Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: EP.43 12-3. What Comes Out of the Magic Hat is a White Rabbit.
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In the [Knight Heart Trilogy], the Demon King is a total cheat.
"Using the abilities gained as a hero, while covering the world with the Demon King's authority that contradicts them."
I bit my lower lip. Just pick one—hero or Demon King. Why can it use pre-corruption abilities too?
"It's not working. This was your favorite hair and eye color, my lord..."
In Magic Hat's case, she wields an authority that overlays "falsehoods" like this. She must've been trying to mimic our Saintess, but the authority isn't perfect.
"Aha, I get it now—why you've been so cold to me!"
"...I've never been your lord to begin with."
I raised my sword again. Magic Hat responded with a creepy grin. Why the hell does she keep giving me that sticky, leering stare?
"They say even loving couples quarrel sometimes. That's it, right? Right, my lord?!"
"Absolutely not. Get lost."
Cold sweat trickled down my spine. The magician woman closed the distance, her long white hair swaying. She pulled out a trump card and flung it at me.
Ten of Hearts.
Jack of Hearts.
Ace of Hearts.
"My lord... Let me remind you one by one...!!"
She hurled only heart-marked cards, as if on purpose. The Demon King couldn't contain her rising smirk, like some girl sending love letters.
It gave me chills. The blatant advances and courtship directed at the player.
'Was she always like this?'
I deflected the flying cards with Void Slash. Each one was dangerous if it hit—every suit had special abilities.
"As expected...! Your swordsmanship hasn't dulled a bit! Though it's quite different from what I remember!"
"Just shut up. Please."
I could even spot the Empire's Empress over there.
It was a pattern I'd sketched, noted, and memorized in my notebook countless times, but seeing it in person left a queasy feeling in my chest.
Her name was Bellin Granasia. Lupus's mother.
The mature woman with black hair and wolf ears wore red heart-patterned decorations, silently watching me while awaiting Magic Hat's orders.
'...She's the real problem here.'
When I cleared [Black Heart], the Queen of Hearts card pattern made me want to puke.
If the player couldn't dodge properly, she'd force in heals to refill full HP,
"Too bad I can't throw the Queen of Hearts, my lord!"
using that woman like a minion to top off health. The real Licht would've piled on more damage than her heals to break through.
"Licht... That woman..."
"I won't hurt your mother. Don't worry."
"...You knew?"
But back then, it was just a game. This is reality. Even if I have to take down the Demon King, I'm on the Crown Prince companion route.
I should save her too.
"It'd be weirder if I didn't know, Mardol."
"I see... So from the start..."
Her golden glass knight eyes widened as she looked at me. Did she really think I wouldn't notice she was royalty? You're still strutting around in that shiny armor, aren't you?
"...Oh, is it her that's bothering you? Because she's a woman?"
"You know me well. You psycho."
"I'm a woman too! My loooord...!! No calling me 'guy'! Hmph!"
I pondered as I watched the white-haired magician puff out her cheeks in a full sulk. Either way, I needed to buy time for the hero party to escape.
"I'm jealous. Guess I'll take her back then."
"Good. Smart move."
The magician's voice pitched way too high the moment she heard my praise, as she withdrew the cards back into her bosom with a trump flourish.
"Ah, ah... Aaaah... Praised by my lordpraisedpraisedpraised..."
Has she really lost it? She was a thrill-obsessed maniac in the sequel, sure. Magic Hat pressed both hands to her cheeks in ecstasy, looking seriously unhinged.
"Haa. So, my lord—what should I do next?"
She panted hot breaths, visibly aroused.
Is she under some status effect? Nah, Demon Kings are immune by default. The situation made no sense.
"...How about you just bite your tongue and die?"
I didn't miss the opening, unleashing another Void Slash. The gust roared, engulfing the Truth Demon King. But this time, it didn't land.
"No way!! This time, I'm spending a hundred years with my lord... Hehe..."
Magic Hat blocked my swordsmanship with one hand. She licked her fingers regretfully, as if missing the sensation, her eyes gleaming with perverse madness.
"Tasting my lord's swordsmanship after so long... It's as magnificent as ever...♡"
Her lust-drenched face sent waves of disgust through my body.
This is just straight-up yandere.
I missed our wolf-eared Saintess more than ever today. What the hell happened in the prequel to turn all these characters upside down?
"...You're actually insane, aren't you?"
"I'm insane for love. Or rather, insane for you, my lord...?"
If our Saintess had that personality, maybe it'd be tolerable—but the Truth Demon King obsessing over me was pure terror.
As Magic Hat drew closer, my head spun.
Think. What can I do right now? I need the holy sword to fight a Demon King. I don't have any game items...
"Licht, should I use Shine Strike?"
"Ah, Kainel."
That's right—this guy's here. I made a proposal to the blond hero.
"...Mind lending me your holy sword?"
It was a method I really didn't want to use, but no alternatives. I had to protect everyone here.
"What? Licht... You can't even wield it."
"...It might work."
A mad stunt infamous among players for risking life and limb.
Corruption Route Glitch.
That was my only option left.
Sometime ago, I'd seen a post with a weird title on a game forum.
Clicking it,
[..Now I'm really the only one left alive.]
A video began playing.
[Ha... What 'Light Hero'? You're just a dumbass, Kainel...]
Under a dark night sky shrouded in gloom, Kainel clutched the cold body of the red-haired mage, sobbing.
[If only I'd been a little stronger... Could I have saved you, Ariel..?]
The Light Hero, self-flagellating for failing to protect his childhood friend Ariel.
[Relying solely on the Light Holy Sword's choice to save the world—maybe that role was too much for me from the start... Ariel.]
They should've been married by now. Why was he like this?
'Probably triggers this route if Ariel game-overs midway?'
