Chapter 6
On my way to the Academy, the familiar status window appeared before my eyes again. Was it going to give me a quest this time?
[Calculating Grand Route Ending Achievement Rate…]
So, it wasn’t being updated in real-time?
[Kainel♡Ariel 12%]
[First Step Achieved! Congratulations!]
[As a reward, here’s some advice for you!]
[- Joining a club might lead to something good!]
“…I still can’t get used to this pink color.”
So, I just needed to fill up their affection gauge to 100 percent. The heart count had gone up again. Ugh.
“At least it’s not telling me to defeat the Demon King…”
That was still beyond my current abilities. Unless I wanted to do something insane. I furrowed my brows and continued walking.
Along the way, I spotted some familiar faces.
“Oh, it’s Helmet Guy!”
“Licht, you even wore a helmet to the entrance ceremony?”
It was Kainel, with his blonde hair, and Ariel, with her red hair. They were a lot closer now. Maybe I should check my likability score.
“Wait, Ariel, do you know what the favorite mineral of a horned duck is?”
“What is it?”
“Orichalcum.”
“Is he insane…?”
“…? What does that mean?”
Good. No likability points.
Kainel’s face was filled with contempt and disgust, and Ariel looked completely puzzled.
At least this way, I could stay on the closest route to the Saintess. My lingering worries subsided a bit.
I just needed to ignore the blonde one who looked like he’d just bitten into a rock. If he laughed, it would mean he liked me.
“…Never crack a joke again.”
“Understood.”
“What does it even mean!”
As we walked side by side, we eventually arrived at the academy.
***
‘It’s really big. So, this is the Empire’s Academy?’
It was just mentioned briefly in the previous works.
Honestly, I hadn’t expected much.
A statue of ten heroes stood prominently in the center of the Academy, and two steel wolves guarded the main gate behind it.
It was a place that showcased the history of the Gransia Empire.
A crossroads for the characters in the original and the sequels, and the starting point for the heroes.
The entrance ceremony for Grand Hearts Academia was taking place.
‘So, those are the Ten Greats. My teacher looks really young.’
I saw a young man with a Western-style longsword as tall as himself carved out of rough stone.
The Dragon Slayer Drake.
He sure looked like a cool character from this angle.
‘Except when it comes to physical training…’
“Wow, is the highest-ranking person here His Majesty the Emperor?”
“I see the First Saintess here too.”
The square was filled with people. I was scanning the area to see if there was anyone with white hair. Why, the wolf-eared Saintess could be here too. There must have been a reason for sending me to the academy.
“Ah, Licht. There doesn’t seem to be anyone with white hair.”
“…Please keep that to yourself.”
“What are you suddenly talking about? Kai?”
When I suddenly turned my head, he was grinning as if he was getting back at me for what happened a few days ago. I won’t make a lame joke again. Spare me.
“It’s a secret between guys.”
“Another girl story?”
“…”
You broke it. Just as I felt like I had been defeated by Kainel, a man started walking out onto the podium.
“I am Laplace, the Chancellor of Grand Hearts Academia.”
This guy finally showed up.
One of the Ten Greats who stopped the continent’s war. A hero who shone with the seventh-ranked combat power among them.
‘The Librarian Laplace.’
Seeing his face after so long made me feel strangely pleased.
“My ability is quite trivial.”
“It’s the ability to turn lights on and off without touching them.”
It seemed like nothing much.
“But, thanks to a very special person—”
Snap.
A finger snapped.
“I’ve reached this level.”
Suddenly, everything turned dark.
A total eclipse.
“What the… It suddenly got dark!”
“The Chancellor’s power is real!”
“This is kind of scary…”
“As expected of one of the Ten Greats!”
“Look! The sun turned black!”
‘What a crazy ability.’
The area became noisy due to the strange phenomenon.
When he snapped his fingers again, the light returned.
“That’s why our academy’s motto is this.”
