Chapter 84

The suggestion from Rod to live with Saint Rize had me completely flabbergasted.

Given my history of causing trouble, I couldn’t really blame him, but why on earth did it have to be Rize of all people?

“Are you saying the Saint will be living with Sivar?”

“Exactly.”

“Just like that? I mean, is that even allowed?”

I wasn’t the only one flustered. Kara asked with an equally shocked tone at the sudden news of the cohabitation.

Others were just as bewildered. Everyone seemed to be questioning why I’d be staying with Rize.

“It’s fine. Sometimes students who get along well or are family share a room. Of course, such arrangements go through a complicated process, so generally, it’s not common.”

“Doesn’t gender matter?”

“It doesn’t. A lot of students get that wrong.”

“But the professors said it’s not allowed…?”

Luna looked puzzled, as if recalling when I first came to the Academy.

She had insisted on rooming with me under the pretense of keeping an eye on me, but the professors flat-out denied it.

Those were all valid points, and she couldn’t contradict them.

“They probably didn’t outright say it wasn’t allowed. They likely listed various reasons for refusal. Everyone knows what happens when males and females share a room.”

“Then what about the Saint? She’s a woman too.”

Eli followed up, pointing out that regardless of her title, Rize is still simply a woman.

Rize may not care what people think, but I do.

Sharing a room with someone of her status? It wouldn’t be surprising if all sorts of ridiculous rumors started flying around.

Ironically, I don’t care much about the rumors myself. I just want to be left alone.

“It shouldn’t matter. Whether Sivar sees Rize as just another woman is questionable too…”

Rod hesitated mid-sentence, glancing at me. He had plenty to say but seemed unsure where to start.

It looked like even he found the proposal rather sudden. He was trying hard to convince himself.

If Rize pushes through with it, I’d have no choice but to live together. But convincing her is essential.

“…there’s no reason for him to view her as just a woman.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I’ll let you all imagine what Rize might be like.”

“……….”

Rod’s reply seemed to make everyone somewhat satisfied, and I was included in that.

When Rize is in Saint mode, she’s undeniably stunning, but when she switches to her title mode… Let’s not go there.

What’s more, I’ve heard Rize came to the academy as a Saint. In other words, she can’t stay in her title mode all the time.

She’ll revert to her original Saint mode for rest, raising questions on how that’ll work out.

“Well, even if I say that, it might still be hard to accept fully. The news of Rize cohabitating with Sivar has caused quite a stir, not just at the Academy but in Byzantium as well.”

“Somehow, it seems it got approved anyway.”

“Rize was pretty stubborn about it, so there wasn’t much we could do. Besides, the time spent cohabitating won’t be long—it’s supposedly only until the end of the first semester.”

“If it’s until the first semester, that means… about a month and a half left, right?”

The mid-term exams are approaching. Translated, that means half the semester’s already gone by.

That’s about as good a piece of news as I could hope for. If we were to live together indefinitely, there would definitely be limits to my freedom.

Rize isn’t completely oblivious either, so there’s a high chance she’d entertain some compromises.

“Then why does the Saint want to live with Sivar? What’s the reason behind it? That’s what I’m really curious about.”

“Me too. What made her decide to cohabitate with Sivar?”

The biggest question on my mind is ‘why?’ Why does Rize want to be with me?

I was planning to tackle my berserk issue every weekend anyway. There was no need for us to live together.

Rod cleared his throat lightly to get our attention. It wasn’t an illness, just a quick cough.

Then he glanced behind him and shared a perplexing remark.

“It’d be better to ask her directly. As luck would have it, she just arrived.”

*Knock knock*

Right as Rod said that, someone knocked on the door. It seems Rize really is here.

Luna looked between the door and Rod, then stood up.

*Click*

“Hello, Luna. How have you been?”

“Oh. Yes… hello. I’m doing okay now.”

As expected, the person who knocked was Rize. She possessed a beauty that certainly stood out from the rest.

She greeted Luna in a warm tone before walking over to us.

Since she wasn’t in her title mode, a particular feature caught my eye.

“……”

As Rize walked toward us, our eyes met. As soon as she noticed me, she flashed a bright smile.

Under normal circumstances, such a smile typically sends chills down my spine. That’s the exact feeling I got when I first met Rize.

But not today. Instead of fear, I felt oddly embarrassed and couldn’t meet her gaze.

I awkwardly averted my eyes, and Rize giggled softly as she took a seat next to Rod.

“Have you all talked?”

“For now, you can share the reason yourself.”

Without delay, Rize cut to the chase as soon as she sat down, tossing aside any casual pleasantries.

But resolving our curiosity takes priority right now. It’s better than engaging in small talk.

“I’m sure everyone’s surprised. The fact that I’ll be living with Sivar, even if it’s just for a month and a half, doesn’t change the fact that it’s happening. But you should know it’s out of necessity.”

Out of necessity. That one phrase emphasizes how important this is.

However, what we really need is the reason behind it. Is it to watch over me or does she have another intention?

Maybe reading our thoughts, Rize continued in her signature gentle tone.

“I have many reasons for wanting to live with Sivar. Firstly, Sivar received the selection of Chaos. That’s my biggest reason.”

