WeTried Translations

Translator: Botanica

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Academy’s Pure Love Dark Knight

Chapter 1

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Episode 1.  Beta Test - Beta Tester Invitation.

There's a game called <Knight Heart>, that was released exactly 10 years ago.

A classic fantasy RPG.

With its beautiful rhythm, unique characters, and intriguing premise that there wasn't just one hero or demon king, it was immensely popular.

Even I, who didn't particularly like games, played it for three days and nights straight.

How happy I was when I first defeated the Demon King.

Honestly, it's a story that modern people might call too old-fashioned.

A human man who falls in love with a cursed dragon. A hero and a mage who defeat the Demon King and evolve from childhood friends into lovers. A common game like that.

But I actually liked it.

How the characters in the game would unwittingly gaze at each other's faces.

Calling each other by nicknames to emphasize their special bond, or matching their clothes to the other's hair or eye color.

I loved those tingly descriptions of feelings slowly growing.

I'd never been in a relationship, but I had memorized all the successful romance routes in the game.

Among them, my favorite character was the nameless Saintess.

An NPC who endlessly and brightly encouraged the player.

Her unique "hoo hoo" laugh and bright smile.

Many people said her name was a hint for a sequel.

Since it was a game company that loved Easter eggs, it was quite a convincing theory.

As an ending discovered by a user had once been incorporated into the official route.

She, who was like a pure white canvas, was a Saintess with wolf ears and a tail.

In the game community, she was called "Saintess, Platinum Wolf."

Another title, Blue Rose, was given because of the text mentioning a strong rose scent and her liking the flower meaning of blue roses.

Back in the days when floppy disks and CDs were familiar to people.

That one game was my only sanctuary in life.

Looking back now, it might be true that it's just 'nostalgia'.

[We will release a sequel for all of you who enjoyed Knight Heart!]

Yes, I was happy until that came out.

“...Fuck.”

A pamphlet that read <Black Heart>.

A bitter taste filled my mouth. What were they thinking, pulling such a drastic swerve?

Most sequels are said to be worse than their predecessors, and this was a rule that even my favorite game couldn't escape.

My head spun. If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have bought it. Stiff block-like graphics, new characters that felt half-baked, and a shattered romance story.

I was thoroughly hooked. A fish flopping on the deck must feel like this.

[Thanks to all your support, our Fantasia Game Company was able to succeed! ( ˘ᗜ˘ ]

Don't use emoticons. Where did the original creator go? I heard rumors they were locked in the game company's warehouse.

[The data you played in the previous game will be fully inherited!]

On top of that, they advertised a <Inheritance System>, where the ending would differ depending on which route you took in the previous game. A sequel with the Hero and Mage couple as protagonists.

They said that those who only appeared as childhood friends had gotten married. My heart pounded. To think I could see the characters I loved so much again.

The illustration of the Saintess imagining a wedding dress from the first game came to mind. She who dreamed of being a pure white bride. Her sleep-talk appearing as text was so cute.

[You wanted to see the after-stories of the original characters, didn't you? (｡•̀ᴗ-✧]

I was tempted by those words and bought it. Of course, I inherited the save file from the original game where I took the Saintess route.

When there was one step left until the ending, a forced event occurred.

A CG scene where a crazy magician suddenly appeared and sliced up the characters from the previous game.

[The Hero and the Mage fled from battle.]

[The reason was that their love was deemed weak.]

[Therefore, the party, having lost its strongest forces, was annihilated.]

[No gravestones could be erected. Because no one could even retrieve their bodies.]

[Among them, the 'nameless' Saintess was a figure who could not be recorded on the casualty list.]

I squeezed my eyes shut. Malicious text, clearly full of intent.

The cruelty-neutered text, in an attempt to avoid censorship, felt even more provocative.

It was clear they were a terrible developer. To kill off all the characters from the previous game just to promote the sequel's characters?

Ah, on second thought, not all of them. The Hero and the Mage eloped.

