Taming the Evil Saintess

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The Black Knight Negilus swung his sword. The great sword, engraved with rune characters, was massive enough to easily exceed a person’s height, and with every swing, it produced a sound like a typhoon passing by.

However, the moment Negilus’s sword reached the enemy, it veered off in a bizarre trajectory. Feeling a sharp pain in his wrist, Negilus realized with a grin that this human, who was three times smaller than him, had deflected his sword.

What Negilus felt was exhilaration.

He had encountered a worthy opponent, one strong enough to send chills down his spine.

Before being a follower of the Demon King, how joyful it was as a warrior!

“Hahaha!”

Negilus laughed heartily and took a large step forward. Clearly, it was a preparatory move to reclaim his withdrawn sword and swing it again, but as he stomped his foot, vibrations trembled through the street like an earthquake. The ground shook. Negilus swung his sword once more, this time with all his might.

It seemed Hero Elliot thought facing a gigantic sword would be difficult. However, instead of retreating, he charged right into Negilus’s range. Every one of his decisions pleased Negilus greatly.

“How fun! Let’s do this more!”

Negilus smiled with satisfaction. He intended to grasp the hero’s waist with his empty hand, but the hero lowered his posture and slipped out of Negilus’s grip.

At the same time, his calf throbbed with pain.

The hero’s golden sword struck his leg. Although he was wearing armor and didn’t receive a wound, the pure mana surrounding the sword energy was no joke.

“Ugh!”

Negilus was inwardly surprised as he swung his sword low. Hero Elliot raised the Holy Sword to block it, but the recoil sent him flying far away, crashing into a street stall.

Negilus charged in. While it wasn’t significant damage, he intended to crush the hero while he was off-balance.

However, before he could reach the fallen stall where the hero lay, a female knight with azure hair swung her sword. While her mana density was disappointing compared to the hero’s, Negilus felt an overwhelming chill emanating from that mana.

That sword can freeze anything.

If he pressed on, his ankles would be bound.

“Hmm!”

There was only one knight in this continent who wielded such chilling mana.

This female knight was also a Divine Mark Holder. Negilus recalled her name from memory.

“Ice Warrior Cecilia Ethelgarand.”

“What a surprise. Is my name known even to a lieutenant in the Demon King’s Army?”

As if replying brusquely, Cecilia raised her sword. Compared to Negilus’s greatsword, her three swords looked exceedingly slender, almost needle-like, as she nodded her head.

“I haven’t heard your name yet.”

“Black Knight Negilus. I am the cherished disciple of the continent’s greatest swordsman, Geldmier.”

“I see. I’ll approach this like I’m learning from you.”

“That’s a good attitude. I may despise humans, but I find your knights quite interesting.”

Negilus grinned and prepared to swing his sword once again, but—

“…you little brat….”

Negilus’s legs were already firmly grasped by the icy grip. The chill seeping into his armor quickly weighted down his movements.

Swordsmanship isn’t just about swinging a sword. The art of footwork matters significantly, so being restrained is a big disadvantage.

“Damn it, you wretched… how dare you use cowardly tactics…!”

Negilus ground his teeth, but Cecilia merely tilted her head in response.

“That’s quite unfortunate. I despise demons, but I also detest demon knights.”

“….”

“I believe in using every trick available. Don’t you, Knight Elliot?”

“Of course.”

Those last words came from behind.

Upon hearing that, Negilus quickly looked to where the hero had crashed moments ago, but there was nothing left at that spot now that the dust had settled.

At the same time, a golden flash of light flickered behind Negilus.

“Gah!”

I have to block!

Thinking that, Negilus raised his greatsword and tried to turn around, but Cecilia’s sword was already unsheathed. With his feet bound, he couldn’t defend against an attack from both sides.

The golden flower and the ice flower concentrated at a single point, exploding into a white and silvery bloom.

—

“Wow, the hero party is quite something, huh?”

Slightly distanced from the square, on the rooftop of a building, the Possessor Ruin was openly admiring the situation through specially crafted binoculars.

The Black Knight Negilus, known for his incredible stats in the game, was a boss that required multiple tries to defeat. The Hell Duke could be tricked, but this monster could only be tackled head-on.

It was a rare sight to see the Black Knight Negilus being so helpless against just two humans. He was already one of the top combatants in the Demon King’s Army, just a step below Geldmier and Elgore.

“Ice Warrior Cecilia… I’ve often used her in the game, but seeing her in person…”

Ruins evaluated the scene through his binoculars.

“Isn’t she even prettier than in the game portraits? Don’t you think?”

As he said this, he turned around.

There stood a woman wrapping her shoulders around herself.

“What’s with the frozen face?”

“…Ah, no. I was just…”

“Why? Scared you might die? Then flee like Ian and put on a brand or something.”

“Excuse me?”

“Lord Idmien will give you a splendid body. Look over there, Ian? Oh dear, it seems he got sorted out by that Golden Lion. Serves that idiot right. He was shaking like a leaf when he first possessed himself.”

As Ruin giggled, the woman finally shook her head vigorously.

“Luna. Get a hold of yourself. If you get scared, I’ll die too.”

“Yes, um…”

The Possessor Luna nodded timidly.

Luna, a possessor herself, just wanted to escape from this chaotic fight. If she had known she would be dragged into such a brutal world, she would have never started this game.

