An Angel Lives in the Academy
Chapter 65: The Angel Realizes His Past Life (4)

Episode 65

'Right. The Theology Department has always been like this.'

Leffrey, looking at the flustered Ramone, organized his thoughts.

And he understood why Ramone was picking on him.

In the Theology Department and the healer industry, which were mainly composed of former Church members, the branch families still held considerable power.

It was even well known at the Central Academy that all first-year Theology Department students… had to go through an initiation-like ceremony, serving the children of the branch families as their priest. Akin to pledging loyalty.

'He’s angry because I didn't follow the first-year Theology Department etiquette.'

Leffrey recalled the etiquette that first-year 'new priest' had to follow, which was posted on social media.

Polite greetings to seniors, getting permission from seniors before eating.

Mandatory use of honorifics.

No earphones allowed.

No latest model cell phones allowed.

Coming immediately when summoned by a senior, no matter what.

And so on.

There were so many rules that Leffrey gave up on memorizing them.

Besides, the constant summons, the random insults, and the bullying by the branch family children… even Leffrey, who had lived his entire life eating dirt, couldn't stand it.

That's why Leffrey never participated in any Theology Department events.

And he ignored the summons too.

So Leffrey had been on the bad side of the Theology Department seniors from the start, and perhaps that was why Ramone was picking a fight with him today.

"Can't you hear me? I said this is a Theology Department matter!"

As Ramone raged, the other Theology Department students reluctantly stood by his side.

But the other students didn't back down.

"No, hasn’t the news has reported about the Theology Department's severe toxic culture several times... how can they still be like this?"

"I'm ashamed to be in the same academy as them."

And they even scoffed.

Ramone, hearing those ridicule, trembled with anger.

"Leffrey, apologize for your mistake. You’re making the other students misunderstand."

"Mistake?"

"Yes, you didn't recognize me, your senior and a member of the Berios family. And you didn't follow any of the department's events or rules."

"Is that a mistake? I came here to study, not to be a servant of the Berios family."

Leffrey tilted his head as if he didn't understand.

Even the other Theology Department students now looked at Leffrey in surprise.

"You... don't want to work as a healer?"

"I have a lot of talents."

Leffrey smiled.

Then Ramone, as if having a seizure, started shouting.

"Heretic!"

"Yes?"

"This guy's a heretic!"

No matter how much Ramone shouted, the other students, excluding those from the Theology Department, were indifferent.

"Senior Ramone, there are many eyes watching."

"...What are you doing? Hurry up and grab him!"

"Senior!"

The angrier Ramone became, the colder the atmosphere around them grew.

"This guy needs to be taught a lesson."

"Right, they say the Berios family has lost their touch… It seems it's pretty serious."

The Theology Department students began to hesitate.

Compared to other departments, the Theology Department was weak in combat. The Theology Department trained healers and support buffers, and naturally, such roles lacked combat power.

They were no match for the other departments in a fight.

"Why aren't you grabbing him? Are you a heretic too?"

"...Senior, no, I mean, Your Excellency!"

"Ha, do you want your remaining divine power sealed too? Hurry up and grab him."

But Ramone, still serious, kept pointing at Leffrey.

Leffrey opened his mouth,

"Sealing my divine power? You’re saying an inquisition?"

"That's right. We’ll start with you for violating our department rules…"

Inquisition, a secret technique of the branch families.

By comparing each other's divine power, the one with higher authority from Heaven would become the inquisitor, and the one with lower authority would be accused of heresy.

The accused divine power user would then have their divine power partially sealed, or even completely stripped, depending on the inquisitor's judgment.

Leffrey shook his head.

A low-ranking young master from a branch family and a former archangel of Heaven.

Who would be the heretic, and who would be the inquisitor?

One thing was certain, the result would be completely different from Ramone's expectations.

'Ugh, if only this wasn't the Shaman King's residence, I would have just let him use his inquisition...'

But Leffrey, since he had to hide the fact that he was an angel, had no choice but to suppress his divine power.

Ramone, unaware of Leffrey's thoughts, kept pointing at him and shouting.

"Hurry up and grab him!"

And the Theology Department students took a step closer.

"Are they seriously going to try it?"

"They’re truly insane."

Of course, the students protecting Leffrey didn't back down either.

At that moment, a voice came from the sky.

"Hahaha, is this truly the level of the Central Academy?"

An elderly gentleman in a suit was floating in the air. His tie pin had the emblem of the East Coast Academy, and his cane was engraved with countless magical symbols.

But what was strange was that he was wearing dark sunglasses that didn't match his attire.

Although he dyed his hair to keep it blonde, there were still a few strands of gray that’s visible.

'Overwhelming power.'

But contrary to his age, the man's gaze was incredibly intense.

'I can feel his gaze even though he's wearing sunglasses.'

It felt as if their souls were being read by that old man, peeled away page by page.

"Greetings, everyone. My name is James Tarden, the principal of the East Coast Academy."

Principal James politely greeted the students.

"First of all, before we begin the selection, why were you all fighting?"

Leffrey blushed with shame.

To be grabbed by the collar and picked on because he didn't recognize a senior, and for the situation to escalate this much. This isn’t just some kids fight, what was this then?

'Well, technically, we are kids because we’re still students...'

