Chapter 142: The Forbidden Book in Loberne


    "<em>Yawn.</em>"


    Findenai let out a yawn while driving the carriage. ncing around, she realized that they had somehow arrived at the Loberne Academy.


    It wasn''t specifically an unpleasant ce, and in fact, it even held some fun memories, but at the moment, a sense of annoyance was pricking at Findenai''s head for no special reason.


    The professors had already been waiting in line to greet them as the carriage entered the academy.


    And among them, the Dean especially was making a fuss about hosting a party to wee the heroes who were returning from the war.


    Unfortunately, the Soul Whisperer Deus Verdi, the protagonist of the day, was not in the carriage.


    And that was precisely why Findenai wasn’t in a really agreeable mood.


    "What, where''s Deus?"


    Erica, who was waiting along with the Dean, asked with a puzzled expression, and Findenai replied curtly."I don''t know."


    Then, after collecting Illuania''s and her own luggage, Findenai walked towards the entrance of the academy. Despite looking severely injured with the bandages wrapped around her body, there was no hindrance in her movements.


    "<em>Groan.</em>"


    The gaze of the professors naturally shifted to Owen, who btedly got off the carriage with his luggage and melodica.


    The boy also had bandages on his hands, but he smiled awkwardly and answered the professors'' questions.


    "He said he needs to stay a bit longer as he has to apologize and take responsibility for the souls in the Marias Great Forest."


    "Take responsibility?"


    The information was not clear, but Owen didn''t bother borating any further.


    Thest person to get off the carriage was Illuania. She wasn’t carrying any luggage but in her arms was her precious new family member.


    Since the professors were aware that she was the pregnant maid who had apanied Deus, they congratted her on the birth of her child. However, Illuania simply thanked them and headed straight to the hotel she had previously stayed at.


    Since postpartum care was also important, the hotel had been preparing rted services in advance.


    Findenai decided to follow her for now because it was uncertain whether the hotel building was still intact


    In the end, only Owen was left behind with the carriage.


    Despite harboring some regrets, the professors had no choice but to return to their respective ces with dejected expressions.


    Owen, too, headed straight to Deus'' room. After neatly arranging Deus’ luggage, he took out the melodica he had been carrying on his back.


    Then, as he blew into the instrument, it produced a sound when the keys were pressed.


    As he had performed for a long time at the mountainside vige, his fingers hurt even when ying the rtively lightweight melodica, but the boy continued to y it skillfully.


    Gradually, a woman appeared. She wore a ck robe covering her eyes, with the lower part of her face concealed by a semi-transparent ck veil.


    She was the Dark Spiritualist he had already met several times whenever he performed.


    Even though the music stopped as he removed the melodica from his mouth, Owen''s spiritual eyes had developed enough to allow him to converse with her to some extent.


    "D-Dark Spiritualist, so you came along."


    <b>[Yes, Deus told me to do so, didn’t he?]</b>


    Like Findenai, the Dark Spiritualist was also in a sullen mood.


    Deus had insisted on handling it alone, so he also sent the Dark Spiritualist away.


    And in case someone secretly disobeyed him and stayed behind, Deus instructed Owen to confirm their presence upon his arrival at the academy.


    <b>[I am his Master, why did he issue orders to me?]</b>


    Even though she wasining, Owen realized that she was obedient, so he decided to remain silent for now.


    There was no need to provoke the already upset woman by saying anything else.


    "He told me to check on you daily. Are you okay?"


    <strong>[...<em>Sigh</em>, alright.]</strong>


    The Dark Spiritualist sighed.


    It was Deus’ wish to spend some time alone with the souls in Marias Great Forest.


    Hearing that, the Dark Spiritualist couldn''t help but make aplex expression.


    It did mean that Deus, who was on the verge of crossing a line, had regained his principles.


    However, did he really need to bear that burden alone?


    Wouldn''t it be better to do it together? Weren''t they soulmates? Even the Dark Spiritualist herself was actually a soul as well.


    <b>[Ugh, so annoying.]</b>


    With a swift turn, the Dark Spiritualist disappeared.


    "<em>Sigh.</em>"


    Seeing that, Owen wiped the sweat from his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief.


    <em>The Soul Whisperer must be really exhausted.</em>


    Owen also overheard that this war was a scheme cooked up by an organization of dark mages to discern the true intentions of the Soul Whisperer.


    Since Owen was unaware of more details, he simply stretched and headed out of Deus'' room for now.


    Since Owen was staying in a spare room in the first-year male dormitory, he nned to go and rest in his own room for a while.


