Miss Hebe Is Charging Through the Lostbelts! [19]

The old man’s wrinkled face creased open, and he burst into laughter.

“It seems you truly are a born Hermanmhat, if you can restrain even your curiosity!” The old man gathered his smile back. “However, the Ibis King does not permit an emptiness of doubt and knowledge. That is his ancient teaching to us.”

“Choose the question you most want answered. Ask it now.”

“Then I will ask.”

Hebe inclined herself slightly and voiced her question.

“I already know that I will be a student of the Hermanubis school, and you mentioned the Nine Sage Gods just now. Does that mean there are nine schools here in total?”

The old man shook his head. “That is a question every new student has. Unfortunately, seats among the Nine Sage Gods remain vacant, and the schools are not so plentiful as to number nine!”

“Setting aside His Majesty the Red King Ozymandias, who permanently holds the first seat among the Nine Sage Gods, the seat of Amun-Ra, two of the current three kings’ seats are vacant.“

“The Minister of Ministers, Khnum, King of Rams, often issues edicts on His Majesty the Red King’s behalf. He is also His Majesty the Red King’s hand in the secular world.“

“What the Ram school teaches are arts concerning destruction, shaping, and remaking. According to the name bestowed by His Majesty the Red King, these arts are collectively called the methods of Forge.“

“As for the Captain of Captains, Sobek, King of Crocodiles, and the Scribe of Scribes, Thoth, the Ibis King, those two seats have been vacant for a hundred years.“

“What the Crocodile school teaches are arts concerning war, strife, and battle—that is, the arts of Blade.“

“The Scarlet Ibis school, meaning us, teaches knowledge concerning illumination, purification, and ascension. It is also known as the knowledge of Lantern.“

“After the three kings comes Saint Bennu. She is the king’s heart and soul, the incarnation that guides us ever closer to the king’s domain.“

“Saint Bennu’s seat has been vacant for twenty years. Curtis, whom you saw just now, is the one with the greatest hope of becoming the Bennu of this generation. I am proud of her.“

“The Phoenix school teaches the essentials of sky, flight, and shelter. That is the secret transmission of Wing.“

“Next is Saint Hermanubis. They study the secret rites of stillness, withering, and the ferrying of souls. They are sages who bring people a peaceful end. Naturally, these arts are gathered under the learning of Winter.“

“However, the seat of Hermanubis changes with astonishing speed. In ten years, it has changed hands three full times. That is hardly in keeping with the essentials of what they study.“

“Then comes Saint Shesepankh. She is the sphinx, the will of the king.“

“The Lion school teaches arts of desire, temptation, sacrifice, and power. At first glance, it seems somewhat similar to the Crocodile school, but in truth, they are entirely different. These arts are called Cup.”

After that long speech, the old man took a hard breath.

“There is one final seat: Saint Apophis, or Apep, of the Snake school. They make a deep study of poison, opening, gates, and the arts of various passages. These arts are called the secret transmission of Opening.“

“People of the Apophis school are always so unconventional, and arrogant besides. They even believe their arts stand above those of the other schools… But I must admit, their knowledge is indeed outstanding. The roads connecting all places were designed by people of the Apophis school.”

The old man watched with satisfaction as Hebe sank into stunned contemplation.

Only after a long while did Hebe lift her head with difficulty.

“Then what is the name of the last of the Nine Sage Gods?”

“I already told you the answer to that question just now.” The old man waved his hand, looking as though his interest had run out. “His Majesty the Red King has not yet proclaimed the name of the last of the Nine Sage Gods, so we neither know it nor have any way to establish a new school… All right, there is still some time. Follow Curtis and have a look around the lecture halls.”

Hebe silently stood, bowed to the old man, and left the room that was not particularly large.

Curtis, a lapis lazuli pendant hanging at her chest, walked over and gestured for Hebe to follow her.

After they left that temple chamber, the two of them toured the public areas of the Temple of Thoth. Curtis thoughtfully pointed out the lecture areas for Hebe, as well as the places that were truly forbidden, where students were not allowed to enter.

When night deepened, Hebe was brought to a single side room. This would be her residence for the next seven years.

…

Only when there was no one around at all did Hebe let out a long sigh.

If someone knew absolutely nothing about ancient Egyptian culture, they naturally would not understand how severe a deviation had occurred in this Lostbelt.

But Hebe happened to know a little about ancient Egypt, and that was exactly what made her feel such tremendous pressure.

For example, the “Ennead” and the “Nine Sage Gods.”

The original Ennead was a group of nine great gods headed by Ra, including highly famous deities such as Osiris, Isis, and Set.

They should have been the objects of worship for the Egyptians of this era, but now, the names of the Ennead were completely linked to various natural disasters.

For example, the “Plague of Osiris,” which descended silently and stripped away all life without distinction. Or the “Breath of Set,” which had previously made Hebe dehydrate like a Trisolaran.

What had replaced the Ennead’s ecological niche was the “Nine Sage Gods” extended from the Red King Ozymandias. They were regarded as certain Aspects of the Red King and were worshiped and followed by the Egyptians of the present.

There were also names like “Ozymandias,” “Hermanubis,” and “Apophis”…

Those names should have been their Hellenized forms after the establishment of the Ptolemaic Dynasty, yet they had appeared here eighteen hundred years early.

And then there were the “arts” taught by the schools represented by the Nine Sage Gods. These had continued to persist in an unbroken line through the War of the Roses Lostbelt and even into the later thaumaturgical world of Albion.

But much had survived, and far more had been lost. With the passage of generations, they had also become completely unrecognizable.

Hebe shot up from the low bed and paced back and forth through the room, thoughts flashing rapidly through her mind.

There must be unknown things buried out of sight, Hebe thought. If I want to learn those secrets, I have to climb higher. Becoming a temple priest is nowhere near enough.

She remembered what the old man had said during the day: many seats among the Nine Sage Gods were still vacant, and the seat of Hermanubis had changed hands three times in ten years.

And Ozymandias himself seemed to have no objection to this.

“In that case, why can’t I become Hermanubis?”

Since there was essentially no limit to the number of attempts she had to conquer the Lostbelt, Hebe could use the opportunity to repeatedly investigate the secrets within it, study the knowledge of the various schools, grasp the necessary power, and through simulation after simulation, seize the course of history entirely within her hands.

Then she could simulate from the beginning again and become Hermanubis, one of the Nine Sage Gods.

Or, more aggressively, become one of the vacant three kings… Thoth, the Ibis King.

This is a fan translation of 赫柏小姐正在杀出异闻带！ by 青散人 Rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!