An Angel Lives in the Academy
Chapter 68: The Angel Realizes His Past Life (7)

Episode 68

Leffrey looked up at James Tarden, the principal of the East Coast Academy.

Without the sunglasses he always wore, he would have looked like an ordinary old gentleman, if not for his red, glowing eyes.

"Principal, you didn't call me to the mansion... for a test, did you?"

Leffrey spoke.

He was escaping the test and heading outside. But when he came to his senses, he’s inside the mansion?

'Some kind of magic? To summon the selected individual to the mansion?'

Leffrey couldn't help but think this.

"It is a test."

"How is this a test if you've already chosen the person you want?"

James smiled.

"Isn't announcing the test results also part of the test? I can't say it's not a test."

Wordplay.

Leffrey looked at James suspiciously.

'I should have failed the test. I don't know what kind of magic Past Life Awakening is… but if I undergo it, James will discover that I'm an angel!'

James, the Shaman King, the most powerful shaman in the world and the strongest hero in America.

And the principal of the East Coast Academy.

'And there's one more thing only I know because of my knowledge of the future... the fact that James, the Shaman King, hates Heaven and its angels.'

The boy vividly remembered.

In the not-too-distant future…

The sight of Shaman King James, consumed by rage, tearing down the Church's sanctuary. The sight of him pointing at the sky, spitting out his hatred.

And the sight of him smashing a statue of an angel to pieces.

His eyes were filled with hatred and madness.

'It was really terrifying.'

What would happen if he was exposed as an angel to such a person? No matter how much he thought about it, it was hard to imagine a good future.

James might just smash Leffrey to pieces… like the angel statue that he destroyed in the future.

'But why does James hate Heaven?'

Leffrey thought about it.

What could make James harbor so much hatred?

What bad things has Heaven done so far?

'...Come to think of it, there are too many.'

The first bad thing Heaven had done: condoning the corrupt faction called the Church.

What had the Church done?

Inquisitions? Witch hunts?

All actions that made people hate the Church and Heaven.

'Did he suffer a witch hunt as a shaman?'

But it was unlikely. Even the other world Church wouldn't dare to touch the Shaman King. And he didn't seem like someone who would just take a witch hunt lying down either.

Then the second bad thing Heaven had done: ignoring the rampant injustices(Contradiction) overflowing in the world.

Large guilds abusing their power, big corporations dancing on top of corruption.

And even the thugs who had harassed his mother.

He was certain of one thing.

The fact that this world was closer to hell than heaven.

'There are so many bad people in this world... What are the angels even doing?'

Honestly, even though he was an angel himself,

He was curious too.

What on earth were the other angels doing?

The third bad thing Heaven had done: not stopping the demon king’s rampage.

Many heroes hated Heaven because of this. The demon king is sweeping across the world with the intent and momentum to destroy everything, and...

What exactly is Heaven doing?

'Why does James hate Heaven?'

With Leffrey's limited knowledge, he couldn't understand why James hated Heaven.

So, he decided to just ask him directly.

"Principal."

"...?"

"Didn't you say you weren't going to select divine power users?"

James nodded.

"That was my original intention."

"But I'm a divine power user."

"My plans have changed."

Then he just closed his mouth.

Leffrey, seeing that, sighed softly and asked a question only he could ask, with his knowledge of the future.

"Principal James."

"Yes?"

"Why do you hate Heaven?"

James laughed at first. Then, after a moment, his face became serious. He tried to revert back to a casual attitude but... James ended up stepping back with a forced smile.

"Student, did you read my soul? The soul of a high-ranking shaman?"

James asked Leffrey cautiously.

Leffrey shook his head.

"It's just a hunch. The fact that you said you wouldn't select divine power users, and… you've been showing a strange wariness towards me and the Church members."

"...Haha, you noticed something that subtle?"

Of course, Leffrey didn't actually notice.

He simply knew that James hated Heaven, so he judged that James would either hate the Church and divine power users, or at least be wary of them, and…

He used that judgment to probe James.

"Your guess is correct. Yes, I hate Heaven."

James stroked his chin silently, then…

… heaved a deep sigh.

"Ha… Should I tell you about this?"

James gestured.

"Let's take a walk."

Thus, Leffrey and James headed to the deeper parts of the mansion.

"It's a professor's duty to answer a student's questions, right?"

James continued,

"The student's first question, about me not planning to select divine power users... and the student's second question, about why I hate Heaven."

James opened his mouth with a bitter expression,

"The answer to those two questions... can be summarized into one."

"One answer?"

Leffrey tilted his head.

What kind of answer could possibly answer those two questions at once?

"Student, do you know an angel named Luciel?"

"...I've never heard that name before."

"Luciel, Luciel the Light of Dawn. The leader of all angels and the most powerful angel. The firstborn of Heaven and the most supreme being."

Luciel? The leader of angels?

If Luciel was the leader of angels, Leffrey would have definitely heard the name before… but he had never heard of it before.

