I Became The Academy’s Pure Love Dark Knight - Chapter 16

Chapter 16 – Spirits Reflect Human Emotions.

 

A week had passed.

 

In terms of school days, it was the second week. My body was gradually adjusting to life at the academy, but

 

[You joined the Magic Club!]

 

…No matter how much I looked at it, I couldn’t get used to this.

 

[I thought you’d be reading romance novels in the Book Club! ♡(*´ ˘ `*)]

 

I’ll pass on that.  I didn’t want to meet the Sage and get spoiled.  I’ve spent so much time playing this game.  I wouldn’t be swayed.

 

[Then, as a reward, we’ll give you some good information.]

 

Oh, was it about the Saint?

 

[There might be people here who weren’t in Knight Heart! Isn’t that amazing? How about it? Was this helpful? ☆ｰ(๑•᎑<๑)]

 

“I already know that.”

 

I sighed at the status window that appeared as soon as I opened my eyes.

 

This really wasn’t visible to others, right?  The Hero next to me didn’t even glance at the flashy hearts dancing on the screen.  It would hurt my eyes if I saw it too often.

 

“What are you doing, Licht? Why are you suddenly talking to yourself?”

 

Oops, I almost forgot to use honorifics.

 

This wasn’t good. I must have been too emotionally unstable lately.

 

“Just… bored. Aren’t you meeting Ariel, Kainel?”

 

“I’m heading out now. She said she’d grab something to eat, so I’ll go first.”

 

“Alright. See you in class later.”

 

It was better for me to leave them be.  I didn’t want to interrupt their date. I wasn’t some amateur who interfered with other people’s love lines.

 

I saw the Yellow Dog out as he opened the door.  A metallic *click* echoed.

 

As soon as he left, I took out my notebook.

 

“…I don’t see anything else, no matter how much I look.”

 

I felt uneasy ignoring the message on the status window.  Even with Professor Beatrice, there were too many unpredictable elements.

 

An intellectual who attacks a Fox Slime?  I’d be lucky if it didn’t make the news.

 

‘Should I look among the clergy?  It’s not the First Saint… and I don’t know what this person looks like.’

 

I flipped through several pages. Then my hand stopped.

 

‘Platinum Wolf.’

 

The blank space with the unfilled name appeared again. I bit my lower lip.

 

I wasn’t capable enough to find her whereabouts yet.

 

“…Is she somewhere else?”

 

I felt dizzy.  A wave of vertigo washed over me. Sighing, I closed the book.

 

There weren’t even any rumors about the Northern Grand Duchess being among the freshmen.

 

She was probably fighting off a monster attack right now.  I remembered someone who had relentlessly explained the setting to me until my ears bled.

 

“…”

 

I looked at the transparent window floating in front of me.

 

The status window wouldn’t tell me.  What game would kindly reveal the path to a hidden ending?

 

I couldn’t trust it too much, nor could I ignore it.  There were NPCs in the game that didn’t even show up in data mining.

 

“I should think about it while I walk.”

 

Getting some fresh air was the best way to organize my thoughts. I prepared to go out, taking my sword.

 

“This is about to break. I should get it repaired when I have time.”

 

I noticed a crack in the blade.

 

I needed to be in two places at once.  I wished someone else could protect the love lines for me.

 

—–CROW—–

 

I started walking. There was plenty of time until the morning lecture.

 

I wandered aimlessly around the academy.  Something would happen eventually.

 

Then, I saw a familiar face.  I actually found them.

 

“Shar, do you like my spirit that much?”

 

“Of course!  It’s the Aureus family’s Phoenix!”

 

“I’m glad, but… it’s so small.”

 

“Size doesn’t matter for spirits. It’s the heart that matters.”

 

A man and a woman sitting close together on the terrace.

 

A purple sparrow perched on the woman’s hand, nuzzling her affectionately.

 

‘Who is… that?’

 

I felt a sense of familiarity with the purple-haired man.

 

The player’s rival in <Knight Heart>.

 

Nex Aureus.