“Are you worried Sivar will cause trouble and tarnish the reputation of Chaos?”

Kara pointed out sharply, and it could look that way at first glance.

Everyone knows I’ve gotten the selection from Chaos. The rumors would be widely spread already.

If I were to mess things up, it could really jeopardize Chaos’s image. It seems Kara foresaw that.

But who is Chaos? The deity of ‘Chaos’ who, in some respects, is incredibly lenient.

“No, that’s not a problem. The only thing strictly forbidden by Chaos is senselessly taking lives. Sivar won’t recklessly take lives unless absolutely necessary. Right?”

Having stepped away from Eli’s side, I nodded meekly. I rarely harm lives unless it’s hunting.

Sure, I do take care of predators that invade my territory, but that’s out of necessity.

Once a predator spots me, it’s only a matter of time before they attack. Prey would feel the same threat and shrink away.

“I don’t mind if Sivar causes some trouble. Breaking buildings or damaging objects, it’s not an issue for me.”

“I do mind, though!”

Rod shot back at Rize with a look of disbelief. He’s the one who gets a headache every time I create a mess.

Yet Rize seemed unfazed, brushing off his concerns nonchalantly. She could easily bypass even the Sword Saint’s protests.

“But if he deliberately takes a life, that’s a different story. That would be unthinkable for a human. As I’ve said repeatedly, the deity of Chaos bestows blessings on those who wander, not on those devoid of personhood.”

“Are you saying Sivar’s personhood is underdeveloped?”

Eli’s question caught my attention, and I too found that remark curious.

I honestly believe my personhood resembles that of regular humans. Sure, I have a berserk trait, but my memories of civilized life are vivid.

“I suppose you could say that if you think about it. Humans don’t have berserk traits—animals might, but not people.”

“So the Saint is saying she’s going to teach Sivar human decency…?”

“Personhood and decency are different. That’s an important distinction.”

They may feel similar, but when you look closely, they diverge. One relates to humanity, while the other is closer to personality.

Some maintain their human decency even with a nasty personality, while there are times when decent personalities lose their humanity.

These kinds can be found all over Earth, and history is replete with examples.

‘I’ve seen plenty of that during World War II.’

Even that infamous mustached man was said to have a decent personality privately, yet he initiated genocide.

Conversely, there are tales of less-than-savory businesspeople who protected innocent Jews. Humanity is an intelligence distinct from one’s personality.

“I plan to help Sivar develop his personhood further. That’s why I intend to cohabitate with him for a month and a half.”

“My boss and I are doing just fine with teaching him…”

Eli chimed in, hugging me like a stuffed toy. It seems she still has plenty to teach me.

“Don’t worry about that. If you wish, you can always come over to the room for more lessons. I will seek permission from the academy.”

“Really?!”

“Yes. Since it’s for helping Sivar, it’s something I’ll gladly accept.”

“Thank you!”

While Eli was overjoyed, Rod’s reaction sitting next to Rize was quite amusing. He was clearly wearing a wry smile.

As Rize kept prodding into things, it seemed Rod was cleaning up the mess afterward. As the academy’s head, that must have been a huge headache for him.

“Actually, it’ll be pretty much the same as usual, just a change of dorms. But, Sivar?”

At Rize’s call, I turned to face her. I almost let my gaze drop but managed to hold it back.

“If you can fully control your berserk trait, there’s a high chance your personhood will be complete. Until then, you need to work on forming it well to live smoothly as a person.”

“……”

“I’m not saying you should live kindly all the time. There’s a lot of trash in the world that needs to be disposed of. However, I’d hope you wouldn’t casually take lives, even if they’re trash.”

So, she’s saying to not cross the final line. It’s quite the philosophy fitting for someone associated with Chaos while leaning towards ‘good.’

Though animals are one thing, taking a person’s life isn’t exactly something I relish. Especially when berserk tendencies kick in.

I nodded in agreement, and Rize seemed pleased with my affirmation, smiling gently.

“The dorm assignment will happen in two days. I’ll already be there, so Sivar, you just need to come over.”

“……That sounds a bit odd?”

“Just a misconception.”

Rize immediately shut down Kara’s muttering. If the Saint says so, then that’s that.

“Oh, and when you call me, please use a title other than Saint. That way, we can draw closer.”

“Then……”

Living with Rize is fine. However, having my freedom snatched feels a bit irritating.

To make a decision without even consulting me? Granted, she probably thinks I’ve yet to fully adapt to civilization, so I can understand her actions.

“Granny?”

“……”

So, you should get flustered too! I silenced my inner thoughts and quietly spoke up.

Did the term ‘Granny’ hit home a little too hard? Rize froze in her cheerful smile.

By age, she would technically fit the title. She only looks this way because of some otherworldly rebirth.

“Hmm. Is this what you call a wild instinct? Even looking young, she recognized me right away.”

While everyone else was at a loss for words, Rod was the only one processing that.

As if she heard his thoughts, Rize finally regained her composure. Still smiling, she said warmly.

“It seems like you need some etiquette training.”

That’s something I already got from Rod, Granny.

[Faith is increasing!]

The Lord of Chaos seems pleased as well, and that’s a nice touch.

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