I Became The Academy Necromancer
Chapter 317: Prayer

The day after I spent some time with Aria Rias.

While it might sound silly, I found myself heading to the church where Lucia was.

As soon as I entered, the devotees and nuns present hurried over to greet me.

All of them looked flustered since I had come without any prior notice.

[Why did you visit this place?]

The Dark Spiritualist showed her clear displeasure.

[It brings me peace.]

Stella, on the other hand, was obviously happy.

The two of them had completely different reactions, but today, I didn’t particularly need them.

Had she heard of my arrival? Lucia rushed toward me looking surprised.

She wasn’t dressed in her usual Saintess attire but in more casual clothes, and with glasses on, as if she had been doing some writing.

“Were you writing?”

At the blatant question, Lucia shrugged and looked around with a flustered expression. The nuns in the vicinity looked puzzled, wondering if Lucia had been writing a letter or something.

“D-don’t talk about it!”

Lucia approached me quietly and whispered. A blush of embarrassment spread across her face.

“No need to be shy about it. Being a bestselling author will not tarnish your reputation.”

“It will! Do you know how much gossip would go around if word got out that the Saintess is writing romance novels?”

Meanwhile, a certain other Saintess was rather free-spirited when it came to matters of romance.

Probably because she had retired.

…including being dead.

[Lucia?]

Stella, who was beside me, stepped forward. The smile on her face looked rather unsettling.

[Keep your distance.]

“Ah, yes!”

Since Lucia could also see the dead, she could naturally converse with Stella as well.

And interestingly, Lucia, who had just been scolded by her senior, immediately stood at attention, almost like a soldier.

The others around us stared at Lucia strangely, so I gestured for them to move away.

[I told you, the Saintess shouldn’t behave like this.]

Stella muttered while tugging at her collar, though she seemed a little annoyed.

But it wasn’t like we were doing anything inappropriate, we were just talking.

[Stella is just a bit sensitive about this.]

Thanks to the Dark Spiritualist stepping in, Stella gave a dissatisfied look, but I didn’t have time to respond to such things.

“Ahem, so, what brings you here?”

Lucia asked, taking a step back to maintain some distance. Stella smiled at me, but I ignored her and continued speaking.

“Is there a prayer room I can use?”

“…A prayer room?”

[Are you crazy?]

[Are you serious?]

Various remarks came out in quick succession, but they all conveyed the same meaning.

“Well, if we go by the literal meaning, yes, I am looking to pray.”

As I subtly clarified that my target wasn’t a god, the three of them looked puzzled but didn’t press further.

“It would be rude to ask a person who’s praying what they’re praying for. Please, follow me.”

The place I arrived at after following Lucia was the highest point of the church.

In the dim attic room, there were no religious items associated with any god—just a single candle placed all by itself.

“There are no religious items in this prayer room because not everyone worships the same god. I can also remove the candle if you don’t need it.”

“It’s fine.”

A prayer room devoid of religious objects.

Unlike a typical church, the place was surprisingly flexible.

[You’ve still kept this, huh?]

“Because it was your order, Saintess Stella.”

Was it Stella who created this place?

[Even people who don’t believe in a god can come here and pray. Everyone feels the need to make a wish to some higher being at some point.]

She smiled faintly, her atmosphere completely different from the woman who had been jealous just moments ago.

And if I were ever forced to pray to a god, I’d probably bow to Stella, now demi god herself.

“No need to wait for me. It will take a while.”

Lucia nodded and left, leaving only the Dark Spiritualist and Stella behind.

“The same goes for both of you.”

[I’m bound to this staff, so I can’t even leave if I want to.]

[I’ll pray for you outside.]

The Dark Spiritualist pointed to Heralhazard’s staff I held, while Stella clasped her hands in front of her and responded.

“In that case…”

Their answers were contradictory but ultimately meant the same thing.

“No matter what happens inside, you must not enter.”

I left them with a stern warning before entering the prayer room.

Creak.

Thud.

The door shut and a quiet darkness naturally settled in.

It would take my eyes a moment to adjust to the dark, but I didn’t hesitate. I took off my coat and set it aside, then knelt down.

After putting the staff down, I placed my hand over my heart.

Blue mana, like a sacred flame, gently rose in the dark room.

And then—

[Yawn!]

[What’s this! What’s going on?! What’s happening?!]

[What now?]

[Why are you disturbing our rest?]

[Enough already.]

[Oh, it’s been a long time, Soul Whisperer!]

Numerous voices echoed.

The Dark Spiritualist and Stella outside must have been startled, but they couldn’t enter.

And they must have realized by now—Who I was praying to and why I had come to this place.

I awakened the souls slumbering within me.

Not all of them woke up, but the ones who did soon illuminated the prayer room.

“I need help.”

With just that single utterance, all the souls fell silent immediately.

This was the authority I held as the one who had become their gravestone, and it was their consideration.

“The danger to the continent has returned.”

It seemed that everyone wanted to say something, but they all waited patiently for me to finish speaking.

I took a deep breath and calmly recited the prayer.

“Unfortunately, this danger stems from my very existence. The will of the continent—essentially, this fate the gods speak of—had already been determined that way.”

The flickering souls were mostly in a state of unrest.

“And I do not know how this danger will manifest.”

Ultimately, prayer was all about honesty.

According to the original story, Orpheus Luden Griffin, who was possessed by the Griffin Evil Ghost, would cause Aria to fall into a crisis.

