CH.33 9-4. Is This the Crown Prince Route?
***
Time passed relentlessly, and the next week arrived.
“Everyone better be present.”
Dennis, his blue hair disheveled and an air of intoxication about him, stumbled into the lecture hall. His once-brilliant eyes seemed on the verge of dimming as he reached into his coat and pulled out a bottle of alcohol. Uncorking it, he took a swig.
“No matter how oblivious you are, you must have realized by now that something’s happening here at Grand Hearts Academia.”
Could this be related to the Heroic Faith Church?
As his white pupils reignited with clarity, Dennis exhaled deeply, as if relieved. He was clearly pushing himself—probably because of the Head.
Honestly, his drinking in the Academy was understandable. The man was constantly running defensive magic through his body as a medium.
“…Right. The annual exams are just around the corner!”
With a sharp exhale, Dennis pulled up a shimmering, three-dimensional magic circle.
Annual exams—this sounded like the sort of event where you’d get hidden items or potions.
“To be blunt, the gap between this year’s freshmen is too vast.”
Not exactly a surprising statement. After all, there were standouts like the Glass Knight, Kainel, and me.
With Ariel included, our party wasn’t exactly weak either—a group capable of defeating the Demon Lord under the right circumstances.
Of course, without a way to block his *Authority*, any challenge would be foolhardy.
“What…?”
“Seriously, Professor?”
“Well, the knights in this class do seem ridiculously strong.”
“And last time, the barrier even broke….”
The lecture hall buzzed with confusion. Dennis sighed heavily and began to chant.
“So, we’ve decided to provide you all with an opportunity to grow stronger. Hopefully, this will even out the playing field a bit.”
Why was he making such a big deal about it, though?
Ah. Could it be that he was using this as an excuse to train the students after the Heroic Faith Church’s intrusion?
The thought made me pause, but I nodded in agreement.
If he outright admitted that the Church’s base was located beneath the Academy, the Emperor himself would storm in, demanding to know what the faculty had been doing.
“…Licht, what’s wrong?”
I turned to look at Mardol. Why was I concerned? Because you’re here. If someone so much as scratches you, the Imperial Guard will summon themselves, and I’ll be staring down blades at my neck.
The mere thought sent a chill down my spine, like I’d experienced it before.
“It’s nothing.”
It was probably just my memories of the game bleeding into reality. I shook my head as if it were no big deal. This was also why I couldn’t recklessly check if Mardol’s helmet concealed a double.
“Well, more details will come from the next professor. Drake!”
Wait, Drake? That name’s familiar.
“Students─! Greetings! I, like Dennis here, am one of the Ten Greats! I’ll also be teaching Advanced Swordsmanship in the upcoming lecture…”
Sweat trickled down my temple. Did he find out I’d been dabbling in magic? Why else would he suddenly appear, even skipping his scheduled class?
“…Enough rambling, Drake. Get to the point.”
“You youngsters have no patience these days.”
Drake, with his short blonde hair and a face full of scars, finally got to the matter at hand. Though he looked slightly annoyed, his expression quickly softened.
“Students of Grand Hearts Academia! Do you wish to grow stronger─?”
With a sly grin, he addressed the room. Don’t fall for it! That’s the same look he gave before dragging me into the mountains to fight wild boars and bears!
“If the Dragonslayer says so, we should listen!”
“Uh… yeah, probably?”
“Wait, is he going to teach us the Drake-Style Swordsmanship?!”
The other freshmen, unaware of the true nature of his training, cheered enthusiastically at the thought of receiving guidance from one of the Ten Greats.
Their excitement was going to cost them.
“Wahahaha! Such eagerness is wonderful!”
They didn’t realize that strength came with trials and tribulations.
“The faculty has decided to merge classes for the next two days into a single practical course. There will be no lectures during this period!”
What? No Spirit Magic or Divine Power Studies? What could possibly require this level of focus?
“It’s monster hunting! Specifically, a group assignment!”
Oh. That.
The alpha and omega of university life. The dreaded team project.
Hearing that cursed phrase immediately gave me a headache. Group assignments always ended with the same painful lesson: don’t trust anyone.
