SRS 62

“Then let’s focus on the fact that today you were able to use divine power at a distance from your body.”

In the end, Mikael adjusted the goal. It was a little humiliating, but Yohan didn’t yet have the skill to suddenly become a prodigy and do everything Mikael said, so he accepted it.

…I’ll just keep practicing whenever I have time.

He wasn’t satisfied leaving things like that, so during break time he secretly added an extra training slot to his schedule. After finishing the demonstration, he joined his friends to practice using divine power more seriously.

“……”

Most of the students struggled with the concept of separating divine power completely from their bodies and just ended up staring into the air. Mikael, unable to stand it, told them that if it was too hard, they could start by forming one close to their body and slowly move it away. Only then did the group start making real progress.

“Um, Mikael. What’s the point of practicing this?”

One student carefully asked.

“Well… if you’re using divine power to heal someone here, and an emergency patient appears far away, you’ll be able to heal them too.”

“Oh.”

The student made exclaimed in realization but then tilted his head.

“…But wouldn’t that only be useful if you can perform multiple healings at once?”

“That’s true. But why…oh. You can’t?”

“……”

The student’s eyes turned cold.

“Well, some priests can, and some can’t. I’m the kind who devotes my full heart to one patient at a time…”

“Mikael.”

Yohan quickly called him when he saw the friend muttering to himself with a dangerous look. Mikael, not understanding why he was reacting this way, took a step closer to Yohan.

Yohan showed him the orb of divine power he’d created.

“Look at this.”

Mikael smiled when he saw it was more stable and refined than before.

“You improved.”

“Yes. I think next class I’ll be able to make it bigger too.”

“Good, I’ll look forward to it.”

He patted Yohan’s shoulder encouragingly and went to help the other students. Yohan worried for a moment that Mikael might say something strange again and irritate them, but then decided to focus back on his divine power orb.

Mikael wasn’t some first or second year at a resurrection school. He’d manage on his own.

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

“Mikael, Mikael, Mikael…!”

…Or maybe he wouldn’t.

As soon as the class ended and Mikael left for a summons from the headmaster, Yohan was surrounded by furious classmates shouting his name.

After provoking Shan earlier, Mikael had asked Lisa and Lina when they first manifested divine power, then couldn’t hide the expression that said, ‘Then why can’t you do this?’ That alone had made the two of them furious. After that, half a dozen more students ended up getting his, merciless feedback and collapsed in the grass.

Yohan patted his dejected classmates’ backs as he comforted them.

“…Don’t feel too bad. Mikael just has high standards.”

“Exactly, but why are they so high…! We’re just first-years!”

“Well…”

Maybe because Mikael was an angel.

Born with divine power and having used it all his life, he probably saw their skills as hopelessly lacking. It made sense, but it wasn’t something Yohan could say out loud, so he just laughed awkwardly and scratched his cheek as his friends continued to shout Mikael’s name like an angry mob calling for a professor.

At this rate, by the time Mikael’s assistant days were over, there might actually be a group plotting his assassination at the school.

To prevent that from happening, Yohan stood up and sincerely comforted each friend, seeing them off one by one from the courtyard with small blessings.

“Thanks, Yohan…!”

“It’s nothing.”

Yohan smiled at the friends who gratefully grabbed his hands and, in a low voice, added, “Mikael probably said that because he wanted to help you improve.”

Having received a blessing, the students laughed, saying they already knew and that their earlier complaints were just jokes.

“Yes, I thought so. See you in the next class.”

Only then did Yohan relax and let them go. After sending off every student, he realized he was the only one left in the courtyard.

“Hmm…”

Normally, around this time he would have personal lessons with Mikael, but since his teacher had been called away by the headmaster, he didn’t know what to do.

He couldn’t go back to the dorm, but he couldn’t just wait endlessly either. After thinking for a while, Yohan lay down on a bench in the courtyard.

I’ll just rest a bit, then practice alone.

