Chapter 127
Chapter 127
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 127
Chapter Title: Back to the Academy (Part 1.5 End)
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We headed to the port once more to return to the Empire.
"Well then!! Take care!! Iron Blood's daughter!!"
"You too, Sir Drake. Safe travels."
Drake and Sophitia exchanged farewells. Unlike the trip up, Asha had decided to return with us.
The Apostle of Wrath issue was resolved, so no more monsters would descend on the North. Sophitia Coldheart's heart condition seemed like it would be cured soon, too.
'If it's Keystone, he's reliable enough.'
He had a cold demeanor, but he took good care of those he needed to. Since he fell into the game alongside me, maybe we'd cross paths again someday.
"Pine, how was the hot spring yesterday?"
Pine had been quiet around me since earlier. Was the hot spring shock that big? Her habit of clinging to me had vanished.
"C-Can't... talk..."
The moment Sophitia mentioned the hot spring, her face exploded red like a bomb. The glass knight covered her face with both hands, flustered beyond words.
"Pine. Are you alright?"
"...Hic. Sniff."
And whenever I approached, she hiccuped and fled. Her snow-white hair whipped around as she backed away.
'Her status window looks fine, though.'
[Lee Soo-hyun♡Pine Granasia 4% ‘NEW!!’]
💖 Hearts fluttering at her feet...
Thankfully, it hadn't dropped. Before coming North, Pine had been fully geared up to latch onto me, but now her attitude had flipped completely.
"Ah... Uh..."
Through her fingers, I caught a glimpse of her golden wolf eyes shaking. Anyone would fall for them—they were that beautiful.
Like the star-filled night sky gazing up from pristine snowfields.
"...Licht, what the hell did you do?"
"Just a light greeting."
Sophitia stared at me with a weird look. Why? What? It was just a cheek kiss. Barely even touched—only the sound.
Skinship like that should be for someone you truly love after dating. If I did it just because she wanted it without reason, it wouldn't be pure love.
I did love Pine, but right now, anyone could see she was...
"Pine, don't stay back. Come here."
"No... Hate... Pervert..."
...not some pure girl embarrassed by weird knowledge from books.
'She doesn't even seem to know how to kiss.'
If she did, she'd have pulled my nape and pressed her lips to mine ages ago.
Strangely, just brushing her lips with a finger eased her rage, and even the air-kiss on her cheek made her flee with cute excuses.
Believing a kiss would make her fall in love? Ridiculous. I just teased the innocent wolf a bit, and this was her reaction.
"Perverted puppy..!"
One step forward from me, one step back from her. Pine, who rarely showed emotions, now yelled as I approached.
"Disciple, if your master finds out..."
"No improper physical contact occurred, Master."
Drake grabbed my shoulder with a sigh. If Emperor Locke found out, the North might split in half. I knew that. But it couldn't be helped.
"It was necessary."
I couldn't stand seeing her tangled with some bad guy forcing a kiss. She wandered the Academy without her helmet sometimes now—her gender could slip out.
I needed to stick by her side and help her learn true love.
Just returning what the Nameless Saintess had taught me about love back then.
Her Love Meter was rising with me, but with harem routes for Kainel or Nex, issues could arise.
'From the game company's view, they might prefer giving hope then dropping it.'
That was my penalty. If catching the Demon King was to change Pine's past, it wouldn't match up.
If I'd stopped out of fear of the penalty, I'd be beside a Pine ensnared by Demon Kings' schemes right now—forgetting friends, family, even her own name.
But Pine had her original life stolen too, so she deserved happiness.
I'd worked hard for her. Even resolved her future as Saintess myself. But was this really for her?
'...Honestly, I don't know.'
The doubt lingered in my chest. So contradictory. I felt like a guy like me should stay away for her happiness, yet...
"Pine, if you don't hurry, we'll leave without you."
"..."
My dual heart—wanting to date her—clashed endlessly. Honestly, I'd never thought well of the status window before.
Why did I want to believe the numbers so badly now?
Maybe because our Pine was too cute to crush all the negativity.
"Don't... leave me..."
Threaten to leave, and watch her trot right over.
If wishes came true, at Grand Hearts Academy, we'd flirt, date, share secrets we'd never known, grow close, and in the end...