Professors were aware of how terrible group projects were. Yet, they still insisted on this soul-crushing tradition. It was a luck-based nightmare.
Sure, sometimes you got a great team where everyone pulled their weight, but there was always that one person who ghosted the group the night before the deadline.
“Starting today, you will enter the monster-infested forest known as the Endless Forest of Monsters!”
I’ve never heard of this place before—not in the original or sequel. Could this be a new addition? Something akin to the northern monster invasions?
“Slay whatever monsters you can! Devise strategies to overcome them! Use your wits and intelligence!”
This scenario, these rules—it was all unfamiliar territory.
Could my interference have altered the past?
The events of a few days ago flashed before my eyes like a vivid slideshow.
‘The incident at Sunset Rendezvous.’
If I hadn’t intervened, Charitines would have been taken hostage by the Heroic Faith Church. Following that, the Saintess might have ended up…
‘Mentions of the original Second Saintess might have been taboo as a result.’
I had missed something vital. If the romantic arcs weren’t at risk, the developers might have ignored contradictions.
‘Or, like with the Northern Grand Duchess, keeping her alive here might pave the way for her to appear in future works.’
That thought brought me relief. So I’d done the right thing, huh? A wave of tension left me, and I let out a deep sigh.
If this really was a romance-fantasy academy series, it meant I could save the Saintess.
Recalling what I’d read in the beta tester emails, I couldn’t help but grin. It was a good thing my helmet hid my face. Smiling like a lunatic would definitely earn me some weird looks.
“Monsters won’t attack students at night. The faculty has prepped and scouted the area beforehand! It’s just one night and two days—there’s no real danger!”
So it was a simple matter of fighting during the day. Convenient and straightforward.
“Your task is to hunt the highest-grade monster or as many monsters as possible!”
Watching Drake explain, I couldn’t help but wonder: wouldn’t this give me and Mardol too much of an advantage? Without alternative evaluation methods, the disparity would be glaring.
“Grades will be based on both individual and group evaluations by the faculty!”
Drake smirked in a way that sent shivers down my spine. That expression never led to anything good.
Still, it was a fair system. Even weaker monsters could earn an A+ if the team worked well together.
“Professor Drake, will teamwork and combat methods be factored in as well?”
“Oh, an excellent question! Of course!”
“Thank you, Professor.”
A student sitting farther back had asked, and the Dragonslayer had answered warmly before continuing.
“And remember, no funny business at night! We’ll be watching—along with Laplace the Archivist and the Sage!”
Their powers of foresight and knowledge made that a reassuring statement.
The Mage of Truth, who worked in the Library of Wisdom, and the last remaining Sage of the Magic Tower were formidable figures.
“Even if you’re adults, any shenanigans will get you kicked out! Out!”
Drake’s booming laughter shook the entire lecture hall, carrying a clear warning. The sheer force of it sent chills down my spine.
“Gulp.”
“…The Ten Greats really are something else. Would I be like that if I became a Grand Sword Master?”
No, Kainel. That guy’s an anomaly.
Watching the hero couple’s stunned expressions, I shook my head.
Among the Ten Greats, some were summoned heroes from other worlds, but most were exceptionally strong commoners.
Dennis, for example, was one of those.
After the Four Great Heroes, he’d been summoned for cleanup operations without pay. At their peak, heroes with holy swords would be stronger.
That’s just how the game was. There’s a reason Kainel and Ariel were a prominent couple in the original.
“Licht, do you think…”
“…It’s possible, Mardol?”
The only exception to all the strange figures surrounding me is Mardol’s father—the Emperor.
He was once just a lumberjack who sold firewood to make a living, but when war broke out, he became a monster of a man who leveled the Heroic Faith Church with nothing but a hand axe.
…The original story even mentioned that he beat down one of the Demon Lords so thoroughly that it reverted into a normal human.
“…”
This is precisely why I stubbornly stick to using an iron sword. I glanced down at the weapon hanging at my waist, affectionately dubbed *Pure Love Infuser No. 2.*
A mere weapon, no matter how expensive or well-crafted, won’t even scratch a Demon Lord. Investing in high-end gear would only be a waste of money.
