Even After Reincarnation, I’m Going to the Academy

Chapter 2
『 Translator – Divinity 』

I slept soundly for the first time in a while.

Haaam, I woke up with a big yawn. My body felt stiff, so I stretched, and a pure white light fell from the ceiling.

“?”

I looked up at the ceiling. The ordinary white ceiling was enveloped in a halo of light.

‘What is this?’

This was a new phenomenon.

I casually tossed the light that had fallen on my lap into a corner and hurried out, still wearing my priestly robe. Outside was also completely different from usual.

Every corner of the temple was emitting a brilliant light, and the sacred objects and statues that I had neglected all this time had been completely transformed.

“It didn’t shine like this when I cleaned it? How do I have to clean it to make it shine like this?”

[Don’t say silly things and come here.]

Arcana spoke to me, not in her usual gentle voice, but in a majestic one.

[Hear me, my Saint.]

A divine oracle!

I went before the statue, knelt on one knee, and bowed my head. Usually, I’m a devoted son(?) who speaks to God with a mix of respect and informality, but I still showed proper respect when a divine oracle was given.

Arcana’s statue moved. Now even her arms were moving! The arms enveloped in a brilliant halo moved and stroked my head.

[I heard an oracle from my Father today.]

An oracle from her Father?

I had a feeling that this was a bigger deal than I had thought.

Arcana is a god. And the father of a god?

The Lord God.

The supreme god and creator who created this continent.

‘Then, something higher than a divine oracle…’

A revelation.

Could it be that what I said yesterday was the cause? I recalled last night’s conversation and unconsciously frowned.

‘No way. There’s no way a revelation would come down just for an academy…’

[My Father said. A ‘disaster’ will soon befall the continent. To prepare for this, my apostle shall enter the continent’s best academy this year and persuade the heroes who will save the continent.]

…Seriously?!

As soon as Arcana finished speaking, the light that had filled the temple subsided.

[Whew. I was surprised by the sudden revelation.]

The echo effect in Arcana’s voice also disappeared. Arcana, who had returned to her usual gentle voice, spoke.

[Anyway, did you hear all that?]

“I heard it all, but… so, to summarize in one sentence, you’re telling me to go to the academy?”

[Yes. Many heroes are enrolling in the academy this year. But maybe because they’re kids these days, they’re generally ill-mannered. Especially the noble kids, they have a strong sense of pride in their useless bloodlines… So, I want you to fix them a little. And just in case, prevent them from ‘falling,’ too.]

“Falling?”

[Falling prey to the dark mages. You’ve seen it a lot in novels, haven’t you? It’s just like that.]

I made a dubious expression.

Alright. I understand what you mean. You want me to fix those kids who are needed in the future but are showing bad signs, right?

But what does that have to do with me?

[You’re a priest, so… you won’t accept even if I order you to, right?]

“Of course. I just want to stay here. Whether the continent is destroyed or not, what does it have to do with me…?”

If the continent is going to be destroyed, shouldn’t I enjoy the rest of my life instead?

It may be selfish, but I just want to live a peaceful life. I don’t want to stand out.

It’s not like I haven’t been criticized for sticking my neck out in my past life. Since I know that staying put is the best option, I just want to live comfortably, regardless of any revelations or anything.

…Though farming isn’t exactly comfortable.

[Of course, giving you an order is just forcing you, so I don’t particularly like it either.]

Creak, the statue approached me. The statue’s hand ruffled my hair.

It should be made of stone, but I felt an unknown warmth.

[But I got some interesting information?]

“?”

A blessing descended, and a scene unfolded before me.

Inside a rather luxurious mansion, a young nobleman, who looked barely 17, was tormenting a servant.

I stared blankly.

The nobleman’s face was incredibly familiar.

[A familiar face, isn’t it?]

Crack!

I unconsciously clenched my fist. One of the bullies who tormented me during my school days was right there.

My desire to live a peaceful life instantly changed. I wanted to take revenge on that bastard who gave me such bad memories.

But before that, there was a question that came to mind first.

“…Why is he here?”

[Because he’s not the same person you remember. Of course, reincarnation isn’t under my control, so I can’t know for sure. But he’s probably not a reincarnator like you.]

