WeTried Translations

Translator: Botanica

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◈ Academy’s Pure Love Dark Knight

Chapter 073

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Episode 73. To Know Love.

Pitch-black darkness. In that place, Phine Gransia trembled with anxiety.

‘Where is this..?’

A black space where not even an inch ahead was visible. Inside it, she was restless, wearing only her helmet.

Because at some point, her prized glass armor had fallen off. It was fine since she was wearing other clothes underneath, but.

Her distinctive white tail was also hidden inside her clothes, afraid it would get in the way during battle.

But ever since she took Licht's Shadow Fang, she had been in this state.

‘What do I do.. the armor has been dispelled.’

She tried to take out her Masterpiece and put it back on, but failed. She was prematurely frightened that the curves of her female form might be visible to the audience, and covered her body with one arm.

“Mardol, you really are a woman.”

“..Licht?”

A man wearing a Black Knight helmet appeared before her, as she sat down, her legs having given out. It was Licht. He looked at Phine and let out a small sigh.

“Too bad. I wanted to check your face too.”

“...”

“Here, can you get up?”

With a composed attitude, Licht extended his hand to her. He acted calmly in the pitch-black darkness, as if there was nothing to fear.

“..I was seen.”

Her glass helmet was still intact, so she hadn't shown everything to the man in front of her, but the situation was very shocking to her.

“Everyone…. to the others too….”

Wearing the glass helmet, she flinched. The fact that she was a woman was probably exposed to everyone watching the match. Now she might not be able to protect the people close to her from Magic Hat.

“It's okay because only I saw. Mardol.”

“What..?”

As if those worries of Phine's were nothing, the man named Licht was gently extending his hand.

‘He says it's okay..?’

She looked around at the surrounding darkness with her keen eyes. Her golden wolf eyes scanned here and there, but it was completely blocked by darkness, making it impossible to distinguish front from back.

“They won't be able to see from outside. This is my inner imagery itself.”

“..Really.”

“I have lived a pretty dark life.”

So the audience couldn't see. No matter how hard she tried to pierce through the darkness, it was impossible. Phine felt a sense of relief. At the same time, she started to get a little angry.

‘This man.. why did he break my armor….’

Wouldn't it have been enough to just attack the protective gear on the outside? What was so important that he went this far? For him to even penetrate Dennis's magic was incredible.

“I wanted to be sure you were a woman. Sorry for being rough.”

“...”

“With Magic Hat too, if there's information I don't know, I get anxious…. I'm really sorry.”

He offered an apology to Phine, who was looking at him with a strange look from behind her glass helmet due to her doubts. His curiosity was somewhat satisfied.

‘Well, he did say it was important to him. My gender.'

The source of mana is the heart. He had aimed for it and temporarily severed the connection with her Masterpiece. She guessed the situation as she placed her hand on the center of her chest.

“..Um, at least wear this for now. Mardol.”

It was then. Looking at her, who couldn't get up, Licht awkwardly turned his head. Then he took off his coat and handed it to her.

The academy uniform, bearing the empire's wolf emblem. It was for men, so it was large enough to cover Phine's entire body. While she was putting it on, she saw something strange.

‘..Huh?’

A gaze that fidgeted and wouldn't meet hers anymore. He was a man who had seemed composed just a moment ago, so what was wrong with him?

‘He's embarrassed. Licht.’

Phine's keen eyes saw that Licht's brown eyes kept wavering, and she realized his feelings. He didn't know what to do after seeing her body.

Even though he had stripped her armor himself because he wanted to confirm, now he was struggling not to look.

He was a really ridiculous man. Every time she moved her body slightly, he even stepped back in surprise.

“Licht, you are a pervert.”

“..I really am not.”

A man who was shy, even covering the visor of his helmet with his other hand. He was annoyed by the stares, but it was true that he was embarrassed.

“Committing the crime of stripping someone's armor like this is a crime, Licht.”

“Stop it. I was mistaken.”

