Mesugaki Tank Enters The Academy

Karia didn’t take me to a place too far away.

It was in the back alley of the bustling district where the Arteia port is located. Our destination was a place only a few minutes’ walk from the Arteia mansion.

“The Arteia port is a place where many come and go, so it’s a good spot for hiding something or spreading rumors.”

I understood what she meant.

Most of the people staying here are sailors.

They stay for a few days, head to other places, and eventually return here, making it hard to remember anyone’s face in a place where the faces change daily.

“But for you, Employer, it’s an exception. It seems rumors will spread about you here.”

‘True.’

“Right? I never thought there would be so many disgusting perverts. Trash that could work like a dog for a lifetime wouldn’t even be able to lick my toes.”

However, among all those people, I felt I would be the one to remain in this port.

Every time I moved, the gazes of people followed me.

Since I arrived in this world, I had always been the center of attention.

This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

Most of it was negative, but attracting attention from others had become a very everyday occurrence.

Most of those gazes were uncomfortable. The history behind the name Lucy Alrn had instilled fear in people.

But today was different. Today, the gazes directed at me carried an unpleasant stickiness.

It wasn’t that they didn’t know the name Lucy Alrn. The moment our eyes met, they turned their heads in horror, so they clearly knew of my infamy.

So those guys are sending such gazes even knowing my reputation?

Was the change brought about by my increasing rank that dramatic?

I still couldn’t feel any significant difference, no matter how much I glared at the mirror.

“You seem to be doing well since you planned it all out.”

“Planned? This?”

“Snake-like old lady. What did you plan?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to say I’m fox-like instead? Saying I’m snake-like sounds too venomous.”

‘Isn’t being fox-like worse?’

“A fox? Do you want to hear that you resemble an awkward fox?”

“...That’s not it. Yeah. A snake is better. A snake is better.”

Nodding my head, Karia then blocked the sounds from the surroundings and answered my question.

“To avoid suspicion from the inquiries, you need an alibi that you weren’t in Burrow territory.”

Ah, I see. By making my face known among the people at the port, no one would think I had been staying with the Burrow family.

That’s why she said there was no need to cover my face.

“And I wanted to let you experience your changes as well.”

‘...That’s unnecessary consideration.’

“Who would have thought you’d be so thick-headed, old lady? Live a bit younger. Are you going to live alone for your entire life?”

“...If it weren’t for the grace I’ve received!”

Seeing Karia trembling, seemingly wanting to smack my head right away, I hurriedly shut my mouth.

After walking for a few more minutes, we arrived at a restaurant.

It seemed quite popular, as many people were eating and filling the place with noise.

Watching a robust lady deftly manage the rough sailors, I inadvertently turned my gaze toward Karia.

Is Jakel here? I wanted to ask.

“This is the place.”

She said I would know, and then she caught the attention of a waiter and spoke to him.

The waiter led us to a private room on the second floor, and when Karia pulled on a deer horn adorning a corner of the wall, a passage leading downwards was revealed.

“Is the suspicion gone?”

I couldn’t answer that question. The secret place Karia had prepared was stirring my spirit.

What is this! It’s totally cool! It feels like something out of a spy novel!

Wow. How long has it been since Karia escaped the grip of the Evil God to set up a system like this? Isn’t she too capable?

“I’m just making slight adjustments to the system that my disciple set up.”

If this is nothing special, then what does Karia consider special?

Is this the competence of someone who used to stand next to Benedict?

I’m really glad she’s on my side.

...From now on, I should also be careful about calling her an old lady or a spinster.

“Here.”

Jakel was sleeping in one of the many hidden rooms underground.

He had a faint breathing pattern that could stop at any moment. His furrowed brow and the faint voice that slipped out of his mouth were reminiscent of Feiby when she had collapsed from Nakrad’s attack.

“How about it? Do you think you can handle it, Employer?”

‘Yes.’

“Why are you asking such an obvious question? Instead of worrying about useless things, how about thinking about how to catch a man?”

“Really, you should stop talking.”

While listening to Karia’s grumbling voice, I fixed my gaze on Jakel’s body.

Then, I noticed the essence of Tariki deeply embedded in his heart.

