An Angel Lives in the Academy
Chapter 24: The Angel Who Drew the Holy Sword (1)

Fairy Martial Arts, True Cheongu Swordsmanship, and Klein-style Magic. As far as Leffrey knew, all of these skills were considered among the best in their respective fields.

Fairy Martial Arts, as Lusa had mentioned, was a fighting style that contained the essence of ten thousand years of the Elven Royal Family's history. Among similar martial arts and fighting styles, there was none that could match its level.

Cheongu Swordsmanship was a martial art renowned for its strength in the human world. Every superhuman swordsman aspired to learn it at least once, which spoke volumes about its fame. Even this 'ordinary' Cheongu Swordsmanship was considerably powerful, but its true strength could only be seen when using a holy sword to execute its techniques.

Cheongu Swordsmanship performed with a holy sword was called True Cheongu Swordsmanship. There was only one user, Park Jin-ho, the master of Cheongu Swordsmanship.

Park Jin-ho's True Cheongu Swordsmanship was…

'Terrifyingly powerful. If it weren't for Geomma, Park Jin-ho could have taken off one of the demon king's arms.'

It was known to be incredibly strong.

Lastly, Klein-style Magic…

'Unlike other magical arts that focus on academic research, Klein-style Magic is practical and combat-oriented. That's why it's easier to learn and much more powerful than other magical arts.'

Of course, even if it was easier to learn, it was still a skill that required borrowing at least 20% of Soya's magical talent to master.

'Professor Klein said he simplified it, but why does it all look like alien language?'

Leffrey put down the Klein-style Magic textbook. It was a book that Professor Klein had lent him out of favoritism, a terrifying item with value comparable to ancient magical tomes. Naturally, this also meant that Klein-style Magic was that powerful.

Of course, since it was such a book, understanding even one sentence was a struggle without Soya's talent.

'It's a shame...'

In other words, he was still far from becoming Leffrey, the magical angel.

"Whew..."

Leffrey put down the magic textbook and fell into thought. He needed to endure the three classes a little longer to raise the level of these skills, and once they were all at a decent level, he would have to choose one department.

Then which department should he choose?

Each department had its pros and cons. He liked the classmates in the martial arts department, but the professor was too violent. The swordsmanship department was the strongest and largest department, but it had a military-like atmosphere. The magical studies department was the most decent, but Leffrey had no talent for magic. Plus, his classmates disliked him.

"Hmm..."

While Leffrey was lost in thought,

a pot started bubbling next to him.

"Hmm... it's almost dinner time, why isn't she back yet?"

The boy tasted the stew that was simmering. A moderate savory and spicy flavor, and a somehow comforting aroma…

It was home-cooked food that transcended home-cooked food.

"This is a scary flavor..."

Was this the power of master-level cooking? Once you ate it, you wanted to keep eating and to gobble it up.

"I'm hungry."

But Leffrey couldn't eat alone. If he did, he wouldn't get the Angelic Power that came from 'being with a lonely girl'.

'I have no choice but to go find her.'

Leffrey put on his coat and stepped outside the cathedral. Although the cold atmosphere had subsided as winter passed, it was still quite chilly in the evenings.

Fortunately, he found Soya quickly.

Soya's characteristic condescending voice came from a park a little ways from the cathedral.

"What? What did you say?"

And from the way she was talking, it seemed like she was fighting again.

Leffrey smiled slightly at the sight.

It was another opportunity to gain Angelic Power, as 'preventing discord among future heroes' was an angelic act.

"You touched what's mine... I said you have no shame, witch."

"Who has no shame?"

Two girls were having a conversation in the park. The girl wearing a black wizard hat and robe, holding a gloomy spellbook, was Soya, and the girl with a taller stature and flowing pink hair was Hongwol.

Why on earth were they fighting?

Leffrey cautiously hid behind a tree.

He wasn't planning on watching a fight, but he needed to know why they were fighting, right?

