WeTried Translations

Translator: Botanica

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Academy’s Pure Love Dark Knight

Chapter 16

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Episode 16. Spirits represent human emotions.

Thus, a week had already passed.

Counting class days, it was the second week. My body was gradually adapting to life at the Academy, but,

[You've joined the Magic Club!]

..No matter how I look at it, this is something I can't adapt to.

[I thought you'd be reading romance novels in the book club! ♡(*´ ˘ `*)]

That's a no for me. I don't want to meet a sage and get spoiled. How long have I played that game for? I won't be swayed.

[Then, as a reward, I'll give you a piece of good information.]

Oh, surely it's not something about the Saintess?

[There might be a character here that wasn't in Knight Heart! Isn't that amazing? How about it? Was it helpful? ☆ｰ(๑•᎑<๑]

“I already know that.”

Today, too, as soon as I opened my eyes in bed, I sighed at the status window floating before me.

This really must be invisible to others. Even with the flamboyant heart shapes dancing on the screen, the Hero next to me didn't even glance at it. If I saw it often, my eyes would hurt.

“What are you doing, Licht? Why are you suddenly talking to yourself?”

Ah, I almost forgot to use polite speech.

This shouldn't be happening. It seems there have been too many things unsettling my mind lately.

“I was just bored, that's all. Aren't you meeting Ariel, Kainel?”

“I have to go out now, she said she wants to eat something, so I'll go first.”

“Please do. See you in the lecture hall a bit later.”

In that case, it's better if I step out. Interrupting a date isn't good. Sorry, but I'm not some rookie who interferes with other people's lovelines.

I opened the door and saw the Yellow Dog off. A 'clack' of metal was heard.

As soon as he left, I pulled out my notebook.

“..No matter how much I search, I don't see anything else.”

I felt uneasy ignoring the message on the status window. Just looking at Professor Beatrice alone, there were too many unpredictable aspects about her.

An intellectual attacking a Fox Slime? I'd be lucky if it didn't end up in the newspaper.

‘Should I look among the clergy? It's not the first Saintess for sure.. I don't know this person's appearance.’

I turned the pages several times. Then my hand stopped.

‘Platinum Wolf.’

Again, the name in the blank space remained unfilled. I bit my lower lip.

I'm not capable enough to uncover her whereabouts right now.

“..Is she somewhere else?”

My vision blurred. Dizziness washed over me, and I sighed, closing the book.

Even the Northern Grand Duchess didn't have a rumor circulating that she was among the new students.

She's probably fending off monster attacks by now. I recalled someone who would preach about the settings until their ears bled.

“...”

I looked at the transparent window floating before my eyes.

The status window wouldn't tell me. What game would kindly show you the way to a hidden ending?

I shouldn't trust this too much, nor ignore it. Because in games, there were NPCs that didn't even show up in data mining.

“First, I should walk around and think.”

To get some fresh air and clear my thoughts, that's the best way. I prepared to leave, grabbing my sword.

“This is going to break soon. If I have time, I should get it repaired.”

The cracked sword blade caught my eye.

Even if I had two bodies, it wouldn't be enough. Won't someone else protect the lovelines for me?

***

I set off. There was plenty of time left until the morning lecture.

Just like that, I was aimlessly walking around the Academy. Surely some event would happen this way.

Just then, I saw a familiar face. I actually managed this.

“Char, do you really like my spirit that much?”

“Of course! It's a phoenix from the Aureus family, isn't it?”

“Well, that's good then... but it's too small.”

“What does size matter for a spirit? The heart is what's important.”

Two people, a man and a woman, sat close together on the terrace.

A purple sparrow perched on the woman's hand, nuzzling her cheek playfully.

‘That person...?’

I felt a sense of déjà vu about the purple-haired man.

The player's rival who appears in <Knight Heart>.

It was Nex Aureus.

Among users, he was commonly called the Purple Fox rather than by his alias, Phoenix.

