The Sword God, Elcalan.
She was universally recognized as the strongest swordsman in the world. On the surface, she served the Church, but in reality, she lived a carefree life of leisure, completely indifferent to the affairs of the world. She was the quintessential cliché of a reclusive master from a novel, possessing terrifying strength.
During her time in exile, Tina had briefly thought she was going to die.
With no one to help her, she had only her trusty sword and a token from the remnants of the Rebel Army.
She had wandered aimlessly until she met Elcalan in a mountain village.
Those had not been easy times; Tina could still vividly recall every painful detail of her training.
“Little Tina, go fetch some water for me.”
“Are you just lazy?”
“Since you’ve already acknowledged me as your mother, you’re my daughter. Hurry up, chop chop!”
“Nonsense. I’ve never seen a mother as high-maintenance as you. Why don’t you give me some New Year's money?”
“What is New Year's money? Ah~ I’ve taught you so much and you still want money from me? Dream on!”
Elcalan was lazy and lacked any sense of responsibility.
Yet, she was very fond of children.
She often used her 'salary' to support orphanages and small convents.
She detested the Church's ways, and it was highly likely she would even come to blows with them... but with her title as the Pope's personal guard, she was able to go wherever she pleased without much trouble.
Though those memories only spanned a small fraction of her life, they had left an indelible mark on Tina's heart.
Without Elcalan, Tina would have given up much sooner.
Perhaps, even before she could be consumed by the holy fire, she would have already died at the hands of some magical beast.
Why was she standing against her?
She knew about the Saintess Selection, and she knew exactly what kind of scumbags those two Cardinals were.
But why was she the one who had to be her enemy?
“Elcalan,” Tina said tentatively, still clinging to a sliver of hope.
“Good evening, demon.” Her tone was light, but the killing intent on her face was deadly serious.
She raised her sword and pointed it at Tina.
This was the first time Tina had ever heard Elcalan call anyone a “demon.”
She loathed the Church and was privy to its secrets.
Even the Deceptive Magical Beast had not stirred any desire in her to protect humanity.
She simply watched and let everything happen.
But why treat her this way?
Tina had originally believed that Elcalan was the last remaining source of goodwill among humanity, merely choosing to run away from it all.
But why?
Why, why, why...
Tina clutched her head.
【Host, kill her. Even if she is your teacher, so what? No one in this world can stand in your way.】
【You have long since surpassed her. That is the result of your own hard work, Host, not the doing of this ungrateful woman.】
【Kill her.】
Tina looked up.
“I will kill you, Elcalan. The life you’ve always dreamed of is about to end.”
“Then come and try.”
“You—!”
A voice echoed from Tina's side.
It was a squad of knights. Tina remembered seeing this group on her way here.
There was Geran, the Deputy Paladin Commander of this Paladin Legion, and... a leader who appeared to be the Knight Commander.
The disgusting shout came from a familiar man—Ulrich.
He wore a black cloak, but because he hadn't had time to trim his beard after escaping from prison, he looked like a disheveled beggar.
He lunged out from the black mist, threw off his cloak, and pointed his sword at Tina.
“It’s you! You’re the one who ruined everything for me!”
His once-rational, magnetic voice was gone, replaced entirely by pure rage directed at Tina.
He also noticed the presence of the Sword God and immediately shouted, “Lord Sword God! You remember me, right? I am the Sword Saint, Ulrich Stett!”
The knights all froze in shock, halting their steps.
Among them was the Knight Commander, Alissa.
The Sword God and the Sword Saint?
Both appearing in the White Dusk Forest at the same time?
Alissa had seen the Sword God’s majestic face in newspapers before. She had heard the story of how a weak, frail girl had grown to become the Sword God.
She admired the Sword God and aspired to become someone as strong as her.
Even though she herself was currently exhausted and weak.
“Sword God, I am willing to help you!” Ulrich cried.
However, Geran was growing restless. He realized that the girl standing between the Sword Saint and the Sword God was the very person who had helped them along the way.
Could there be some misunderstanding?
No, wasn't that Cardinal Phaetnis standing behind the Sword God?!
She was one of the chief culprits behind the deaths of the paladins! She was the real demon!
He held back the excited Knight Commander, intending to explain the situation to the Sword God.
“Wait, listen to me...”
Before he could finish, the Sword God interrupted him. “Ulrich, stay. The rest of you, withdraw immediately. She is not an enemy you can handle.”
...
A young girl darted through the black mist, leaving a golden afterimage in the air like a meteor flying straight toward the tree wall at the edge of the forest.
It was Sathya.
She had heard the thunderous roar when the Divine Guard crashed to the ground.
It had left a massive crater, resembling the destruction of a fallen meteor. The temperature of the air had skyrocketed, turning the once-frigid forest into a sweltering furnace that had still not cooled down.
And another battle was currently raging just a few kilometers away.
Judging by the terrifying golden shockwaves, the opponent was extremely powerful.
The battle was in full swing.
The air was filled with the harsh screech of clashing metal, the sound of friction, roars, magical explosions, and even more destructive golden waves.
“Sister Tina, please be safe...” she murmured to herself.
She was ready to join the battle at any moment.
After absorbing the power of the White Dusk Forest, her magical beast side had grown even stronger.
The black mist was gradually dispersing because the source of its power had shifted from the forest to her own body.
Restoring her magic core was also well within reach.
When that time came, Sathya would exist as a being possessing both the power of a magical beast and a Saintess. She would use this power to protect Sister Tina... though she had never actually said she wanted to establish a 'kingdom of magical beasts.'
She simply wanted to protect Sister Tina.
She had locked Tina in the airship's room beforehand. That was a safe zone she had personally modified; Sister Tina couldn't possibly have escaped from it on her own.
Sister Tina shouldn't have been in any danger.
Faster, faster!
She had to make it this time! She had to protect her!
Accompanying a brilliant light that dispersed the last of the black mist, the golden meteor touched down.
“Sister Tina!”
She took in the devastating scene before her.
The once-flat, pale sand was now in complete disarray, churned into sand dunes of various sizes by the battle.
The girl in the student uniform was kneeling on the ground, supporting herself with one hand. There was blood on her shoulder, waist, and thighs.
Sathya’s heart skipped a beat.
A trickle of blood escaped from the corner of Tina's mouth, and her body trembled slightly, seemingly pushed to her absolute limit.
Her enemy, Elcalan, had suffered even more severe injuries and had already passed out.
It appeared the battle had ended quickly.
Tina had won.
Perhaps due to the intensity of the battle and her injured body, she hadn't noticed Sathya's arrival at all.
The ribbon around her neck had long since vanished. In the distance, a Chaos Mask lay sliced in two by some incredibly sharp weapon, rendered completely useless.
“The ring, my...”
Tina searched blindly through the white sand for the ring.
It was the ring Sathya had given her, but she had lost it during her fight with the Sword God.
She couldn't lose it. She absolutely, under no circumstances, could lose it...
My Sathya.
Finally, her fingers brushed against the ring.
But even before that, she felt a warm, familiar hand.
And a lovely, familiar scent.
She was pulled into that person's embrace and held tightly.
“...Little... Ya?”
Rate on N.U.
