Making Saula Repent (4)
Truly he bore our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that brought us peace, and by his wounds we are healed.
The moment I was born.
The moment I met Raim.
The moment Raim sacrificed herself for me.
The moment I awakened the power of Chaos.
And... the moment I slew a divinity.
I slew a divinity?
No, I haven't slain any divinity yet.
It's impossible with my current power.
But in the vision regenerating inside my head, I was toying with a divinity, overwhelming it completely.
The future... me?
Am I going to become this strong in the future and slay divinities?
......I like this.
So everything I've done up until now wasn't wrong after all.
And the scene shifted...
The evil gods of Chaos appeared.
"Saula did it."
"Yes. She slew a divinity with a mortal body, no less."
Yes! This body slew a divinity! Get ready, you bastards. I'll tear you apart with my own hands!
"Just as planned."
...Huh?
"Kukuku. You stupid bitch. You think slaying a divinity is ultimately revenge against us?"
"Wasn't that your plan, Lilith?"
"Exactly. Implant a small suggestion in her mind and make her dance to our tune."
"Baal is dead. If this continues, we'll take the continent easily."
"Good. Let's see how far our little cutie Saula goes for us."
What the hell did I just see?
Everything I've been doing has been helping them?
And the scene shifted again, showing scenes from across the continent.
The weak trampled by the armies of Chaos.
The burning earth.
Mortals lost in chaos, killing each other.
The result of slaying a divinity... was Chaos devouring the continent.
Right.
Slaying a divinity is good for Chaos.
So why had I thought it was the path to revenge against Chaos?
My mind cleared, like waking from a long dream.
Ah, I see.
A suggestion.
Those filthy Chaos bastards had planted a suggestion in me.
Making me think I was getting revenge while I moved as their pawn.
You stupid bitch.
I've been doing pointless things all this time, thinking it was revenge.
The scene shifted once more.
A single man standing alone against the armies of Chaos.
Hydra. Minotaur. Bone Dragon. Cerberus. Sphinx. Balrog.
Countless monsters and legions advanced in formation.
Above the Legion of Ruin, the Three Evil Gods of Chaos had descended in their true divine bodies.
Even though it was the familiar aura of Chaos, just seeing it made my legs tremble and want to collapse under the overwhelming pressure.
That is... Chaos.
The army of death I once tried to lead...
In opposition stood a single man.
Without a shred of fear, he stepped toward the nightmarish legion.
"Son of Deus."
The one at the forefront of the legion, clad in jet-black armor, addressed the man.
"Bow before me. If you kneel, I shall grant you this entire legion, all authority, and glory."
The man made no reply.
The leader continued.
"I know you wish to avoid it. Last night, you prayed before your disciples for this cup to pass from you. Born as a divinity, the only begotten son of Deus, to sacrifice your precious life for lowly creatures. How horrific."
Then the man answered.
"!@#@#$^#$%^#$!@#@!$"
His words were incomprehensible.
"Will you truly choose sacrifice for these wretched beings?!"
Then from his divine body poured forth light so blinding, so vast it filled the entire continent.
As the light gradually faded... the entire army of Chaos had vanished.
All that legion... alone...
What the hell happened?
With the legion annihilated, the man's body began to crumble into dust as well.
It is finished?
What?
Annihilating the army of Chaos?
Sacrificing himself to save this continent?
This is the future...
You.
No, you knew this would happen and still chose to stand against Chaos?
How... sublime a sacrifice.
The supreme being descending in mortal flesh to save all creation through self-sacrifice.
It was beyond anything I could comprehend from my experiences.
Divinities don't see mortals as lowly insects?
If I'd met a being like this first...
Raim might not have died that way.
I could have lived a normal life...
"If that truly was the case......"
I pressed my forehead to Saula's.
"I shall offer you my neck."
-What?
"But if not... then I wish for you to live not as a servant of the evil gods, but as the ordinary dragon Saula."
Feeling the warmth of Saula's forehead, I activated an artifact from my spatial pocket.
She stared blankly into space, mumbling incoherently.
Artifact that manifests cherished past memories as illusions, allowing one to relive them.
Mass-produced in the ancient fallen empire of Selestia. Most are lost today, surviving only in ruins like dungeons. As a veteran of Deus ex Machina, I secured this recently for use at the academy... on that guy.
Typically for those nostalgic for the past, but it can also project one's memories as illusions to others.
Through this artifact, I recalled and showed her my memories of Saula Dracania from Deus ex Machina.
The memories I'd seen of her in the game.
How she lost her ordinary life to the evil gods of Chaos and fell as their agent.
And how the Three Evil Gods had deceived and manipulated her all along.
Saula had believed she acted of her own free will, but she'd merely been a puppet.
Even realizing that and breaking free from Chaos's control didn't guarantee she wouldn't turn against me.
This was essentially a gamble.
A gamer's gamble, hoping she'd embrace the truth and walk the path of an ordinary girl instead of evil—because I liked her.
-...Impossible. I... really? You... no, you for this world...? Then what have I been... all this time...
The immense aura emanating from her body began to subside.
The illusion lasted about ten seconds.
I could only hope she'd come to her senses in that brief time.
Flicker.
Saula opened her eyes.
Thud.
She knelt before me.
......Huh?
"Lord. Though I had eyes, I did not see; though I had ears, I did not hear. The evil gods corrupted me, yet I failed to realize it and sought to persecute Your faithful. I even plotted to harm You."
L-Lord?
"You descended into this world in mortal flesh to save it. Unlike other divinities, You love all creation—yet I failed to recognize it."
Me, saving the world?
Did I show her the right memories? What the hell did she see?
As she offered her words, her body was enveloped in blinding, immense light.
Her two horns shattered, the aura of Chaos around her faded.
Her red hair gradually turned white. Her harlot-like garb transformed into maid attire, as if serving someone.
It was as if she cast out the corruption and was reborn in holiness.
She would have been this beautiful from the start, had the beings of Chaos not twisted her to their taste.
This was the Saula I didn't know... the form she was meant to have.
"Thank You, Lord. With the power of the Holy Spirit, You saved me from Chaos. Though I dared to try to harm You, You redeemed me. How gracious You are."
Holy Spirit? What's that? I don't know, it's scary.
Why is she awakening on her own?
"Lord, I am but Your servant. Command me. I shall obey all."
"Hee hee. Kid, the finish was sloppy. What would you have done without Mommy?"
Knock knock.
-Mama. Her Highness summons you.
"...Understood. Tell her I'm coming right away."