Academy’s Undercover Professor-Chapter 336: Traces of the Theocracy (1)

“Where did we meet, you ask? That’s such a flimsy question—it sounds like you’re about to pitch your religion.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just... I felt like I’d seen you somewhere before.”

“You must be confusing me with someone else.”

At Ludger’s curt reply, Remria offered a gentle smile.

“My, you’re quite the joker, aren’t you? What I meant was... I was wondering if you had ever visited our Holy Nation.”

“......”

The Holy Nation, she said.

Now that Remria had spoken so plainly, it was practically impossible to change the subject without looking suspicious.

‘And if she’s being this direct, then she must’ve already picked up on something about me.’

But Ludger was certain—he had never seen Remria before.

The only reason he’d realized she was a priestess was because he knew that such a title existed and simply deduced it.

‘It’s not like I know absolutely no one from the Theocracy of Bretus...’

There was one person.

Ludger hadn’t only made enemies in the Holy Nation as a child.

Most were enemies, yes—but there was one person he’d been close with.

Only one.

A single person across the entire Theocracy.

Still, Ludger owed that person a great deal during those grueling younger years.

When his expression darkened at the thought, Remria asked gently,

“Oh, did something come to mind?”

“There is one thing, I suppose.”

“Really? What is it?”

“I’ve heard something similar before, somewhere else.”

Ludger then told her about what the bishop in Rederbelk had once said to him.

‘If I reject her too bluntly here, it’ll only make her more suspicious.’

Judging by how persistently Remria was questioning him despite it being their first meeting, she clearly sensed something.

But if she was still probing instead of acting, that meant she wasn’t certain.

‘She’s suspicious of me. But it’s still just instinct—she has no proof.’

Which meant the best response was already clear.

Rather than outright denial, acknowledge part of her intuition by explaining a similar situation.

Slip a lie in between truths.

Redirect her focus naturally.

“Seems like the bishop in Rederbelk sensed something similar.”

Perhaps it worked—Remria clapped her hands in delight at hearing someone else had said the same thing.

“She said I had a slight spiritual aura. Maybe she sensed something similar.”

“Hmm. Is that so? That’s odd. I was thinking of something else entirely.”

Remria seemed to ponder something further, but eventually gave up, as no concrete thought came to her.

“I suppose I’ll have to ask my sisters when I return to the homeland.”

That could be a problem.

Maintaining his expression, Ludger asked casually,

“Sisters? You have family?”

“Yes, of course. I have a very precious family.”

“I see.”

“Though I have no blood relatives, if that’s what you’re asking. I was a foundling, taken in by the Church. The family I speak of... they’re my fellow sisters.”

“Sisters, meaning...”

“I mean priestesses, of course,” Remria said as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

The priests who had been quietly listening from behind suddenly flinched in panic.

“L-Lady Remria!”

It seemed she had revealed information she wasn’t supposed to. The priests were aghast.

Remria, however, didn’t appear to be the least bit bothered.

“Hmm? Oh, was I not supposed to say that? I’m sorry. But Ludger asked me, so I couldn’t very well not answer.”

Her tone suggested even she didn’t understand why she had been so open.

Ludger narrowed his eyes at the priestess.

‘She’s clearly never seen me before, yet she’s neither lying nor hiding the truth? If she’s not even aware of her own behavior, it’s not that she chose not to lie—she literally couldn’t.’

The rest of the Bretus delegation seemed equally unaware.

But Ludger had already figured out exactly why she was acting this way.

‘She’s instinctively responding to my bloodline.’

Ludger bore the blood of the Holy Sovereign of Bretus.

Remria was reacting to that accursed blood—no doubt about it.

‘Remria and her fellow priestesses... they were raised for the sole purpose of maintaining the priestess order within the Holy Nation.’

It was likely they had undergone subtle but extensive indoctrination throughout their upbringing.

Considering the darker side of the Theocracy, it was practically guaranteed.

And if she had reached the rank of priestess, then there must have been even deeper compulsions in place.

For example—

A binding command like: never speak a lie to the blood of the Holy Sovereign.

