WeTried Translations

Translator: Botanica

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Academy’s Pure Love Dark Knight

Chapter 042

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Episode 42. What Came Out of the Magic Hat Was a White Rabbit.

The battle in the forest ended quickly.

“Well, it was quite fun! Huhu, to think you could even wound me!”

The battlefield, silenced as if signaling defeat.

The magician, with a broken arm and a cheek cut, bleeding slightly. Her black tuxedo was in tatters, with bloodstains seeping out from various places.

“It was a bit unexpected. The Glass Knight and the Hero of Light!”

Twirling her white hair with her fingers, Magic Hat walked towards the fallen hero with a deliberate tread. Her expression seemed filled with joy.

“Kainel! Please, snap out of it...!!”

Ariel was crying, holding onto Kainel and shaking his shoulder. The blond Holy Sword was already stuck in the ground, and the hero leaned against a broken tree trunk as if asleep.

“No… this can’t be…”

The red-haired elf also had scratches and cuts all over her body, but she was in better condition than the hero.

Ariel’s crimson eyes glared resentfully at Magic Hat’s golden eyes.

“I truly love this kind of love. You… are Ariel, correct? That rookie called you that.”

“Get away!! You crazy bitch!!”

The elf mage unleashed a barrage of fireworks magic towards the approaching magician, but,

“It’s useless. It’s the ‘authority’ to create falsehoods, you see?”

The magic she cast, as if it hadn't reached its target from the start, faded the moment it touched the magician’s clothes. The Demon King made a gesture of dusting herself off.

Magic Hat felt pleased as she watched the red-haired mage, holding the hero, using her divine power.

“..Love that shatters like this, then realizes its preciousness and tries to mend itself. How invaluable that is. Huhu.”

She smiled proudly at the weeping elf, and Ariel felt a sense of horror at the sight.

It was then.

“Magic Hat..”

“Oh my, after taking such a beating, you intend to fight again?”

The Glass Knight rose to her feet once more, showing hostility towards the white-haired magician. The wolf eyes inside her helmet hadn't lost their fighting spirit.

“Just because I’m a little hurt, you see hope? Really?”

“That’s right..”

Gasping for breath, Phine aimed her sword at Magic Hat. Then, the Demon King of Truth scoffed and drew a card.

“..This should make you give up. Queen of Hearts.”

The Queen of Hearts card in her hand glowed, and a mature woman with long black hair and wolf ears appeared. Seeing her, the Glass Knight faltered.

“Now, Queen of Hearts. Quickly, heal me!”

“…”

As Magic Hat gave the command to the woman with black wolf ears, the Demon King’s clothes and wounds were all healed.

“..Oh.”

The black tuxedo became brand new, as if it had never been damaged from the start,

“Phew, I feel better now. As expected of Emperor Rook’s wife, the performance is truly excellent!”

Her broken arm also returned to its original state. The white-haired magician smiled as she swung her arm several times, confirming it moved normally.

“..Mother?”

The woman summoned by Magic Hat, wearing an elegant black dress, even had accessories bearing the imperial crest,

“Oh, you know each other? Then someone from the Imperial family? How unexpected.”

Except for her black hair color, her wolf eyes also resembled Phine’s, making them look like mother and daughter. The Glass Knight’s entire body froze, and memories of the past were replayed.

“You.. had her…”

Phine’s sword-gripping hand trembled. A reaction due to learned fear. Her wolf ears and tail also drooped.

She had never dreamed that her mother, whom she had thought dead ten years ago, was being used as a subordinate by the Demon King of Truth.

“It’s me, it’s me! Snap out of it!!”

“…”

“It’s useless. No matter how much you call her, she can’t hear anything but my commands.”

The Empress of the Empire, even looking at her daughter Phine, followed only Magic Hat’s commands with eyes as lifeless as a dead person’s.

“..What in the world did you do to my mother!!”

“I told you before. For my darling, ‘I won’t kill anyone.’"

Magic Hat, having somewhat guessed Phine’s identity, started provoking her with a sneering smile. Her eyes curved into crescent moons, as if teasing her opponent.

“Well, it might have been more painful than dying! I wonder if it hurt? Becoming a card, that is?”

“Magic Hat!!”

At that sight, the Glass Knight’s rage reached its limit, and she charged towards the Demon King of Truth. Her sword attempted to penetrate the magician’s openings multiple times, but,

“It’s useless. With that level of will, you can’t even touch me. You’re not a hero, are you?”

“Shut up..!”

The white-haired woman leisurely blocked the Imperial swordsmanship with a single card. Cruelly, the sword couldn’t reach her neck.

“This time, it won’t be the same..!”

“But have we met before? It’s my first time seeing you…”

Magic Hat maintained a blank expression even against Phine’s attacks, resting her hand on her chin and showing the leisure to even think.

“I don’t recall seeing a Glass Knight like you when I went to collect the Queen of Hearts…”

“My mother doesn’t have a name like that!!”

