013: The Old Dean of Atlas Academy Who Manages Backdoor Entries
Atlas Institute—an alchemist organization existing since before the Common Era, located at the foot of the Atlas Mountains in Egypt.
"Welcome, Novia of the Anatolia Province, Roman Empire."
At its center was a space nearly the size of a city, and though underground, it had an artificial sky.
From what Novia observed, this was indeed an academy, equipped with all necessities for human life.
A few days ago, after hearing the dean's words, Novia thought it over and decided to return with Shirley, who needed to report the situation.
Admittedly, without special guidance, Novia would have been hopelessly lost here long ago. After all, going down offered only two branching paths, but returning presented three.
This was normal. Atlas Academy feared insiders leaving more than outsiders entering. Taking things made here outside was strictly forbidden—a fundamental principle of Atlas Institute, unless under contract.
To correctly enter a place jokingly called as a "living hell" with "no communication with the outside world, where even light cannot escape," Novia could, in a way, take pride.
"Dean, greetings. May you be well."
At the moment, the silver-haired boy stood alone before the Dean of Atlas Institute.
Theoretically, Atlas Academy consisted of magi with poor Magic Circuits. Yet the dean gave Novia a feeling no less imposing than the Divine Body · Osiris he had encountered earlier. But of course—endlessly crafting and destroying weapons, the leader of such an organization couldn't be ordinary.
"No need for pleasantries." The dean's gaze first fell on Novia, then shifted to the book beside him. "I am grateful for your help to Shirley. Frankly, what kind of person do you think she is?"
"My perception of her has two stages. The first stage: a good person, but not human."
To such an elder, Novia believed sincerity was better than superficial gentleness masking hidden intentions. Moreover, the dean likely understood this far better than Novia.
"You are quite right about that."
On that first day, Novia saw Shirley as a thorough rationalist, advocating that "the results derived from calculation are everything." Her serious, logical thinking was actually just conclusions drawn from Information obtained via alchemical Etherlite probing others' brains. She acted based on an average human's behavioral patterns, treating these Information as common sense in human society.
She would do broadly good deeds and absolutely avoid broadly evil ones. Although subconsciously aware of her own abnormality, she never confronted it.
This was also why the dean worried about her future. Shirley was too prone to extremes. Her common sense was merely Information Plunder via Etherlite. If exposed under certain circumstances, the impact could be immense.
"The second stage: she is a good person beginning to confront her true nature."
"That is also correct." The dean flipped through the book with aged fingers. "It is precisely because you could bring about change in her that I am grateful."
Otherwise, how could you have entered here? Causing chaos in the underwater Library of Alexandria, even making Shirley lie for you.
The dean's face remained expressionless, but inwardly he clicked his tongue. With Trismegistus present, hiding anything from him was nearly impossible.
Though he regretted the destruction of the Osiris Divine Body, he also held a hint of admiration for Novia's rejection of great power. Even if not from Atlas Institute and a believer in gods, he appreciated this spirit of disdain for external power!
The Divine Body, despite its issues, could allow a magus family to continue for millennia, enabling them to briefly obtain fragmented divine power even after the Age of Gods ended.
Initially, Novia had considered using Osiris's Divine Body to pretend to be divine. But then he remembered he was ostensibly a Christian. Although using Egyptian god power might be problematic, he could justify it with explanations like "defeated into paste by the Ten Plagues."
However, upon seeing the Divine Body develop independent consciousness, he abandoned the idea. He didn't want to accidentally create some crisis. If not for the Divine Body · Osiris being too eager to seize the library's system, allowing its soul to got inside, Novia and Shirley would never have defeated it so easily.
"By the way, as reward for helping our academy recover the lost artifact, I permit you one use of Trismegistus." Then, the dean stood and walked toward a room where deep shadows extended everywhere. "Ah, old age. I forgot where I put that bottle. It contains a drop of water that heals physical damage. How strange. I'll go look for it. You go ahead and use it. Afterward, something will guide you out."
"This…"
The silver-haired boy began to say something but found the dean had already disappear without a trace, leaving only the bottle on the table.
Dean, I think I will never forget your kindness in this lifetime.
Nonchalantly pocketing the bottle, Novia walked straight toward Trismegistus—Atlas Institute's greatest recording medium, collecting, categorizing, and recording vast amounts of Earth's Intelligence. By inputting a question, one could receive an answer.
"Acting on dean's authority once, confirmed. Please proceed."
"Oh bird soaring through the underworld, answer my question—"
Suddenly, Novia didn't know what to ask. He stood there for over ten minutes, hesitating as if pondering what to eat for lunch.
Finally, the silver-haired boy sighed, smiled, and asked Trismegistus one question, even leaving a note with the dean's authority on that query.
"Well then, until next time."
After calling out to the empty square, Novia left Atlas Institute without hesitation, preparing to return to Rome.
...
"He really only asked one question? Isn't that too honest? Are all god-believers like this?" The old dean glanced at the record, both pleased and somewhat dissatisfied. "Let's see what this kid asked…"
Yet with just one look, the dean was rendered speechless. Because the question was—
"Please tell me, who is Novia?"
Seriously, the old dean had never seen someone so wasteful of such an opportunity, asking such an irrelevant thing. He couldn't help but sigh repeatedly.
The steady tapping of a young girl's footsteps echoed rhythmically.
"Has he already left?"
Within seconds, Shirley returned from the room where she had given her report. Looking at the inexplicably sorrowful dean, she expressionlessly and carefully took another small bite of the food in her palm.
"Forget it, I'll just return it to him next time there's a chance. After all, this isn't my thing."
(TL note I know practicality nothing about the atlas institute so sorry for all the mistakes I've made)
Note: I'm new to translating so please be kind and tell me any mistakes you all find, I will try to release a chapter a day but don't expect much
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