Just a human who looks like him? I narrowed my eyes and looked closely. He only resembled him in the face; his physique and body seemed a bit different.

Is that a good thing? Not really.

‘No. I wish it were him instead.’

When he was out of sight, it was fine, but now that someone who resembled him was right in front of me… irritation and trauma surged up.

[There are more than a few of those kinds of guys.]

“?”

There are many bullies like that?

[And among them are heroes… or rather, ‘candidates.’]

“!”

The memories were still vivid. Milk being poured over my head, food flying at me, the smell of cigarettes in a deserted alleyway, fists and baseball bats pounding my body…

‘Those bastards, becoming heroes?’

They weren’t just ill-mannered.

In my eyes, they were no different from criminals who killed people.

Those who hid behind the shield of ‘student’ and wielded knives.

Those guys, becoming heroes who save the world in the future?

‘That’s… that’s just wrong.’

I’m not a hero. I’m not a warrior. I’m not particularly kind-hearted either.

But, at the very least, isn’t it wrong for such trash to prosper?

[That’s why I need your help. You have the power, and you have the qualifications. Because you’re my child. Because you’re my only son, you can beat those bastards to death.]

Arcana whispered softly.

[So, what do you think? Still don’t want to go?]

“…Those guys… I think I can handle them.”

I changed my mind.

I decided to go to the academy.

***

I immediately packed my bags. Arcana approached me as I packed and said,

[The professor you met yesterday should still be around here. Try to find him. You’ll need his help.]

“To find the way?”

[No. Because you need money to enroll.]

“?”

[I don’t have money.]

Are you kidding me?

“Isn’t there any support or something?”

[My sister said she would help… but the saint and the divine beast there have a bit of a strange personality. It’ll be very tiring. And you need to learn how to earn some money with your own strength.]

‘Oh, for crying out loud.’

But I didn’t want to ask for help. People with strange personalities are tiring.

I stuffed my clothes, holy water, and herbs into a bundle.

And I also packed the sacred objects.

[Wait, wait. You can’t take those.]

Ah, I was trying to pack them naturally. I took out the sacred objects that I had stealthily tried to put in the bundle.

I was about to go outside and pack a weapon that could at least protect myself, but I was immediately stopped.

Clicking my tongue, I asked Arcana,

“Really? Not even one?”

[No.]

“I’m a saint, you know. You’re sending me out there empty-handed?”

At my words, Arcana seemed to ponder for a moment, hesitating before finally speaking in a somewhat hesitant voice.

[…No.]

“Even though I’m a saint?”

[Even if I wanted to give it to you, I can’t. Can you even handle that?]

Arcana’s statue pointed to a weapon.

The Holy Spear Longinus.

A weapon that drains the owner’s divine power just by holding it and requires at least master-level proficiency to wield.

I heard my senior used to wield it sometimes when he was active, and it’s said that every swing has the same effect as a dragon’s breath.

Of course, I can’t handle it.

“…No.”

[You should at least be able to handle that. And you never know. It could get stolen.]

“A sacred object can be stolen? I’m a saint, you know?”

[Ah. You’re a saint, so it won’t be stolen from you… Um, so…]

When a sacred object is received from a god, it becomes a bound artifact from that moment on, so there’s no chance of it being stolen. Unless the priest dies, that is.

Arcana seemed to ponder for a moment, then finally decided to just blurt it out.

[Anyway, no!]

How petty.

I pouted and eventually packed only the other luggage.

Sending me out without any weapons? Isn’t that too much?

As I rummaged through my luggage with a sullen look, Arcana comforted me.

[There are countless weapons buried in the continent.]

“Why haven’t they been excavated?”

[It’s ‘fate,’ and we gods don’t intentionally look for them. That’s how new heroes can be born.]

Well, that’s true. I’ve heard of many cases where someone accidentally picked up a holy sword and became a hero. Holy swords and such can be wielded even without the necessary physical abilities.

“Then are there people who have holy swords?”

[I don’t know about that. There are ‘hero candidates,’ but there aren’t many who are actually ‘heroes.’ Still, there might be some who have them. Not mine, but I heard that Arcturus’s holy sword is in some martial family.]