"Think carefully. If it weren't for the boy, you wouldn't have been able to enter this school, and even if you had, you would have been experiencing hell in the dormitory."

"It's true that I received his help, but... it's none of your business!"

"You have no conscience. Was that just 'help'? Why on earth is Leffrey..."

Hongwol leisurely patted Soya's shoulder.

"So you act cute and try to win his favor. Because you're nothing without the boy. Don't you understand yet? You're just a parasite."

"Shut up."

Rumble- Crash-

Soya cast a ‘Hand of Darkness’. It was the pinnacle of 4th tier black magic, a spell that would take most mages ten minutes to cast, and she had cast it instantly without chanting.

Of course, its power wasn't diminished in the slightest.

"It's none of your business. He doesn't see me that way...!"

"Really?"

"And I-I don't care about him either!"

However, Hongwol brushed aside all the black hands with a sneer. And once you attack, you have to defend.

And Soya didn't know how to defend.

"Kyaa!"

"You don't care... then why don't you dry your hair with magic in the morning? Why do you walk to class with the boy even though you can teleport directly to the department? Why?"

Hongwol trampled on Soya and let out a cruel laugh.

And Soya…

started sobbing again.

"You think you wouldn't do the same?"

"...What?"

"You think you wouldn't do the same...!"

Silence fell. Hongwol's sneer vanished in an instant, and she bit her lip for a moment before muttering with a blank expression,

"Yeah, I wouldn't. The Mooncat tribe doesn't associate with men, we own them."

"...Great. Just a bunch of thugs."

"I am Hongwol, the next chief of the Mooncat tribe. Do you think I would ever act cute or fawn over a man? Never."

Leaving those words behind, Hongwol disappeared in an instant. Soya, left alone, wiped her tears with her sleeve and muttered,

"T-This damn black magic-hating cat..."

Soya brushed the dust off her clothes and snapped her fingers. At that moment, the girl disappeared with a blue light.

"Teleport?"

Leffrey muttered.

What? Was what Hongwol said true? To cast teleport so casually, a spell that even 6th tier mages could barely manage?

"...This is a bit scary."

Soya was becoming strong too quickly.

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Returning to the cathedral, Leffrey pretended not to notice and muttered,

"Huh? Soya, where were you? Did you roll around dirt?"

"Ah, this... it's nothing."

If she wanted to brush it off like that, he had no choice. Leffrey brushed off Soya's robe a few times and put it in the laundry basket.

"Leffrey, you..."

"Yeah, why?"

"What would you do if someone stronger than me, taller, richer... anyway, if someone like that asked you to live with them?"

Leffrey couldn't help but ask while preparing dinner,

"Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"

"No, just..."

"It doesn't matter who asks me to live with them. We promised to live together."

Could anyone who asked him to live with them compare to Soya, who provided him with Angelic Power every day? The boy placed the stew in the center of the table and smiled as he said,

"So... I won't leave you."

It was a kind word. Of course, it was just words, and the meaning was filled with Leffrey's desire to get more Angelic Power…

But Soya was a little touched.

So she abandoned her arrogant attitude and muttered in a somewhat awkward manner,

"You have to keep that promise. If you break a promise with a black mage... something scary might happen..."

And she even looked a bit desperate.

When night fell, Soya came out of the shower and proudly presented her hair. Leffrey silently and gently dried her hair.

At that moment, Hongwol's sneer came to mind.

'You don't care... then why don't you dry your hair with magic in the morning?'

Perhaps it was because of loneliness.

It was an emotion that the boy knew all too well.

Leffrey thought that this much... he could do even if he didn't get any Angelic Power.

"There, all done."

Leffrey said as he carefully combed Soya's hair. Although he would have dreams of his childhood again tonight…

Perhaps tonight, both of them would be able to sleep peacefully.

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Actually, there was one more class that Leffrey had to take. It was the divine power class, mandatory for those with divine power.

This class was taught by Professor Rebecca.

Rebecca. In another world, she was called a saint, a powerful divine power user and one of the professors at the Central Academy, the true enemies of the demon king.

