(Continued)
“Oh my, a black wolf?”
“It’s not a Shadow Wolf… It’s a new type.”
A black wolf, as if it had been coated in soot.
I fought back tears. It hurt so much, like someone had pulled a knife from my heart.
The spirit, a fluffy black ball like a round puff, reminded me of something.
‘…Isn’t this a Pomeranian?’
Maybe it’s because of my real-world experiences. A spirit that’s a mix between a Pomeranian and a wolf? That’s pretty fascinating.
“Huff, huff.”
The spirit seemed to love people, as it kept licking my cheek while I lay on the floor.
“Yip?”
The edge of my helmet lifted slightly. Its small tongue was adorable, and in the end, it targeted my cheek.
“Licht, are you okay?”
“Cough, cough. Hah…”
Honestly, I wasn’t okay. The pain was so intense that I could barely breathe.
It seemed like not everything I knew from the game matched reality. I learned something important—I couldn’t trust the game knowledge entirely.
I tried to steady myself by pressing my hands against the ground, struggling to take in deep breaths. My face felt numb, and blood circulation had stopped.
“If you take a short nap, you’ll feel better. After all, it was forcefully drawn out.”
“I’m… fine…”
Nex looked at me with concern. Please, help me, senior. I haven’t derailed from the crown prince’s route yet.
‘Please, just let me go down the Saintess route. You harem destroyer.’
I swallowed those words down, trying not to lose consciousness.
“I hope everyone will be able to awaken their spirits like this. Huh?”
“…Junior, where’s it going?”
The sound of panting and the tiny paws dashing across the grass drew everyone’s attention to one spot.
“Why… over there…?”
My spirit darted off toward someone.
“Woof!”
“…Hello.”
Oh no, stop. Why are you going to the crown prince?!
And more importantly, how did it manage to jump so high? It’s so small!
My spirit had leapt into Mardol’s arms, rubbing its head against his helmet repeatedly.
‘Why are you there?’
Barely lifting my head, I looked ahead. The little wolf wagged its tail, happily sticking out its tongue.
I was the master, but I felt like something precious had been taken from me.
“So fluffy.”
“Woof!”
The crown prince gazed at my spirit, and I could see a faint glint of golden light in his eyes.
“A real, fluffy dog.”
“Huff.”
Mardol buried his face in my spirit’s fur. Seeing him do it with his helmet on was slightly intimidating.
Alright, I’ll use this moment to stand up.
“Perhaps the spirit… likes helmets…”
I tried to salvage the situation, seeing my baby wolf snuggled tightly in the knight’s arms.
“Well, I always wear one…”
It’s probably because of the umbrella I shared with him and the swordsmanship training I promised but delayed.
I had also spoken a bit harshly to him yesterday.
‘Maybe I was too cruel.’
I’d make sure to train with Mardol tomorrow.
This was my karma.
My eyes closed, and my vision darkened.
***
“Licht? Licht!”
“Oh, Professor Maria, he’ll be fine. I was the same when it first happened to me.”
“Well, if you say so, Nex, that’s a relief…”
Several minutes after Phine had picked up the spirit, Licht fell asleep. He didn’t seem to have any health issues.
On the contrary, now that he was asleep, the tension left his body. This was much better than when he had been angry yesterday.
The Dark Knight’s helmet had been pushed down, pressed by exhaustion.
‘You overdid it, Licht.’
Her eyes were sharp enough to notice these things. She could tell.
The little wolf looked up at Phine, as if asking for attention.
“He’s smiling.”
“Woof!”
Its face was stretched into a wide grin, clearly showing that it didn’t see her as a threat.
‘Does it like the scent of roses?’
The Glass Knight thought as she watched the little black nose twitch. The rose was the national flower of the Gransia Empire.
Phine often used rose-scented bath oils as well.
‘So cute. Is it still a baby?’
Its nose was moist, and its paws were slightly dirty from the grass. Its small body was the size of a puppy.
So soft. So adorable. She buried her face in the fur of the puppy-like spirit. Yet, it didn’t resist.
She remembered Licht’s words, spoken while he was drifting off to sleep, despite the harsh things he’d said the day before.
‘He’s a kind person, after all.’
“Woof!”
“Stop, that tickles.”
The little black wolf kept licking her face. Its tongue was small, but why was it acting this way with someone it had just met?
‘…Oh. It must like people.’
Spirits are born from emotions.
If Licht truly disliked her, there was no way this spirit would be so affectionate.
‘He probably said those harsh things because he was worried about me.’
“How unique.”
“Huff, huff.”
The little puppy, snuggled in her arms, reminded Phine of a seal with its ears folded back.
“Chirp!”
A moment later, a purple-haired man approached her with a sparrow.
“Alright, little wolf. Just a moment, let’s have a talk…”
“Grrrr…”
“Whoa, calm down.”
Nex’s phoenix and Licht’s wolf were now staring each other down, emitting an ominous aura. Nex looked startled as the spirits exuded murderous intent.
“This isn’t going to end well…”
“Chirp, chirp.”
“I know, chirpy. I get it.”
The fox-like man had a perplexed expression as he tried to calm the two spirits, who were close to clashing.
“Woof! Woof! Grrrr…”
“It’ll only take a moment. My phoenix is just curious about you, right?”
“Chirp, chirp.”
Nex was trying his best to communicate with Licht’s spirit, but…
‘Huh?’
Apparently, the wolf didn’t like everyone. Phine noticed it baring its teeth at Nex, clearly threatening him.
It looked terrified, as though recalling a memory of fear. It was a look she recognized because it mirrored her own.
Phine’s tail stiffened beneath her armor.
“Stop it.”
“What? Mardol?”
“I said, stop.”
The princess shot a glare at the young man from the Aureus family. Even at the academy, their natural hierarchy remained intact.
“Um… Alright, I’ll stop.”
“Chirp… Chirp!”
Nex had no choice but to back down.
“Grrrr…”
In moments like this, it really did seem like a wolf. Its long, soft fur made it resemble a ball of fluff, but its nature showed through.
“Uh, Mardol? You’re not hurt or anything, right? Isn’t it a little too close?”
“Whine.”
“It’s fine. This little one’s harmless.”
“…Alright. Looks like Char’s worries won’t come true after all.”
Even though Nex and his sparrow watched her with strange expressions, Phine didn’t care.
It seemed like this spirit wanted to protect her.
Though outwardly strong, it reminded her of the Dark Knight, who had run through the rain, revealing his vulnerable side.
Awkward and contradictory.
‘…They’re alike.’
She thought this as she gazed into the brown eyes of the black wolf, eyes almost the same color as his master’s.
Licht’s spirit, still nestled in her arms, yawned widely, exhausted from protecting the Glass Knight.
“So cute.”
And so, the little black Pomeranian used her arm as a pillow, drifting off to sleep just like its owner.
‘Uh, now I won’t be able to let go…’
The fur lay flat as two black wolves, deep in slumber, rested in the lecture hall.
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