Chapter 38
Chapter 38
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: 11-1. You're Always One Step Behind
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Class.
A classification of jobs that appeared from [Knight Heart] onward.
[Why did I become the Saintess...?]
Among them, I chose Black Knight.
Thanks to what she told me, I even used a nickname change ticket to rename myself "Pure Love Black Knight."
[Well... I guess you could say I just woke up one day and suddenly heard a voice...]
My skill tree was magic swordsman. I wielded swordsmanship and magic at the same time to sweep away enemies.
In a game where magic was overpowered, it was convenient. The white-haired woman twitched her wolf ears as she looked at me.
[...Ah, you just had a weird thought, didn't you?]
I even incorporated holy knight skills on top of that, optimizing me to protect her, a non-combat class.
A rose scent wafted over, and golden eyes drew closer.
Wolf eyes, huh. They definitely shine brighter than human pupils.
[The God of Light tends to have deep thoughts, so people often don't understand him. But I thought you, Sir Knight, would be different...]
She pouted, puffing out her white cheeks.
The inn lobby that appeared when you first logged into the game. She and I were standing there alone.
[How can you be a Saintess if you can't even tell us your name...? I've heard that a lot.]
No matter how much players asked about her name, she either stayed silent or said she didn't know.
There were even jokes that even the Omniknowing Demon King didn't know.
[I'm a half-baked priest who can't even use divine power properly, too.]
That was true. In game communities, she was often the benchmark for comparisons as the "1st Saintess." Her wolf ears and tail drooped dejectedly.
...There were a lot of malicious comments like that. I added them to my block list later.
No matter how much they said she couldn't heal, I liked her personality. Plus, aside from our Blue Rose, there was no other Saintess class.
It was her pride, something no one else could take away.
That's why I was so shocked when I learned about Sharutineth, the Second Saintess, after possessing this body.
[Hehe, I'm still a Saintess. I believe jobs and names come with the position and effort they deserve.]
The Nameless Saintess curved her lips into a foxy smile as her white ears and tail perked back up.
[You too, Sir Knight. If you're going to be a 'Black Knight,' show us something cooler! Hya!]
She'd pull pranks like snatching my in-game helmet item and running off,
[Your 'pure love' is lacking. This isn't love...]
or sighing and racking her brains midway through romance novels about liking someone,
[Burn scars...? I don't mind them at all. You're always number one in my heart, Sir Knight...!]
Every little thing was a virtue; she was endlessly lovable.
[Lee Soo-hyun.]
"..."
[Sorry for being weak all this time.]
[...I hope you find peace.]
I wanted to protect her.
I wanted to give her just one happy ending.
This time, it was okay if I was weak.
"...What a disgustingly realistic dream."
I woke up like that. Sometimes I even dream like this, which proves it's reality. Even if it's the game world.
Morning sunlight peeked through, tickling my eyelids. I slept deeply for once. Probably from overusing Void Slash.
"And it's the Saintess again... Did I talk about her unnecessarily with that mutt yesterday?"
I thought I was over these dreams by now. Years have passed, yet here I am, unchanged.
"Ha... seriously."
I let out a long sigh. Memories that should fade with time kept circling, replaying only the good ones.
I lifted the visor of my helmet.
"No matter what, I can't protect the Saintess right now."
I'm not like Licht the Black Knight from the game. No magic, no divine power.
I rubbed my sleepy eyes. They were a bit damp. Did I cry? You idiot. I shook my head to snap out of it.
"Instead of brooding, let's swing my sword."
I pulled the helmet back down, covering my face. My condition had been off since yesterday. I grabbed the Pure Love Injector Mk.2 beside me and stepped out of the tent.
"Licht. Morning."
"Good morning, Mardol."
I ran into the glass knight right away. Practicing swordsmanship? He was repeating the same motions—Granasia Empire sword forms.
Huh, but something looks really off. Like multiple transparent people overlapping around him...
"What're you...?"
As I stared, he stopped and asked me. Now I could clearly see just one figure.
"Making illusions with glass? That's neat."
"Not really."
I guessed from the tree that hadn't attacked but was sliced, and the shadowless something.
Magic ignores the laws of the world, so it's possible.
"This glass magic... real illusions that feel authentic?"
"Yeah."
"You twist concepts, like Professor Dennis."
"...Steel. Shines."
Like cloning jutsu. Magic really is broken.
Twisting the earth attribute concept of steel—like 'sparkles, reflects light'—to use glass.
"Then you can apply it too. Seems super sturdy."
"As expected, strong and smart."
Effective method. Glass shares steel's properties: high hardness, malleable for tricky uses.
'Crown Prince is a scam character, huh?'
I muttered my impression. Plenty capable of protecting our Saintess. I envied those golden eyes in the glass helm.
Worthy's heirs of the Ten Heroes. Nex Aureus too—the bloodline is OP. Why'd the sequel nerf them?
"Were you always this strong, Mardol?"
"No, I'm weak."
"...Lying is bad. Tell me."
"Need... to get stronger."
Even probing for info hits his obsession to grow stronger. I eyed the impressive pure white full plate armor up and down.
"...Why? Licht."
I paused, pondering. Something bugged me—was this really the same guy?
'Maybe this is his real personality. The Lupus I knew was a body double...'
Seeing the magic clicked it. Attributes are unique.
Odd for a earth-twisting character to devolve into a mere Mary Sue.
The Nameless Saintess shares light attribute with Kainel, after all.
"What's the reason? Can't protect because you're weak?"
"..."
In [Black Heart], Lupus felt weightless. Easier to make him taciturn for gacha bait.
"...Hm, you don't have to answer. I was too pushy. Sorry, Mardol."
"No, my fault..."
Seeing the glass knight hang his head softened me.
He's not a bad guy now. I stepped closer to ease the tension.
"Mardol."
We'll be comrades, hunting demon kings together.
"...Don't worry too much. I'll protect everyone this time."
"Yeah... sorry."
Especially our Nameless Saintess—gotta ask nicely. I pivoted gently, patting his crystal armor shoulder encouragingly.
"Oh, no 6-star beasts among our loot, right?"
"Yeah, Licht."
I glanced at the piled trophies to change the subject. Decent haul, but...
Missing that surefire A+. Teamwork score dips without Ariel and Mardol.
"Let's talk to Kainel and Ariel when they wake. Hunt something stronger and flashier."
My condition's peak, thanks to Platinum Wolf and that dream. Time to make up for yesterday's shortfall.
"Hmmm..."
Meanwhile, at the academy without Licht's group.
"I shouldn't be doing this..."
A white-haired woman in a magician's hat tinkered with the barrier. Zzzt—unlike before, it repelled outsiders.
"...Boring."
Bored expression, chin propped on hand. Black from head to toe, save her hair.
"That reaper got caught, huh. Barrier's thicker now."
Her polite speech shifted to casual. How much time had passed?
"No helping it..."
She pulled a black mask from her bosom, covering her face. A creepy grinning accessory.
"Finally through. My authority's the most convenient...!"
Instantly, her outfit turned academy uniform, face someone else's.
"Ah, with the mask, will my darling not recognize me...?"
She fussed with her new face. The black mask vanished as if never there.
"Nah, he'll know! Trust him."
Cheerful, humming the Truth Demon King. A cute woman's voice emanated.
"...This'll be fun after so long. Hehe."
Thus, the white-haired, golden-eyed woman infiltrated Grand Hearts Academy in disguise.