Chapter 168
Chapter 168
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 168
Chapter Title: The Princess's Game
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Shaking off the persistent horde of dolls, we made it back to the building where Dean Alderson was.
It wasn't a long distance, but it felt like it took at least three hours.
The dolls had clung to us like mad.
Fortunately, there was no damage, but the mental fatigue was no joke. Fighting monsters would've been preferable.
The doll demons didn't feel like living beings at all.
Not even the beasts from the training camp or that soul-reaping Grim Reaper gave off this vibe.
Their charges disregarded wounds or even life and death—it was nauseating beyond mere strength.
"You're back safe and sound."
Dean Alderson greeted us as we returned in a ragged state.
His complexion had improved slightly from when we left. Bater, still catching his breath, replied.
"I'm glad you're safe, Dean. I'm Bater Goodspring, second-in-command of the Imperial Special Forces. Regrettable to reveal my identity at a time like this."
"Hmm... That's fine."
Alderson nodded with a somewhat displeased expression.
Bater's public role was as a professor in the academy's swordsmanship department, so this meant even that was a cover.
From the academy dean's perspective, it was understandable if he felt sour about it.
In any case, the two began exchanging information and talking....
Meanwhile, I surveyed the inside of the building.
I spotted the cadets who'd been with Glen. Their conditions seemed a bit better. They weren't completely out of it like before.
"...What happens to us now?"
"It's a nightmare. This is all a nightmare...."
"Ahh, ah, uwaa...."
"......"
Of course, regaining their senses didn't necessarily mean it was a good thing.
I passed by the cadets muttering their gloomy monologues and approached those barely holding onto their sanity.
They were the leaders.
"...Ruan."
The ones sprawled in the hallway looked up when they saw me.
They weren't in great shape either. Still, it was more physical than mental exhaustion, so conversation should be possible.
"Good thing you're all safe. Everyone okay?"
"Okay-ish, but...."
"...I have no idea what's going on."
Their faces demanded explanations, so I gave a rough rundown.
"You heard last time. There's a cultist in the academy, and the Demon King's summoning already happened. In short, we've been dragged into the Demon King's shadow world."
"So we were supposed to rescue the cadets, but now we're in the same boat...."
Charles said in a dejected voice.
"That's you guys. Not me."
"Huh?"
"I walked in here on my own two feet. Came to hunt, not got captured. Don't lump me in with you."
"...Joking even in this situation. You're not right in the head either."
Charles shook his head.
It wasn't a joke.
Even if they understood the situation, the confusion hadn't lifted.
I left the leaders to calm down for a bit and instead called Evan aside.
"Explain what happened."
He seemed to grasp the situation best.
Evan gave a wry smile as he explained.
"Thanks to you buying time, I escaped the lab wing without much trouble. I made it to the main building without incident, but passed out right after."
"Hmm...."
"One thing I remember is that right before losing consciousness, it felt like everyone around me collapsed too."
After hearing that, I roughly pieced together what happened.
"It's reasonable to assume everyone in the academy got caught up in it."
"That's what I think too. It had nothing to do with skill, mental strength, resistance... whatever. No time to counter anyway. I expected the princess to make a move, but not this fast or extreme...."
Evan muttered gravely.
"...Probably everyone stationed at the academy got pulled into the shadow world. Since we've all been kidnapped, things might be quiet for a day or two, but they can't hide this forever. The Empire will catch on for sure. What is the princess thinking?"
The last part was almost to himself.
I pondered briefly before saying.
"She might plan to end it within a day or two."
"End what?"
"Everything."
That was the moment Evan looked at me puzzled.
Beeeeeeeep—.
A horrific amplified sound echoed through the entire building.
It tore at the eardrums like the screech of metal, utterly grating.
'Communication crystal?'
I'd seen a few like that inside the building, but they actually worked?
The leaders standing nearby, the cadets, even Dean Alderson and Bater off in the distance all hurriedly plugged their ears.
[Hmm. Hope this comes through. Cadets and staff of the academy.]
The princess's voice followed.
Casual and cheerful, like something she'd say on a stroll.
[My name is Ferist Scarlet. I'm the one who invited you all to this world. First, I'd like to offer my sincere thanks to everyone participating in my game, but....]
"......"
[Seems you're not in the mood, so let's get straight to the point.]
Her voice continued with a low chuckle.
[The number of 'humans' who entered this world is 613 in total. Excluding those whose souls the dolls have claimed, that is. On the flip side, my dolls scattered across the entire academy number... three thousand six hundred.]
Gasps spread through the room.
Fear flickered across the cadets' faces at a glance.
Was she watching this?
The princess laughed again before speaking.
[Of course, that's not counting the armored soldiers Dean Alderson so kindly gifted me.]
"......"
[I'll give you a one-day grace period. After that, every doll in the academy will launch a full assault on your Lab Wing Building 12. Simple, right?]
Her voice whispered low into our ears.
[Until then, come to Building 13 where I am and kill me—that counts as your victory.]
"......!"
