Apostle of the Gods

24 – Scions After the Duel

The discussion with Regina and Dion is over and the chat with Xenovia and Milt is also over.

And Arti comes along.

Milt doesn’t put on his hood, even when Arti enters the room.

In other words, Milt is revealing himself to Arti.

「Master, I have just returned」

「Oh, Arti, you came at the right time. I have a new mission for you」

「Yes」

「Continue accompanying Will. He is going to join as a student, but think of him as your superior」

Xenovia calls me ‘Will’ as we discussed earlier.

Even so, Xenovia’s attitude is firmer than before, probably because her disciple is present.

「Understood! Master」

「Arti, who is a member of the Salvation Organization, might be dissatisfied with the instructions to follow under a student…」

「No, I have no complaints」

「That’s fine, but…」

Xenovia stands up a little worriedly and heads towards Arti.

「I am not dissatisfied with Arti’s abilities, rather I trust you very much」

「I am undeserving of such words」

「Sticking to Will, would be a plus for Arti as well」

「Yes」

Xenovia pats Arti’s head.

「Arti sticking to Will is a secrecy which is equivalent to my life」

Only after hearing that, Arti seems to think a little.

「Master, can I say something?」

「Go ahead」

「Wouldn’t it be better for me to move around if I joined the academy as a student too?」

「But Arti has already made a few appearances in front of the candidates.」replies Milt who was listening to Arti.

「It is not unusual for the president’s apprentice who has already graduated to become an assistant」

Xenovia nods after thinking a while.

「Certainly, as Arti says, it is not uncommon for teachers to have direct apprentices of those who have previously graduated」

「Hmm, it is also not uncommon for such a disciple to act as an assistant」 Milt says too.

「Yes」

「Umu, well then Arti, join the academy as a student tomorrow. I will inform the teachers」

Following that, Xenovia looks at me.

「Will, is that okay?」

「Yes it is」

If I don’t speak politely in front of Arti, I will be discerned instantly.

After that, Arti starts reporting on her original task.

「The practical exam has been concluded safely. There are thirty people who have reached the passing score」

「Well, it’s the usual number. After this, the final decision will be decided after the recommendations and character examination」

The explanation of the second half must have been for me.

「Arti, what sort of accidents and injuries did we have?」

「The only serious injuries are Danan Wolms and Ivan Wolms」

「Ah, the injuries sustained from the duel with Will?」

「No, that’s not it」

「Hmm? What does that mean?」

Arti informs about what happened to Danan and Ivan.

Danan and Ivan recovered after taking a break in the doctor’s office.

「It seems the anger against Will Wolms was rekindled as soon as they recovered」

「…those guys never learn」

As I said so reflexively, everyone nodded in agreement.

「The Wolms tried to get revenge by using the poison bug they saved as a trump card…」

「Were they stopped before that happened? The teacher in charge of the medical office is also an excellent mage」

Arti slowly shakes her head in disagreement to Xenovia’s words.

「No, it did not progress to that stage. The Wolms brothers could no longer manipulate the insects」

「Mu? No, that’s impossible… No, but! Arti! Tell me the details!」 Milt gets excited and steps forward.

「I still do not know the details」

「Arti is a swordsman. She is not familiar with magic」

Xenovia follows along with Arti’s story.

Arti slightly lowers her head to Xenovia, and explains what she understood about the situation so far.

The brothers could no longer manipulate the insects they have been manipulating all this time, and they were attacked by those insects instead.

And they were stung by the poisonous bugs all over their body and were drifting the boundary between life and death.

Without the quick and proper treatment from the doctor in charge, they would have died.

Hearing that, Milt gets increasingly excited.

「I’m very interested about what happened. Xenovia, can you leave this up to me?」

「That’s fine, but… what do you find interesting?」

「Losing the ability to do that which they could do from the beginning」

「I don’t really understand, but I’ll leave it to you」

「Umu」

Milt starts running immediately. It’s a movement unthinkable of a near one hundred twenty year old.

「Mas-, No, Will, please follow along」

「I understand」

Since Arti is looking, I reply politely.

What Milt is interested about must be something that is magic based.

So, he would probably like to hear my opinion.

Leaving that aside, I’m worried that he was about to call me Master in excitement.

Xenovia left it up to me to decide, when and what I wish to tell Arti.

If Milt had called me Master, I would immediately be forced to explain a myriad of things.

I believe in Arti, but I should be cautious about when I reveal it.

Simply knowing the secret can bring about danger, and there are some people who can’t lie for the life of them.

I will only reveal it after getting to know Arti well.

「Will, let’s go right now」

We run out of the room, chasing after Milt who left first after saying that.