WeTried Translations

Translator: Botanica

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Academy’s Pure Love Dark Knight

Chapter 23

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Episode 23. Misunderstanding and understanding differ by one letter.

According to Chartiness, the first place she met Nex was in the courtyard of a social gathering several years ago.

“It’s boring. Even if it’s for the Church of Light…”

She attended a banquet where nobles gathered, recommended by Cardinal Beatrice, but she couldn’t fit in with the atmosphere and had left early.

“No one will even acknowledge me because I’m a vampire. There’s only Mr. Meow here.”

“Meow.”

Stroking a stray cat that had somehow come to her side, she fell into a gloomy mood.

‘I’m the new Saintess chosen by the Church of Light this time!’

Even if she introduced herself to those around her, all she received was disdain or strange looks, and she wanted to cry.

A vampire as the successor to the first Saintess. Some nobles even whispered it was blasphemy.

“It’s unfair. I didn’t do anything…”

As she was talking, befriended by the cat,

along with a woman’s angry shout.

“You trash who can’t even use spirits!”

- Clink.

As if by fate, the sound of glass shattering rang out.

Because of this, the cream-colored cat in Chartiness’s arms sprang up.

“Myaaaaoooww!!”

“Aah! Mr. Meow, don’t run away!”

She ran after the startled cat, startled by the sound of someone throwing a glass. Her long nun’s habit was inconvenient for movement.

“Ouch!”

Running in a hurry, she tripped over a stone and fell. A hot sensation rose on her face.

“Ugh… it hurts…”

“What’s going on here? Woman.”

She unconsciously looked up at the sky.

There stood a purple-haired man with the emblem of a phoenix.

“…Count Nex Aureus?”

One of the Ten Greats. It was Nex, Asha Aureus’s son.

A descendant of a legendary figure in the spirit world, called the Living Sun. She had heard he was attending this social gathering, and it was true.

Thump. A sound echoed on the grass.

“Hmph, wipe your nosebleed.”

“Ah, thank you.”

He noticed that her nose, which had hit the ground, was bleeding, and handed her a handkerchief.

At that moment, Chartiness had a slight thought that the man was different from the rumors.

“Meow.”

“Such a bothersome thing was attached too.”

Watching him gently stroke and heal the cat that had somehow approached his feet, she felt something strange.

“For such a human to be the 2nd Saintess, the Cardinal must be mad.”

“…”

A strong scent of alcohol wafted from the man, who was using harsh language.

‘His face looks more sad than angry.’

As Nex, with his gloomy expression, retorted in a contradictory way, she saw through his true feelings. She thought that a bad person wouldn’t heal an animal.

“Why aren’t you angry? Vampire.”

“…Because it’s true. That I’m not welcomed by others.”

“So, that’s why you’re out here in the garden.”

“That’s right.”

Nex merely touched his forehead and smiled upon hearing those words. Did he feel that she was different from the noblewomen at the social gathering?

“…Do you also see me as trash?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Because you’re a vampire, I feel a sense of shared suffering, so I’m asking. Woman.”

An attitude as if deliberately pushing people away.

The purple-haired man distorted his face again, wearing a mask meant to intimidate.

“I don’t know.”

“Huh, then why don’t you leave?”

“Because you seem like someone who says bad things falsely.”

“…How absurd.”

To her, who had just heard countless cruel words from noble ladies, this felt different. An intuition that this too was a lie.

“I’m called the illegitimate child of the family, you know? Do you also think I’m pathetic?”

“What…? No, I don’t?”

“…”

Nex stared intently into her red eyes with his purple ones for a few seconds, then opened his mouth.

“Reading your expression, it’s true. You really are a Saintess.”

“…Is something wrong?”

“Hmm.”

Upon hearing Chartiness’s answer, he suddenly adopted a calm demeanor. He seemed to have received no small shock, as if his lingering drunkenness had vanished at once. Intelligence sparked in Nex’s previously unfocused eyes.

“…Saintess, do you also accept confessions?”

“Huh? Um. Since you healed the cat too. Probably?”

‘I heard this person was the troublemaker Cardinal Beatrice said I shouldn’t get involved with.’