Even if it wasn’t outright brainwashing, it was clear she’d been influenced.

‘That’s probably why she approached me in the first place—because she sensed something.’

She had instinctively grown curious upon encountering a person with the sacred bloodline she was trained to revere.

This wasn’t good.

The more strange behavior Remria exhibited, the more the delegation would grow wary of Ludger.

Yet he couldn’t just walk away either—not while Remria kept eyeing him like this.

At this rate, there was a good chance she’d report their meeting once she returned home.

‘If she’s under some kind of compulsion or suggestion...’

What if he could use that against her?

Ludger immediately acted on the thought forming in his mind.

“Thank you for the conversation,” he said.

“Oh? You’re welcome.”

She smiled faintly, seemingly pleased at what she thought was praise.

“But as I said, I have no interest in faith or the divine.”

“That’s a shame. I thought it might suit you somehow.”

“And I have things I must do. You, as well, I presume?”

“Yes, I nearly forgot. Thank you for reminding me.”

“We’re both busy people, so let’s leave it at that. Ah, and one more thing.”

Ludger leaned in just enough to whisper so only she could hear.

“It would be best if today’s conversation stayed between us.”

Then, to confirm his hunch, he asked softly,

“Wouldn’t you agree?”

A light question, spoken gently.

But if she was indeed under suggestion...

It wasn’t a suggestion at all—it was a command.

“Yes, I suppose that’s true.”

Remria nodded faintly.

She probably didn’t even realize she’d done it.

Seeing that, Ludger was certain.

His suspicion had been correct.

And with that came a resurgence of the hatred he had long buried for the Theocracy of Bretus.

Those bastards—even when he had been there in the past...

And now, twenty years later...

They were still committing horrific acts beneath the surface, unchanged.

Vile. Disgusting.

But what frustrated Ludger more than anything was that—right now—he couldn’t do a damn thing about it.

‘I’ll let it go for now.’

But once he had everything he needed and all preparations were complete...

Then, without fail...

He would set everything right.

That was the vow Ludger made deep within his heart.

* * *

“Priestess Remria, are you alright?”

After parting ways with Ludger, Remria remained standing there, dazed. One of the priests approached and asked with concern.

To those watching, her behavior today had been very out of character.

And if anything happened to such a high-ranking priestess, everyone present would surely be held accountable.

“Yes. I’m perfectly fine,” she replied.

“That’s a relief, but... why did you show so much interest in that man just now? He’s just another lowly mage.”

“I don’t know.”

“Pardon?”

“I just... felt like doing it. Is that strange?”

“Ah, n-no, not at all.”

The priest tried to brush it off, but of course, it was strange.

Remria had been rigorously trained since childhood to become a saint of the Church.

And she wasn’t the only one.

All the other priestesses were just like her.

Loyal to the Church, spreading its doctrine, and harboring no impure emotions.

That was considered an unshakable truth within the Theocracy of Bretus.

“I know. I was acting a little too much on impulse today,” Remria admitted.

She could feel the subtle dissonance within herself.

She’d suddenly changed her route without notice, dismissed her own delegate on the spot—

Well, I’d already planned to replace that mouthy delegate anyway, so I’m not too bothered about that.

What mattered was the man named Ludger Cherish.

The man who had introduced himself as a teacher at Seorn.

From the moment she saw him, she’d been oddly drawn in.

But if asked why, Remria couldn’t answer.

It was like an instinct engraved deep in the soul.

Something beyond rational explanation.

“...Ludger Cherish, right? That man from earlier,” she murmured.

“Yes? Ah, yes, that’s him. You probably didn’t catch it, Priestess, but among magicians, he’s apparently rather well-known.”

“I got that sense right from our first meeting. I’ll have it looked into—no doubt he’s not an ordinary person.”

The smile on Remria’s lips faded instantly.

“Look into him.”

“You mean Ludger Cherish?”

“Yes. But do it quietly. Don’t let anyone else know. Not my sisters, not the homeland. Especially not «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» our eldest sister.”

