Chapter 101
Chapter 101
Drake, calm down a bit." Denis, the blue-haired man with striking white eyes, and a yellow-haired man whose face was scarred from numerous blade wounds. "These kids these days grow up too strong—that's the problem! Tch... tsk." The Dragon Slayer Drake stared at the firmly shut door with a worried expression as he sat down. "So even that mighty Heavenly Demon couldn't heal him?!" "..." "Denis! Shouldn't you have done better? You were right there...!!" "...
I'm sorry. It's my responsibility that Licht is in such critical condition." Drake, who had been venting his frustrations with constant anger, soon turned away with a face full of rage. "I'm sick of this damn infirmary. I'm heading out first!!" With a loud bang, another door opened, but Denis calmly spoke to him. "Drake, the exit's the other way." "Oh, uhahaha! I must've messed up!!" He had headed not toward the exit, but toward the room where Pine was performing surgery. "Don't go bothering her during the operation. Just sit here." "...
Busted, huh." The Grand Sword Master, having his intentions read, looked embarrassed and plopped back down on the chair. "...
Drake." "What is it, Denis." Suddenly struck by a thought, he turned to the swordsman and spoke. A question he'd harbored for a long time. "Why did you take Licht as your disciple?" Come to think of it, it didn't make sense. For an Empire Sword Master to accept someone just because they were from the same village or lacked mana in their body. "...
Because he had the eyes of someone about to die!" "What? Licht did?" If he was going to accept him as a disciple on the spot, it undermined his refusal to take the imperial princess Pine Granasia. The eyes of someone about to die. That was why Drake had reacted to Licht's first impression with, "What are you gonna do with those dead-fish eyes of yours!!!?" "The first time I saw him, he was surrounded by a pack of wolves and nearly died!" "Licht could've handled that easily..." Imagining the power of the current Black Knight, Drake crossed his arms and shook his head. "No, that wasn't the issue!" The Dragon Slayer recalled that night. He had visited Sprout Village after a long time and heard cries for help. "First off, there were these two—a father and son, from the look of it—lightly injured and searching for someone." "Licht must've saved them." "Yeah, that damn disciple of mine did save them!" After hearing their story, he rushed into the forest and saw Licht surrounded by a pack of pure white wolves. "Back then, my disciple was weak! Not the powerhouse he is now. Denis!!" A quiet midnight. His jet-black helmet gleamed under the moonlight, and the boy was slumped against a tree trunk. "A powerless kid, trying to protect people!" A cheap iron sword was lodged in one wolf, and in its place, the helmeted boy held a crude tree branch, as if he'd swung it. "...
My disciple Licht doesn't know the value of his own life."
His arms were bitten, blood splattered everywhere, and the boy awaited approaching death. With an attitude of satisfaction from having saved the father and son he'd seen earlier, he didn't even scream or beg for his life.
"He probably did the same this time. Who in their right mind thinks they can beat the Omniscience Demon King!!"
Five years ago, Licht had explained he made no noise in case the escaped people returned. Hearing that, Drake couldn't help but feel heartbroken.
"He thinks he's Wolf King Locke or something."
"So that's why you took him as a disciple. I wondered why a stubborn old man like you accepted one so easily."
"Yeah, a weak guy who doesn't run, fights, and dies recklessly... Wait a sec."
Denis wore an expression of sudden understanding.
"I haven't gotten that old yet!!"
With Drake's personality, he couldn't leave a boy like that alone. He probably took him as a disciple to fix that mindset.
"I never thought he'd master my Void Slash in just five years..."
Amid it all, his disciple's immense effort left him no choice but to teach swordsmanship. Hearing the explanation, the blue-haired man nodded.
"Let's wait a bit. That 'little lady' of his brother is doing something."
"What? Lady Pine?!"
"Honestly, excluding Licht, she's quite the person herself."
If Emperor Locke was famed for his martial prowess, his consort, Empress Bellin Granasia, was a master of magic.
"She's Bellin sis-in-law's blood."
Though she didn't participate in wars, her advice to the emperor had been immensely helpful.
"Then it's worth trusting... Hmmm."
The reason Pine had such vast innate mana was her mother's lineage. A constitution truly blessed in this world. With Emperor Rocke's immense strength and Empress Bellin's exceptional mana sensitivity, her being with Licht right now...