“Find what is precious, what must be protected, and what must be done.”
He really was a hopeless romantic. Those three words all referred to one woman. It seemed I didn’t need to help him out.
“May the blessing of the God of Wisdom, Akasa, be with all the new students!”
“Waaaah!!”
“Wooooo!!!”
And with that, the short entrance ceremony came to an end. Among the cheering crowd, we had a brief conversation.
“…That was quite the flashy entrance ceremony.”
“Do you think I can become a wizard like that?”
“I believe you can. Definitely.”
I nodded, recalling their exploits in <Black Heart>. Both of them were overpowered characters. It should be possible. I knew because I played the game without them.
“What elective are you taking, Licht?”
“Magic.”
“I’m in combat magic class too! That’s great, Helmet Guy! Kai!”
I should learn some magic while I have the chance.
All three of us had the same class. At least I wouldn’t have to eat alone in the bathroom like in reality. I was lucky.
‘Huh?’
I was lost in admiration while looking at the names of the faculty on the bulletin board. They didn’t reveal the surnames. They aimed for equality, hiding their family backgrounds.
It was certainly groundbreaking.
With that thought in mind, I headed to the classroom with the hero couple.
***
A tall man with blue hair and striking white eyes walked into the classroom, his gait like that of a drunk.
“Nice to meet you, everyone. I’m the one in charge of <Basic Combat Magic>.”
“You’ve probably heard of me, my name is Dennis.”
The protagonist of <Knight Heart> Part 1.
So he’s appearing as a professor here. I suppose he would have already graduated by now.
‘Drunkard Dennis.’
…I still couldn’t mess with this person.
I felt a bit conflicted.
He was the first character I met in the game, but I couldn’t help him unless I defeated the Demon King. Was there really no way?
“I believe people only change when they push themselves to the limit.”
I tried to come up with possible solutions, but it was still impossible.
“So today, we’ll start lightly by figuring out your specialties…”
At that moment,
Suddenly, the back door opened with a loud creak. A strong presence was felt.
A figure, like a large crystal, walked into the classroom.
With a glossy helmet and armor, and a thin longsword strapped to their back, they shone from head to toe like a knight from a fairytale.
Their white, snow-like appearance gleamed.
There was a huge difference between our armors, with me just wearing a helmet.
‘What the heck is that…?’
It was a character I had never seen before. If they were a character that the game had just thrown in like this…
‘That person must be the protagonist of the third game.’
That’s how it was in Parts 1 and 2. It meant they were someone important. My gamer’s intuition was certain. So that’s why they told me to come to the academy.
“…Sorry for being late.”
The huge figure bowed. Please don’t bow. It’s scary.
“…Your name?”
“Mardoll.”
“Hah… Alright, take a seat.”
Dennis, looking like he had a headache, rubbed his temples.
The mysterious knight, with a loud thud, took the empty seat next to me, showing off their large frame as they sat down.
‘I’ll have to make sure they get involved in the romance story.’
Seeing their hopeless naming sense confirmed it. I needed to take over.
The main story of <Knight Heart Trilogy> was about love.
The status window I saw today was also pointing towards that. The name ‘Mardoll’ had never appeared in any of the games I had played.
Two people wearing knight helmets in one classroom. It was a strange coincidence.
“What’s this, are they a set?”
“Quiet, it’s class.”
“One’s a Dark Knight, and the other is… a White Knight? But they look like glass.”
“Then let’s call them the Glass Knight.”
“Don’t they know each other? How can there be two people like that in one class?”
I can hear you. I don’t know them either.
Do you know the awkward feeling when you mistake someone for a friend and greet them on the street, only to realize they’re a stranger? That’s how I felt right now.
Ignoring the murmurs and stares, the person sitting next to me spoke to me.
“You, Licht?”
It sounded like they were speaking from a cave.
Perhaps because of that, the voice felt more like a man’s.
“Yes. What is it?”
‘You’ve got the wrong person. Eek.’
