Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: 13-4. Drunk on Life, Dreaming of Love
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Heavenly Demon Baek Mok-ryeon.
The Cursed Dragon of Spring.
A figure summoned from another world to fight against the Hero Cult alongside Dennis.
She started as his comrade before becoming his lover—a perfect example of how love can blossom even on the battlefield.
"Heavenly Demon...? Baek Mok-ryeon...?"
But due to the Omnipotent Demon King's power, she was one of the Ten Heroes only freed at the very end of Knight Heart.
Why was she here?
"Hah, I barely saved a ragtag mess like you, and it turns out you're quite the unusual boy."
She let out a dissatisfied grunt, her black robe fluttering around her. I looked down at my body.
No blood, no wounds. No pain. I was still alive.
"...How am I still alive?"
"Your dantian is intact, isn't it? Well, it's magic those weaklings use, so relying on holy power makes sense."
The torn and broken bones and muscles had all mended. Come to think of it, she was ranked second among the Ten Heroes. Thank goodness. I'd thought I was completely done for since healing didn't work on my constitution.
I clenched and unclenched my fist, feeling the sensation of life return. I breathed. The rib injury that had pierced my lungs was gone as if it had never been.
She's the real deal. No wonder her title is Heavenly Demon.
"Thank you, Heavenly Demon."
I bowed my head in gratitude to the Heavenly Demon who had fully healed me. She must have used some kind of internal energy technique.
"Kuhahaha! It's been ages since I had a guest, so I put in a little effort."
The brown-haired woman laughed heartily, revealing sharp fangs. A white magnolia flower adorned her hair, paired with striking black hanbok.
I hadn't realized in the game since she couldn't be recruited as a companion. Living in a wuxia world must make a difference. And here I was, running into someone on the same wavelength.
"Boy, who exactly are you? You know my name, so you're no ordinary sort."
"I'm Licht. The Black Knight Licht."
"Oh? So that's why you're..."
Something felt off. I sensed killing intent. A chilling sensation froze my blood, stiffening my body.
"Were you the Demon King just now?"
Before I could respond, a blade pressed against my throat. The cold edge of sharpened steel.
'...This reaction makes sense if she thinks I'm connected to the Demon King.'
A soft hiss accompanied the icy touch. A tiny droplet of blood beaded on the sword she held.
I hadn't even seen her draw it. Incredibly fast.
"I spared you because the Demon Kings fighting each other was amusing, but..."
Think. What way could I survive this? The life she'd just patched together could snap again in an instant.
"Knowing my name makes me uneasy, though."
She'd been testing if I was a Demon King. Damn it.
Her piercing dragon-like eyes glared at me. It was because of what Head had done to her. Living separated from her beloved due to a curse...
Ah. That was it.
"...Don't you want to see your lover? Dennis?"
Any Knight Heart player knew this. She was Dennis's forgotten lover—a fact advertised on the posters from the start.
"...What? How... how do you know that, boy?"
Of course I knew. I'm a possessor who played the game. But the people of this world should have forgotten all about her.
The Omnipotent Demon King had ensured it. Even Dennis could only resist part of that power.
Clang.
The sword hit the ground with a metallic ring. I sighed in relief as I stared at the blade she'd dropped. A gap born from shock.
"I have a way to prove I know everything, Heavenly Demon."
I had to choose my words carefully here.
"Even another Demon King couldn't overcome 'Ignorance.' How did you...?"
"...I'm also Dennis's disciple."
I phrased it so she'd understand I was an academy student without outright saying it.
Her eyes widened as she stared at me.
"His disciple? That's just as unbelievable. Only I should remember my memories with that man. Surely even that Demon King called Head..."
"Professor Dennis barely remembers you. He's told me all about it."
"...To hear that name from someone else's lips."
There was barely a feminine statue in Baek Mok-ryeon's spot among the Ten Heroes sculptures.
"Dennis has become a teacher, guiding others now."
"...He always did ridiculous things like this. Fine, boy, you must be Dennis's disciple."
The dragon's trait was that Ignorance couldn't fully overcome it, leading him to beg like a human. Seeing this confirmed she was the Heavenly Demon I knew.
'Dennis's gimmick was casting defensive magic all over his body while drinking.'
That explained his glowing white eyes and his "Drunken Dennis" nickname. It was why he died pining for spring in Knight Heart's bad ending.
He twisted water magic into alcohol spells. He even had the insane idea that alcohol in his blood made it possible.
"I don't know how, but you seem to evade Ignorance, boy."
"Probably."
It was all because I'd loved this cursed Dragon of Spring before me. I opened my mouth to the Heavenly Demon who no longer saw me as an enemy.
"Kuh... Living long lets you see all sorts of things. Fine, I'll trust you for now."
"Thank you, Heavenly Demon."
Only she remembered those memories now. She had no reason not to believe I was Dennis's disciple knowing such things.
