Do you believe in angels in this world?
If someone had asked Gilbert that question before, he would have answered without hesitation, “No. If angels truly existed, I believe a being of such pure goodness would never stand idly by while I suffered such misfortune.”
Indeed, that was Gilbert’s conviction.
Not only him, but likely every adventurer present shared the same sentiment.
In this era of extreme social stratification, the darkest age of human society, the notion of angels existing was nothing short of a joke, wasn’t it?
Yet now…
Everyone collectively turned their gaze towards the source of the sound.
The newcomer was a girl clad in silver-white armor. In her left hand, she held a silver-white pole bearing a white banner emblazoned with a golden iris. Her right hand gripped a precious sword that pulsed with a chilling blue glow, its blade inscribed with four words: [Justified by Faith].
Though merely sixteen or seventeen, the girl was tall and strikingly beautiful, her features imbued with a formidable heroic spirit.
Following her gaze, the crowd once again looked towards the arrogant Death Knight.
[Hiss—]
They all gasped, drawing in sharp breaths.
The reason was simple: a fist-sized hole had appeared in the Death Knight’s knee. Behind it lay a stone, stained with black blood, perfectly matching the size and shape of the wound.
This seemingly light stone, thrown by the girl, had achieved such a thunderous, wind-whipped impact. Her strength was truly immense.
Regardless, she had, in the nick of time, saved their lives, stopping the Death Knight several meters away.
Composing himself, Gilbert began to express his gratitude. “Uh… thank you…”
Before he could finish, a gasp erupted from the crowd, and it was Thorne who spoke!
Thorne observed the blonde girl, her features delicate and youthful, yet a broad-bladed longsword hung at her hip. He couldn’t help but ask, “The rumored Blonde Sword Princess of the Netherworld Forest… could that be you?”
The girl offered a slight smile, leaving it ambiguous as to whether it was an affirmation.
Her face was like a silver disk, her eyes a brilliant blue—she was truly a stunning beauty.
The name of the Blonde Sword Princess was now renowned throughout the entirety of Volantis.
Her origins were shrouded in mystery. Half a month prior, she had burst onto the scene, possessing martial arts so extraordinary as to be unbelievable. First, she single-handedly defeated mercenary caravans, then she crushed a Level 3 warrior on a bustling street. There were even rumors that she had raided an elven auction house alone, though the veracity of that tale remained unknown.
Thorne had expected a valiant hero, a woman of formidable presence, not such a delicate and charming young girl.
He steadied himself and spoke earnestly, “Thank you immensely for your timely assistance just now. We are truly grateful. However, with such a formidable enemy before us, it’s hardly the time for lengthy discussions. Perhaps, young lady, you could retreat first, and we will cover you from behind, escaping together. What do you say?”
Thorne’s words were undeniably laden with ulterior meaning.
‘Retreat first’? It sounded good, but everyone knew the rear was already surrounded by Netherworld Wolves. It was a thankless suggestion, clearly meant to send the girl to her death as a sacrificial lamb.
Despite this, the assembled crowd exchanged glances, yet no one voiced any objection.
Admittedly, retreating first was perilous. But in all fairness, among everyone present, this girl appeared to be the strongest. Moreover, it seemed she had actively come to their aid.
Thus, while it seemed cruel, given their current predicament, no one publicly objected. They simply stared at the girl with wide, hopeful eyes.
However, facing the crowd’s eager anticipation, the girl calmly swept her golden hair over her shoulder. Her brilliant blue eyes fixed on Thorne, and with a raised eyebrow, she spoke in a clear, resonant voice: “Flee? Why would I flee? I have vital matters yet unfinished, so I cannot accompany you. But if you intend to leave, then do so quickly, lest you be swept into the storm that is about to erupt.”
“But…”
The others had not expected such a response from the girl, and for a moment, they were at a loss for words.
“Nevertheless, you may depart with peace of mind. I will cover your retreat, ensuring that not a single beastman gets past me.”
“Uh… this… how could we possibly allow that? How can we let you, young lady, cover our retreat alone? If we returned, wouldn’t we be ridiculed by everyone?”
“The captain is right! Besides, staying here would be a death sentence…” Gilbert chimed in, echoing the sentiment.
“Stop prattling! Make your decision quickly. Do you all wish to die here!?”
The girl’s tone suddenly turned cold, as if possessing an innate, magical power that compelled all who heard it to reflect, to repent, to willingly accept her will rather than contradict it.
“This…” Despite her compelling tone, Thorne and Gilbert couldn’t help but feel a lingering unease.
Yet, clearly, there were times when collective will held immense power.
“In that case, we thank you for saving our lives. Upon our return to the city, I will certainly report your valiant deeds to the Guild, ensuring they bestow a generous reward upon you!”
The magician from before, his eyes gleaming with an unusual light, spoke respectfully to Leya, expressing his gratitude.
Finally, with one person taking the lead, the others quickly followed suit. They chose between life and honor, and the outcome was predictable: after some deliberation, everyone ultimately decided their own lives were more precious.