“P-pardon? But that’s—”

“You can do that, can’t you?”

She asked again with a smile, and though the priest looked uneasy, he had no choice but to nod.

Here and now, Remria was his direct superior.

Even if she was acting out of character today, when she made such a clear request, he had to comply.

If it were that loose-lipped delegate, he’d already be spreading gossip by now—but the priest had no such intention.

And Remria knew that. That was why she asked him.

“Thank you.”

She smiled again, softly, warmly, in appreciation of his cooperation.

But rather than feeling reassured, the priest found that smile... unsettling.

When he bowed and stepped back, Remria remained in place, seemingly lost in thought. Then, after a moment, she began walking again.

The rest of the delegation naturally followed behind.

Even as she looked around at the grand scenery of the imperial palace from behind her tiara, her thoughts kept circling back to the encounter with Ludger.

Ludger Cherish. There’s something about him, I’m sure of it.

She had said things today that she normally would never say aloud.

What was more disturbing was that at the time, she hadn’t even realized it was strange.

Even though she should’ve reported this immediately to the homeland, she didn’t feel any desire to.

Yet, the personal questions bubbling up inside her refused to quiet.

Ludger had deliberately avoided planting any suggestion there.

And that fragment inside me... it reacted to him.

The fragment that had allowed her to ascend to the position of priestess.

Who was the origin of that fragment?

If it reacted to Ludger Cherish, then its origin was connected to him.

Big Sister...

The priestesses referred to each other as sisters.

Among them, one stood above all the others, the one who wielded the greatest divine power.

The one they called Big Sister.

Raised from childhood as the Holy Maiden candidate—Theocracy’s chosen child.

High Priestess Catherine.

She was the true owner of that fragment.

* * *

Now fully recovered, Ludger finally left the royal palace and walked the streets of the capital once again.

Naturally, he’d received permission from Princess Aileen beforehand.

They’re acting like I’m not going to come back or something. What are they trying to hold onto so badly?

He walked through the streets of the capital.

The ruins from just a few days ago had already undergone significant restoration.

The wrecked roads had been cleaned up, and the collapsed houses were being rebuilt stronger than before.

People were working hard, sweating as they labored.

I suppose the Imperial Family really poured a fortune into recovery aid.

There was energy and life in the workers’ expressions.

Watching them push past the sorrow of that day made for a surprisingly uplifting sight.

Ludger headed toward the temporary hideout where Hans, Bellaruna, and his mentor were staying.

Originally, after obtaining the relic fragment, Ludger was supposed to return to Rederbelk with the others.

But since he had been detained by the Imperial Family, Hans and Bellaruna had been forced to remain in the capital without a clear timeline.

The moment Ludger opened the door to the hideout, a massive black shape came flying out from inside.

He instinctively tensed, thinking it was an ambush—but instantly recognized the figure.

“Hans?”

“B-Boss!”

Hans burst into tears the moment he saw Ludger and clung to his pants leg, wailing.

“What took you so long?!”

“I told you I had business to attend to. More importantly—what the hell is this look?”

Ludger examined Hans.

His form was different from his usual beast-shifting transformations.

While similar to a werewolf, Hans now had spines growing from his back and even had two tails.

Ludger found the appearance disturbingly familiar.

Of course—he’d seen it most often during the Liberation Army’s terror attacks.

“Chimera? Did you get bitten by a chimera?”

“Yes...”

Hans sniffled as he answered.

“Don’t tell me... Bellaruna again?”

“No. This time it wasn’t Bellaruna, it was—”

“That would be me.”

A young girl’s voice rang out clearly from the entryway, cutting Hans off.

At the sound of it, Hans practically leapt in fear, his fur standing on end as he hid behind Ludger.

“B-Boss!”

“I get it. Just shut the door. If anyone sees this, they’ll report us.”

Despite the command, Hans continued to tremble in terror.

Ludger sighed, closed the front door with a flick of magic, and made his way to the living room where the voice had come from.

“You’re always late. I thought my neck would stretch from waiting.”

Grander lay sprawled on the sofa like a doll, casually greeting Ludger.