Academy’s Pure Love Dark Knight - Chapter 31

Chapter 31 – Is This Really the Crown Prince Route? – 2

—–CROW—–

A purple-haired man with a glowing phoenix insignia and a nun dressed in black from head to toe sat close together.

“…The North? Asha Aureus is…?”

“I asked his attendant, and the Lord is there right now.  At times like this, I wish I’d stayed in contact. Sorry, Junior.”

“He really doesn’t care about his son at all… That’s too much.”

They were on the terrace after Licht had bought a new sword. He was asking Nex about his engagement.

“I’m used to it now.”

“Did he go to fend off the monster attacks?”

“Probably?  The North is cold, too.”

“The sun…  It’s probably an effective spirit art.”

So when could he really go home?

He felt slightly dizzy. Considering Kainel, Ariel, and Dennis, he had a lot to do. When would he reach 100%?

He couldn’t understand whether he had to defeat at least two Demon Lords, or if he could just fill the Love meter beforehand.

In Nex’s case, it seemed to be related to the Hero Church… but wouldn’t the status window have just told him to defeat the Demon Lord then?

“I just want to get married quickly… Never mind.”

“I wish I could too, Junior. My title is Count, so it would cause a huge uproar if I did it without permission.”

“…Especially since it’s with a Saintess.”

Chartinese smiled slyly at Nex. Were they becoming even more alike now that they were practically engaged?  Licht felt a pang of loneliness.

Her purple eyes curved, and his red eyes mirrored hers.

“I always support you seniors.”

“Thanks, Junior!”

“…This is a bit embarrassing.  Ugh.”

He had skipped class today.  The academy had advised him to return to classes tomorrow.

‘I feel like I’m missing something. What is it?’

He wondered if the Ten Swords had gathered for a meeting; they already knew about his disappearance.

“So… the one I met that day was indeed a fake Cardinal.”

“It’s understandable you’d be fooled by a succubus, silly Chartinese.”

“Weren’t you almost fooled too, Nex?  You were crying yesterday while looking at me.”

“…”

It was surprising to see the infamous rival character speechless and subdued.  Normally, she would grasp the other person’s intentions from their expression and use it to provoke them.

“An Apostle impersonating Professor Beatrice…”

Moreover, Professor Beatrice wasn’t a villain. Was this a subversion of clichés?  He had to abandon the notion that all narrow-eyed characters were evil.

Senior Chartinese explained that he should have noticed when her eyes didn’t smile along with her mouth.

“…Stop it.  I’m embarrassed.”

“Oh? That’s unexpected.”

Nex had become much gentler.  Since his purple sparrow had matured, it would be inconvenient to summon it freely.

“People can feel embarrassed too.  Right, Junior? Chartinese doesn’t understand these things because she’s a Saintess.”

“That’s right.”

“You’re both teasing me! I know what I need to know!”

However, even without his spirit by his side, Nex seemed more confident than before.

“I was just kidding.”

As Licht chuckled softly, the black-haired nun looked at him with concern.

“Ah, so Junior… is your body alright?”

“I think so.  I ache all over from sleeping so long, but…”

“…Take care.”

“Chartinese, don’t discourage Junior.  If he pushes himself any harder, the academy will collapse.”

Perhaps because his constitution was so unusual, everyone he met spoke to him with concern.

Still, he could replenish his mana by eating, summon his spirit by borrowing Nex’s power, and he was skilled in swordsmanship.

If he held hands with Mardol, he could use magic too… Ah, would that even be useful later?

A dizzying thought suddenly crossed his mind. Using magic in the swordsmanship training ground, at that, a memory of being caught by the glass knight in heavy armor.

The aftereffects were more significant than he thought. He had to get used to it.

Then, the part he had been missing suddenly came to mind.

“Ah, senior Nex.”

“Yeah, what is it, Junior?”

“Why don’t you… try using a weapon?”

“Suddenly?  I’m a Spiritmancer? I have no talent in swordsmanship…”

“You need to be prepared for situations where your spirit weakens.”

Nex was an NPC who used a spear in <Knight Heart>. This probably felt right. He needed the strength to protect his own love line even without Licht.

Kainel would likely grow stronger on his own since he was a hero, but even with the blood of the Ten Swords, Spiritmancers were too reliant on emotions, which made them vulnerable.

“…You’re right, Junior.”

“Good.  Follow me.”

Perhaps because he had felt insecure when he was almost captured by the Apostle, Nex slowly nodded and agreed with Licht.

This was the right approach to avoid contradictions with the original story.

—–CROW—–

So why was she here again instead of in class?

“Mardol…? What are you doing here?”

“Training.”

Several coins were scattered on the ground, and deep marks were etched into the floor, as if a sword had been swung repeatedly at them.

Moreover, that move just now… Shadow Slash?

It still lacked finesse, but she was definitely trying to cut through the shadows. The gleaming radiance of her armor pierced Licht’s eyes.

