saint ch15

Academy (2)

The initial purpose of the educational institutions established throughout the empire, the so-called academies, was actually part of a policy to enlighten people even a little and keep the Order in check.

Of course, over the years, through many trials and errors, they developed many inherent positive functions, such as a stable supply of talent, a place for free learning, and a stepping stone to success, but that was their origin.

Therefore, although numerous challenging policies have been implemented so far, those related to religion have been strictly prohibited.

The fact that clerics, including a Saint in training, were coming to such an academy was enough to be shocking, beyond just unconventional.

When such rumors first surfaced, everyone scoffed, dismissing them as nonsense.

When the aristocracy and powerful figures, in what is called high society, did not deny the rumors, a feeling of “Could it be…?” began to circulate.

And finally, the imperial family formally announced that it was necessary to renew relations with the Order.

When they announced that they would experimentally abolish the religious ban at the Imperial Academy and receive clerics and trainees from the main branch, people seriously wondered if the emperor had gone mad.

Before they knew it, one area of the academy grounds was being cleared, and a living quarters for the clerics, including a church, was being built there, leading people to feel, “They’re really doing this…”

Even after the imperial decree was announced, there were endless discussions about its rationality and effectiveness, but the academy itself, the party directly involved, accepted the situation relatively easily.

Loben Academy was a place where even criticism of the imperial family was permitted, albeit in very limited and precise areas.

Before considering the political judgments or risks that this situation would bring, they were excited about talking to clerics about theology and delving into Divine Power, which was considered an unknown force.

And amidst the doubts of many people, “Really? Are they really coming?”, the clerics, including the Saint, finally arrived at Loben Academy.

* * *

The journey to the academy was not difficult.

The distance wasn’t that far to begin with, but since the procession included high-ranking clerics, transportation that spared no luxury was mobilized.

After all, in a fantasy world, a carriage with shock-absorbing magic is a must.

“Welcome, Cardinal Monto. My name is Claire Laurice, the vice-principal of Loben Academy.”

“May Orion’s blessing be with you. Thank you for your hospitality, Vice-Principal Claire. I am Monto Livert, serving Orion, though I am inadequate.”

And finally, upon arriving at the academy, our group was receiving a welcoming greeting from the academy’s administration.

“Trainee Saint Ronan, you are also welcome.”

When the person with the title of vice-principal greeted me as well, I smiled slightly and bowed my head in response.

That Trainee Saint title had become my official title outside.

It felt like they just took the title of Saint who is a trainee and used it haphazardly, but I decided to let it go.

Having left the main branch, I had regained enough mental stability to be lenient about such things.

Within the Order’s main branch, escape was impossible, but now that I had escaped this far, I believed that if things really went wrong, I could throw away the necklace and run away with all my might.

I didn’t want to live in hiding, eating tree roots for the rest of my life, so it was low on my priority list, but the fact that I had a last resort, even if it was extreme, was really reassuring.

Vice-Principal Claire first led us to the so-called “Church Dorm,” where we would be staying.

“Wow…”

Contrary to my expectations that it would only be a token gesture, the scale of the Church Dorm was beyond imagination, to the point where one trainee exclaimed in admiration.

Wait…?

Wasn’t this building built in the process of getting me out of the Order’s main branch?

How sincere were they being?

It was a bit overwhelming.

All the buildings were newly built, so the pristine Order-style buildings exuded a reverent charm that seemed to inspire faith even in those who didn’t have it.

“The imperial family thinks so highly of us, so I will pray that their heart reaches Orion.”

Cardinal Monto seemed to like it as well, as he even said such words.

But to a non-religious person, saying that you’ll just pray about it is worse than saying nothing.

I have no idea what kind of proselytizing these people are going to do…

“Now, this is the space where you will be staying. I will guide the leaders to their residences later, and show you the church first.”

Upon reaching the living quarters, which were equipped with various amenities, the vice-principal said so and divided us into two groups.

The leaders’ group, which included me, the Cardinal, and some high-ranking clerics.

The trainees, who would mainly live here and focus on the academy rather than proselytizing.

In the meantime, Celia couldn’t decide which group to go to, so I gestured to her, and she ran to me quite adorably.

