WeTried Translations
Translator: Botanica
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Academy’s Pure Love Dark Knight
Chapter 20
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Episode 20. Misunderstanding and understanding differ by one letter.
Maria's lecture ended, and three people gathered in the chapel. It was the Glass Knight, Nex, and Chartiness.
“Phine, even so, bringing an unknown spirit all the way here was a mistake.”
“..Sister Char, mean.”
“Drake's disciple? Isn't this the first time?”
The purple-haired man, who had dug up information on Licht, questioned her.
“You didn't know..?”
“That old man refused even you, Phine.”
Reading the magically scrawled parchment, he rubbed his temples again.
Licht's personal details were briefly written on the paper, and an emblem, like a dragon split in half, shone as if confirming he was a disciple of the Ten Greats.
“That’s right.”
“Then at least he’s not associated with the Heroic Cult.”
Phine nodded slightly. Seeing her, the black-haired nun felt relieved.
“..Kkamangi[1], was scared.”
“Princess.. You didn't really name that spirit, did you?”
“Yeah.”
“What kind of naming method is that, Phine?”
“It's Junior Licht's. Is it okay to do that to a spirit?”
At those words, the white ears inside her helmet drooped slightly.
“Disappearing, no like.”
It was because she was reminded that the spirit that had been in her arms just a moment ago was gone.
She was wondering if there was any way.
“Char. The wolf spirit talked to my sparrow.. It was okay.”
“Kkamangi.”
“Right, Kkamangi said… it would protect, apparently?”
“What..?”
Nex spoke to Chartiness with a somewhat strange tone. The Glass Knight also tilted her head at this.
“So, Char. What you’re worried about won’t happen. If it’s good, that’s all that matters.”
“Nex, I’m curious, are spirits originally all like that..?”
“They’re not one-dimensional beings, but they definitely have clear likes and dislikes.”
“Not a lie.”
"Protect," such an abstract word. The black-haired nun asked a question. Who would protect whom, exactly?
“I’m worried.. Phine might experience something like that again.”
“There are spirits that can act, but would a newborn do that?”
“Right. It was good.”
Chartiness revealed her true feelings with a sad expression, but Nex, on the contrary, was calm. He had gathered enough reasons.
‘Considering it didn’t fear my phoenix, it must be a strong emotion.’
Is it the emotion of protecting someone called the Nameless Saintess?
He recalled the man who had asked a puzzling question on the terrace this morning.
That was the most likely possibility. He had shown anxiety, even his hands and words trembling. Although his expression was hidden by his helmet, it was certain.
‘The atmosphere had completely changed from when he was cursing.’
But the current Saintess is Chartiness, the 2nd generation.
Someone must have lied to Junior. The vampire Saintess’s reputation isn’t good. He might have believed fabricated words meant to slander Char.
“Phine, you can’t trust all men. They’re wolves!”
“Brother Nex is.”
“He’s a fox, so it’s fine.”
“Foolish sister.”
Watching the two women bickering and arguing, Nex pondered deeply. It was dangerous to speculate further from here. He lacked information.
‘Still, to impersonate the Saintess, how daring.’
He didn’t seem to be flirting with her. If he had approached Phine with the intention of targeting Char, the spirit would have attacked him.
Because it would have perceived them as rivals or enemies.
But it was hugged by Phine. Had it ever served the Empire? If its parents or relatives had worked for the imperial family, it could be.
‘The emotion of protecting could arise for many people. Given that my spirit isn’t aggressive towards Junior, it’s plausible.’
Furthermore, Char is a vampire cleric. He couldn't have been unaware of that.
People in this world might find it strange or harbor prejudices.
‘The fact that he had no reaction even after seeing her eyes or fangs.’
“..From what I see, he’s not a bad guy. I’m certain.”
“No matter how brilliant your mind is, you know you can’t beat them, Nex.”
“Still, smart.”
Most people are terrified at the sight of a vampire. In fact, when Nex met Chartiness, she was being persecuted.
But Junior didn’t.
“He didn’t say anything even after seeing our Char. Trust me. People like that are rare these days, you know?”
“That’s true. But if he touches Phine, I’ll get angry.”
“Licht, unusual.”
Considering all these points, Black Knight Licht still didn't seem like someone who would commit evil deeds.
“Spirits have a way of communicating, Char. Just like you and I… Agh! I was hit in the bone! Stop!”
“This man, really! How! How did he become such a fox..! There’s nothing he can’t say in front of Phine!”
“Fool. Brother Nex.”
The man smiled like a fox, trying to reassure the Saintess, but it backfired.
A divine power-infused fist began to land on the man’s back.
“Princess! No, Phine! Save me! I’m dying!”
“Other person. Don’t know.”
The Glass Knight turned her head, watching the scene.
The punches became a flurry. They seemed quite potent. His mask-like expression broke, and he looked like he was about to cry.
“Aaaargh! Cha-Char. Just because you heal doesn’t mean everything’s okay!”
“You do that in front of a junior! And you did it at the church last time! You need to be punished a bit!”
