Chapter 32: Dream

The saint was busy.

She was meticulously decorating her room.

A bottle of fine wine and glasses sat on the desk, along with a beautifully crafted scented candle.

“…Is this… enough?”

She looked at herself in the mirror.

“This should do…”

She’d asked Isabel to come to her room.

She would offer him wine, not beer, and show him her feminine side.

He’d like that, right?

Belladriel smiled, lost in happy thoughts.

Knock, knock.

‘He’s here.’

She cleared her throat and murmured, “Come in.”

‘Wow…’

Had Belladriel always been this elegant?

She wore a white off-the-shoulder dress, a style he’d never seen her in before.

He only remembered her in a white t-shirt and dolphin shorts…

“…Y-You came?”
“Yes.”
“Come in.”

Belladriel led him into her room.

It looked completely different from her room in Shine City.

It had an air of elegance, unlike anything he’d associated with her.

“…I thought we could have some wine today.”
“Wine?”
“Is that… strange…?”

Belladriel looked up at him, a nervous smile on her face.

He wanted to say, ‘No! You look stunning! Marry me!’

He wanted to shout it from the rooftops.

This was the special Belladriel CG unlocked during the redemption route.

An outfit that would normally cost a fortune…

“A Waltz with the Elegant Belladriel” Ver.

Who could resist this?!

An off-the-shoulder dress, a blushing face…

No man could resist!

As a Lilith Tycoon player, he was ecstatic.

But… he contained his excitement and smiled gently.

“No, not at all. You look beautiful!”
“R-Really?!”
“Of course! Haha.”
“Good, good…!”

Belladriel beamed.

“Let’s have a drink… unfortunately, they don’t have beer in this city. I prepared some wine instead.”

‘Come to think of it…’

‘She hasn’t had any beer.’

Her favorite drink.

She hadn’t had any due to recent events.

Beer was like lifeblood to her.

But the wine would have to do for now.

“Sounds good.”
“Have a seat.”

Belladriel gestured towards a luxurious sofa.

He sat down.

“May I sit next to you?”
“O-Of course… I don’t mind…”

‘There are other seats, why next to me?’ he wondered.

Belladriel sat down beside him.

‘She smells amazing.’

Her scent had always been pleasant, but now it was intoxicating.

Was it because she was a saint again?

Being close to her was a sweet, heady experience.

“Would you like a drink?”
“Haha, yes, please.”

Belladriel smiled faintly and poured the wine.

“…Here you go.”
“Thank you.”

She handed him the glass, her beauty even more striking up close.

Especially her… ample bosom.

“…Where are you looking?”
“N-Nowhere! Hahaha…”
“Perhaps… if you’d like… I could show you more?”

Belladriel grinned mischievously.

“N-No!”
“Are you… thinking of something?”

‘Busted…’

He laughed heartily and admitted, “Of course! With you, Belladriel…”
“With me…? Tell me what you’re thinking.”

She leaned closer, looking up at him.

“Y-You’re too close…”
“I like it this way.”

Her eyes seemed to glisten, a seductive look in them.

“…Haha, is that so?”
“Let’s be honest… I want to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
“What do you think of me?”

‘What do I think of her?’

“You’re a saint.”

“No, not that… lately, I’ve been wondering… who I am.”

‘The redemption route has begun.’

She must have learned the truth from Echeveria.

He had to guide her with his answers.

He smiled.

“…Shouldn’t you ask God?”
“God…? I used to think there was no God.”

Belladriel filled her glass with wine.

She stood up and walked towards the window, continuing, “If God exists… wouldn’t he have stopped me from creating the Etherion cult? But…”

She shook her head, a bitter smile on her face.

“There was no answer. But…”

She looked at him.

“Things have changed since you appeared.”

Things had changed since he appeared.

That was true.

Whenever she was about to commit an evil act,

Whenever she wondered what she had to do to be accepted in Aria Village,

Even now…

She seemed to understand, vaguely.

“I thought there was no God… but now I think… maybe there is… maybe you are my God.”

‘A god…’

He chuckled and shook her head.

“I’m not that grand. And you could have changed on your own, Belladriel.”
“No, I couldn’t have… I can’t change without you. I don’t think… I can function without you.”
“…Belladriel…”

Belladriel finished her wine and approached him.

