation class, that's when, while looking into their faces…’

Just whose thoughts were these.

Leffrey's thoughts.

Or perhaps, the thoughts of the demon king that resides within Leffrey's heart.

‘That’s why you abandoned those children you were protecting and decided to follow your wicked desires.’

[Demonic power is reacting.]

The demon king is growing in his heart.

Leffrey could clearly feel its presence lately.

‘I don’t know anymore.’

Leffrey, the clueless angel. He didn't know what he should do, didn't know what he had to abandon.

‘I really don’t know what to do anymore…’

And the junior’s voice came again.

“Senior, I know how to resolve that killing intent. I’m saying this with absolutely no ulterior motives, so trust me this once.”

“Stop meddling.”

Tremble tremble- Leffrey's voice shook.

“I can handle it myself.”

And Leffrey left the training hall with quick steps. Watching Leffrey's retreating back, Gori muttered.

“How unfortunate. I wonder why the next master of the Old Citadel didn't teach you how to deal with killing intent.”

Smirk- Gori making a somewhat cold smile.

“Things are about to become much easier.”

He said those words while watching Leffrey hurrying out of the training hall.

* * *

Killing intent.

An aura that emanates when one has the desire to kill another.

Long ago, before the era of superhumans, the phrase, ‘I felt killing intent’, was used interchangeably with ‘I felt murderous intent.’ In other words, it could be interpreted as feeling that the other person was thinking about wanting to kill something.

It meant there wasn’t actually some kind of ‘killing aura.’

However, a superhuman’s killing intent was a real, tangible force.

It lowers the surrounding temperature, paralyzes the nerves of those who can sense it, and sends the part of the brain, amygdala, which controls fear and anxiety, into overdrive.

And if that energy isn’t dispelled, it could even freeze the heart.

‘When the heart actually freezes like that, they'll become a murder monster consumed by killing intent.’

Leffrey continued reading the book.

‘Those consumed by killing intent are said to have suffered a mana break.’

And finally, the last paragraph.

Leffrey had no choice but to close the book immediately after reading that paragraph.

‘There is no way to save those who have suffered a mana break. If you try to save them, they’ll cut you down, and if you try to melt their heart, they’ll burn you to ashes. The only salvation for them is to be eliminated.’

This was Leffrey’s future.

A murder monster whose heart had frozen over.

To be more precise, he would be called the Murder Angel.

“Am I also falling like that.”

Leffrey put down the book with trembling hands.

He wanted help.

He wished someone would show him the way.

What exactly he should do.

Please, let him know what the right answer is.

[‘Senior, I know how to resolve that killing intent. I’m saying this with absolutely no ulterior motives, so trust me this once.’]

The image of one junior comes to mind in that moment.

That junior with somewhat delinquent-like features, but the many small scars around his face gave off an absolutely unmistakable atmosphere.

He said his name was Gori.

“Help…”

He didn't believe the ‘no ulterior motive’ part, but he did believe that Gori knew how to resolve killing intent.

‘An angel’s killing intent is terrifying. More dangerous than that of any other being.’

The demon king had proven that.

The demon king’s killing intent was literally strong enough to freeze a superhuman's heart solid and turn them into a demon.

Probably since they were the same kind, Leffrey must have such killing intent too.

‘Yet the fact that he only flinched and be unharmed by it.’

Since that boy had simply flinched at a murderous angel's killing intent, he must have experienced many types of killing intent.

“Haa.”

Barely dragging his reluctant feet forward, Leffrey headed toward the first-year dormitory.