READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 61
The war against the Heretics was reaching a certain conclusion.
Sowol was resting in the barracks after finishing her usual battle, her face gloomy as she sighed.
“…How long do I have to keep this up?”
The endlessly emerging Heretics were enough to gnaw at her sanity. Especially when she wasn’t getting any information about the Asura sect, it was even more distressing.
She was getting worn out.
If only searching for Lee Hyun had yielded some results, but that too was fruitless.
‘Master…’
Where on earth could you be?
Clutching the Moonlight Sword, the last gift from Lee Hyun, she read the letter he had sent her.
A letter she had read hundreds, if not thousands, of times, now tattered and worn. Unlike the hundreds of letters she couldn’t tell were real or fake, this was the genuine trace of him.
As she slowly brought the letter to her face to catch a whiff of Lee Hyun’s scent, it happened.
“Saintess!”
“Yikes!”
Startled, Sowol quickly put the letter down and frowned slightly at Laila, who rushed into the barracks.
‘She didn’t see it, did she?’
Sowol hoped Laila hadn’t caught her clinging to the memory of Lee Hyun, and she forced a haughty expression.
“What’s the hurry? Did you find any information about the Asura sect?”
“I found information about Master!”
“…What?”
Is this for real? Not fake? Actual information about Lee Hyun?
Sowol jumped up and stared blankly at Laila.
“Master has become an Instructor at the Academy!!”
“R-really? For real? For real?!”
With a trembling voice, Sowol grabbed Laila’s arm tightly.
Please let it be true, please don’t let it be a dream. As she clung to Laila, shaking, she finally burst into tears at her answer.
“A report came in confirming Master at the Academy!”
“Ahhh…!!”
It’s real.
She truly found Master.
Sowol couldn’t even wipe her flowing tears and just whimpered. Laila embraced her tightly, speaking in a wet voice.
“You were right…!! Master is alive!”
“Ugh… Sob… See? I told you…!!”
“Yes! Ugh… It’s true!! It’s true!!”
As they both wept uncontrollably, Sowol and Laila hugged tightly.
“…Sniff. Then this isn’t the time to waste.”
“Yes…!!”
There was no need to keep celebrating for now. Sowol knew exactly what needed to be done.
“We’re going to the Academy…!!”
.
.
.
It wasn’t uncommon for the church to admit students from the Academy.
After all, there were clergymen affiliated with the church among the other grades.
But the Sword Saint…
Isn’t she someone of the highest standing in the church, just below the Pope?
“Um… Would you like to have a cup of tea first…?”
The Sword Saint was undoubtedly positioned much higher than the Dean.
To think that such a person would come as a student…
By leveraging the church’s power and the influence of other associated entities, she could certainly aim for the Dean’s position.
With such a person in front of him, the Dean forced a smile while trying to hide his unease.
“Thank you.”
The beautiful woman with long pink hair smiled gently.
She had shattered countless Heretics with just one sword.
It wasn’t a smile expected from someone known as the Witch of the Battlefield by the Heretics.
Her smile was beautiful enough to make even a woman like him feel his heart race, and after taking a sip of tea, she smiled again.
“But… why is the Saintess at the Academy…?”
“The war against the Heretics has come to an end. The church granted me a leave, so I wanted to learn a lot while at the Academy.”
“I see… A transfer, then…”
“If it were normal, I would have to enter as a freshman, but the timing didn’t work out… I hope you can understand this much.”
“Of course. We will absolutely understand. If the Saintess transfers, there will be many who will be thrilled.”
Especially considering the church affiliates in the Academy.
From their perspective, they would hardly have the chance to see the Saintess, who fought on the front lines.
Thus, the Dean wanted to place her in the 2nd or 3rd year.
“I want to enter the 1st year. If possible, the A class.”
“Huh?”
1st year A class. It was the class currently drawing attention in the Academy.
The 3rd prince of the Empire.
The 1st princess of the Deorent Kingdom.
One of the great mages, Ruten, the head of the Ivory Tower.
The daughter of the Mage Engineer, Slyrene.
And the niece of the King of Rights.
Last but not least, the one leading that class was the immensely qualified Lee Hyun.
Truthfully, even just having them in the Dean’s eyes was overwhelming.
‘Just thinking about what happened during the training makes my stomach turn…’
During the archaeological training of the 1st year A class led by Lee Hyun, a Giant Rockworm appeared.
A powerful and rare monster that seasoned adventurers would consider dead upon meeting.
If it weren’t for Lee Hyun, they would have all died or been severely injured, and the responsibility would have fallen on the Dean.
That’s why he didn’t want any more high-profile figures in the 1st year. He’d even been considering only safe training for the 1st years, and now she wanted to join?
“Hahaha… The Saintess could even run for Dean, but 1st year…”
“Then I should run for Dean, shouldn’t I?”
“…You would suit that role perfectly. Since you’re so young, you’d certainly match well with the students, hohoho.”
“Hehe. Thank you for thinking that. When can I enroll?”
“If you wish, you can start tomorrow. I’ll inform Instructor Lee Hyun.”
“I can’t thank you enough, Dean. May you be blessed with the light.”
“Hohoho… I truly hope there is such a blessing…”
How draining.
After watching the Sword Saint, Sowol, rise and leave, the Dean slumped onto the sofa.
“She really is the Sword Saint…”
Just being in her presence was enough to make him shiver again.
The Dean took off his glasses and rubbed his face.
It felt like he aged ten more years. He was already worried about the wrinkles forming lately, and now this happened.
He thought he should go for some skincare after work today when suddenly…
“Dean!!”
Seeing the pale face of the secretary who entered, he felt it wasn’t good news.
