Chapter 305
Chapter 305
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 305
Chapter Title: Chapter 305
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 305
Chapter Title: Academy Team Competition -2
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"Damage! The Mad Wizard's Labyrinth is coming to get us!!"
"What the hell does that mean... It's real. This crazy professor has no idea what 'moderation' is!!"
The students' screams echoed through the air, and a frantic race to escape the impending doom began. Even as underclassmen, they were all Academy students capable of boosting their speed with mana.
But The Mad Wizard's Labyrinth moved at speeds beyond imagination.
Clack-clack-clack-clack!
Thud.
"...How is a building-sized thing moving this fast?!"
"It's probably closer to a walking illusion spell than actual matter. Anyway, I never skipped my morning jogs—I'm really glad I didn't."
"Sorry to interrupt your self-praise, but anyone can see it's catching up. Is that the right kind of compliment for the situation?"
"If I hadn't jogged, it would've caught us even faster. It's obvious, so don't stubbornly deny it—that negative mindset isn't healthy, Selbia."
"......!!"
Selbia had a lot she wanted to say, but she swallowed it down. Spouting off would waste the breath she needed for running, causing her to fall behind, and then she'd get an earful from Baek Seol about lacking emotional control.
This wasn't the time for bickering. They needed to figure out how to deal with the Labyrinth first. One minute until it caught them... How could they escape?
"Oppa is... someone who follows the rules. He wouldn't set up an insurmountable obstacle, so there has to be a weakness or a countermeasure of some kind."
"...Did you just call the crazy professor 'oppa'?"
"I-it slipped out! Anyway, the most likely option is the Mansion of Glory. He emphasized it's indestructible for a reason dozens of times."
"That guess sounds reasonable. In that case, let's offer up a sacrifice here."
"What?!"
Selbia braced for a slow debuff, activating her booster, but Baek Seol targeted the feet of other students who'd been watching the Crown skirmish only to get chased by the Labyrinth.
"Ice Floor."
Slip.
"Gwaaaah—!!"
Shrrrrk!
The student who'd slipped on the sudden drop in surface friction was snatched by a long arm extending from the Labyrinth's entrance and sucked inside in an instant.
Baek Seol observed calmly and said,
"Even after devouring a sacrifice, its speed didn't drop? I thought it was a solid hypothesis."
"...Even if it's a competition, doesn't throwing others into that Labyrinth prick your conscience a bit?"
"We have to survive first, right? Featherlight, Turtle Can't Beat Hare."
Shwaaa—!
The Labyrinth entered Baek Seol's sight, along with every Academy student lagging behind her. A merciless area-wide slow spread out.
"Aaaah—!! I curse you, Baek Seol—!!"
"I'd rather self-eliminate and escape! I'm going first, gwaaaah—!"
"Slow effect on the Labyrinth is about 10%... As expected, it doesn't work well on something that massive. Need to buy more time."
"You bitch?"
Ignoring Selbia's incomprehensible slang, Baek Seol brought her index finger horizontally to her eye like she had with Bennett. An application of her Featherlight ability.
"Clock Limit: Horizon."
The Labyrinth's shell-like upper body slowed like a jellyfish, while its legs maintained normal speed. Baek Seol calculated this would tilt its head back and throw off its balance.
But.
Vreee—clank-clank-clank!
The Labyrinth's legs multiplied to support the body and accelerated even more. It was the mad professor's intent: no matter what, it wouldn't slow beyond this.
Meanwhile, Selbia scanned the surroundings. Reaching the Mansion of Glory was a lost cause. The distance to the Labyrinth was closing fast.
But its incredible speed gave her hope.
It couldn't be designed as "too slow and you're all screwed." There had to be a gimmick midway to dodge or halt it...
And she spotted it.
"Th-there! Like a phone booth in the air!"
"A what?"
"No, wait... A cabinet! A rectangular structure big enough for one person! It definitely wasn't there on the way over!"
"Ah. So you think that's a shelter... What if it's a trap?"
If it was meaningless, it'd be like gift-wrapping herself for the Labyrinth. But Selbia was certain. Hiding inside would save them.
