NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2
‘Grand Route.’
A new system added in Part 2 of [Black Heart].
A special method where the storyline progresses using data inherited from the previous work.
There were many events and choices that were generally unseen.
For example, after maxing out my affection and following the Saintess route, I would meet her right at the beginning of the game.
[Hello there, lost puppy?]
Normally, I would have to go to the monastery where the Saintess is, and use various methods to dispel my suspicion.
[Excuse me, have we met before? You seem familiar..]
[Oh, you were the one who donated to the orphanage! No wonder..!]
[Do you have time this evening? I was thinking of getting a cute doll… What? It’s not for me! Absolutely not!]
There’s no need for that here.
The Nameless Saintess is naturally a stoic character.
She only treats those she acknowledges with kindness.
[It’s amazing that the Hero and the Mage are getting married; time flies, doesn’t it? Do you have any thoughts about me?]
This is what ‘Grand Route’ is all about, witnessing happy endings consecutively in the sequel.
The ad promising new endings still lingers in my memory.
But there was a problem.
No matter how strong a character was made in the previous work, you have to start from scratch.
Only the ‘relationships’ with characters from the previous work are inherited.
Moreover, if I make even one mistake, the save file is wiped.
The [Black Heart] developer was the absolute worst.
Among the worst points, the fact that I got sucked into the game was the top of the list.
“I’m never playing [Black Heart] again. [Night Heart]… you were right… come back…”
I hung my head. How did I forget that the notorious sequel was created by that developer?
As soon as I got the email, I should have sent it straight to the trash. Or reported it for fraud.
When I woke up today, a transparent status window appeared in front of me.
[Tada! It’s finally time for you to go to the Academy! Lee Soo-hyun!]
“What is this?”
I rubbed my eyes. This wasn’t a hallucination.
I felt a bit uplifted by the developer’s tone, which I hadn’t heard in a while. Was it like a guide fairy catching each guideline one by one? I hoped so.
I completely forgot that he wouldn’t put someone into a game still in beta testing.
[There’s a new system in [Grand Hertz Academy] too!]
What now? Was it a possession system other than inheritance?
[It’s your heart that goes thump-thump.. thud-thud! It’s the ‘Affection Level’ system!]
[What kind of events happen when a character’s love hits 100%?! How about it, doesn’t it sound interesting?]
“So a romance fantasy academy game…”
[Yes! Catching the Demon King and having a normal happy ending is getting overused~ At the third iteration, people start to complain..]
Instead of affection, trust, or reputation…
Affection level!?
[I know you hate spoilers..! So I’ll stop here!]
Dumbfounded, I stared at my face as a huge window popped up in front of me.
Large letters spelling “Grand Route.” With multiple smaller sentences extending below.
[Objective: Achieve Grand Route 0/1]
[From now on, you’ll be able to develop a love line! Please progress your love story at the academy!]
[Just maintaining the couples from the previous work will suffice! Let’s go!]
[Reward: Return to the real world, Nameless Saintess’s ‘Grand Route’ ending.]
[Failure: ???]
“…”
I stared at it for quite a while.
The contrasting colors proving that it was indeed a game.
Damn it. Why is it pink? And why is there a heart decoration? You made this yourself, you [Black Heart] developer? What kind of failure is ???.
Of course, my save file will disappear.
“Was being a beta tester what this meant?! You crazy bastard!!!”
I yelled. My vision narrowed.
The item I received as a bonus was blocking my view. Just to note, this thing doesn’t come off. I have to eat with it on too.
“If you were going to send me to the academy to raise my affection level, you should have sent me right away! I was working hard thinking I still had to catch the Demon King!”
I thought I had to fend off an attack at the academy since there hadn’t been any word until now.
Most love lines in Parts 1 and 2 ended with some sort of crisis. I thought achieving a happy ending would allow me to fulfill the Grand Route.
But that wasn’t the case? That was why I was cursing since the morning.
“Can’t you at least let me take off my helmet!!”
Tears blurred my vision.
“Status window!! Open status..!! Nothing is working!”
I unleashed a barrage of various cliché lines for about ten minutes, but all ended in failure.
All that returned was silence. Ultimately, it was all up to the developer’s whims, and I had no choice but to accept the situation silently.
“..Ha, if it weren’t for our Saintess, I wouldn’t have fallen for this.”
I sighed heavily. I had been trapped inside this game for five years now. After falling into an unfamiliar forest, I nearly died.
Fortunately, a kind-hearted old couple took me in, so it worked out. Though I was thankful for becoming younger.
“Black Knight Licht.”
I was possessed by a character used similarly in the previous works. Now I’m the one being inherited.
“If only they’d let me use magic like Licht, or can’t I since it’s a prequel.”
I looked in the mirror. The appearance of a warrior with a black helmet pressed down. It felt odd without armor, but it looked enough like a Black Knight.
“Surprisingly, the fit is really nice.”
I guess there’s nothing that can be done. Since it’s come to this, I’ll show it. Do they think I wouldn’t know about the love story? I could memorize even a short passage from the setting book.
“..This time, I will definitely see the ending. You bastards.”
Why does the Saintess have to die in Part 2 in the first place?
I hated it, so I understood every attack pattern and forced in even the tiniest amount of damage, grinding for 16 hours straight.
When I finally managed to finish, there was no ending implemented.
And thinking back, I had also seen the ‘strange ceiling’ while getting an IV at some point. I never expected to be possessed like this, was it foreshadowing?