It grasped his heart, gradually flowing into his blood, trying to stain his entire body with its essence.

As I observed him, I realized what it meant for my divinity rank to rise.

<You can see it, huh?>

‘Yes. I can see it well.’

Previously, I couldn’t sense Tariki’s essence at all.

Even when Feiby collapsed. Even when Nakrad seized Burrow territory. I only learned of Tariki’s schemes from someone’s story; I couldn’t perceive his essence with my own eyes.

But now it’s possible.

With my divinity rank rising and my body changing accordingly, I can see Tariki’s essence.

I can feel the torment etched into Jakel’s body.

<Then, I have nothing more to say. Do as you wish.>

‘Got it.’

Taking a deep breath, I spread my divinity throughout my body.

The divinity that had been depleted after the grueling battle earlier was now filled within me, heavier and stronger than before. It only took a moment for my whole body to be enveloped in warm energy.

With this, my preparations are complete. Now, let’s get started.

Let’s put Armaadi’s mercy to the test.

Until now, I had only thought of Armaadi’s mercy as a skill. Just like in the game, I assumed it was simply a way to heal and remove status ailments.

In reality, I had always used Armaadi’s mercy that way, and I hadn’t thought beyond that.

My rotten knowledge from the Soul Academy told me I could only use Armaadi’s mercy in such a manner.

But my thoughts changed during the tutorial for the skill. I learned something I hadn’t considered.

As indicated by the name of the deity, Armaadi’s mercy is a skill that grants part of the deity’s power.

It’s not just a simple healing ability; it’s a way to receive a portion of the deity’s power.

No matter how pathetic and incompetent he is, being a perverted deity is still a deity.

He couldn’t possibly be limited to only that level when he has bestowed upon me a portion of his power.

As I became the apostle of Armaadi, and inherited some of his divinity, I realized the true nature of the skill.

It is to alleviate suffering.

Healing and removing status ailments are merely secondary effects.

The essence of Armaadi’s mercy is the power to relieve suffering.

Though I spoke confidently, I still didn’t fully grasp this power.

I had only recently realized the skill of Armaadi’s mercy this very morning; how could I be perfect?

Still, I had no worries.

Even though I know less than I should, I can definitely expel the energy of that gloomy trash trying to inflict suffering on a small girl.

I can save the troubled teenager in a nightmare.

After concentrating the divinity in my hand, I placed it on Jakel’s heart. As soon as my divinity made contact with his skin, it flowed into him.

The essence of Tariki, lodged in his heart, began to writhe violently the moment it sensed my divinity.

It seemed to struggle desperately to prevent the supreme energy from entering its domain.

But that struggle was futile.

The rank of my divinity was higher than Nakrad, who had planted darkness in this body. No matter how desperately the darkness fought, it would lose ground in the presence of light.

At some point, perhaps realizing it could no longer endure, the essence of Tariki vanished in an instant.

It was likely trying to escape this body, hoping to make me think it had fled.

Watching that futile attempt made me chuckle.

What does it mean to hide within Jakel’s body?

As long as Tariki’s essence remains inside him and as long as Jakel suffers because of that essence, darkness can never escape my sight.

If I wanted, I could diligently track down and erase that essence, but I chose not to.

I leisurely filled Jakel’s body with my divinity.

Just as the sun rises and darkness disappears, the place for Tariki’s essence gradually fades from Jakel’s body.

The essence of Tariki, which had been desperately trying to survive, fought with all its might to escape, but even that had its limits.

Escape was only possible if there was somewhere to flee.

If blocked at a dead end, one could only wait for death with closed eyes.

“Hey, worthless Tariki♡”

Ultimately, Tariki’s essence was burned away by my divinity, giving up even the struggle to resist.

“I’ll torment you like this later♡ Look forward to it♡”

After confirming that Tariki’s essence had vanished not long after, I withdrew my divinity from Jakel’s body.

It was clear that moving my divinity had become much easier than before.

While I couldn’t tell from the outside, it seems a lot had changed on the inside.

Hmm. Then my physical abilities must have changed too?

When I return, I should ask Karl to spar with me.

I need to see how far I can go now.