Light Saved by Evil (3)

“That was perfect. If anything else comes up, just leave it to us!”

“Very well. May the gods’ protection be with you.”

We had captured the Saintess.

There had been a few failures and unexpected variables, but this time we had finally succeeded.

“Still hard to believe, though. That little girl is really the fallen Saintess?”

“Hmm. Looking only at her appearance, one might think so.”

A girl with gleaming silver hair.

Even I had been startled when I first saw those golden eyes—as if the glory and mercy of God had settled upon her in full.

“But appearances aren’t everything. Take a look at this.”

“This is… ugh, isn’t that the mark of a demonkin?”

The pattern revealed when her bangs were lifted.

That was a brand, a sin, a target for punishment.

“So that’s why the seniors were so desperate to hunt her down. Shouldn’t we just kill her before bad luck sticks to us?”

“Not yet. She still has her uses.”

The barrier’s magic wasn’t the problem.

“The demon will be sharpening his blade.”

The demon I had seen before.

It was because of that ominous one.

In pure power alone, he rivals the Seven Great Ones.

Every demon has a lineage—the Seven Desires, or Sins as they are called.

But I couldn’t place that one’s lineage at all.

As if he were the Progenitor of some entirely new sin.

“That guy who scammed me and Captain Hans at the checkpoint?”

“Probably. So don’t let your guard down.”

You never knew when he might notice.

“Aw, how would he even know to look here? We even put up magic so we wouldn’t stand out.”

He had a point.

This was Barloken; we had already prepared magic to conceal our presence.

“Always assume the unexpected. For example—”

Click.

“Where… is this…”

Like the Saintess waking up.

“No way. She should’ve been out cold for at least three days!”

“It must be because of that so-called Saintess’s body. Her resistance is exceptional, it seems.”

Though that wouldn’t mean much in the end.

“……! Ain Torua……!?”

“How does it feel, Saintess? Being caught after such an ugly flight.”

The Saintess struggled to break free of her shackles.

Clank, clang!

“This… kh, let me go!”

“Would you let us go if you were in our place? Struggling is pointless, so stay still.”

Truly a foolish woman.

If you commit a sin, you must pay it back—that is the way of the world.

“This time, it ends. We’ve come a long way.”

“Demian… Demian won’t just stand by.”

The Saintess glared with murderous eyes.

“So the demon’s name was Demian. Valuable information.”

“He’s strong. If you kill me here, he’ll definitely take revenge—”

“Who said anything about killing you?”

She was making two major misconceptions.

First:

I—no, the Holy Kingdom—no longer intended to kill the Saintess.

“Orders from above. We’re to be more wary of that demon than of you.”

“If she’s been traveling with him all this time, she must have plenty ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of information.”

We had to use her thoroughly.

The birth of a new great evil had to be prevented.

“And do you truly believe he will come to save you?”

“……What?”

Second:

The demon would not come to save the Saintess.

“We scouted the inn. He was leisurely baking bread.”

“He’d forgotten all about the Saintess.”

From our perspective, that was fortunate.

It seemed their relationship was nothing more ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠than a contractual one.

“Lies… that can’t be…”

“How pitiful. Abandoned even by a demon.”

Time to settle this.

Thinking that, I took it out.

“……The Veil of God.”

“You know it well. In the area where this is activated, no external influences can reach.”

Thanks to this, we had been able to kidnap the Saintess.

External influences included magic as well.

“Bring the equipment. Since she’s awake, we might as well start early.”

“Abandoned…? Then… what am I…”

Completely broken, was she?

She would suffer even more from now on; if she was already despairing over this much…

“We’ve brought everything. Where should we start?”

“Aim for the eyes first. The way they shine so brightly is disgusting for the likes of her.”

At last.

Time to make her pay for daring to raise a hand against God.

“Yes! Hehe, stay still—”

BANG—!!

“My, what a boring little scheme you’ve cooked up.”

If only the demon hadn’t appeared.

I thought this time it was over.

Because of my foolish judgment, I thought I had lost the chance I had barely managed to grasp.

“Demian…… Just how long do you intend to interfere with the great cause!!”

“Great cause, my ass. Is tormenting our Saintess what you call a great cause?”

Demian appeared, piercing through a subordinate’s heart.

Why… do you always protect me.

You’re a demon.

A being that deceives and toys with people, then kills them in agony.

“And how did you come to know my name?”

