I had joined the two seated at the table. Nex, looking cheerful, even paid for the drinks.
Chocolate drinks are definitely the best. Can’t stand the bitter stuff.
“Ah, thank you.”
“That feels refreshing! Being picky about it, haha!”
The man with purple hair threw an arm around my shoulder.
Honestly, I was worried since it could fail. It’s a little unsettling, but it’s better than the Crown Prince route.
“Nex.. No matter what, badmouthing the Ten Heroes is not good…”
“Shar, you’re the one who awakened a spirit with true love but wants to arrange a political marriage for your son. Hear some bad words for once.”
“That’s true, but…”
The black-haired nun spoke to Nex with a concerned tone, and he crunched the remaining ice in his glass.
Crunch. Crackle. was the sound that echoed.
“I’m not fond of that either, Prince Aureus.”
“Just call me Nex, Junior! I’m in 2nd year!”
“Thank you.”
As I chimed in, a fox-like smile crept onto Nex’s face.
“Your name is Licht, right? 1st year?”
“Yes. Senior Nex.”
“I don’t know how someone like you got into the Academy. It’s quite amazing.”
“I do hear I have a unique vibe.”
I chuckled slightly, slightly bemused. I’d heard that a lot in gaming communities.
“How can someone like this like a Saintess?”
Isn’t needing a reason just to like someone ridiculous? Now I’m not so sure. If you’re upset, just improve your skills, silly.
At that moment, as I sipped my drink, Nex asked me with a puzzled expression.
“By the way, why did you suddenly badmouth the head of the household, Junior?”
“…I wanted to get closer to you since you’ve known each other since ages ago?”
“Flattery isn’t bad either. Junior.”
The truth is, Nex is a suppressor in Night Heart.
A rival who causes disturbances whenever a player tries to form a harem.
He seems like a flirt but actually hinders the player’s avarice.
Love is a contradictory feeling, and the creator of the first installment once mentioned that in an interview.
The original allowed only 1:1 relationships, unlike the sequels.
“I remember that in the game, during their first meeting, the Saintess thought Nex wasn’t a bad person.”
If it weren’t for her, I might have lost my heart to other heroines and suffered a heavy loss against Nex, right?
..No, I probably wouldn’t have even started playing the game. Suddenly, a single word crossed my mind.
“Senior, do you know of the Nameless Saintess?”
Thinking of it, I decided to ask the cleric about it. I inquired about our Saintess’s whereabouts from Sister Schartines.
“..? The Saintess? There’s no one but me?”
“Well… Who would ask that to the 2nd Saintess, Junior?”
“Yes?”
My brain couldn’t accept the result. I thought the first Saintess was someone else, and the next one was the Wolf-Eared Saintess.
It felt like cold ice had been dumped on the back of my head.
“Wha.. what do you mean? Is the 2nd Saintess…?”
“That’s right. Right in front of you is Sharitines Saint Meridich.”
“Nex, I told you not to call her that.”
“Sorry, that was a slip. I was surprised too.”
Saint Meridich. I’ve heard that name somewhere, but I was too frantic to recall anything.
Is the 2nd one not her?
Cold sweat dripped down my back. Breathing became difficult. Is there even a possibility in this situation?
“Something feels twisted. Think.”
After all, it’s a noble position chosen by the God of Light.
“Really… you are the 2nd Saintess?”
“Yes, you probably didn’t notice because Shar is too beautiful. It makes sense.”
“Nex, stop with the useless talk!”
“Ow! Don’t hit me with your Divine Power! Shar!”
The Saintess can’t be replaced by someone else. I tapped my fingers on the table.
What’s credible now is that I must have misunderstood her to be the 2nd one. I felt suffocated.
“Think, she can’t be dead. The in-game screenshots indicate so. The rewards in the status window are still there.”
I kept swallowing dry saliva. It tasted bitter.
“Even if she’s a supporting character, she’s not an extra. I’m sure something will come up from attending the Academy. I wouldn’t be in this situation if it was all meaningless.”