I see. If it’s the God of Light, it has nothing to do with me. In the first place, most of the God of War’s sacred objects are in this temple.

[Well then, if you’ve packed everything, it’s time to leave. I won’t see you for quite a while.]

“I’ll come back during vacation.”

[Of course you have to. This is your home.]

Arcana chuckled and handed me something. It was a tightly tied bundle.

[I want to go with you, but as a god, I can’t just go as I please. Take this instead.]

“What is it?”

[An artifact with a blessing that can make you return in an emergency when you’re in danger. I can’t give you a sacred object, but I can give you this much. It will save your life once.]

I carefully accepted the bundle. It’s quite large for just one artifact, but it doesn’t matter.

One way or another, Arcana is my god and a mother-like figure to me.

Arcana smiled quietly.

[Go on then.]

“I’ll be back.”

I slung the bundle, which looked like the one Luffy from One Piece carries, over my shoulder.

My heart pounded.

It’s different from school in my past life. I have a mother-like god who supports and protects me.

And I have the opportunity to forcibly rehabilitate those bullies who tormented me. I can stop that vicious cycle now.

I glanced back at the temple, now a bit further away. There were quite a few old and worn-out areas.

‘After I go out and get my revenge… I’ll earn a lot of money.’

If I earn a lot of money, I’ll build a wonderful new temple.

With a somewhat excited heart, I left the temple for the first time on my own two feet.

***

After Eugene left the temple, the barrier surrounding it hummed and closed completely.

Now, this temple is sealed. It will not open except when Eugene returns.

[Did you send him off properly?]

[Sister.]

A god approached Arcana.

Long, flowing, brilliant golden hair and eyes, a pure white dress dragging on the floor.

Arcturus, the God of Light.

Despite her arrival, Arcana couldn’t take her eyes off her child leaving the temple.

[You’ve been pampering him so much all this time. Unlike you.]

At Arcturus’s words, Arcana quietly nodded.

[Because he’s my child, whom I finally found.]

[Well, that’s true. The child you’ve been waiting tens of thousands of years for.]

Arcana still couldn’t take her eyes off Eugene. As long as he was her priest, she could see him wherever he was.

Even if she couldn’t talk to him.

‘It’ll be a bit boring.’

Despite being a priest, he spoke to her informally, and sometimes he was so cheeky that she wondered if he was going to challenge her, but in any case, he was her beloved child.

He had brought quite a bit of excitement to her life, which had been devoid of any stimulation other than ‘war,’ so it was a shame that she had to wait at least six months to talk to him again.

[You must be very sad, huh?]

[Yes, I am. It seems like he’s going to try to earn a lot of money… which means it’ll definitely be even longer before I see him again.]

[But what can you do?]

Arcturus patted the slightly disheartened Arcana on the shoulder.

Taking her eyes off Eugene for a moment, Arcana grumbled.

[Why couldn’t you just bring a reincarnator or someone possessed? Why my child?]

[You already have both. Although one of them died. And they’re protagonists in their own right. It’s just that your child has also become one of the protagonists.]

[Wouldn’t it be easier to have one person do a one-man show?]

[I heard that’s not allowed?]

[Why?]

[It’s a method that’s been overused.]

[??]

Even as a god, Arcana couldn’t understand the Lord God’s thoughts. It was probably the same for the other gods.

Arcana brought up another grievance.

[You said he can’t become too strong and wouldn’t let me give him the sacred objects I originally intended to. It would have been fine to just give them to him in a weakened state and slowly unseal them.]

[That would be too overpowered. That child will unseal them too easily. Because he has the talent. But you know that can’t happen, right? He needs at least a minimum of trials. That child needs to grow. Oh? Wait a minute. Hey, what is that?]

Arcturus followed Arcana’s gaze back to Eugene and widened her eyes.

The bundle Eugene was carrying was tightly tied, but as the God of Light, Arcturus could see what was inside.

It wasn’t a sacred object, but a national treasure-class artifact close to it.

Arcana subtly turned her head, avoiding Arcturus’s gaze.

[…I don’t know anything about that. My child seems to have a bit of a thieving streak?]

[……]

Arcturus, who had seen her hand over the bundle herself, had a dumbfounded expression on her face.