Chapter 179
Chapter 179
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 179
Chapter Title: 52-3. Spirits React to Human Emotions.
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A table split clean in half.
Piles of paper fluttering through the air.
The bookshelves collapsed around them spoke volumes about the gravity of the situation.
He'd layered defensive magic circles over the door just in case.
But now they were reduced to splinters, leaving a gaping hole for the wind to whistle through.
"It's been a while, Laplace."
A moment ago, Laplace had abruptly cut the broadcast from the Rune Scramble for a reason.
In the headmaster's office of Grand Hearts Academy,
a beastman with a long scar over his left eye
"...You've arrived."
was threatening Laplace with a steel hand axe.
If he'd been even a little later, Licht and Pine's locations might have been exposed.
Laplace had prepared an SOS signal disguised as a message about a special rune.
To alert everyone that Locke Granasia had arrived at the academy.
A sudden reversal with 500 points? It didn't add up.
"Did you think I wouldn't come, Laplace?"
Locke flashed his golden wolf eyes, his rage on full display.
"What is the meaning of this scheme?"
A metallic scrape emanated from his throat.
The sharp axe blade radiated killing intent so fierce it felt like his body was already bisected.
"It's just the usual sports festival, Your Majesty."
Gulp. Laplace rolled his eyes, desperately searching for a way out alive.
He furtively groped the bookshelf behind him, plotting an escape to the Akasha Temple.
"...Usual? You call this the usual sports festival?"
But it was as if his thoughts had been read.
Bang! An air blade whooshed past Laplace's ear.
"As far as I know, the autumn festival is exactly one month away."
Locke's expression grew even colder.
"Did you think I wouldn't know it's the one my Pine is participating in?"
He'd cleared his entire schedule in advance, knowing his precious daughter—whom he wouldn't trade for the world—would be taking part.
"...Answer me, Laplace. Why move it forward?"
His fury swelled further.
Laplace felt his body freeze solid under the bone-chilling killing intent.
It was like facing a massive predator head-on.
"With the Head's attack, we advanced it for a change of pace..."
He finally forced the excuse out.
"Is that so? Then why aren't you broadcasting our precious Pine?"
Even the Sage's future sight showed no way to stop Locke Granasia from coming to the academy.
No matter how much Laplace scoured the Library of Truth, he found no countermeasure.
"Her Highness doesn't want her identity revealed. We're just accommodating her."
In the end, everything hinged on that man named Licht.
"She's with Licht, isn't she? Am I wrong?"
"..."
Whether he'd truly become the princess's Black Knight and earn Locke's permission.
"What's the next event, Laplace?"
"An escape room game with spirits."
Or become a thief who dominated the era.
"...Shall we watch together?"
Laplace flashed a playful smile, trying to coax the emperor.
Pine and I were trapped in some room right now.
Handcuffed to each other, no less.
It sounded insane, but it was real.
"...Licht. Do we really have to do this?"
"Rules are rules. No choice."
Shiny cuffs linked our wrists, keeping us from straying apart.
Escape room game.
This event, dubbed 'Eclipse Escape,'
paired two teammates with a spirit to solve puzzles and break out of the room.
Somehow, Pine and I ended up together. Someone must have rigged it.
"Escaping from inside the academy... That's what they meant."
Yeah. Didn't expect a teleport to a prepped room, though.
We'd won the scramble thanks to my golden rune grab.
But in this next game, a weird tension hung between Pine and me.
'The team that escapes the most within the time limit wins.'
Probably Dennis's handiwork. The cuffs screamed his magic circles.
"It won't break..."
A Möbius strip looping endlessly. Even Pine's strength couldn't snap it.
Breaking it without the key meant disqualification, naturally.
"Force won't work, huh."
The door's lock wouldn't budge either.
The room—with its sofa, table, and bookshelf—evoked a detective's office.
"...Let's read that note up there first."
A single sheet crammed with dense writing. Bloodstained, giving off ominous vibes.
"...Left by Eric Silverwolf."
A storytelling escape room. So Pine's playing Kate.
"Then I'm Eric...? Licht here...?"
No CCTV watching us. Pine looked stifled too.
She'd dropped Masterpiece, scanning the note curiously.
"Let's find a way to summon the spirit first, Miss Kate."
I teased Pine playfully. This was Dennis's setup—no leaks to outsiders.
No Blackie for us now.
Spirit resonance magic had a time limit.
The little guy had even coquetted with Pine before vanishing.
"Yeah, let's hurry."
Pine nodded eagerly in agreement.
Laplace wouldn't have mentioned spirits without reason.
There had to be a way to call one.
September 30th, 2:11 PM.
Just random words? Nah.
The wall calendar showed August.
"...Ah, Licht."
Stepping to flip it made a clink echo through the room.
"Sorry. Didn't think."
Pine pressed right against me. The short chain forced us close.
"N-No... It's fine. Happens..."
Pine's snowy ears perked up, twitching like antennae, hijacking my vision.
Couldn't get distracted. It'd hinder the escape.
"Set the calendar to September. Mark the 30th with a red circle, Pine?"
Regaining composure, I flipped to September. A picture of hands folding paper appeared.
A calendar with origami instructions.
"...Licht, this."
"Got it."
The blood on the note wasn't random. I checked the back.
Classic trick.
A tradition from the original Knight Heart.
That's how I solved the dungeon puzzle with Nex instantly, and nailed the scramble conditions.
The devs were puzzle maniacs.
The sequel amped it up—easter eggs from PVs for a nationwide tour, or 3D mazes.
"This matches the Aureus family magic circle from advanced spirit lectures..."
Spirit mages are rare. They'd have resonance scrolls.
Being honest with emotions is tough for anyone.
"Done."
Folding per the calendar formed a magic circle.
Now stick it to the chest center.
One scroll only.
"..."
Hug over one paper with Pine? Too pervy.
"Licht? Not calling Blackie...?"
Last joint move had my bias, but this forced closeness felt wrong.
"Your turn to call this time, Pine?"
Voluntary vs. coerced. I'd own my mistakes, but hated following the hosts blindly.
I'd chugged water calming her hiccups earlier.
Let this slide. What if it happens post-escape?
"Whitey...?"
"Yeah, been a while for me too."
I forced it out, lips trembling. Suppressed desire, reclaimed reason amid worry.
"...You flirt."
What did "flirt" even mean to Pine?
Mention Whitey, and she puffs cheeks, shooting glares.
Jealous of her own spirit. Still, she took the scroll from me.
The status window popped up instantly.
Couldn't help fixating.
"You're such a perv, Licht."
Pine placed a hand on her chest center; the scroll vanished like magic.
"Sorry."
"You like that stuff... Just like in the books. A beast after all."
Nothing to say. My bad. Should've shut my eyes.
Devs were scum. Pop it when Love Meter rose earlier, not now.
"Whitey!! Stop...!"
Pine's frantic cry hit as a white wave blinded me.
Her wolf spirit lunged from the front, tackling me.
Whitey gripped my shoulders, rearing on hind legs.
Too sudden—no reaction. Getting my head bitten...?
"Awoo..."
Thought it'd rip. Nothing.
If anything, my vision darkened.
Figured karma for wronging Pine. But lifeline intact.
Whitey just held my head in its mouth, still.
Not its usual behavior.
"No...! Whitey!! Don't eat Licht...!!"
Pine whimpered beside me, scolding the spirit.
Chain kept us too close for attack.
"Pine, no worries."
I soothed her quick. Not attacking, or it'd be different.
"Probably... affection?"
Saw in a docu: beasts hide instincts around treasures.
Love Meter must've ticked up.
Pine's spirit acting like this toward me. Who knew.