WeTried Translations

Translator: Botanica

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◈ Academy's Pure Love Dark Knight ◈

Chapter 86

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Episode 86. Everyone Needs a Headache Pill.

* * *

Morning had broken over the academy again. Sitting through first period, I watched a translucent status window float up in front of my eyes.

[Kainel♡Ariel 35% 'NEW!']

Groaning like a sick chicken from the hangover, I felt a flicker of doubt looking at it. Come to think of it, wasn't something off here.

Did the affection level go up just from buying food?

More precisely, the fact that it kept counting even when I wasn't watching. It had happened the last time too, after the showdown with Magic Hat.

Honestly, I wasn't sure this thing was even working properly. The penalty hadn't changed either - it still read "??ification". My worries piling up, I propped my chin on my hand and looked ahead.

"..So, everyone, the three basic elements of magic are mana, circuit, and incantation."

A blue-haired man drew three circles on the blackboard like a Venn diagram. Dennis was in the middle of his lecture.

"Magic is the study of ignoring the world's physical laws. It falls under the God of Wisdom, Akasa. Now then, student Mardol."

Dennis, who'd been writing something and then stopped, turned to the Glass Knight with a question.

"Can you tell us what the other gods are in charge of?"

"Tardun governs swordsmanship, Pantoz governs spirit arts, and Gishoeh governs divine power."

"Correct."

After hearing the answer, he went on writing on the blackboard, underlining each god's domain for emphasis.

"There are two higher gods above them, but they're the reticent type, so…"

I looked around at the four statues nearby. They did seem the type, come to think of it. Drake had mentioned Tardun's name before leaving for the group assignment too.

Laplace mentioned Akasa's name at the entrance ceremony too.

In the setting materials I'd seen before possessing this body, I hadn't known the exact names, but here, they were famous enough that anyone on the street could answer if you stopped them and asked.

A world built out of magic and swordsmanship, divine power and spirit arts. That was the setting of the game <Knight Heart Trilogy>. Of course it would be, I supposed.

"..Licht."

"Yes?"

"Want me to show you my notes?"

Seeing me with my arms crossed, clearly not focused on the lecture, Mardol, sitting next to me, spoke up.

"I'm fine."

"..I see."

The Glass Knight drooped, head sinking down. Seeing that stirred something in me. When she got that down about it, it felt like I was the bad guy here.

"No, wait. Just show me a little. I missed what you just explained."

Ever since the drinking night, she and I had settled into a more comfortable relationship. The misunderstanding about me being the crown prince had been cleared up, and she didn't seem to be angling for a reverse harem either.

"Just start from this page. Licht."

"Thank you. Mardol."

Ever since we'd crossed swords at the grade exam, we'd come to acknowledge each other's strength, making us something like friendly rivals.

Maybe it's because she never takes off her helmet that it really does feel like a friendship between two guys.

Besides, she was far too kind and earnest to push away just because she was a woman. Aside from the Saintess, she was the first person to notice my scars and be considerate about them. Just that alone had been a real comfort.

"Your handwriting's all round and cute."

"..Ah. Yeah. I, is it?"

"Mardol? What's wrong?"

"Ah.. it's nothing."

I'd only meant it as a small compliment, out of gratitude. But she bowed her head again. I'd said it to cheer her up, so I guess it hadn't landed well.

"Does Licht.. like cute handwriting?"

"It's because mine's terrible. I was just envious."

"Then I won. In that case."

Still as competitive as ever. It gave me a little more confidence that there'd never be a love line with this person.

There's never been a case in the game of a love line developing between rivals. That should be safe.

Not noticing that Mardol's eyes, fixed intently on my hand, gave off a faint gleam, I copied down her notes, following along.

* * *

Phine Gransia was staring fixedly at the man's hand.

The veins on the back of his hand really stand out. Licht.

With her sharp eyes, she could tell at a glance that they were marks left from years of gripping and swinging a sword.

A medal and a proof, earned through relentless training. Inside her glass helmet, Phine unconsciously swallowed.

"..Is something wrong?"

"Ah, no. That's.. I definitely wasn't looking at your hand."

"What? Is there something on it?"

Lately, she'd been feeling something strange whenever she looked at Licht. Her gaze kept drifting his way, unable to stop noticing him, some mysterious sensation.

..Is it cute. My handwriting.

Glancing sideways at the man's handwriting, so opposite to her own, she fidgeted her fingers against her notebook. A sudden urge rose in her to touch those veins.

"Mardol. I don't think we covered this part yet..?"

"Ah, that, that's something I already knew, so I added it in ahead of time."

"I see. So this is how you twist a magic circuit."

It was right then. Startled by the man in the Black Knight helmet suddenly speaking to her, she rushed out her words, uncharacteristically. The sentence came out far too long.

Why do I keep doing this lately.

She reasoned that it was probably because Licht was the person she found easiest to be around.