 

Among players, he was commonly known as the Purple Fox rather than by his title, Phoenix.

 

Because of his powerful spirit, his inscrutable nature, and his skill at deceiving people and telling lies.

 

He was a unique character.

 

He was supposed to be a womanizer. But the two in front of me looked like a loving couple.

 

Was I seeing things?

 

“Don’t you have class today, Nex?”

 

“I skipped class to see our Shar.  It’s the adjustment period, so it’s okay to miss a few.”

 

“…I’ll scold you for that.  Take this.”

 

“Ouch, how can a cleric have such a strong hand?!”

 

The Nex I knew always had a truckload of women around him. That’s why I put him aside when thinking about love lines.

 

He looked strange, cheerfully drinking his beverage while being hit by a woman.

 

But wait, what…?

 

‘A cleric?’

 

She looked like a vampire.  Red eyes, pointed ears, long black hair.  Three characteristics that clearly showed her race.

 

Well, there was also the wolf-eared healer.  It probably didn’t matter.

 

“Shar, I actually do have a free period today. The professor is away on a business trip.”

 

“You’re really good at lying. It’s a bad habit.”

 

“Sorry.  So please don’t use your divine power fist.”

 

“I’ll think about it.”

 

And that Casanova seemed to be using a nickname.  A sweet voice whenever he said “Shar.” He wasn’t the type to remember women’s names.

 

‘Hmph, woman.  What do you want?’

 

That kind of tone still lingered in my memory. Was this the same person? He was so different.  Even his voice actor used a very cold tone.

 

I crossed my arms and put my hand to my mouth. I felt like I had seen something similar in the list I had just written down.

 

‘Ah, could this be…?’

 

The message I saw this morning came to mind again.  A character who wasn’t in Knight Heart.

 

‘If my memory serves me right…’

 

This nun might be the reason Nex Aureus became a prodigal.

 

But I was at a disadvantage in terms of information.  I decided to observe these two for now and meet Kainel and Ariel in the classroom later.

 

I believed they would do well without me.  In times like these, it was sad that I had no one to help me. I sat down next to them, keeping a distance so as not to be noticed.

 

‘I can see a status window, and I have to connect couples to see the happy ending for the Saint!’

 

Who would believe me if I said that? I’d be lucky if they didn’t think I was crazy. I chuckled.

 

“Ah, Nex, there’s something I wanted to tell you.”

 

“What is it, Shar?”

 

“My younger sibling, whom I’ve been close with since childhood, entered the academy this time!”

 

“So they’re a freshman?  I’ve been done with electives for a while, so I won’t be able to meet them.”

 

Nex crossed his legs. He had a suspicious expression, as if he had a hunch.

 

“They’re so cute!  You might know them, they’re quite famous…”

 

“What’s their name?”

 

“They’ll probably be using the alias Mardol.  They have a unique outfit, so you’ll recognize them easily.”

 

“Hmm, wouldn’t that make them harder to find?”

 

The woman named Shar smiled brightly.

 

‘An alias…’

 

Ugh, was it about the Crown Prince?  This person kept popping up.  The developer’s favoritism was too much.

 

“Is it them?  That black helmet?  They’ve been looking over here.”

 

“No, that’s not them. They wouldn’t wear something so unfashionable.”

 

What’s wrong with the Black Knight?  I frowned inside my helmet.

 

Nex was different after all.  He noticed I was watching.

 

“It’s the student wearing glass armor.”

 

“Aha, so it’s them.  I think I saw them when they were little, through the家主.”

 

“They were such a bright child back then…”

 

“That’s true.  It’s been about ten years, hasn’t it?”

 

The two looked nostalgic and slightly sad.

 

Seeing that scene, I became serious.

 

‘I have to find a way to derail this route.’

 

If they got any closer, I would be caught in a flag.  Eavesdropping on a protagonist’s past?

 

This was definitely the Crown Prince route.  I see what you’re doing, developers.

 

‘You’re the only one who understands me! My lady!’

 

I remembered Rufus confessing to the heroine.

 

Terrible. It was too early to give up on the Saint’s route.  There was no one else in my heart.