"Denis. Why does my spine feel so chilled...?"
"Suddenly got a chill. Weird."
The two Ten Heroes felt as if the cold blade of an axe pressed against their napes.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ When I came to, I was in a field with a nostalgic sensation. "...
Where's this?" "Ah, Knight! Over here. Here!" White wolf ears and tail. A pure white figure, like blank sheet music, smiled brightly from afar and called to me. "Saintess...?" I'd clearly fought the Omniscience Demon King, got shot, and collapsed. Why was I here? "Wait, come to think of it, my helmet..." The wind's touch made me brush my face—rough, uneven sensations. The Helmet of Ideology was gone. I checked my body in surprise. Below my neck was the black armor I'd worn in the game. I bent my fingers back to my hand—they worked. This is a dream. One thing confirmed: I was in my dream. One fused with memories from my game-playing days. "Knight, you said you'd learn a spell with me this time!" A delusion with the Nameless Saintess. Wait, where's my Pine? This isn't actually the afterlife, is it? "Ah, sorry." "Hehe, it's fine. Come on over!" For now, I decided to go along with the Saintess's suggestion. How long had it been since I'd seen her? Five years in game terms, and this was my first time seeing her like this. "...
Knight? You feel different today." "Just your imagination." As I approached, her cute wolf ears folded back happily, welcoming me. "You look even more handsome...?" "I'm not wearing the helmet right now, Saintess." Damn, even her tail was wagging side to side fiercely. It didn't seem like an attack from the Apostles of Gluttony or Lust. "That's what I'm saying, Knight." "Don't the burn scars look gross...?" Truth be told, I'd dreamed of her plenty in the real world, so it wasn't awkward. It happened sometimes when I played late into the night. "No, they're fine? You silly puppy." Seeing her smile brightly despite the burns covering my face made my heart skip a bit. "Now! Hold out your hand quick." "S-Saintess?!" I extended my hand without suspicion, and her slender, pale palm gently overlaid mine, emphasizing the size difference. "Hehe, mission success...!" Under her lead, our fingers interlocked like lovers'. Well, she'd done it during sword training with Pine too—something similar? "You oblivious knight... This way, our mana circuits connect better, so now I'll try a spell!" Ah, the opposite this time. Tension made me swallow hard. Blood rushed to my face, turning it red. "Seven wills, voices aspiring to the stars." Regardless, the Nameless Saintess's beautiful golden eyes met mine steadily. "Magic isn't about chanting, Knight." I know. I learned it at Grand Hearts Academy. One of magic's three elements you can skip. "It's slowly facing your own intellect." That was the chant. Hearing it from her lips made it feel novel. "Imagine holding water in your palm without spilling..." She closed her eyes in focus. Her long lashes stood out. Women's lashes are pretty. "Let there be light. 「Arcturus.」" Like the illumination spell Merak, a light orb formed, casting soft brightness around us. The gentle glow dispersed into powder, swirling like fireflies before melting away like snow. Fatigue relief magic. My body felt lighter, fatigue easing. After my battle with Head, even this small rest helped. "Wow! It worked! Knight!" And being with the Nameless Saintess, even in a dream. She had no idea of my academy struggles. The pure white wolfkin woman jumped for joy at her successful spell. "...
Knight?" I wished my Pine could see her this happy. The sudden thought brought a sense of alienation. "Saintess, I can't stay here." I gently released her hand and got to the point. After losing to the Demon King, she showed no superhuman strength to overpower me. "I have things to do outside." "More important than me...?" "Yes. Someone precious to me is waiting." My sudden shift saddened her; her ears and tail drooped. Don't make me weak like that. "Don't tell me... another woman?!" "...
Ugh." Her intuition was sharp. Well, technically not another person. She even started sniffling, clinging to me. "See, you can't answer... You're a playboy, Knight..." "No. It's just that you're precious to me..." I tried to smooth it over. To wake from the dream and see Pine Granasia, I had to let go of our Saintess. "If I'm precious, can't you give up the one outside?" "That wouldn't be true love, Saintess." "...