This was because his spirit was strong, his true intentions were unknown, and he was skilled at deceiving people and lying.

He was a unique character even among the cast.

He was supposed to be a playboy. But the two people I was seeing now clearly looked like lovers, absolutely overflowing with affection.

Am I seeing things?

“No lectures today, Nex?”

“I took a self-imposed break to see our Char. It's the add/drop period, so it's okay to miss a 

bit.”

“..If you do that, I'll scold you. Hmph.”

“Ugh, how can a cleric have such a sharp hand!”

The guy I knew had a truckload of women every time he appeared. So I set him aside when thinking about lovelines.

He looked utterly strange, drinking his beverage cheerfully while being hit on the back by the woman.

But wait, what did she say...?

‘A cleric.’

No matter how I looked at him, he was a vampire. Red eyes, pointed ears, long black hair. These three traits clearly showed his racial characteristics.

Well, there's also a wolf-eared healer. Does it matter?

“Char, actually, I do have a free period today. The professor went on a business trip.”

“You're really good at lying. That's a bad habit.”

“Sorry. So please don't use your divine power punch.”

“I'll think about it.”

What's more, that Casanova seems to be using a pet name. A honeyed voice every time he said the word 'Char'. He wasn't usually the type to memorize girls' names.

‘Hmph, wench. What do you want?’

His tone of voice from back then is still in my head. Is he the same person? He's completely different. The voice actor also performed with a very cold tone.

I crossed my arms. I brought a hand to my mouth. I felt like I had seen something similar in the list I'd jotted down earlier.

‘Ah, could it be this?’

The message I saw this morning came to mind again. A character not in Knight Heart.

‘If my memory serves me right...’

That nun might be the reason Nex Aureus became a prodigal son.

But my information gathering would be at a significant disadvantage. For now, I decided to see Kainel and Ariel in the lecture hall and watch these two.

I probably trust they'll do well without me. At times like this, it was truly sad that there was no one to help me. I sat in a nearby seat, far enough not to be noticed.

‘I can see the status window in front of me, and I can only see the ending where the Saintess is happy if I connect couples!’

Who would believe such a thing? I'd be lucky if I wasn't treated like a lunatic. A hollow laugh escaped me.

“Ah, Nex. There's something I want to tell you.”

“What is it? Char.”

“A younger sibling I've been close with since childhood has enrolled in the Academy this time!”

“So a freshman? It's been a long time since I took general education courses, so I won't be able to meet them, will I?”

Nex crossed his legs. He had a suspicious expression, as if he had some inkling.

“They're an incredibly cute child! Someone famous that even you would know...”

“What's their name?”

“They probably use the alias Mardol? They wear peculiar attire, so they're easy to recognize.”

“Hmm, wouldn't that make them harder to find?”

The woman named Char next to me smiled brightly.

‘An alias, you say...’

Ugh, was it about the Crown Prince? This guy really keeps popping up. He's received far too much favoritism from the creator.

“Is it that one? That black helmet? They've been looking over here since earlier.”

“No, that child is different. They wouldn't wear something so uncool.”

What's wrong with a Black Knight? I furrowed my brow inside my helmet.

Nex really is different, I got caught staring.

“They're a student wearing glass armor.”

“Aha, so it's them. I think I might have seen them a bit when I was young, through the family head.”

“They were such a bright child when they were young...”

“Indeed. Has it been about 10 years?”

The two of them had wistful expressions, as if lost in memories.

Seeing that scene, I found myself in a serious situation.

‘I need to come up with a way to derail this route, somehow.’

If I get more involved here, I'll raise a flag. Eavesdropping on a protagonist's past?

This is definitely the Crown Prince route. I get it, creator.

‘You are the only one who understands me! My lady!’

I recalled Lupus launching a confession attack on the heroine.

Horrible. It's too early to give up on the Saintess route. No one else is in my heart.

