He stood abruptly, his presence loud in the quiet room. "I want to know why it is heresy? I'm sure some others also do wonder the same."
Rael's head turned slowly, eyes narrowing as they landed directly on him. The room held its breath.
The instructor's expression was unreadable. Stern, but not angry. He let the silence stretch before finally answering.
"There are two ways to gain divine energy," he said evenly. "The official method—the only one recognized by the Holy Kingdom—is to receive a blessing from the Goddess herself."
He paused, then inhaled, a heavy breath that hinted at the gravity of what he was about to say.
"The other… is to use the corpse of an angel."
Whispers rippled across the room. Vergil's fingers curled slightly, but he didn't speak. Not yet. He listened.