He closed his eyes, planning to nap for about thirty minutes, but the sunlight of Fantasiademia stabbed through his eyelids. He turned his head to avoid it, trying to sleep, but when it didn’t work, he opened the book he’d brought and placed it over his face.

‎

‎

‎

He didn’t know how much time had passed like that when he heard the grass rustling nearby.

Was that Mikael?

Because Building 1 had exploded, there was no one else who could have come. Yohan lowered the book and debated whether to greet the returning student or not, but since he had only just started to drift off, he decided it would be a waste to give up his rest. He held his breath quietly.

He could greet Mikael after thirty more minutes, but sleeping wasn’t something he could do anytime, so he chose the more desperate need.

“Yohan.”

“Mmh…”

“Yohan.”

Someone shook him awake. Unable to resist the touch, Yohan slowly opened his eyes, noticing the book still covering his view. He finally lifted the weight off his face.

Sunlight spilled down and made his eyes sting. He instinctively raised a hand to block it, but someone else moved faster.

A hand that wasn’t his own covered his eyes, and Yohan looked through the fingers to see who it belonged to.

“…Mikael.”

“You’re awake? I called you because it’s almost time for the second period to start. The next class is Spirit Studies, so it’s better to be there early.”

“…Almost time for second period?”

“Yes.”

Did I sleep that long?

Startled, Yohan sat up and checked his watch. His breath caught. Just as Mikael said, there were only fifteen minutes left before the second period started.

He’d slept for over an hour and a half.

It was unbelievable that he, who was usually a light sleeper, had been sleeping so soundly outside his dorm room.

“You must still be tired from yesterday.”

Mikael offered a reasonable explanation for his long nap. Maybe that was it. Yohan tilted his head, gathered his things, and stood up. There was no time for small talk.

“Thanks for waking me, Mikael. Sorry for falling asleep when I was supposed to have my private lesson during the break. I’ll go to the Spirit Studies classroom first.”

He quickly apologized, then ran toward the classroom. Mikael had given him the notes from the previous class, but with all the recent chaos, he hadn’t had time to review them. If there was a quiz today, he’d definitely score at the bottom. As he hurried away, Mikael’s soft laugh followed behind him.

…He could’ve woken me up a bit earlier!

Yohan grumbled inwardly but still turned back for a moment to wave once more before running off.

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

“Time’s up! Everyone, hands up!”

Professor Shinbi banged on the desk to signal the end of the test. Yohan held onto his pen until the very last second, then sighed as he set it down. He hadn’t even touched the last three questions. Even so, he’d done relatively well thanks to the preview and review he’d managed beforehand. Without that, the result would’ve been far worse.

While the professor collected the papers and began grading them with a spirit’s help, Yohan looked through Mikael’s notes again. Despite missing the previous class, he’d been confident on many of the problems, and Mikael’s organized notes had helped a lot.

“…His handwriting’s neat.”

Murmuring what he’d already thought while reading, Yohan tore a small sheet and picked up his pen.

–Thanks for the notes.

After writing that, the empty space felt too large, so he hesitated, then added another line.

–I did well on the test thanks to you. I’ll repay you.

He slipped the paper into Mikael’s notebook. Since Mikael was assisting in the major classes all day, Yohan could only give it back during the general education period.

But if he carried it around until then and lost it, that would be worse, so he quietly placed it in Mikael’s desk drawer instead.

Soon, Professor Shinbi announced the grades.

Yohan barely managed to rank in the upper middle.

“There’s still some time left. Let’s slowly go over the next two pages.”

The grading had finished faster than usual, leaving twenty-five minutes before class ended. The professor opened the Spirit Studies textbook. While his friends groaned in despair, Yohan, who had expected this situation, opened his book calmly and focused on the lecture.

Since Mikael had left notes for him, now it was his turn to leave notes for Mikael.

Because of that, he was more concentrated than usual, and Professor Shinbi praised him for his unwavering demeanor. Yohan felt like a liar and awkwardly bowed his head.