Chapter 13. Crisis and Opportunity (15)

The situation was urgent, so I quickly made a few deductions about what had just come to mind.

First.

Question. Unlike last time, I couldn’t defeat the demon in one go. Why?

Even though I’m emitting holy power while bleeding from my hands.

My Saint’s habit… no, my white nun’s habit was stained in places. It seems I haven’t been directly hit yet, but it was because of the black rain made of magic power pouring from above.

The sky is also black. It seems they’ve probably covered the sky with a barrier made of magic power.

Answer. Demons know they are vulnerable to holy power. So, naturally, they would have thought of countermeasures to block holy power.

It’s not the first time they’ve seen me. I don’t know if it’s the same demon as the previous one, but even if it’s not the same being, they would have communicated amongst themselves.

Second.

Question. Then how was Ria able to come out of that situation on her own?

Answer. Ria’s hand held the sword stained with my blood.

That’s a slightly questionable answer.

Even if it’s the power in Ria’s sword, it can’t be stronger than the power coming from my body. The blood on that small stone would be less in quantity than the blood flowing from my body.

Was it because Ria’s fighting skills were good? Was she able to win against the illusion within it?

I don’t know about that.

Perhaps the demon was so focused on me that it couldn’t pay much attention to Ria. It might be the result of underestimating Ria. Although she might not be able to use holy power to the same extent as me, Ria is someone who can directly manipulate holy power.

……If not.

Holy power comes from faith. Whether you consider the being above as God or not is a secondary issue, but the more you are sure of that being, even if it lingers deep in your mind, the more powerful holy power you can use. That was the basis of theology, and it was also a fact proven by me.

However, Ria doesn’t believe in that being.

She believes in me.

“…….”

No, let’s not conclude this thought right now. Let’s take more time and think about it properly.

“Anna.”

Ria called me.

Her gaze was fixed on my bleeding hand.

My hand feels like it’s burning. I’ve never had a burn before, but it probably feels like this if a red-hot iron touches my hand.

The light coming from the wound on the back of my hand looked as if a stake were driven into it.

Blood was flowing from beneath that white stake.

My body is breaking down little by little. I could feel it.

“No.”

I stopped Ria from trying to grab my hand.

“Because I have something I need to do right now.”

“…….”

Ria looked at me.

Her eyes looked angry, and also sad. She seemed to think she had to stop me immediately, but at the same time, her face looked like she thought my words were right.

“Don’t worry.”

Because I have no intention of dying.

I made that promise. Of course, I can’t break that promise.

……Well, I wonder. The question of whether I believe in God or not can be overturned at any time in front of the problem before me. Then what about this promise?

This is a restraint. One that I myself placed on Ria.

If I resolve to die, Ria also resolves to die.

“…….”

For the first time, I thought I didn’t want to. If Ria dies when I die, I don’t want to die. Even if there are countless people in front of me. Even if this world is in danger.

Even if it means betraying my beliefs.

It’s ridiculous.

I was having such romantic thoughts, not like a teenage girl in puberty.

“There’s no need to die here.”

I said.

Of course.

There are still things I need to do. First-

I reached out my hand towards the sky.

And closed my eyes.

-I’m sorry.

Sorry for what?

Are you sorry for sending me to this world? If so, it’s okay. I met Ria here, didn’t I?

For entrusting me with this task? Well, that might be a little annoying. But I don’t hate this either. If I met Ria in return.

Ah, yes.

It seems I can no longer deny it.

It’s not just a matter of concern. It’s not something I can give up just because someone else comes next to Ria.

If that were the case, why would I have placed any restraint on Ria in the first place? Like a true Saint, I should have just put my feelings aside and sent Ria in the direction she needed.

Therefore.

“I hope you cooperate.”

So that neither of us dies.

That being, I don’t think they would change a person’s heart. Even if they had the power to do so. Well, even I think that’s a bit much.

Whether you affirm me or reject me, it’s because you are Ria that I feel this way. So, even if I am rejected, it’s okay because it’s Ria who had such thoughts.

If only there’s an opportunity.

There was someone who gently held my left hand, not my right hand that was reaching up.

When I turned around, Ria was looking at me.

