I Became The Academy Necromancer

“…”

Outside Graypond’s city wall, the bright sky was gradually darkening with heavy clouds.

Could it be that the sky sensed something and wanted to send a sudden spring rain?

Erica Bright stood with her arms crossed as she was lost in thought.

“Are you really okay staying here?”

One of the Bright Household’s mages approached her.

They were monitoring Mul’s followers, who had erected a tent village, along with the soldiers of the Zeronia Household.

The debate had already passed its midpoint.

The mage brought this up out of concern for the Soul Whisperer’s fiancée, who was unaware of the debate’s outcome due to her absence from the venue.

“If it’s him, he’ll manage just fine.”

She had a firm belief that showed no signs of wavering.

Yet, whenever she talked about him, her voice would soften and become more relaxed.

It was a scene that showed how much this woman, Erica Bright, loved her fiancé.

“Even if I’m not by his side, doing what I can for him is the right thing to do.”

Her expression of love wasn’t much different from what she had maintained so far.

Whether it was the days she had spent apart from him because of her affection, or letting him go because of love.

Even at this very moment, she was away from her fiancé’s side and went to face his enemies out of her love for him.

Because Erica Bright was a woman who could stand alone.

That was why she was brilliant and beautiful.

“I-I don’t understand.”

Erica did not bother to make the mage understand nor gave him any further explanation.

No, on the contrary, she wore a faint smile on her lips, making him even more confused.

It was a story that only the two could understand.

This was the moment when Erica once again realized that there were many kinds of love. However, then…

Puaaaaaacckkk!

Simultaneously, tents from the tent village flew up to the walls of the high city, one after another.

Without any warning, tentacles suddenly emerged, tearing the tents apart and causing chaos.

“Kyaaaaaaccccckkk!”

“Oh, G-god!”

“Apostle Mul! Apostle Mul! My sister is in pain!”

In such an unexpected and abrupt fashion, screams were spreading around..

Amidst the chaos, the tentacles extended their bulky bodies towards the city’s tall wall.

Fwoosh! Crash!

Golden light pierced through such tentacles head-on.

As it melted the eyes and teeth on the tentacles, green blood spurted out like a fountain.

The soldiers, who stiffened due to the suddenly unfolding hell, saw the light emanating from Erica’s magic and came to their senses.

“Report the situation to the Royal Palace!”

Erica quickly assembled the mages of the Bright Household and the soldiers of the Zeronia Household.

“Our w-weapons aren’t working!”

“W-what the hell is this?!”

“Our spears are passing through!”

The sentries, who were not part of any household, thrust their spears and swords towards the tentacles climbing the city walls.

However, their weapons passed through the tentacles as if they were transparent, causing no harm.

Witnessing this, Erica recalled what Deus told her before they parted today.

Regarding the true nature and the characteristics of the god called Romuleus.

He was an entity that could not be harmed by ordinary weapons or general magic.

With spears and swords being ineffective against their enemy, the soldiers were unable to do anything as the number of tentacles continued to increase.

“N-no! Nooooo!”

“Arrrrgghhh! Apostle Mul! Apostle Mul!”

“Mooommyyyy!”

The desperate screams of people continuously echoed from below the city walls.

Mul’s followers, who were staying in the tent village, started to swell and burst, transforming into tentacles.

This was the fate of those who believed in a man who performed miracles not permitted in this world.

Although they were wrong, foolish, and selfish. But…

“This is too much.”

Even so, it was a far too cruel and harsh death.

Faith.

The weight of the responsibility contained in this word was currently manifesting outside the walls of Graypond.

Tentacles of various sizes began climbing up the walls, swaying like kelp at the bottom of the deep sea.

As she struggled to swallow the hot breath rising in her throat, Erica couldn’t help but tighten her grip.

In any case, we will not be able to cause significant damage.

The weapons the soldiers were using could not inflict any harm on those tentacles, which seemed to be part of God’s body.

“Everyone, get down the walls! Stop them from breaking through the gate!”

Staying here would only lead to a futile death.

Moreover, seeing the transformation of Mul’s followers in the tent village, it was more than likely that touching the tentacles was dangerous.

Therefore, the best option for now was to strengthen the city gate to at least prevent its entry.

“What is this madness?/!”

Then, a loud bellow echoed from behind.

Erica, who was preparing to use her elemental magic, slightly turned her head.

