*
Rock Grancia was watching the situation from the VIP seat.
There was a large 3D Magic Circle set up just for the occasion.
The spherical magic circle was displaying the relay race in a 3D hologram format.
“..Brother, even so, a 6-star demon is quite dangerous.”
He had also given Dennis orders to prepare a strong demon for the relay race.
“If you can’t even overcome that, then our Pina is truly lacking a partner.”
Rock wanted to see it with his own eyes.
He couldn’t shake off the words he heard when he subdued the imperial guards.
The unbelievable story that Licht passed Tardun’s trial.
It must be a lie, yet he couldn’t understand it.
What could that Black Knight wearing the helmet mean when even the individuals he had personally chosen were rebelling?
“It’s safe to say there’s no trace of anyone related to Licht. Laplace.”
He spoke towards the green-haired man.
“Yes, I couldn’t find any traces in the Library of Truth, Your Majesty.”
Laplace spoke awkwardly. The tattered robe and disheveled hair were the Emperor’s doing, of course.
“Stop calling me Your Majesty since a while ago. It feels awkward between us.”
“A stuffy father who doesn’t understand his precious daughter’s feelings isn’t my brother.”
Unbothered, Laplace was lounging with his hands behind his back.
A stuffy father who doesn’t understand his precious daughter’s feelings, huh.
“….”
No matter how many times you defeated the Apostle of Lust and were recognized as an Inrang tribe,
A human heart is like a reed swaying in the wind.
After all, it could easily prefer another woman.
That’s why it was only stopped. Was he wrong?
Upon arriving at the Academy, Rock actually received a transmission from Pina.
[The legitimate ruler of the Grancia Empire, Your Majesty Rock. This humble Pina Grancia has but one thing to say.]
[Please do not touch my things.]
A sudden change in wording. The reference to “my things” stunned him.
It was enough to cool the Emperor, who had been rushing to the Academy in anger.
Where did the Pina who used to casually call him “Dad” go?
Moreover, after sending several transmissions again, the lack of response felt merciless.
“..Honestly, I still find that man untrustworthy.”
Having always stayed in the imperial palace, Pina had moved into the Academy’s girls’ dormitory.
She showed up out of nowhere at the social club that hadn’t seen her in nearly ten years, flaunting her choker.
Now, she was even threatening him not to touch that guy.
Because of this, he decided to keep an eye on the situation from the VIP seat.
“Is he not flirting with other noble ladies? You know, acting like a rake….”
“My junior doesn’t do that.”
There’s no way. It was hard to say the boy he had just met was ugly.
As soon as Licht revealed his face, cheers erupted from the spectators.
“My dear daughter… wouldn’t fall for just any guy’s face.”
Rock frowned. If he were ugly, it would have made it easier on his heart.
“The Inrang tribe is definitely not that kind of tribe; Your Majesty knows best.”
A tribe that lives and dies for love.
“..I know.”
When they fall in love, they can pledge their soul, and it’s not an exaggeration.
“But that man is human, isn’t he? Dennis.”
Rock Grancia was scared.
He knew how he saved Queen Bellin. He knew how many times he saved Pina from the Demon King.
Normally, it would be insufficient to express gratitude multiple times.
However, he was in a different position as the Emperor of the Empire and as a father.
“Bwahaha!! Brother, they’ve already kissed, so let it slide!!”
And then, there was a statement that shattered Rock’s patience.
“..What did you just say, Drake?”
Licht’s swordsmanship teacher, Drake, made a bombshell statement, and Rock lost his sparkle.
“You saw the escape room earlier, right..? For you to stay quiet after that was definitely…”
Drake, on the other hand, looked flustered. Seemed he didn’t know the scene wasn’t shown to other students.
Behind Rock, several individuals had astonished expressions while putting their fingers to their mouths.
“..Laplace cut it short.”
The principal had slipped out the scene that had been withheld from the Emperor.
“..Ah, haha.. Just kidding! Just kidding! There’s no way they kissed!”
At that time, it wasn’t a 3D Magic Circle but a scene with a camera looking down from above.
So even if he bit Pina’s ear, it could have looked like they were kissing — a situation Drake could easily misunderstand.
“Well, I’ll have to ask directly to know, Drake.”
Having grasped the situation, Rock grabbed a weapon he used in the war.
His trusty axe, so worn that the color of the handle changed from prolonged use. The steel he used to vanquish the Demon Kings of the Hero Church gripped tightly in his hands.
“..Your Majesty?”
The Emperor, who could no longer hold back, began to sprint towards the relay race course, wielding the axe.
To catch just one person, the Black Knight named Licht.
