15
Chapter 15
Searing—.
The dazzling sunlight stings my eyes.
While the light emitted by Maria, the Saint of the Sun, is quite blinding, it is nothing compared to the actual sun.
Perhaps because I had lived in total darkness for 111 days, I felt a brief wave of dizziness the moment I stepped out of prison.
But I couldn't afford to fall, since I was carrying the Saint on my back.
"The air has grown warm..."
The Saint spoke to me in a fading voice.
"That's because we're outside."
"Ahaha..."
"Keep your mouth shut and just hang in there. You wouldn't want to die on a demon's back as a Saint, would you?"
"I thought you'd find this situation amusing..."
"Keep talking like that and I'll just leave you behind."
At my gentle warning, the Saint wore a faint smile.
She buried her face against my back like a newborn baby.
I kept worrying that she might draw her last breath even before reaching the guillotine.
Perhaps that's why I tightened my grip under her hips to give her more stability.
She had her thin arms wrapped around my neck, but there was no strength in them at all. They felt like they'd slip off with a single gust of wind.
I leaned forward further, wanting her to be able to rest comfortably against my back.
We were fellow inmates from Tartarus, after all; I could at least do this much.
Step—.
The person I'm carrying right now is a precious woman. She's grubby and covered in dust, but she's more precious than anyone in the world.
Because no one on the continent could ever possess a heart as pure as hers.
Step—.
She is light as a feather. Even as sweat pours down like rain, she's still light. Even cotton candy wouldn't be this light. I'm not joking.
Step—.
She is such a tiny woman. It's not that she's short or has a small frame, but she's just so thin.
That fact makes my heart ache, as if it were hit by a shotgun.
I should have been nicer to her back in Tartarus. I shouldn't have eaten that last sandwich while asleep. I should have given it to the Saint.
Step—.
"Come here, Number 379."
Chief Jailer Theseus called out to me. They had led us to a transport vehicle in the forest.
"Get in."
"Heh."
"Get in the back."
The transport vehicle was structured like a truck, enclosed at the top and sides. I entered the back without a word, still holding the Saint.
The jailers, excluding Theseus, tried to follow us in. It was the Chief Jailer, Theseus, who stopped them with his baton.
"The rest of you, get in the front."
"Excuse me?"
"Don't make me say it twice."
"B-but Chief... By the rules, when transporting prisoners, double the amount of jailers must accompany them in the back..."
Kelth trailed off. It seemed Theseus was planning to break the rules again. That rigid man.
"Can't you tell the difference between an order and a request?"
With those words, Theseus strode toward the front seat of the vehicle and climbed in.
"...."
The jailers reluctantly followed him, crowding into the narrow front seat.
As the rear door finally clicked shut, I was left alone with the Saint once more in a small, dark enclosure.
My eyes, which had been stinging from the brief flash of light, welcomed the return of the darkness.
"Chief Jailer."
Just then, the sound of hushed conversation drifted through the wall separating the front and back of the transport vehicle.
"I've been wondering, why are you being so lenient with the Saint, even to the point of breaking regulations?"
It was a question from one of the jailers.
Theseus's response came after a long silence.
"...I am simply repaying a debt."
It was an incredibly short answer for such a long pause. However, that only allowed my imagination to run wild.
Theseus, like the Saint and the Hero, was an alumnus of Eden Academy.
And as a commoner, Theseus had been severely bullied there.
...How predictable.
No doubt this overly kind woman had been the only one to treat the pitiful, ostracized Theseus with tenderness.
Because that's just the kind of person the Saint is.
That must be why Theseus, who generally despises humanity, shows her a unique kind of favor.
"Hmm..."
Seriously, she's a woman who sticks her nose into everything. Even after ending up in this state, she couldn't leave a demon like me alone even in Tartarus.
Still, looking back, I want to thank her. I certainly wouldn't have wanted to be huddled in this cramped back seat with those gloomy jailers.
Rustle—.
The back seat wasn't wide enough for two people to lie down with their legs stretched. So, I leaned my back against the locked door and sat askew.
"Please... excuse me for a moment..."
Speaking weakly, the Saint leaned the back of her head against my chest, tucking herself between my spread legs.
"...I never thought I'd see the day I'd be holding the Saint in my arms."
"You held me last night too..."
"That was because you forced yourself into my arms. While I was tied up."
"Ahaha..."
"Get some sleep here. I'll wake you up when we reach the Square."
"Would that be alright...?"
"I slept well yesterday, so I'm not that tired."
"Hmm... I suppose so, given the passionate dream you had."
"What—what are you talking about! You lewd woman!"
When I snapped back in anger, the Saint burst into a giggle.
I suddenly wondered if she could maintain that smile when she eventually faced the guillotine.
Clatter—.
The transport vehicle carrying us jolted violently as it traveled along the mountain path.
Not wanting the vibrations to wake her, I pulled her close and tucked my legs beneath her, hoping to shield her from the shaking.
The Saint remained quiet, offering no resistance.