“You picked the wrong opponent.”
I picked up the notebook that was on the bookshelf. I had noted down all the information since I feared forgetting upon arriving here. In this scenario, it was my most potent weapon.
I dusted off the cover.
“Cursed Spring Dragon and Drunken Dennis. I can’t touch them yet anyway.”
[Night Heart], the protagonist of Part 1. A blooming love under the magnolia tree.
To save these people, I have to catch the Demon King. I’m putting that on hold for now.
“[The ability to turn on and off lights without touching them]… I don’t have to worry about that.”
The man who became the academy president for the sake of his beloved. I’ve already grasped the situation, so I shouldn’t be worried.
“Grand Sword Master and the Sage of the Wizard Tower.”
Are these two in the academy? One was my swordsmanship instructor until a few days ago, and the other lived holed up in the library.
‘A healthy mind resides in a healthy body!!’
Even just seeing the letters I wrote made it feel as if I were hearing a loud voice.
I’m sorry. Master Drake.. I still can’t use junior aura. No matter how hard I try, some things just won’t work out.
I turned the page.
“The northern duchess was an Easter egg character.”
I haven’t read many romance novels like some do, but I should have researched a bit more online. I wonder how far my gaming knowledge will get me.
Lost in my thoughts, my gaze locked onto one place.
“..The Hero of Light and the Flame Mage.”
[Black Heart], the protagonists of Part 2. An oblivious neighbor dog and a shy red cat.
What a fitting couple.
These useless bastards were quite decent characters in the original, except for fleeing in the sequel.
But it’s still the past, so it can be changed.
They are crucial heroes, yet they also have the highest chances of failing in love.
“I’ll start with these childhood friends.”
Enduring a relationship that evolves from friends to lovers is really sweet, at least for these two’s love story.
“I have a feeling this will be tough.”
As I organized my thoughts, a sigh escaped me, and my hand that was flipping through the pages stopped.
“…”
I placed my hand on my forehead. Unlike the characters I organized, the slot meant for their names was blank with mere notes.
I nearly forgot.
“Who should the Nameless Saintess be paired with?”
The healer first introduced in [Night Heart].
An NPC that’s like a blank white sheet.
[Nice to meet you.]
As white hair fluttered and wolf ears moved from under her nun’s attire, she resembled a homage to a Japanese priestess.
Honestly, she was the reason I started the game.
Now, all the characters have become painful reminders, but
the moment I became attached to her was really clear. It was great to see an NPC that was once the coldest person gradually opening up.
..and she was beautiful too.
[Good morning. How are you feeling?]
A low probability spontaneous event.
Was it when I had just caught the Demon King and my character was in critical condition?
[They say knights in fairy tales always protect the princess. But I prefer a hero who protects others too.]
[..Thank you for your hard work today. ‘Black Knight’ sir.]
The first smile I ever saw.
Sunlight shining behind her reflected in her hair beautifully. Whether by coincidence or destiny, this was the unique dialogue that came from different professions.
Honestly, I just picked it because it looked cool.
From then on, until [Black Heart], I played as a Black Knight largely due to her influence.
[If that’s the case, how about trying to use honorifics this time? There will surely be people who won’t be scared of you like me.]
One day, she said that if I spoke in honorifics instead of informal language, maybe people wouldn’t be scared of my scars and would come close. Or if it bothered me, I could heal myself.
It was just character customization to me.
But her emotional range was so rich, almost like a living person was worrying about me.
That’s why I loved the original.
[I also like sweet things; could you give me one?]
[It seems your divine power has dropped a bit..]
When I was munching through candies as buff items, she occasionally asked for one, and if I didn’t give it, she’d sulk all day.
That was also adorably petty.
[Sir, if I don’t eat that candy, I won’t be able to heal!]
It became a habit to buy extra candies whenever I visited the shop.
Looking back, wasn’t I just being robbed by Gold?
[Hehe, thank you. May the blessings of the gods be with you, Sir.]
It was one of those rare moments when her icy expression melted, so it was worth it.
[If you can’t trust people, I’ll become the first person to trust you.]
She comforted me when I was betrayed while heading to the Demon King’s castle, and
[Do you know the meaning of the blue rose? They say it was impossible at first. If you don’t give up, an opportunity will come someday.]
When the trial count exceeds a certain number, her wolf ears and tail would droop differently than usual.
[..If only once, I’d like to try on a wedding dress. Is that too greedy?]
‘So I worked my ass off for it.’
What came at the end of [Night Heart]? I was only dreaming of a pure white bride while sleep talking.
She was a supporting character.
There was never a proper happy ending like a formal marriage, and all I did was tread the path of the ‘Saintess Route’ that got closest to her.
A colloquialism that users coined.
What a lightweight term.
“I was the one who only watched that…. Now that I think about it, I miss her.”
I closed my eyes. I had only relied on the ending in ‘Grand Route.’ The reason I played [Black Heart] was because of that.
This time, it might just work out. To be honest, I don’t think the guy who made me possess this game lied.
“Alright, let’s go meet the Hero and Mage first.”
Only two days until the academy entrance ceremony.
No matter what else happens, I have to ensure that the childhood friend couple gets together.
“All I want is for our Saintess to be happy.”
The two who had helped me the most in planning the sequel.
These two are bound to be the key.
The beginning of a happy ending that connects the past to the future.
I shut the book.
I was ready. Now, I have to start writing a new story.
The ‘Grand Route’ where she is happy.