*
Even after using Wolf Fang, I was caught by Pina before long.
In a corner of the Academy’s stairs, I found myself cornered against the wall, with no way to escape.
“…Licht, where have you been?”
The shining, armored knight was overwhelming. It seemed the heroic couple had left me behind to search for me alone.
“I—I was at the library.”
“You said you were just going to the bathroom, didn’t you?”
Her cold question felt sharper than ever, and the future I had just heard flashed in my mind.
The princess turned into a black rose, her hair now back to its original color instead of white.
From the reaction of the sage, I could tell she must have been doing something embarrassingly shameful. I had never seen her face turn as red as a ripe tomato before.
“Why… did you lie to me?”
“….”
A brief silence lingered. The golden wolf eyes peering at me from inside her glass helmet were glaring.
I was in a position where few people could see me, in a state of being pinned against the wall. Pina’s arm was resting beside my head.
“You’re not going to answer me… Licht, you always hide something from me.”
With our breaths getting closer, the scent of sweet roses wafted around us. It felt like all my nerves were frozen, and my legs were starting to ache.
“You smell different… of another woman, Licht.”
How did she know? We had only exchanged words with the sage, yet Pina caught on. I knew she had a keen sense of smell, but I didn’t realize it was to this extent.
“No wonder you seemed so smooth…”
Like a wife interrogating her husband about an affair. Her tone felt colder than usual.
“A flirt… my very own Black Knight…”
Words that feel like trust were dropping like stones. Stop, I did meet the sage, but it’s not what you think.
In the future, I might bounce back from any predictions. I know you’re a cheat character, but just how strong do you get?
“It’s not a lie. After I left the bathroom, my thoughts changed.”
Gulp, I swallowed. I felt like lying would be a bad idea here.
“I wanted to gather information about the future… so I met the sage.”
It wasn’t a rational thought, but an instinctive one that came up.
“…Really?”
Pina held my hand and drew closer. Was she checking for any scent?
The sage has a crush on Drake, after all.
‘There’s no way I would intrude and commit NTR among those.’
The relationship between the sage and Drake is ambiguous, even in the original or sequels.
Since it was mostly a one-sided crush, a lot of preparation would be needed to bridge this gap.
“Licht.”
“What is it, Pina?”
Pina spoke in a low voice. Had she entered a yandere route? I’ve heard elves often do that.
“Don’t run away, stay with me…”
But what came back was an attitude that seemed pouty.
For a moment, I thought she was scolding me for leaving her. Pina rubbed her face against my chest. The helmet was hurting me.
“Where would I go, leaving you?”
It seemed the future the sage saw was indeed a plausible one. I thought I might end up locked in a sports equipment storage.
‘Let’s not worry too much. It might not be a confirmed future yet.’
Predicting the future is just a possibility. It can be fragments of what could happen. Of course, I can’t know every single future.
Even if Pina said she would lock me up, if I used Mental Pillar…
Ah, I see, I was bound by chains to prevent me from pulling any levers. The weather was far from suitable to use the skill either.
‘Looks like you’ve become more thorough, our Pina.’
If I pressed any more, it could create a future that would make Pina even more anxious. I felt happy knowing I wouldn’t die, though.
At least I should keep it as a last resort to break the death flag.
Isn’t love a bit too much? I worried about the emotional state of a child. Pina, I couldn’t help but think about that little girl I saw last time.
“Is this how it works?”
“Hhh… Licht…”
Going straightforward is the answer.
Hugging Pina, I put my anxious mind behind me, and her tone suddenly softened.
I think I can break the yandere route by providing some stability.
If I can assure her that she’s loved and that I won’t glance at other women, it might just work.
‘Pina becomes so soft when I give her some skinship.’
The glass knight, who once seemed cooler and more standoffish than anyone, was now rubbing her whole body against me.
“That’s enough now…”
Contrary to her words, it was Pina who wouldn’t loosen her hug. I guess this means she wanted me not to let go.
*
I entered the principal’s office with Pina. The quiet study-like space was empty.
Was Laplace momentarily absent? Suddenly curious, I asked Pina.
“By the way, Pina, why did you search for me so urgently? It hasn’t been long.”
“Oh, Kainel… he said you were with another woman…”
Was it that mutt again? I sighed deeply. Knowing that Pina and the Saintess were the same person, he must be teasing.
In front of Pina, who was anxious about my disappearance, Kainel smiled wickedly and said.
“Thinking of you with another woman… just makes me feel ill…”
So that’s why Pina’s eyes went wild as if she’d witnessed infidelity.
As Sophia mentioned, provoking the Inrang Tribe feels terrifying.
“Well, I was with the sage.”
Since I had actually gone to the library and was with another woman, it wasn’t a lie.