After about two hours of travel.
"What, are you cold?"
I felt a vibration, but not from below—from above. The Saint's frail body was shivering violently.
"A little... cold..."
"Let me see."
I placed my hand on her forehead and felt skin drenched in sweat, burning with a high fever. The heat was so intense it felt like my hand might melt, causing me to frown instinctively.
"Damn it, you're the Saint of the Sun, so why are you so fragile?"
"It is proof that the grace the Lord bestowed upon me... is gradually running dry..."
"Tsk."
I shifted my arms to wrap around her small frame. While I had supported her stomach with my back on the way up from Tartarus, it was now the opposite.
"How is it? Better?"
"Thank you... Your grace is always—"
"Don't go on about grace or whatever. It's cringey."
"Recognizing one's own righteous deeds is not arrogance..."
"Who said anything about arrogance? I'm just saying it's uncomfortable for me."
Despite our blunt exchange, the Saint's body continued to shake mercilessly, like someone suffering from a severe flu.
I pressed my chin against the top of her head and hugged her tight with both arms. Please, just stop shivering.
Because it was making me anxious.
I thought death was no big deal, but I don't know why my mind is such a mess right now. The thought of my own death is just... whatever, but as I imagine the cruel sight of the Saint's head being severed, my chest feels suffocated.
Squeeze—.
As my emotions surged, the strength of my embrace intensified. It must have been painful, yet the Saint remained still.
I used all my strength to hold her fast in my arms. Like opposite poles of a magnet trying desperately not to separate. Please, don't leave me.
You foolish, naive woman.
A woman so stubborn that she never let go of hope, even when the world was filled with the filth of the Demon Army.
A woman so dim-witted that she made the Western Duke of the Demon Realm, the Succubus Queen, actually feel a pang of conscience.
A woman so dull and innocent that she told the Hero who betrayed her that anyone can make mistakes.
A woman who dared to snap at the Demon King, burned her own life to embrace a mere demon or a traitor, and scraped together every bit of her lifespan to give generously to the insignificant.
If only she had been just a little more selfish, choosing the kind of life everyone else does.
"You wouldn't be facing death today..."
The soft Light Aura that always flowed along the contours of the Saint's body was nowhere to be seen.
Clatter—.
Clatter—.
Clatter.......
*****
Screech—Thump.
The transport vehicle carrying the Saint and me finally came to a halt.
Soon after, the rear door opened, and the midday sunlight poured over us.
I woke her up by gently poking her soft cheeks.
"Saint, we've arrived."
"...."
"Let's go. Time to go die."
"U-um..."
The Saint woke up, lifting her head groggily.
"Want me to take off the bandages? You're about to stand before everyone, and I bet you don't want to look like you're wearing a blindfold."
"I would appreciate that."
"Your voice sounds softer after that nap."
I carefully unwrapped the bandages that had been wound around the Saint's head, one layer at a time.
The Saint kept her eyes tightly shut.
"You don't have eyeballs, right?"
"No."
"Then don't open them. Just keep them closed. I'll carry you."
"Thank you."
The Saint's smooth eyebrows fluttered slightly. I figured it was because she was feeling the open air for the first time in a long while.
"Number 379 and Number 386. Get out."
"Joker, the time has come."
The calls from Theseus and Kelth reached my ears. I nodded obediently and asked in a low voice.
"Saint, is it okay if I carry you?"
Theseus gave a short nod in response.
"As long as you don't cause any trouble. Every big shot on the continent is gathered in the square right now."
"Did the dragons and elves come too?"
"They aren't the only ones."
Theseus took a broad look around outside the vehicle before continuing.
"Fairies, angels, devils, and... even the gods are here."
"I thought you weren't on good terms with the gods?"
"Not particularly. They know they'll die if they cross me."
"Heh, look at that confidence."
I stepped outside and leaned my upper body forward as far as I could, speaking to the Saint.
"Alright, Saint. Get on."
"Excuse me."
The Saint struggled to lift herself and collapsed against my back. Carrying her once again, I supported her hips with my hands and carefully straightened my legs to step out.
""...............!!!!""
The first thing I saw was an enormous crowd of nearly tens of thousands of people.
It wasn't just one specific race.
While humans were quite common, there were also giants, elves, and dwarves lined up.
Atop the spires were ultra-rare species, like angels with massive white wings and devils sitting with black bat-like wings folded.
Countless low-level monsters, such as goblins and orcs, had also gathered. It felt as if a great unification of the continent was taking place.
Were they gathered for me, or for the Saint?
I don't know. I couldn't bring myself to care.
"Just walk straight along the path."
Theseus pointed in one direction through the crowd.
There, the Demon Army stood in long lines on both sides.
At the end of the path stood a long set of stairs. Stairs soaring toward the sky. Looming, high stairs.
At the top of those stairs sat the guillotine that would sever the Saint's neck and mine.
It was a guillotine that had, until now, claimed the lives of countless emperors, kings, heroes, and villains.