Chapter 18: 5-4. Spirits Reflect Human Emotions
In the lush outdoor setting,
“One of the reasons spirits grow is due to changes in emotions.”
Maria tapped on a blackboard made of wood.
“So, can any student tell me when a spirit becomes tangible?”
“It happens when there’s no trigger to acknowledge emotions.”
“Correct! Licht!”
Something still felt strange. My knowledge from the game seemed to apply here, but not completely.
As I answered the professor’s question, I bit my lower lip.
Lupus was too different from what I knew. What could have happened in the past to make him seem like a completely different person?
He had said, “I couldn’t protect them back then.”
But from what I remember, there wasn’t any tragic backstory like that. Can this even be considered the same person?
Nex had some familiar traits, but the crown prince seemed obsessed only with strength.
Ah, no way. Why didn’t I think of that sooner?
Did the Demon King mess with them somehow?
Yeah, these guys were always tied to the protagonist. Just look at Dennis and Ariel.
There could be others I don’t know about. After all, this could be one of the MacGuffins.
That would explain a lot.
A few hamster spirits popped out as the lecture continued.
“Since emotions are heavily influenced by others, powerful spiritists often have wide networks of connections.”
So that’s why Nex ended up forming a harem. I jotted down the lecture notes on one side of my notebook.
‘Love? I’ll never do that again. Stupid commoners.’
I remembered his character arc from *Knight Heart*.
Even in the sequels, posts titled [The 231st Battle for Nex’s Official Wife] kept popping up in the community,
But in reality, he never gave affection to anyone. In a way, this made him more likeable. It meant he only had eyes for Shartiness.
‘I heard there were lots of beautiful characters, but even someone as disinterested as me knows about it because it’s so famous.’
As the story progressed, Asha Aureus forcefully arranged his marriage.
There were even posts like [Parents trying to make their son stronger by gathering a harem vs. a popular guy who’s just not interested in anyone.]
That’s how much his harem wasn’t his choice.
All the players knew Nex wasn’t a playboy. But I never expected to learn the reason here.
Officially, a killer whale beastkin was his wife, but there was no love between them.
There’s even a scene where someone approaches Nex, and he calls them filthy, and in *Blackheart*, a long-haired woman curses him out.
“The reasons why spirits don’t appear vary from person to person. Therefore…”
To think someone like him would later show affection to a black-haired nun.
This must mean that vampire was his official partner. I’ve got something to post about when I return to reality.
I was so caught up in my thoughts that I missed part of what the professor was saying.
“I’ve brought a special guest today!”
While I was distracted, Maria flashed a bright smile.
“They’re from the prestigious Aureus family, one of the top ten, and famous for their spirit skills. They’ve come to give us a demonstration!”
Someone emerged from the trees.
“Greetings, juniors!”
“This is Nex Aureus! He’s just one year ahead of you all!”
“Professor Maria, thank you for accepting my sudden request.”
“No, thank you, Nex. We’re grateful to have you.”
That sly purple fox.
“Hello, Dark Knight junior.”
“Greetings, Senior Nex.”
It was Nex Aureus.
***
“To be honest, I also couldn’t summon spirits until a few years ago.”
He wasn’t lying. In *Knight Heart*, he was a spear user who didn’t rely on spirits.
It wasn’t until later that he surprised everyone by pulling out that hidden card.
“There’s a famous saying in our family—my mother once said that spirits are born from emotions.”
He only summoned the phoenix in moments of crisis.
According to the lore, his spirit awakened just before he entered the academy.
“That’s how much we must not let emotions be swayed by others.”
There was tension in his hand.
In the original, he used to gaze longingly at the purple bird. Seems like those feelings still lingered.
‘Did he fail to end up with that woman named Char?’
I opened my status window. No matter how much I thought about it, too many couples wouldn’t progress if I did nothing.
But this guy wasn’t one of those with real-time updates.
It might show up later, just like with Kainel. Do I have to lock in a route for it to appear?
“So, would any student like to see their spirit, even just briefly?”
“Me.”
“Oh, Licht! Excellent!”
I raised my hand. I needed to get closer to him to ensure the grand route was cleared without issues.
***
Nex placed a sparrow on my index finger and spoke to the students.
“Spirits simply slumber in everyone’s hearts.”
I stared intently at the purple phoenix.
“So, I’ll use this little guy to wake it up, just for a moment.”
“Chirp!”
The sparrow raised one wing over its forehead. Was he going to use it to hatch something?
It was spirit resonance after all.
This was the technique Nex developed on his own, the one that saved him from being expelled from his family. If I could do this, could I summon spirits even though I can’t use magic?
In the game, no matter how much favorability I raised with the saint, I could never summon a spirit.
The in-game tip said spirits were born from emotions. Maybe it will work here.
Honestly, I’d prefer a white wolf like hers. It’d make it easier to find the unnamed saint.
“Chirp, chirp…!”
While I was lost in thought, the purple phoenix chirped nervously.
“..Huh? Why isn’t it working?”
“Is something wrong..?”
Could it be that I can’t do this?
“…Something’s off.”
“I don’t have much mana, and my circuits are tangled.”
“Ah..!”
Nex inspected my body, murmuring as he did. Even Dennis couldn’t fix my condition. Should I give up?
“Hm… This is real. It might be difficult, junior.”
“Licht, are you okay?!”
“It’s just how my body is.”
Professor Maria looked at me with concern. This reaction felt too extreme.
At that moment, Nex’s purple eyes widened as if something had clicked.
“Oh, then we could do it this way.”
Is there a method? Can I unlock the Spirit Swordsman tree? Hope flashed in my eyes.
“It might hurt a little, but I could use you as a magic circle.”
What kind of insane method is that?
Isn’t that necromancy? Only black mages use people’s bodies like that.
…I like it. Let’s do it right away.
“It might be a bit painful and tiring. Do you have another class after this, Licht?”
“I do, but it should be fine, Senior Nex.”
“Alright, if it gets too painful, raise your hand.”
With no other options, I had no choice but to trust him. I needed every advantage I could get, especially if I wanted to defeat the Demon King.
‘At this rate, I won’t be able to protect the saint. I’m too weak, so I need to use my wits.’
A purple magic circle unfolded behind me.
There are four types of debuffs that come with Nex’s spirit resonance in the game.
Sleep, paralysis, fatigue, and dizziness. I probably won’t get all of them, right? I should be fine.
「Rise anew from the flames.」
Purple flames pierced through my heart. A dark smoke emerged, like an overwhelming surge of emotion.
“Ugh.”
Damn this luck-based game.
The smoke meant I got all four.
There was a chance to avoid them, but all my thoughts were drowned out by pain.
I collapsed to the floor. It hurt so much I couldn’t even scream.
My body refused to move. The game never described the pain like this.
‘Is it because of my condition?’
With low mana and twisted circuits, this magic must have strained my body more than normal.
My vision spun, and nausea rose in my stomach. It felt like a giant thorn had been pulled from my chest.
“Woof!”
A mass of black fur burst out from the center of my chest.
“Oh my, a black wolf?”
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