Not wanting to let go of him showing such a pure reaction, she immediately interlaced her fingers and grabbed his hand. Then, his agitation became even more apparent.

I don't know where the fierce, wolf-like man from before had gone.

“..Pervert.”

“...”

The Licht in front of her seemed as gentle as a placid puppy. His immediate reactions were amusing, and she wanted to tease him more.

‘..I've never seen that kind of reaction before.’

Her own expression, which had been as cold as ice, unknowingly drew a fox-like curve. The rough touch of his hand transmitting to her made her feel even more relieved.

As she held his hand quietly for a moment, he opened his mouth.

“I was wrong, so please get up now….”

“Alright, I'll forgive you. Licht.”

His neck was flushed with embarrassment. Even though his face was hidden by the helmet, it was visible. She stood up with his help.

‘A reassuring scent.’

As she moved her body, the lingering scent of him permeating the coat spread, tickling her nose.

He is a werewolf with wolf characteristics. Thanks to that, she was able to find him first during the group assignment last time.

“Ah, you'll be able to equip the Masterpiece again soon, so don't worry.”

Licht encouraged Phine, who was lost in such sentiment, saying it was okay. Seeing that, she felt a strange sensation.

“..Licht. Are you okay?”

“With what?”

“If you don't have your armor.. you're weak..”

Now that he even knew she was a woman, anyone else would surely use it as a weakness against her. But the Licht in front of her would never do that.

“Mardol.”

He was the one who had already saved even Bellin Gransia unconditionally. If he had wanted imperial power or wealth, he would have obtained it long ago.

Does he not know how amazing his own actions are, being so simple-minded? Even just breaking the princess's armor and exposing her body is an offense punishable by death.

“Like I said before, everyone has weak points.”

“..Really?”

“You don't believe me? You've seen me all this time.”

“...”

It was true. Although Licht was on the strong side in terms of martial power, he was a man who became endlessly soft when it came to that 'Nameless Saintess' or whatever.

“..Well, anyway, I think it's okay for you to be without armor.”

A contradictory person, far from perfect strength, who could also be considered weak.

“Honestly, you were the hardest opponent.”

“Because I'm strong.”

“Yeah. You really are strong. I almost lost if I hadn't used Shadow Fang.”

An acknowledgment of each other's strength. A sense of pride swirled within her at being acknowledged by the strongest person she had ever seen, aside from her father.

‘..Licht, he covered me with this shadow so my identity wouldn't be revealed.’

A thought suddenly crossed Phine's mind. He was the man who, from the start of the match, seemed to dislike her until he even corrected how he addressed her.

‘Even if you're weak… so that I can protect.’

If he had fired the Shadow Fang when the glass dome wasn't up, some in the audience might have seen her form through the gaps.

‘He was waiting on purpose.’

Her keen eyes were able to see through the plan that the man named Licht had set up.

He must have already known that she could isolate space with a glass wall when she dealt with Armored Queen Bee.

“I'm fine with you being weak.”

“...”

Phine Gransia was obsessed with strength. If you weren't first, there was no point. She always thought she had to protect those weaker than herself from the Demon King.

“So, now, rely on people a little more. Mardol.”

It was because she thought it was atonement for the people who died because of her. That was also the reason she didn't run away during the melee with Magic Hat.

She finally had someone she could rely on. Someone who didn't say anything even when they saw her weak self, the one who saved her mother and healed her, the savior of her life.

“Don't try to shoulder everything alone. I'm here, aren't I?”

“..Alright. Pervert.”

A strong person who could stand equally by her side, or more precisely, someone stronger than herself, Licht.

Thanks to the cool and clean defeat, she was able to put down one burden in her heart and lean on Licht.

The conversation ended, and the two men and women stood with their backs to each other. How much time had passed in the darkness?

“You can look this way now. Licht.”

“Really? No, you're not ready yet!”

“..Pervert.”

After teasing Licht a few times, Phine put her glass armor back on. The connection with the Masterpiece was restored once again.

“You're really wearing it this time. Whew..”

