Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: 5-2. Spirits Represent Human Emotions.
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Before I knew it, I'd joined the two of them at their table. Nex, looking in a great mood, even covered the cost of my drink.
Chocolate drinks are the best, after all. I can't handle bitter stuff.
"Ah, thank you."
"Feels good to get that off my chest. Picky, huh? Hahaha!"
The purple-haired man slung an arm around my shoulders.
Honestly, I had been worried it might fall through. Things felt a bit uneasy behind the scenes, but it had to be better than the Crown Prince route.
"Nex... even so, badmouthing one of the Ten Heroes isn't right."
"Shar, he awakened his spirit through true love but wants to force his son into a political marriage. He deserves to hear it."
"That's true, but..."
The black-haired nun spoke to Nex in a concerned tone, and he dumped the ice left in his glass into his mouth and crunched it.
Crunch. Crunch crunch. The sound echoed.
"I don't like that sort of thing either, Young Master Aureus."
"Just call me Nex, junior! I'm a second-year!"
"Thank you."
As I chimed in, a fox-like smile crept across Nex's lips.
"Name's Licht, first-year, right?"
"Yes, Senior Nex."
"I have no idea how a guy like you got into the academy. It's downright amazing."
"I do get told I'm a bit unusual quite often."
I let out a disbelieving chuckle. It was something I'd heard a lot back on game forums.
'How does a guy like that like the Saintess?'
Does liking someone need a reason? At this point, I wasn't even sure anymore. If it bothered them, they could just level up their skills and come back.
That's when Nex, sipping his drink, shot me a puzzled question.
"But why'd you suddenly badmouth the family head, junior?"
"...Because I've wanted to get close to you since way back, senior?"
"You sure know how to flatter, junior."
In truth, Nex was a suppressor in [Knight Heart].
A rival who picks fights with the player to throw them off track when they're building a harem.
A seemingly flirtatious guy who blocks the player's monopoly on the heroines.
The creator of the first game once said in an interview that love is a contradictory emotion, so they shaped the character that way.
The original game, unlike its sequel, only supported 1:1 romances by default.
'In the game, during their first meeting, the Saintess said Nex didn't seem like a bad guy.'
If I weren't her, would I have fallen for the other heroines and gotten harshly rejected by Nex?
...No, I probably wouldn't have even started the game. That thought suddenly brought a word to mind.
"Seniors, have you ever heard of the Nameless Saintess?"
Since I'd remembered, I figured I'd ask the clergy member. I inquired about our Saintess's whereabouts from the nun named Sharutineth.
"...? Saintess? There's no one but me."
"Hah... Who asks the Second Saintess about that, junior?"
"Pardon?"
My brain refused to accept it. As far as I knew, the first Saintess was someone else, and the next was the wolf-eared one.
It felt like ice water had been dumped on the back of my head.
"Wh-what do you mean? Surely the Second Saintess isn't..."
"Right in front of you, Sharutineth Saintmarriage."
"Nex, I told you not to call me by my full name."
"Sorry, my bad. I was shocked too."
Saintmarriage. I'd heard it somewhere, but my situation was too urgent to recall.
The second was her?
Cold sweat dripped down. I couldn't breathe. Was there any possibility in this scenario?
'Something's twisted. Think.'
The noble seat chosen by the God of Light from the start.
"You're really... the Second Saintess?"
"Yeah, you didn't recognize Shar 'cause she's too pretty? Fair enough."
"Nex, don't say unnecessary things!"
"Ow! Don't hit me with holy power! Shar!"
A Saintess couldn't just be replaced by someone else. I tapped the table with my finger.
The most credible explanation was that I'd mistaken her for the second. My chest felt stuffy.
'Use your head. She couldn't have died. The in-game screenshot showed her. The status window reward is still there.'
I swallowed dryly over and over. A bitter taste filled my mouth.
'She's not an extra, even if a side character. Something will come up while attending the academy. No way it'd be pointless after possessing a game character.'
I breathed in again. I'd nearly lost it emotionally for a moment. Her identity was unknown, so she might not be any specific number.
Sharutineth was a character I didn't know. And our wolf-eared Saintess had tons of foreshadowing.
"I-I must have mistaken you for someone else. Sorry."
I bit my tongue. No matter how I thought about it, I got too soft when it came to her. Enough to hinder the Grand Route攻略.
"You okay, junior? Your hands are shaking."
"Whoa, for real. Want some healing, junior?"
"I'm fine. I know a skilled healer."
Thinking negatively would lead nowhere. Better to swing my sword instead. Besides, this body couldn't receive healing anyway.
"...I'll head out now. Morning lecture's about to start."
"Ah, Licht junior, take care!"