 

Unless the Platinum Wolf had someone she liked.  I would do anything for her happiness.

 

Choosing a route didn’t guarantee success in love. I couldn’t control emotions.

 

That’s just how love is.

 

I didn’t think following the game’s story exactly would make everyone fall for me.

 

Knowing someone’s preferences didn’t guarantee a successful confession.  Even I, with my lack of real-life dating experience, knew that.

 

I learned a little from the Nameless Saint’s favorite book.

 

[…Please don’t tell anyone that I read romance novels, Sir Knight.]

 

That’s why I hated those dense harem protagonists.  There was plausibility, but no realism.

 

If you wanted to win someone’s love, you had to at least put in some effort.

 

I leaned back in my chair, feeling tired.

 

“Excuse me… customer?  Would you like to order something?”

 

“Ah, yes.”

 

A waiter approached me as I had my eyes closed.  They probably couldn’t see because of my helmet.

 

Good.  I made up my mind.

 

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

 

A route for a route.

 

“Do you have a ‘drink that changes from ash gray to gold’ here?”

 

“Customer? We don’t sell anything like that.”

 

“That’s a shame.  It uses finicky ingredients.”

 

The waiter looked at me blankly, as if they had heard something strange.

 

“I thought the egg of an unawakened Phoenix was quite common.”

 

It didn’t matter. I said it for a different reason anyway.

 

“…What?”

 

Success.  The fox’s playful expression vanished, replaced with disbelief.  This is why knowing affinity choices was good.

 

“Nex? What’s wrong?”

 

“Wait, Chartinese. I’ll be right back.”

 

Nex Aureus got up and walked towards me.  His footsteps grew faster.

 

He must have never expected to hear those words outside his family.

 

It was a dig at Asha Aureus, the current head of the family.

 

‘Asha Aureus’s side story DLC, where her hair color changes after realizing love.’

 

It was a secret most people didn’t know.  That one of the Ten Swords had a constitution that prevented spirit awakening.

 

A story from the distant past where the ash-gray haired girl faced the downfall of her family due to the unawakened Phoenix, and the player saved her.

 

If you played the additional content to raise affinity, her hair would gradually turn golden, and in the end, she would master her spirit, just like Asha Aureus in the main story.

 

Honestly, it seemed like a cash grab to me, a Saint route enthusiast.  My experience of only reading reviews came in handy.

 

The chair in front of me scraped against the floor.

 

“Hmph, commoner. Are you out of your mind?  I could forgive you if it was just an insult to me.”

 

“I’d say I’m only half out of my mind, young master.”

 

“…Do you know what happens when you insult the Ten Swords, commoner?  You’ll regret saying that in front of the eldest son of the Aureus family…”

 

Unlike before, his tone had changed to the one I was familiar with.

 

‘You know the academy doesn’t care about social status, you slipped up because you were flustered.’

 

Now he was even acting.  Sorry, but I wouldn’t be fooled.  I knew how to deal with you, a <Knight Heart> character, all too well. Nex’s eyebrows kept twitching.

 

“It’s quite interesting, isn’t it? Forcing an engagement to awaken a spirit, when you didn’t even do that yourself.”

 

I smiled coldly inside my helmet.  I thought political marriages were unromantic. It was my honest opinion.  There was nothing to criticize.

 

“Are you not afraid of the Living Sun? You’ve lost your mind.”

 

“Don’t you think so too?”

 

“W-What? How dare…”

 

“Let’s be honest.  You’re the one who refused to accept the family fortune.”

 

I remembered him as the prodigal who told the harem members to get lost because he didn’t care about money.

 

They only stayed because of his looks and his spirit.

 

‘He was a character with a complicated backstory.’

 

I knew his life was ruined because the head of the family forced the engagement on him.  It was also covered extensively in the setting materials.

 

“How do you… No, wait.  Who are you?”

 

“I have my ways.  As one of the Ten Swords, you should understand.”

 

He would understand with his perceptiveness.  I just had to make him think I was connected to the Sage. Even if I was caught, I could say I was Drake’s disciple.

