A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 75

Luna might not be confident in everything, but there is one thing she takes pride in: her stamina.

Coming from a countryside where farming was the only real option, even leisure activities often involved physical labor, unlike in the city.

On top of that, Luna was an orphan. With the love and support of the villagers, she grew up to be a decent person and often lent a hand with various tasks.

Starting with basic farming, milking cows, building repairs, and more—her stamina gradually increased as she helped with all sorts of odd jobs.

Furthermore, she received basic stamina training from her master, making her stamina better than that of most other students.

Her mental strength, which could be considered almost extreme, was built on this foundation of stamina. After all, mental strength grows best when protected by physical endurance.

‘I’m going to die······’

But all that confidence was utterly shattered by Rize’s training yesterday. Luna trudged along, thinking to herself.

There wasn’t a single part of her body that didn’t hurt. Her arms and legs were sore, but the most painful area was the back of her thighs.

Push-ups and sit-ups were already tough, but squats were even worse. If her posture faltered even slightly, she had to start over from the beginning.

And she absolutely couldn’t do them quickly. Each squat had to be done in perfect form, ensuring the strain was properly felt.

‘At least it’s only once a week as a trial······’

She felt utterly hopeless at the thought of having to do it again. She didn’t even know how long this muscle pain would last.

For now, she was barely holding on, but it was hard to stay focused.

“Are you okay?”

Even Sivar, who rarely showed concern, asked her with worry in his voice. Usually, it was someone else who would ask such questions.

That alone was proof that Luna’s condition was close to that of a zombie. She could barely walk, which said it all.

Forcing an awkward smile, Luna answered Sivar’s question. She was exhausted to the point of death, but she still claimed to be fine.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

“Really?”

Poke-

To confirm, Sivar lightly poked Luna’s arm with his finger. It was a very gentle poke.

Unfortunately, that spot was just as sore as her thighs.

“Kyaaah!?”

The moment Sivar touched her, Luna let out a peculiar scream. The real problem, however, came with the pain that followed.

Startled, her other muscles tensed up, and the sudden shock sent waves of muscle pain coursing through her entire body.

If hell could be experienced in a fleeting moment, it would probably feel like this. Luna barely managed to stop herself from collapsing to the ground.

“Ughhh······”

“You must be in a lot of pain. Sivar, don’t play around like that again.”

“Sorry.”

Well, at least he apologized.

When Sivar apologized after being scolded by Kara, Luna silently accepted it.

In truth, she was in so much pain that she couldn’t even think about whether to forgive him or not. She just wished the pain would go away.

‘How am I supposed to handle today’s practical training······?’

Morning classes were one thing, but the afternoon’s practical training was the real issue. Could she even endure until then?

“Are you all right?”

At that moment, a stranger’s voice reached her ears. Luna slowly raised her head.

As she looked up, she saw clothing that blended white and golden colors harmoniously—a style typical of clerics.

Lastly, the man’s appearance was rather ordinary, but his brown eyes shone with a sharp intelligence.

He was the cleric assigned to their group this time. Although he had introduced himself earlier, she hadn’t paid much attention.

“Yes······ I’m fine······”

“You don’t look fine at all. Are you in pain somewhere?”

Despite Luna’s answer, the cleric firmly countered her claim. Indeed, anyone could see that Luna’s condition wasn’t great.

Realizing there was no point in lying, she decided to tell the truth—though she carefully left out any mention of Rize.

“I overdid it a bit with exercise yesterday······ That’s why I have some muscle pain.”

“Ah, I see. Have you noticed any discoloration in your urine, like red or black?”

“No, it hasn’t gotten that bad.”

Luna could guess what the cleric was worried about. It was the same thing Rize had warned her about yesterday.

A condition where muscles literally break down, causing severe damage. In extreme cases, it could even lead to kidney failure.

“That’s a relief. If it becomes unbearable, you can return to the dormitory. I hesitate to say this, but there’s no real cure for muscle pain.”

“I-I’m fine. It’s not that bad.”

It was Sivar’s prank that made things worse, but it wasn’t bad enough to warrant returning to the dormitory. As long as no one touched her, she’d manage.

“What do you mean there’s no cure for muscle pain? Aren’t you a priest who serves Goddess Gaia?”

Grace, who had been listening, asked in a puzzled voice. As she pointed out, the cleric was indeed a follower of Gaia.

Gaia’s most notable trait was her healing ability. Surely, her power could alleviate Luna’s pain completely.

However, the cleric shook his head, as if he thought differently.

“That’s true, but unless it’s an emergency, it’s better to leave muscle pain alone. It actually improves efficiency in the long run.”

“Efficiency?”

“Yes. Goddess Gaia’s healing ability is exactly what you imagine it to be. Let me explain in more detail······”

The cleric’s explanation went something like this: Gaia’s healing ability acts as a kind of protective barrier until the injury is fully healed.

While the human body naturally possesses regenerative power, it’s typically very slow. Gaia’s healing ability maximizes this process.

But until the regeneration is complete, unforeseen complications could arise, which is why the ability also serves as a ‘patch.’ Once regeneration is finished, the patch disappears.

“The compound fracture treatment invented in Santias, where surgeons are highly advanced, is based on this principle. They insert reinforced steel to stabilize the bone, then remove it once the bone fully heals.”