She hid her faded blonde hair with a veil and had pale skin that was almost too white. Always dressed in a neat nun's habit, she concealed deep worries behind her smile.

Leffrey found her awkward.

Because…

For some reason, she seemed like she had chuunibyou (eighth-grader syndrome).

"Isn't it fascinating? That the legend of 'Cain' exists in both our world and this one."

"...Haha, it is."

Rebecca didn't teach about divine power. She said that divine power was a force that harmed the user's body, so its use should be minimized... of course, other superhumans didn't care about that…

She said with deep resentment,

"Looking at things like that, this truth seems to be quite old. Perhaps older than any religion."

"What truth is that?"

Although Rebecca's gaze was directed at Leffrey, she was looking far into the distance.

"The law of the jungle... Survival of the fittest."

Rebecca smiled. No, for a saintly person to smile while saying something like this…

'This is a saint...?'

Leffrey couldn't laugh.

"Since before humans created language, they have been smashing their brothers' heads with stones. That is the origin of humanity. In the end, humans... are all just descendants of murderers."

It was a terrifying statement. Why did this saint hate humans so much? Leffrey had no choice but to make up a few words to gain Angelic Power.

"...We are not descendants of murderers. We are descendants of farmers, blacksmiths, and people who protect their families... ordinary people like that."

The boy smiled slightly and said with an angelic expression,

"Just like you, professor."

"...!"

[Soothing the heart of a wounded hero is a truly angelic act!]

[You have acquired a large amount of Angelic Power.]

'Yes! This is what I like about divine power class. I can farm Angelic Power through Professor Rebecca.'

'Just like you, professor.'

It was truly heartwarming words. Words she rarely heard from other divine power users... Why was this boy so pure, as if he hadn't been tainted by anything?

Rebecca always wondered about that.

We divine power users sacrificed our lives for humanity, yet we didn't receive proper compensation…

'Come to think of it, that's right. He restored the cathedral without any self-interest...'

Rebecca bit her lip. Every time she heard the boy's answer, she felt pity for him because he reminded her of her past self. But... she didn't dislike it.

"...That's all for today's class."

"Yes."

It was a welcome sound.

Leffrey quickly got up and packed his things.

"It's good that class ended early."

If there was one good thing about divine power class, it was that it ended very quickly.

"Meow..."

However, the fact that divine power class ended early was a misfortune for someone. For example, a cat who had sneaked into the cathedral during the long class, thinking the boy would be there.

It could be a misfortune for such a cat.

Click- Both Leffrey and the pink cat were startled when the door opened.

"Huh...?"

"M-Meow?"

And while the pink cat was frozen in surprise, Leffrey picked her up.

"W-Wow, Pinky...!"

"Meow...!"

"I was so worried! You're alive!"

Leffrey stroked the cat's head like he was really happy to see it again. Hongwol was flustered by the petting, she had never experienced this before, but she enjoyed it while thinking, 'I need to escape.'

"Ah, right. I need to prepare lunch."

However, as Leffrey stopped petting her and turned towards the kitchen, Pinky unconsciously blocked his path and flopped down, exposing her belly.

And she slightly raised her paw, showing off her cuteness.

"What? You want me to keep petting you?"

Pet pet- A languid happiness filled Pinky's head. Suddenly, a phrase flashed through her mind…

'I am Hongwol, the next chief of the Mooncat tribe. Do you think I would ever act cute or fawn over a man? Never.'

She vaguely remembered someone saying those words while mocking Soya... but Pinky was just a cat, so it didn't matter.

Click- However, Pinky's trials were just beginning. A girl who, as a magical genius, could detect magical disguises, transformations, and polymorphs.

Had entered the cathedral. It was Soya

But Leffrey and Pinky didn't realize Soya had entered. Because Leffrey was busy playing with Pinky, and Pinky was busy acting spoiled towards Leffrey.

"What...?"

The girl, who had been watching this for a while, muttered,

"What's with this annoyingly colored cat?"