Nex requested counsel from her in a calm voice. Honestly, she desperately wanted to refuse, but he looked like someone broken, and it bothered her.

Ruffling his purple hair with one hand, the man began to speak.

“This is already the 23rd marriage proposal I’ve received. And when things don’t go their way, they even throw glass cups.”

“Ah… so that’s why…”

“Even though I’m the eldest son of a ducal family, everyone just stood by as if they knew nothing would happen even if they touched me.”

The man sighed and gave a slightly wry smile, as if the lingering sensation was still there.

“Although the noble lady’s family also has strong power… don’t you think this is wrong? Saintess.”

“It seems so. Is this social gathering only filled with bad people?”

“That might be true. Since I’m here too.”

She saw a small wound on Nex’s cheek. It looked like he had been scratched by a fragment of the glass cup.

‘…Oh?’

Was the earlier commotion because of this? Even so, to throw a glass cup at the offspring of one of the Ten Greats and expect nothing to happen…

“Aren’t you going to heal it?”

“It doesn’t matter if I do or don’t. This way is better, actually.”

She felt a sense of pity, as if seeing herself, the vampire Saintess.

“Reading their faces, some were thinking, ‘Serves him right! This bastard illegitimate child!’”

“That sounds like an overactive imagination…”

“You’re too naive, Saint-Mary.”

His purple eyes curved like crescent moons.

His face looked like that of a fox. She noticed his eyes were a little red, as if he had cried slightly.

“This world is full of tricksters and the tricked. You fools. They’re probably comfortable now that I’m not at the venue, aren’t they?”

The man spread his arms wide and shouted loudly, as if relieved.

“Ah, they say that even if you mess with him, his family won’t care! Because he’s a guy who can’t even summon a spirit!”

“I don’t think that…”

The innocent Chartiness thought that this person, Nex, seemed like someone who accumulated lies because he didn’t want to appear weak.

Closer to an animal that bites as soon as it’s touched because it doesn’t want to be hurt.

“Then what do you think? 2nd Saintess.”

“…I think you’re like a cute fox.”

“What…?”

Chartiness at the time slowly looked up at his face.

“…Don’t I look like a monster?”

“Yes. You’re just a little handsome.”

“Uh, um… really? Not lying?”

Purple and red eyes that didn’t look at each other strangely. Nex’s expression was tinged with bewilderment.

“Then am I also a monster? Since I’m a vampire.”

“…Probably not. Perhaps.”

“I’m glad you understand, Count.”

She placed her hand on his cheek and healed him, and the wound from the glass fragment healed.

“People aren’t just what they appear to be on the outside.”

“Uh, oh? Saintess… why?”

Nex’s face at that time looked a little red, perhaps due to the alcohol.

“Your handsome face will get ruined.”

“…”

He would later say that she was the first person who spoke purely about him, not his spirit.

And from that day, Nex’s affectionate aggression began, as if he had become a completely different person.

A fresh, innocent charge, like a first love. She actually liked that aspect.

“Count Aureus…?”

“I’ve come for morning prayers, Saintess. It’s been a while.”

“The church doors open in three hours still.”

“…That can’t be.”

He seemed adorable, like someone who had absolutely no experience with women.

“Uh, Saintess Chartiness. This is a donation from the Aureus family to the Church of Light.”

“Thank you, Count Aureus.”

“By any chance, are you free this evening? 2nd Saintess.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Uh… ah, my apologies then. I’ll take my leave.”

She often saw the purple-haired man coming to pray and make small donations daily,

“Why are you suddenly volunteering?”

“Ah… um! I received a small punishment from my family, so I was cleaning the church. Don’t mind it, Saintess.”

“Even so, it doesn’t seem like a noble’s job…”

“No… that’s not it. The Saintess might not know.”

A few days later, she found Nex cleaning up graffiti and signs near the church where she worked, which insulted him.

Considering the traces of magic on the hands he hid behind his back, it certainly didn’t look like he was being punished.

“Should I move it here, Saintess?”

“Kyaa! You shouldn’t lift an organ moved by divine power like that!!”

“Ah, my apologies, Saintess.”