“Hello, Licht.”

The glass knight waved at him, seemingly pleased to see him.

‘At least she seems to have some好感度. Good.’

Licht greeted her back in the most amiable tone he could muster. Currently, all flags and routes were pointed towards the Crown Prince. If he just went with the flow, he would at least reach the middle.

“Hello, Mardol.”

“Yes.  Swordsmanship training, Licht?”

A deep, resonant voice continued to emanate from her helmet.  Anyone listening would think they were talking in a cave.

He couldn’t be intimidated. Lupus was strong here, perhaps because it was the past. He had to pique her interest to raise more flags.

“…It’s a bit different today.”

“As expected, strong.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the glass knight swung her sword again, practicing Shadow Slash.

Was that a sign of approval?  Well, he was willing to go full pure love drift if it meant saving the Saintess.

It was a bit more… dramatic that way? Although incredibly cheesy.

*Clink*— the sound of coins flying from afar, propelled by magic.

Perhaps she was trying to get stronger because of the Hero Church incident. She was working hard.

He had seen several additional layers being added to the academy’s barrier today.  The Ten Swords were closely connected. They must have heard about the Demon Lord of Omniscience creating a dungeon underground.

‘This is the closest to Nex’s weapon in the original game. Good.’

He had to prepare as well. He picked up a spear with a sharp blade from the rack.

“Here, take this spear.”

“Why…? Not a sword?  Wasn’t I supposed to use Void Slash and stuff?”

“That’s impossible.  Let’s make this your main weapon.”

Nex looked at him with a strange expression.  It was absurd. Void Slash was a technique that strained the entire body; a beginner couldn’t possibly use it.

“…Let’s do something other than swordsmanship.”

“Alright, I’ll trust you.”

Licht moved to a secluded corner away from Mardol with Nex. If he injured her by any chance, the route could be altered. He had to be careful from now on.

“Then, I’ll teach you a few things about spear techniques.”

“But Licht, you seem to be better with a sword. Is this really right?”

It was true.  He had never used any other weapon in the game besides a sword. However, there was a reason why he thought he could teach Nex spear techniques.

“I have a friend who’s quite good at it.”

“…Spear techniques? Unexpected. Isn’t it hard to learn unless you’re from the North?”

He knew a player famous for the nickname ‘NorthernGrandDuchess’Husband’ because they were in the same guild.  He had learned a lot by observing him.

He was the one who discovered the Easter egg, rode a train across the country, and found the Northern Grand Duchess route for the first time.

ARG. Alternate Reality Game.

A type of content where the game’s setting wasn’t a virtual space but the real world, with real people playing the game.

A while ago, the game company had uploaded a video. Based on that, he had found hidden clues in reality and revealed that the Northern Grand Duchess was a conquerable heroine.

‘…Why are they only picking on our Saintess? Damn developers.’

Because of that, he had foolishly believed that the nameless Saintess would have a happy ending. Now, it was even officially recognized as a route, and the Northern Grand Duchess route was included in the original game.

“Spear techniques, like swordsmanship, are physical arts, so willpower is important.”

Even though he hadn’t used a spear himself, the basic movements were the same as the swordsmanship he had practiced for years.

Thrusting, blocking, slashing, and swinging.

And he was very close with that guy.

They had countless times played PvP with guild members with prizes at stake, and he had often discussed the Saintess’s and the Northern Grand Duchess’s settings and lore with the “kept man” until dawn.

[Pure Love Black Knight: Honestly, the Saintess is the true wife. Anyway, that’s how it is. She’s the true wife in my heart.]

[NorthernGrandDuchess’Husband: Yeah, yeah, Saintess fetish~]

[Pure Love Black Knight: (Saintess emoticon saying, “Get out, kept man.”)]

It seemed more like a keyboard warrior battle, but his gaming friend had worried about him through guild chat until the day he was possessed.

He was probably doing well.

“Licht, do you really think I can learn spear techniques? I would have done it already if I could.”

“You can learn.”

He had often debated whether swordsmanship or spear techniques were stronger, so he clearly knew their strengths and weaknesses. With his current body, he could sufficiently teach the basic stances.

“I tried to get stronger too, Junior. But the Northern spear techniques are already…”

“…Yes, since the Cold-blooded Northern Grand Duke, one of the Ten Swords, has passed away.  It’s impossible to learn from the Grand Duchess.”

Even in the original game, you could only learn the skills after unlocking a certain level of好感度.

“Huh? Junior…? You know that in too much detail, even for a disciple of the Ten Swords? I intentionally spread rumors about being a good-for-nothing… but the North is different.”

As soon as Licht answered, Nex’s gaze sharpened.  He slowly approached him.

Was he done for?

Knowing too much about the game was a problem.  He should have been more cautious.

He was exposed as a possessor… Wait.

