Saintess Irina (6)

Even using Esmeralda's corpse, it would be impossible to create a true Holy Relic.

At Jim's matter-of-fact tone, Esmeralda found herself at a loss for words.

How on earth did Jim know that? Information from the Demon King's army? Or perhaps knowledge tied to whatever trait he possessed?

But Esmeralda shook her head.

"……There is precedent, though. It's happened before."

There ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had been Heroes in history besides her. The moment the world judged that it needed a Hero, a Hero appeared.

But had every one of them achieved their purpose? No.

The very reason Esmeralda felt her life was under threat, after all, was that the title of Hero was not unique to her.

Should she die, the Holy Sword would simply seek out a new Hero.

There could only be one Hero per era — but that also meant there must always be exactly one.

More than a few Heroes had been murdered in the process, and history had recorded in detail the fates of such Heroes.

"In the past, the Fire Spirit Order made a Holy Relic out of a Hero's corpse."

That was something that had actually happened.

But even to a Hero's argument, Jim answered with unwavering firmness.

"Do you truly believe that whatever they created was a Holy Relic? You know what became of the Fire Spirit Order, don't you? They were exiled, and in the end they were destroyed utterly."

"……"

"Of course, if you ground up a Hero and made something from her, you might well produce a useful item. Heroes are beings the gods filled with their own authorities, elevating their potential to its absolute limit."

What Jim wanted to say was simple.

Even if you ground a Hero up and threw her into the pot, creating a Holy Relic capable of reproducing miracles was impossible. All you'd get was a crude trinket that merely *looked* like a miracle.

Something like the relics that appear from the corpse of a high-ranking priest, perhaps.

His point: such an object might carry some special power, but it could never be a true miracle.

And as for the evidence of that —

It looked far too clear to be mere suspicion.

A hypothesis that had hardened into certainty. Esmeralda seemed to swallow dryly, then let out a long, deep sigh.

"Jim. I'm about to say something insane, so could you answer me seriously — no jokes?"

"Answering is easy enough."

"If Irina found out that what she made from grinding me up wasn't a reproduction of a miracle, but just a crude little toy — do you think she'd be able to bear it?"

Yet the moment Esmeralda realized it, the very first thought that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠came to her was none other than worry for Irina.

She did not want to die.

But if she failed — if she came home as nothing more than a cold, stiff corpse, unable to slay the Demon King — then she wanted them to use even that corpse to carry her will through.

Whether it was Irina, or Milia.

Even in a world she'd departed, she wanted her purpose fulfilled.

It was a task they staked their lives on anyway. Whatever that end turned out to be, if the goal was ultimately achieved, then that wasn't so bad either.

"Hard to say. Nothing is more dangerous than holding conviction about something that hasn't happened. But if the result of sacrificing a friend turned out to be *that*……"

Jim gave a bitter smile.

Because he understood the true meaning behind Esmeralda's question.

Right now, she was worrying about her comrade more than her own life.

Even a fool wouldn't go this far.

Yes — that was exactly why she had been chosen as Hero.

"So I really do have to talk her out of it, then?"

"Do you think you can persuade her?"

"Honestly? If we've reached the point where she's ready to grind me up, I don't think words are going to get through. I'll do my counseling with my fists."

Esmeralda grinned and curled her hand into a fist.

The Holy Sword wasn't with her right now.

Come to think of it, if Irina had any sense, she wouldn't have left the Holy Sword anywhere nearby either.

Which meant the only means Esmeralda had to face Irina at this moment was, well, her fists.

It was enough to make the outcome of any fight hopelessly murky —

but Esmeralda didn't hesitate.

"Jim, then as I said before — could you kick up a ruckus and draw everyone's eyes for me?"

"Ah. So we arrive at the same conclusion after all."

"Yep."

"But Hero. What happens if I refuse?"

"That's *your* problem to worry about. Because I'll start by smashing down this wall."

BANG!

Esmeralda swung her clenched fist at the wall.

With a thunderous roar, the wall burst open clean through.

The commotion it caused set the surroundings churning with noise.

"Oh dear……"

Astonishing capacity for action.

