『New magic acquired!』
『Skills』
【Summoning Magic Lv. 1】
【Elemental Magic Lv. 1】
【Magic Theory Lv. 1】
【Black Magic Lv. 1 NEW!!!】
【Gentle Release】
The start of the Demon King route, and thankfully, the reward for defeating Rowan the Executioner came through properly.
Who would’ve thought I’d get Black Magic like this, something you’d never learn in Aiaie Hekati’s Magic Class.
I didn’t plan to go down the Demon King route, so I never thought about it, but now that I have Black Magic, maybe I should rebuild my deck from scratch?
Of course, it’s not like I actually have cards in my hand or a “deck,” so it’s more like pondering, “What magic should I focus on using from now on?” But hey, that’s pretty important, you know.
“Ugh…”
In Legend of Academy battles, the “deck” is the alpha and omega, the light and salt, the squishy and the hehehe.
From moving to attacking the enemy, every action in battle is done by playing “cards,” so if your deck is trash, you’re screwed.
In that sense, many people compare gaining new “skills” or leveling up “magic” to opening a new booster pack in a card game. But that’s a pretty subtle analogy, right?
To be precise, it’s more like buying an expansion pack for an LCG (Living Card Game), a genre that’s really, really unfamiliar to people in our country. Unlike booster packs, in LCGs, when you buy an expansion, all the cards come straight to your hand.
The player just picks the “cards they want” and puts them in their deck. Similarly, now that Reoa has learned “Black Magic,” I can just happily imagine which cards I’ll add to my deck and use.
When magic levels up, existing cards get stronger or new cards come in. What a great system for prepping your “strategy”!
Anyway! Now that I have Black Magic, I need to rebuild my deck from scratch, and since it’s hard to do all this just by imagining, I want to sit at my desk and scribble with a pencil…
“Ugh…”
“Does your head hurt, Murmur?”
Citrine won’t even think of moving an inch away from me.
This is the problem. I expected her to suddenly decide to become my bride and smile cutely, but I didn’t think she’d stick to me all day like this.
“Citrine, aren’t you busy?”
“Such trivial matters are nothing compared to spending the day by Murmur’s side!”
“Ugh…”
Does she really have no intention of leaving? Surely not, right?
“Murmur needs to study.”
“I’ll help you from the side!”
“…I prefer studying alone.”
“I’ll stay quietly behind you without even breathing!”
“Ugh…”
She has no intention of leaving, not even a bit.
《Having a Fun Time with Citrine》
《Time: After School》
From the start, the status window has been like this, and Citrine is stuck to my side, not moving an inch.
Surely, I won’t be stuck like this forever, right?
It’s not that I dislike Citrine, but now that I’ve learned Black Magic, I should probably talk to the Demon God, Armonia…
Shake Esme Bloodberry to level up Elemental Magic, listen to Nicasia Holimpia’s stories about how the world works…
“Ugh…”
I looked up at Balkan, Citrine’s butler standing behind her, pleading for help with my eyes, but he had already given up long ago, shaking his head left and right.
Well, since it’s come to this, there’s no choice. Let’s see what I can get from Citrine.
“Then, Citrine, can you help Murmur?”
“Wahh… O-of course! I’ll help with anything!”
“Let’s talk first. Murmur doesn’t know much about Citrine.”
After all, Citrine is the main heroine of the Demon King route for a reason.
“What kind of dolls do you like, Citrine?”
* * *
《Having a Fun Time with Citrine》
《Time: After School》
『New knowledge acquired!』
【Speechcraft】
Citrine, sitting in front of me, looked at me with a proud expression.
It was a pretty fun time. I even gained “Speechcraft” knowledge, so I can navigate some events more favorably now.
“I’m glad if my stories weren’t boring.”
“It was fun, Citrine.”
“Murmur is really a kind person.”
Citrine looked at me with sparkling eyes and took a sip of her drink with ice floating in it.
“…But, Murmur. I feel really sorry to ask this after such a fun conversation, but there’s something I want to ask.”
Suddenly? I nodded.
“Is it really okay?”
“Is Citrine a changeling?”
Citrine’s eyes widened, she looked around, and then nodded.
What other secret could she have? The fact that she’s a changeling is probably the most frightening and guilt-inducing for her.
“Murmur doesn’t mind. I said it before.”
“But… I’m aware that it’s a crime.”
“Citrine is a changeling, but you haven’t done anything bad with it, right?”
I know. Citrine’s unavoidable circumstances. So even if she introduces herself as a changeling like “Rowan the Executioner,” it doesn’t stir much emotion in me.
“Still… in a way, I think I’m the same as Rowan.”
“Different.”
“It’s not different, Murmur.”
Citrine’s eyebrows trembled as she scratched at the water droplets on her glass.
“It’s the same… thing.”
“Different. Citrine has a story. There are unavoidable circumstances, right? Rowan is different. He was there to harm and monitor Citrine.”
“Murmur…”
This is something I realized after playing Legend of Academy several times.
As you progress through the scenarios, you start to think that changelings are really annoying and trashy. That’s a kind of rail the developers cleverly set up.
You keep thinking that until you meet “Citrine” in the Demon King route and start questioning.
“Are changelings really bad?”
What if there are people who have no choice but to live like that?
What if someone is just born that way?