 

He hid his threatening demeanor and fell into deep thought.

 

“…Junior.  Did you mean what you just said?”

 

His passionate aristocratic demeanor disappeared, and he returned to a tone I didn’t recognize.  Was he trying to guess by calling me “junior,” since we were at the academy?

 

‘I can’t let my guard down around this guy.’

 

He was indeed intelligent.  I would have fallen for his tricks otherwise.  He was a rival worthy of the name; a wrong answer could lead to disaster.  I wished Kainel was even half as perceptive as Nex.

 

“Yes, of course I meant it.”

 

“Haha.”

 

Nex’s expression hardened for a moment, then a smile spread across his face.

 

“…You hate our head of family too!  This is a first.”

 

“I’m not personally fond of them.”

 

“Right, there should be people like you.  I like your spirit, Junior.”

 

The fox smiled widely, as if he had found a comrade.

 

He spoke, bringing his face close to mine, ignoring the waiter completely.  The golden Phoenix emblem reflected in his eyes, shining brightly.

 

If this worked, the Purple Phoenix would help me escape this route.

 

Mr. Harem Breaker, I’m counting on you.

 

—–CROW—–

 

At <Grancia Imperial Bakery>, in an alley near the academy, just like Licht,

 

there were three figures.

 

“So, why is Mardol here…?”

 

“I don’t know…”

 

The blond Hero and the red-haired mage looked at the Glass Knight.

 

“Regular.”

 

She had already devoured several plates and was now munching away, facing Kainel and Ariel.

 

Movement was felt inside the helmet.

 

The Hero tried to ignore it and spoke to his childhood friend.

 

“…Ariel, what are you going to eat?”

 

“Anything sweet is fine… Oh? They’re out of candy?”

 

“Here, I have some left.”

 

She handed the mage a few candies. Mardol, like the Black Knight, was protecting their face.

 

“Oh… thanks, Mardol.  Do you like sweets too…?”

 

“Yes. A lot.”

 

“Me too! Do you have any recommendations?”

 

“This, and the strawberry cake.”

 

So getting closer through food was the way to go.

 

“I want to try the strawberry cake too…”

 

“Have it for dessert.”

 

“Then what should I have for breakfast?”

 

“Sandwich. I recommend it.”

 

Mardol was already next to her, talking about various desserts.  Ariel looked happy, so Kainel just watched.

 

“Wow, this is really cute.  It’s a teddy bear sandwich!”

 

“…Cute.”

 

“But it’s so expensive…”

 

“I’ll buy you one.”

 

“Really…? But let’s split it… and eat it together! Mardol!”

 

“Okay.”

 

After buying the teddy bear sandwich, the two girls split it in half.  It was quite a large portion for one person.

 

“Oh, this is really good. Thanks!”

 

“It is.”

 

Ariel munched away like a happy squirrel.  A glass wall was erected next to her.

 

“But why do you eat while hiding behind glass? Just like Licht.”

 

“I become weaker if I reveal myself.”

 

“I see…”

 

The red cat asked, watching Mardol hide their face even while eating with her.

 

She immediately accepted the explanation, thinking they must have a secret they couldn’t tell.

 

‘I’ve seen this somewhere… Ah.’

 

A nagging feeling in the corner of his mind.  The scene felt familiar to Kainel.

 

“Is it knightly etiquette to give people candy?  Mardol?”

 

After packing the strawberry cake Ariel wanted to try, Kainel sat down.

 

He remembered someone who wasn’t present.

 

His roommate, the Black Knight.

 

“No…?”

 

“What are you talking about, Kai?”

 

The two women looked at Kainel with puzzled expressions.

 

“Never mind. I must have been mistaken.”

 

He shook his head.

 

It was a secret between men, so he decided to keep it.

 

‘Could it be that Licht had candy because of Mardol?’

 

Even he thought it was a stretch.  No matter how oblivious he was, that couldn’t be it.

 

The Yellow Dog bought a crab sandwich and started eating.

 

—–CROW—–