The Glass Knight swung her card, acting as if she couldn’t understand why Phine was so angry.

“Well, what does it matter? The person who was just dying is now so vibrant!”

The Demon King, whose philosophy was that it didn’t matter as long as it was fun, let out a chuckle and then set aside her thoughts for a moment. She sent one remaining card flying between Phine’s armor.

“Hmph..!”

The joint where her leg bent.

A sharp card flew into it, and Phine’s posture collapsed. The woman’s scream, unconsciously let out, was distorted by the humming sound of her glass helmet.

“A masterpiece-grade armor… it’s all good, but isn’t it too much of a copy? It looks like my darling’s.”

Phine, slumped on the ground, clutching her knee. The injury seemed severe, as she bit her lower lip hard to endure the pain.

“..I’ll.. kill you.”

She still hadn’t given up. Gritting her teeth, she glared at the magician. Seeing her murderous gaze, the magician even let out a laugh as if amused, then,

“The weaknesses are similar, too. The gaps in the armor. Ah…”

As if something had occurred to her, she suddenly looked sad and formed a tearful expression. Covering her face with her hands, she let out trickling tears like a tragic heroine.

“..Hmph. Oh, my poor darling…”

Something was strange. Even as she cried, no deep emotion seemed to emanate. Phine’s keen eyes noticed this and felt goosebumps.

“Since I’m still preparing… it’ll be fineee…”

A mask-like falsehood visible in her perfectly normal eyes.

“This time, I’ll do anything for my darling…”

The madman’s insane muttering. This wasn't pity.

“..She’s crazy.”

As she removed the hand covering her mouth, the Demon King’s twisted smile was revealed, showing that they were crocodile tears.

“I’m crazy in love, you see…? Isn’t it beautiful? Huhu!”

Magic Hat, steeped in carnal desire and ecstasy, held a card to the Glass Knight’s neck.

“Now, it’s the finale. You meddlers of love.”

The Demon King of Truth displayed a soft smile.

***

Thanks to Dennis’s teleportation, I returned to the forest.

“Damn it.”

After briefly looking around, I sensed how serious the situation was.

“Am I already too late?”

Traces of Kainel’s Shine Strike having been used dozens of times, trees burned to ashes by Ariel’s fireworks magic.

‘Since they hadn’t learned ultimate skills yet, they probably lost.’

The fact that the hero’s party was nowhere to be seen, despite evidence of a major battle, meant they had lost. I felt frustrated and put a hand to my helmet’s forehead.

“..Huh.”

Shards of glass scattered on the ground were lined up like a long trail of markers. Mardol had left a trace.

Following this would lead to the Demon King. I immediately prepared to sprint.

「Wolf Fang.」

I unreservedly embraced the surging blood flow throughout my body. A martial art that relied solely on instinct to gain speed.

‘Think. Magic Hat knows all the patterns.’

I had to prove here why I had adopted only the Gransia style. I couldn’t let Kainel, Ariel, or Mardol die and everything turn to naught.

‘Even if I face the Demon King, there’s a way to protect everything.’

I had to act crazy, risk my life, or both.

I ran like a wolf chasing prey. My breath caught in my throat. My heart felt like it would burst. My legs were heavy as lead.

The forest clearing I reached after running tirelessly.

“…”

The glittering glass shards ended there.

“Now, it’s the finale. You meddlers of love.”

The magician, clad in black from head to toe, impossible to forget even if I tried.

The Demon King of Truth was holding a trump card, a corrupted holy sword, against the Glass Knight’s throat, threatening her life.

“Kai.. I’m sorry.. I’m.. weak…”

Beside Kainel, who was unconscious and bleeding from his head, Ariel was clinging to him with her injured body, attempting to heal him, but it was insufficient.

“..Hah, seriously.”

I couldn’t stand it any longer. I drew my sword forcefully in anger. She had crossed the line, and then some. Seeing Magic Hat’s nauseating smile,

“So damn glad to see you, you son of a bitch!!!”

My fury welled up inside me, and I yelled, immediately unleashing a Void Slash. Yet, all it did was push her away from Mardol for a moment.

“Huh, oh? You’re…”

Magic Hat let out a gasp, looking at me in surprise,

I immediately used Wolf Fang again to exploit her opening. I used Reverse Scale Pierce consecutively, aiming for her weakness.

‘Is it truly impossible without a hero?’

But it seemed I, without a holy sword, couldn’t land an effective hit on the Demon King. My iron sword passed through her neck multiple times. In that case, I’d use wind pressure.

-WHOOSH! CRACK! CRACK!

I used Void Slash to send the Demon King of Truth flying far away. This should buy me a little time. Magic Hat was slammed into a tree by the storm I created.

Serves you right. You chuunibyou bastard.

“Licht..?”

“Helmet Guy!! What happened?!”

Just in case, I put some distance between us. The people around me spoke up after spotting me. Fortunately, everyone but Kainel seemed to have the strength to speak.

