[No title provided]
My eyes scanned the translucent display.
The first time I'd seen it, everything was at 0 percent, leaving me totally lost. But after muddling through incident after incident, I'd made it this far. Still, with less than half complete, a sigh escaped me first—but it was progress from the start, at least. And this latest turning point had Yuna's bar skyrocketing by a miraculous 33 percent in one go. It had punched right through the upper limit and kept climbing another 3 percent, so saving her family must've really paid off big time.
Justia had jumped 10 percent from this too, making it a total win-win—chicken for dinner and eggs on top, ditch cleared and crawfish caught to boot.
I still had no clue what these percentages actually measured, but I was starting to get a handle on it.
Do good deeds, and they go up.
They'd dropped when I'd argued with Justia, but risen whenever I'd helped everyone out. So if I kept playing it that way from here on, it should be fine. Help with tough stuff, solve problems when they popped up. Simple.
...Or so I thought, but one thing was nagging at me.
Why'd Justia's go up?
That single question threw my head into chaos. All I'd done for her was drag her out of bed in her pajamas and make her witness that nightmare underground. No way could she have taken that positively, no matter how I spun it.
Hmm... No idea. Seriously, no friggin' clue.
I was lost in those thoughts when...
"...Guys, mind if I handle that bastard myself?"
Yuna wiped her tears with the back of her hand, her golden eyes blazing with fury. She clearly wanted payback for the kidnapping and blackmail.
Better keep my mouth shut.
I hadn't told her about what went down underground. Knowing her family had been through that hell would just torment her. Sure, they might spill it themselves someday, but by then, Yuna would handle it rationally. No need to drop that bomb now. It might mean hiding key facts, and she'd probably resent me later, but it was the right call.
"Do whatever you want."
At my words, Justia and Arian nodded too. Yuna bowed deeply in thanks, then strode toward Duke Istar.
The black sludge pooled on the floor hissed and evaporated into white smoke where it met Yuna's golden aura. The hero's power was made to crush demons from the get-go. Without that seal, the duke wouldn't have lasted a punch against her.
"N-no, stay back! I-I'm sorry! Please, just spare my life!"
"When I begged you to return my family, did you listen?"
"Th-that was... I-I admit I was wrong. T-take my fortune, anything you want—just please, my life...!"
"Well, I wasn't planning to kill you quick anyway, even without the begging."
Yuna raised her foot high and slowly ground down on the duke's hand, like snuffing out a cigarette butt.
"Gaaahhh—!"
His scream echoed as the hand flattened into a bloody pulp. He couldn't even writhe—my seal was still holding strong.
Thwack!
Yuna swung her foot, snapping the duke's head sideways as teeth scattered like dice. Looked like she really meant the "not quick" part. She could've ended him in a heartbeat if she wanted. A bit brutal, but understandable given what she'd been through. Messing with loved ones hits harder than messing with you directly.
Watching Yuna's revenge play out, I quietly shifted my gaze. The heretic society's hall was littered with twitching nobles on the floor. The duke's plan was toast, but things weren't fully wrapped up.
"Justia."
"...Yes?"
Justia buttoned her overcoat front at my call—worried her thin pajamas might show through. I couldn't care less.
"Can you purify those guys too?"
"The ones on the floor?"
I nodded, and Justia furrowed her brow, deep in thought. Asking this of her felt bad, especially after seeing her suffer underground.
"I'll do what I can, but it won't be easy. Even if exposure was short, they absorbed it directly, and there are so many. Plus, my stamina's kinda..."
Stamina, huh. Perfect timing for something in my pocket.
I reached into thin air and pulled out a hefty glass bottle—the elixir I'd shared with the villagers before. Only difference: grape flavor swapped for cherry.
"What's that?"
"Elixir. Drink up and get your energy back."
"Wh—no, elixirs aren't some tonic! And why do you have something that precious?!"
Justia gawked, incredulous. I just found her reaction mildly annoying.
I can duplicate it anytime anyway...?
To her, unaware of that, it was heirloom-level treasure.
"Just drink it."
"B-but an elixir...!"
"It's not for evil, it's to save people. And I can copy more if I want."
"O-okay, fine."
Justia finally caved to my persuasion—couldn't refuse when it was for saving lives.
She uncorked the elixir and sipped carefully, downing about half before handing it back.
"Why?"
"I-I'm full...?"
"Huh. Guess that's that. Feeling better?"
"Completely recovered. I can save them all now."
Justia declared with confidence.
"Then I'm counting on you."
"Yeah, gotta earn that elixir."
Justia smirked, knelt right there, and began her prayer. Golden holy power radiated across the hall, steadily improving the nobles' conditions. Those groaning and twitching started rising one by one.
Warm.
I felt anew how comforting a saintess's holy power was—like when I'd used 10th-circle magic that day.
Meanwhile, Yuna was still at it with the duke. No more screams—passed out or dead, who knew.
Now, how do I report this mess?
A duke's death, especially a noble's, wouldn't blow over easy. Guilty or not, the emperor would summon for sure. I hated hassle like that—wanted to dodge it somehow. Too many witnesses, though.
I'll figure it out later...
I decided not to overthink. It'd sort itself out somehow.
Time passed, and Justia finished up. The recovered nobles thanked her in unison, like scripted.
The flood of gratitude made Justia's eyes waver.
"N-no, no need for thanks—donations to the local cathedral if you insist, but really, it's fine...!"
I chuckled at the sight.
"F-Franz, this isn't funny! Help me...!"
As Justia pleaded and I stepped up reluctantly, the murmuring nobles fell silent.
Yuna appeared, drenched head to toe in blood. The nobles parted for her like the Red Sea.
"Justia, thank you so much."
Yuna bowed deeply. Justia smiled warmly.
"It's what a saintess does."
"Still, thanks."
With that, Yuna wrapped up with Justia and approached me. In the hushed hall, our eyes met.