There stood the guard captain with an impressive mustache.

“Who gave you permission to mobilize my troops as you please?! Even if the soldiers from your households are allowed by His Majesty, our guards are not under your jurisdiction!”

“…”

“Guards! Return to the walls immediately! Stop those monsters!”

“Ordinary weapons and magic are unable to come into contact with those monsters. Right now, fortifying the city gate and issuing a call of retreat is the best option.”

“How can you be so sure?! Will you take responsibility?! Even if you are the Soul Whisperer’s fiancée, we can’t follow everything you say!”

Erica glared at the guard captain with sharp eyes for an instant.

The chilling intensity in her gaze immediately made the guard captain flinch and take a step back.

Erica slowly turned her gaze back outside the city walls.

“I am not standing here as the Soul Whisperer’s fiancée.”

She had no intention of shifting this responsibility to him.

“I am here as Erica Bright from the Bright Household; as a proud mage, I will take full responsibility for my actions.”

Then, a golden butterfly landed on her fingertip.

“O, King of the Elemental Spirits.”

Erica whispered and stretched her hand high as if to shake it off.

The golden butterfly began to grow larger as it soared into the sky.

“I look forward to your support.”

Flash!

The golden butterfly grew bigger, to the extent that it covered part of Graypond’s sky.

“Please, protect us.”

Flash!

The giant butterfly crumbled like debris and rained down. Without even being able to touch it, the tentacles tried to resist and could only melt away.

Golden rain fell from the sky darkened by heavy clouds.

The pouring rain soon became a massive barrier surrounding the city walls.

The tentacles attempting to penetrate the barrier burned to ashes the moment they touched it.

As expected.

Erica was convinced upon seeing her magic work during her first attack.

She knew that her magic, which was now accompanied by the King of the Light Elemental Spirits, was effective against them.

Erica had single-handedly defended the city walls.

She sharply addressed the guard captain, who was staring at her in shock.

“I cannot hold out for long. Hurry, go and request for reinforcements.”

“Ah! Ah! Yes, yes! Understood!”

The guard captain, who had been hostile and authoritative just moments ago, now saluted her and was about to run down the city wall. However…

“Ah…”

His sigh was followed by the sound of an explosion from behind.

Puwaaaacccck!

While the tentacles pushing from outside could be temporarily held off by Erica’s elemental magic…

Puwaaaacccck!

Puwaaaacccck!

Erica could only sigh upon seeing tentacles surge from various locations inside the city.

***Meanwhile, at the center of the debate hall, Charlie’s body had transformed into a massive tentacle, asserting its presence.

Teeth were embedded on the tentacle’s flesh; bloodshot eyes glared at me.

“No! This can’t be!”

“M-Mul! What in the world is happening here?!”

The tentacle that appeared in the center of the debate hall swung its massive body, trying to crush me. However…

“Hmph!”

Crackle!

A powerful bolt of lightning shot out, turning it into ashes.

It was cast by the person with the highest magical achievement here.

Archmage Ropelican, who had been moderating, slammed his sturdy staff made of ancient wood on the floor as he glared at Mul.

“You need to explain yourself properly, you foolish wretch.”

He was no longer acting as a moderator, but as a mage and one of the kingdom’s senior officials that protected the country.

Although Ropelican shot a fierce killing intent at Mul, the latter responded with a sneer.

“You pathetic fools who do not understand the grand vision.”

Until just now, he could have been called a kind shepherd. However, his demeanor had drastically changed, like that of a sheep that went astray.¹

“Bow your heads under our solemn will. Praise me, who has descended onto this crude land for the salvation of the continent.”

His voice had completely changed.

He shouted in a gravelly, bizarre voice, as if dozens of people were speaking simultaneously.

“Now is the time for you to pay the price for distorting and twisting fate!”

Puwaaaaaccck!

Tentacles erupted from the spectator seats. Although the screams of confused people could not be heard due to the silence spell, the sight of the panicked audience trying to flee was vividly clear.

“I am the fallen god, Romuleus! I am the messenger who has descended to proclaim the truth and reality of this land to you!”

The floor beneath Mul’s feet began to crack.

Craaack! Craaack!

Small tentacles sprung from the cracks, attacking the closest bishops who supported Mul.

“O God Raizel! Smite this wretch!”

“N-no! Save meee!”

