Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: The Saint's True Heart
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Why hadn't I noticed it sooner?
Even though I knew Victoria's condition was serious, had I foolishly thought that just stopping her from using miracles would be enough?
'What a useless bastard, calling yourself the continent's greatest mage…'
No, perhaps from the start, I'd been clinging to the hope that it wasn't true.
I cursed myself internally and began searching again for a way to save Victoria.
I rummaged through every scroll, potion, magical tool, and artifact I had on hand, trying to use them to remove the flowers blooming on her body, but…
'Still no good. I guess it's impossible with ordinary things like these…'
There was no change in Victoria's body as she slept soundly. When I looked again with my mana-sight, the roots had already spread to several of her organs.
'…I thought we had plenty of time left.'
It was only after reading Victoria's inner thoughts that I realized the severity of the situation and spent the night agonizing over her condition.
I never even considered that someone on the cusp of the great undertaking of slaying the Demon King might be living on borrowed time, and Victoria Everhart was a saint known far and wide for her devotion.
Because of that, I'd hastily concluded that she wouldn't die as long as she didn't use any more miracles.
Maybe I'd been turning a blind eye to reality because it was hard to accept that the person before me was about to die.
"......"
Thud. I leaned back in my chair, stared at the ceiling, and fought off the drowsiness washing over me. What on earth should I do?
Victoria was currently fast asleep, heavily drunk, so I could stay up all night without anyone knowing.
"…I guess I really do have to go to the forbidden archive in the Holy Kingdom."
In the end, this was the last remaining solution. The answer suggested by my master, the Blue Tower Master, Charlotte Snowrain.
In the forbidden archive of the Holy Kingdom of Aurelium, where the records of previous saints are kept, there might be a way to cure Victoria's body.
"I've heard that a saint is always someone who has to sacrifice something."
The love stories of heroes and saints sung by wandering bards. Their narrators often changed, featuring different protagonists at times.
There were saints who lost their voice to bring light to the world, or saints whose names were lost, leaving no trace of their existence even on a tombstone.
I used to think they were just common old tales, but now, they were the only clue to saving Victoria.
"Could it be… that she suddenly proposed a contract relationship with me also…"
My thoughts connected in an instant, and a 'what if' crossed my mind.
If she knew her days were numbered, she might have wanted to experience having a lover for the first and last time.
"…Hah. Being able to hear inner thoughts isn't all good news."
Even if it was just a fake, one-month relationship.
"Why on earth did she have to fall for someone like me…"
Memories flashed before my eyes like a panorama: the times I supported her when she lost her balance while walking, or how I always had to stand on her right side because she'd lost vision in one eye.
My heart grew heavy as lead, and I reached for the alcohol and tobacco again. With trembling hands, I lit a magic leaf and drank straight from the bottle of beer.
Only then did the shaking in my hands subside. If I went to the Holy Kingdom now to save Victoria, it would disrupt our schedule for defeating the Four Heavenly Kings.
The Succubus Queen, Bellamora Rictis.
A vile enemy who orchestrates people's lives like a play, projects it into their dreams, and toys with them.
To end my contract relationship with Victoria, and to proceed with defeating the Demon King, she was the most troublesome existence, which is why we'd planned to spend a year trying to kill her.
"If I just get permission from Kyle and the others… It shouldn't be impossible."
I started calculating, tapping the table with one hand. Spatial teleportation magic is quite complex.
You need to know the spatial coordinates of both the departure and arrival points, and opening a gate right in the middle of enemy territory is akin to suicide.
If monsters or demons came through the open gate, the continent, which had only just calmed down thanks to our efforts, could be plunged into chaos again.
"While I go to the Holy Kingdom and search the forbidden archive, they'd just need to guard the open spatial gate…"
It sounded deceptively simple, but there was one major problem.
Our number one asset allowing us to travel safely even in the heart of enemy territory, the Demon Realm. A perception-hindering spell wouldn't work on a gate forcibly twisted open by raw power.
Anyone would see the obvious spatial distortion. We'd become targets for every demon and monster.
"…Will they really give permission?"
Beseiged by worry, I ended up staying awake all night with my eyes open.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "So, to save Victoria, you need to go to the Holy Kingdom of Aurelium? And keep it a secret from everyone else?"
The next day, the red-haired hero Kyle listened to my proposal with a meaningful smile. He crossed his legs, rested his chin on his hand, and showed signs of discomfort with the situation.
It was because I'd suggested we postpone the schedule for defeating the Succubus Queen, one of the Demon King's Four Heavenly Kings.