There’s a reason why holy swords are considered broken-tier items in this world.
‘In the game, I was lucky enough to find a comparable weapon and managed to make do with that.’
Thinking back, where would that weapon be at this point in time? I remembered purchasing it from an auction house.
[zZOverlordSwaggerZz: “Quitting because of *Black Heart*. Selling rare items ASAP.”]
I got it purely by chance. Items sold by veteran players quitting the game often turned out to be treasures.
“Getting retired means disqualification!”
My train of thought was broken by Drake’s booming voice. I tuned back in to catch his explanation.
“If you’re injured or find yourself in danger, the faculty will step in to assist you!”
This meant Professors Beatrice and Maria would be participating, pouring everything they had into safeguarding the freshmen while helping them grow stronger.
Something about this felt off—it seemed a bit excessive.
“Now then, in the name of Tardun, ignite your resolve! Students─!!”
With a hearty laugh, Drake stepped back from the podium.
“If anyone wishes to opt out, they’ll be sent home.”
Dennis took over, speaking up. Since this event was so sudden, it made sense that some students might not be able to participate. But still, wasn’t this a bit abrupt, even with the Heroic Faith Church’s interference?
Wait, sent home?
Shouldn’t he be threatening to dock points if we skipped?
“This only applies to the freshmen, as it’s a special opportunity for your year,” Dennis clarified, answering an unspoken question that had been nagging at me.
So this was exclusive to the freshmen.
‘Could it be that Omniscience has limited their ability again? Are they using this group assignment to introduce a wildcard?’
It was odd that we were suddenly heading outside. A chill ran down my arms.
‘If I think in reverse, it means leaving the Academy allows access to foresight and information that’s otherwise restricted.’
I understood that the Demon Lord was watching this place, but the sheer extent of their Authority use was overkill.
A headache throbbed at my temples. Aside from me and Nex, no one else was likely to notice this. Staying in the Academy any longer was clearly unsafe.
“Departure is in ten minutes. Even in this rushed situation, I’ll be evaluating your judgment,” Dennis said, his usually calm tone hurried and tense. He was clearly trying to outmaneuver the Head by forcing them to process more information.
One thing was clear: we needed to get out of the Academy as fast as possible. My hands grew clammy beneath my helmet.
Think.
By my estimation, the issue was isolated to the *freshmen*. If it weren’t, the entire student body would be under protection.
So what’s the priority here? Why did the Demon Lord kidnap Charitines last time, and… what now?
Oh.
They’re targeting Lupus, aren’t they? That would explain everything.
It made sense when I considered that Lupus was close to Charitines. The protagonists of the Knight Heart Trilogy all carried troubled pasts shaped by the Demon Lord.
The pieces fell into place, and the pressure in my head eased. I stopped tapping my fingers on the desk.
“…Quickly, form your teams. That, too, is part of your skillset,” Dennis instructed, projecting a three-dimensional magic circle that began a countdown.
He’d layered the plan twice over. If he outright evacuated the students, the Demon Lord of Omniscience would catch on.
Instead, by framing it as a group assignment, the freshmen could be gathered and managed in one place under faculty supervision. Not bad.
This level of strategy was beyond what I’d expected—even better than my previous attempts to account for variables.
As the time to form teams arrived, students started scanning the room for strong allies.
“Hey! Dark Knight Helmet…!”
“Licht, was it? Let’s team up!”
“Why are so many people…?”
Because I’d ranked first in the last practical, students began swarming toward me.
“Kainel.”
“Oh, Licht.”
I turned around, relieved I’d made a habit of sitting close to him. Talking about this emergency would only heighten his anxiety—he already had trauma from the Demon Lord.
“…You don’t even have to ask, right? You’ll want Ariel in our group.”
“Of course. Honestly, I’m grateful you’re here!”
“Helmet Guy! You’re going to pull off that typhoon thing again, right? I’ll count on you!”
We formed our team quickly. With a soft *ding*, our names appeared in the floating magic circle.
[Team 1: 3/4]
A four-person team. That meant…
“Mardol! Join our team!”