Seeing the faintly glowing golden eyes inside the helmet, I barely managed to hide my true feelings and replied.
The giant knight spoke to me. This was a truly frightening situation. Cold sweat ran down my back.
“I see.”
As soon as they heard my answer, Mardoll focused on the lecture. They didn’t speak to me again after that.
“What do you mean? Don’t talk about things only you know.”
“How did you know my name?”
“Huh, it’s similar to Helmet Guy?”
“Is that a trend in the Empire? Should I try it too, Ariel?”
“Stop it, Kai. You’ll just look ugly.”
Seeing someone who resembled me must have been amusing, because the hero couple behind me were laughing as they looked at me. I’ll remember this, Blondie.
***
“So, today’s the time to find out what your specialty is.”
Dennis drew a small circle on the blackboard. It was the protection magic he often used in the game. Immediately after, he pointed at a student.
Ariel, with her striking red hair, stepped forward.
“Ariel, what’s your specialty?”
“Fire magic!”
She shut her eyes tightly and answered loudly. She definitely seemed confident.
“Then what kind of magic do you think it is?”
“I think it’s magic that controls fire!”
Dennis placed a hand on his chin. It seemed like he wasn’t satisfied with that answer.
“What about aspects other than fire control?”
“Uh, well, that is…”
His white eyes glowed faintly.
“Well… um…”
“Time’s up. Fire magic thoroughly ignores the ‘laws’.”
He shook his head.
He was someone who liked practical theories.
“It doesn’t require combustible material, and you can create flames even on ice with low temperatures. Moreover,”
He created a small flame and some ice in the air and continued speaking.
“…a skilled fire magician can use it freely even underwater.”
Magic was indeed broken.
I could see flames burning inside the ice.
“So, what do you think is causing the fire to ignite like this? Ariel?”
“Burning… mana?”
She shrank back like a startled cat.
“That’s correct. You do have some common sense.”
“As you can see, mana fundamentally grants attributes that defy reality to magic, swordsmanship, spirit arts, and divine power.”
Listening to Dennis’s explanation, I felt a bit hopeless. I don’t have mana.
「Water Ball.」
A water orb formed in his palm.
“In my case, I’ve slightly twisted water magic, like this. I use it for alcohol. You’re all adults now, so you should be able to drink.”
The transparent water turned a blood-red color.
The scent of wine filled the air. The crimson water orb spun, and a faint smell of alcohol started to spread.
“One of the fundamental ‘concepts’ of water is that it turns into vapor at room temperature. This applies to alcohol as well, but…”
He demonstrated this on a different level.
When Dennis clenched his hand into a fist, the orb disappeared like a bursting balloon, and the classroom was filled with the rich aroma of grapes.
“Just with water magic, I can achieve a control level that rivals any other magician.”
He opened his hand again, and the water droplets in the air gathered into his palm and disappeared as he retracted the magic.
“Ariel?”
“Y-Yes!”
“Now, why don’t you try using fire magic?”
After confirming that there was no problem, he spoke again.
「P-Pyre Ball.」
As she completed her incantation, a large fireball the size of a human head formed in her hand. Her control over the firepower wasn’t great.
Dennis remained calm as he watched her.
“You have a lot of mana.”
‘As expected, she’s a broken character.’
In reality, Ariel possessed talent comparable to a mage of the Magic Tower. Watching her reminded me of how strong a magician she had been in the hero’s party.
Honestly, her area-of-effect attacks were amazing.
“What do you think is the basic concept of fire, Ariel?”
“It glows?”
Her eyes regained some sparkle.
“Yes. Then, what represents that?”
She thought for a moment.
“The sun, fireworks, candles…?”
“Then, think of fireworks and focus on the fact that they shine. Don’t think about them being hot.”
“I’ll give it a try.”
When she closed her eyes and concentrated, flames of various colors began to form in her hand.
Red, gold, and blue. Three different colored flames.