What?" No helping it. To soothe her pouting, I tried a hug. Her small frame fit perfectly in my arms. "Eek. Think this forgives you...?! Ah, don't touch my ears...!" "Calm down." I stroked her head too. Soft hair and wolf ears tangled in my fingers, a faint rose scent tickling my nose. "Hehe... Ah, this isn't it...!" Seeing her melt into my embrace with a beaming smile, I spoke calmly. So she'd understand. Even in the dream, without upsetting our Saintess. "You can't love someone for who they're not. That wouldn't be pure love." "So you're going to your same-age self from back then, instead of me, the older one...?" "Uh, you knew?" She buried her face in my chest. Puffing her cheeks to emphasize her sulk, the Nameless Saintess. "Of course. My knight who only had eyes for me, saying another's more precious..." The armor must be hard. Like a cat staring up pitifully with big eyes. "...
Who wouldn't notice." "I'm sorry, Saintess." "Sniff... I hate you, Knight... I hate you, Lee Soo-hyun...!" Her eyes reddened, tears like jewels falling. This wasn't right. "Don't cry, Saintess. Please... I can't go like this..." "...
Hmph. As punishment, stroke my head 300 times before you leave." How possessive. But even in the dream, talking to her indirectly confirmed Pine Granasia was indeed the Nameless Saintess. My spirit rushed to her on first sight too. I kept stroking her soft hair, thinking. The similarities were too many, and Head had targeted Pine in the end. If I'd taken the Bullet of Ignorance...> Just imagining was horrific. Losing all memories or being forgotten, turning into this pure, empty woman in my arms. I squeezed my eyes shut. Then, two soft mounds pressed against me, making me flinch. Soft and overwhelmingly heavy. No way... "Saintess...? Y-your chest is touching me." "On purpose. So you can't run." "..." "...
Bite your tongue and die, pervert wolf." About 100 left. Could my sanity hold? I mentally sang the national anthem while stroking her head. "Knight. No, Lee Soo-hyun." Then, she caressed my cheek and called my name. "What is it? Only 95 strokes left..." "Hehe, I know well enough how much you love me." She smiled through tear-streaked, flushed cheeks. A bittersweet expression hard to read. "Truth is, I have no memories before becoming the Saintess." "...
Saintess." "Even in this life, I could be happy because of you, Soo-hyun." She confessed truths one by one. Even in my dream, this was inside [Grand Hearts Academia]. "No friends, no family... I prayed to the God of Light for someone always by my side." "It's okay now. Pine." Her words were surely true. Without me, canon had her kidnapped by Head, becoming Saintess. The Demon King spoke of her knowingly at the bar. She was key to that 'prophecy'. Her nameless Saintess role fit without plot holes in original or sequel. "You appeared right then. Now there's Denis, Heavenly Demon, Kainel, Ariel... but..." "..." "...
Back then, I only had you. Lee Soo-hyun." I was the only one who cleared Truth Demon King Magic Hat via Saintess route. To her, I was savior. "But Saintess, the you outside is the same." "Why...? She's a princess, has parents. Not powerless like me...!" That's why she clung greedily. People fear empty voids more than filled seats. Scared of that hollowness again. "She's just like you now. Pine Granasia." "...
Huh? Like me? Only looks. She's different..." But I'd resolved to indulge her no more. If I died here, she'd walk the same path. Again, precious one slain by Demon King, living in unwashed guilt till death. Like I had. "No, no matter what, Pine is Pine." "Lies..." "My heart proves it, Saintess." Just two wounded wolves. Two pure white women too far from happiness. I released my armor, placed her hand on my chest center. Thump. Thump. Heartbeat growing louder. "See? Loyal to the end." "...
True. Amazing." My heart only stirred for Pine; no other woman moved it. "I have to be there for you." "If you say so, Soo-hyun..." She pulled away, wiping tears with both hands, and spoke. "Guess I have to admit she's the same person..." Frustrated at losing to her past self, she spoke with a hint of sulkiness. "But I love you more than my 10-years-younger self...!! That won't change...!!" Thrusting her chest forward boastfully, challenging the glass knight Pine. There was a clear difference like this... I shelved the irreverent thought. As I bowed my head, "Then, Soo-hyun. When you wake in reality, promise me one thing." "Anything, Pine." Pine whispered sweetly into my ear. "Never cheat. And... take care of me from now on." A seductive wolf's soft voice, unforgettable even in dream. The voice of my beloved. "...
I will." Hearing it, my heartbeat surged, and my whole body felt light, floating upward.