Chapter 17: Seven Artifacts and One Father Too Many

“He’s finally gone.”

As Adolf was dragged out by Sofia, Artoria approached the bewildered Bisus alone.

“My lord husband, can you now tell me about the dream you had today?”

Artoria clasped her hands, her face brimming with anticipation.

“What kind of dream was it? Was it us strolling together in the most beautiful garden in the heavens? Or fighting back-to-back against demons on the battlefield? Or perhaps a late night, whispering love under glowing lights in our bed?”

“Well, about that…”

Bisus hesitated, sensing that revealing his dream might shatter Artoria’s expectations.

“So, the dream was…”

“…Like that?”

After hearing his story, Artoria’s face fell as if she’d lost everything.

I wasn’t in it?

It wasn’t a dream about me?

“It seems the great demon Lucifer is sealed in this bracelet. That’s probably why I had that dream…”

Lucifer!

Even sealed, that woman is nothing but trouble!

Why was it a dream about her instead of me?

Shouldn’t it have been about me, your lover?

That barbaric woman’s already gloating because she appeared in your dream!

This won’t do.

My lord husband needs to remember our heartfelt love story!

“But why was Lucifer, who was sealed back then, in that dungeon?”

The novel Eclipse never fully explained the great demon Lucifer.

The bracelet was merely a plot device to power up the protagonist, leaving its mysteries unresolved.

If Lucifer is real, does that mean the Archangel Bisus was a real figure too?

Is this body, Bisus Granginol, really a reincarnation?

“Oh, I can explain that,” Artoria said.

“We were punished by Deus and cast down to the mortal world. He sent seven artifacts related to us to this plane.”

“Seven artifacts?”

“Yes… I didn’t mention this before, hoping you’d recall it yourself, but I have no choice. The trial we face is to find these seven artifacts.”

A trial.

According to Artoria, she and I were angels by Deus’s side, but we sinned and were cast down as humans as punishment.

It wasn’t a permanent fall but a temporary trial.

If we reunited, rekindled our love, and overcame the trial, we could return to the heavens.

“So, the trial is to find these seven artifacts?”

“Exactly! Once we do, we can return to the heavens!”

She continued, “Deus didn’t tell us what the artifacts are, but I suspect that bracelet with Lucifer is one of them. You were its keeper in the heavens, after all.”

So, the seven artifacts are items tied to the heavenly Bisus and Artoria.

But something doesn’t add up.

The bracelet with Lucifer appeared in Eclipse.

Does that mean Artoria was an angel cast down to the mortal world in the novel too?

That doesn’t align with the story.

When I raided the dungeon, I thought the novel’s information was reliable, but…

Is this world I’ve transmigrated into truly the same as Eclipse?

“Then we just need to find the remaining six artifacts, right?”

“Yes! Once we do, we can return to the heavens!”

The countless artifacts and opportunities in Eclipse—one of them might be among the seven.

My goal was always to collect those opportunities, so nothing’s changed.

Finding all seven might reveal the truth.

“Alright, let’s collect them.”

“Yes!”

While Bisus and Artoria united with different thoughts in mind, Sofia reentered the café.

“Bisus,” she said.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t expect my father to go that far. It was my mistake.”

I caused trouble for Bisus.

Who knew my foolish dad would come all the way here to harass him?

This is entirely my fault.

I can’t let Bisus hate me.

“It’s fine. Fathers worry about their daughters. And your situation isn’t exactly normal, right? Don’t worry about it.”

“Bisus…!”

Sofia looked at him, deeply moved.

Yes, Bisus.

You were always like this.

Even when my mistakes caused you harm, you’d say it wasn’t my fault.

But in the end…

I swore this life would be different, but I haven’t changed at all.

This can’t go on.

I’ll just repeat the past life.

I have to change.

Lichten Academy Student Council Room

“That’s amusing,” murmured Diabel, the student council president.

“To think the republic’s president would rush to the academy just for his daughter.”

Toppling the republic might be easier than I thought.

“You’re telling me,” said Robina, the slit-eyed beauty sitting across from Diabel. “The academy’s faculty, including the chancellor, is in an uproar. The president showing up unannounced like that?”

“It’s unexpected, but it gives us a weapon to use against the republic later,” Diabel replied.

“True. Who knew the republic had such a weakness? This is valuable info for the ‘apocalypse,’” Robina added.

Diabel, the student council president leading the academy, was even more admired than Robina.

But her true identity was Ea, the leader of the organization, with even Robina as her subordinate.

To her, the president’s visit was just a tool to destabilize the republic later.

“More interesting than the president’s visit is him,” Diabel said.

“Bisus Granginol, you mean?” Robina asked.

A baron’s son, unnoticed until his academy enrollment.

Yet he’d somehow captivated the saintess and the republic’s princess.

Unverified rumors even suggested the imperial princess visited the academy to meet him.

And as if to prove it wasn’t just his looks or charm, he overwhelmed the heir of the renowned Schreig swordsmanship family in a duel.

“If we could bring him into the organization, he’d be a significant asset,” Diabel said.

With him, we could influence the saintess and the republic.

“I thought the same and met him once,” Robina said, recalling her encounter with Bisus.

Unlike other male students who fell for her looks, he didn’t yield easily.

There was indeed something about him that could win over the saintess and princess.

“But he might be tougher to recruit than expected.”

“No matter. The grand plan for the apocalypse is a long game. Time isn’t an issue.”

‘Live, Bel. You have to live.’

His voice echoed in Diabel’s mind.

She shook her head.

Selfish master.

Did you think I’d find meaning in a world where I live alone?

A world that killed her master held no value to her.

It deserved to be destroyed.

No matter what it takes.

No matter how arduous the path.

I will bring this world to its ‘apocalypse.’

And then, I’ll find my master, who left me with this cruel curse of a life without him.

“Time slipped away,” Bisus muttered.

The encounter with the republic’s president had eaten up too much time.

I’m definitely getting docked attendance points for this.

He headed to the lecture hall with Artoria and Sofia.
“The next class is…”

As he rounded a building, he spotted a familiar figure.

The man he’d dueled in a practical swordsmanship class, Naber Schreig, heir of the renowned Schreig family.

Why’s he here?

“Bisus Granginol.”

Naber approached as if he had business with him.

Ugh.

Is this guy picking a fight again?

Come to think of it, in Eclipse, he provoked Janice just for being close to Artoria.

This is gonna be a hassle.

As Bisus pondered how to handle the situation,

Thud

Naber dropped to his knees.

“Take me as your disciple. Please.”

…What now?