Chapter 11: The Illusion of Light
Stepping out of the classroom, Belial vaguely caught the sound of Abyss's voice.
She turned her head toward the source of the voice, glancing down the hallway. However, through the gray lenses of her glasses, what met her gaze was not her taciturn little spirit, but a celestial being far too radiant to ignore.
His porcelain-white skin accentuated the striking hues of his featuresthe pale carmine of his lips, the dazzling, amber-golden brilliance of his eyes, and the captivating hint of red at the corner of his eyes, subtly evoking an inexplicable allure.
Silver hair, cut short, framed his slender neck, with a few stray strands swaying mischievously in the breeze. Bathed in sunlight, his hair shimmered like threads of pure silver, immaculate and ethereal, almost as if glowing with divine light.
Belial couldn't deny itthis celestial being possessed a face of devastating allure.
A group of students dashed out of the classroom, and one turned back to wave at Belial, shouting, Goodbye, teacher! In their excitement, they failed to notice the celestial standing in their path and clumsily bumped into his leg.
The celestial, rather than being annoyed, graciously steadied the child with a gentle hand.
Are you alright? His voice, as soft and melodious as a heavenly hymn, made the student who narrowly avoided a fall look up, dazed. The child's wide-eyed gaze lingered on the celestials serene and benevolent expression, as though utterly spellbound.
More students poured out of the classroom, their previous boisterousness abruptly subdued the moment they laid eyes on the celestial. Their gazes locked onto him, transfixed, unable to tear themselves away.
I think I just saw an angel a young girl murmured in awe.
Beside her, a boy corrected her in a whisper, No, hes a celestial.
Baldur smiled, unfazed by their reverence.
Regardless of age, race, or background, there was no one who didnt find him likable.
Looking past the young students, he lifted his gaze to Belial. He was curious about this half-elf who, upon their first meeting, had nonchalantly dragged Abyss into bed. He wondered how she would react upon seeing him.
Yet, the moment his eyes met hers, she was already turning to leave.
Baldur hadnt expected that.
Momentarily caught off guard, he called out, Wait a moment!
Belial halted briefly, half-turning back. Do you need something?
Baldur had encountered such reactions before. Frey Bright, the dukes son, had initially shown him the same kind of indifference, dismissing him with cold disdain. But after spending time together, even Frey had come to regard him as a trusted friend.
So Baldur remained unruffled.
His curiosity unquenched, he asked, They called you teacher?
Belial replied flatly, And?
Baldurs smile was warm, the complete opposite of Abysss distant coldness. You dont seem much older than me.
Knowledge is not measured by age, Celestial, Belial said as she turned away.
Something about him felt strangely familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere before.
But where?
She couldnt quite place it.
Baldur, however, did not pursue her.
Meanwhile, Abyss, who had been dreading this encounter, found no solace in Belial reaction.
A lifetime of experience had taught them one undeniable truththere was no escaping Baldur.
To Abyss, it was merely the difference between an immediate execution and a delayed one.
The outcome remained the same.
---
From the rear exit of the classroom, Headmistress Gullveig emerged with a few teachers in tow. Belial approached just in time to hear the headmistress cut off their heated discussion and dismiss them back to their classes, leaving only Miller behind.
Come with me, Gullveig said. Lets sit down for some tea and have a proper chat.
She led Miller and Belial toward her office.
On the way, Miller glanced at Belial and said, Your lesson was impressive.
The words, spoken stiffly, bore traces of reluctancean awkward contrast to her earlier opposition. But no matter how forced it sounded, Miller felt it necessary to let Belial know that not all the teachers were against her anymore.
Thank you, Belial replied.
The headmistresss office had already been set with tea and refreshments. Once they were seated, Gullveig probed deeper into the theories Belial had presented during class, seeking clarification and verification.
Through Belial methodical and unshakable responses, they soon realized that her knowledge was far beyond what anyone would expect from a young half-elf barely into adulthood.
Once Gullveig confirmed that Belial theories were not mere conjecture but well-founded, she offered her assessment. Like Miller, she found Belial lessons to be exceptionalso much so that they had the potential to overturn the entire continents understanding of spellcraft.
However, Gullveig decreed that Belial would only be allowed to teach the lower grades. The upper-level courses would be handled by other instructors.
Why? Miller frowned. If you think shes that outstanding, why not let her teach advanced students?
Gullveig did not explain. Instead, she turned to Belial. Do you understand?
Belial lips curled slightly. I do.
Of course, she did.
To Belial, magic was simply the ability to communicate with elemental forcesit was never a privilege bestowed by any deity.
But the Church of Light preached otherwise.
They maintained that magic was a divine gift, that the people needed only to follow written spells, learn basic magical principles, and craft a few practical tools. Delving any deeper was unnecessaryno, it was forbidden.
They would never allow Belial ideas to become mainstream and undermine their sacred authority.
She had learned this lesson the hard way.
Years ago, when she first uncovered the true nature of spellcraft and shared her insights with her mentor, he had shown great interest. Together, they conducted research and even submitted their findings.
Days later, her mentor vanished without a trace.
Their research, their noteseverything was erased as if it had never existed.
At the time, Emperor Baldur had just fallen into a coma, and the Church of Light, finally catching its breath, had wasted no time in taking ruthless action.
Had this been Asgard a century earlier, they would have faced a far more brutal purge.
The fledgling science of magic would have been obliterated, and her very name erased from history, ensuring she would never leave a mark on the future.
But the schools struggles against the Church were not her concern.
Gullveig had chosen to stand against themwhat did that have to do with her?
Everything was unfolding just as she had expected.
With the matter settled, Belial formally took the oath required of all faculty members. From this moment until her resignation, she would be bound by an unbreakable contract that forbade her from causing any harmdirectly or indirectlythat could result in severe injury or death to a student.
Afterward, Miller led Belial to her new office.
Every teacher at the academy had their own private office, which also served as their living quarters. How they chose to arrange it was entirely up to them.
Belial had no special preferencesshe wouldnt be staying long anyway.
That night, she received her first visitor.
These are the books you asked for.
Abyss stood at her door, arms full of tomes. His face was as indifferent as ever, but his voice lacked its usual energy.
To avoid Gullveig discovering her research, Belial had entrusted Abyss with finding her certain texts.
He had obligedeven going so far as to break school rules by sneaking over in the dead of night to deliver them.
Rather than taking the books immediately, Belial stepped aside. Come in.
Abyss hesitated for a moment, then entered.
The door clicked shut behind him. Belial casually set up several layers of wards to prevent any unwanted interruptions.
Put them on the table, she instructed.
She was fresh from a bath, sorting through the contents of her spatial bracelet. Scattered across the floor were clothes, books, medicinal herbs, and even a few bottles of her prized wine.
Want a drink? she asked, utterly unconcerned with maintaining any semblance of propriety.
Abyss declined immediately. I should go.
But just as he turned to leave, Belial spoke again.
Youre already here. Help me tidy up.