But still, shame is shame.

However, Ramone, oblivious to such shame, boldly spoke to James,

"It's a matter within our department, Principal."

James chuckled.

'I got permission from Vice Principal Park Jin-ho. Now, I can look into the souls of these students.'

James removed his sunglasses.

And using his power, he looked deeply into Leffrey and Ramone.

Ramone, immense divine power befitting a member of the Berios family. Possessing a 'I have been chosen by the Heaven' elitist mindset befitting a member of the Berios family. And his stubborn ego, his shameless attitude.

'I feel like flicking his forehead.'

James felt annoyance for the first time in a long time.

It was already irritating enough that he wielded the power of Heaven, but to even have such a disgusting mindset...

Disappointed, James then looked at Leffrey.

A small and warm soul.

Although it wasn't like a huge bonfire,

It was big enough for others to warm themselves by its side.

'...Hmm, that flame is suppressed. That's why it looks small.'

James instantly understood Leffrey's soul. His divine power was weak compared to his fame. No, it was being suppressed.

'Suppressing divine power? Why?'

James had lived a long life.

But never once in his long life had he met a divine power user who suppressed their divine power.

Divine power is a gift from The Heaven.

No matter how humble a person was, they would never even think of suppressing the power bestowed by Heaven unless they disregarded the heavens themselves.

Then why was this boy doing it?

'...Intriguing.'

Of course, Leffrey was simply suppressing his Angelic Power to hide the fact that he was an angel… but James had no way of knowing that.

"Haha, everyone. Let's end this dispute here."

James descended to the ground and looked at the students gathered in the guesthouse.

'Wait, most of the students are standing next to Leffrey? Did most of them support that boy during the fight?'

This was also intriguing.

'They supported that boy, even though it meant making an enemy of the Berios family? What is so special about that boy?'

James smiled again and slowly entered the mansion.

"Please wait a moment. I'll bring the tools necessary for the selection test."

Actually, the tools were already prepared.

The reason James left was because he was curious about how the fight that was about to break out would unfold.

'Their souls are boiling. That boy from the Berios family is about to explode. And when he can't hold back his anger and asks Leffrey for an inquisition...'

How would Leffrey react?

Would he ultimately kneel and apologize? Or would he say, 'do whatever you want', as if he didn't care about losing his divine power?

A soul that despairs and submits to the Berios family, or a soul that gives up, sneering that he doesn't need this divine power because he hates Heaven.

Either reaction would be quite entertaining.

Of course, if Leffrey submitted to the Berios family, it would mean that he still relied on Heaven, a bit disappointing… and if he sneered that he didn't need divine power, it would mean he wouldn't become a true hero, disappointing.

'I should be disappointed. I don't want to have hope for those empty concepts like Heaven or heroes anymore. To have such hope is torture.'

He thought this way, but,

James was already deeply interested in Leffrey's soul.

Thus, as James entered the mansion, Ramone, as James had predicted, exploded.

But what was different from James' prediction… was that his explosion wasn't directed at Leffrey.

"You! Why didn't you grab that heretic?"

Ramone, realizing he couldn't pressure Leffrey any further with his powerful allies, immediately started taking out his anger on the surrounding Theology students.

"Senior, no, I mean… Your Excellency, other students are watching! We were trying to protect…"

"Shut up! Our Church's events are incomparable to those lowly secular departments! So you're making heretical excuses like that?"

Ramone smirked.

And took out a black bible from his pocket.

"It's time for an inquisition."

James, seeing that, sighed.

"Damn it, he's even more pathetic than I thought."

James was only interested in Leffrey's soul. That boy who was the only one in his long life to suppress divine power.

James had no interest in Ramone.

Ramone, oblivious, continued to threaten his fellow students.

"We'll start by stripping you of your divine power. Didn’t you lose half of your divine power last time because of a mistake you made in front of our brother?"

"I-I'm sorry."

A second-year senior trembled and knelt.

But Ramone showed no signs of stopping.

'That girl who is about to have her divine power stripped. She dreamed of becoming a great healer, supporting her siblings, and that was why she entered this academy. She endured the tyranny of the Berios family just to get a diploma.'

He couldn’t allow an innocent to become a victim for the sake of his own interest

Especially not students.

James, frowning, was about to intervene.

That was when Leffrey opened his mouth,

"Stop it."

Leffrey regretted saying those words.

He had to hide the fact that he was an angel. So he shouldn't have revealed his Angelic Power.

But…

'I can't just stand by as an angel and watch this happen.'

Ramone's voice came at that moment,

"What? What did you say?"

Leffrey took out a small leather glove from his pocket.

It was one of the holy weapons of angels, called Sanctus.

"I said stop it, you heretic."

James was surprised by Leffrey's reaction. It wasn't him kneeling down and begging for mercy from the Berios family… nor was it him giving up on his divine power, looking at the world with cynicism.

"Unbelievable..."

It meant that although the boy had a warm heart enough to stand up for a student who was his enemy just a moment ago, he also wasn't a boy who relied on Heaven.

The boy's suppressed divine power, along with the glove, started to be released.

"Th-This light of the soul?"

At that moment, James witnessed something unbelievable.

The brilliance of a holy divine power, so bright it was unbelievable, erupting like a solar flare.