Oh, was this something she learned here? Watching a demo of the magic that would become her ultimate skill, I was lost in thought.
I recalled the cutscene from the game where she and the hero wielded the holy sword together to defeat one of the Demon King’s generals.
‘But those flames are the same colors as Kainel’s hair and eyes, her own colors.’
As she gazed at those flames, Ariel’s face turned slightly red. So this was what they meant by magic reflecting one’s inner image. It was a bit fascinating.
In the game, it was too flashy to pay attention to such details.
‘Huh…?’
I noticed something strange.
A tiny man’s face started to appear above the colorful flames. Stop! That’s Blondie’s face!
“Enough. You’ve done well. Next week, we’ll use our specialties in a mock battle.”
Fortunately, a disaster was averted. If Dennis hadn’t stopped her magic, it would have been a big problem.
She also sighed in relief. You almost confessed in front of the whole class, Ariel.
“That’s it for today’s class since it’s the first day. Enjoy your lunch.”
Dennis, who had been watching with interest, soon ended the class.
I guess it was common sense to end early on the first day.
Thank you. As expected, <Knight Heart> is the best.
‘But I can’t use magic. I’m screwed. I couldn’t even manifest an aura, and my master said something about it.’
Suddenly reminded of my own situation, I felt dejected. Then, I heard voices from the seats behind me.
“The colors of the flames were beautiful, Ariel. That was impressive.”
“U-Uh, yeah. It came surprisingly easy. I’m sure you’ll do it in no time, too, Kai.”
The two of them were sitting and talking. The Hero of Light and the Magician of Blazing Flames.
I was speechless. Even after seeing the magic, Kainel was still being indecisive.
I almost blurted out something harsh in frustration.
‘You really have no sense, do you, Kainel?’
I take it back. Our Blondie isn’t just clueless; he’s completely oblivious.
I sighed and approached them.
“Uh, Ariel. Did you know they say magic reflects one’s mental image?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“Well, a moment ago, I saw Kainel’s face in…”
At that moment, I was cut off.
“Kyaaa!! Helmet Guy, are you crazy? That’s not possible!”
Two hands shot up over my helmet.
She screamed and covered my mouth. Ariel’s face was as red as a strawberry.
“Did you just call me? Licht?”
“Yes.”
“No, it’s not true!!”
Kainel, oblivious to the odd situation, stared blankly at me.
‘Yeah… What did I expect from 12%?’
I sighed internally. Did just holding hands make them childhood friends or something? Were they in elementary Academy?
This is seriously problematic.
If I have to play matchmaker for these two, my future of going home seems bleak. This isn’t even a high Academy; it’s an academy.
You should at least know how to handle your own love life. I kept teasing them.
“I can still speak, you know. It’s not like my mouth is blocked. Just now, Kainel…”
“…Helmet Guy, so that’s how you want to play it.”
“Ariel. Wait, what are you doing?”
“..? Why are you chanting all of a sudden…”
「FireBall!」
Suddenly, the area started to heat up. I felt a chill down my spine. I had forgotten that this tsundere could be violent.
“Aaaah!! Fire magic on a helmet is not okay!”
“Shut up! Shut up! You need to learn your lesson too!”
“Ariel, I’m curious too, so go ahead. For the carriage incident as well.”
I barely managed to stop Ariel, who was trying to attack me with fire magic. I didn’t realize how sad it would be to be unable to use magic. I apologized repeatedly.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Ariel, please, not the fire magic!”
“This thing really doesn’t come off. What’s it made of?”
“…Kainel, Licht, see you both at lunch.”
She was so upset that she didn’t even use honorifics when addressing us. This was really bad. What would become of my wholesome academy dark knight life?
I realized my mistake and hung my head in regret.
***
Because of that, Licht didn’t notice that someone next to him had been watching the commotion closely.
“…Interesting person.”
She had become curious about the man wearing the dark knight’s helmet.
Her wolf-like ears drooped slightly.