The trainees followed another professor to find their rooms and disappeared, and the rest of us visited the church under the guidance of the vice-principal.

“Wow… Hup.”

I understood Celia’s feelings, who had blurted out an exclamation and then covered her mouth, as the church was neatly decorated.

A large space that made me wonder if this many believers would ever come, and pews that filled it.

Stained glass on both sides of the windows, depicting various religious paintings.

The pulpit in the center was adorned with all sorts of jewels and silks, and the statue of Orion carved behind it was the clincher.

Frankly speaking, it was rude to even compare it to the prayer room in the Order’s main branch, it was so wonderful.

Seriously, how much money did they spend?

I’ll have to kneel before the princess when I meet her later.

The other clerics also began to look around the church, unable to come to their senses.

While everyone was taking their places and looking around the church, I stepped forward to the platform and gazed at the huge Orion statue.

Wow, how did they carve this?

It would take at least a few years, with this level of detail.

Did they bring it from somewhere else?

After admiring it for a while, I put my hands together, closed my eyes, and struck a pose.

Originally, you have to do this before anyone else to appeal to your faith.

If a cleric is admiring the stained glass or the jewels on the candlesticks, what would the people who are guiding us think?

Celia, who was next to me, also closed her eyes and began to pray next to me when I started praying, and as if realizing my appearance, the other clerics cleared their throats one by one and gathered around me to pray.

Aren’t you being too obvious?

How much time had passed?

In my heart,

Orion, although I fell into the middle of the Order that you don’t even care about, I came out alive, so I won’t resent you anymore.

So, there are no feelings between us?

No bothering me through the Order from now on, deal?

As I was harboring such irreverent thoughts, the Cardinal, who couldn’t stand it, interrupted after pretending to pray.

“Ahem. There are still many places to look around, so let’s stop here.”

Seriously, not even a few clerics are pretending to pray?

Hiding my absurdity, I dusted off my clothes, and a strange aura was felt from the guides, including Vice-Principal Claire.

Anticipation? Joy?

“Don’t worry. The only places left to look around are the conference room and where you will be staying.”

Doubt filled the eyes of the clerics.

“How can there be only those places left to look around when the grounds are so large?”

“The remaining places are not for you to use, but for other priests to use.”

“Other priests? Who else is here besides us?”

“Oh, haven’t you heard?”

The vice-principal said so and paused.

The faint anticipation and joy had already swelled up like a balloon.

It wasn’t just a friendly feeling… if I had to put my finger on it, it was the feeling just before playing a prank on someone?

“Letters have also been sent to the other races in the name of the imperial family. The same offer that the Orion Order received.”

“W-what?”

If I had to put my finger on it, it wasn’t just a feeling, it was literally that.

Was it an unexpected remark?

The Cardinal’s eyes widened as if they would pop out.

“We have received positive responses from everyone, and I think everyone will arrive within a few days? The other grounds are for them.”

“A-are you saying that the imperial family has brought in pagans?”

“Pagans? Cardinal, your words are harsh. They are all priests of the gods of the same race.”

The Cardinal, unable to control his expression, raised his voice, but the vice-principal simply replied calmly without any change in expression.

“The empire respects the freedom of all religions. The only beings in the world who truly deserve to be called pagans are demon worshippers.”

“Why do humans need the teachings of racial gods other than Orion!”

“Well, we opened it up to break the empire’s long-standing notions about religion and study it, not to favor any particular religion. So that doesn’t mean much.”

The Cardinal continued to protest after that, but Vice-Principal Claire seemed to have prepared thoroughly and easily countered him.

I couldn’t help but understand Cardinal Monto’s feelings.

This world was polytheistic.

To be exact, it’s not a theory.

Because it has been proven that several gods actually exist.

Several gods existed.

As the highest-ranking deities, there were the racial gods of each race, and below them were material gods like the Steel God and abstract gods like the Sea God.

There is no problem with worshiping lower gods at all.

They worship them simply because they are closely related to their lives or livelihoods, but in the end, the source of that worship is each race’s god.

To be exact, it should be said that there is no problem with the authority of the clerics at all.

