WeTried Translations
Translator: Botanica
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Academy’s Pure Love Dark Knight
Chapter 21
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Episode 21. Misunderstanding and understanding differ by one letter.
The Black Knight and the Glass Knight headed to the sword training ground.
Watching their retreating figures, Kainel and Ariel began to talk.
“Kai... why on earth did you do that earlier?”
“It’s intuition, pure intuition. I saw what happened yesterday, and no matter how I think about it, Licht and Mardol are too similar.”
The blonde-haired hero grinned. He somewhat understood what Licht had been thinking in the carriage. So this is the perspective of an outsider.
“he’s practically a spitting image of Helmet guy... except one only wears a helmet.”
“At least Mardol doesn’t seem like a bad guy. It’s good for freshmen to get along.”
“But a sword exchange means they’ve acknowledged each other...”
The Glass Knight, who handed out candy at the bakery, came to mind. Hidden by his armor, his true feelings were unknown, but seeing that he got along well with Ariel, he seemed like a good person.
“Well, if Licht begged me on his knees and called me hyung, I’d be confident enough to exchange with him too, Ariel.”
“Kids who use swords all seem to be strange...”
The red-haired mage let out a sigh.
Come to think of it, with white hair, he should have stood out at the Academy, but even after inquiring a bit when Licht wasn’t around, there was no one with such looks.
‘First, isn’t it important to broaden my connections, Licht?’
Armor that looked luxurious to anyone. Even if he wasn’t perceptive, he knew it belonged to someone important. Using such a person’s information network would make it easier to find the person he had a crush on.
Just think of it as repayment for the sword training.
Kainel was grateful to Licht for helping him get stronger. He actually ranked 3rd in practical lessons.
It was a result he proudly achieved without falling behind the noble scions who had received training. He felt a certain amount of gratitude towards his friend in the Black Knight’s helmet.
***
“...Is someone talking about me?”
I suddenly sneezed. It’s spring, so it’s not chilly outside. But whenever I come here, I keep feeling a chill. Why? I must be struggling to get on the Saintess’s route.
The sword training ground inside the Academy.
I had to take care of overdue promises first. I looked at the heavily armored knight. This is already the second time I’ve come here this week.
“You remember the magic exchange, right?”
“Right.”
Nod, nod. Mardol’s head shook repeatedly. Is being strong that good? Unlike yesterday, he looked a little excited.
“I’ll only teach you the first form.”
“That alone, is enough.”
I drew the sword from its scabbard. All its teeth were gone. Had I overused it with Void Slash?
“...Aren’t you going to fix it?”
“I don’t have time. Lately, I’ve been so busy I would need two bodies.”
As soon as I took it out, a voice echoed from inside the glass helmet. He has a good eye, to recognize it immediately. It’s quite unsuitable for a demonstration right now.
“Then I’ll use a different sword. Thank you for your concern.”
I picked up a spare weapon hanging on the wall. As expected of the Academy, the equipment is good. Should I pay some money to borrow one later?
“From now on, I will teach you the fundamentals of 「Dragon Shadow Slash」.”
“Understood, Licht.”
I approached the wooden training dummy.
I focused my mind throughout my body, readjusted my stance, and re-regulated my breathing.
Preparation complete.
“Light and shadow are important. It won’t work on enemies without shadows.”
“I see.”
Then I manipulated one of the magic lamps on the ceiling to make the object’s shadow move continuously.
“Shadows are irregular and thin, right? Among them, by delving into the ‘concept’ that they are connected to the physical body....”
I raised my sword high. I focused on the shadow of the wooden dummy before me. A form changing with the angle of the flickering light.
“Like this.”
Pakang-
A dull thud of metal echoed inside the training ground. It left a vertical slash mark on the ground. Since the magic circle would automatically repair it, this much should be fine.
“It can directly strike the physical body.”
Thud, thudud. Po-gak.
Immediately after, wooden fragments flew, and the dummy split cleanly in half. The destructive power is weak, but I can cut things like this.
