Necromancer Academy’s Genius Summoner - Chapter 161

Chapter 159

The most important core assignment in the semester one holidays…

“Find your own way to fight priests.”

The students looked at each other and began to buzz with excitement.

“As announced earlier, the core topic of the Integrated Second Semester will be training practical skills so you can fight and defeat priests. As you may have felt with this incident, clashing with priests is inevitable.”

At the mention of priests, fighting spirit subtly began to rise within the students.

“During the holidays, you should think about and sharpen your own ability to compete against priests. What you prepare will be presented in the first class of the second semester.”

Everyone was lost when it came to the final assignment, and Simon was no exception.

‘My own ability to compete against priests, you say?’

While Simon was lost in thought…

‘?!’

A white light shimmered on his left hand under the desk.

‘Wh-What the…!’

Simon immediately realized what this light was.

It was divinity, the power of the priests.

Simon hurriedly shook out his left hand, but the light wasn’t extinguished. Meilyn, who was diligently taking notes, glared at Simon.

“What are you doing? You’re distracting me.”

“Oh, sorry. It’s nothing.”

Camibarez, on the seat next to him, tilted her head.

“Simon? You look pale. And you’re drenched in sweat…”

“Uh… Oh. It must be because the lecture room is hot.”

Simon quickly made an excuse and pretended to listen to Jane’s explanation. The two went back to paying attention to the class, but a cold sweat ran down Simon’s back.

‘What’s wrong with me?’

Simon’s mind was spinning.

‘Was I exposed to too much divinity against the saintess? But if that was it, many necromancers working in the field would also be shining with divinity.’

All kinds of thoughts rushed through his mind.

‘If a necromancer used divinity in such troubling times, wouldn’t they be arrested as an Efnel spy? I might be taken to the headquarters, be revealed as a Commander, and get even my parents arrested. That cannot happen.’

Everyone was focused on Jane’s voice, but Simon was fighting himself.

‘I’m gonna go crazy…’

No matter how hard he tried to extinguish the divinity, the brightness only got stronger and stronger.

Even if he placed his hand in his pocket or against a surface, light would leak out. By now, some of the students had noticed the strange light.

‘How the hell do I turn this thing off?’

Obviously, he had never learned anything like divinity operation in Kizen. For now, Simon raised his concentration just like how he would control jet-black.

‘Turn off. Turn off. Turn offfff!!!’

It backfired.

The light doubled in brightness and illuminated the entire ceiling.

“Who’s messing with lights during the lecture?”

You could hear Jane scribbling down onto the blackboard the contents of the handout. Fortunately, she didn’t look back.

The eyes of the other students weren’t on Simon, but Rick. Meilyn scolded him.

“Gosh! You attention whore, please!”

“Wh-What?! It’s not me!”

The more Rick claimed it wasn’t him, the more attention he drew.

After all, he was known for being a troublemaker.

‘Sorry, Rick!’

While people’s eyes were on Rick, Simon desperately tried to control his divinity.

‘Why is this happening in the last class? I couldn’t even use divinity bef—’

As soon as Simon thought that, the divinity on his palm faded and disappeared without a trace.

‘…?’

Simon didn’t understand, but he let out a sigh of relief at the thought that he survived. He used to be sad about having to leave Kizen for several months, but this had changed his mind.

‘I need to return to Les Hill as soon as possible. I must learn from my mother how to control this power before I get into any trouble.’

While others were wondering how to overcome the priest’s divinity…

Simon was wondering how to control his divinity.

* * *

* * *

After the announcement, preparations for the holiday season proceeded with Kizen’s unique haste.

Everyone went back to their dorms and packed what they needed. Although the room and members would stay the same in the second semester, it was good to take necessary items for homework like textbooks and notes.

“Thank you for everything in the first semester, Kajann.”

Said Simon as he packed his things. Kajann, with a large bag hoisted over his shoulder, jumped down from the bunk bed and held out his hand.