A slight dizziness hit me. If the Second Saintess didn't know her, it meant her safety was secure. No need to worry.
"Junior. Hold on."
I barely steadied my staggering body.
Then the purple-haired man called out to me.
"Yes? What is it?"
"Here, Phoenix's Blessing. Take care. You look exhausted."
Nex patted my shoulder.
"Tweet."
A purple sparrow circled above my head once. In the game, it relieved fatigue. Spirits were pretty great.
"See you next time, Black Knight junior."
He waved energetically at me, and I could see the concern in his fox-like smile.
"...Until next time."
I just ran toward the lecture hall. My steps felt a bit lighter.
In my full sprint, I ran into the hero's party.
"Oh, Licht."
"What's up? You're not late yet."
"Helmet guy! Hi!"
"I thought I was late and ran, but nope."
It had happened a few times before. Sweat made my neck shiny. Feeling better now.
"Did you enjoy breakfast with Miss Ariel?"
"...Can't you tell?"
"He ate with Mardol!"
"Yeah."
Probably got caught by the Crown Prince. Kainel, looks like you and I are in the same boat today. I felt pity for my comrade in the same mess.
The red-haired mage spoke up.
"Everyone thought about their specialties? Kai?"
"Something light-related, maybe."
"Already got that."
"Professor Dennis knows my situation, so it should be fine."
The scruffy kid with ulterior motives and I, who felt slightly annoyed, answered. When did Mardol get chummy with Ariel?
Should be okay? Luckily, we'd discussed it in the club, so no F grades on the report card.
As I relaxed, someone stared at me.
"Licht, swordsmanship."
"Pushing that as my specialty will convince everyone. Thanks for the advice."
"Yeah, exactly."
"How do you understand him, Helmet guy...?"
The glass knight nodded slightly in satisfaction. He was somewhat easy to read.
"That's my main specialty."
I'd figured out Lupus's speech patterns.攻略ing a game starts with mastering patterns. Even if different from the sequel, this was familiar.
"So, what's that cake in your hand, Mr. Kainel?"
"Oh, this? Bought it to eat myself."
"Really? Don't you hate sweets?"
"Licht, how'd you know that?!"
Of course I knew. Kainel was the type who tried eating sweets after marrying Ariel.
I could picture his face scrunched up eating a chocolate-smeared crepe. [Black Heart] had its good points.
"From that patisserie earlier? Kai, you bought it for me?"
"Ariel?! Uh, uh... yeah, actually."
"Thanks! Let's eat it after lunch!"
"...Sure, let's do that."
A red cat with sharp instincts. Before he could make excuses, I spotted the hero standing with hands behind his back, humming while hugging a box of strawberry cake.
"It's a bit cold. Used freeze magic too, huh!"
"Back in our village, no one did this. The Empire's different..."
"Nice family."
The blond boy's face flushed red. Being this honest would be great for both. Why the outdated tsundere act lately?
"Licht, see you in practice."
"Anytime."
He glared at me vowing revenge, but
Seeing the text in my status window, I smiled.
Quick on the uptake when it counts.
We arrived at the lecture hall, and Dennis pulled out an orb condensing multiple magic circles in one hand, then teleported us all with it.
"Whoa? Wow... teleport magic?"
"That must cost a fortune? Oh, right, academy."
"Amazing... first time seeing this."
"Thanks to those magic circles? But wouldn't the circuits tangle...? Must work 'cause he's a professor."
The scenery shifted like a stage set changing instantly.
Including me, the other students were dumbfounded.
'Protagonist's different, alright.'
Mastering 3D Magic Circles right away. I'd half-doubted it.
In [Knight Heart], he awakened it through his own research, so no contradiction.
"As announced, today you'll use your specialties to defeat the Training Slimes behind me."
He gestured toward the spaced-out slimes on the wide field.
"Unique swordsmanship, twisted-concept magic, personal spirits, holy power weapons. Doesn't matter what."
"Relative evaluation. One slime per person."
"Faster kills get bonus points."
"Now, real combat begins. Cadets... er, students."
As soon as he finished, other students rushed toward slimes for mock battles.
"Then, I'll head this way. Good luck, everyone."
"Helmet guy! See ya later!"
"Won't lose to you today. Watch, Licht."
I bid the party farewell briefly and approached a slime for evaluation.
A cube-like barrier unfolded. A type of protection magic circle.
Oh, feels just like a 1v1 training arena.
"Been a while."
The wall from game training grounds. Passed down from the academy's magic.
I stared at the bouncy green monster.
"Training... Slime, huh."
Feeling unsettled today, a stray thought surfaced. My condition was off.
"...Should be time to forget by now."
