#016 Saintess
#016 Saintess
Divine Power was a hard counter to an undead like me.
If I were hit by Holy Lightning alone, the mana composing my body would all be blown away, and in that instant I would become a handful of ash and scatter into the sky.
'It's dangerous.'
When dealing with Divine Power, I had to be extremely careful.
So, awkward as it was, I needed to warn Lucius in advance.
"Lucius. Did I ever tell you that I'm currently in a state no different from an undead?"
"Huh?"
Lucius was startled.
Apparently I had either explained it carelessly or not explained it at all.
"...Do you know about liches?"
"A lich... isn't that a skeleton mage with nothing but bones left?"
"Right. That's exactly what I am right now. I was cursed in a battle with a Demon King and became undead."
"Undead...."
Lucius looked me up and down.
Aside from my body looking pale, I probably didn't seem much different from an ordinary person, but right now I only appeared lively thanks to the mana I had absorbed through Mana Stones.
The veins visible beneath my white skin might now be more accurately called mana channels instead of blood vessels.
The more mana my body held, the more alive I looked; once it ran out, I'd turn pale like a corpse.
"How did that happen to you?"
"A Demon King took my heart."
"What...?"
"That's what happened."
If I went into any more detailed explanation, I might end up contradicting myself.
It wasn't a good story from the Crimson Mage's perspective anyway, so if I acted suitably irritated and ended the conversation, Lucius wouldn't press me for details either.
So—
"You mean a Demon King gouged out your chest, Master?"
"...Well, something like that."
"Then your heart right now...?"
"I've replaced it with an artificial heart. That's why I need mana. Instead of blood, mana flows through my body."
"Then if all your mana runs out...?"
"I die."
This body would become unusable.
Well, if there happened to be a corpse fetishist or a necromancer among the dead, they could raise it as a zombie or skeleton or whatever and cart it around, but I wouldn't be able to move it with my consciousness inside.
"So when dealing with people who possess Divine Power, I can't help but be a little careful. The mana I possess has, hmm, a negative property."
"You mean that corrupted mana that flows out of the Demon Realm?"
"Something like that."
My true nature, after all, was that of a Demon King.
There was no need to say whether a Demon King would handle light-attribute mana or dark-attribute mana better.
Moreover, all the Mana Stones I absorbed were Mana Stones extracted from Demonfolk.
Since they were Mana Stones from the hearts of Demonfolk, it's only natural that they gather mana bearing a negative property, a dark attribute—so-called Demonic Energy.
"Divine Power purifies and extinguishes the Demonic Energy I possess. If I've said this much, you understand what I mean, right?"
"Master, what if a priest were to heal you with Divine Power...?"
"It would deal damage equal to the amount of Divine Power used for healing. Heh heh...."
"......It's because of the Demon King."
Lucius began burning with fighting spirit.
"The Demon King who gouged out your chest and stole your heart, Master—I will definitely defeat him. Also, I will definitely protect you so that Divine Power never touches you."
"Sure. So if people come from over there, when explaining things...."
Rustle.
"Get your story to match mine, all right?"
"Y-yes?"
I aimed a tree branch at one of the goblins collapsed on the ground.
"Arise."
The number one Trigger Word most favored and revered by Black Mages.
Reciting the incantation, I infused mana into the goblin's body.
WHOOOOOSH.
The goblin's body slowly began to stand upright.
Red flames flickered from its eyes, and instead of clothing, red flames began burning over its vital areas.
"This is...?"
"I'm a Black Mage. Got it?"
"...I see."
Lucius clapped his hands and pointed at me and himself.
"You mean we disguise ourselves as an adventurer pair—a wandering swordsman and his Black Mage master?"
"Exactly."
Lucius really was smart.
He was kind, sure, but being sharp was definitely a good thing.
So why was someone that smart such a pushover?
Because even when he considers the worst in people, he ultimately trusts them.
And if a good-natured person like this steps up to defend me?
No one would suspect that a witch is using a swordsman.
"...They're coming."
STEP, STEP.
Quite a number of people began approaching.
I aimed the tree branch at them.
"Who are you?"
"...A Black Mage?"
"Are you people from the Church?"
"...Master?"
From behind, Lucius whispered in a sour voice.
"...You're using formal speech?"
"We've never met, so of course I should. Especially with Church people."
"......."
"What are you staring at? You're obviously younger than me. And you don't look like someone of high status either."
"That's true, but...."
"Why? Do you want me to speak formally to you?"
I sneered at Lucius.
"If you reach a position and status worthy of it, I will. Not now."
"What are you two whispering about?"
"Forgive me, priest of the Church."
I stepped forward first, then retrieved the mana I had placed in the goblin.
It had decreased considerably compared to when I'd put it in, but it would serve as a good way to show we meant no harm.
