I Became The Academy Necromancer
Chapter 370: Side Story - Rank

“Ah, seriously. How many blind dates did he arrange for me?”

Deia grumbled while flipping through her schedule notebook, chewing on a piece of toasted bread and letting out an annoyed sigh.

“That bastard Darius is only focused on marrying off his sister instead of doing his job properly.”

That showed how much he wanted his sister to meet a good man and build a happy family.

The thought lingered on the tip of my tongue, but I didn’t say it. It was obvious what her response would be, and after being caught having sex with Stella this morning, I had no right to speak.

[If you hate it so much, just stop going on blind dates and go back home.]

Stella, sitting across from me, asked what the problem was, and Deia made a subtle expression.

“Well, it’s not that…”

Seeing her hesitate like that, it seemed Deia knew she could stop the blind dates anytime but had her reasons for continuing.

Darius, too, was probably arranging these meetings because Deia hadn’t given up yet.

The reason Deia, who acted like she wanted to leave at any moment, was forcing herself to go on these blind dates…

When Stella and I stared at her, Deia scratched her cheek and glanced at me cautiously.

“T-that’s the only way I can stay in Loberne, you know?”

“…Just for that reason?”

When I asked in disbelief, Deia glared at me and huffed.

“Just for that reason? If the blind dates end, I won’t have a reason to stay in Loberne, so I’ll have to go back to Norseweden, you know? You want me to leave? Do you hate seeing me?”

I knew from experience that I had to choose my words carefully here.

“It’s a shame, but Darius is working hard. Finding a match for you isn’t easy.”

So, I subtly changed the subject, and Deia, having no comeback, let out a small groan.

“Shouldn’t you go back to Norseweden for now? Darius is already weak in diplomacy and administrative work.”

The image of the giant who wielded a sword to protect the north, now struggling alone with a pen, was vivid in my mind.

“I’ll contact him first.”

Aware that she was causing trouble for Darius, Deia sighed and nodded.

Seeing her slightly shadowed face, I felt a pang of guilt and added.

“Just so you don’t misunderstand, I’m not doing this because I dislike you. I like having you around.”

Deia raised her head slightly, gauging my expression, as if she wanted to know if I was sincere.

“I have never lied to you.”

When I added that, referencing something I’d said before, Deia finally smiled brightly, satisfied.

“Right, you don’t lie.”

I briefly reminisced about the time I openly revealed that I wasn’t Deius but Kim Shinwoo.

Back then, I never imagined things would turn out like this.

Despite all the twists and turns, I felt we had ended up on the right path.

After finishing the meal, Deia returned to Loberne. After all, she needed to contact Darius first.

If Norseweden fell into chaos due to his incompetence, that would be a whole other problem.

I should visit Illuania and Sevia too.

It had been a long time since I’d seen them, though I’d heard they were doing well.

Of course, since I was no longer Deus Verdi, they could be considered strangers, but to me, their existence was like symbols.

A repayment for the kindness Deus Verdi showed by yielding his own body to me.

Gratitude toward the first person who accepted me in this land.

Though he had initially urged me to make extreme choices, he had ultimately accepted me.

Anyway.

After Deia left, Stella and I sat on the couch in the living room.

[Hehe.]

I was reading a book about gardening, basking in the sunlight for the first time in a while, when Stella snuggled into my lap, sitting on my thighs.

It wasn’t bad.

Maybe it was because she was the Saintess once called the Sun. Or perhaps it was the warm midday sun.

She emanated a pleasant, warm aura and scent. If sunlight had a scent, it would probably smell like this.

“Stella, you’re supposed to be reading.”

Though I said that, I didn’t move my hands, so Stella playfully rubbed her cheek against mine.

[When I was a Saintess, I always prayed to Goddess Hearthia whenever something good happened. To thank her.]

My eyes followed the text, but my ears listened to her words. I flipped the page, but Stella continued, knowing I was listening.

[I wanted to offer a prayer of gratitude today too, but then I realized I’m a goddess now.]

Was she joking? For a moment, I doubted, but Stella wasn’t joking.

[I always thought good things came from the gods, so I thanked them… but even now, it’s not much different. I’m still grateful to the gods.]

“I don’t deny faith. But I won’t entrust my entire fate to it either.”

That was probably why I could twist fate and survive like this.

“Stella, everything you’ve achieved is your own doing. The reason I fell in love with you wasn’t because you were a noble Saintess serving the gods. It was because the conviction you held as Stella was beautiful.”