And.
"We'd get caught anyway if we don't go in?!"
There was no time for other options anyway.
Clunk!
Opening the cabinet revealed empty space inside, with a sign reading "One-Time Safe Zone." Selbia's guess was spot on. The Labyrinth chase was content meant to be cleared by using these cabinets en route to the mansion.
Selbia turned to Baek Seol.
"You use this one. I'll look for another—"
"Plenty of space."
"What? No way, this is clearly one-person... Kyah!"
Baek Seol hugged Selbia and crammed them both inside, slamming the door shut.
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!
The sounds and vibrations of the approaching Labyrinth grew louder. It was closing in. Selbia held her breath. Truth be told, it was so cramped she could barely breathe anyway.
Right in front. Vicious legs passed right by the cabinet—
Thud-thud-thud...
And receded.
They survived. It was the right answer. They'd dodged the Mad Wizard's Labyrinth somehow. Selbia let out a sigh of relief mixed with complaint.
"...Cramped."
"But sufficient, right? You should work on your eye for volume, Selbia. And diet if possible."
"It's not cramped because I'm fat?!"
"My figure's perfect, so by elimination..."
Creeeak.
Selbia opened the cabinet door and stepped out, tracking the Labyrinth's receding form with her eyes. It was heading toward the Mansion of Glory.
She watched carefully in case it U-turned abruptly and concluded,
"We'll know the movement path better after observing more, but this won't be the last time, right?"
"To secure safety, we'll either forfeit early... or go for the win."
"Temporary alliance. It's unfair if the Labyrinth interrupts mid-fight, so we'll grab 'safe zones'... or enough time buffer, then settle the score."
"Yeah, sounds good. My mana hasn't recovered yet anyway."
Selbia & Baek Seol team, formed.
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The Pale Princess's Pale Knights team was attempting to seize the mansion.
"Alright, commencing the Mansion of Glory occupation. The main force draws attention at the front gate while the detachment circles to the back door and infiltrates. Detachment's job: unlock the latched windows."
"The detachment won't even get a chance before we smash through the front gate, Princess! Hot or cold!"
"Yeah. Detachment, ready."
The plan was simple. Assault front and back simultaneously. If main force breaks through, charge in. If detachment succeeds, enter via the open window.
The mansion's indestructibility and narrow entrances heavily favored the defenders. Without infiltration succeeding, the attackers would take heavy losses.
"For the Princess! Lance charge prep—!!"
"Ready!"
Click.
Three students shouldered together, extending long cavalry lances forward. Academy nobles trained in orthodox formations excelled here.
The team inside the mansion panicked at the sight.
"Th-they're prepping a charge!"
"Shields up, shields! You go front!"
"Hey! You had the highest shield score. You tank it!"
Dissent erupted instantly.
Commoners, with varied training and weapons, were more individualistic, their teamwork slightly inferior to the nobles'.
"What are they yapping about?"
Twitch. The Pale Princess's ears flicked at her subordinate's question.
"Arguing over who mans the shield. Telling each other to do it."
"Thanks for the intel, Princess! Haha, those commoners... They look pathetic because they have nothing worth truly protecting. Strike while they're disorganized! Charge—!!"
"Long live the Princess—!!"
Dududududu—!!
The three-person charge kicked up dust like a cavalry of ten horses. Lance charge, typically for mounted knights, could be used solo once the caster outsped a horse.
The Pale Princess watched the dashing assault and quietly wondered. Could they drop the "Princess" from the battle cry?
Bam—!!
"Kwaaaagh!"
"Barricade's breached! Support!"
"That bastard just dodged...?!"
The front gate shattered in one go.
The Pale Princess signaled the circling detachment. No need for feints now. The enemy team was subpar in teamwork and skill.
"Enter. Spare them if possible—keep them alive. We'll negotiate for info."
"By your command! The Princess spares your lives! Drop weapons and surrender now, and we'll treat you as gentlemen per Imperial law!"
"No fun in conquering."
Luna's face grew more bored; she'd hoped for thrilling stealth action.
