[a]

"Help... Save.. She... Please, everyone's fine, save her''

The boy hugged the dying knight and cried out helplessly. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

In this isolated place of death, he wanted to convey the voice.

Creatures, the walls guarding you are about to fall, why don't you come to your aid?

Devil, don't you want my soul? Take it, take everything I can pay, if you can save her.

O gods, the people you have favored are about to pass away, show your miracles to save this life that is about to be scattered.

But the living could not hear him. Even if you hear it, what can you change?

The demons laughed at him and laughed at his stupidity. Exalted souls who are voluntarily offered in order to save others, they do not need.

And the gods just watched with cold eyes. The heart, which has become numb because of having seen too many similar things and heard too many similar prayers, will not be shaken in the slightest now.

The boy has never hated himself so much. He curses the demons who don't keep their covenants, and he curses the gods who don't care about it.

But what's the use of that?

The demon rejoiced at the anger of his soul. The gods were even more indifferent to the faint curse, and even thoughts of punishment did not arise.

"What's wrong? Here, what's going on? ’’

A voice answered the call that Ben couldn't reach in the ears of any living being.

The boy looked up and saw the owner of the voice.

A young girl, a girl who receives more delicate dolls than humans.

By the time he came back to his senses, it was already the next moment, and the boy, who had deepened his hatred for himself, made a request to this strange girl.

"You, can you save her, please, save her?"

What can a young girl do? But how can a drowning person care if he grabs a pair of strong hands or a small straw?

When he saw the girl embarrassed by this unreasonable request, he laughed at his own stupidity.

Even if she were to go to the city and let the adult come, it would be too late.

withered earth, gray sky; The cold wind, the mottled blood, everything hinted at an impending fate.

Death is so grand that it cannot be resisted. When it comes, mortals can only tremble.

[b]

The girl walked with cheerful steps and ran through the complex cave.

The long, mercury-like hair was braided into three strands and swayed from side to side like an animal's tail, reflecting the pale blue glimmer of the plants on the cave walls.

She is like a spirit of light that flies in the darkness, and wherever she passes the darkness is dispelled, joy comes down from heaven to earth.

The girl pushes open the wooden door, and inside the wooden door is a room consisting of a simple wooden bed, a desk, and a bookshelf. The room was covered in dust, as if it had been abandoned for many years.

She picked up the oil lamp on the table, which was the only source of light in the room. A faint glow shrouded the bookshelves, which were filled with tattered old books.

After the girl taps on a few of the books in some order, the shelves automatically separate to reveal the passage behind her.

The passage seemed to lead to a bloody altar strewn with corpses, but the view at the end of the road was the opposite.

It was a huge cave. If the exit is used as a reference point, the hot magma slowly flows down from the roof on the left side of the cave to provide light and heat here; The cold spring water falls from the right side of the cavern and makes a pleasant sound against the pool of floating ice.

In the middle of the lawn filled with fragrant herbs, there is a huge old tree. The leaves on the left side of the tree glow bright red like blood, and the leaves on the right side glow as blue as the sea.

The scenery is like a painting by a peerless painter. And after God showed it in this world with great power, it deepened its shock to the human heart.

The girl ran to the young man who was sitting on the lawn leaning against a tree and asleep.

"Source, Source"

The young man who was woken up picked up the book beside him with one eye wide open, and tapped the girl's head with the spine of the book.

"Didn't you tell you not to run out casually?"

The young man sighed helplessly.

"So, what happened this time? Did you get Grandma's candy like you did last time, or did you get it again..."

"I've saved someone."

The girl's face had a smile that belonged to that of a child who had not been dyed with variegated color.

"Saving people? Did you use magic? ”

"No, no...... It's just a matter of treating her with herbs..."

The young man looked at the girl who looked away, and sighed.

"Alas... You can at least resist your little habit of pinching your clothes when you lie..."

The girl lowered her head like a child who had done something wrong and whispered.

"Hmm... I'm sorry... But she was already badly injured, and she would have died without magic. Isn't it a good thing to save people? ”

"That's a good thing, that's right. But saving the life of a good person is two very different things from saving the life of an unforgivable evil person. Saving people also depends on who the person being saved is and whether that person has the value of being saved. ”

The young man looked puzzled at the mouth of the girl's brown coat.

"What's that?"

The girl's hand reached out to the mouthband, and when it was extended, there was an extra golden crest in her hand. A coat of arms that symbolizes a paladin.

She said she wanted to talk to you and would follow the "traces" of this thing to come to you. ”

"Huh?"