The smug grin of that dog was swirling in my head. Is this how I seem to others?
“Do you think the sage is pretty?”
“Huh? Not at all. She’s not my type.”
Pina immediately asked for my opinion. She did have horns that made her popular among other players.
A demon character always has some demand, after all. But I never felt anyone else was pretty aside from Pina.
“…Then it’s fine.”
Pleased with my answer, Pina moved a bit closer to me. Unlike the distance we had earlier, it felt warm now.
“Hey, even if you’re hot and heavy, you can’t be showing affection here.”
Just then, a male voice came from behind us.
An old-fashioned grand sorcerer who was dragging a robe appeared. It was the principal with striking green hair.
“Greetings, Principal Laplace.”
“Hello…”
The librarian Laplace alternated his gaze between me and Pina, his lips curling up in a playful grin.
“Black Knight and White Knight. Aren’t you the famous couple?”
This man had a peculiar personality. Even as a principal, he took on the task of explaining the yearly exam and became a grand sorcerer with his outrageous antics.
“We’re not that sort of relationship!”
Before I could speak, Pina denied it first. Feeling shy, she pulled away slightly from me. She fumbled over her words to explain.
“Huh? What do you mean not? I’ve seen you two in nothing but a single towel. If the Emperor hears about this…”
“….”
I lowered my head. This man was the librarian of the ‘Library of Truth’, which has access to past information. So he must know what we did.
He found out about us being in the mixed bath up north. Thankfully, he couldn’t visually confirm like the sage.
The Akashic Records are filled with books that document all past information. Since he was the librarian there.
I underestimated Laplace’s information prowess. I thought it wouldn’t be this thorough in the game. That was my mistake in judgment.
“Sorry about that. I just wanted to mess around a bit since it’s been a while. I’ll keep it a secret from the Emperor, so let’s just let it slide.”
Laplace chuckled loudly, attempting to return the atmosphere to the way it was. He patted my shoulder while apologizing.
“You must be Licht, right? The hero who caught the Head.”
“Ah, yes. That’s correct.”
Swish, his hand reached out towards me for a handshake. Just as I was about to meet his hand…
“Never let your guard down until the very end, Licht.”
“…Ah.”
Our hands met with Pina’s instead. I stared blankly at the glass knight standing in front of me.
Did she use magic? I thought her personality was unpredictable, but…
“Why did you come to see me, Licht? Right after meeting the sage, no less.”
Laplace sat down on a chair, crossing his legs, giving us the look of someone watching fresh young lovers.
“…Were you tracking me?”
“Oh, don’t be surprised. I just happened to read a book about that earlier.”
His relaxed demeanor suggested he knew the plan I prepared. I doubted my words could convince him.
“I request access to the library. Librarian Laplace.”
I immediately got to the point. I needed to master the perfect Demon King Kill or reclaim the magic sword I used before, so I laid out the facts without hiding anything.
“…Isn’t that the library you just came from, Licht?”
“Not that one, I mean the ‘Library of Truth’.”
“Look at this dude? He knows the library’s name?”
Laplace responded, surprised. The library he managed was at the depths of the shrine dedicated to the god of intelligence.
Ordinary people shouldn’t have known that.
“The Hero of Conviction. I’ll turn the question back on you. Why do you need access to our library?”
He looked like he was keenly trying to grasp my intentions. Laplace was ready to snap his fingers at any moment.
He had just reached the position of grand sorcerer, but that was his specialty after all.
A power that extinguishes fire without touching it. Since human consciousness is electrical signals, he must be able to interfere with that.
If he were to use that, I would likely lose consciousness and collapse instantaneously.
The ability to interfere with something by manipulating ‘concepts’ is tremendously powerful.
“It’s the same reason as yours, Librarian Laplace.”
I took a deep breath before speaking.
A pure-hearted guy who thought of ways to flicker the lights of the Akashic Records like a disco.
Based on the setting, he appeared to have a lackluster ability and was at the beginner level in magic.
Yet, he rose to the position of grand sorcerer and principal all to save his beloved.
“Same reason, huh?”
Hearing my words, the man with green hair, who had held a stern expression until now, stood up.
A fake sorcerer who became real after sweating over a cure for his lover’s incurable disease.
I also needed information to save Pina, so it made sense.
“…The things I read from the library were indeed true.”
Locking eyes with me, Laplace turned away with a satisfied look. He activated a magic circle in the study and created a large door.
“I have to return the favor for the Demon King Kill. So I’ll allow you to pass just this once, Hero.”
A large door appeared as if it were drawn between the books.
“Now, this leads to the depths of Akasha’s shrine. The Library of Truth.”
With a playful smile, Laplace looked at both me and Pina. His expression was light, as if shedding doubt.
“I hope you have a wonderful reading time.”
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