Someone just as strong as her, and the only one who understood and accepted the story behind her and the Demon King.

A pillar to lean on, someone comfortable to rely on.

I'm just grateful.. that's probably it. Just gratitude.

Looking at the man's brown eyes, softer than they used to be, she thought back. He used to seem like some creature out of a picture book, a hedgehog bristling with needles.

"There, I've copied it all down. Thank you."

"I, was I helpful?"

"Of course. Mardol. I'll buy you a drink on the terrace sometime, as thanks."

Right now he was completely like a docile black puppy, wasn't he. She thought of Kkamangi, Licht's spirit she'd seen before. Fluffy, soft-furred spirit.

Then would Licht's hair be.. soft too?

Phine imagined what lay beneath the man's helmet, and at the sudden question that popped into her head, her white tail shot straight up inside her armor.

* * *

At that same moment, at a certain earl's estate in the Gransia Empire, a place once called the Land of Water. In its parlor, a man and a woman sat facing each other.

"So.. what brings you here today?"

"Nothing much, my lady. You want a marriage engagement with Nex Aureus, don't you?"

The noble lady, sipping her black tea, froze at those words. Her expression showed she was startled that he'd seen through her intentions.

"How did you..?"

"This old man was at the social gathering too, you know."

The gentleman removed his mask, revealing a monocle beneath it. Head Ache spoke to the black-haired woman before him with a smile.

"Lady Aqua. You handle an orca spirit, I hear."

"..Just tell me what you want."

The woman was striking, her black hair faintly streaked with the pattern of an orca. She was the one who had once thrown a glass at Nex during that social gathering.

"Nothing much. Use your spirit arts for me, and I'll see to it your engagement to Nex goes through."

"Is that all? It seems like you're after something else."

"As expected. Just as I thought, my lady."

Sensing something off, Aqua turned hostile toward him. Seeing this, Head let out a groan. He pulled a book from inside his coat and drew a line through something.

"All you need to do is tie down a professor named Dennis at Grand Hearts Academy."

"..Against one of the Ten Greats? There's no way I could pull that off."

"If you gathered all the fragments of the treasure your family is searching for, I think you could. Am I wrong?"

"Then it was you who told us the location that time..?!"

At that instant, Aqua's eyes narrowed. Water spray began to rise around her as she stood from her seat. A salt-laced sea scent stung at Head's nose.

"Is it fun, my lady, becoming the daughter of a frontier earl's family who succeeded overnight, all thanks to my scheme?"

"..Who the hell are you."

"Me? Just a common name."

A massive orca gaped its jaws wide beneath Head's feet, threatening to swallow him whole, but his expression stayed nothing but relaxed.

"Head Ache. The Demon King of Omniscience, my lady."

"..."

"I'm not asking you to kill anyone. Just flood the place with enough water to water down the liquor."

The reason Aqua's family had risen to prosperity was thanks to a treasure a mysterious visitor had told them about, once, long ago. Realizing she'd been played from the very start, a chill of dread ran through her at the sight of the man before her.

"..Orca, bite him!"

The moment she heard the Demon King's name, she'd commanded her spirit to attack, but something was wrong. The orca stayed frozen, jaws still open, not moving an inch.

"..huh?"

"Not going the way you expected, my lady?"

"Why isn't Orca listening to me..?"

"Orca.. Orca, was it. That was certainly its name. But, well, what a shame."

Stroking the head of the black orca as it poked its face out of the water just to breathe, he spoke on. The spirit's eyes were unfocused, hazy.

"This child doesn't even have a name like that anymore."

"..huh? That orca is.. what was it again. Certainly.. certainly something precious…."

Aqua swayed as if dizzy, straining to recall the name of the spirit in front of her, but failing over and over.

"..Everyone has a headache, my lady Aqua."

"Was my name.. Aqua?"

"Who's to say. Perhaps they'd know better than you would, at this point."

The moment the man set down the teacup he'd been holding, the woman before him sank deeper and deeper into a mire of oblivion, unable even to remember her own name.

"My lady!! Where are you!! Lady Aqua!!"

"Lady Aqua has vanished!"

Even the servants rushing frantically around the parlor showed no sign of noticing Head or Aqua at all. They kept passing right by the woman with the long black hair and the man with the monocle standing right beside them.

Like a train running endless laps on parallel tracks. The maid and butler kept running about, searching for the master they served.

"The power of Erasure of knowledge is working just fine, and yet, why didn't it work on that boy Licht yesterday. Hmm.. no matter how I think it over, it's a mystery."

Standing up, mulling something over, Head spoke to Aqua again once time had passed and the spirit had vanished.

"..Will you accept my offer now? A family once fallen ought to properly repay its benefactor, wouldn't you agree?"

Shaking the dampness from his soaked clothes, the Demon King of Omniscience smiled with an affable expression.

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