“...Woah.”
The Crown Prince let out a genuine exclamation. For him, twisting concepts like this with magic would be a piece of cake. I don’t know why he reacted like that. I just competed with strength and technique.
‘Did Master Drake feel this way too?’
I was starting to somewhat understand why he took me as his disciple. So that’s why it was shown that even data mining in the game didn’t grant a class change.
He must have helped me because I seemed to be in a similar situation.
‘Kyahaha!! Have you finally recognized your generous master’s magnanimity?!’
I heard a hearty hallucination. My body remembered from years of grinding. My hands trembled slightly.
“No, no matter how I think about it, that’s not it.”
“...?”
I shook my head. Hiking is too much, old man. I remembered him, who had taken students over mountain paths during a lecture this week.
As soon as it was over, someone ran off to who knows where. I looked at Mardol, and he tilted his head, having heard my sigh.
“...How is it? Do you need more demonstration?”
“A few more times.”
He also picked up a sword hanging on the wall. Looking at it this way, his hands seem a bit small compared to the armor, which is somewhat strange.
‘Is he really the Crown Prince?’
His height is similar to mine, so he’s definitely not the Saintess. My mind became a bit complicated. I cleared my thoughts and spoke to him.
“Then please throw two coins.”
“Okay. Got it.”
Mardol pulled out bronze coins from his pocket. The moment the Glass Knight hurled the coppery coins in my direction,
“Oh, sorry.”
Objects flew at incredible speed. A feeling similar to Master Drake. My body reacted before my eyes.
‘Still, a little slow.’
I stomped hard on the ground, slashed diagonally once, then used a shadow to strike down the other coin.
Clang, the sound echoed four times on the floor.
“Strong. As expected.”
“Please be a little more careful next time.”
“Sorry.”
Perhaps it’s hereditary, being a descendant of the Ten Greats. Just like the son of a man who creates sonic booms with brute force.
...At this rate, do I even need my swordsmanship?
“I get it now.”
The Glass Knight continued speaking, looking at me. He stared carefully at the sword, then slowly walked towards the wooden dummy and took a stance.
He’s not using the weapon on his back. That hilt, I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere...
If I pretend to know anything more here, a flag will be planted. I kept my mouth shut.
“This much, is enough.”
“It seems you have a talent for magic... do you also use a sword?”
“Both.”
Mardol raised his sword above his head. The impression that he wasn’t someone who had handled a sword only once or twice was strong. Was he overcoming the weaknesses of Imperial swordsmanship with magic?
I nodded slightly, seeing his unexpected display.
“That’s surprising.”
A magic swordsman build. The Black Knight Licht I used to play was that type.
He was definitely skilled at unconventional play, and in this game where anything could happen, it had many advantages.
I don’t know Lupus’s class. Why should I know the setting of a crazy guy who obsesses over our Saintess?
Come to think of it, that’s exactly what I’m like now.
If I actually meet her and say, ‘I will make you happy,’ would she even believe me?
I imagined the white-haired woman looking at me with disdain, and my stomach churned. A male protagonist who declares love from the start is the worst, so she’d probably hate it.
“Then, I’ll do it.”
My distracting thoughts were cut off again. The Glass Knight raised his sword towards the flickering shadow.
Tukwaaaang-!
A straight sword path slicing the floor. The power is definitely strong.
“...”
Many wooden fragments flew, but the dummy in front didn’t even budge.
Mardol froze, seeing that sight. Is he thinking it’s an unimaginable result? A moment later, after repeatedly slashing the floor several times, he opened his mouth.
“Huh, huh? Why isn’t it working...?”
“Pfft, hahahaha! That’s not it.”
There was nothing wrong with the training dummy.
As expected, it’s Lupus. If you were good at this too, I would have forced a companion route. In <Black Heart>, he was nothing more or less than the Imperial family’s money source.
“Too much force went into it.”
“...Don’t laugh.”