I drew a breath again. For a moment there, I almost became emotional. It was possible that her identity lost was in unknown generations.
I didn’t know the character named Sharitines. And the Wolf-Eared Saintess did have tremendous foreshadowing.
“I must have mistaken someone. I’m sorry.”
I bit my tongue. No matter how I think about it, whenever it relates to her, I become too fragile. It could affect my Grand Route strategy.
“Are you okay, Junior? Your hands are shaking.”
“Oh, wow, you’re right. Should I heal you?”
“No, I’m fine. I know a talented healer.”
Thinking negatively leads to nowhere. I should instead swing my sword around. Healing isn’t something I can receive with this body anyway.
“…I think I’ll head out. The morning lecture is about to start.”
“Oh, Licht Junior, take care!”
I felt a bit dizzy. If the person claiming to be the 2nd Saintess doesn’t know her, then she must be safe. No need to worry.
“Junior. Wait a moment.”
I barely dragged my staggering body onward.
Just then, the man with the purple hair called me to a halt.
“Yes? What’s up?”
“May the Phoenix’s blessing be with you. Take care. You look truly tired.”
Nex patted my shoulder.
“Tweet.”
A purple sparrow circled above my head once. It was an ability for fatigue relief from the game. Spirits are certainly nice.
“Let’s meet again, Black Knight Junior.”
He waved at me with an exaggerated hand gesture. I could see the worry reflected in Nex’s fox-like smile.
“…I’ll see you later.”
I just dashed toward the classroom. My steps felt slightly lighter.
*
In such a full sprint, I ran into the Hero’s party.
“Oh, Licht.”
“What’s happening? I’m not late yet.”
“Hey, Helmet Guy! How are you?”
“I thought I was late, but it turns out I wasn’t.”
Some things happened. My neck was sweaty from the heat. Finally feeling better.
“Did you have a good meal with Ariel?”
“Can’t you tell from looking?”
“I had it with Mardol!”
“Right.”
Looks like I got caught by the Crown Prince. Kainel, today we’re experiencing the same situation. I felt pity for a comrade going through the same ordeal.
The red-haired mage spoke up.
“Have you all thought about your specialties? Kain?”
“I might do something related to light.”
“Already got one.”
“Professor Dennis knows my situation, so it should be fine.”
There was a hint of a scheme in the yellow mutt’s tone and an off-putting feeling, but I answered anyway. When did Mardol get so friendly with Ariel?
That should be fine, right? Thankfully, I had already discussed it in our club, so there shouldn’t be an F rating on the report card.
While I was feeling relieved, someone was glaring at me.
“Licht, swordsmanship.”
“If that becomes my specialty, wouldn’t others believe it too? Thanks for the advice.”
“Yep, that’s right.”
“How do you get that? Helmet Guy…”
The glass knight nodded approvingly. He was quite easy to read.
“I’m specialized in that.”
I grasped the way of speaking from a man named Rufus. The strategy of the game starts with understanding patterns. Even if it’s different from the 2nd installment, I’m somewhat used to it.
“So, what’s that cake in Kainel’s hand?”
“Oh, this? I bought it for myself.”
“Really? Don’t you dislike sweet things?”
“Licht, how did you know?!”
Of course, I knew. Kainel was a character who tried to eat sweets after marrying Ariel.
I could vividly picture him grimacing while eating a chocolate-drenched crepe. Looking back, Black Heart also had some decent bits.
“From that bakery earlier? Kain, did you buy it for me?”
“Ariel?! Uh, uh.. yeah, that’s right.”
“Thanks! Let’s eat this together after lunch!”
“…Sure, let’s do that.”
Our perceptive red cat struck again. I noticed the hero was standing there with his hands behind his back, humming a little tune while holding a box of strawberry cake.
“It’s a bit cold. Did he even use freezing magic?”
“We never had that done in our rural village. The Empire is a bit different…”
“Good hustle.”