Rem... You idiot...

[c]

Is hell like this?

This was the first thought I had when I opened my eyes. But the pain in my body and the pain in my soul told me that I was still alive.

As the laws around me stopped fluctuating, a teenager rushed over and hugged me tightly and kept calling my name.

"Crane, my friend. If you don't let go, my generation will die in your arms. ”

"Hug. I'm sorry. Her Royal Highness Alice. ”

I smiled at Klein, whose face was stained with tears, sensing his body temperature and the warmth of the rays of sunlight through the gray clouds.

"Are you alright?"

A voice as crisp as a silver bell sounded beside me. I looked at the source of the voice—a beautiful girl.

Although his appearance has been admired by most people, he is still ordinary compared to the girl in front of him.

When I thought about it, I suddenly remembered the fluctuation of the law caused by magic and the fact that Crane didn't use healing magic. The matter was so important that I asked the girl questions instead of answering her.

"Did you unleash the magic just now?"

For some reason, the silver-haired girl shriveled when she heard the word magic.

"Well, but the source won't let me use magic, can you keep it a secret for me?"

Who is the source? I'd love to ask, but I can't be rude.

"Of course... Our generation is no longer in trouble. Thank you. ”

Ahhhh......h I still can't change it, this tone... What is this arrogant attitude in the face of a benefactor...

However, the girl did not get angry, but showed a reassuring smile.

"yes, you still have a strange smell on you, which makes me think that magic failed."

It turns out that she can't help it...

"Why do you want to thank me?"

Why??? Does this need to be asked?

"Of course you saved my life."

"Saved you? Is it a good thing to save people? ”

"Of course, life cannot be measured by value. Saving a life is a great thing."

It was Brian who said this. After all, perhaps no one understands the value of life better than him, who can only bring death.

"What should we do? O benefactor of my generation. ”

"Ah, my name is Rem."

"I'm Alice. Feng. Clayes. Just call me Alice. ”

"My name is Brian."

"Miss Rem, may I ask...... Is the source you are talking about your teacher? ”

"Huh? Teacher... Well, yes. ”

"So, then... Can.. Can you let me meet him?

"Huh? Hmm~~~"

Looking at the embarrassed expression in Rem's eyes, my voice couldn't help but raise a lot.

"I'm sorry, but I know that I shouldn't have made more excessive demands on you, who saved me... However, it is about the lives of many people. Please help me. ”

Rem opened her beautiful silver-white eyes wide, as if she had been frightened by me. Alas... Is this a begging attitude? Why am I always like this...

"Hmm...... All right. ”

Unexpectedly... Agreed...

"You're a kind man."

The incredible girl laughed happily. A ray of sunlight shines on her body, bringing out her beauty to the extreme.

[iv]

Surrounded by walls carved with strange patterns, this city is the last city of mankind on the eastern continent.

But this city has not long been fallen, and the current insistence is just to buy time for ordinary people to escape.

However, I am afraid that there is very little time to buy. When the undead army arrives, the place will be destroyed in an instant. And yesterday, an advance party led by a terrifying monster, the Death Knight, had arrived.

While the other weak undead have been wiped out, the monster is still alive. In order to destroy it, Her Royal Highness Alice and Lord Brian went on a hunt, but I was forced to stay because I could not fight.

As soon as I thought of this, I became impatient again and began a conversation that I had repeated several times.

"Haven't they come back yet?"

"Yes, Holy Maiden."

The answer to me was a nun Ann who had been with me for a long time. Although she is very good, to be honest, her rigid personality sometimes makes me unbearable.

"Let me go out and have a look."

"Please don't say such wayward things. If those two come back, you'll be in for a message. ”

The reason I'm here is because it's the safest place in the city.

This church is now guarded by a large number of knights of the guard. At my feet there is also an array left behind by an ancient magician, who can teleport me away with a key activation, and it can only be used once.

It's foolproof, indeed, but won't it be too redundant? Instead of letting the knights of the guard crowd here, let them go to the city walls. Isn't the miracle I have to help people in distress? But when calamity comes, I'm the first to run, what's that?

Just as I was about to say these words that would surely be blocked back by the Great Reason, a rush of footsteps sounded.

A young nun, about Ann's age, pushed open the door.

She seemed to want to say something, but I had rushed in front of her before she could speak.

"Are they back?"

The poor little nun was so frightened by me that she couldn't speak, and could only nod her head incessantly.

"Hurt, very bad."