“…I got here first. Let me join.”
“You’re ranked second. Don’t tell me you’re trying to team up with the first-rank Dark Knight? Come on, Mardol! Let’s crush Licht!”
“Oh-hoho! Step aside! The Glass Knight and I are destined to team up!”
Mardol, ever the harem-route magnet, was surrounded by a swarm of girls.
There were all sorts—someone claiming to be a duke’s daughter, a peasant girl from the countryside, and someone who was clearly the daughter of a knight commander.
‘Seriously, they’re all over him.’
Did he have some kind of pheromone? Even compared to me, who’d ranked first, Mardol was drowning in attention. It was a little disheartening.
Still, as the man fated to end up with the Saintess, I needed to lend him a hand. I’d committed to the Crown Prince companion route after all.
I had to protect this story’s protagonist.
“Mardol─!!”
I pushed through the crowd and shouted. My voice barely carried, but thankfully, he seemed to hear me.
“Licht…?”
The Glass Knight, who had been sitting with his head bowed and unmoving, turned slightly toward me.
“For the group project—team up with me!”
If he created another harem and made the Saintess cry in this installment, I wouldn’t let it slide. I reached out, asking for his agreement.
“…Sure, Licht.”
He took my hand, sealing the deal as our names appeared together in the magic circle.
[Team 1: 4/4]
But did he really have to clasp our hands so tightly? A gentle handshake would’ve sufficed.
Was leaving the Academy even the right move? Unease coiled tighter in my chest, suffocating me.
***
At the same moment, far away in the Gransia Empire, the sound of someone sobbing echoed.
“Waaaahhh…!”
“Oh my, what’s wrong, little one?”
“A balloon… it’s stuck in the tree… Mommy and Daddy bought it for me…”
A boy, barely seven years old, tearfully stared up at a red balloon tangled in the branches.
“…For something so trivial? How dull.”
The woman, her long white hair cascading down her back, shifted her tone, her voice suddenly informal. She glanced upward with a bored expression.
“Here.”
“Huh? Wow! Pretty lady, thank you so much!!!”
The boy’s tear-streaked face brightened as she handed him the balloon, his grin wide with relief.
“Pretty, huh?”
The woman, clad in a black suit, looked momentarily uncomfortable before crossing her arms and continuing.
“Listen, crybaby. I’m headed to this place called *Grand Hearts Academia.*”
“Yes, ma’am. Sniff. What about the Academy?”
“…I haven’t been out in a while, so I’ve lost my way. Which direction should I go?”
The woman tipped her black hat and closed her eyes as if weary.
“Just head straight past the fountain, Miss Magician!”
“Thanks. Oh, one more thing, kiddo…”
Suddenly, a mischievous grin crossed her face, and she leaned down, her golden eyes gleaming. Her behavior was that of a predator toying with prey.
“Between your mom and dad, who do you like more?”
Her voice was brimming with eerie excitement. Most people would’ve run away, calling her insane.
“Huh? What kind of question is that, Miss?”
“It’s just for fun! Don’t you think it’s interesting? Hurry, answer me!”
Unaware of the calamity he’d just invited, the boy answered naively:
“I can’t choose! I love them both, Miss!”
“…Oh? And why can’t you pick?”
“Because both my parents are amazing! I can’t choose just one! Hehe…”
It was the kind of answer he would regret for the rest of his life.
“…I see. Then I’ll *fix* that for you!”
Her smile twisted unnaturally as her golden eyes glowed brighter.
─Clap.
The sharp sound of her hands coming together sent a chilling breeze through the air.
Even a fool could sense the ominous energy rising. Something terrible was about to happen.
“Now you can love them both at the same time. Congratulations, kiddo!”
“Huh?”
The boy, too young to understand, was about to experience a nightmare.
“Your answer was just too boring… So I made them ‘one’ for you! Can’t you understand, little one?”
Leaving the boy dumbfounded, the Demon Lord of Truth began to walk away.
“You’re still too young to get it. Just go home and see for yourself—it’ll be fun!”
With a soft laugh, she adjusted her hat and headed toward the Academy.