It was as if they thought, 'If we kill off popular characters, players will feel angry at the game's villains!' - and they killed them off truly cleanly.

Because I loved the original characters more than anyone else. On the day I played the sequel, I couldn't even properly swallow water, but I kept challenging it.

And I did it.

[Player Lee Suhyun has defeated ‘Magic Hat, the Demon King of Truth’ for the first time in the world!]

“I finally cleared it!! Huh..? Why is it like this...?”

The event scene was still the same.

Nothing had changed.

Everyone was forcibly declared dead, and the cruel text appeared again.

This was the 24th time seeing this text. Just looking at it made my head ache, so I leaned back against the chair.

I sent an inquiry email. I argued why a different story didn't appear after defeating the boss monster.

How much time passed? A 'ding-' notification sound rang from the speaker.

A reply came from the game company.

[This is the developer of <Black Heart>.]

[The 'Grand Route' achievement that Player Lee Suhyun inquired about is indeed still unimplemented!]

[How did you defeat a boss that was designed to be unbeatable?!]

So that's how it was? I sighed. How is it that all this damn developer does is torment users? I couldn't quit since all my money went into this game.

[If this is the case, we have no choice but to bring out what we've prepared...]

Yeah, hurry up and give me the happy Saintess's after-story. You guys are masters at hiding Easter eggs. Just...

[Therefore, we will reveal the final installment of the <Knight Heart Trilogy> to the world!]

Not that. When did it become a trilogy? Is that why the story is such a mess, because you rush things?

[So, we highly value your efforts and would like to invite you as a beta tester for our third installment. What do you think?]

Just give me the ending. It's another shitty sequel, isn't it? No way. How much I suffered through part 2.

[The Saintess? What if you could save her this time?]

My breath caught. I struggled and suffered endlessly, but it didn't work. Could she really be saved?

..No. That can't be. These are the guys who, when a boss is defeated too quickly, say, 'We added an instant-kill pattern!'

Get a grip.

[Thanks to Lee Suhyun, our Fantasia team was able to successfully distribute this game! It would have been impossible without you, you know?]

Last time, they showered me with items. A first boss clear certainly has its perks... No, this is a trap too.

[We didn't expect anyone to clear this with just their control skills!]

I'd rather trust the neighbor's... mongrel... than you guys.

[This new work is a prequel to the original, a 'past' story, not a future one! You know that the protagonists of the original and the sequel came from the same school, right?]

Not a sequel, but a past story, a prequel?

[The subtitle for the third installment is <Grand Hearts Academy>! How about it, do you remember?]

I doubted my own eyes.

This game developer, they seemed to be more serious about the original than I thought?

[We need to see if the inherited data works well even in that romance fantasy academy setting.]

If that's the case, why is this (Grand Route achievement) unimplemented here?

[We can't have contradictions appearing in the 'story' of the original and the sequel, can we?]

[So, if you can perfectly recreate all the love you saw in parts 1 and 2.]

[We'll create an ending just for the Saintess. And it'll be an official 'Grand Route Ending'!]

[How about it? Aren't you tempted? You don't look at anything other than the Saintess route, do you~]

..You perverts. How did they know? Next time, I'll have to post anonymously.

[Additionally, we will give you a global first kill bonus for your achievement! Congratulations!]

I scrolled down.

A game key, a combination of letters and numbers, and illustrations described as in-game screenshots.

A picture of someone smiling with flower petals fluttering, a picture of the protagonists from the original and sequel meeting.

And,

A picture of the Saintess, dressed in a pure white gown, smiling happily, was visible.

Her eyes were slightly reddened, as if she had shed tears of joy.

Next to it,

Small text was written: 'This time, I will make you believe in love.'

Even a short catchphrase: [The Grand Route Ending has finally been implemented!]

I swallowed. Could there be any game player who could resist after seeing something like this?

At least, it wasn't me.

- For her happiness, protect all existing love.

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