I leaned back in my chair, sorting my thoughts. I'd bulldozed with controls and married them off right away, so I never saw it.
[...]
Then it happened. Black mist swirled around Kainel, pitch-black darkness engulfing the hero.
[From the beginning, rather than a world like this.]
Devil horns and wings sprouted; his class changed to Light Demon King.
[I should've just protected you alone, Ariel. I'm sorry...]
Vowing to his dead lover, tears streaming, he reached for the clear moonlit sky, blanketing everything in darkness.
"Holy shit, our good-for-nothing became a Demon King? [Knight Heart] always had that hero-and-Demon-King-are-the-same setting, but..."
The video ended. Scrolling down revealed heated debates on Light Demon King Kainel.
'Corruption Route.'
The first new route confirmed in [Black Heart].
Through cross-verification by many users,
The condition to witness it: one thing only.
Loss of a loved one.
Friend, family, lover—didn't matter.
"Give it here. We'll see if it works."
"Got it... Licht."
I took the Light Holy Sword from Kainel right away. The moment I gripped the hilt, it trembled violently, rejecting me.
'As expected—unchosen wielders can't even equip it.'
Unless you'd played Kainel as the protagonist, running the companion route as Black Knight Licht meant no go.
Proxy-wielding the Light Hero's power was out.
"Licht, stop."
I lightly gripped the holy sword and sliced my palm. Blood dripped steadily.
"Helmet Guy, your hand's bleeding! Why grab Kainel's sword all of a sudden?!"
"Licht... What the hell are you doing? Why now..."
The blade stained red. Even if it worked, it'd be weak since I'm not the owner. Would it even succeed?
"No matter what happens next, don't attack me."
I sighed shortly inside my helmet. Everyone behind me had Demon King trauma.
'Truthfully, I'd prefer nothing happens at all...'
Just don't try to kill me if I suddenly corrupt.
"Fall into darkness."
⟨ Dark Dimension ⟩
The exact opposite of Kainel's holy sword activation chant.
The moment I uttered it, rejection surged through my body. Black blood surged up and spewed out.
"Licht..?!"
"Helmet Guy! You okay?!"
"No way..."
Ugh, the backlash is brutal. I barely caught my breath. Blood streamed from every inch of my face. Good thing I had the helmet.
"My lord..! What are you doing right now!!!"
Magic Hat shrieked at the bloodstains on the ground. I'm doing this to beat you. Black mist swirled around me.
"Ah, it worked. Fuck."
Looks like our Saintess is fine after all. I triggered the glitch by coating in blood.
I became a Demon King just like Corruption Route Kainel. Black Knight armor overlaid my academy uniform.
'Loss of a loved one. That's why I never asked the sage.'
I hated spoilers. Feared future sight showing someone dying if I asked.
"..."
Running and hiding led to this. Despair choked my words. At least protect the love lines in Grand Hearts Academy, right?
Why this in a flashback? If bringing her in later, this ruins it.
Did my interference change the future?
Nameless Saintess.
Confirming her loss triggered my transformation. I loathed myself.
"..My lord! So you were the Light Demon King..! No wonder!!"
Magic Hat cheered joyfully at me. While my gut twisted in agony. Seeing her like that made me sick.
"I'm neither hero nor Demon King, Magic Hat."
The Truth Demon King must've gotten to our Saintess first. Even if it costs my life, I'd take this bastard down with me.
"...Just a Black Knight."
I raised my sword. No longer worthy of "Light Holy Sword"—a jet-black blade spewing dark mist.
"Everyone, run and relay telepathic magic to Professor Dennis. I'll dismantle Magic Hat's authority now."
I warned for their safety first. But instead of replies or footsteps, trembling voices returned.
"..Licht, you were a Demon King."
"Helmet Guy..."
"Licht, you..!"
The hero party stared in undisguised shock. Companion route over after this sight? I sighed deeply in my helmet.
"Kainel, Demon Kings wield authorities opposite their names. Remember that. You'll need it someday."
"What..? Licht, is that what you say now? Explain—"
Then I'd give my all. I owe you guys big in reality.
"Ariel, fix your attitude."
"Helmet Guy... It really is you...?"
Maybe my armored self felt off—the red twintailed elf mage trailed off at me.
"Mardol. Keep that promise we talked about. The Nameless Saintess."
"...Got it. But..."
She might still be alive, so this was right. "Black Knight" ultimately means sacrificing for loved ones.
Then.
—Grab.
The glass knight seized my hand. Golden wolf eyes looked sorrowful from her helmet.
"..Let's fight together. Licht."
She still outmatched me in strength. Her grip halted my steps toward the Demon King.
"Yeah, Licht. Call it late-bloomer chuunibyou, whatever."
"I trust you, Helmet Guy. A real Demon King wouldn't have fixed our Kainel!"
Kainel and Ariel ignored my transformation, reciting companion route lines with resolved gazes.
"..Haha."
How are people this kind? Guess it's the game I enjoyed through school. Tears welled faintly.
But you're all too weak to fight. It was close just now.
"Thanks for the fun times. Appreciate it."
"Dark Dimension."
⟨ Dark Dimension ⟩
With those final words, I plunged the holy sword into the ground, isolating the hero party. The world painted pitch black,
"My lord used an authority too? For me..? I'm thrilled!!"
In that darkness, only I and the Demon King remained. Fully shifted to another space—no damage to Kainel's side.
'Authority to blanket the world in darkness.'
Commonly called spatial severance. Now it was truly one-on-one. No one left to interfere.
"...I used it for someone I care about. Just in case."
"Eh? A new rival...?"
"Who knows. Wouldn't wanna tell you."
Those words sparked the battle, and soon the two Demon Kings clashed.