Pleased by my words, Stella gently kissed my cheek.

[But praying to the gods is a habit, you know?]

“Then.”

Flip.

I turned the page and answered indifferently.

“Instead of praying to another god, offer your gratitude to yourself.”

[…]

“You’re more than worthy of that.”

My eyes were still following the text, but Stella’s gaze was now fixed on me.

When I glanced at her, wondering if something was wrong, Stella smiled and replied.

[Were you joking just now? About gods and yourself?]

“It was a decent pun, wasn’t it?”

When I shrugged and answered nonchalantly, Stella suddenly kissed me.

Peck.

Smooch.

Her tongue tangled with mine as she kissed me passionately, and then she asked with a heated breath.

[Why are you tempting me?]

“…I wasn’t.”

I really hadn’t intended to, but Stella, who had been subtly rubbing her bottom against my lower half while kissing, glanced down and smiled slightly.

[You’re hard.]

As if that was a signal, Stella was about to pounce on me. However…

[Stop! Stop! The kid’s watching!]

Holding Fluffy IV, the Dark Spiritualist suddenly shouted from the living room.

[You’re in heat! Stella, come here! If you stick around him, it’ll be bad for Fluffy IV’s education!]

Though she wasn’t following the Dark Spiritualist’s orders, Stella quietly got off me and sat beside me since she was being watched.

Then, with a subtle expression, she asked the Dark Spiritualist.

[Senior… you’re not still doing what you said you’d do last time, are you?]

What did she say she’d do last time?

It seemed like a private conversation, only known to the two, but the Dark Spiritualist confidently smiled and answered.

[Of course I am!]

“What’s that about?”

I ignored the smug Dark Spiritualist and quietly asked Stella, who whispered in my ear, briefly explaining what was going on.

[She said she’s teaching Fluffy IV Black Magic.]

I couldn’t help but sigh upon hearing that. Seeing her trying a puppy to use Black Magic, it was clear her intelligence wasn’t the issue.

“Can’t mental illnesses be treated? Not with holy power, but through counselling or something.”

[If that were possible, we would’ve done it already. Senior has a strong ego and doesn’t even admit she’s sick.]

“Sigh, she wasn’t like this before.”

[Just like I changed from a Saintess to Stella, Senior is changing too. Maybe it’s a regression to childhood.]

[Hey, you two! I can hear you!]

The mental illness comment was a joke, but still. Just as I was about to say how absurd it was to teach Fluffy IV Black Magic…

Whoosh.

A blue flame shot out of Fluffy IV’s mouth.

The blue flame that necromancers used, which I often used as a main skill…

The flame that burned souls.

“Huh?”

[Eh?]

When Stella and I widened our eyes in surprise, the Dark Spiritualist smiled brightly and held Fluffy IV out proudly.

[See? See? I succeeded! This is the kind of person I am! You can’t ignore me now!]

Teaching magic to an animal.

Of course, such a thing had never happened in the past or present. It would probably take a long time for something like this to appear in the future.

Honestly, the current me couldn’t do it.

I didn’t particularly like animals, and I had no intention of teaching them magic.

I couldn’t even communicate well with humans, let alone animals.

If this were shown at any academic conference, everyone would scramble to take the Dark Spiritualist away, and she’d threaten Erica as a strong candidate for the next archmage.

Simply by making an animal be able to use magic.

However, that wasn’t the important part.

The important part was that she had established a system where even animals could use magic.

In other words, anyone with the intelligence of a wolf pup could now use magic.

The Dark Spiritualist had essentially developed a technology that could allow all of humanity to use magic.

Did she realize that?

Did she know what she had created?

Not the gods who watched from afar.

Did the Dark Spiritualist realize she had reached the realm of the gods in magic?

Probably not.

[Amazing, right? I’m the best, right? Don’t you want to praise me now?!]

She didn’t seem to know.

This technology is still…

Too early for humanity to accept it.

Also, since we had already stepped away from the continent’s affairs, we shouldn’t interfere.

As the ripple effect of Fluffy IV being able to use magic…

“Fluffy IV’s rank in the household just went up.”

All it did was raise Fluffy IV’s rank within the household.

[What?! Why?!]

Of course, the Dark Spiritualist stomped around in frustration, pounded her own chest in indignation, and then, claiming it hurt, ended up pouting again.

[Fluffy IV, you betrayed meee!]

***

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