“O Goddess! Goddess Hearthia!”

However, Mul laughed wildly at their pleas.

“I am one who sat on the same throne as them, ate and drank the same feasts, and observed the same sceneries. Why do you pray to someone else, my beloved ones?!”

The cracks beneath Mul’s feet continued to widen.

And the same tentacles emerging from those cracks greedily moved to devour people.

“S-Saintess!”

“Use your Holy Power! A-against that vile demon!”

The bishops called out to Lucia.

“Huff.”

Although she already knew the outcome, Lucia deliberately reached out to show them directly.

Pure white Holy Power shot towards Mul.

It was God’s gift that could annihilate all evil—the greatest proof that God still watched over this continent.

However, Mul simply grinned widely and absorbed her Holy Power.

“You are such an ignorant child to try and punish me with the power we gave you. Come, bow your head. Your god has arrived.”

He turned the Holy Power into his own instead and immediately spread it out.

However, it was different from the usual Holy Power used by the Saintess.

Normally, the radiant blessing of the god would heal and restore those it touched.

Perhaps because it was tainted by a fallen god, the Holy Power emitted by Mul had a murky gray color, turning those it touched into part of himself.

In other words, it turned humans into tentacles.

“Ah…”

Lucia let out a gasp.

Her Holy Power had no effect and was instead being used as a ploy to prove that Mul was truly a god; because the gray light Mul was emitting was fundamentally the same as her own Holy Power.

At that moment, Lucia looked at them with a stunned expression…

“Please.”

[You do not have to worry.]

The woman who received my request stepped forward.

It was the former Saintess, Stella.

Just like what I did to Charlie’s soul, who was said to be a witness her own supposed resurrection, Stella’s soul began to take shape and color.

“L-Lady Stella?”

“Why is the former Saintess here?!”

The bishops who saw Stella were confused as they welcomed her loudly.

However, Stella was in a confrontation with Mul, glaring at each other.

“Woman who has served me before, I have received your faith; now withdraw.”

It was an obvious display of dismissal, as if saying he had no more business with Stella. However, Stella slowly opened her hands.

[I asked you back then, did I not? What would you do if God suddenly ended your mission?]

Mul gave a clear answer to her question.

“You humbly accept it.”

For that was my will.

Though God spoke thus, the Saintess who was closest to him answered differently.

[I was only left with more questions. Why did God take away my power with so many people still needing to be saved? Why didTheyend my path here?]

“…”

[Does God not see these poor souls?]

Mul did not respond.

Even when God sometimes answered with silence, Stella was a person who could find answers in that silence.

[After much contemplation and abandoning my mission, I realized it.]

“…”

[Ah, God does not see saving them as my mission.]

Although she received Holy Power, God never gave her a mission.

Her ideal; her mission to heal the unfortunate, the sick, and the wounded was not given by God.

It was something Stella had decided upon herself.

“You, who dared to judge God’s will, are no longer worthy of that power.”

[Is that so?]

Smiling brightly, Stella slowly clasped her hands together as if in prayer.

[You have caused chaos in the continent.]

“I call this order.”

[Those who you called your followers are in pain.]

“For those who followed me, it will be the most joyous death.”

[I see.]

“…!”

For a moment, Mul’s eyes wavered. The gray Holy Power that had been surrounding the debate hall began to dissipate.

More precisely, it was losing its influence and disintegrating.

He quickly realized that the one causing this was someone who, at one time, truly deserved the title Saintess for her mastery of Holy Power.

It was the woman standing before him.

[Fallen god.]

Normally, Holy Power would have instantly incinerated Stella’s soul upon contact.

However, the tainted Holy Power, though similar in name and nature, had a completely different effect.

[You are a being that brings chaos to the continent, do not arrogantly claim us as your devotees.]

The gray Holy Power gradually gathered in front of Stella.

Mul tried to resist, but he could not match her proficiency in handling Holy Power.

While he, as a god, always took his power for granted, Stella had always theorized, pondered, and practiced on how to wield Holy Power.

When Stella clenched her fist, cracks appeared in the murky gray Holy Power.

Crack!

Soon, with a shattering sound, it broke into pieces.

[You are not our god.]

The turquoise eyes of the deceased Saintess, fixed on the fallen god, delivered a warning.

[We do not need such a god.]

1. 1. The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Matthew 18:12-14)