This has a bit of an innocent charm. He’s really trying to slash ‘only’ the shadow.
Indeed, if it were that easy to learn, others would have stealthily copied it after the war ended.
“A few more times.”
“Let’s stop. You need to use your whole body more.”
He aimed his sword again at the deeply scarred floor. I stepped closer and signaled with a nod to put the weapon away.
“There’s a reason I struggled too.”
“I don’t know. Why?”
I couldn’t hold back my laughter. A Gary Stu character struggling like this. I think this is the first time I’ve seen such a scene; did they fix it after getting criticized in part 2?
“You need to have the will to cut it.”
“Honestly, I don’t believe it.”
The heavily armored knight tilted his head multiple times. Indeed, he gives off a strong impression of being empty. Like a glass cup.
I picked up my sword again and delivered a line that would diverge from the Crown Prince route.
“The reason I wield a sword is to make someone unfortunate happy.”
“Who, exactly?”
“It’s a secret, as I’m trying to repay something I received.”
“Repay...?”
I’ll never tell you. I’m going to steadily stack flags with these spoiler-like remarks. If Kainel’s original personality came out, it should apply to me too.
“For that person, this mere shadow.”
I stomped hard on the ground again. Blood circulation throughout my body rushed, and sensation focused on my fingertips.
Seo-geok-
The overlaying sword’s scar. It was deeper and sharper than what Mardol had carved. Like the movement of a swordsman filled with the belief that he could cut shadows.
“You can cut it any number of times. How about it, isn’t it easy?”
“...Deceiver.”
I smiled with my eyes, looking at the wooden dummy cut in half. I felt Mardol glaring at me right beside me, but I ignored him. Honestly, it’s a bit of revenge for the past.
So, in this installment, don’t cling to our Saintess. I’ll find a good groom for her and connect her to a love line.
“Well, since it turned out this way, I won’t be able to learn magic. I apologize.”
It was then that I sheathed my sword.
“No, Licht.”
Mardol suddenly came closer to me. A distance so close our helmets might clash. I had delivered lines to derail the route so many times, but why on earth?
“This much, is enough.”
“No, this is a failure. It just is!”
I felt something chilling. Is it confirmed that I’ll be entangled with this person because he’s the protagonist of Part 3? My thoughts raced faster and faster.
Kkwaak.
“This...?”
“Magic, Licht.”
My hand was held for the second time. My hand and his gauntlet, differing in size.
‘This shouldn’t be happening, the Saintess’s route will get messed up!’
What does this mean? I failed to teach him swordsmanship, and I even used spoiler lines. What’s the problem? I even got friendly with Nex, who is renowned as the Harem Crusher.
“...Stay still.”
I struggled, trying to pull back immediately, but at the moment I twisted my wrist, I was stopped by magic. I couldn’t escape him.
“Th-that hand, why on earth...?”
“Watch closely.”
Two knights facing each other.
Helmets reflecting off each other’s, with little difference in height.
If it were a decalcomania, it would feel exactly like this. Except for the fact that I didn’t have armor and was wearing Academy clothes. Sweat poured down my face.
(TL Note:
Decalcomania is a decorative technique by which engravings and prints may be transferred to pottery or other materials.)
“Wait, just a moment. At least let go of my hand and talk.”
“Circuits, like this, it’s possible.”
Not knowing what to do, my mind went blank. You took my second time too?
“Wh-what... is your strength so great...?”
Wriggling my fingers was the extent of my resistance. The Bloodline of the Wolf King is too overpowered. If I had known, I would have been born as a son of the Ten Greats too.
At that moment, the Glass Knight before my eyes spoke.
「Merak.」
As Mardol finished his incantation, a sphere of light appeared between us. The transparent sphere, like a soap bubble, slowly rose upwards, illuminating the surroundings like a sun.
Is he twisting the concept of transparent glass reflecting light?
‘So, a soap bubble.’
It was easy to understand. For now, I have no choice but to play along. He looks like he’ll call the Imperial Guard.
