[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
Chapter 12
"How did you know I was the new professor?"
Hyunsuk, who had seemed rooted to the spot for a moment, widened her eyes and let out a wry laugh.
"Oh, I've worked at this academy for years. I can tell at a glance just by looking at someone, don't you know?"
Really?
Hyunsuk had said the maintenance worker was suspicious, but the thief's footprints I had tracked led from inside the library to the lobby.
There was no reason for the thief to go back into the maintenance room once they had left the lobby...
'They could just change their shoes.'
At first, I hadn't suspected anything because the thief's footprints didn't match Hyunsuk's shoes, but now things were different.
I used the remaining energy to cast the spell again.
[13% of Do Jin-hak's essence is activated.]
[Do Jin-hak's spell "Reality Perception" is cast.]
[ENP increases from 90/180 to 110/180.]
[Your brain begins to perceive multidimensional space.]
As I cast the spell, secrets that had been hidden began to reveal themselves.
'Her heart rate is gradually increasing. The muscles around her smiling lips are about 23% more tense than usual, and her pupils are dilating abnormally...'
Additionally, due to the sudden activation of blood circulation, blood flow has increased, and sweat glands are secreting bodily fluids.
According to Do Jin-hak's knowledge, all these symptoms commonly stem from one psychological state.
'It's when someone is hiding something.'
The student in front of me was lying.
I canceled the spell and pointed to Hyunsuk's handbag with my hand.
"Ms. Hyunsuk, what's in your bag?"
When I pointed it out, Hyunsuk blinked, looking bewildered.
"Oh, our professor is so curious about everything. What's in it? It's just my stuff. You're not really that curious about what's in a lady's bag, are you?"
She said that, but I didn't believe her. I could clearly see the muscles in Hyunsuk's hand, gripping the bag, tense by about 30% the moment I pointed at it.
"Gianluca."
"Yes?"
Arche looked surprised when I suddenly called her name.
"Is there a rule about taking books out of Hwadam Library?"
"Oh, no. Books in Hwadam Library are not allowed to be taken out. The rule is to read them in place."
"Then, what are the penalties if someone is caught trying to take a book out?"
"For students, a disciplinary committee will be held, and depending on the severity, penalties can range from a deduction of points to suspension or expulsion. And for staff members... they will be held legally responsible, regardless of the reason."
Arche looked bewildered as she continued to recite the rules. Hyunsuk's expression grew increasingly tense.
"What are you doing? Are you accusing an innocent person of theft? You're so strange!"
"Ms. Hyunsuk, please show me what's in your bag."
"Ha! Why should I?"
Hyunsuk's face turned red, and she was furious as she tried to pass.
I blocked her path and said again, "As a professor of the 13th department of the Masterclass, I have the authority to prevent theft on campus. This is your last warning, so please show me what's in your bag."
"You're asking me to show you, so you're not a professor, you're crazy! Get out of my way!"
Hyunsuk tried to push me away roughly.
A warning was enough. I cast a spell as I had been waiting for this moment.
[Casting the Blood Demon's spell "Hungry Claws".]
[ENP increases from 110/180 to 125/180.]
[Your ferocity grows as much as your hunger for blood.]Nôv(el)B\\jnn
Crack-!
With a swing of my enchanted hand, the thick leather bag was torn open, and its contents spilled out.
To be exact, dozens of books.
"What is this? How did so many books come out of such a small bag?"
Arche's eyes widened in amazement. The bag was a rare item that had the [Dimensional Inventory] spell cast on it.
'It's also a favorite of the Phantom Thief.'
I would never have noticed it if I hadn't played this quest in the game.
I never thought she would be a thief and still be disguised as a librarian. You have to be pretty bold to be called the Phantom Thief.
"All these books were stolen today... Senior Hyunsuk, what's going on?"
Arche looked at Hyunsuk incredulously, examining the scattered books on the floor.
[Casting the Blood Demon's spell "Hungry Claws".]
[ENP increases from 140/180 to 175/180.]
[You feel extremely tired due to your ENP being close to its maximum!]
Woong-!
It felt like a boulder had been placed on my shoulders.
Overwhelming fatigue clouded my mind, but I had to endure it.
'I only have one chance.'
As part of my brain responsible for vision activated, I entered the multidimensional world again.
At this moment, the flow of time could be slowed down as much as I wanted, and the same applied to the flames flying towards me now.
'From Do Jin-hak's perspective of decomposition, that fire is composed of ionized high-temperature gas and plasma.'
A spell that concentrates extremely high-temperature heat particles into one point, exerting extreme physical force.
But fire itself is essentially a gas. No matter how much it is concentrated into one point, gas, unlike solids and liquids, has almost no interaction between molecules.
'In other words, the bonds between particles are weak, so it's easy to scatter.'
Just like this.
Whoosh-!
I gathered my hands and stabbed the [Hungry Claws] into the blurry weak point in the flame of the One-Point Radiation.
An excruciating pain as if my hands were about to eviscerate washed over me.
[Your hands burn intensely in the face of extremely intense heat.]
[Due to the influence of your ENP, which is currently close to its maximum, your body is desperately craving blood.]
[The effect of the spell "Hungry Claws" is greatly enhanced.]
A message appeared in front of my eyes, and my fingertips began to harden like stone. I tore through the flames with a loud sound.
Crack-!
The flames split in two and narrowly missed me and Arche.
Seeing the tail of the flames disappearing through the thick concrete wall, the thief's eyes widened.
"My, my One-Point Radiation?!"
She seemed to be buffering, as she hadn't expected this result at all.
'It would be completely incomprehensible with common sense.'
With my ENP close to its maximum, I was now so hungry for blood that the power of "Hungry Claws" was several times more ferocious than usual.
In addition, by using Do Jin-hak's [Reality Perception] to find the weak points between the particles in the gaseous flame, this miracle became possible.
Of course, my hand is half-burned as a result.
"No way! Something must be wrong!"
The thief, unable to accept reality, began to chant a spell again.
But this time, I didn't prepare any countermeasures. I didn't need to anymore.
Because Arche, who had been hiding behind me until now, had just completed a spell.
"Karpi!"
As Arche's wand summoned a creature, a dazzling glare flashed from the creature's eyes.
With a flap of its wings, the summoned creature flew up to the ceiling, and a loud roar echoed.
Beep-! Beep-! Beep-!
An ultrasonic sound wave echoed throughout the library.
The sound was so loud that it made people lose their minds for a moment.
'That frequency...?'
I immediately realized what spell Arche had cast using the summoned creature. The [Hungry Claws] and [Bloodstorm Barrier] spells were canceled involuntarily.
'It was a [Forced Spell Cancellation] spell using the characteristics of the summoned creature.'
I was truly impressed.
Dispel spells are high-level spells that are difficult for students to cast.
To succeed in doing that through a summoned creature...
"This, this...!"
Hyunsuk was also greatly surprised as her non-physical spell was canceled and her body returned to normal.
Moreover, it seemed that the spell she was casting was also canceled, and Hyunsuk was probably in an [Abnormal State] where she couldn't cast spells for a while.
'She truly has the talent to become the leader of the rebels...'
For some reason, I started to get excited.
When was the last time I felt this excited in this damn game?
This appearance was no less than the potential of the [Dragon Mage] Gianluca I encountered in previous playthroughs.
It was definitely worth taking the risk to help her.
[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]