“Mardol. Lend me your hand for a moment.”

“Uh.. yeah.”

Seeing that their status windows were normal, I figured I could still save them. I clasped hands with the Glass Knight.

「Savior Sword.」

A Paladin’s skill.

Since I had doubled down on this skill tree to compensate for the Nameless Saintess’s insufficient healing power, I should be able to heal everyone nearby.

Even with my meager mana.

I had learned an efficient one, just in case our Saintess got jealous.

Maintaining the connection with Mardol, I plunged my sword into the ground, knelt, and assumed a posture of vowing to the sky.

-Tock.

Immediately, a clear sound like a drop of water echoed, and ripples of white light spread around.

“Licht, amazing.”

“The wounds… they’re healing? Even when I tried, it didn’t work…”

Because it’s Savior Sword, a higher-tier skill than commonly used healing.

It seems divine power can also be utilized this way. I finally breathed a sigh of relief. It worked. Kainel and Ariel’s injuries were completely healed.

“Kai, Kai? Are you conscious?!”

“Ariel..? Are you okay? The Demon King clearly…”

Fortunately, the Paladin’s skill worked well. What if I hadn’t known that magic would activate if I interlocked fingers with Mardol?

“Did you sleep well, Kainel?”

I cracked a playful joke to the blond hero who had just woken up. I was worried, you rookie hero.

“..Licht? How did you get here…?”

“I’m the Black Knight. Of course I’d come.”

I smiled at the Yellow Dog, who was spouting nonsense right after waking, telling him not to worry. There’s no one else to catch Magic Hat besides me, you punk.

“Licht..”

“Ah, I’ll let go of your hand.”

Startled, I released the hand I was holding, but Mardol was staring intently at me. Had I raised another flag?

“That’s not it.”

Oh, now that I look, I also healed the Glass Knight’s leg injury. The blood that was flowing from the armor’s joint disappeared. So this is why she called me.

“Are your legs alright, Mardol?”

“..Thank you, Licht.”

If you die here, our Saintess’s happiness will be over. And I really hate people dying.

“Don’t mention it.”

Confirming that everyone was back to normal, I finally felt at ease and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Kai!! Hwoooong… I thought you were dead…”

“It might be better to die than to get your snot and tears all over my clothes.”

“..Hmph. I’ll let it slide just this once. Kai..!”

The four of us looked at each other, confirming we were alright. Ariel also nodded at me, as if thanking me for saving the hero.

“It’s a relief, everyone.”

“Thank you, Helmet Guy… you were a Paladin..”

“Licht, you’re seriously a cheat…”

In truth, it could have been an unhealable state, like during <Black Heart>. It was truly a stroke of luck that I wasn’t too late against the Demon King of Truth.

“..Licht. Front. Be careful.”

It was then. The mad magician was approaching step by step, making insane sounds.

“That black helmet… surely… are you my darling? You’re alive!!”

The woman in the black tuxedo, acting as if she knew me, looking at me.

The Demon King spread her arms wide, smiling brightly as if overjoyed to see me. But something felt very off.

“..Just one question, Magic Hat.”

But why does she not seem like a man? Her body had curves like a woman’s, and so did her voice and hair.

“Why are you a woman?”

Seeing her with long white hair and golden eyes, I felt nauseous. She was irritating me to no end.

“Darling… your memory is still hazyyy…!! I was always a woman!”

A sight that an unknowing person might mistake for the ‘Nameless Saintess’. The Demon King of Truth blushed, shrinking her body as if embarrassed.

But to me, it was completely different. I shook my head, expressing my displeasure.

Firstly, as far as I knew, that person was a man. All four Demon Kings of the Heroic Cult were men.

“Let’s go to the Heroic Cult together, Darling!”

“…”

Secondly, she had human ears, not wolf ears, and her eyes weren’t those of a wolf. They were ordinary golden eyes, and her voice was different too.

“Fuck off.”

I proudly raised my middle finger. The woman in the black magician’s attire then looked flustered.

“Huh, oh? Darling. You don’t remember me at all? You wouldn’t be here if that were the case, would you…?”

Lastly, the Nameless Saintess shouldn't know me, normally.

Just like with Servi, there’s no way that fake, acting friendly out of nowhere, could be our Blue Rose.

“Yeah. I don’t know a crazy bitch like you.”

And there’s an aura that people exude. Hers was completely different from the ominous feeling, as if forged by a blade.

No matter how much one’s appearance changes and time passes,

“You’re too much..! Well, but that’s just like my darling!”

There’s no way I wouldn’t recognize the Nameless Saintess, who had a soft and warm personality.

No matter how I thought about it, that person was definitely not her. Not even a beastkin, just a human. And the title she called me was awful.

“..But I’m already taken, though?”

My heart belongs solely to her.

Because that’s what a Pure Love Black Knight is.

Who’s your darling? It’s absurd.

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