The slime wriggled, red core in the center. Evaluation monster that grows stronger when split.
I had a memory tied to this.
Random event.
In [Black Heart], after the hero and mage's wedding. The Nameless Saintess vanished from her seat.
If the player heads straight to the nearby training hall, they find her escaped there.
I'd save-scummed like crazy. She wouldn't vanish without reason.
A woman sitting far from the Training Slime, sobbing quietly.
[Knight...? How did you...]
Thanks to the barrier, no one else could hear or see. She wiped her tears and acted normal.
If only she'd been as good an actor as Nex.
[Stories of nameless people seem destined to be forgotten.]
I pictured the Saintess stroking her long white hair, trying to laugh it off. The Platinum Wolf's moist eyes lying.
[Watching Mr. Kainel and Miss Ariel's wedding made me jealous.]
Desperately hiding that sad gaze at others' happiness.
From [Knight Heart] to [Black Heart], she had no happy end.
Was she really here somewhere?
"Hah."
A sigh escaped. My chest tightened. An unpleasant squeeze. Unhappy somewhere in part 3 too? Crying alone again? I worried.
[I've always been this way, but I'm unqualified as a Saintess.]
"..."
I needed to shake off the negativity.
I drew my sword from its sheath. Kaching—. The silver steel screamed. Anyone could see it was on the verge of breaking.
[If others are happy, I should content myself with that cowardly satisfaction.]
Her feelings back then were probably like this.
"Form Four."
My grip felt heavier than ever. My helmet reflected in the blade. Probably an angry face inside.
I kicked the ground hard. Wind gathered in one spot. Swirling pressure in my right hand. It meant creating sword aura with pure physical force regardless of distance—a novelty focused on cutting power.
The essence of Drake-style swordsmanship.
The fourth, reinterpreting Wolf King Locke's form.
Raw power swapped for technique, deficiencies filled by skill.
[Not everyone can be happy, Knight.]
Unforgettable rose scent crushed me.
Still,
She deserves happiness at least once, right?
A lot of emotion poured in.
Void Slash
A natural phenomenon and will born to cleave dragons before you, regardless of distance.
The gathered air exploded forward like a shot. A natural phenomenon and will created to slice the dragon before you, regardless of distance.
Hard to block even with magic.
Shattercrash!!
Dust rose as the slime and barrier shattered together.
—Crash!!
The sound of the Black Knight's swordsmanship shattering the protection magic echoed across the training grounds.
A sharp noise like dozens of glass windows breaking.
Like a bomb dropped, a fan-shaped swath lay in ruins. Anyone would think wind magic or aura shot sword ki.
"Kyaaah!!"
"What happened?!"
"A typhoon?"
"Magic? But why'd the barrier break? No way..."
The gale swallowed slimes as it passed. Students unharmed. An eerie wind that deliberately avoided people.
"That's Licht's direction."
Kainel sighed at snapped trees and scattered slime fragments losing form everywhere.
He knew Licht was stronger, but this was different.
'Poor control over his power.'
Staring at the stretched scars, he thought quietly. As a hero who'd trained with swords, he could tell the swing.
Rough and crude, like giving in to emotion.
He'd seemed off since morning.
Not his usual restrained sword path. Like he'd seen a ghost, running with cold sweat.
"Kai, what happened?"
"Huh? Ariel? You out of training too?"
"Yeah. Helmet guy did this...?"
The red-haired girl approached him piecing together clues like a puzzle. Shocked at the wrecked surroundings.
"Probably. No one else has power like that besides Licht."
"Near Sword Master level...?"
"...Likely."
"Impossible... He can't use magic..."
He understood since it blocked his Shine Strike, but no mana used.
The blond hero's face soured at the injustice. Spotting the black helmet, Licht was already apologizing to Professor Dennis.
"Professor, um... sorry. I didn't know how fast to take out the slime."
"Good result. Not Dragon Slayer, but this is 'extreme' too."
"...My mistake."
"No one hurt anyway, chin up. My spare TA."
The black knight trembled, bowing repeatedly to the white-eyed man.
"No... grad school..."
"Combined master's program graduates faster, Licht."
"Still no, Professor Dennis."
Plain clothes made him look like a theater actor.
'People make mistakes. But he avoided people from the start.'
Kainel liked that about Licht. Not just rampaging on raw power.
Something bad happened, poured into his swordsmanship.
"I... lost...?"
While the neighbor kid pondered that.
The distant glass knight muttered at the scoreboard.
She'd relaxed thinking she took out her slime fastest, exiting late.
Surroundings wrecked. She saw words floating in air.
[1st: ...]
[2nd: Mardol]
The name of the man right above her.
'Licht.'
Pine experienced defeat for the second time in her life.