The blonde fellow’s face turned red. If he was this honest, it’d be good for everyone. Why are people still doing tsundere acts that don’t work these days?
“Licht, let’s see each other in practice today.”
“Absolutely.”
He looked at me with a resolved expression, planning his revenge, but,
[Kainel♡Ariel 24% ‘NEW!!’]
Seeing the words pop up in my status window made me laugh.
It’s nice when I get to be sharp in moments like this.
*
When I reached the classroom, Dennis pulled out several magical spheres, each one housing multiple magic circles, and teleported all of us.
“Huh? Wow.. that’s teleport magic?”
“That must be pricey. Oh, right, this is the Academy.”
“Fascinating.. I’ve never seen anything like this.”
“Is it thanks to that magic circle? Wouldn’t that mess up the circuit? Is it possible just because he is a professor?”
Sudden movement felt like a theatrical set changing.
Surprised, the other students, including me, stood wider-eyed.
‘The protagonist is indeed different.’
He instantly mastered the 3D magic circles. Honestly, I was skeptical.
In Night Heart, he described it as something he realized through research, so there shouldn’t be a contradiction.
“Today, as previously announced, you’ll be defeating the training slimes using your specialties.”
He gestured towards the spaced-out slimes across the vast field.
“Unique swordsmanship, twisting magic concepts, your own spirits, weapons made with Divine Power. Anything goes.”
“Evaluated based on opponents, and each will be given one slime.”
“If you catch it quickly, you’ll score extra points.”
“Now, let’s begin the practical training. Students.”
The moment he finished his words, other students rushed toward the slimes, ready for mock combat.
“Then, I’ll head over there. Good luck, everyone.”
“Helmet Guy! See you later!”
“I won’t lose to you today. Just wait, Licht.”
After briefly saying goodbye to my party, I moved closer to one slime for evaluation.
As I did, the cube-like barrier unfolded. It was one type of protective magical circle.
Oh, this feels just like a 1:1 training ground.
“It’s been a while.”
Just like the walls from the training grounds I often saw in the game. So this magic came from the Academy.
I gazed at the bouncy green monster.
“Training… slime, huh…”
Today felt off, and a stray thought crossed my mind. I really wasn’t feeling right.
“…I should’ve forgotten it by now.”
It was a slime with a red nucleus inside, squirming. The evaluation monster only grown stronger the more it divided.
I had a memory related to it.
A sudden event.
After the Hero and Mage’s wedding in Black Heart, I recalled how the Nameless Saintess had suddenly vanished.
If the player hurries to the nearby training ground, they would find her, who had run away.
Honestly, I saved and reloaded many times. People don’t just disappear for no reason.
Sitting down away from the training slime, I saw a woman who was weeping.
[Sir Knight…? How did you….]
Due to the barrier, originally, this place couldn’t be noticed by anyone but the involved party. Dabbing her tears away, she tried to act like nothing was wrong.
I wish she had acted as well as Nex.
[…] I guess the story of the nameless individual is meant to be forgotten.
I could envision the Saintess’s face trying to shrug it off, gently combing her long white hair. With moist eyes, she was lying when she said she was the platinum wolf.
[Watching Kainel and Ariel’s wedding made me envious.]
She desperately tried to hide the fact that she witnessed the characters becoming happy with sad eyes.
Since Night Heart to Black Heart, she’s never had a happy ending.
Is she really here?
“Sigh.”
A deep breath escaped me. My chest felt tight. An unpleasant feeling gripped me. Was she also having an unhappy moment somewhere in the third installment? I worried she wouldn’t be crying alone again.
[I’ve always been, but I’m a failed Saintess.]
“…”
I needed to shake off these negative thoughts.
I drew my sword from the sheath. Kachak-. The silver blade was shrieking. It looked on the brink of collapsing.
[If others find happiness, I should satisfy myself with cowardly thoughts.]
The Saintess might have felt similarly back then.
“4 style.”