"We are adventurers. We were in the middle of confirming a goblin den here."
"Just the two of you?"
"Yes."
"Hmm...."
The long-haired blonde woman who appeared to lead the Church delegation looked us up and down.
I stared back at her as openly as she inspected us.
'She really is pretty.'
Pretty as she was, I was dumbfounded by an outfit far too lewd for someone I'd assumed was a priest.
'With a body bigger than mine, instead of covering up tightly, she's wearing a priest's habit in a nightdress style?'
The priest's outfit looked less like actual vestments and more like something you'd see at a priest-themed 'flower shop' that opened at night.
She looked more like a shameless seductress than a nun.
I thought it was just this woman, but....
"Saintess!!"
"Saintess?"
Seeing the female knight and the rest of the priests running up behind her, I realized my mistake.
"Could you be... the real Saintess?"
"...Allow me to introduce myself. I am Yan Diere, Saintess of the Church of the Azure Moon Goddess."
The Saintess, Yan, placed her hand over her chest and bowed her head.
If she hadn't raised her hand, my gaze would surely have gone straight to the cleavage exposed by her outfit.
No.
Once the greeting ended, her hand would naturally come down, so my gaze would inevitably return to that once-hidden cleavage.
That was a cheap trick to subtly draw attention to her exposed cleavage.
'I doubt Lucius has any resistance to that sort of thing.'
I was worried.
I cautiously turned my head toward Lucius....
"......."
My eyes met Lucius's.
He hadn't just noticed my gaze and briefly turned his head—Lucius was looking only at me, not at them.
Faith.
Trust.
...A look that seemed to say he didn't think he'd be much help, so he'd simply stand behind me and look imposing.
"...Haah."
In the end, I'd said we should get our stories straight, but I was the only one doing the talking.
At least it was fortunate that Lucius hadn't been flustered by their utterly indecent nun outfits.
"It is an honor to meet you, Saintess."
"Did you two kill the goblins here?"
"No."
Not "you two."
Lucius killed them all.
"......."
Yan gazed at me steadily.
"Is that true?"
"Of course. Who would lie to a Saintess?"
I couldn't lie to a Saintess.
Since we didn't kill them, I was confident.
"Then what exactly are these? It looks as though someone of tremendous skill passed through...."
"It was already like this when we arrived. We thought maybe a person of tremendous skill had passed through and considered trying to speak with them, but there was no one like that."
"......Or they hastily concealed their identity."
Flinch.
Lucius gripped his ring tightly.
Just in case, I pressed my shoe lightly against the tip of his foot to signal him.
TAP, TAP.
Stay still.
Since even telepathy magic would be a waste of mana, I had no choice but to convey my intent through gestures.
"Understood. Still, this place is dangerous. Will you accompany us?"
"We wouldn't want to be a burden to the Church of the Goddess...."
I could feel someone behind the Saintess signaling disapproval.
No doubt the Saintess had meddled and come here while they were hurrying somewhere.
"Could we ask you to escort us only as far as the entrance? My disciple and I need to head to the village to sell the Mana Stones we obtained here...."
"Very well. Then follow us."
Saintess Yan Diere extended her hand toward us.
For some reason, her hand and her gaze were directed at Lucius, and seeing her eyes gave me a sense of déjà vu.
Saintess.
Had she noticed the Holy Sword?
"Excuse me, but what is your name?"
"Lucius."
Lucius, answering as if annoyed, didn't spare the Saintess a single glance.
He was surely thinking he should say as little as possible so as not to give them any opening, but....
"Pfft."
Handsome men really were trouble.
Even in a cave like this, romance blooms.
'The Saintess seems to have fallen for Lucius.'
I could tell at a glance.
Those eyes—I received plenty of looks like that from countless Demonfolk when I was active in the Middle Realm as a Demon King.
A woman like that wouldn't betray the Hero even if she just held his hand once at night and took a walk around a lake.
'Oh?'
If we bring the Saintess into the Hero Party, wouldn't conquering the Demon King be totally doable?
'This is an opportunity.'
What if we turned the Saintess into Lucius's love slave?
* * *
"......."
The Saintess, Yan Diere, couldn't take her eyes off the man.
He was handsome.
He had a good build, he was good-looking, and above all, he was a man who seemed gentle but would act like a beast at night.
Yes, she had fallen for him at first sight.
What more needed to be said?
However.
"Master, we...."
"Quiet, Lucius."
The man, Lucius, had his gaze fixed solely on the red-haired witch.
"......."
Yan Diere, following behind them, felt strange from the unfamiliar emotion welling up softly inside her heart.
GRIT.
For now, the fact that the man was directing his gaze solely at the red-haired witch rather than at her was irritating for no reason.