Unless the Platinum Wolf has someone she likes, that's another matter. I intend to prioritize her happiness as much as possible.

Just because you're on a route doesn't mean you'll succeed in romance. You can't touch emotions.

Because that's what love is.

I don't think following the game story exactly means everyone will fall for you.

Knowing someone's preferences doesn't guarantee a successful confession. Even I, who has never had a real-life relationship, know that.

I learned a little from the Nameless Saintess's favorite books.

[..Please don't spread rumors that I read romance novels. Knight.]

This is why I detest male protagonists of somewhat unhinged harem stories. They have plausibility, but lack verisimilitude.

If you want to win love, at least put in some effort.

I leaned back in my chair. I felt tired.

“Excuse me... sir. Would you like to order?”

“Ah, yes.”

A waiter approached me, whose eyes were tightly shut. Right, they wouldn't see it because I was wearing a helmet.

Good. I've decided.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

A route for a route.

“By any chance, do you also have a ‘drink that changes from ash-grey to golden’ here?”

“Sir? We don't sell anything like that.”

“That's a shame. It is a rather finicky ingredient, though.”

The waiter made a blank expression, as if they had heard something strange.

“I thought an 'unawakened phoenix egg' was quite common, you know.”

It didn't matter. I had said it because my objective was elsewhere from the start.

“..What did you say?”

It worked. The fox's smile had vanished from his face, as if he couldn't believe it. This is what's good about knowing the affection choices.

“Nex? What's wrong?”

“Wait, Chartiness. I'm going over there for a moment.”

Nex Aureus stood up from his seat and headed towards me. The sound of his footsteps grew faster and faster.

He probably never expected to hear those words outside his family.

It was an indirect jab at Asha Aureus, the current family head.

‘Asha Aureus Side Story DLC: Hair color changes upon realizing love.’

Because it's a secret most people don't know. That one of the Ten Greats had a constitution where her spirit wouldn't awaken.

The distant past story where a grey-haired girl's family faces ruin due to an unawakened phoenix, and the player saves them.

If you proceed with the extra content that increases affection, her hair gradually turns golden, strand by strand, and eventually she masters her spirit like Asha Aureus at the time of the main story.

Honestly, to me, a Saintess faction member, it looked like a 'whale' package. It's helpful that I've only read review posts.

Screeeak, the chair in front was pushed back.

“Hmph, commoner. Have you lost your mind? If it were an insult to me, I could at least forgive it.”

“I'd say half of it is gone. Young Master.”

“..Do you know what happens when you badmouth one of the Ten Greats? Commoner? How dare you regret such a thing in front of the eldest son of the Aureus family....”

Unlike a moment ago, his tone had changed back to the one I usually knew.

‘You know the Academy doesn't care about social status, so you made a mistake out of haste, didn't you?’

Now he's even acting. Sorry, but I can't be fooled. I know your countermeasures too well because you're a <Knight Heart> character. Nex's eyebrows kept twitching.

“Isn't it worth hearing? Forcing a political marriage to awaken a spirit, while he himself didn't do that.”

I smiled faintly inside my helmet. I believe political marriages lack romance. These words naturally came from my honest feelings. There's nothing to be criticized for.

“Are you not afraid of the Living Sun? You've gone mad, haven't you?”

“Don't you think so too?”

“Wha, what? How dare you...”

“Let's be honest. You're the one who said you wouldn't even accept the inheritance from your family.”

I remembered his rogue-like self, telling his harem members to scram because he wasn't interested in money or anything like that.

Though, ultimately, they still clung to him for his looks or his spirit.

‘He did seem like a character with various hidden circumstances.’

I also know that his life was ruined because the family head pushed the political marriage. It was a long entry in the setting book.

“How do you know that... No, wait. Who exactly are you?”

“I have a way of knowing things. As one of the Ten Greats, you'd know, wouldn't you?”