Nex Aureus’s screams continued for about ten minutes inside the chapel. It was the karma he, a doting fool, had accumulated so far.
Watching the absurd spectacle,
‘If that’s true.. why did Kkamangi come to me..?’
A sudden question made Phine have a flash of insight, but.
‘Because it’s a wolf too.. it protects..?’
This time too, they diverged without a point of intersection.
She misunderstood, believing it was following the wolf’s habit of always moving in packs.
***
As soon as I woke up in the infirmary, I headed to the next lecture hall. I missed lunch and ended up missing Kainel and Ariel.
I can’t use spirits, I can’t use magic, is swordsmanship the only thing I can rely on? Thinking that this world was truly too harsh on me, I ran between buildings.
Already late, I entered through the back door and sat down.
“Student Licht, you’re late.”
“I apologize.”
Other students were diligently attending the lecture. Red and blonde hair, and a glass helmet were visible in the front row.
Barely catching my breath, I took out my notebook and started taking notes.
Professor Beatrice, who had just warned me, continued with the class.
“..Therefore, if divine power is concentrated, it can also be used as a weapon.”
The vampire Saintess wrapped it around her fist to hit people, so was this the principle behind it?
“Good ways to utilize it include coating equipment to increase its strength or range, or..”
Professor Beatrice picked up the weapons displayed behind her, one by one.
The sword sharpened as if wrapped in an aura, and the spear’s piercing range increased.
“Or like this, using it freely. Though it might be a bit difficult for all of you.”
Setting those down, she once again conjured a bow and arrow made of light in her hand.
Archer nun? That’s an interesting concept. I wondered if there had been any ranged characters of that type in the game.
“It seems flawless, but it has a weakness: divine power can only be maintained if one keeps their composure in any situation.”
The short-haired nun smiled with only her eyes. A shiver ran down my spine. No matter how I thought about it, she seemed like a villain.
“The manifestation of desire is like that. If you assume a desperate situation and believe in it, there are cases where even divine power won’t gather.”
“...”
The hand transcribing the words stopped. I recalled something I had seen in the old <Knight Heart>.
So that’s why the healing prayer didn’t work then. I felt displeased.
‘It was a more desperate situation than I thought. Was this the reason the Nameless Saintess acted that way?’
In games, skill failures are rare. They only happened when hit by CC (crowd control) or when fighting immune bosses.
But there was one similar case among the events I witnessed.
The developers’ passion to maintain some level of plausibility was evident. And such people made <Black Heart>? It was unbelievable.
“Then, today as well, we’ll do a practical exercise.”
As I was lost in various thoughts, a shocking statement came out.
“Each of you, let’s try to create one weapon. My little lambs.”
This really feels like a guaranteed F, should I give up? The professor was smiling, looking at me. Was it on purpose? She must have seen that divine power didn’t gather during the healing prayer.
I was about to storm out of the lecture hall but then composed myself.
‘..I don’t want to see the Nameless Saintess get hurt.’
I remembered possessing this body in the game. I might as well aim for a retake.
If I ace the theory-based exam, it should be fine. As long as I don’t get academic probation.
“Kai, look at this. It’s a divine power staff!”
“Ariel, then is what I made a divine power sword?”
“Probably? Hehe.”
Seeing Kainel and Ariel so easily gather divine power to create swords and staffs made me sad. As expected, they're protagonists, so they're definitely overpowered characters.
Mardol.. seems to be making a puppy doll. Come to think of it, that's not a weapon.
Fluffy white divine power, like dandelion fluff, took the shape of a ball of fur.
“..Kkamangi.”
The Glass Knight gently stroked the round head of the white puppy. Its fur was combed into a square-shaped dog.
“...”
My route is truly messed up. Anyone can see it’s a Pomeranian. And not even a white one, but a black one.
What on earth happened while I was asleep?
***
After finishing the practical exercise of making weapons in the Divine Power Studies class, I walked down the road.
Only I couldn't make one again? This is unfair.
“I never knew even spirits liked knight helmets.”
“It’s cool. Like a hero to everyone.”
“Ugh. It’s cringey, Licht.”
Kainel recalled yesterday’s events and looked at my helmet with strange eyes.
It must have mistaken me for its owner after seeing the helmet. I thought, looking at Mardol's shining equipment. Aside from wearing armor, he's similar to me.
“So.. Kainel. Did my spirit really do that?”
“It just wouldn’t leave Mardol’s arms. Even when it growled, it looked so trivial and cute.”
“Right! Helmet. It was more like a puppy than a wolf! Really fluffy, you know.”
“It was cute.”
I asked others about what happened in the morning. They said there was nothing strange, except that my spirit was in Mardol’s arms. For me, it was a serious situation.
“The spirit probably made a mistake.”
I struggled to break the flag.
“So you should have just done it moderately, you looked really upset!”
“..Kainel.”
“Alright. Licht. I’ll stop.”
Yellow Dog, you're really dead later. I was thinking of our Saintess. You'll get caught doing something related to Ariel one day too.