    Because in the absence of Deus, he didn''t really have anything to do either.


    Even though he didn’t intend to take one before, it was truly a sweet break.


    He had been through quite a lot this time, so he deserved to rx like this.


    Since the students were still attending their lectures, Owen quietly returned to his room after showering and fell into a pleasant sleep on the soft bed.


    "No, I swear it wasn''t me!"


    Because of the loud voice filled with frustration and injusticeing from outside, Owen''s eyes fluttered open.


    Despite his sleep being disturbed, he didn’t feel tired.


    When he looked out the window, the moon was already up.


    Having slept quite well, Owen stretched and stepped outside.


    Two students were standing in the hallway.


    The first-year male student was defending himself with a resentful expression against the other student, who appeared to be a second-year male.


    "You were the one who used it before me! So, you are obviously the culprit!"


    "No, I''m telling the truth, it wasn''t me! This is really unfair! If you''re asking me if I used it, I did. But why would I doodle on it?"


    What were they talking about?


    Owen stood on the tip of his toes to check the situation. It seemed like there was something wrong with the book in the hands of the second-year student.


    "Hm?"


    Curious about what book it was, Owen craned his neck.


    "<em>Huwaaa!</em>"


    The young boy toppled backwards as his face turned crimson.


    It was a book with pictures of women.


    And it was not just any picture book, but a book with naked pictures of a certain woman.


    The second-year student quickly turned his head due to Owen''s overreaction. Then he nced between the book in his hand and Owen, then turned to flee with embarrassment.


    "Anyway, you! Don''t ever do this again! It''s for everyone''s use!"


    Leaving behind a rather righteous, thunderous criticism, he fled from the scene.


    While sighing with relief, the first-year approached Owen and extended his hand.


    "Th-thank you. Thanks to you, everything got sorted out without me getting hit. He was actually right; I was the one who did that. I get more horny when I doodle on the body."


    "W-what?!"


    "Huh? Oh, you''re not from the academy, are you? That’s why you don’t know. We refer to it as ''the forbidden book'' in our secret code.”


    Perhaps feeling good from escaping the threat of his senior, the male student began pouring out information no one had even asked for.


    "You, too. If you need it, just let me know."


    "Ah, no-no! I don''t need it! More importantly! How can students buy such things?"


    For the boy who had spent his whole life with the piano, it was a whole new world, one he couldn’t understand at all.


    When he eximed in surprise, the male student shook his head whileughing.


    "Of course, we are not allowed to buy them. The Forbidden Book is handmade. We have the artisan at our academy."


    It felt like his head was reeling.


    "Anyway, if you need it,e to me. Good things should be shared. We''re both guys, aren’t we?"


    The male student grinned and winked before childishly running off down the corridor.


    The boy momentarily felt shocked and dizzy. He then clenched his fists.


    "S-students... should behave like students!"


    It was a phrase Deus Verdi often repeated.


    Owen then returned to his room and yed the melodica, summoning the souls that were still lingering at the academy.


    It was Owen''s unique method of gathering information.


    <b>[Oh, risqué drawings? They''re not only circting among the guys but among the girls as well.]</b>


    <b>[I know there''s one person who draws them. They even put marks on them.]</b>


    <b>[‘If you''re a student, you should study.’ What a joke.]</b>


    <b>[Did you know there''s a request counter? If you write a note and put it in a certain book in the library, they will draw what you want!]</b>


    <b>[Drawings? Oh, I saw one kid drawing something weird recently.]</b>


    "That person!"


    Upon hearing the testimony of thest ghost, Owen changed directions.


    The ce he went to was the first-year female dormitory. Although it waste at night, he could see a girl with blond hair wearing a white beret sitting on a bench in front of the dormitory and sketching.


    "P-P-Princess?"


    <b>[Yeah, that''s right. That girl has been drawing weird pictures every day.]</b>


    After pointing to Eleanor Luden Griffin, the ghost abruptly vanished, as if passing the buck.


    Should he just run away as well?


    Owen contemted briefly, but after remembering Deus Verdi, he took a deep breath.


    If it were that person, what would he do?


    What would he do if he found out that a student he cherished was the one circting obscene material referred to as ''the Forbidden Book''?


    It was hard to even imagine it.


    He would probably be quite furious and scold her severely, right?


    "I have to stop this."


    And since Deus wasn’t someone like him who could only see ghosts when performing, but someone who could see ghosts all the time, he would likely learn of this information soon.


    With such determination, Owen approached Eleanor.


    "Hm? What''s going on?"