The main force flooded in, fully occupying the Mansion of Glory. Of the original 10 defenders, two were eliminated by the lance charge, eight captured.
Luna dusted her hands after tying the prisoners like dried fish.
"Cleanup done."
"Good work. You three, watch the prisoners. Luna, adjutant—you're with me searching the second floor. Everyone else, set obstacles at entrances and prep defenses."
"Yes, Princess!"
The Pale Knights moved like a single unit.
Clack-clack. The Pale Princess led two up to the second floor, scanning for oddities.
She still felt uneasy—the mad professor had likely prepared more, as she'd suspected.
"...The ceiling decor's a bit tacky. Chandelier style's outdated."
"Definitely nouveau riche vibes, Princess!"
"Here. Found something."
Luna spotted it: a small screen on a dim second-floor wall. It read: [Protected Capacity: 66]
The three huddled, pondering.
"...What does it mean?"
"Literal reading: this mansion protects us from something. Maybe no eliminations inside, Princess?"
"Number's dropping. 65, 64..."
"Not time-based—the drops are irregular, and it's stopped now. Some... condition. Not enough clues."
While they discussed, it ticked down to [Protected Capacity: 61] and halted.
What did this riddle mean?
They learned soon enough. A teammate rushed up, pale and trembling.
"Out... Outside! The window! That window!"
"C-calm down. What could possibly—"
"The Mad Wizard's Labyrinth is heading for the mansion—!!"
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!
The Pale Princess and Luna exchanged glances. This was it—the mad professor's scheme!
"So 'protected capacity' means from the Labyrinth!"
"61 safe. Including prisoners, 18 total."
"Right. No worries. Plenty of capacity. Calm down, let's head down."
The Pale Princess led them downstairs. Half the students were panicking. Per Luna, the Labyrinth was a dungeon of the worst parts from past hellish classes.
The tied prisoners rolled, kowtowing.
"Please eliminate us, Princess!"
"Forgive our sin of coveting the mansion!"
"...Calm down. Checked upstairs—this mansion's a safe zone. Protected capacity 61, enough for all of us!"
"The goddess protects us!"
And soon.
Thud. Thud. Thud-thud-thud!
The Labyrinth approached. It tilted its head, peering through windows like inspecting inside.
The Pale Princess and students sweated in tense silence.
It's fine. The mad wizard doesn't lie. If it's a gimmick, he'll honor it—people inside are safe...!
Then.
Shrrrrk—! Shwaaack!
A long arm like a tongue extended from the moving Labyrinth's entrance, snatching the nearest Pale Knight.
"Aaaah—! Why?! Why?!"
"Kyaaaah!!"
"How... how?!"
It said 61 protected...!!
As the Pale Princess reeled in shock, Luna calmly kicked the bound prisoners toward the entrance. Unsure how long the 'hunt' would last, but believing it had an end.
"Gwaaaah!!"
"Not the dungeon—!!"
The Labyrinth devoured five more prisoners before stopping.
Woooooo—
Emitting a eerie cry, it thudded away. Back to its original spot...
Chaos reigned inside the mansion. Students were speechless at the sudden massacre. Even one from their own team sacrificed. The Pale Princess's mind raced.
"Why wasn't the mansion's safe capacity honored... Fraud? The mad professor scamming us?"
"...No."
"If not, how do you explain this...?"
Luna eyed the mansion's ornate floor tiles, then looked up sharply. The mad wizard hadn't gone insane suddenly; all gimmicks were fair; no twisted misdirection.
Only one answer.
"One from our team, five prisoners—six total. Taken. Exceeded protected capacity."
"Protected was 61! Why... Unless?"
They'd scoured floors one and two—no shadows. Excluding teammates and prisoners, they'd assumed no one else. But.
"Yeah. My guess: still in the mansion. A lot."
...If hidden via some 'special method.' Then.
Subtract sacrifices from protected capacity—that number was a whopping—
"49 students hiding in this mansion...?!"
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"...Hey, what now, Gordius. Bail?"
"Keep hiding. Until Envers or someone grabs the Crown, we stay concealed. No noise."
Luna's guess was correct.
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