“As expected, you are the Hero of Wisdom, aren’t you?”

Nex patted his back lightly and put his arm around him.

“I was testing you, and it’s amazing that you know this…”

“That’s not true…”

“Come on, don’t lie.  Even if I can’t read your expression because of the helmet, don’t do that, Junior.”

“…”

Thankfully, he had misunderstood and moved on.

Nex whispered to him in a tone that Phine wouldn’t hear.  She seemed to be engrossed in her training and oblivious to their conversation.

“If that’s the case, you seem to know that Mardol is from the royal family.”

“…When did you realize?”

“You didn’t seem surprised when I mentioned the Imperial family.”

Damn, he got him.  He had missed that part during the dungeon raid because he was too hasty. He was caught here. The purple-haired man smiled slyly.

“Please take care of our Mardol.  She’s quiet and clumsy, but she’s actually kinder than anyone.”

“…I’m not sure about that.”

If it meant the Saintess’ happiness, shouldn’t he build connections with the royal family, obtain Masterpieces or Artifacts, and take down the Demon Lords first?

“But her spirit is honest, isn’t it?  Enough for the eldest son of the Aureus family to vouch for her.”

“Then, I’ll have to think about it.”

Licht’s resolve strengthened after hearing the purple-haired man’s advice.

If he could become the Crown Prince’s restraint, he could stop him from approaching the Saintess.

Befriending him was the right move.  Seeing Nex’s case, there was no disadvantage for him.

So that’s why Kkamang had run to Mardol.

He had learned the hard way, from being subjected to the bad ending by Magic Hat in <Knight Heart>, that he needed the protagonist’s help.

The forced event where Kainel and Ariel ran away.  He couldn’t forget it.

He had been suppressing his own feelings.

Joining forces with the protagonist would bring him closer to her happy ending, even if just a little.

“Mardol, thinking about it now… you don’t seem like such a bad person.”

He intentionally spoke loudly.  She must have heard him.

“…”

She stopped swinging her sword and looked at him for a moment.

Even now, the glass knight seemed to be training to defeat the Hero Church.  This would save him some trouble.

“That’s right! Junior!”

He was better than Lupus in the sequel, who did nothing.  Originally, he was just a person who tried to leech off the heroines.

Perhaps his spirit was broken by the Demon Lords later on.

Magic Hat was the strongest Demon Lord he had faced, so he had to use every possible means.

“Anyway… the spear’s reach is its strength, but you have to use it differently in this world where magic and spirits are used.”

He picked up a long, rod-like stick. Considering Nex’s skill level, he didn’t need to use a sharp weapon.

“If possible, focus on thrusting, slashing, and blocking using spirit arts.”

“I understand.  It definitely seems easier than a sword.”

Purple flames erupted from Nex’s spear as he imitated Licht’s movements a few times.

Oh, he was a quick learner.  Was it natural since he was a spearman in <Knight Heart>?

“…Northern spear techniques.  I’ll only teach you the basics, so follow me slowly.”

“Can’t I follow a bit faster?”

“Of course, Senior.”

With a satisfied smile hidden beneath his helmet, Licht taught Nex his friend’s spear techniques.  It didn’t matter what his “kept man” friend would say later.

That friend also used unconventional methods to save the Northern Grand Duchess in the sequel, so he would understand.

“You leave too many openings.”

“It’s more about using strength, Junior!”

“…Perhaps? I only know the basic stance.”

Techniques created by the Cold-blooded Northern Grand Duke.  Since it was a Ten Swords technique, it depended on Nex mastering it himself.

“If Junior uses a sword, I still wouldn’t be able to win, would I?”

“Unless you summon your phoenix, that’s right.”

“…Then I have to work even harder.  Thank you.”

He would definitely become stronger than he was in the last dungeon.  Nex wore a refreshed expression, as if he had found a way.

“Senior Nex, your shoulders are too tense. Again.”

Licht practically pummeled Nex one-sidedly with the rod.

“Feints are good, but you lack the stamina to use them effectively right now.”

“You saw through me… Junior!”

“Spear throwing… it’s good for ranged cover. But…”

Precise movements parried all of the clumsy attacks from the descendant of the Ten Swords.

“Think of offense and defense as one.  Your movements must flow.”

He sparred with Nex, meticulously pointing out his mistakes.

“Let’s utilize this advantage. It’s longer than a sword, and you can restrict your opponent’s movements.”

“…You’re really a cheat, Licht.”

“Don’t talk and focus.”

If the man in the black knight helmet had been wielding a real spear with a blade, one of them would have been seriously injured.

‘…He’s that good with a spear too?’

Golden eyes observed the scene intently.

Phine knew that Licht was skilled in swordsmanship.

But it was surprising to see him handle the Northern spear techniques so proficiently.

‘If we fought, could I win?’

A competitive spirit to test her skills made her wolf ears twitch inside the glass helmet.

—–CROW—–