At this point, he should figure it out with a keen eye. I just need to make him mistakenly think I'm involved with a sage. Even if I get caught, I have a way to claim I'm Drake's disciple.

At that, he hid his threatening demeanor and fell into contemplation.

“..Junior. What you just said. You meant it, right?”

The passionate noble demeanor from earlier vanished, and he returned to a tone I didn't know. Is he trying to guess I'm a junior because I'm at the Academy?

‘I can't let my guard down around this person.’

He's indeed an intelligence-type character. If I hadn't known, I would have fallen for his tricks. He's a rival worthy of the name, where one wrong answer could lead to serious trouble. I wish Kainel was even half as cunning as Nex.

“Yes, I am absolutely sincere.”

“Haha.”

Nex's expression, upon hearing the answer, stiffened for a moment before a smile began to spread across his face.

“..So you also dislike our family head! This is the first time I've ever seen that.”

“I personally don't like him.”

“Right, there have to be people like this. I like your spirit, junior.”

The fox smiled broadly, as if he had found a comrade.

Ignoring the waiter, he leaned his face close to mine and spoke. The golden phoenix emblem reflected and shimmered.

This way, the Purple Phoenix will help me escape the route.

Mr. Harem Destroyer, I'll be counting on you.

***

<Gransia Empire Patisserie>. In a place located in an alley of the Academy, similar to Licht,

There were three figures.

“So, why is Mardol here...?”

“I don't know either...”

The blonde Hero and the red-haired Mage looked at the Glass Knight.

“Regular.”

Having already devoured several plates, she mumbled something to Kainel and his companions.

Movement was felt inside the helmet.

The Hero deliberately ignored it and spoke to his childhood friend.

“..Ariel, what are you going to eat?”

“I just need something sweet... Oh? All the candies are gone?”

“Here, there are some left.”

Then, she handed some candies to the Mage. Mardol, who, like the Black Knight, kept her face hidden.

“Oh... thank you, Mardol. By any chance, do you like sweets too...?”

“Yeah. A lot.”

“Me too! Is there anything you'd recommend?”

“This, and strawberry cake.”

As expected, getting closer to someone happens through food, doesn't it?

“I want to try strawberry cake too...”

“Eat it for dessert.”

“Then what should I eat for breakfast?”

“Sandwich. I recommend it.”

Mardol was already clinging to her, telling her about various types of desserts. Since Ariel looked happy, Kainel merely watched.

“Wow, this is really cute. It's a bear-shaped sandwich!”

“..Cute.”

“But it's too expensive...”

“I'll buy one.”

“Really...? Still, let's split the cost... and eat it together! Mardol!”

“Okay.”

After buying the bear-shaped sandwich, the two girls split it in half. It was quite a large portion for one person to eat.

“Oh, this is really delicious. Thank you!”

“Right.”

Ariel munched on her food like a happy squirrel. Beside her, a glass wall was set up.

“But why are you eating with a glass shield? Just like Licht.”

“If I reveal it, I'll weaken.”

“I see...”

The red cat asked, looking at Mardol, who hid her face even when eating something with her.

Hearing that, she immediately agreed. Thinking that there must be some unspeakable secret.

‘Where have I seen this before... Ah.’

A sensation caught in a corner of his mind. That sight felt somehow familiar to Kainel.

“Is it proper etiquette for knights to give people candy? Uh... Mardol?”

After wrapping the strawberry cake Ariel wanted to try, Kainel also sat down.

The person who couldn't come to this place now.

His roommate, the Black Knight, came to mind.

“No...?”

“What are you talking about, Kai?”

The two women looked at Kainel, as if not understanding what he meant.

“No. It must have been my imagination.”

He shook his head.

It was a secret between men, so he decided to keep it.

‘Surely Licht having candy wasn't because of Mardol.’

Even if he thought so himself, it was too far-fetched. No matter how oblivious he was, it wouldn't be like that.

The Yellow Dog also bought a crab meat sandwich and ate it.

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