"That angel shone the brightest, flew the highest, was the most beautiful, and was the most valiant."

James continued,

"No creation could stand against Luciel."

"...There was such a powerful angel? It's the first time I'm hearing about it."

"It's only natural."

Before he knew it, James and Leffrey had arrived at the end of the hallway.

James opened the door without a word.

Beyond the door hung a massive painting.

Leffrey felt a chill as he looked at it.

Heaven engulfed in civil war, and an angel falling, burning.

James looked at the painting hanging in the room silently.

Then, he quietly opened his mouth,

"Do you know about the demon king?"

"Yes, isn't he the king of monsters? The bad guy who keeps opening gates and invading our world."

"Have you ever heard his name?"

James asked again.

Leffrey could only shake his head.

"The current demon king's name is Lucifer. And his name in ancient times was Luciel."

"...Yes? Then the demon king's true identity is..."

"He’s a Fallen Angel. Those damned, damned angels."

Leffrey looked at the painting once more.

The falling angel… somewhat resembled Leffrey.

"This is the answer to your questions."

"A Fallen Angel."

"Why don't I plan on selecting divine power users? Because divine power users are more prone to corruption than anyone else. Saint Rebecca lost her faith, and so did I. And even Luciel, the most powerful divine power user, has long fallen."

James quickly continued,

"Why do I hate Heaven? Isn't it obvious? They created Lucifer, and they created monsters. You ask why we hate them? Because The angels of Heaven are the true enemies of humanity!"

James suddenly grabbed Leffrey's shoulder.

He coughed softly and then turned to look at Leffrey.

"My apologies, Student."

"...Principal."

Leffrey's head was spinning from the shocking story.

'The demon king is actually a Fallen Angel? And he was even the most powerful angel?'

No, wait, that wasn't important right now.

Leffrey, determined, opened his mouth,

"Then why did you choose me for Past Life Awakening… even though you distrust divine power users and… hate Heaven so much?"

"...That."

James bowed his head.

"That, I don't know either."

Tears welled up in James' red eyes, tears he couldn't explain.

Then James slowly approached Leffrey.

"I don't know either. Even in a situation like this… Do I still want to believe in something?"

"P-Principal?"

"That there's a light that doesn't fade..."

James naturally grabbed Leffrey.

"I know you're afraid of Past Life Awakening, Student. You tried to run away earlier, didn't you?"

"...Ah, you noticed."

"Why?"

Leffrey hurriedly spat out an excuse.

"My past life is insignificant! Using Past Life Awakening on me is a waste of resources!"

"Haha, is that what you were worried about? It doesn't matter. Then I was simply mistaken about your soul… You have nothing to be responsible for."

James' eyes had completely changed.

Leffrey tried to resist, struggling with all his might.

But he was no match for the Shaman King's strength.

"Let, let me go!"

"Student, don't be too afraid. It's not a painful procedure. Just think of it as a kind of hypnosis."

"No! Please stop!"

Thus, Leffrey was dragged towards the center of the magic circle.

Leffrey bit his lip.

'Actually, actually… the reason I'm avoiding Past Life Awakening isn't because I'm afraid that James, who hates angels, will discover I'm an angel.'

Being exposed as an angel to James?

It would be a fatal mistake, but it wouldn't mean immediate death.

Whatever Leffrey's true intentions were, he was fighting for humanity, and James was a hero who could put aside his hatred for the sake of humanity.

'Just like how Park Jin-ho gave up on Hexi... James would also spare me, an angel, for humanity. Perhaps I'll be dragged to a lab and… be broken like the angels they used to create Artificial Heroes...'

Leffrey shuddered.

But there was something even more frightening.

'But...'

Leffrey bit his lip again.

'I confirmed it with Drewmark. My past life is a powerful angel named 'Leffriel'.'

Leffriel, the one who judges this world.

'Leffriel is uncontrollable. Besides, he's just a machine. A machine that intends to judge this corrupted world.'

If Leffriel were to awaken, James would be destroyed like Drewmark… and the entire Central Superhuman Academy would be eradicated by Leffriel's Ultimate Skill.

Everything will be destroyed.

His friends… Mari, who stared at him with an expressionless face… Wol, who wagged her tail, blocking the monitor… Soya, who hid her face with the brim of her hat whenever she’s embarrassed.

Tears welled up in Leffrey's eyes.

Even if he were sold to a superhuman family as an angel.

Even if he were used as a test subject and resented by the world.

Even if he could no longer dream of a happy future.

But he had a duty as an angel.

"Principal... I really don't need Past Life Awakening."

"Yes? What are you..."

"Because I already know what my past life is."

Leffrey took off Sanctus.

And he revealed his power as an angel without hiding anything.

From the boy's body emanated a power closer to divinity than mere divine power… and the boy's blonde hair began to sway gently.

"Have you ever heard of Leffriel?"

The boy was crying.