*
I was running and got lost in thought.
Speaking of which, how does the affection level in the status window increase?
I expressed my feelings for Pina earlier, but seeing that it didn’t change from 19%,
Is there a separate benchmark?
Or could it be because of Emperor Rock?
The status window, which usually maintained a sarcastic tone, had urgently displayed warnings for the first time.
Moreover, the bolded phrase.
To survive.
The story about wishing me good luck didn’t seem to refer to the Pandora’s Box I was holding.
‘If you don’t want to die, run properly…’
It seems Emperor Rock had already been watching me. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be such signals sent.
The Emperor, gritting his teeth while showing a forced smile.
From when did he start watching? The escape room? Or during the Rune dispute?
Right now, my mind was running blank as I ran.
Feeling like I fell into ice-cold water. Forcing my leaden legs to move.
I felt a chill of malice behind me, as if someone was slowly approaching.
“..Hey, Licht?!”
I was rushing forward, overtaking Kainel who was running in the adjacent track.
I didn’t expect to outrun him, who was manipulating mana to move quickly.
Breath was catching in my throat. My heart was pounding like it was about to explode.
Blood coursed through my whole body like an engine revving up.
I couldn’t lose in this sports meet.
I must win. I would absolutely get permission to date Pina.
No matter how much of an Emperor he might be, he couldn’t mess with the leading figure of the sports meet.
The scenery around me rushed by. Even when the status window warned me, my thoughts centered on one thing.
The perked-up white wolf ears, the woman with a fluffy white tail that looked soft to anyone.
I hated seeing her with another man.
At first, I thought it was fine just to watch her from the side.
I didn’t know when I became so greedy.
Have we started resembling each other?
[The student Licht has entered the obstacle course first!]
As the running course continued, the translucent guideline turned red.
A warning signal.
[From here on, the use of abilities is permitted!]
Laplace’s voice echoed loudly in the broadcasts.
Before me, I started to see twisted trees like a tube.
An area that looked like the entrance to a maze.
An obstacle course, huh? I was drawn to the transforming jungle-like surroundings.
Suddenly, grass rose to my waist, and vines were growing up the trees.
“Kirrrr!!”
Seeing the monsters popping up beside me, I guess I have to break through these guys.
Something like a baton that has to be passed to the next runner.
Dodging monsters that were aiming to snatch the box I was holding.
“Where do you think you’re aiming?”
Among the monsters, one particularly peculiar one blocked my path.
A female-shaped monster with a notably striking flower part, which could be called somewhat explicit.
Alraune. The accurate name is 6-star monster Serkupendes.
A monster whose setting involves luring and enticing male-shaped monsters.
In the original game, it had been pixelated. What had been censored looked even more suggestive.
Why is this thing here? It’s not just hard for average students to deal with.
Can they let something like this out during a public sports meet?
They had said kisses were prohibited in the escape room. Are they aiming for something specific?
“Fufufu..”
The plant mimicking a woman’s voice struck an alluring pose and reached out with its vines toward me.
If I fall into the pit filled with that slime, I might not get out until the sports meet ends.
There are faculty members around to protect the students, so I might be alright.
But still, it felt unpleasant.
“Belief, Wishful Thinking.”
Where are you trying to lure me from?
I immediately dropped my Mind Sword. Now, it’s timed perfectly to grab it directly.
“Kiieeeek─!!”
As soon as I grabbed the handle, I sliced through it as naturally as flowing water.
Sorry, but other than our Pina, all other women look the same to me.
I could say they all looked like rolling potatoes. There’s no thrill.
Besides, this thing harms people. It’s not called a 6-star monster for nothing.
In the game, there were a few NPCs who met bad endings after being lured by Alraune.
“..Ugh, my stomach feels weird.”
“Plug your nose with your clothes. It’ll make things easier.”
Kainel, too, was joining the action, pushing past Alraune. He was clutching a tree, retching.
He must be struggling.
The fluid in that pit contains sweet pheromones that entice men.
To shake that off and keep his sanity is quite a feat.
As for me? I was too angry about anything related to our Pina to care about the smell or anything.
Since beginning my relationship with Ariel, did he also find his resolve?
Soon Kainel would regain his senses. The rain tends to wash away scents.
“I’ll go ahead, Kainel…”
And just as I stepped forward with Pandora’s Box in my arms.
I halted.
A cold, chilling sensation flowed down my back, and someone with a familiar look blocked my way.
“It’s been a while, Licht.”
An Inrang tribe man with a long scar on his left eye and an axe in one hand.
“..Greetings, Father-in-law.”
I greeted him warmly.