I felt dizzy and lightheaded. I must have gotten closer to Elder Nex, but does it still turn out this way even with the Harem Crusher?
“Licht.”
As if proving my ominous premonition, a resonant voice came from beside me.
“What’s wrong, Mardol?”
The Glass Knight stared at my face for a long time. I became afraid that my name and Lupus's content would appear in the status window.
“..Kkamangi, can’t you wake it up?”
“Kkamangi..?”
“Licht, spirit.”
When did you name it again? It’s not yours. Stop the flag.
“Well.”
I rested my hand on my chin. But can I really not use this? When I played the game, it never worked in the end.
If I could wield a sword while using a spirit, I might be able to target the weakness of at least one Demon King.
‘At least it exists.’
A black wolf. The fact that it’s mixed with a Pomeranian must be influenced by my real-world experience.
Her favorite cute appearance. The saying that spirits are conceived from emotions must really be true.
Perhaps it would wake up if it saw the Nameless Saintess?
Looking at it this way, I can understand why Nex’s phoenix follows Chartiness so devotedly. She was probably the first person to truly acknowledge him.
Since the mask of the seemingly unlucky liar had been removed, it must be certain.
But in my case, why did it run to Mardol? Just as I was about to point out something strange.
“..Let’s wake it up quickly.”
My concentration broke.
“You know that spirit users are not common, right?”
“Unusual Licht, can do it.”
“..Huh?”
I definitely need to finish the sword exchange quickly. Something has gone terribly wrong.
All the flags were pointing towards the Crown Prince route.
I would be satisfied just by properly taking the Saintess route and happily protecting her by her side. Why is this world doing this to me?
“Mardol.”
“Licht. Why?”
“Let’s go do the sword exchange right now.”
“Really..?”
This is a frontal assault. After this, I won’t get entangled anymore. To be precise, I’m receiving it via magic, but.
I had to somehow get away from the Crown Prince. I don’t even know where I got entangled anymore. I shouldn’t have touched Lupus’s affection points.
“It wasn’t a lie, after all.”
“I'm not good at it to begin with. Even Kainel can tell right away.”
“..Is that a compliment for me, Licht?”
“Helmet guy. Kai still has good perception.”
No way. If the Yellow Dog next door knew something I didn't, I'd sell all my items and quit the game.
“I can only teach you the first form. Nothing more, Mardol.”
“That’s enough, Licht.”
I regretted having immediately sent him on a journey and defeated the boss in <Black Heart>. If he weren’t someone who prevented me from seeing the Saintess’s route, I might have even memorized his route.
Because he was such a dangerous character. I only saw it once and didn’t even attempt it.
‘The fact that he’s the Emperor’s only son is just too significant.’
If I get entangled incorrectly, I'll really die. In the game, I could at least force quit with a trick.
It’s impossible here.
“But Licht.”
“What is it, Kainel?”
“Do you know what a sword exchange means?”
“I don’t.”
“Helmet guy, you really don’t know? It’s like exchanging letters with each other… Ugh!”
“..Ariel, quiet down.”
He clapped his hand over the red-haired mage’s mouth. Oh, her cheeks are red. An unexpected harvest.
To think the Crown Prince’s short, curt reply would be helpful.
“Hyak.”
“Good luck. Licht.”
Watching Ariel’s trembling eyes, Kainel merely let out a sigh of relief without much reaction. Her lips must be touching his palm,
As expected, 24 percent isn't enough.
Thinking of the dating points I still needed to raise, I felt overwhelmed.
“You should take care of yourself first.”
“What are you talking about?”
I snapped at the clueless Yellow Dog, who wore a bewildered expression.
Honestly, if you say something like that, it feels like things will go wrong, but seeing you two flirt makes me feel relieved.
“Well, there are some things.”
“Puhaha. Helmet guy. Go have a good exchange..”
“Understood, Ariel.”
Just then, the hand covering her mouth fell away, and her mouth opened.
The two looked awkwardly at each other, perhaps bewildered by the lingering sensation. Their eyes were wider than usual.
“Ariel. Uh, sorry. Were you surprised?”
“No. Kai. I interfered too much..”
“Go and come back.. Licht.. Hmm, should I wash my hands..?”
The pink aura flowing between them. This is the original's vibe.
“..Idiot, dummy. Sea anemone.”
“What’s wrong again, Ariel.”
“I don’t know. Just figure it out yourself! Kai!”
But then why are they walking at the same pace? The distance between them hasn't even grown.
That’s a good flag. At least I won't have to witness Kainel's harem route. Ariel has a firm grip on his initiative like this, doesn't she?
Laughter kept bubbling up inside me. I shouldn't make a sound, should I?
“Go on ahead quickly, Helmet guy.”
“Understood.”
Rather than trusting the Yellow Dog next door, it's better to trust the Red Cat's words.
If I take it easy, I won't even be able to sort out my feelings and will end up in the center of a chaotic battlefield. I had no choice from the beginning.
“Then, I’ll see you later at the dorm, Kainel.”
I need to confront it first and then think.
Footnotes:
1) "까망이" (Kkamangi) means "Blackie"
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