“...This is just illumination magic, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Now try it.”
His helmet rattled. He seems to have a similar structure to me.
“Huh? Suddenly? You know I don’t have mana, right?”
“It’ll work.”
I don’t have gauntlets like him, it’s cold. The sensation of holding transparent glass felt strange. Even though it was the second time I was holding it, it was so smooth that it felt unsettling.
「...Merak?」
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I squeezed my eyes shut and chanted.
‘I can’t bear to see her die again this time.’
I’m sorry, Wolf-eared Saintess. The Demon King bastards are vicious, and I had no choice but to get stronger. I thought of excuses, more than enough for two mouths.
“Huh, huh?”
“Indeed, it worked.”
Above Mardol’s head, the sphere of light I created floated. It was a much smaller air bubble, but,
...I succeeded.
“Why does this work? How on earth...?”
“Circuits, mine.”
The Glass Knight replied in a muffled voice.
“Aha, so since my blood vessels are twisted, You are manifesting the magic for me instead?”
“Temporary measure.”
I was shocked. Is this how it’s possible to use a medium? Indeed, yesterday Nex also forcefully opened my body to use magic.
Dennis explained that mana can just be refilled, so this doesn’t work for that?
‘It might be possible to use magic.’
A sudden question arose, and I shouted loudly.
“What if I draw a magic circle and use it...!”
“That won’t work.”
A firm denial. Why? Magic using a person’s body works, but why wouldn’t this? I pondered, forgetting that my hands were firmly held.
Could it be that?
“Ultimately, the body.”
“So it means it’s impossible before I fix this constitution... Understood.”
“Right. Smart.”
I’ve been playing games for years, and the settings from Part 1 are still the same. This hasn’t changed, so why have only the surrounding characters?
I bowed my head in despair.
“Sorry...”
“No, you taught me magic, didn’t you?”
“Wrong, no.”
“So, ultimately, it means I can’t use it.”
“Mm...”
The second time I’d seen him dejected.
“Not yet, Licht.”
Golden eye-glow sparkled within his helmet. The more I look, the more he resembles the Saintess. Is it golden because he’s a wolf too?
“Huh?”
“...Instead, let’s exchange, swordsmanship.”
The strength in his clasped hands loosened.
“I couldn’t teach you Dragon Shadow Slash.”
“No, you did.”
Huh, this doesn’t seem like a romance story. Is it a companion route? He bowed his head as if apologizing to me. Wasn’t this situation enough for a pink aura to flow?
‘He’s really nice, but...’
He wasn’t a bad person. He could have just kept quiet and pretended not to know. After all, he told me I could use Merak.
“You can become stronger, Licht.”
Aha, so he’s fixated on my strength until the very end. I almost reconsidered him for a moment.
“...I see.”
He gets verbose only at times like these. This time, my hand won’t be held, so should I learn? There was no loss for me.
“Alright.”
“I’ll teach you 「Wolf Fang」.”
Gransia style. More than anything, it was a reinterpretation of the Ten Greats’ movements.
The Glass Knight charged forward. The air burst. As expected, he’s incredibly fast.
“Like a wolf biting.”
“So you move by entrusting your body to instinct. This is somewhat opposite to my swordsmanship, isn’t it?”
“Smart.”
Likewise, the first form of swordsmanship, Wolf Fang. That day, I received one technique.
And then Mardol suggested we immediately start practice sparring.
“Aha, so that’s why you wanted to give me something.”
“Right, Licht.”
Just now, my shadow was slightly cut. As expected, he is a Gary Stu character. He didn’t even make direct contact, but a ting metallic sound came from the weapon in my hand.
“...You’re a deceiver.”
“You too.”
The reply came when I countered with Wolf Fang.
Later, as the Black Knight and the Glass Knight clashed swords, they both realized they could learn techniques on their own,
in a world without exchanging phone numbers.
The two knights shared swordsmanship, which could be seen as traces of each other.
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