"…Yeah, the flowers blooming on Victoria's body are slowly strangling her life. It seems we don't have much time."
I explained the situation to the hero as best I could. I left out the part about hearing Victoria's inner thoughts and presented the results based on objective reasoning and evidence.
"Wasn't it fine as long as she didn't use miracles? Those old fools at the Papal Court wouldn't have sent a saint on the verge of death to slay the Demon King unless they were crazy."
Kyle stared at me as if something was off. If Victoria was in such a dangerous state, the higher-ups would have stopped her long ago.
"I thought so too…. But it seems that's not the case."
"Then maybe the newly inaugurated Pope deliberately sent Victoria to her doom."
Kyle's eyes widened as if he'd grasped something, informing me of a new possibility.
"There are rumors that the previous Pope, who took Victoria in, was poisoned over the succession issue. If the current Pope intentionally sent Victoria to the Demon Realm, wouldn't that change things?"
The person in our party who was usually the most perceptive and considerate was now pointing out a minor detail I'd overlooked.
"You sure say things lightly that would get you branded a heretic if heard in the Holy Kingdom. Even a hero wouldn't escape execution."
"Hah, I never liked that bald, pot-bellied guy from the moment I first saw him. Wasn't he the one who gave your girlfriend Victoria a really sleazy, lecherous look from the start?"
Kyle mentioned an incident before we left the continent for the Demon Realm. The moment Victoria was saying her final goodbyes to the people of the Holy Kingdom.
The current Pope, Porcus III, had pretended to stumble, trying to strip Victoria's clothes off, and I had improvised to stop him.
"He was indeed a piece of shit."
I remembered the pig-faced Pope flusteredly making excuses. It was astonishing how repulsive a person could be.
If he hadn't been the Pope, I would have wanted to smash that face of his to a pulp—his character and personality were that vile.
"Maybe that's when Victoria started to like you."
"…Huh? What do you mean?"
Kyle chuckled as if amused by my reaction. Not understanding his expression, I asked again.
"I've had an inkling for quite a while now. That you two have feelings for each other."
I heard a statement from Kyle that sent shivers down my spine. I had never once thought of Victoria in a romantic way.
"…You tell jokes in an interesting way."
At first, I denied it. Protecting Victoria from the hands of that scoundrel was simply the duty of a comrade. I didn't understand Kyle saying there were feelings involved because of that.
"I heard you confessed first, Astal. How long are you two going to keep fighting? Seeing you try to go all the way to the Holy Kingdom like this, it seems like you really do like her, right?"
Realizing that everything was proceeding exactly according to Victoria's scheme, I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut and conceal the truth.
"......"
Sometimes, staying silent is better than making excuses, and this was one of those moments.
Making up a story here would only risk exposing the contract relationship later when our stories didn't match.
"Anyway, I see you in a new light now, Astal."
Then, Kyle chuckled and patted my shoulder. The hero nodded as if to say, don't worry.
"I thought you hated or disliked Victoria because of her harsh words to you. You know this too…. She's especially like that only with you, right?"
Kyle was criticizing Victoria's usual attitude. She rarely hurled insults at our other comrades besides me.
"I know mages are often eccentric, but I didn't expect that from you, Astal."
"…What do you mean, eccentric?"
"I never thought you had the taste to be in a relationship where you get verbally abused all the time."
Wearing an expression that said he understood everything, Kyle met my eyes and even nodded. A sense of foreboding flashed through me.
"I never would have guessed you had a peculiar fetish for getting excited by verbal abuse. Well, if you both like it, I guess it's not a problem…. Victoria seems to be that way too…"
"Absolutely not. Do you have any idea how much Victoria torments me? Yesterday she teased me with all sorts of obscene jokes."
I looked down at the hero with a horrified expression. Sensing something odd, Kyle tilted his head slightly.
"Really? Doesn't that actually mean you're really close? Victoria and I only have normal conversations."
"......"
I had nothing to say, so I kept quiet. Besides me, the only person Victoria talked to a lot was Anima, the other woman in the party.
"I guess it's because I'm the youngest of the Dragon Slayer family. It feels like my bloodline itself is disliked. It's a bit unfair, but what can you do."
With those final words, Kyle got up from his seat. He gathered his holy sword and cloak, preparing to leave for somewhere.
"…I should help our saint's boyfriend earn some points. As a comrade and a friend like no other."
"You mean…"
"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and prepare to open the spatial teleportation gate. We need to get this done quickly."
Hero Kyle was thinking of postponing the defeat of the Four Heavenly Kings and sending me to the Holy Kingdom.