Actually, there wasn't much for me to do even if I stayed behind at the academy.

It wasn't a joke; there was truly nothing to do.

The only thing I could do was occasionally chat with Erica or send back Gideon, who would come to visit while on the verge of tears.

If not, all I could do was converse with Professor Fel, who shared the laboratory with me, about her research.

Each day went by just like that.

Even though it was like that, there weren't many specific things for me to do as it was just before the summer vacation and the summer vacation after the first-semester passed without any significant events in the game as well.

Since I would officially begin my duties as a professor and start taking lectures in the second semester, I spent each day only reading books.

Unexpectedly, I received a letter from Saintess Lucia after a long time.

- Are you doing well?

This place is still engulfed in chaos, but if I think of it as a trial, it gives me the courage to overcome it...

After skipping all the unnecessary words, the content was as follows:

Lucia received a letter from the convent she used to be a nun at, before becoming a Saintess, asking for help.

Regardless, the phenomena seemed related to evil spirits, so she requested my confirmation.

This is actually good timing.

I was getting bored waiting for the vacation to start anyway. Using the Saintess letter as an excuse, I prepared to depart from the Loberne Academy ahead of time.

Of course, there was a hurdle, and that was Aria.

I was wondering if I should take her along with me, but when I noticed that she had her own plans for the summer vacation, it seemed unnecessary for me to pay extra attention to her.

Also, as it was her second round, she was capable enough to grow stronger by herself.

So, I left the academy before the exams began.

"Ugh, why is there so much luggage?"

"Let me help you."

"It's fine. What can a pregnant woman do?"

The luggage was quite heavy, probably because it was filled with books.

I stood outside, facing the carriage that was ready to depart, with Findenai, who kept complaining about the luggage, and Illuania, who was just standing awkwardly beside me. Some professors also came out to send me off.

"Oh my! Soul Whisperer! You work so hard for the sake of the Kingdom!"

The Dean went as far as bending his waist and grabbing my hand. Honestly, I hadn't seen him standing straight while looking at me during my time here.

It showed that he had become submissive toward me and tried to be tactful without hesitation.

"All right, I will depart now."

While I tried to brush off the Dean's hand, the other professors added a few words of their own.

"Have a safe journey."

"We'll be waiting for your return."

"It would be nice to have a drink together next time."

Those were merely perfunctory farewells.

Just as it started to get tedious, Erica Bright, the blonde-haired woman, stared blankly at me.

I thought she might ask to follow me, but the request never came.

However, she was unable to conceal her disappointment; her expression resembling that of a young girl rather than that of a professor.

"You will come back next semester, right?"

"Yes, I have to give lectures."

That was given since I would also be an official professor with scheduled lectures in the second semester.

Hearing those words, Erica seemed somewhat relieved and nodded.

"Have a nice trip."

The eyes of the professors surrounding us were naturally focused on us, but as I glanced around once, they immediately averted their gazes in all directions like a flock of fleeing doves.

Of course, they would be curious about conversations between my fiance, Erica and I, the Soul Whisperer.

Finally, before boarding the carriage, I gestured to Gideon, who had been fidgeting and staring at me since earlier.

"Come with me."

"Pardon?"

"Come to send us off, at least until outside the city."

Illuania and Findenai moved slightly to make space for Gideon.

Not only was Gideon surprised, but so were other professors. Erica seemed especially regretful, but I ignored her and took Gideon with me.

Taking a male professor instead of my fiance might have seemed odd, but I had my reasons.

As the carriage started moving, the tension inside calmed down.

Findenai fidgeted with her hands, indicating her desire to smoke, while Illuania offered the unexpected guest a drink.

After sipping the water given by Illuania, Gideon carefully asked me.

"Um, is there any particular reason?"

"I will tell you how your Zeronia Household can survive."

"...!"

Gideon's eyes widened. Seeing how his once shiny vermilion hair was now lackluster and from the dark circles under his eyes, I could grasp the extent of the stress he had been under.

I had tamed him enough during this time; now, it was time to put that to use.

"A few hundred years ago, during the invasion war. You know about the Setima residents who once lived on the academy grounds, right?"

"...!"

Of course, he knew about them because that was the reason Erica had to pretend to be his fake lover to obtain the records about them.

"Reveal the atrocities your household committed against them in detail to the continent. Do that by confessing your sins to the Saintess and repenting for them."

"But if we do that...!"

Revealing the inhumane torture they committed against Setima residents would have a significant impact on the Zeronia Household.

"And do not stop there. Create a monument for them. You already have the list of names, so it should not be that difficult."

"...!"