“…I don’t think… I can do anything without you anymore…”

Saint Belladriel…

She was inherently weak.

She relied on God, yearning to hear his voice.

She was so weak that…

Betrayal shattered her, leading her to create a cult and attempt to corrupt the world.

And this weak woman…

Suddenly pushed him down.

“B-Belladriel…?”
“…”

She straddled him, her face expressionless.

“…I saved everyone, but no one can save me… you have to save me…”
“…”
“Then, I’ll save you.”

He quickly reversed their positions, pinning her beneath him.

“…W-What?! I-Isabel…!”

Belladriel’s face flushed crimson.

“I-Isabel…?”

He whispered in her ear, “I will save you… let’s get revenge.”
“What…?”
“Echeveria isn’t the true culprit.”

His sudden words stunned Belladriel. She sat up, bewildered.

He sat up as well, his expression serious.

“I spoke with Echeveria. The one who truly caused your misfortune… we have to get revenge to end this.”
“Is that why you interrogated her today…?”
“Yes. There’s a true mastermind behind Echeveria. She said this person will attack Luminous Garden soon.”
“…Could it be the lord?”

He shook his head.

“No, a witch.”
“A witch…?”
“She used Echeveria to extinguish the light of Luminous Garden and seize control for herself.”
“…So Echeveria wasn’t the one who ruined me?”

He shook his head again.

“No. Echeveria was just a puppet. She’s a terrible person, but there’s someone even worse.”
“So… it’s not over yet?”
“Let’s get revenge and save you.”

Belladriel looked straight ahead, confused.

“This is… unexpected.”
“It is. But think about it. Why would a timid person like Echeveria suddenly act so boldly? Inciting people like that…”
“…”

Echeveria was known for her timid nature.

For her to suddenly incite people was…

Illogical.

Belladriel seemed to understand.

“So… that person is still…?”
“Yes! She’s still plotting. So, Belladriel…”

He placed his hand on her shoulder.

“I believe you can only be saved by getting revenge on this person.”
“…Who is this person?”
“Her name is Cassandra. A witch.”
“Do you know where she is?”
“Yes, Belladriel… let’s finish this.”

Belladriel’s final redemption.

It was time.

A gloomy, desolate cabin.

A cauldron bubbled over a fire.

People cackled and laughed.

At least 200 of them.

They huddled around bonfires, like primitive tribesmen.

“Cassandra! Is it tomorrow?!”
“We’ll get all the women when we attack, right?!”
“Hahahaha! I’m so excited!”

A band of lowly bandits.

All followers of Cassandra.

“…Luminous Garden. We’ll finally take it, won’t we?”
“Heeheehee…! I’m so happy!”
“No more hunting humans! Let’s have a party!”

The red-haired woman nodded at her subordinates’ words.

“Of course… I, Cassandra, have waited for this day.”

That timid Echeveria should have dealt with Belladriel by now.

Echeveria was no longer useful.

Once she took Luminous Garden, she would kill Echeveria and her sister and claim the city as her own.

“What about the land deed?”

A bandit confidently handed her a document.

“Heeheehee! I got it from the neighboring village!”
“You killed that lord quietly, right?”
“Of course!”

With the land deed obtained by assassinating the lord,

She would manipulate it to gain noble status and…

Gradually conquer cities, starting with Luminous Garden, until she became Empress.

“Now, let’s have a drink!”
“To our golden future!”
“Cheers…!”

As they celebrated their imagined future, one bandit noticed something strange in the sky.

“Uh… what’s that?”
“What? What is it?”

They looked up and saw a golden light descending from the heavens.

The night sky was as bright as day.

‘How…?’

The confused bandits looked at each other.

Cassandra’s eyes widened in horror.

“N-No way…”

That was the light of a saint.

Genesis, the most powerful holy magic.

She yelled, “Run!! Everyone, run!!”
“W-What?!”
“If we’re hit by that…!”

It was too late.

The moment the golden light touched the ground…

Everything vanished, turned to ash.

The trees and animals in the forest were unaffected, but…

As everything melted away in the light…

Cassandra saw her.

A woman with long white hair, dressed as a saint.

Belladriel.

Kneeling in prayer.

“…The Saint has returned… Aaaaagh!”