Jim let out a sigh as he thought of Esmeralda, already vanished into the night — then glanced around and spoke.

"Ah. Apparently everyone sleeps lightly. I didn't expect you all this quickly."

By now, paladins and priests had gathered all around the encircled building.

Torches in one hand, their respective weapons in the other — the sight of the assembled clergy was terrifying indeed to Jim, a demon spy.

But——

"Well then, let's hear the stories of how you've all survived until now, shall we?"

If he was to be that 'one' on the side that was no longer demon.

Then these were not things to fear, but things to know.

Of course, Jim beckoned with a smile, but the assembled forces seemed to think otherwise. Weapons raised, they began closing the distance one by one.

Jim swept them once with a cold, measured gaze, then asked in a voice to match.

"Ah — you'd rather not? Hmm. Then how about this topic instead?"

The world was overflowing beyond all measure with greed and rage and delusion, drowned in endless confusion.

"The human who brought down the Heavenly God, and the Demon King who cooperated with her. Which do you believe bears the greater fault?"

How lamentable it was, that folly blinded their eyes before them.

"From where I stand, they still look no different to me."

Esmeralda was striding boldly in the direction opposite the commotion, yet not a single soul perceived her presence.

It was stealth she'd stolen from Tina's repertoire — the survival craft of a rogue…… no, an archaeologist.

By now, Jim would be drawing all the attention toward himself.

I'd love for him to hold out a good long while, but asking that much is probably greedy.

Fortunately, Esmeralda had a fair idea of where Irina was.

There was a place radiating a light abnormally bright for so dark a night.

Right — she'd planned to grind Irina up, yet somehow the woman herself had been invisible until now. Ridiculous, in hindsight.

Apparently whatever she intended to do to her own body required some advance preparation.

Trusting that instinct, Esmeralda headed toward the light.

Just as she arrived at the site where the ritual was being prepared —

there stood a lineup of forces on an entirely different plane from those who had rushed out earlier.

"Enter. The Saintess is waiting for you."

"Ha——! You do realize I'm headed over there to punch your superior, that mouth-ulcered old bat, right in her face?"

"The Saintess was forced to grow up far too quickly. That is the fault of us incompetents."

They did not block her path.

They didn't simply clear the way — they casually saw straight through the stealth technique she'd learned from Tina. True masters, all of them.

"We were never as clever as the Saintess. We were dolts who never learned how to shoulder responsibility, nor even how to stain ourselves with sin before anyone else had to."

"So you're saying the wise Hero should step in and discipline her for you?"

"No. We merely thought that even a fool's words might carry meaning, coming from a friend."

"Who are you calling a fool?!"

Even as she barked that, Esmeralda swiftly swept her eyes over the faces of the paladins who had cleared her way.

Not one of them fell short of overwhelming her — every last one a powerhouse who could brush her aside like a nuisance. Right. This was why Esmeralda had known Irina's true intentions and still been unable to intervene.

Even now, hardened by every hardship she'd weathered. Even now, while the Heavenly God Order was only barely clawing back its authority after its fall —

she was still so very far from strong enough.

But she was the Hero. And so she resolved not to be cowed by any of it.

"Well then, this is where we part. We wish you favorable results."

"Fine. Expect great things. I'll drag that dolt back here acting every bit the demure Saintess she's supposed to be."

Because in the end, she firmly believed that *she* would be the strongest one day.

And so, when she finally reached the place where the ritual was underway —

Esmeralda found Irina kneeling in prayer at the heart of a brilliant white radiance.

"You came. Hero."

"Yes, I did, Irina."

Her bearing was remarkably composed.

And she had good reason to be.

An estimated level that had climbed noticeably since the last time Esmeralda had seen her.

She realized then: Irina had been performing some kind of ritual here, steadily growing her power.

"I suppose you'd need to be stronger than me if you want to grind me up, hm?"

"Mm. Truly the Hero, as expected."

Irina nodded with an easy, serpentine smile. A madwoman, once again.

Watching her, Esmeralda heaved a deep sigh and spoke.

"Irina. Let's drop the mutual sugarcoating, shall we? You and me. Starting now."

"Oh my? And here I thought you preferred this side of me."

