The Saintess Awakens
"Stop."
Leoness's voice echoed over the ruins of the underground auditorium.
Her hand gripped Elise de Bellaph's limp neck tightly. Her fingertips trembled faintly, but no one noticed in the darkness.
"If you take even one more step, I'll snap this worthless bitch's neck right here and now."
The guards closing in halted at her chilling shout.
No matter how much of a criminal she was, the hostage was a duke's daughter.
Letting her die right in front of them would mean the blame fell squarely on their shoulders.
Adrian's brows furrowed.
"A hostage drama. How utterly pathetic for someone who calls herself a princess."
"Pathetic? Ha! When it comes to survival, what wouldn't I do?"
Leoness forced a bitter laugh.
'I'm sorry.'
The apology she swallowed inside. This was the best she could do.
Elise had reached her limit.
If Leoness didn't take all the blame here, Elise would die without proper treatment in prison.
No—even if she survived, Elise would be branded an accomplice and face execution.
The benefactor who had saved her life multiple times and reignited her will to live.
The only way to save that benefactor was for Leoness to become the thorough villain and shoulder all the sins.
"This bitch was just a tool for my escape. You fools fell so easily for my lies. It was laughable, the way you followed orders without a hint of suspicion. But..."
She deliberately chose the most insulting words.
That way, these people would remember Elise as the victim.
"A dying corpse like this is too much of a hassle to carry around."
Leoness roughly shoved Elise forward.
"Take her. I don't need her."
Elise's body flew into the air like a puppet with cut strings, collapsing limply.
Without even watching her fall, Leoness slowly raised both hands.
"I, the princess, admit defeat. I surrender."
"Milady!"
The first to react was Lilliana.
Before the crown prince could stop her, before Elise could even raise a hand.
She dashed forward on instinct.
"Lilliana! It's dangerous!"
Adrian's urgent cry didn't reach her ears.
She threw herself to the floor—
Thud.
Elise landed in Lilliana's arms.
Her knees scraped raw from the impact, but it didn't hurt at all.
She was light.
So light it was terrifying.
"Milady...?"
Black liquid smeared on her lips, oozing out no matter how she wiped it.
And above all—
"So cold..."
Her body was chillingly cold, impossible to believe it held any human warmth.
A ghastly chill, like holding a corpse.
"No... no, Milady..."
Tears streamed from Lilliana's eyes, soaking Elise's cheek.
"Lilliana! Get away!"
Adrian strode forward and grabbed Lilliana's shoulder.
"That woman's a black magician. We don't know what she might do. Let go now!"
"No!"
Lilliana roughly shook off Adrian's hand.
Gone was her usual fragile demeanor.
"Can't you see? Milady's dying! Call a healer right now!"
"Treatment? Even if she followed Leoness's orders, a criminal is a criminal. There's no mercy for her. And if she's dying from black magic backlash, even a healer couldn't—"
"Shut up!"
"...What?"
Adrian's eyes widened.
The first curse she'd ever heard from her mouth. From Lilliana, whom she cherished most.
But Lilliana had no time to care about such reactions.
The black liquid stained Elise's and Lilliana's dresses, spreading hideously.
'No. I can't let her go like this.'
Lilliana hugged Elise as tightly as she could.
She hated her.
The one who tormented, humiliated, and made her suffer.
[Lilliana's Favorability toward Elise de Bellaph: -100]
[Warning: Error Occurred]
[Warning: Error Occurred]
But she didn't hate her.
She didn't know why.
Even before the apology.
Even before meeting in prison.
Even before taking that spell.
From the very beginning.
She'd never felt any hatred at all.
[Lilliana's Favorability toward Elise de Bellaph: ???]
"Please... please don't go..."
Lilliana buried her face in Elise's chest and sobbed.
"You said you were sorry. You said you wanted to be friends. You said you'd stay by my side until I forgave you."
Resentment toward Elise for trying to leave her behind.
And terror at the thought of losing her.
The two emotions tangled into a grief bordering on obsession.
The moment that desperation crossed the threshold—
Time stopped.
The darkness of the underground auditorium lifted, revealing a blindingly brilliant white space.