"Just kidding."
"It was real..."
...how great would it be if she wore the wedding dress she wanted. But the ship leaves latecomers behind, Pine.
"Ah, Pine. Could you apply some burn ointment today?"
"...Here."
At first arriving North, she'd seemed desperate to claim me. Now, lifting her visor to show her bare face got this reaction.
"You're not applying it?"
"Do it... yourself..."
She turned her head away, avoiding eye contact, just handing over the ointment. Maintaining a set distance now.
"Then I'll gratefully accept it."
"Eek... Licht..."
Even a slight finger brush made her this sensitive. What if I'd really kissed her? My sanity held out in the hot spring—that was a miracle.
"Every day... apply it..."
"I know, Pine."
I'd lain awake thinking about it nightly, but holding back was right. Crossing the line then would've cost me this cute Pine.
Felt like a honey trap to surround me, too.
I might've woken chained head to toe in the palace basement.
"Lady Sophitia, we'll be off now."
"Just call me Sophi. If he's Pine's boyfriend, he's a close friend to me too."
I greeted the Northern Archduchess right before boarding. A woman clad head to toe in black, with bear ears.
"Your word choice... seems off, but..."
"What's wrong with it? He is a male friend."
She poked at my intentions like that pillar husband guy. At least no poison in the hot spring dinner—silver lining.
"Take care of our princess. Black Knight."
"Does it need saying? I'll treat her well regardless."
"Watch the jealousy. Werebeasts are scary if provoked?"
Cold sweat trickled down my neck. Another trait I didn't know? Never heard Pine mention her werebeast side as Saintess.
Felt deeply wrong, but since I had no eyes for other women besides Pine, I ignored it.
Even if jealousy ran deep, her defenses were weak—one hit and she crumbled.
"Ah, when a man named Flintz returns, could you pass this on?"
I left a message for that potential player possessing the pillar husband spot.
If Grand Route or status windows were visible only to me, he entered because of me.
"There's a Pure Love Black Knight at the Academy."
"...Got it. No idea when he'll return, but I'll make sure he hears."
That should click. No clue if the heart cure would finish soon, but we'd meet someday.
"Thank you, Sophi."
I boarded with lighter steps than usual. Maybe reflecting in the North helped.
Perhaps being a bit more honest with Pine wouldn't hurt. I thought that as sea breeze hit my face.
Beneath the blue sea lies the deep ocean.
"Why aren't you selling the sea rabbit feet?!"
"Hmph, not selling to filthy landlubbers."
In one junk shop there, a man and a middle-aged man with octopus legs argued loudly.
The red-eyed, white-haired man, after desperately trying to buy a no-sale item,
"Even if I make an offer too tempting to refuse?"
"That...?"
backed off a step, then shoved a silver talisman at the merchant.
The item made the merchant drop his bubble pipe. Looked like the token Licht showed entering the hot spring.
Silver, lower tier than gold, but still precious—big reaction.
"Hot spring pass... for high nobles only?! Where did you get this?!"
As the merchant lunged for the shiny silver, the white-haired man swiftly blocked with a gesture.
"Now, now, don't touch."
"I'll sell the sea rabbit feet!! Hurry!!"
The white-haired man noted the octopus merchant's flushed face.
"Good. Deal."
With the trade success, he leisurely left the shop. Gazing at glowing jellyfish illuminating the dark sea, he muttered to himself.
"Snow Marine crystals bought ahead... Unicorn horn... No. That's Fire Nation territory."
Smirking at the flow going his way, he pulled a long parchment from his pocket and scanned the list.
"Soo-hyun... You dumped this Magic Hat try on the community for anyone to break, saying you couldn't hack it..."
Flintz—the alias of the man—frowned at the endless list, ruffling his white hair in complaint.
He reached out, and tiny bats swarmed into a straight line, forming his favored weapon: a red-glowing magic spear.
"Game company gives jack shit. Guess I'll just protect our lady."
Confirming the spear summoned in the water, Flintz curved his lips slightly.
"Once this is done, monster raids are no issue."
Words scratched off the parchment one by one, and the player once nicknamed Northern Archduchess Husband moved on elsewhere.