Her figure was once again the majestic, heavy-armored White Knight. Mardol.

“Ah, right. And your 'strength' won't be broken, so it'll be fine. Mardol.”

At that moment, Licht continued with a puzzling statement.

“Huh..? What do you mean by that? Licht?”

“Just what I said. It might look like I beat you this time….”

He confirmed that she was properly wearing the Masterpiece and removed the darkness. The audience seats and the outside sunlight became visible again.

“..The actual result will come out as my defeat.”

His back view, with the sun behind him, was so dazzling from the diffused light that it was hard to see clearly. While she hesitated for a moment, not understanding what he meant.

[Time's up!!! The winner is, student Mardol!]

Laplace's resounding voice echoed throughout the entire stadium, announcing the astonishing result.

***

[Because when the time ran out, Licht's mana protective gear was more damaged!]

He walked away from Mardol, heading for the exit.

‘This is exactly what I was aiming for from the start.’

A result that wouldn't be seen by the audience and that Mardol, obsessed with strength, could also understand.

‘A special rule to prevent a draw.’

[The final winner is!! Student Mardol!!]

[The Grand Hearts Academy grade exam!! The strongest in the 1st year is student Mardol!! Congratulations!!]

The rule stated that when the time was fully elapsed, the one with more mana protective gear remaining on their body would win.

This way, I can stably obtain the Mana Rose.

From the beginning, I only intended to cut the Masterpiece using my will, and except for mixing swords at the start, there was almost no damage to her.

“Licht!!”

Oh dear, it seems this reasoning doesn't hold for Mardol. My footsteps slowed at the intense voice heard from behind.

“..Why on earth?! Why did you lose on purpose?!”

“Well, because you're stronger?”

“That's a lie! Licht!! I took Shadow Fang and was defeated….”

How does she know even this? Anyway, the audience is covered in cheers and won't hear what we're saying. Just from the outside, doesn't it look like I lost?

“There are things you can protect by being weak, so I lost. Mardol.”

“What..?”

Because I had to get the Mana Rose. If the second-place prize goes to Mardol, it will surely flow along the route of building affinity.

The knight in heavy armor is standing perfectly fine, while I am staggering away and running. If we fought again now, I would lose.

‘Honestly, I can't use my inner imagery anymore today either.’

I had to run away before the referee watching the match could protest my decision. The Qi emanating from my dantian also has its limits.

‘That's too bad. If I had seen her face, I could have definitely pushed her out of my mind.’

Mardol, like me, had been wearing a separate helmet. I thought she was one with the Masterpiece, but it seems it was a separate piece of equipment.

I couldn't even see her hair, which I estimated to be black. Those eccentric dwarves.

“Wait! Licht!! This isn't right! If you had just broken the mana protective gear then…!”

In fact, I have already obtained everything I wanted. The Mana Rose, and solid information about Mardol that I didn't know. Some degree of relief for her trauma.

I kept walking towards the exit, one step at a time.

This should be enough.

There won't be anything I missed. If there was, our Saintess would have cursed me out. For disarming even another woman's armor.

‘A trash that doesn't burn! Lecher! This beast.. yeah, as someone said, I might indeed be a pervert.’

There was also a part of me that wished I had listened a little more to Mardol's opinions. After we get a little closer, her confessing to me that she is a woman is a definite love flag.

“I'll request a rematch, or even a rank adjustment…!”

“..Oh, right. It’s a bit better when you talk at length.”

“What..?”

If I leave like this, would she dislike it, given her personality? I imitated Nex a bit from what I saw in <Knight Heart>. An action taken on the rival route.

“Licht!! Don't go..!”

Mardol, having exhausted all her mana, couldn't stop me. She flailed her hands in the air trying to grab me, but kept falling, as if she had no strength left in her legs either.

“See you later, then. Mardol.”

In the end, it's better to catch the Demon Kings together as comrades. This way, I will have definitely been incorporated into the companion route.

Even if I have no experience in love, I know that such absurd incidents won't hold me back.

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