With a haggard face, she extended her hand.
“What… is it…”
“There’s been a change regarding the student being sent from the Magic Tower for the exchange event today.”
“A change in the student?”
It felt chilling.
Like a dagger had pierced his chest.
The Dean sweated profusely. It can’t be. Surely not. Another VIP is coming? No way!
But her expectations were shattered by the next words from the secretary.
“…It’s said that the Colorless Principal is included…”
The Dean’s face went even paler.
“…Why is that genius principal coming?!”
He wanted nothing more than to rush to meet him.
Isn’t it just natural?
He had waited for years.
He had longed to see him.
Even when everyone said he must have died, he had continued searching for Lee Hyun, believing he was alive.
And when he heard that Lee Hyun had been found, how ecstatic he had been!
He had been the only one to believe, and when that belief was proven right, he had cried in Laila’s embrace.
That was why he wanted nothing more than to run to him and tell him how much he wanted to see him right now.
“Then why don’t you just go?”
“Hmph! Laila, I am the Saintess. And I am also the sole heiress of the Eastern Trading Company. What would Master think if I rushed to find him in the middle of class without decorum?”
“I think he’d just be happy to see you…”
When she heard the news that Lee Hyun had been found, Sowol seemed like she would drop everything and rush to him.
Watching her act like this confused Laila.
“Tsk tsk. This is why you can’t be a proper lady.”
With a smug look, Sowol raised her finger.
Laila was curious about the nonsense that was about to come out of her mouth and just decided to listen quietly.
“Think about it. Master hasn’t seen me for a long time. Right?”
“That’s true.”
“And I am not the Sowol I was back then.”
Sowol tossed her hair and struck a sultry pose, which made Laila sigh.
“It’s just a bit…”
“Anyway! To Master, I’m still the little Sowol. But if this wonderful, grown woman appears, how would he react? Wouldn’t he feel his heart race?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Hehe. When he sees the overflowing charm of his long-lost disciple, I’m sure he’ll be smitten! Then he’ll say, ‘Sowol! The moment I saw you, I realized I was wrong! I fell for you! Sweet Love You!’”
“What is ‘Sweet Love You’?”
“And then I’d say to him, ‘Even though you haven’t contacted me or shown your face for so long, I’m kind and merciful because I’m the Saintess. So I will embrace you with love. If you wish, I wouldn’t mind going out with you!’ But do you think he would want to show such a side to his students? No way! He has a dignity to maintain in front of his students too. Ah, I am such a supportive woman. Master, you are so lucky to have me!’”
“…You’re ignoring me, aren’t you?”
Getting lost in her fantasies, Sowol shivered with excitement.
Just thinking about it brightened her mood.
As Laila was sipping the coffee she’d brought back, it happened.
“Uh, huh?!”
At that, Sowol turned her head, spotting a captivating beauty in a black robe with silver hair and blue eyes.
“Oh my?! Isn’t that Lena?!”
“S-Saintess!”
Sowol, sitting in the cafeteria, stood up. Holding a plate full of cookies, bread, and drinks, it was none other than Lena.
As Lena approached, still astonished, Sowol smiled warmly and welcomed her.
“I didn’t expect to meet you here.”
“I-I didn’t expect it either! I-I am happy to meet you.”
“Yes! I’m happy too. Since this is fate, would you like to join me here?”
It was unheard of for someone at the level of a principal of the Ivory Tower to sit with a mere maid.
After Laila stood up to bow and greet them, she left for another area, allowing Lena to sit down, letting out a sigh of relief.
“W-would you like a cookie?”
“Oh, I’d love one. Hehe. What a joyful day to run into someone I know here! Hehehe~.”
“Is there something good happening…?”
“Yes! I mentioned before, right? I have a precious person I haven’t seen in a long time. I’m meeting that person today!”
“Oh, that’s great! I-I also have a precious mentor to meet today…”
“Oh my? Really?! What a coincidence! Hehehe. Well…”
Just as she was about to say something more…
The bell from the Academy started ringing.
It was the signal that today’s classes were over.
Students and instructors began to exit the huge building.
As Sowol watched that scene, she chose to focus her gaze in that direction instead of speaking.
He would be coming out soon.
Her heart raced.
Her breath quickened, and her face flushed.
She was more nervous than when facing countless foes.
The noise of students pouring out didn’t reach her ears. Her sensitive senses were focused solely on finding one figure.
As Sowol scanned the exit with razor-sharp attention…
“Master!!”
The suddenly exclaiming Lena drew her gaze. So, she found him? Then I too…
Ah, there he is.
Walking this way, even though years had passed, he looked almost unchanged.
He seemed a little thinner, but that just made him look even wilder—there was Lee Hyun.
Her legs weakened.
Her breath grew shallow.
Yet Sowol stood up.
Lena, too, was rising and rushing forward.
Ah, now isn’t the time to worry about such things. Not now.
“…..?”
Something was off. Lena was running in the same direction as her.
“Master! Master!”
And the person she was wishing for was the same person Lena was wishing for.
Why…?
This can’t be…?
“Ah? Sowol and Lena? You finally made it?”
Oblivious to Sowol’s feelings, Lee Hyun opened his arms wide.
Should she jump into his embrace?
Lena, appearing surprised, looked at Sowol.
As both of them stood in shock at the unexpected situation…
“Let’s have dinner together~!”
With that, a blonde beauty leaped into Lee Hyun’s open arms, and the light in Sowol and Lena’s eyes vanished.
“Master.”
“Mentor.”
They both stared blankly at Lee Hyun and spoke in an emotionless tone.
“”Who is that woman?””