Her expression was still a little annoyed, angry, and sad, but she didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving me. She was still by my side, as my knight.

I couldn’t help but smile, even though I knew I shouldn’t.

I looked up at the sky again.

“So, please help me.”

I said.

In the voice that answered-

-Gladly.

There was a little sadness in it.

A little cracking sound was heard. Tears welled up in my eyes from the pain. But I kept my hand raised.

My vision turned white.

I could hear the clattering sounds around me.

*

That pillar was not a very thick pillar.

It was only about the thickness of a girl’s slender arm, barely comparable to a person.

However, the light that connected to the sky was enough to penetrate the black curtain and burn the black objects flying just below it.

“—–!”

A tearing scream was heard. A scream that sounded like it was being ripped apart and would hurt just by hearing it.

In that white light, the flying object’s wings caught fire. Losing all its black feathers, it slowly fell below the sky.

The light did not stop even after burning the demon’s wings.

Below it, the light that reached the Saint who was stretching her arms towards the sky exploded and spread outwards.

The knights, who had stopped standing in the black rain, seemed to snap out of it and raised their swords in surprise.

And they were captivated by that white light.

There were no traces of magic on her clothes anymore. Only white and red were visible on the Saint who had stretched her hands towards the sky.

A single streak of red blood flowing down her hand. That blood was slowly staining the Saint’s clothes.

“Haa.”

The Saint’s hand fell limply.

Her knight, who was beside her, wrapped his arm around her waist and supported her.

And as if to slowly lay her down on the ground, he slightly lowered his waist.

“Stay here and rest. I’ll be back after I’ve dealt with it.”

“……No.”

But the Saint did not allow it from the knight.

Instead, she wrapped her arms around the knight’s waist with her two bleeding hands.

“……That promise is sincere.”

The Saint said.

“If Ria is where I go, then where Ria goes, I must be there.”

The knight seemed speechless for a moment.

“……I see.”

The knight, who muttered softly, tightened his right hand around the Saint’s waist.

The Saint stood a little closer to the knight. It was a beautiful sight of two people, but no one would have had lewd thoughts looking at that scene.

A beautiful Saint who received a divine revelation.

And her knight who guards her side with his life.

It was a scene that could be seen in religious paintings on church walls.

“Let’s go.”

The knight said, and leaped up, pulling the Saint into one arm.

*

The black rain was still pouring from the sky. The rain had lessened slightly, but not enough to be insignificant.

However, there was no magic power touching our bodies. The holy power flowing through my body was protecting Ria.

Ria’s holy sword was shining much brighter than before. Every time we took a big step and our feet touched the sand, the sand that had turned black turned white again.

I could still feel the pain in my hands, and blood was still flowing, but I had somehow forgotten such pain.

I gazed up at Ria’s face endlessly.

Such a proper and beautiful face.

A steadfast spirit that looks only at one path.

Wasn’t that exactly the kind of knight you’d find in old tales?

“You guys!!”

Someone was shouting at that Ria, no, at us.

The black thing, staggering to its feet, had burnt wings.

In that appearance, a feminine form remained somewhat.

Behind its head, a black light- if that’s the right way to describe it, a black light was shining slightly, and yellow eyes were visible above it.

Its face was in shadow.

But the silhouette of who it was, was clear.

So that’s how it is.

“Ria!”

“Got it!”

We ran.

“Not yet, not yet!”

The demon said so and swung its arm.

Clang, the sound of metal hitting metal was heard.

Ria’s sword was knocked back, but the demon screamed. Its sharp claws flew.

“……Seriously, you’re going too far.”

I muttered.

No matter how I think about it, the princess’s true love was her maid. They must have been in love since childhood.

I gathered holy power in my hand, filled with anger.

A lump of holy power that I had used a few times before.

And I released one hand from Ria’s waist and raised it.

That’s right.

It is so.

Is there any more vulgar development than interfering in a budding romance between childhood friends?

“That voice, it’s definitely a man’s.”

Or a male.

It doesn’t matter.

Because it’s the same in this situation.

In a yuri relationship,

Isn’t a male intruder a grave sin?

That sin is deep.

You must die here today.