“Thank you, too.”

The two shook hands. Rick, who had already packed his things and was rolling around in his bed, watched them with envy.

Simon hesitated a little before asking,

“Uhm, by any chance… Will I still see you in the second semester?”

Kajann had enrolled in Kizen for Nefthis’ mission to find and arrest the priest. An undercover admission.

Now that the mission was complete, Kajann had no reason to remain in Kizen.

“You’ll find out when you come back.”

“…Haha.”

Simon let out a bitter laugh. As expected from someone in the Thieves Guild. He didn’t give information that easily.

“Anyway, I was lucky to fight alongside you on this mission.”

Having said that, Kajann whispered so Rick wouldn’t hear,

“There is honor among thieves. I’ll keep your secret, so don’t you worry.”

“Ah… Thank you!”

Kajann gave Simon a light pat on the shoulder before turning to leave.

“Have a nice holiday, Kajann.”

Interrupted Rick. Kajann stopped walking and looked back.

“Snore less.”

At that, Simon burst into laughter. Rick giggled, also finding it funny.

Kajann closed the door and left. Simon’s and Rick’s eyes met, and they laughed again.

“Holidays, huh? I can’t believe it.”

“I know, right? For now, I booked a room in Rochest. Quite a few people are staying there, and…”

While listening to Rick’s story, Simon jumped in fright. White light had erupted from the tip of his left index finger.

Simon quickly hid his hand behind his back. Luckily, Rick was too immersed in his story to notice.

‘I-I have to go back as soon as possible.’

Simon, who had packed all his things beforehand, left and told Rick that he had to stop by somewhere.

The first place he went was Pier’s ruins.

The so-called great Ancient Undead were huddled together on the floor playing cards. Hearing Simon approaching, Pier threw his cards into the air and shouted,

[So you’re here, Boy!]

Prince tore at his hair in disbelief.

[What?! I almost won that round!]

[Hohoho! Life is like that sometimes. Welcome back, Commander.]

Elizabeth, who had been staring at her cards while chewing her nails, also threw her cards into the air and stood up.

Prince alone remained sitting, staring at his hand of cards.

Hand on his hips, Simon asked,

“Now that its holidays, has everyone decided what they’re doing?”

[Of course!]

Pier decided to go to the ‘Jungle of Screams’ in southwest Dresden to find clues about the next Ancient Undead.

Elizabeth was planning to go to a place called ‘The Insect Tomb’, a paradise for spiders. There, she was going to look for a way to drastically increase her population of corpse spiders.

As for Prince…

[I’m going back to Death Land!]

Prince decided to consolidate his control over the other zombies a little more and focus on stabilizing Death Land, which had been made a mess of by Manus and his comrades.

[Look forward to it! It shall be the future base of the Legion!]

Exclaimed Prince, grabbing his crown and throwing it at Simon’s feet. Up until then, he still held those two cards in his hand.

“So I’m the only one going to Les Hill, huh?”

Prince refused to meet Richard, and Elizabeth had a grudge against both Richard and Anna, so Simon would refuse her even if she wanted to go. But he didn’t expect Pier to be disinterested. Simon figured he’d have much to talk about with Richard.

[I’m no longer Richard’s Marshall, but yours. We’re already strangers, and we’re not on terms good enough to have a pleasant chat. It doesn’t suit my taste.]

As Pier stretched out his arm, the clone of his that was attached to Simon’s school uniform was sucked into his hand. Pier pushed himself off the ground and placed the Greatsword of Destruction onto his shoulder.

“Pier, are you sure you don’t want to see my dad?”

[…]

Pier briefly looked up at the ceiling before replying,

[It’s not yet the time to. Richard would agree.]

* * *

Pier and Elizabeth, who had business in the Dresden Kingdom, decided to move directly from Roke Island by boat. They had already made a reservation, and since Elizabeth could transform, they didn’t have to worry about being discovered. Meanwhile, Prince simply returned his consciousness to his main body in Death Land.

