Shattered Convictions
The fierce current was about to engulf Huu and Ludia when—
"I'll bind our bodies completely with chains!!"
Chaaaain—!!
Amelia swiftly unleashed her Holy Power, wrapping it tightly around herself and the other two.
"Now, if I extend my Holy Power further to create a safe zone...!"
Kwaaaaa—!!!!
"Ahhh—!!"
But the torrent hit faster than she could act.
"Hoo... huu... huu..."
Inside the sphere she'd formed with her Holy Power, Amelia collapsed, gasping for breath. She should have pulled Huu and Ludia inside with her to shield them from the rapids. But the water had crashed down too quickly, leaving her alone in this air-filled bubble.
Chaaaain...!
"Oh no...!"
She had no time to rest. The chains of Holy Power were unraveling rapidly in the current. She reeled them in with all her might, but—thud.
"Haht!"
It wasn't enough. The water's force was overwhelming; she couldn't retrieve them alone.
"No!!!!!!"
Frustration exploded from her in a cry.
"I won't just let them go!!"
Fwaaaah...!!!
Amelia shouted and unleashed her Holy Power. Bright specks of light scattered from her body. As they touched the chains, she began rotating her Holy Power from the outside toward her core without hesitation.
"Nngh...!!"
Like gears spinning wildly, her Holy Power whirled in a massive circle. The chains, which had seemed endlessly extended, began to retract bit by bit. But soon, blood spurted from her mouth.
The price of overexerting her Holy Power.
"No... kuh..."
Her head spun. She'd lost count of how many times she'd vomited blood. Had they already been swept away by the rapids? Her own power felt endlessly inadequate by comparison.
"Ngh..."
Thud. Chaaaain...!
Exhausted, Amelia slumped down. She could only watch blankly as the chains unraveled.
Powerlessness at having nothing left to do. Despair at her failure. A sense of loss like her chest had been pierced. Unexpected emotions crashed over her.
And then—
I'll wait for you!!! Until you come back!!!
"..."
Even the recurring dream memory.
Overlaid with the scene of endless sorrow as she collapsed to the ground.
"...Ha......"
But there was nothing she could do. Just like back then.
Nothing but remain alone and watch it all unfold.
Drip...
"Ah... aaah..."
And burn away in the same scorching emotions as before.
Still, fortune favored her. The Holy Power sphere bobbed to the surface, letting her see the clear sky.
"Are they safe?!"
Finally reaching solid ground. More than relief at surviving, she scanned her surroundings frantically.
The chains of Holy Power had snapped in the end. But fortunately, it hadn't been long, and the current had slowed considerably.
She just had to find them. She might still be able to save them.
"Huff... haa... huff..."
The grueling stamina training for saintess candidacy was proving useful now. Her eyes fixed on a bulging rock face protruding nearby.
"Could they be... over there?"
Judging by the current's direction, they'd likely washed up that way. Without hesitation, she sprinted toward it.
"Huff... haa... huff..."
Sweat poured like rain. Even while running, her head reeled, nearly buckling her knees. She'd vomited so much blood, yet she pushed on for one reason.
"Just stay alive...!"
Huu would survive. The man who'd slaughtered countless monsters and lived. The one with the strongest Holy Power she'd ever seen.
For him to die like this? It didn't make sense.
Even in an accident, if he was still breathing, she could help him.
"Haa... ha... haa..."
Inside a narrow, pitch-dark cave. Spotting wet footprints on the dry dirt floor, she plunged in alone, driven by instinct.
This is the place. They're here.
Trusting an inexplicable pull, she pressed forward.
And at last—
"Huu... Huu..."
In a small, flat space, she found the two lying there.
Ludia, clothes torn, torso wrapped tightly in bandages. And Huu, collapsed with his bandages half-undone.
"Oh no! Treatment, now!!"
Rushing to them, she hurriedly summoned Holy Power. A bright glow enveloped Ludia and Huu.
Both had their eyes closed, making their conditions unclear. First, check their heartbeats...
"!!!!!"
But in that instant, she faced a sight she couldn't believe.
Peeling skin revealing raw muscle between the undone bandages. Holes ragged enough to expose bone and organs.
That wasn't human flesh...
"...I-Impossible..."
All her common sense shattered.
The owner of such immense Holy Power—a zombie, the kind the Church dismissed as vermin?
Her hand toward him froze in midair, trembling.
"No... no, this can't be..."
She shook her head, rubbed her eyes, looked again—reality didn't change.
"It's absorbing Holy Power, how can it be a monster! I... what am I even...!"
It was true—Holy Power was seeping into the torn flesh. But this appearance? Undeniably a monster, a zombie.
Did this even make sense??
...Ah! Does Ludia know about this??
She might know something. Huu couldn't be such a monster!
Her gaze naturally shifted to Ludia.
"...??!!!"