Powerless to change the situation, Thorne and Gilbert eventually conceded to the majority’s opinion, offering their grateful words to the girl.
“Is that so? It seems you’ve made the correct choice… Finally, may the Lord bless you with a safe journey home.”
The girl devoutly made the sign of the cross over her chest as she spoke.
As it happened, the magician was also a devout worshipper!
Witnessing the girl’s unusual prayer ritual, he felt a flicker of curiosity, wondering if it was some peculiar rite of a minor sect. Nevertheless, he mimicked her, making the sign of the cross over his chest and saying:
“May the Holy Spirit of the gods also fill our flesh, that we may be made whole.”
Seeing this, the girl chuckled. “Very well, then. I shall stand here, leaning on my sword, and watch you go!”
The magician nodded his thanks. After taking a few steps, a sudden impulse made him look back. The girl stood perfectly still in the forest, hands resting on her sword. The breeze stirred her golden hair, giving her an indescribable vibrancy, like a dazzling flame in the encroaching darkness.
****
“Phew—they’re finally gone… aren’t they?”
The girl sighed with a hint of resignation, her hand absently caressing the iris banner at her left.
“Die… die… die…”
“Hm? Oh, right, I almost forgot about you!”
With a soft *thud*, the girl plunged her iris banner into the earth at her feet, then raised the Jade Saintess Sword in her hand.
Indeed! It was unmistakably the Jade Saintess Sword. As for the girl’s identity, by now, surely it was obvious without needing to guess?
Yes, it was Leya!
However, this was not her true form, nor her Saber state, nor even her Emilia state. This was an entirely new manifestation, a transformation card Leya was using for the very first time—[Jeanne]!
“Ugh… Roar!—”
Having had its knee pierced by Leya earlier, the Death Knight now limped comically as it moved.
“So this is an undead? A monster exuding an ominous aura…”
“Roar!—”
“Hm?”
Leya, advancing step by step with the Saintess Sword, noticed the monster recoil a step, as if in fear. She wondered if it was her imagination.
So, Leya took another step…
“Roar—”
The cry persisted, yet…
‘It truly is afraid, isn’t it? But… why?’
By all conventional understanding, aren’t the undead supposed to be fearless monsters, impervious to pain, with no regard for life or death? Why, then, was it reacting this way now…?
‘Could it be because…’
A sudden realization struck Leya. This time, she didn’t advance. Instead, she changed her approach…
She leveled the Saintess Sword in her hand, pressing it closer to the Death Knight!
“Roar—”
And indeed, just as Leya had anticipated, the undead creature actually recoiled a step, seemingly terrified!
‘So that’s it? The Saintess Sword—a holy sword meant only for a Saintess. Its value lies not just in its rarity and preciousness, but more profoundly in the incomparably pure divine aura within its blade. And it is this very aura that naturally counters the death energy of the undead…’
Having made this analysis, Leya couldn’t help but feel she was incredibly clever!
Well… although the Death Knight problem was solved, still, uh…
‘From the moment I arrived here, why have all the other beastmen around me stopped moving?!—’
‘Why is this so unsettling, seriously!?’
“You finally noticed, did you? Hehehe, what an interesting little one.”
!?
“Now… don’t be so surprised. After all, this isn’t the first time you’ve heard my voice, is it?”
“You… it’s you? Damn it!”
Leya clicked her tongue in annoyance.
“Yes, it is I. What? Did you truly believe that attack just now could kill me?”
“But speaking of which, it truly is surprising that you possess such power. Honestly, if it hadn’t completely missed me, I might have actually taken you a little more seriously…”
‘…………’
‘Damn it! So it’s true? Although I’d mentally prepared myself for the possibility that my attack had missed, now that it’s confirmed, I still feel such regret… not being able to gauge its true strength.’
“Thanks to you, the Death Wind I painstakingly gathered has been scattered quite a bit. I am truly furious!”
“Oh? Is that so? Should I perhaps feel pleased then?”
Clutching the Saintess Sword tightly, Leya, seeing that the surrounding monsters remained motionless anyway, quietly retreated to her iris banner. She pulled the banner from the mud and gripped it in her left hand.
“Say what you will, little one. In any case, you will soon become a part of me, hehe… But I can sense it, you seem much weaker than before. Yet, the surging divine aura within your body, in this form, truly makes my mouth water…”
‘………………’
‘This creature… it really is something…’
“Hmph, if you claim I’m weaker than before, why don’t you show yourself and face me directly? Hiding somewhere like a coward, does that truly live up to all your boasts?”
“Hm? You want me to act? Hehehe… While it’s a tempting idea, I regret to say I believe my good companions will effortlessly defeat you and present you to me, even without my intervention.”
“Good companions?”
Leya paused, startled.
“Indeed, companions… I only had them cease their attack earlier because I didn’t want any lower-grade food getting mixed in. But now…”
“The hunting game, it begins…”