And from the center of that light, someone spoke.
"My child. Can you hear me?"
Lilliana blankly lifted her head.
At the end of her gaze stood a woman in a veil of pure white.
"Wh-who are you?"
"Don't be startled, listen. I am the goddess of this world..."
"Save her!"
Lilliana cut her off, slamming her forehead to the ground.
Just like Milady had done—clumsily.
"Eh?"
The goddess faltered in surprise, but Lilliana pressed on.
"If you're a goddess, you're omnipotent!"
"No, child. Calm down and hear me out..."
"Please save Milady!"
"Fine, I get it. I'll save her, so just calm down..."
The goddess, looking utterly exasperated, placed a hand on Lilliana's forehead.
"This isn't the right time, so I'll come back later..."
With that, the goddess fled somewhere.
Time began to flow again.
Whoosh—
A dazzling white light poured from Lilliana's body.
A fierce flash that swallowed the underground auditorium's darkness in an instant.
But the light wasn't purely holy.
It wasn't mercy for all.
It was sanctity for one person alone.
A light brimming with fierce will to never let go, bordering on possessiveness.
The moment Lilliana awakened as a saintess.
///
I had a dream.
A very long, excruciating one.
Becoming the game's Elise de Bellaph, dying endlessly, looping back endlessly.
The chill of the guillotine blade grazing my neck.
Drinking poison, innards melting as I vomited blood.
Even hearing the crowd's cheers as my flesh burned on the pyre.
'Ah. So tiring.'
In the dream, I thought blankly.
Just stop killing me already.
How many more times do I have to die?
It'd be easier to just fall asleep like this.
No pain, no running.
With that, I slowly sank into the darkness.
But then,
But then...
-Milady.
A voice from somewhere.
A desperate one laced with sobs.
That voice brushed away the darkness clutching my ankle.
-Don't go.
A warm light descended, gently enveloping me.
Like a mother's embrace, like a lover's tender hug.
In that scorching warmth, I resolved to open my eyes again.
It wasn't time to rest yet.
Someone was waiting for me.
-Yes!
Someone I had to protect.
-That's right!
That person was—
'Leoness.'
The name flashed through my mind.
-...
Yeah. That girl.
Who knows what trouble she'd cause if left alone.
I couldn't leave behind someone who'd drop dead the moment I was gone.
-What about Lilliana?
An unidentified voice from the darkness pressed persistently.
Right. Lilliana.
My top priority was for Lilliana to safely finish her academy life.
More important than defeating the demon king.
-Really?
But that's exactly why Lilliana couldn't get close to me.
Incidents and accidents would keep piling up around me.
It was my selfish wish for her to enjoy a normal academy life.
-What was that time in prison with Lilliana?
The voice pierced deep into my heart.
Everything I said then was sincere, but how could I shamelessly be friends with Lilliana?
Watching from afar was enough for me.
I'm just a traveler who'll watch the ending and return to my original world anyway.
-......Ha. Enough already. Go back up.
The voice sighed and pushed my back.
With that, I slowly opened my eyes.
///
"Nngh..."
I lifted my heavy eyelids.
My lashes fluttered, and my vision cleared.
Forcing my eyes open, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
A white ceiling.
The sting of disinfectant in my nose, overlaid with a faint lilac scent.
And warm sunlight streaming through the window.
'Where is this...'
Not the musty mold of the underground prison.
A plush bed cradling my body.
The touch of luxurious silk blankets.
A glittering chandelier on the ceiling, sparkling in the sunlight.
'A hospital room?'
I should be in prison by now. Why am I here?
I remembered collapsing after vomiting black blood.
I tried to sit up, but I couldn't even twitch a finger.
My body felt like wet cotton, heavy and limp.
Scrape, scrape.
A rhythmic sound came.
I turned my head—slowly, laboriously.
On the chair by the bed sat someone peeling an apple with a knife.
The long apple peel dangled unbroken toward the floor.
She set the apple on the plate and looked up, sensing my movement.
Our eyes met.
Pink hair shimmered in the sunlight.
"Ah..."
Her eyes widened round.
"Milady?"
'Is this heaven?'