Is it okay to point fingers and curse them just for existing?
Having played the Demon King route multiple times, I know. Changelings themselves aren’t bad.
It’s like saying we should ban video games because a murderer played them. It’s no different from some aunties shouting nonsense.
“Citrine isn’t bad. Changelings aren’t bad either. Everyone has their own story.”
“But Murmur, I…”
“Citrine is the ‘adopted daughter’ of the Crimson Brand Duchess, right? Murmur knows enough.”
“Huh? H-how? How do you know that?”
Citrine looked genuinely surprised, covering her mouth with her hand.
“Just… I can tell. You explained it subtly earlier.”
“Uh! That was just me saying that my relationship with my mother is good!”
“Still, I can tell. Murmur is a demon, after all.”
Citrine’s lips twitched as she protested, “I’m like that too?!”
Anyway, don’t I know your circumstances?
This is a pretty touching story that comes up when you progress through the Demon King route. To summarize, the “Crimson Brand Duchess” knows Citrine is a demon.
She also knows she’s a changeling. Despite knowing, she took her in as an adopted daughter.
That’s where the story ends. Who can point fingers at this mother-daughter relationship? It’s their own business.
“Murmur is really amazing.”
“Not really. Murmur doesn’t know a lot of things.”
“Still, I didn’t expect you to understand me so well and say such kind things.”
“I just said what’s natural.”
Given the circumstances, if Citrine plans to stick to me all day like this, I should learn all the skills and knowledge I can.
After all, Citrine is the main heroine, so the rewards I can get from her are enormous.
『Possessions』
【Old Sword】
【Ancient Bracelet】
【Bloodberry’s Heirloom】
If I spend this much time with her, even my possessions, which make my eyes moist just by looking at them, will start to sparkle!
“Murmur is truly fit to wear a crown!”
So that’s how you say someone is meant to be the Demon King.
With Citrine smiling brightly in front of me, I grabbed the table with both hands and stood up. Anyway, I’ve held it in long enough. I wanted to leave after learning Speechcraft, but now’s a good time.
“Murmur? Where are you going?”
“Um…”
Is it okay to say it outright?
“…Bathroom.”
“Ah! Then I’ll go with you!”
“Huh? No. Murmur can go alone.”
Don’t people usually not go together?
“If Murmur is going, I can go anywhere with you.”
“So, you’re saying you’ll follow me even if you don’t need to go?”
“Yes, I don’t want to be apart from you at all!”
“No, no, no. Don’t follow me. Murmur can go alone.”
Going to the bathroom together is not a thing!
I moved my little legs quickly, but Citrine stuck to me in no time.
“I’m going alone.”
“Then I’ll wait outside.”
“N-no. That’s weird. Just wait here.”
“Murmur… are you trying to keep your future bride away?”
“…Citrine clearly said last time that she’d listen to anything Murmur says!”
Sparkle sparkle!
Citrine smiled brightly and followed me all the way to the bathroom entrance.
No, I really feel a bit urgent here, is this okay?
“W-wait…”
“Murmur. Come back soon.”
Do people usually go together? No, right?
It doesn’t seem like it?
“Huh… Murmur? Citrine?”
At the worst possible timing, Nicasia Holimpia came out of the bathroom, fiddling with a handkerchief.
“…Citrine, are you bothering Murmur again?”
No, it’s not like that!
Nicasia grabbed my shoulder and pulled me away from Citrine like snatching a doll.
“What are you talking about, Your Highness? If you’re done in the bathroom, go on your way… ugh!”
Citrine tried to pull my hand, but there was no way she could win a strength contest with Nicasia.
“Can’t you see Murmur is uncomfortable and troubled?”
“Ha! Isn’t that because Your Highness is burying her in your skirt?”
“You’re the one following her to the bathroom and making her uncomfortable!”
“I didn’t go into the stall, just waited at the sink! That’s normal! Surely, Your Highness, you don’t have friends, so you wouldn’t know?”
“Friends…! I have them!”
“Everyone knows you don’t!!!”
Nicasia half-hugged me, kneeling slightly.
“N-Nicasia… wait, I…”
“Murmur, it’s okay. You can be honest here. Citrine is burdensome, right? It’s hard to get along, right?”
“Don’t stir things up!!!”
“This isn’t stirring things up; it’s giving Murmur a chance to speak her mind.”
Nicasia! I get your feelings, but now’s not the time!
I urgently slapped Nicasia’s thigh.
“Hah, haha! See that! Murmur is uncomfortable in your arms!”
“T-that can’t be. Murmur and I even showered together.”
“…What? Why would you do such a horrible thing…”
“What did you say?!”
Nicasia growled roughly, and Citrine clung to me.
“Guys…! I, I really need to go!”
“Need to… ah!!”
“S-sorry, Murmur! Go quickly.”
Finally, they let me go.
“Why… why do you fight every time you meet? Ah, dangerous…”
I get why they can’t get along, but aren’t they still in elementary school, 5th grade?
They should be able to get along squishily…
“Phew… thank you, Demon God…”
This won’t do.
《Having a Fun Time with Citrine》
《Time: After School》
《Having a Fun Time with Nicasia Holimpia》
《Time: After School》
With events overlapping like this, I need to make them get along a bit to reduce my suffering!
I can’t keep bouncing between them like a volleyball forever!