But the gods of other races were deities equal to Orion.

They all shared the same religious worldview, but I didn’t understand why they were considered different religions just because the deities were equal or different, but that was the logic here anyway.

The problem is that the priests of other races worship gods of the same rank as Orion.

They were beings who could legally attack the Order’s doctrines.

In other words, in front of the priests of other racial gods, the invincible logic of “Believe it because it’s God’s will” “You don’t believe this? You heretic” combo didn’t work.

It was obvious that proselytizing would become difficult if they started to say, “According to our point of view, your interpretation seems wrong?”

They should have organized their doctrines better in the first place…

Even from what I saw briefly, there were so many errors in the doctrines of the Orion Order that it was dizzying.

Just by looking at it, there were many things that they had released as doctrinal interpretations without proper verification in order to do things that suited their tastes in each era.

It was inevitable that the Cardinal would be anxious.

Me?

Well, I have the ultimate cheat key, the Saint title, which can justify my own pseudo-religious logic.

If I get beaten up, I can just eat popcorn next to them.

“The Order can never accept this!”

“Then are you going back?”

The Cardinal, who had been angry for a while, was speechless at those words.

How much expectation was he receiving from the Order?

But if he succeeds, his position will rise, but what if he fails?

The Cardinal’s face turned pale.

The Cardinal could never choose to go back from here.

I know that feeling well.

“The Order will not stand idly by in this situation.”

In the end, the Cardinal, who had taken a step back, could only say that.

“Please inquire with the imperial family or the headmaster for details. I’m just an ordinary citizen following orders?”

Originally, people who say they’ll see you later are never scary.

The vice-principal seemed to know that well enough.

Memo… don’t mess with the vice-principal…

I thought that was enough, but it seemed like there was still a finishing blow left.

“This is our accommodation?”

The Cardinal asked in a voice still laced with shock.

There was a nuance in his tone that pleaded for a denial.

The accommodation where Celia, I, and of course, the Cardinal and other hangers-on would be staying wasn’t as large as expected.

Of course, it wasn’t small, and it was clean since it was a new building, but buildings have a certain grandeur when viewed from the outside, don’t they?

Since it was housing a small number of people, the reduced size of the accommodation made it look more shabby than the apprentice cadets’ living quarters we had first encountered.

The possibility of the interior being dramatically dazzling was very low.

“Yes. How is it? It’s close to the church and close to the conference room. Naturally, the high-ranking accommodations for priests of other races are also nearby in this manner.”

Her face was smiling, but it was practically saying, “Now, kill each other.”

The Imperial Family has a plan?

I thought they were opening the academy at the cost of their own losses because of me, but seeing them crush the Cardinal so thoroughly before the first day was even over made me want to drink a cider.

“What do you think, Ronan, apprentice Saint?”

“It’s clean and nice. I’m just grateful.”

The arrow suddenly turned towards me, but I felt like I could digest anything just by looking at the gloomy faces of those Order guys.

There was no way I could feel bad.

The Cardinal and the priests looked at me with expressions that said, “That naive Saint doesn’t even realize we’re the ones getting hit and is just laughing foolishly.”

That’s not it?

I know all too well?

I’m laughing because you guys are getting hit?

With an even more joyful smile, I once again thanked Vice-Dean Claire.

Thank you for showing me such a good spectacle.

Vice-Dean Claire seemed surprised by my reaction, then clapped her hands to lighten the mood.

“Well then, now that the explanation of the facilities is roughly over, shall we talk about the welcoming ceremony where you will be formally introduced at our academy?”

Why are you saying that while looking at me?

“Even within our academy, the priests are currently the object of much attention.”

You mean the priests are the object of attention, not me, right?

“Moreover, we believe it is an honor for our academy to have famous priests from all over the world gathering here.”

I understand well enough, but why do you keep looking at me?

“So, the academy is preparing a welcoming ceremony when all the priests arrive… Is there anything impactful that could alleviate the fatigue at the welcoming ceremony? Something like that!”

So why are you looking at me while saying that…?

Ah, I’m already getting PTSD from almost dying after summoning an angel welcome.