My hand holding the sword became heavier than ever. The blade reflected my helmet. My expression was likely furious inside.
I slammed the ground hard. The air started to gather in a single spot. With my right hand, I whipped up the pressure. What this implied was a mystical technique that creates a blade with physical force regardless of distance,
A new technique focused on cutting power.
The essence of Drake-style swordsmanship.
A reinterpretation of the Wolf King, Rock, in the fourth.
Strength is replaced with techniques, and lacking strength is compensated with skills.
[Not everyone can be happy. That’s how it is, Sir Knight.]
The unforgettable scent of roses enveloped me.
But still,
Shouldn’t I be allowed to be happy once?
I injected a lot of emotion into it.
“Void Slash.”
The gathered air exploded explosively. It was a natural phenomenon and will created to cut down the dragon in front of me, regardless of distance.
It wouldn’t be easy to block with magic.
Shatter whack!
Dust flew as the protective barrier shattered like glass along with the slime.
*
─ Clang!!
The sound of the Black Knight’s sword shattering the protective magic echoed in the training grounds.
The sharp noise resembled that of countless glass windows breaking.
It was as if a bomb had fallen, spreading devastation in a fan shape. Anyone witnessing it would assume it was a wind magic or aura used to unleash a blade.
“Ahhh!!!”
“What happened?! What’s going on?”
“Did a typhoon just pass through?”
“Is this magic? But why is the protective barrier broken? That can’t be…”
The gust vortex swept away the slimes. The students were unharmed. It was a bizarre wind that seemed to intentionally avoid people.
“That’s towards Licht’s direction.”
Kainel sighed as he observed the splintered trees and the gelatinous fragments scattered everywhere.
While he knew Licht was stronger than him, this was something entirely different.
‘Looks like he couldn’t control his strength.’
Glancing at the aftermath, he whispered. As a hero, he had trained in swordsmanship for years. He could tell how the blade moved with a rugged, emotional approach.
It was strange since he had been odd since morning.
It wasn’t the same controlled sword form he usually wielded. He must have rushed in, breaking cold sweats.
“Kai, what’s going on?”
“Ah, Ariel? Did you come out from practice too?”
“Yeah. Did Helmet Guy do this?”
As the red-haired girl approached him while piecing together circumstances, she reacted in shock at the scene.
“It seems like it. Nobody else around Licht can have this level of ability.”
“It’s like he’s on Sword Master level..?”
“Probably so.”
“This is impossible.. I heard he couldn’t use magic..”
Understanding it was the technique that hindered his Shine Strike, I was aware of that point. Yet it’s not like he was using any magic.
The blonde hero appeared to be facepalming with a bemused expression due to the unreasonable nature of it all. Looking for the black helmet, he found him busy apologizing to Professor Dennis.
“Professor, I’m sorry. I didn’t know how quickly I should catch the slimes.”
“It’s a good result. Even if it’s not Dragon Kill, this is also ‘extreme.'”
“I’ve messed up.”
“Might as well not be upset. There’s no one hurt, after all. My assistant.”
The man radiating a white aura held his head down, trembling while facing the Black Knight.
“I won’t go to grad school…”
“If you take the integrated program, you can graduate faster. Licht-kun.”
“But I really don’t want to, Professor Dennis.”
His outfit looked ordinary like a stage actor.
‘Everyone makes mistakes. Still, it feels like he purposely aimed for others from the start.’
Kainel quite liked this aspect of Licht. He clearly didn’t act recklessly depending solely on his own power.
It seemed there might be some trouble imbued in his swordsmanship.
*
“Did I lose…?”
At that moment, while the yellow mutt was lost in thought, the distant glass knight murmured while looking at the scoreboards.
She thought she had caught the slimes the fastest, easing her mind, and came out late to the training ground.
The surroundings had become a mess already. And she gazed up at the floating words.
[1st Place: ….]
[2nd Place: Mardol.]
The name of a certain man at the immediate level above her.
‘Licht.’
Pina faced her second defeat in life.