But there, another truth revealed itself.
A black mark on her exposed shoulder. A brand from a high-grade monster.
The kind used to forcibly subjugate someone.
"Ha! Ludia...! How could you bear such a filthy brand...!"
Revulsion poured out. Ludia, enslaved to a monster—a heretic.
And that brand was the shameful Breeding Brand.
"...So that's why... why she..."
Amelia pieced together Ludia's memories swiftly.
She'd always found their constant togetherness suspicious. The way Ludia grabbed his hand eagerly, clung to him with her whole body. Boldly claiming him as hers, baring her emotions.
"......"
But were those actions truly from a master-slave bond?
Amelia had watched Ludia's expressions whenever she was with Huu. Those big eyes filled with a single figure—his doll-like image. Unwavering gaze toward him.
She'd believed Ludia harbored feelings for him because of that.
....What the hell is this?
And what have I been doing all this time?? Wasting effort against a mere monster and heretic...
"......"
Strength drained from her body. She couldn't think, didn't want to.
But doubts kept surfacing. When had her goal of becoming a saintess faded? Why were these two shaking everything?
"Ha... haha... ridiculous..."
Amelia stayed like that, staring blankly at the pair for a long while.
No trace of the Church's saintess candidate who reflexively treated monsters and heretics as enemies.
Just a confused Amelia.
What am I doing in front of these repulsive beings? Does that zombie prefer women like her? They looked affectionate despite the accident. How did those two end up together? And why does it bother me so much...?
"....Whatever. She's a heretic."
After a long pause, she slowly rose. Her expression slack, as if all power had fled.
With trembling hands, she drew something from her bosom.
Shing... A dagger coated in deadly poison. Medel's final gift, urging her not to lose hope.
Amelia approached Ludia with the drawn blade.
"....No emotions."
She gazed down coldly. Ludia groaned softly, eyes closed, pain lingering.
This poison might even be mercy.
"Then."
Biting her lip, her brow furrowed. Her grip tightened on the dagger.
And in that moment—
■■■■, take care of things behind.
Until the very end, with you... it was an honor.
Dream memories flashed by. A voice from an unknown man whose name and face she didn't know.
Amelia's gaze naturally turned to Huu lying there. His zombie form in deep slumber.
"....."
Why... why does he keep overlapping with that figure?
And why her, not me?
....No, why do I even care about this?
I'm not venting on Ludia...!
"......Haa..."
Clang.
Her held breath whooshed out. Strength left her hand; the dagger fell limply to the ground.
Everything felt empty.
Staggering out of the cave, her legs buckled repeatedly. She tumbled and rolled, but felt no pain. The sticky blood oozing from her arms and legs was just annoying.
Shwaaaaa...!
"....."
She emerged from the cave. Murky rapids still filled the land, flowing somewhere. Orc corpses and paladin bodies floated together.
The Church's utter defeat.
"Huu..."
Amelia stood at the precarious cliff's edge. But fear yielded to relief.
She wanted to let the wind carry her body away.
"Guess... I'm not cut out to be a saintess after all."
She unfolded what she'd clutched. Medel's dagger. Still sheathed.
"...."
Fling. Amelia stared at it blankly before tossing it into the muddy water.
"....Sorry, Medel. I lost it."
She gazed powerlessly at the spot where it sank for a long time.
My mind blanked out for a bit.
I guess even a zombie body has limits! I'd pushed to the brink wrapping Ludia in bandages.
I remember that much, but nothing after.
"(Ludia!!)"
The moment consciousness returned, I sought her out.
"...?!"
Ludia lay still, eyes closed. Her pale skin glowed faintly in the dim light.
But no movement.
I'd bandaged her back to keep the gashes closed. Had it worsened?!
Heart sinking into darkness, I pressed my cheek to her chest.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Thank goodness. Her heart was beating.
Her chest rose and fell with steady breaths. She'd passed the crisis.
Just deep asleep.
"Huuu..."
She really took a lot out of me.
I'd thought she was dying earlier, fretting like mad.
Now she's fine, snoring softly in sleep.
...Did she use Holy Power? She doesn't know how.
Watching her sleep so peacefully, I felt annoyed yet amused.
I pinched her cheek lightly.
"Mmm..."
"Grr... (That's the least you deserve.)"
Ludia winced slightly.
The wounds were deeper than thought, no clotting—had me panicking.
But seeing her past the worst, tension eased, and I took in my surroundings.
"...Grraa? (Huh?)"
Something lay at my feet.
Items on a fine navy handkerchief: a stamina potion and wound salve.
"Grrr... (Who left this...?)"
Plop. As I grabbed the handkerchief, something fell to the ground.
It rolled and bumped into a stone pillar.
Seeing it in my hand, I was stunned.
"Grraaah...? (Commander's Whisper???) "
Why's this here? It was Amelia's.