“And what does that have to do with muscle pain?”

“Muscle pain occurs during the process of muscle damage and regeneration. The regenerated muscle retains the memory of that pain and stress, becoming stronger as a result. However, Gaia’s healing ability reinforces the muscle before it regenerates, effectively erasing all progress.”

“So healing abilities aren’t all-powerful after all.”

Grace remarked with a curious expression. Gaia’s healing ability is revered as top-tier no matter where you go.

Especially for cardinals and above, it’s said they can even regrow severed limbs. Though slightly exaggerated, it speaks to the power’s excellence.

“Only the gods themselves can wield omnipotence. If people like us could control such power, the world would be even more chaotic.”

The cleric responded with a gentle smile, skillfully handling words that could have offended someone.

Grace, realizing her slip of the tongue, cautiously offered an apology. The cleric graciously accepted it.

“Can you manage?”

“······Probably.”

Luna was still overwhelmed by muscle pain, and the cleric’s explanation barely registered in her mind.

At least he gave her some painkillers, which made things slightly more bearable. Without them, she might have had to return to the dormitory.

Any other student would have asked for permission to leave, but Luna endured with her stubbornness and diligence.

Some might call her foolish or stubborn, but that was Luna’s strength.

“Before we begin, has anyone visited a church or altar recently?”

Before entering a building that resembled a museum, the cleric looked around at the group and posed a question.

Only one person raised their hand in response: Kara, a devout believer of Lord Gulak.

Every weekend, she visited the altar set up at the academy to offer her tributes.

The cleric, noticing Kara’s distinct presence, seemed to realize something and spoke.

“Judging by your skin tone, you must be from the Tatar Tribe. Isn’t Lord Gulak the state religion there?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Were there any differences between the academy’s altar and the one in Tatar?”

“The design is different, but the altar itself is similar.”

In fact, altars only varied in shape and size, while their effects remained the same.

Perhaps expecting this answer, the cleric nodded and began explaining.

“As the student mentioned, the gods do not favor pomp and circumstance. What matters most are sincerity and devotion. If you hold onto those feelings, you’ll earn the gods’ favor.”

“··· ···”

Sivar’s expression turned slightly sour at those words. While some might desire divine favor, he was receiving it against his will.

And he deeply questioned whether what he received could even be called favor, especially since it came from none other than Chaos.

Unaware of Sivar’s inner thoughts, the cleric smiled gently and stepped inside the building.

The group followed the cleric into the building.

“Wow······ It’s so big······”

“Yeah. I knew this place existed, but it’s my first time seeing it in person.”

As Lee Yeonju and Grace reacted, the building’s interior revealed itself to be quite spacious. Various items related to mythology were displayed throughout.

It resembled a museum. The academy had established this place for both education and viewing purposes.

“The academy was founded in the distant past by the hero and their companions who defeated the Demon King. The gods also assisted the hero in vanquishing the Demon King. Thus, this place is deeply connected to mythology and history.”

“Kara, have you visited this place before?”

“I visited a few times during the weekends of my adaptation period. There wasn’t much else to do.”

While Kara answered, Luna looked around the museum’s interior. There were already people scattered here and there, exploring the space.

They seemed to belong to other groups. It made sense to divide the groups—trying to explain things to a large, noisy crowd would have made it hard to focus.

“You’ll be taking some boring history classes in the future. I hope you’ll develop an interest in mythology.”

After making a light joke, the priest began to walk again. The group silently followed behind.

All except for one. Sivar, whose gaze was fixed on something, didn’t move.

While the group followed the priest, Sivar wandered off on his own.

Luna, distracted by her muscle pain, didn’t notice, and Kara was momentarily preoccupied chatting with Grace.

“Those who are deeply interested in mythology may know that the rainbow first appeared in the Primordial Era. The colors within this rainbow are called the Light of Life. It is through the existence of these colors that we are able to have life.”

“What if these colors didn’t exist?”

“Then we would become beings neither here nor there, like demons. To oppose those demons, over there is…”

The priest, pointing behind them, suddenly stopped mid-sentence. The group turned to look, puzzled by his reaction.

Behind them stood Sivar, holding an object in his hand.

It was a small stone, about the size of a wooden stick, shaped like the Academy’s Memorial Tower.

The priest, seeing it, was startled and shouted in alarm.

“Hey, hey, student! What are you doing? Put that down immediately!”

The priest’s voice echoed loudly, amplified by the museum-like building.

Was it the echo, reminiscent of a cave, that startled him?

Crack!

Startled, Sivar lost control of his strength and shattered the object in his hand.

With just the force of his grip, the hard stone broke cleanly apart.

“… …”

“… …”

A heavy silence settled over the group. Sivar, seemingly surprised himself, darted his eyes around nervously.

Like a puppy realizing it had done something wrong, he appeared to be gauging the reactions around him. But Sivar was no puppy.

Quietly, he placed the now-shattered Memorial Tower-shaped stone back where it had been, carefully trying to piece it together as if afraid it might collapse further.

Rumble—

But what could a broken stone do? No matter how much he tried to force it back together, it just crumbled again.

“… …”

Sivar began glancing around nervously once more.

Though he didn’t seem to fully understand what he had done wrong, his expression made it clear he knew he had done something wrong.