Chapter 132: Ch 131: Free to Leave

Aiden kept his senses spread throughout the building as he walked, paying attention to the conversations around him.

Most of the students were discussing their lessons or complaining about the amount of homework they had received, which made the school feel just like any ordinary academy.

But then he noticed something weird—the students were gathering in groups.

At first, Aiden assumed it was simply because children naturally formed friendships, but after watching them for a while, he realized there was a clear pattern to these groups.

Some of the students were openly wearing small symbols of Goddess Apophis, while others carried symbols of their original gods. The groups rarely mixed, and whenever someone from one group approached another, the conversation would quickly become uncomfortable.

Of course, this was only his impression after he toured the school for the first time, but the fatigued look the manager gave them told Aiden that this was a common occurrence.

Aiden narrowed his eyes.

’So this is what has been happening.’

The manager continued talking about the school’s achievements without noticing that Aiden had stopped listening.

"Thanks to your generosity, Priest Aiden, the number of students has increased dramatically. We have already begun planning another expansion because there are more families asking to enroll their children every day."

"That is good. The more talent we have, the better it will be for our reputation and territory."

Aiden replied absentmindedly before pointing toward a group of students standing together.

"What about them?"

The manager froze for a moment.

"Those students?"

"Yes. Why are they separated from everyone else?"

The manager’s smile became slightly stiff.

"They are simply friends who prefer spending time together."

Aiden stared at him.

"Still, social skills are important, and students need to know how to get along with everyone."

The manager swallowed nervously.

"Well...some of the children have different beliefs, so they naturally prefer to stay around people who worship the same gods."

Aiden nodded slowly.

That answer made sense, but it also confirmed what he had suspected.

The school was slowly becoming divided, and it likely won’t take long before huge conflicts start to emerge here.

He needed to put an end to things before that.

"Priest Aiden, why don’t you follow me to see the more ’gifted’ students? I am sure it will delight you."

The manager likely noticed the sour look Aiden had on his face, and he changed the topic to lead him to the other side of the school.

Aiden followed at a slower pace, not feeling any urge to keep up with the manager. They reached the ’gifted’ room soon, but the air inside was tense.

Once again, people were divided into groups, and the segregation was even fiercer compared to before.

The manager noticed this and coughed into his hand to gather everyone’s attention.

"Excuse me, what is going on here? We have an important guest, so you all better show him respect."

Aiden entered at that second, and everyone tensed. The people who worshiped Goddess Apophis looked happy to see him, while the outsiders looked a little unhappy.

This did not go unnoticed by Aiden, but he chose not to comment on it.

The manager, who noticed it as well, let out a chuckle and looked back at the students with a look of disapproval.

"Kids, don’t be like that. Priest Aiden is very important for us all. He is the reason this school exists and—"

"We know. You tell this to us every day. But can’t we get someone else to visit as well? We have a good priest in our village who can give lectures about our god as well."

"That’s right! If this is a teaching institute, then it should have teachings of all kinds. We want to learn more about our god as well! This is not fair."

"And why would that happen? This academy was formed for Goddess Apophis and belongs to her. Why would another god be taught here?"

The students from the other faiths looked agitated, and this seemed to be an issue that had been brewing for some time.

It made Aiden sigh, and he decided that it needed to be addressed before it became a problem.

"Manager, call for an assembly. It is time I address this all publicly once and for all."

The manager looked startled but decided that if Priest Aiden wanted to do this, then it was likely the right choice. After all, everyone trusted Aiden since he had not led them astray yet.

...

The assembly was called within the hour, and students from every class were gathered in the largest hall of the academy. The teachers stood along the sides while the manager remained close to Aiden, looking slightly nervous about what was about to happen.

Aiden walked onto the platform and looked over the crowd.

There were whispers everywhere, with some students openly looking excited while others seemed uncertain about why they had been called here.

Aiden waited until the room became quiet before speaking.

"I have heard that there have been some disagreements among the students because of your different gods. But frankly, I don’t give a shit about it."

The students exchanged glances, and several of them lowered their heads.

"I am not here to tell you which god you should worship. That is your own choice, and I have no intention of forcing anyone to change their beliefs."

The students who followed other gods looked surprised by his words.

"But you are here to learn, so focus on your own subjects instead of worrying about religious gossip. Keep your opinions to yourself and honor your skills."

Aiden paused before continuing.

"You can worship whichever god you want. You can pray to them, carry their symbols, and even speak proudly about them. But do not let it cause trouble. And as for the religious class- that is specifically for the priest of goddess Apophis. So your opinion is not needed there."

The students looked ready to protest so Aiden added one last note.

"If you disagree, then leave the school. Learning here is free and leaving is also free. The choice is yours to make."