But what about now?

I had already vanquished the Griffin Evil Ghost, and Orpheus was on friendly terms with me.

However, fate still continued on its path.

And just as I twisted the story, it meant that the final story could also be twisted and come at me in an unexpected way.

However…

“That is why I need all of you.”

The outcome might be unpredictable, but it was possible to prepare in advance.

“I intend to lead the continent’s will and fate in the direction they speak of.”

If I didn’t know how fate would come to me, then perhaps I could direct the flow of fate as it desired.

It would be much easier to handle than not knowing where or how it would strike, and if done right, everything would unfold exactly as I had planned.

“I wish to save the continent. But, to overcome this final obstacle, I need your help.”

There were only two possible endings.

One was to become an enemy to the various nations and fight against them.

And the other was to commit suicide and save the world.

I’m sorry, but I had no desire to die. None at all.

“To save this land.”

Slowly.

Very slowly.

I bowed my head and prayed toward those I had once comforted.

“Will you become the enemy of the world along with me?”

***

“Sigh.”

Releasing his weariness, Victor Wellington, the head of the Wellington Trading Company, let out a sigh.

Looking back on how busy he’d been these past few days, just thinking about it was exhausting.

Victor had meticulously cut away any parts of the company that could be exploited to the point where his employees began to whisper about how ruthless he was.

Not only the darker sides, but also unfair contracts, exceeding permissible quantities, and even issues with cargo loading—he left no stone unturned.

Victor cleaned up his trading company so thoroughly, that it was as if nothing questionable had ever existed in the first place.

And the reason was none other than the warning from Deus Verdi, the Soul Whisperer.

Though he only appeared about a year ago, he quickly gained immense trust from both the royal family and the church, becoming a key figure in almost no time.

His popularity among the citizens of Graypond skyrocketed just as quickly, especially after he arranged a farewell for the living and the dead after the Romuleus incident.

And now, he was regarded as the savior who had rescued the continent from its crisis.

He had successfully shattered the prejudice against dark mages and even opened new horizons for the Griffin Kingdom.

That very person has targeted my trading company.

Unsure of how he might strike, Victor prepared as much as possible.

The lack of contact from the Republic side must be due to the Verdi Household stepping in.

He’d lost communication with those cultivating the Yellow Flower. While this could pose a significant variable, Victor was prepared to withstand such challenges with his vast resources.

Preparations are complete.

Yet, despite his stern warning, Deus Verdi had remained silent.

And this lack of follow-up only made Victor Wellington more anxious.

“Master Wellington, it’s almost time for you to leave.”

His secretary informed him as he checked the time. Victor hadn’t limited his preparations to internal matters.

“The reservation has been made properly, right?”

“Yes, I ensured the reservation was confirmed and requested only discreet staff be assigned.”

“Good.”

Draping the coat his secretary handed him, Victor stepped outside.

Today was an especially important day.

A meeting aimed at strengthening ties with the bishops and nobles who still maintained favorable relationships with him.

If things went well at today’s gathering, it could lead to a solid political alliance centered around the Wellington Trading Company.

King Orpheus’s wave of purges has already ended.

After the attempted assassination, Orpheus firmly established the hierarchy among the prominent nobles, but his momentum had waned since then.

Now that he was focused on consolidating his base, the timing was perfect.

Damn it.

He knew that transporting the drugs the bishops requested was a major risk, but the high returns made it impossible for a merchant to resist.

Yet, with the Soul Whisperer now involved, the situation had become chaotic.

Victor didn’t know what might unfold, but he could only prepare himself to resist as much as possible.

Leaving the building, he couldn’t help but smirk with satisfaction as he glanced at the workers loading goods onto carriages.

He even displayed his meticulous nature by posting job advertisements for the citizens of Graypond, which offered excellent conditions, a great work environment, and unrestricted opportunities.

Though loading and unloading were physically demanding tasks, vagrants without homes and those tired of the red-light district life gathered and worked diligently.

The Wellington Trading Company’s reputation has grown more solid.

He had secured contracts with the royal family.

His relationships with the bishops were strong.

His ties with the nobles were close.

A trading company that was both upright and compassionate in the eyes of the citizens.

Though profits had decreased significantly, Victor was steadily building an unshakeable trust that even Deus Verdi wouldn’t dare to challenge recklessly.

“Kyaaa!”

However, his satisfied smile didn’t last long.

Screams erupted from the line of waiting carriages. Exchanging a glance with his secretary, Victor rushed over.

“You bastards! Freeze! We’ve received intel that you’re smuggling drugs from the Clark Republic, and our badass Soul Whisperer has personally come to inspect!”

A white-haired maid bellowed loudly.

Wielding an axe, she led the charge, rummaging through the company’s goods.

However, that wasn’t the real issue.

“What… is this…”

Countless souls adorned the sky.

They encircled the entire trading company, ensuring no one inside could escape.

The dead began to rampage.

And at the center of it all stood—

“…”

A man gripping the staff of Heralhazard, the necromancer infamous for his massacres, his expression cold and indifferent.

“Deus Verdiii!”

Victor had never expected such an aggressive investigation.

“Have you lost your mind?! If you conduct such an oppressive and unilateral raid, can you handle the backlash?!”

Victor shouted until his veins bulged, but—

[Kihahahahaha!]

[Search! Check everything! Leave nothing unchecked!]

[On it!]

The rampaging spirits’ cries were the only response to his protests.

***

https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken