A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 77

That’s a relief. At least I didn’t break something completely unrelated.

To be honest, I was a bit confused about whether the Memorial Tower Model was an item associated with demons.

While I clearly remembered the clock in the Training Ground, there were far more items in the History Hall than I expected.

So when I accidentally broke it without controlling my strength, I genuinely looked around nervously. I was so flustered that I couldn’t even apologize.

Thankfully, judging by Luna’s reaction, it was definitely a Demon’s Magic Circle. I saw her secretly take it with her.

‘Just don’t say anything and wait until no one’s around to mention it.’

But my sense of tact remained catastrophic. Even knowing Kara was keeping a close eye on me, I blurted it out.

Last time, she spoke to me first, so I could have responded subtly, but Kara naturally got involved in the situation.

In the end, after lunch, our team members hung out and chatted amicably at a cafe.

At some point, Grace bought us a cake, and it was truly delicious. I’ll have to visit that place often from now on.

“Lord Gulak only requires you to remember two things: tributes and sincerity. With just those, anyone can become a follower of Gulak.”

The afternoon is designated for visiting churches or altars, depending on the Order. Those who seek Gaia go to the church, and those who seek Gulak go to the altar.

Today, we were set to head to the Altar of Gulak under Kara’s guidance. I’ll visit the Church of Gaia when the opportunity arises.

I was originally supposed to spend this time with Luna, but since the plan was already ruined, being with Kara wasn’t a bad alternative.

Even Luna, who seemed half resigned, quietly accompanied Kara. Grace and Lee Yeonju also joined in.

“Uh, can’t I just not go…?”

“Nope. We’re on the same team, remember?”

Lee Yeonju seemed eager to back out, but Grace insisted on bringing her along. It felt like she was treating her like a cherished doll.

Even in the Soul World, Grace tended to stick closely to the first person she befriended.

Though the character changed each time, this time it seemed Lee Yeonju had been chosen.

For someone like Lee Yeonju, who preferred to keep a low profile, it must have been exhausting. Still, she wasn’t a bad person.

“By the way, unnie, why does your country worship Lord Gulak?”

On the way to the Altar of Gulak, Luna, who seemed half-given up, threw a question at Kara.

Hearing the question, Kara crossed her arms and thought for a moment. Her expression suggested she couldn’t recall clearly since it had been so long.

“Hmm… I don’t know the exact reason, but I do know my father started it. He used to hold rituals frequently to unify the tribes in times of confusion. It was only later that we realized those rituals were dedicated to Lord Gulak.”

“It sounds similar to how ancient people performed rain rituals.”

It wasn’t Luna but Grace who said this. She was likely referring to the famous Native American rain rituals.

Those rituals, which continued until they succeeded, boasted an almost 100% success rate. They also symbolized an unyielding spirit.

“That’s different. Those rituals are done until they work, so it’s a bit different. Well, if you show that level of sincerity and tenacity, Lord Gulak might bestow blessings. But for the record, making it rain through a ritual is tough.”

“Isn’t striking someone with lightning even harder?”

“Of course not. Lightning isn’t as directly tied to life as rain is. But rain? Imagine if it stopped raining in your country. It would be chaos.”

Rain is water, and water is the source of life. Rain falling from the sky is essentially life being scattered.

Even on Earth, despite dams and reservoirs, the ground cracks if it doesn’t rain. This world, too, heavily depends on rain.

Especially given the era, even slight famine could easily spark riots. The authorities are particularly attentive when it comes to droughts.

“To perform a true rain ritual, you’d need manpower on a national scale. Tatars are fine since they’re centered around trade in the desert, but other places would have a harder time.”

“I see. Then when does Tatar usually hold national-scale rituals?”

“Typically during the Founding of a Nation ceremony. I personally lead the rituals on those occasions.”

Kara’s explanation, as detailed as a priest’s, left Grace and the others looking impressed.

In fact, there was no need for a separate priest to guide us. Kara alone boasted extensive knowledge when it came to Gulak.

Moreover, as she mentioned leading the rituals herself, Kara held the position of a shamaness.

In some cultures, shamanesses perform dances at the forefront of rituals. It was that kind of role.

The reason this was possible was simple. Her late mother had been a shamaness.

“You all didn’t bring any tributes, did you?”

“No.”

“I didn’t bring any either. What about you, Kara unnie?”

“I have this.”

Kara rummaged through her pocket and pulled out an item to show us.

It looked like a sharp beast’s tooth. Judging by its size, it must have come from a fairly large creature.

“I caught a pretty decent beast over the weekend. I’m planning to offer this as a tribute.”

“What kind of tributes does Lord Gulak usually favor?”

“He generally prefers things deeply connected to life. Weapons or accessories crafted with sincerity are also good.”

Upon hearing this, I understood why Gulak had bestowed blessings on Porori.

Acorns were Porori’s staple food and directly tied to his life. Moreover, Porori was an instinct-driven animal.

For such an animal to suppress its instincts and offer life-essential acorns? Gulak must have thought, ‘What a commendable creature,’ and granted him blessings.

‘I can’t do it because Chaos interferes.’

As I’ve mentioned repeatedly, once chosen by Chaos, you can’t choose another god.

To be precise, the other gods reject you. Even if you pray or perform rituals, they respond with silence.

“Sivar, why don’t you give it a try—oh. You’re a follower of Lord Chaos, so I guess it’s not possible?”

“If a follower of Lord Gulak can pray to Goddess Gaia, wouldn’t it be fine?”

“Really? Then I guess it’s worth a shot. I happened to bring tributes for you all.”

Kara handed out beast bones or teeth to each member of the group. It seemed she had gone to the dormitory briefly after lunch to fetch them.

I received a beast’s bone—specifically, a thigh bone. It was so large that its length was about the size of my torso.

“What kind of beast did you catch? Judging by the size, it must have been enormous.”

“A wild boar. It was as big as a house, so I caught it.”

Wild boars living in forests or mountains are often exaggeratedly large, and the forests nearby are rich in mana.

Mana, being closely tied to life, directly influences growth. The massive size of the flora and fauna in the Forest of Chaos is due to this.

Additionally, the Academy enjoys warm temperatures year-round. As a result, even bugs and insects the size of a human palm are everywhere.

‘At least there’s plenty to eat.’

If winter had existed, surviving in the forest would have been a nightmare. It was a small blessing in disguise.

After receiving our respective tributes, we followed Kara to the Altar of Gulak.

Gulak symbolizes the “sky.” Accordingly, the altar is located at the highest point.

“…Do we have to climb a mountain?”

“Huh? Oh, did you say your legs hurt earlier? If it’s too much, you don’t have to come along.”

It was situated at the peak of a towering mountain. Near the Academy, there were not only forests but also mountains, and the altar was placed at the summit.

Luna hesitated for a moment before letting out a deep sigh and stepping toward the mountain. It seemed she had adopted a “let’s just give it a try” mindset.

The group began ascending the mountain slowly. Having visited the altar a few times before, Kara confidently led the way.

The others were generally more robust than ordinary people, but the mountain was far taller than expected.

“Huff… Huff… Haa…”

“Are you… struggling?”

“No… I’m fine…”

Grace, being a mage, had less stamina than the others and began panting heavily.

Although Grace could handle mana, which made her relatively fit, the steep incline of the mountain was taking its toll.

At this rate, Grace seemed likely to tire out first. Seeing her struggling, I quietly positioned myself in front of her and crouched down.

“…Mr. Sivar?”

“Get on.”

“What?”

“Get on.”

I gestured with my hands, indicating she should climb onto my back. Even without eyes on the back of my head, I could sense her hesitation.

I turned my head slightly to look at her and asked,

“Don’t want to?”

“N-No! Then, um… Excuse me for a moment…”

Grace cautiously climbed onto my back. Normally, she would have refused out of pride as a noble.

But she was so physically drained that such thoughts probably didn’t even cross her mind. When you’re utterly exhausted, pride and appearances lose their importance.

Once Grace was securely on my back, I slowly stood up. I felt the soft sensation on my back, but it didn’t bother me much.

‘She really is quite tall.’

With that idle thought, I continued toward the summit. At first, Grace hesitated, but eventually, she quietly wrapped her arms around my neck.

It was probably her first time being carried by someone since becoming an adult. To be honest, it was my first time carrying someone since coming here.

Even Ellie hadn’t been carried by me, so I never expected Grace to be the first.

“It’s spacious…”

“… …”

“It’s sturdy…”

From behind, Grace murmured something under her breath. I let it pass through one ear and out the other as I continued toward the mountain peak.

How far had we climbed? Perhaps because of the steep incline, it didn’t take long to reach the summit.

Moreover, stairs had been installed midway, allowing us to proceed without much difficulty.

“Ah. You must be a Sister. Have you come to offer tribute?”

Upon reaching the top, a priestess greeted us at what appeared to be a gate.

Judging by her demeanor, she seemed to be acquainted with Kara.

“Yes. I’ve come to offer it with these people here. Has anyone arrived ahead of us by chance?”

“No. I heard everyone went to look for Goddess Gaia since she’s said to be on the mountain.”

It wasn’t exactly a cheerful revelation. Even in Soul World, users had made similar complaints.

They grumbled about how inconvenient the layout was with the peak at the top of the mountain, especially since there was no Teleportation function.

While Kara conversed with the priestess, I gently set Grace down. She gave a slight bow, her face tinged red, and thanked me.

“Oh, right. There should be a squirrel instead of a person.”

“Pardon? A squirrel?”

Then the priestess’s words, which were hard to dismiss, caught my attention. Not only me, but Luna also turned her head sharply at the remark.

When Kara asked what that meant, the priestess explained with a cheerful smile.

“It’s the animal that appeared last time when Sister Kara left. It made quite the entrance with an acorn perched on its shoulder.”

“A-And then?”

“It placed the acorn on the altar and bowed. It was truly fascinating.”

Anyone could tell it was 100% Porori. It seemed he had followed Kara and stumbled upon the altar by chance.

Still, I was concerned about whether it was safe for his identity as a Spirit Beast to be exposed. Perhaps Kara had judged that this priestess, being a believer of Gulak, could be trusted.

Just as I was left speechless by Porori’s extraordinary actions.

Krrrrrumble!

A foreboding sound rumbled from the sky.

Kwakabang!

Blue Lightning struck down.

Directly above my head.

“…?”

Damn. Why?