After coming back to Kizen, Simon stopped by the Mutant club room to say goodbye to his seniors before getting to the teleportation circle.

“Simon! Over here!”

“Hurry up! Why are you so late?!”

Less than an hour remained until they departed home.

All of Group 7 decided to meet up before teleporting, talking in a friendly atmosphere until the end.

From the Cyclops Performance Assessment to the recent saintess incident, Group 7 could not be closer. Of course, Simon couldn’t fully enjoy the conversation out of his worry that the divinity might resurface.

He listened to the holiday plans of his friends.

Meilyn would work on her stamina and would refine her ice dark magic in the Ivory Tower.

Rick decided to remain in Rochest on Roke Island for a month or so. He said he planned to settle his business there before heading over to the continent to see his father.

Camibarez said she’d go to a Kizen graduate with Silage’s letter of recommendation to find a way to suppress and control her violent blood.

Everyone had good plans.

“Simon, what are you planning to do?”

At Meilyn’s question, Simon shrugged.

“I think I’ll just spend my time in my hometown helping my father and doing the assignments.”

It wasn’t a lie, but he didn’t reveal his first priority of controlling his erratic divinity.

Simon figured that gaining control over this power would also bring insight into the biggest holiday assignment: finding an ability to compete against priests.

“We will soon depart! Students who are called, please come forward.”

The moment of farewell came as the teleportation circle activated.

Camibarez welled up with tears. She said that she’d definitely write to everyone. Others comforted her by saying that the two months would pass by so fast.

“Simon Polentia!”

“Yes!”

Simon was called first. Having to drag his feet, it seemed that he really became fond of them despite knowing them for such a short time.

After saying goodbye to his groupmates, he stepped up to the teleportation circle. The servant politely bowed his head.

“The Les Hill estate of the Baldwin Kingdom. Is that correct?”

“Yes!”

“Commencing with teleportation.”

The magic circle was activated, and both his legs floated in the air. Simon closed his eyes, giving in to the familiar sensation.

* * *

Chirp Chirp.

It was a beautiful day outside.

Birds were singing, flowers were blooming.

The warm sun shined down on his face as he watched a babbling stream of water.

It was such a familiar scene that unfolded before him.

‘Woah…’

He really had returned.

To Les Hill.

His hometown was still the same. Nothing had changed.

Simon felt like he had fallen into another dimension seeing the peaceful Les Hill after being in the fierce Kizen.

He started leisurely walking around, taking in the sights. Charles, who was chopping firewood as usual, found Simon and smiled broadly.

“Oh, look who’s here! Young Master!!”

Charles tossed his axe aside and waved intensely. His youngest, Roha, stuck his head out from inside and cheered.

“Big bro Simoooooon!”

Simon smiled as he approached, exchanging greetings.

Roha kept poking at Simon’s Kizen uniform, saying it was cool, and then threw a tantrum about how he wanted to enroll in Kizen, too. Charles chuckled and encouraged him, saying that he’d be able to enroll once he grew up.

“Well then, I’ll get going.”

“Yes! You’re back home, so take a good rest!”

Simon started walking again.

He crossed the comforting landscape and arrived at the castle, no, the wooden house that the people called a castle. It was his father’s—the Lord’s—abode.

‘What should I say first when I see mother and father again?’

A lot of greetings came to mind. Simon took a deep breath and stood at the door.

Knock knock.

He knocked, but there was no answer. However, he could hear someone inside.

‘Are they busy?’

Since the door was unlocked, Simon creaked it open and went inside.

He saw Richard standing in the main room with a grave expression.

“Simon!”

Richard found him.

When Simon saw Richard’s expression, he realized something was terribly, terribly wrong. He ran into the main room.

“Ah…!”

His eyes widened.

Anna Polentia was lying in bed, face contorted by agony.

——