He looked at Ain.

“Surely… you haven’t laid a hand on Lady Haley, have you?”

The same smiling face as always.

But having traveled with him all this time, I could tell.

Is he… angry?

Right now, he was furious beyond description.

Whoosh.

“First, the arm.”

In an instant my vision flickered, and Demian leaped right in front of Ain.

Just as he was about to take one of Ain’s arms—

CLANG—!

“Hmm?”

A red magic circle blocked him.

“Have you forgotten? This is Barloken! Unauthorized combat is forbidden!”

Now it was Ain’s turn.

When he swung his sword, unlike with Demian, it advanced straight without obstruction.

Whoosh…

“How underhanded. Are you saying your side received authorization?”

Fortunately he dodged just before it connected.

“This is the power of God. A miracle that vile demons like you could never imitate.”

“In the end it’s just a trick. It’s my specialty, so I can tell.”

Suddenly, Demian’s hand rippled.

A sign that he was using magic.

“Planning to bring a sword, are you? Do you think you can defeat me with swordsmanship?”

Ain was right.

The one Demian was facing was the Holy Kingdom’s First Holy Sword and ultimate weapon.

As a swordsman, the matchup was the worst possible.

“And in the first place, how do you plan to pierce the Veil of God?”

He was forbidden from attacking.

Whether he brought a sword or a bow, it was meaningless.

“Submit quietly. If you give up now, you can at least avoid becoming a test subject—”

“Who said I was bringing a sword?”

But Demian had no intention of fighting with a sword.

What he held in his hand was—

“……A firearm?”

“I wonder if even that grand magic can stop this.”

Long and thick like a black snake laden with deadly venom.

Click.

“Shall we run an experiment on a target practice dummy?”

It was a demon’s weapon.

BANG—!!!

“Guh… gah…”

“Experimental results: Barloken’s grand magic cannot stop even a single bullet.”

After a roar that seemed to shake heaven and earth had passed,

“As expected, it seems only attacks below a certain level are blocked.”

A hole had opened in Ain’s chest.

Literally.

“How… it should have blocked the attack…”

“You’re still alive with a hole through your heart? You’ll die soon enough, but what a monstrous body.”

Demian didn’t spare Ain so much as a glance; he walked toward me alone.

“Haley, are you all right?”

“Demian…”

I have to apologize.

That thought dominated my mind for a moment, and just as I was about to lower my head—

“I… I’m truly sor—”

“I’m sorry.”

Demian beat me to it.

“It was my negligence. My fault for trusting such crude magic.”

“Not at all! Demian, you did nothing wrong!”

How is this his fault?

Everything, everything was my mistake.

“Failing to trust you, and carelessly getting captured—that’s all my fault.”

Ingratitude.

I had completely forgotten the grace I’d received and instead doubted him.

This sin was heavy and crushing.

“I don’t deserve your help.”

“Then shall I not free you?”

……What?

“You said you don’t deserve it. Then I have no reason to free you, do I?”

“N-no. W-wait.”

“What a shame. I wanted to spend a little more time with Haley.”

Demian, who had been undoing the shackles, stood up.

Is he really leaving? Well, it’s true I don’t deserve it, but…

“Pfft! I’m joking.”

“Demian…!”

A sudden wave of indignation.

As expected of a demon—he was a master at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠messing with people.

“Why wouldn’t Haley deserve it? You’re my one and only contractor.”

Demian crouched down and met my eyes.

“If you still can’t believe in yourself, then just think you’ve fallen for a demon’s trick.”

Blood-red eyes.

Pupils slit vertically.

For a Saintess, it was a sight that should have been abhorrent.

“Your soul and body have both fallen. You’ve been deceived by an evil demon.”

And yet, for some reason.

My ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠heartbeat… I can’t control it.

It feels like my soul is being sucked into those eyes.

“Oh dear, how truly unfortunate. A Saintess who has no choice but to accompany me after falling for my deception!”

Clank!

The shackles fell to the floor.

“Shall we return to the inn?”

With my arms free, Demian held out his hand toward me.

“……Yes.”

As if I might be tricked again, I seized his hand.

The warmth transmitted through his body temperature.

“Demian, you won’t abandon me, right?”

I will never let go of this warmth again.

“Did you not understand what I said? Even if you wanted to leave my side, you couldn’t.”

“Then that’s fine.”

……No matter what it takes.