"So, boy, why were you fighting a Demon King covered in blood?"
Curiosity filled her eyes. I decided to tell the truth to build more trust. Lying to the Heavenly Demon could cost me two lives.
Having just dreamed of the Saintess, I chose to be a bit more honest with my feelings.
"...To protect the one I love."
"Saying that proves you're no Hero Cult Demon King!"
At the word "love," she grinned cheerfully. Knowing character choices like this made things easier. I'd finally dodged the death flag.
"Hero Cult Demon Kings only care about themselves."
My words were utterly selfless. A real Demon King would have wanted to possess his beloved. That's what the Hero Cult was like from the start.
"You must have some ability to slay Demon Kings, then, boy."
She was a tragic figure unable to meet her lover. This should make her understand. With the misunderstanding cleared and killing intent gone, I could breathe again.
"So... why are you here, Heavenly Demon? I was trying to stop the Demon King from escaping, but..."
I stood and stretched my muscles. Fully healed. I could pick up my sword and use Void Slash again if needed.
"You really don't know? You fell from the sky above without a clue? Hilarious."
Baek Mok-ryeon chuckled incredulously at me. What? Why was she laughing? I looked around.
"...Is this still the endless Monster Forest I know?"
Something was wrong. It was the same forest, but denser, more ominous. It felt terribly off.
"Precisely, its heart. No ordinary method lets you even approach."
"What do you mean?"
The center shouldn't feel this eerie. Uneasy, I asked her again.
"This place is like a living prison, boy."
"You don't mean..."
Baek Mok-ryeon sighed deeply, gazing at the empty sky. I could guess why. I looked up with her.
"..."
A clear blue sky. But it felt unnatural. Not a single cloud moved, no matter how long I watched.
We're screwed.
"Due to Ignorance's power, you can't leave."
"Even you, Heavenly Demon?"
"Yes, about fifteen years now."
This was why she only reappeared at the end of Knight Heart.
'She was imprisoned somewhere, unable to escape due to Ignorance.'
So this was it. I'd chased Magic Hat's escape and fallen into the trap instead. I touched the helmet's forehead.
Head again.
I'd thought I'd gotten one over on the Truth Demon King, but Omniscience was deeply involved this time. To avoid worrying everyone, I needed to return to the academy.
"Is there... no way out?"
"Find the path out, boy."
"The path...?"
I'm still alive, at least.
The sword training grounds of Grand Hearts Academy.
"..."
There, the Glass Knight swung her sword relentlessly until dawn.
"Princess."
Nex Aureus watched her with displeasure before speaking to the exhausted Pine.
"...I heard about Junior Licht. He went missing suddenly. But you don't have to do this, Princess. It wasn't your fault."
"No, it was my fault..."
"Really? Did Junior Licht say that?"
He probably hadn't. Pine set down her sword and approached Nex, anger bubbling up at her own weakness.
"Still. If I'd been stronger...! I wouldn't have let him get taken by Magic Hat like Mom did...!!"
Past memories tormented her. She never imagined the helmeted Black Knight would sacrifice himself for her.
"It's my fault again... Licht too..."
At first, she'd thought he'd return with his usual sly grin. The events had been so sudden she'd taken it lightly.
But days of waiting in the forest yielded nothing. Even the imperial guards had no clue of his whereabouts.
"I should have... fought alongside him..."
"Princess..."
He was probably dead. The Truth Demon King was truly powerful.
She bowed her head. If she'd just tried harder after listening to him, maybe things would be different. Even corrupted, holding Kainel's holy sword, he'd vanished to protect them.
"Nex bro... Could there really be such a thing as a good Demon King?"
"Talking about Junior?"
"..."
Honestly, she'd been terrified at first, thinking he really was a Demon King. But Licht hadn't changed. If she'd acted sooner, she could have stopped him, she thought.
"If it's about Junior, I think there might be."
"...What? For real?"
"Yeah. Heroes and Demon Kings are just people, right? You know that, Princess."
"...True."
As she hesitated, he'd left for the jaws of death after asking her to look after the Nameless Saintess.
"Junior's too pure for his own good. A Demon King? No way."
"...You're right. It was my failure."
"Junior Licht's alive. That's what I think. He's that strong, Princess."
At Nex's purple-haired words, she steeled her resolve. She had to grow stronger.
Sacrificing like that man wasn't true protection despite weakness.
He was her exact opposite.
An unusual man. A strong one.
Yet he lied and acted weak.
The contradictory Black Knight lingered in her mind.
"...If I face Magic Hat again."
Pine approached the wooden dummy once more.
"This time, I'll give it everything. Like Licht."
—Slash.
She perfectly replicated someone's sword technique and will.
Thud, crack.
The sound echoed across the training grounds.
The dummy split cleanly in half as she mastered Drake Style Form 1: Shadow Slash.