WeTried Translations

Translator: Botanica

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Academy’s Pure Love Dark Knight

Chapter 76

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Episode 76. An Emotion Like a Shot of Fireworks.

The next day, in the Magic Club room.

"Oh, Licht's here too?"

"Hi, Helmet guy!"

Everyone from the club whom I hadn't seen yesterday was gathered. Kainel and Ariel.

"Licht. Hello."

"..Hello."

And Mardol as well. The glass armor she wore reflected the sunlight and sparkled, making her look like a large crystal.

"So, is our festival booth really going to be…."

They continued talking while poking at the refreshments. I hadn't heard from the beginning since I was late, but it was about the festival.

"..A maid cafe?"

"Kai, I'm against it. Who's going to enjoy that!"

"Why, I'd love to see you in a maid dress…. Ariel, could you please move that fireball away."

So they were talking about the common maid cafe. Well, it is a classic cliche in romance fantasy academy stories.

The male members wear butler suits, and the female members wear maid dresses.

The costumes of game characters that appear as limited events are like this. If this were reality, an ad banner would have popped up and threatened me to spend real money right now.

"..."

I momentarily imagined Mardol in a maid dress.

I can't do this. I was fine even after seeing the Apostle of Lust. I don't know why she keeps lingering in my mind.

"What is it, Licht?"

"..It's nothing."

She really does have a dangerously good figure. How can she have a better body than a succubus? I think that might be why the Masterpiece became heavy armor.

But she's still far behind our Saintess. Let's pull myself together. I shook my head vigorously and shook off the distracting thoughts.

"Mardol, do you have any other good ideas?"

Ariel, who had held a fireball right up to Kainel's nose and then put it out, asked the princess. Then, a rumbling voice spread and she spat out a single word.

"..Hell."

"What did you say..? Mardol?"

Her characteristic short speech was the problem. Mardol, you can't talk about it like that. I have to stop it before it causes a misunderstanding. I cut into the conversation.

"Since it's summer, I think she means to make a horror experience booth. Something like, 'A Quick Hell Experience!' How about that?"

"Right."

When I corrected it properly, Mardol crossed her arms and looked smug. That was my idea, so why are you acting like that.

"Oh, not bad."

"Licht, how exactly are we going to do it? We need to decide on a way to make it scary."

"We'll combine all three of your magics."

The hero couple's eyes sparkled as they showed interest in me. Fortunately, it worked. Mardol in a maid dress... no, a maid cafe is absolutely out of the question.

"First, Mardol's glass magic."

"Yeah, Licht. I know."

The knight in white heavy armor nodded at my call. Is she really only lengthening her speech just for me? It sent a little chill down my spine. I turned my gaze to the Yellow Dog sitting right next to me.

"..And we'll create a maze using Kainel's holy sword or light magic."

"I do know how to use that much. To create an optical illusion?"

"Yes, that's right."

She's the Hero of Light. Even if she's not at the level of applying it to combat like a magic swordsman, this much is basic.

"Then what about me? Helmet guy? My magic can't be used, right?"

"Ariel, please create hellfire that isn't hot and spread it on the floor."

"Ah, so you're twisting the concept, like a fireworks display."

"Exactly that."

As expected, they're people proficient in magic. I find it convenient that they understand even when I give just a little hint like this. Everyone in this world can use magic. Except me.

"Then what will you do, Helmet guy?"

"I…."

"Licht is, a quiz."

"A quiz?"

You don't have to answer for me. Mardol. Seeing Ariel's expression that she didn't understand, I continued.

"..I'm going to ask simple questions."

Dad jokes that our Saintess likes. The image of the pure white woman laughing came vividly to mind.

"At places like forks in the road, if you get the answer right, I'll tell you the correct path…."

"And if you're wrong, you fall into a trap."

"Yes, that's right. Mardol."

Was she always like this? I was getting scared by her changing appearance. I gulped and thought a little about what to do when the imperial invitation arrives.

"Any objections?"

"No. Licht. Let's do it right away."

When I sought consent from everyone around, Mardol immediately responded. Even so, she should at least hear everyone else's opinions too.

Her golden eyes kept meeting mine. Please look somewhere else.

"I'm in favor! I hate maid cafes!"

"Then I'm in favor too, I guess I have no choice. I wanted to see Ariel in a maid dress."

"Wha, what?! Kai! Do you really want to be in trouble?!"

Kainel reluctantly nodded, and the red-haired mage had fireballs loaded in both hands, her cheeks flushed.

That Yellow Dog really has no social awareness. I think it would be fine if they just dated as they are.

Come to think of it, the love percentage is still 34%. Once it goes up to 50%, they'll probably start dating.

"Now, let's talk about what we'll dress up as."

I approached the blackboard and wrote down names. In order to write down the costumes next to them. Kainel is a Yellow Dog, so something canine-related wouldn't be bad.

"Kainel, how about Cerberus?"

"Oh, the one with three heads? Then I could just buy two separate heads and attach them."

"That sounds good. You'd probably do well to buy one made of hound dog leather."

"The fur would be fluffy and look real. A Cerberus walking on two legs. That sounds cool."

Is he already thinking about teasing Ariel? The blond hero was holding back laughter, poking her side. You're going to have a pretty hard time when you get married.

"Ariel… do you have anything you'd like to do separately?"

I quickly asked the Mage of Flames. I thought a feline animal would be good to match Kainel and make it easier to raise the love percentage.