[Good luck for real. Let's play a fun game while following the rules.]
Click. The voice cut off.
A one-sided declaration.
"...She's completely insane."
The moment Evan clicked his tongue, the surroundings erupted in chaos again.
"Sh-She's attacking all-out tomorrow?"
"What happens to us then?"
"I-I don't want to die yet...! There's so much I still want to—."
The panic made sense.
Just moments ago, these cadets were focused on their studies, enjoying their youth. Now suddenly dragged into the shadow world and sentenced to death.
Expecting calm was too harsh.
Bater asked Alderson in a low voice.
"Dean, what shall we do?"
He ignored others' opinions, but showed respect befitting a grand archmage.
"Hmm...."
When the dean didn't answer readily, Bater spoke again.
"If nothing comes to mind right away, may I share my thoughts first?"
"Speak."
"We need to gather maximum force as soon as possible and strike the princess. Kill her within the day for victory. Failure means defeat—and total annihilation."
"......"
"I'll handle selecting and leading the assault team. If you have the strength, Dean, lend your power."
"Wait a moment."
Alderson's gaze turned to me.
"Ruan, leader—I'd like your opinion too."
Bater's eyebrow twitched.
He couldn't fathom asking my opinion in this situation.
But it was natural for the dean.
I was the only one here who knew I'd taken down a legion commander.
I slowly voiced my thoughts.
"I'm for striking the princess. But a large group is counterproductive. Let's go with five."
"What nonsense—."
"Wait, Sir Bater."
The dean calmed Bater, then looked at me with steady eyes.
"Surely there's a reason?"
"Of course. Pam?"
"Y-Yeah?"
Pam, who'd been resting quietly, jumped in surprise.
No way she expected to be called here.
"You told me about the lab wing ghost stories, right?"
"Y-Yeah?"
"Tell them here."
"Now? Here? Me?"
"Quickly."
"Ah...."
As eyes gathered on her, Pam's face stiffened slightly.
But her cheeks flushed red too—maybe a bit thrilled at the attention from big shots.
'She said she wants to be a journalist.'
Then she knows how to work a crowd.
Pam spoke in a trembling voice.
"Th-The non-existent Building 13 and hide-and-seek with ghosts inside, a white woman wandering the halls, and knocking on windows from empty spaces...."
"That's enough. Thanks."
"Uh, uh-huh."
I patted the deep-breathing Pam's shoulder, then faced the dean again.
"About the ghost stories Pam mentioned. With some differences, they're actually happening in this shadow world."
"What's your point?"
"The princess said it: let's play a fun game while following the rules. In a world where her whims become laws. And she sets those laws, the rules."
Faces still looked puzzled. I continued.
"I also heard this: the princess belongs to a club and wants to recruit up to five members."
I felt Seren's gaze.
She was the one who'd told me.
"We need to focus on the number five. If we form an assault team of exactly five, we should face the princess without major interference."
"Not worth hearing."
Bater sneered.
"Baseless nonsense. Are we staking our lives on such rumors?"
"The logic may be thin, but there's evidence. Forgot already? We weren't attacked once heading to the princess's Building 13."
"......"
"We numbered five then."
"......"
Bater shut his mouth.
"There's no grand reason for these laws. She just decided it."
"......"
"Like we just heard, she sees all this as a mere game. Logic? Key element. Not here. Why apply logic to a crazy bitch?"
Charles inhaled sharply.
Noble by nature, shocked by my words.
Dean Alderson said.
"Valid point, but... could be a trap? Luring us to form a group of five."
"Traps are for the weak. Power gap is clear. If she truly wanted us dead, she'd crush us outright. With thousands of dolls plus your damn white knights, Dean... a whole day? An hour, and Building 13 would vanish without a foundation stone left."
"......"
The dean fell silent.
"The only reason she hasn't is she doesn't want a one-sided game. She craves thrill with a chance of losing."
Being openly underestimated pissed me off, but the situation was too dire to care.
We had to exploit it.
"Now that you mention it...."
Charles, silent till now, spoke up.
"Inside Building 13, nothing happened until Caris and Mir joined. That's when the demons appeared. Before that, there were five of us inside."
Charles backed my guess.
I nodded.
"See? Anyway, I'll select the assault team. In order: me, Seren, Evan, Charon. Finally Mir. That's five."
"......"
Mir, sitting dazed, snapped to.
"M-Me?!"
"You."
I replied to Mir, then eyed Bater smirking.
"Got something to say? I'll take advice."
Bater smiled at me. Obviously not from amusement.
"...You're crossing the line, Ruan Bednicker. I've treated you with maximum respect."
I couldn't hold back a laugh at that.
Why do authoritarians all talk alike?
They don't get it.
That tone couldn't come out without looking down on the other.
"What's the issue? Doing it your way, Sir Butter."
"It's Bater. What does that mean?"
"Who should take charge here."
"......"
"The one who grasps the situation best, makes the right calls based on it, and takes responsibility. The strongest here.... Gasp."
I pointed at myself.
"Me, right?"
"......"