Unlike other possessors, her mental fortitude was weak. Bound by the leash of the brand from the Demon King, she was destined to be slashed down at a moment’s notice, yet why was everyone so composed?

She remembered Daniel, another possessor under the Hell Duke. He was waiting for the day he would die in the underground prison of Elvendell, wasn’t he?

Yet here was Ruin, seemingly enjoying the chaos of battle.

He must be completely insane.

Why would anyone be smiling in a life-and-death struggle?

Everyone seems utterly mad.

“Should we use the ritual now?”

“Not yet, it seems the Hell Duke has just contacted the Golden Lion. We should wait for a better opportunity to deploy it. I’ll give you the signal.”

“Then I’ll… prepare.”

Luna cautiously lifted the crystal ball.

“That’s…”

Ruin frowned.

A man with blue hair shot up without warning from the wall. The mark on his cheek was undoubtedly the mark of a Sword Saint.

The Sword Saint Albrecht soared into the air, capturing the eyes of Ruin and Luna.

He transformed his sword into a spear shape mid-air and changed direction.

“Shit! Deploy it now!”

Ruin shouted, and Luna, caught off guard, shattered the crystal ball.

The item received from the Hell Duke.

In other words, a territory meticulously orchestrated by the Demon King’s officers engulfed the Cathedral of the Saint.

—

“I’m screwed, aren’t I?”

I grimaced the moment I saw the scene around me darkening while I was beating up Negilus.

“What is happening here?”

Cecilia questioned, and I looked up at the sky. The Dark Mage Daniel and Lieutenant Petinus had unleashed something incomparably larger. It engulfed the entire cathedral.

“Hahaha. Did you witness the overwhelming power of Lord Derabilice?”

Negilus laughed.

Having been pounded by mine and Cecilia’s combined assault, Negilus was now on one knee, focused on defending. His helmet was dented, and blood flowed from the shattered armor, but as the territory expanded, all those wounds began to heal at lightning speed.

Even if he tried to swing his sword for the final blow, the barrier infused with dark magic blocked the attack.

“…It’s so unfair, no matter how I see it.”

Grumbling, I adjusted my hold on the Holy Sword. The territory unfolded faster than expected. It seemed a considerable preparation was needed to use the Hell Duke’s territory; it appeared he had used some crafty shortcut.

Regardless, the moment the territory manifested, our options became limited. Most importantly, the ever-thickening density of dark magic would strangle our lives.

“Ugh.”

Cecilia seemed to have sensed it as well, pinching her nose.

The dark magic was gradually thickening.

Of course, we had one final trump card while crossing through the erosion zone and facing the Dark Mage Daniel.

“We should use Ophelia here.”

“Hey, who are you treating like an item?”

Ophelia, who had been kept at a distance, had approached us before we knew it.

She jumped up and gave Cecilia a light punch on the crown of her head. Cecilia, taken aback, frowned, but…

“Ah.”

Immediately afterward, a pale shield of divine power enveloped Cecilia’s body.

Dark magic is the antithesis of divine power. Thus, having Ophelia’s support would allow us to act normally even within the territory.

“Now, you too.”

“I don’t think I need it.”

“What?”

Ophelia frowned.

It was truly so, as I could breathe normally despite the thick dark magic.

The last time I was nearly suffocated by dark magic when I captured a Mined Creature, I was fine this time.

Only one guess came to mind.

“It must be due to the dragon’s blood.”

The Blood Ritual facilitated by Black Dragon Nuar and Blackie.

Perhaps the effects of that ritual were still lingering in my body.

Either way, it was a good situation.

I could lessen Ophelia’s burden.

However…

“…”

“Hmm.”

Ophelia gave me the look of a betrayed child, as if I had taken a toy from her.

How could you do this to me?

That expression pretty much encapsulated her feelings.

So, to fulfill her wish, I shook my head while holding my temples.

“Actually, thinking about it again, I might feel a bit dizzy from the heavy magic.”

“Of course. Hurry over. I’ll cast the barrier on you.”

The moment her expression relaxed, she was clearly relieved, as I could see her shoulders trembling slightly.

But then…

“Ophelia?”

“What?”

“What’s with that posture?”

Ophelia was standing there with her arms spread wide.

“I’ll cast divine magic on you, so just hug me.”

“…Is this the only way to use the magic? Cecilia just needed a light punch to finish it earlier.”

“Damn it. Are you going to keep resisting? Do you think I enjoy this?”

Ophelia shouted angrily.

Due to the effects of the territory, I couldn’t tell what color her face was, but I was sure her cheeks were flushed.

“Ophelia, could it be that…?”

“Ugh.”

Ophelia’s lips were trembling.

“Anyway! I’m an expert! Just follow my lead!”

“…”

Is it merely my imagination that this reminds me of a squirrel?

Sighing, I reluctantly embraced Ophelia.

Of course, due to our size difference, it ended up looking like Ophelia was clinging to me…

“Ugh.”

Ophelia, who buried her face into my chest, muttered, and at that moment, a warm energy radiated from my heart.

Simultaneously, an incredibly thin film emerged, sticking to my body.

“…”

With that, Ophelia finally pulled back from me.

The moment our eyes met, she swiftly turned her head away.

Her fidgeting fingers were a clear reflection of Ophelia’s inner feelings.

“Ophelia.”

“What?”

“You seem to realize it’s embarrassing, right?”

“Shut up!”