"I'll be the Cheshire Cat!"

She means the purple cat from the fairy tale. Since she'll be using flames here to hide her body,

"..So you'll be a red cat."

"Yeah! I can pretend to disappear in the flames, then reappear!"

It was exactly the nickname she gets from the community. In a way, it's a costume that truly suits her.

"Ariel, this makes you and me look like a couple. Can't you do something else?"

"Hmph, I've always wanted to try this at least once? If you don't like it, Kai, you can do something else!"

"Cerberus is so cool… I can't give up my dream."

This seems right. The conversation is definitely filled with a fresh, youthful vibe. I finalized the costumes on the board to seal the deal.

"Then Kainel, you'll be Cerberus. Ariel, you'll be the red Cheshire Cat."

"..."

Trying to run away, are you? Just go ahead with your pure love peacefully. Kainel. Even though I'm taking this independent action, the two of them remained still without any resistance. They clearly like each other, so why are they acting like this.

Excluding myself, I looked at the last remaining person. The knight like a shining mirror.

"Mardol…."

If she took off that glass armor, all the men at the academy would swarm in like a flood. She may look like that, but she's the main heroine of this work.

'Even I, who live a life devoted solely to the Saintess, find her tempting, so she must be incredibly popular.'

But I don't want to force her to do something she dislikes. No matter how much I need to lower her affection, that kind of thing is just rude.

'Is there something I can overlay on top of that Masterpiece?'

Ah, I have one. The mid-boss level monster that appears as a forest keeper in <Knight Heart>. Quercus. I think I can recreate the appearance of that giant oak monster.

"You know the tree monster, Quercus? How about trying to attach branches over this armor and give it a shot?"

I walked up to her and compared our bodies. She's about my height. She has the form of a large knight, which is why I misunderstood her so much at first.

"If it's Licht's opinion, I'll follow it."

"..Understood."

I thought she'd refuse outright because she likes cute things. But the princess faced me directly and immediately nodded.

"Then, that really only leaves me. I'll be a Sphinx…."

I continued speaking while looking at Mardol. At that moment,

"..Dullahan."

"Excuse me? Dullahan..?"

Her characteristic rumbling voice came through. I was thinking of a mix between the King of Hell and a Sphinx. Mardol in front of me was strongly expressing her own opinion.

"Let's do Dullahan. Licht. I'll use my glass magic to make the head part invisible, and you just hold the helmet."

As soon as I heard the long sentence, a memory flashed through my mind like lightning. The one I had failed to make Kainel spit out at first.

The route-confirming line.

'In the game too, when such a meaningful direction appeared, I shouldn't have refused.'

Of all the moments I've shared with her, this is the longest line I've heard. If I go against this, it's over. Besides, it's a route I don't know, so I have no idea how it might derail.

"Mardol, you could talk in long sentences all along..?"

"Oh, um... Well, isn't that better? A Sphinx is cat-related, so it overlaps with Ariel."

Even the hero couple right next to me was getting agitated. They were getting swept up in the atmosphere. I had to come up with a separate plan.

"Everyone knows I can't take this helmet off, right?"

"Licht, is that so..?"

"Yes, I can't take this off. It's not that I don't want to."

I sighed. Did Mardol not know? She probably said it because she wanted to see my face.

'If the face is a problem, I could lift the visor, but then the burn scars would be visible to other people too.'

While I was thinking about the Dullahan costume,

"You could just buy a separate helmet and hold it."

"Ah. There was that method."

Kainel provided the solution. In a way, it was a method so simple it was almost anticlimactic.

I felt relieved at the part I hadn't thought of, and the princess turned her head, as if slightly glaring at Kainel in regret.

"If you add Ariel's magic and make it burn, it'll add to the atmosphere, right?"

"..I wonder if blue would look pretty? Yeah, that sounds good!"

I half-expected the Imperial Guard to show up and say, "How dare you offend Her Highness! Immediate execution!"

"Don't you think throwing the helmet at people would be scary too? Ariel?"

"Eeek! Kai, what are you saying! Right now!!"

"Haha. It's just a helmet anyway."

Whether he knew that or not. The blond hero was just chatting with the mage beside him. The man and woman were laughing and playing pranks on each other.

Watching them, a smile crossed my lips. It's a good thing my expression can't be seen.

"..Then let's go buy costume materials now. Kainel and Ariel, please move together. You're both doing animal costumes, aren't you?"

To raise the love percentage, I had to give up their date course. Just as I was about to finish speaking.

"Helmet guy? You going alone?"

Ariel, her red hair fluttering, asked me as if she was curious about something.

"Yes, I think I just need to stop by the blacksmith."

Because it's a simple task: buy some armor that suits a Dullahan, and just buy a helmet. I hope no one tags along….

"Let's go together. Licht."

"..Mardol?"

The Glass Knight was already grabbing my arm and wouldn't let go. I forgot that the Dullahan costume was a route-confirming line. There's no help for it since I don't know what will happen if I deviate here.

"..Understood. Then after we get our costumes, let's meet back at the club room. We need to see if it's really scary."

"Licht, don't you go being scared yourself!"

"I'm looking forward to it."

At least it's better than interfering with the hero couple. It's a simple task, so it probably won't raise her affection any further.

"Then let's get going. First, I think we should go to the place that sells wood."

"..Yeah, Licht."

And so, me and Mardol, and Kainel and Ariel, each formed pairs and moved out separately.

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