"What His Majesty wants is to reduce the influence of the Zeronia Household. You were already spreading your reach too wide."

Well, although it had clearly decreased due to the pressure from the Royal Family.

Now, all we needed was to make a clear and decisive move.

This move was for the sake of the Zeronia Household, not the Royal Family. It would be a firm and unwavering sign that they had been ruined to a point where they would never be able to dare challenge the Royal Family.

"If you inflict a blow on yourselves by publicizing your atrocities against the Setima residents, you will free yourselves from the pressure from the Royal Family."

"..."

"The choice is yours."

Whether to continue enduring the pressure from the Royal Family, while gradually deteriorating, or to take a decisive blow and end the pressure at once.

Whether to cut their own flesh or wait for the opponent to take their bones.

The choice was theirs to make.

Unbeknownst to us, the carriage was already heading outside the city when an arrow, with a strange rattle, flew past the window.

"Huh?"

Findenai, who had been gazing outside with a bored expression, wondered what the commotion was about.

I grabbed her shoulder and calmly made her sit down.

Then, I nodded to Gideon.

"Alright, it is time for you to go."

"R-right now?"

At his foolish question, I nodded lightly.

I couldn't help but feel that there might be assassins waiting outside, aiming for my life. It could be retaliation from the nobles in response to the pressure from the Royal Family or perhaps from the religious faction who had not come to their senses.

Knowing about the potential danger awaiting me outside the city, I intentionally had Gideon accompany me.

"I suppose you can handle the cleanup."

When I commanded him while making a gesture with my chin, Gideon opened the carriage door without even thinking of rebelling against me.

"Kyaaah!"

Illuania was taken aback by the sudden gust of wind entering the carriage. Gideon glanced at me with a bitter expression and said,

"Thank you for the insight."

"Hurry and leave."

There was no need to force out words he didn't really want to say.

He immediately leaped out of the carriage when I gestured with my chin. I felt like I was observing a well-trained dog,

As Findenai closed the door, a look of regret crossed her face as she glanced in that direction.

"Wow, this should be interesting."

Gideon's battle cry, mixed with frustration and anger, resounded as he ignited a flaming sword to fight against the assassins.

At first, the sound was quite thunderous.

However, it soon faded away as the carriage gradually moved ahead.

* * *

Elia Convent.

This convent, boasting of a rich history and tradition, specialized in training a select few nuns.

The rules and regulations here were horrendously strict, and communication with the outside world was cut off.

It was a place solely dedicated to serving God, detached from worldly matters.

Just like the previous Saintess, the current Saintess, Lucia Saint, originated from Elia Convent.

In this sense, Elia Convent could be considered a place that practically produced Saintesses.

That showed how pure and immaculate the nuns here were, dedicating each day as an offering to God.

"What in the world is this?"

For the first time in her long tenure here, Reverend Mother Hamates, the Abbess1 of the convent, was experiencing such confusion.

No, it was not just confusion, but a sense of fear also surged within her.

Early in the morning, as the sun gradually rose beyond the mountain range, the pentagram, symbolizing the Demon in the shape of a goat, was drawn on the ground and over it were three charred bodies dressed in a nun's habit2 lying outside.

The smell of burning flesh, indicating how severe the burns were, permeated the convent, and the faces of the victims were deformed beyond recognition.

In addition, the Demon's pentagram which had already been faintly erased, signified one thing the Demon had been summoned using the three nuns as sacrifices.

Amidst the crisis that enveloped the entire convent, it was necessary to identify the insane nuns who had committed such an act.

The Abbess hastily rang the bell she always carried.

Ting! Ting! Ting!

Following the harsh sound of the bell, the nuns poured out. There were a total of seven nuns in the Elia Convent.

They truly fit the title the women closest to God and the Abbess, who was confident that the next Saintess after Lucia would also emerge from this place, felt an unprecedented sense of betrayal.

There were at least three nuns who had betrayed God and committed such an act.

Unable to contain her boiling rage, the Abbess couldn't help but show her fury.

The morning bell was an unusual occurrence, prompting the nuns to urgently seek out the Abbess.

Their numbers were indeed fewer than usual.

However, the important thing was

"Five?"

There were five nuns present.

Originally, there were seven nuns.

And three bodies were used to summon the Demon.

But now, five nuns were before her.

So, there was one more than there should have been.

"Huh?"

The Abbess looked back and forth between the corpses and the nuns with a perplexed expression.

After glancing at the Demon Summoning Circle, she naturally reached a conclusion and dropped the bell she was holding onto the floor.

Ting!

Disregarding the loud ting of the bell, she stared sharply at the five remaining nuns.

The Demon was hiding among them.