Isn't this nonsense? How can you get out of fighting that kind of monster? I would love to say this, but now I must save every inch of my time, and for that I will utter the briefest words I can think of.

"Take me there."

After hearing my words, nay, command, she led me to the square outside the church.

There, Her Royal Highness Alice and Lord Brian were surrounded by nuns and priests.

Alice ....... Cursed ....."

Mistress Brian passed out after saying two words, and the last two words he said sent chills down my body.

I recalled my first, and so far, only banishment of the curse. That time, I almost died.

I'm a lot better than before, but I can't take it lightly. However, there was no such intention.

After asking the priests and nuns around Her Highness Alice to treat Lord Brian, I quickly removed the superfluous thoughts and recited the words of the Holy Book that I had memorized by heart.

Then my consciousness entered a space filled with golden light, and I saw a black mist in the center of the space. It's the same as it used to be.

But the moment I saw the black fog, it suddenly expanded violently. Faces that were extremely distorted by anger, fear, and all kinds of negative feelings appeared.

If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed that people could make these expressions. Those terrifying faces came at me with laughter or crying or roaring or screaming.

But the moment they devoured me, I cleaved them apart with the long sword that was condensed by the light around me.

Hmph, I'm not a weak lady, I've also passed the swordsmanship training of the Knights of the Round Table, I can also fight, and.

"This is my battlefield, my home turf. Don't underestimate me!! ”

[v]

"Here, it's..."

"Your Highness Alice, are you awake?"

A familiar voice rang in my ears.

"The ..... of the Holy Maiden"

The moment I saw her, my pupils narrowed to the extreme. The hair of the girl beside me was the same silver as the hair of the girl I met shortly before I fell unconscious. If anything, the girl's hair color was like mercury, and the girl's hair color next to her ear was silver-gray, no, white-gray.

"What's wrong? Her Royal Highness Alice? ”

"Your hair, Your Majesty. You, have you burned your life?"

"Ah~~ This, it's okay, my face doesn't have wrinkles!"

"Why..."

"Her Royal Highness Alice"

A pretended relaxed smile disappeared from her face, replaced by a seriousness that had never been seen before.

"That's the only thing I can do for you. Not to mention the short life span of a few decades, even if I lose my life on the spot, I will not change my choice. ”

Ah, yes, her words would have done so. This girl has a will as bright as gold.

It is precisely because of her brilliance, by her great perseverance, courage, and other virtues that are praised by the people, and we follow her to the death.

And because of that. Absolutely, can't let her know.

"Holy Maiden, let Her Highness Alice rest well."

Ann, who was on the side, spoke. It really helped.

"Yes, please rest well, I won't bother you."

At this, she suddenly winked at me.

"Lord Brian is repairing the walls. In order not to disturb him, I pulled the guards away from him. ”

With that, and with a playful smile, she walked briskly towards the door.

This girl...... Younger than me next year.......

"Well, then, I'm taking my leave."

Ann made a curtsy and walked to the door. But just as she was about to close the door, she stopped and looked at me in surprise.

Ahh It's really Ann.

But, don't say it.

I pressed my index finger against my lips.

Ann looked at me in silence and closed the door silently after saluting again.

The moment she closed the door, the peace I had been pretending to be since I woke up collapsed.

I lay on the bed, curled up, and used all my mind to manipulate the power given by God in my body to suppress the black mass of negative energy in the depths of my soul.

The intense pain distorted my face and made me scream.

"Hmm, ahh........h

It's painful, it's painful, it's painful, it's painful, it's painful, it's painful............

Since my battle with the remnant curse took place at the soul level, the indescribable pain of this fight came not from the body but from the depths of the soul.

I don't know how long it took, but before I lost consciousness, the black mist calmed down after I suppressed it to black particles that were as difficult to detect as before the eruption.

I lay on my already soaked sheets, waiting for darkness to envelop my consciousness.

Just before I fell into a deep sleep, some scenes that I didn't want to be remembered uncontrollably unfolded before my eyes.

It's as cold as a cell room, a deceitful royal court.

Hypocritical aristocrats, arrogant kings.

Damn it. Damn, shit, shit, shit, those shit!!

Suddenly an emotion in my heart that I had forgotten for so many years - anger.

Why should I swing my sword for them? Why should I endure this pain for their sake?

That's enough, hey, that's enough, right? How far do you want me to go? I'm so tired, I'm so tired.

… Don't want to... Sleep, as always, as long as you wake up, you'll be fine, as long as you wake up... And then I can be... Alone............

I felt something warm on my face, but I didn't have the strength to think about what it was.

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