    Eleanor nced at Owen briefly before turning her focus back to her drawing.


    She didn''t even spare him a nce. From the perspective of someone walking the same path as an artist, the concentration with which she moved her pen was impressive. However...


    "C-can you show me your drawing?"


    He first had to confirm it.


    It was a statement he made after mustering up some courage.


    "Hmm?"


    Eleanor looked at Owen, who had abruptly asked her to show him her sketch, with suspicion. However, she recognized him as Professor Deus'' apprentice.


    "Sure."


    She turned the book around with ease to show him the sketch.


    It was a night sky with a beautiful moon. As someone who lived in the Land of Artists, ren, Owen could immediately see how much effort she put into her drawing.


    "Wow."


    Even he was surprised by the skill.


    Seeing Owen exim with admiration, Eleanor asked carefully.


    "Is something wrong?"


    "N-no! I''m sorry! I have disrespectfully misunderstood you!"


    "Misunderstood? What misunderstanding?"


    Eleanor slowly set down her sketch beside her on the bench and crossed her arms and legs.


    Even though she appeared to be slightly older than him at first nce, as her gaze shifted and the atmosphere began to settle into a solemn one, an indescribable aura of authority as a princess began to overwhelm Owen.


    This was the Princess of the Kingdom.


    The sudden change in atmosphere felt akin to an assassin retrieving their hidden weapon.


    Perhaps speaking to a princess like her would help resolve this matter easily.


    Thinking so, Owen raised his voice slightly and spoke.


    "R-recently, someone at the academy has been drawing inappropriate pictures and circting them! So, I thought I''d try to find that person before the Soul Whisperer returned!"


    "Huh?"


    In an instant, Eleanor froze in her ce. The dignity of a princess, which she had disyed just moments ago, disappeared, and she reverted back to student Eleanor.


    "Oh, is that so? Weeeelll, theeeere are really strange people out there! But-that-is-not-me!"


    "Y-your Highness?"


    Even to the innocent Owen, her manner of speaking seemed suspicious. Just then, Aria emerged from the female dorm entrance.


    "Eleanor! Look at this! If you darken the iris and blur the focal point, it looks like he’s obsessing over something!"


    Eleanor frowned as she saw the drawing of Deus Verdi in Aria''s hand.


    "I have told you before! Do not scribble on my drawings...!"


    <em>Sneak! Sneak!</em>


    While Eleanor got annoyed by Aria''s tendency to add her preferences to her drawings, Owen had already started fleeing.


    Could it be that she was drawing strange pictures based on the Soul Whisperer?


    Thinking that he had to inform the Soul Whisperer at all costs, Owen ran.


    "<em>Oops.</em>"


    Along with Eleanor''s sigh, Owen''s legs floated up into the air.


    "<em>Whoa!</em>"


    Surprised as his body began to levitate from the ground suddenly, Owen naturally drifted back towards Eleanor.


    "Um, well, you see. It seems like there''s a misunderstanding."


    When Eleanor smiled awkwardly and said that, Owen blurted out tearfully.


    "I''m sorry! I promise I won''t tell the Soul Whisperer! Please spare me!"


    "......"


    "What''s this? Isn’t this the kiddo following the professor around?"


    Aria, who approached them, made a dumbfounded expression before hastily hiding the drawing.


    “You hid it so quickly, huh?! Why? Why don''t you just go and announce to everyone that you are drawing Deus?”


    "No, I mean it''s just such a groundbreaking discovery."


    For once, Eleanor''s bitter tone rendered Aria unable to protest at all.


    However, she tried to offer a solution.


    "Shall we just knock him out to make him lose his memory?"


    "Why is everything you do so inappropriate?"


    "...Then, how about we say that it''s only you, the Princess, who is drawing Professor in that manner?"


    "W-why are you talking about that?! This kid can hear that, you know! Also, don’t you like it too?!"


    "Thanks to your early education in sexual education, this humblemoner has seen a new world."


    Despite the two seemingly engrossed in their conversation, Owen knew he would never be able to escape from them.


    The moment his body slumped in despair, he once again found himself floating.


    It felt as if someone had grabbed him by the cor and lifted him up.


    "Huh?"


    "What?"


    This time, it wasn''t Eleanor''s doing, so both of them were surprised.


    Owen was also taken aback. However, amidst his surprise, he blurted out due to the familiar sensation.


    "A-are you the Dark Spiritualist?!"


    Though he wasn’t particrly close to the Dark Spiritualist, Owen felt like he had met his /genesisforsaken