Such an awkward relationship continued for several months. She tried to push him away and ignore him, but he seemed like a good person, so her heart gradually opened,

“Look at this! Saintess! It’s a spirit!”

“Oh my, Count Aureus. Congratulations!”

“…Could you stop using honorifics with me now, Saintess?”

“If you stop too?”

Perhaps thanks to his intense courtship, his spirit also awakened not long after.

“Chirp!”

A purple phoenix, like a sparrow.

***

“So… you’re currently in a romantic relationship.”

“Nex really likes me, so it happened that way. Junior.”

A soft smile was etched on Chartiness’s lips as she said that.

They look like they're happy just thinking about each other.

‘Nex was definitely a different person here. Ultimately, it must be because of this Saintess Char.’

He’s a bad guy to others, but endlessly gentle only to me. Who wouldn’t fall for such a difference, especially with a lover who can understand similar wounds?

‘It’s a similar case to mine.’

Knowing how that felt, I nodded slightly.

I remembered the cold-looking white-haired wolf whose expression softened only for me. His smiling face was cute.

Her figure, bravely enduring even in the position of Saintess. Had she also heard bad things because of her animal ears?

My heart suddenly felt heavy.

“Licht junior. So why did you ask this?”

“Just because… it looked enviable.”

I gave a small laugh, filled with a nostalgic feeling.

It’s already been five years since I last saw her, how can I find and protect her? There must be a few vicious routes here too. If only I could help.

“…What?”

Then, Mardol looked at me.

“These kinds of things give you a ticklish feeling in your heart, you know. Love stories, that is.”

I quickly thought of an excuse and blurted it out. No matter what, I couldn't give the Crown Prince any more flags.

“I… don’t know.”

Why, what. I wasn’t thinking of you. Look somewhere else.

He only reacts sharply at times like these.

Is he observant, or does he have sharp senses? How can he make me feel like he’s seeing through my thoughts even with a helmet on? I turned my head to express indifference.

“Fufu. You two look close.”

“Th-that’s… not right…”

“You’re lying, Licht.”

Even though I said it through gritted teeth, the black-haired nun didn't stop smiling at me.

As expected, this person is as difficult to deal with as Nex. To experience the saying "lovers resemble each other" after being transmigrated into a game. It was quite fascinating.

She, who had been grinning happily while looking between Mardol and me, suddenly looked at the clock tower and spoke to us.

“…Oh my, it’s already this late. I’m sorry for keeping you, junior.”

“Thank you for sharing such a good story today.”

“Go carefully.”

Because of the lateness of the hour, Chartiness stood up.

The Glass Knight and I said our goodbyes and watched her leave,

“Licht junior!! Please get along well with our Mardol!”

The person called the 2nd Saintess burdened me with an unreasonable request right before she disappeared.

The reason was that this, overflowing with a pink aura, popped up before my eyes.

A status window, now even with a ‘Well Done!’ sticker attached.

[You’ve found a hidden love line!! Congratulations! ヾ(> ᵕ < ｡]

So it’s not real-time synchronization after all. It didn’t appear until I found it, and I realized it with Kainel and Ariel.

[As expected of a dedicated player with the nickname ‘Pure Love Black Knight’! Lee Suhyun!]

[You’re so engrossed in the Nameless Saintess route!]

[If you had missed this, you wouldn’t have seen the Grand Route… What a relief. (ᴗ_ᴗ]

Black Heart developer. Are you even human? Where did you hide our precious Blue Rose?

[Chartiness ♡ Nex 55%]

This damned useless status window, I can’t even sell it anywhere.

My head ached. Typical of a game company obsessed with Easter eggs, to even set such a trap.

This is why I want to find the Saintess and make her happy. This game world is too harsh and brutal.

“A purple fox and… a vampire Saintess.”

I have to protect these people too.

I muttered briefly to myself. I knew a few of Nex’s routes. The variable was Chartiness.

Since she’s a character I’ve never seen before, I don’t know her strategy. Something big is probably about to happen soon.

“Yeah. That’s right.”

Let’s ignore the Glass Knight who replied to my words beside me for a moment.

To get on our Saintess’s route, I shouldn’t be with you. Go away.

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