As Esmeralda clenched her fist and settled into her stance, Irina, with a smile that sent chills down the spine, lifted her morningstar as well.

Irina's estimated level had already surpassed her own — but Esmeralda wasn't particularly bothered.

After all, Irina had always focused more on support than on direct combat.

First, before anything else —

"How long have you known?"

Esmeralda pressed her: exactly when had Irina learned about the Emerald Tablet?

"Ever since you started acting so remarkably careful around me, Hero. And for someone playing the fool, you kept your lines beautifully — handled the tug-of-war between every faction with real skill. Surely all of that was far too competent to keep insisting it was coincidence?"

"Haha. I'd been passing it off as good instincts. Guess that didn't fly, huh."

"Your opponent was me, after all."

"You know, that's called an overinflated ego."

CRASH!

Esmeralda caught Irina's suddenly swinging mace with one hand. Her palm stung — but at the very least, it made a statement.

A weapon that could crush a demon's skull like an egg had been stopped, barehanded.

Most opponents would lose their fighting spirit right there. But Irina didn't seem fazed in the slightest.

Esmeralda frowned at that expression of hers.

"Irina. Even if you kill me and grind my corpse up, you will not be able to create a Holy Relic. That's what I heard."

"Hero, surely you don't expect me to believe that?"

"Still — isn't the possibility at least worth examining?"

"If I'd been willing to examine it, I would never have crossed that line to begin with."

"Is that so?"

WHAM!

Esmeralda's kick smashed into Irina's head. Retaliation for the ambush Irina had launched mid-conversation.

"Sturdy, aren't we."

"It's my specialty."

But as if she'd expected it, Irina spread a barrier and lightly deflected Esmeralda's attack.

"Irina."

Esmeralda fixed her with a cold, level stare.

Her emerald eyes seemed to pierce through even the secrets Irina kept buried, and Irina's brow creased.

"I've done something wrong. And it's this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠— I put too much faith in the power of these eyes."

"Yes, quite. If you hadn't over-trusted those eyes of yours, I could never have deceived you this easily."

"The brainwashing — you cast it on yourself, didn't you."

"What point is there in denying it now? Yes, I did. Though I'd prefer you chose your words a little more kindly. Could we not call it *suggestion*?"

"Hmm. That's not what your eyes are showing me, though?"

"Didn't you just say you've stopped ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠over-trusting your eyes?"

"Right. And so——"

Esmeralda thrust out her hand.

Just like the kick — another sudden strike delivered in the middle of conversation.

As expected, Irina spread her barrier to block the hand——

Not a punch. A piercing hand? No — this is——

Screeeech!

The fingers wedged into the barrier curled, seized the barrier itself — and tore it apart.

Esmeralda's palm shredded wide open, spilling blood.

"From now on, I judge things for myself."

No technique, no finesse — just brute, simple-minded displays of power. Tearing the barrier apart had felt like breaking every finger on her hand, but Esmeralda paid it no mind and seized Irina by the collar.

"I've only just now realized it — that you never actually wanted to do any of this. Just as I became the Hero representing everyone, you took up a duty someone had to shoulder. Didn't you?"

"……"

"And yet you wanted someone to stop you, didn't you? You wanted someone to make you fail?"

"No. I was merely trying to grant you a fair chance."

"Then I suppose I'd better make the most of that chance — again."

What she had failed to see.

The thing she'd believed she'd seen, and so had never truly faced.

Esmeralda reflected on it. Reading a person's surface thoughts did not mean reaching all the way down to the pain they'd hidden in their deepest heart.

She had over-trusted her own eyes, and so had chosen not to truly look.

Yes — the reflection was over now.

So from here on out: like a fool, as if it were only natural, expecting nothing in return — purely to save someone who was suffering.

Yes — even if that road was plainly a thorn-strewn path guaranteed to hurt.

"Stop worrying, Irina. The Hero who will save you even if she has to beat you senseless to do it — she's standing right in front of your eyes!"

She would simply walk forward, first and foremost.

Even as she said it, Esmeralda drove a fist brimming with selfish, unselfish feeling straight into Irina's face.

WHAM!

Honestly? It felt *wonderful*.