Extra 7: The Saint’s Atonement

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Translator: Soafp

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The only thing that allowed Lena to stand up again was the feeling that she could not leave Erius as he was.

By herself—she could not pull up his body.

She explained the situation to the officials and, with their help, had Erius brought up.

After that, she turned herself in and was imprisoned.

During the interrogation, she told them exactly what had happened.

That it was she who had taken Erius to that place, and that she had killed him there.

After the interrogation, alone in her cell,

she thought about that man.

The man who had brought the rumor to Lena.

He had deliberately tried to make her misunderstand “what had happened” throughout this entire chain of events.

And the method he used.

Planting suspicion in Lena's heart and making people turn against one another.

The man had certainly said:

“If you ask who started it, I can't answer that, but there are people spreading such rumors.”

He had not lied.

But his words did not mean “I don't know the source of the rumor.”

Of course he couldn't answer.

Because he himself was the source.

That “I can't answer” meant, “I can't very well say to your face that I was the one who spread it.”

In other words, that man was—one of the servants of the evil god said to have once been sealed away by a Saint.

And the one who had fallen right into the trap—

was herself.

During the interrogation, the official in charge questioned Lena in every way imaginable.

Among those questions were obvious lies, ones she wouldn't even need ‘Lie Detection' to see through.

No—

to be precise, she couldn't use ‘Lie Detection' at all.

The skill ‘Saint', which is strengthened by accumulating good deeds.

Now that she had committed the grave sin of doubting her companions—and even killing one with her own hands—she could physically feel the ‘Saint' skill steadily weakening.

—With Erius's death, ‘Saint Lena' had died as well.

Five days after being imprisoned.

She heard cheers coming from outside the facility.

“It sounds noisy outside…”

When she asked the guard, he answered readily.

“Yeah. When the sky turned blue, I thought maybe… and it seems the Demon King has been defeated. The main force isn't back yet, but the prince and the royal guard apparently returned in triumph ahead of them.”

“I see… thank you.”

So the Demon King had indeed been defeated.

The one who accomplished it was probably Nonoa.

She, who would soon be bathed in glory—

and herself, who would spend her days as a prisoner.

But that couldn't be helped.

The sin she had committed…

was far too great.

And it wasn't simply that she had laid hands on Erius.

The greatest sin she felt she had committed was—

Some time after the cheers began, the cell door opened.

She thought it was time for another interrogation, but the person waiting at the destination was not the usual interrogator.

He was a sturdy man in his thirties.

His eyes were sharp, carrying the air of someone accustomed to battle.

At the same time, there was a refinement to him, a sense of good upbringing.

Even from his clothing, it was clear he was someone of high rank.

“Your Highness, I've brought her!”

When the jailer reported this, Lena understood who the man before her was.

The prince nodded, then spoke to her.

“Saint Lena, I want you to come with me.”

She was led to a carriage by the prince and rode together with him.

“Um, where are we going…?”

“I want you to look at an injured person.”

After briefly stating his purpose, the prince fell silent for a moment, then—

“Your crime will be overlooked.”

He said something she had never imagined.

“Fortunately—no, ‘fortunately' isn't the right word. In any case, the victim is… dead. I've placed a gag order on everyone who knows about this matter. I've told them that anyone who leaks it will face execution.”

“W-Why?”

“Even though the Demon King has been defeated, that doesn't mean everything is over. In fact, the hard part starts now. Rebuilding the nation requires the help of capable people. I want your cooperation as well.”

“I can't.”

Lena answered immediately, and the prince asked, looking at her as if she were a stubborn child.

“Why?”

“If you truly think about the future of the nation, rewards and punishments must be made clear, no matter who the person is. Especially since I have no intention of using the ‘Saint' skill, which I happened to receive from the gods, as a means of protecting myself.”

She knew it was rude, especially toward a noble she had just met.

But it was her honest feeling.

The prince didn't seem offended, and after nodding once, replied.

“I see. I understand your position. Personally speaking, I even think you're right. But from the standpoint of a ruler, there are things that must take priority over feelings… Well, I'm not asking for a conclusion right now. First, we need to deal with the immediate problem.”

He probably felt that further persuasion would be pointless.

The prince did not try to push her any further.

Instead, Lena spoke up.

“There's something I want to ask.”

“What is it?”

“During the Demon King subjugation… I heard there was a plan to lure out the demonkin.”

“Tch… even though that's military secrecy… Well, let's not start hunting for the source. Yes, you're right. The plan succeeded.”

“Then the demonkin…?”

“They were successfully defeated. There were many casualties, but…”

At those words, it felt as though her heart was being squeezed.

Still, she had to confirm it.

“Among those demonkin casualties… was there a spear user?”

“…I don't know whether he was someone you knew. But I've heard that the one who dealt the finishing blow to a demonkin at the cost of his own life was a spear user. Apparently he had joined the royal army recently. I've also heard that he was the only newcomer to volunteer for the suicide squad.”

“…I see. Thank you.”

The prince said nothing further, likely out of kindness.

As silence fell between them, the carriage arrived at its destination.

When they arrived, the prince led her to a hospital.

Soldiers were stationed in front of the room, but after dismissing them, the prince guided her inside.

Inside the room was—

Nonoa, in a drastically changed state.

Lena had seen countless injured people over the years, but she rarely saw someone in such condition.

She was barely alive.

“Nonoa-san!”

Even when Lena called out to her, there was, of course, no response.

“We secured her outside the castle after she returned from the Demon King's castle. At that time, she still had faint consciousness, but after falling asleep once, she hasn't woken up. From what we heard while she was conscious… it seems the Demon King self-destructed, taking her with him.”

“That doesn't matter right now—why hasn't she been treated with healing magic!? With your position, you could summon a renowned healing mage, couldn't you!?”

“I already did.”

“Huh?”

“Right after we secured her, healing magic had a slight effect… but now, healing magic and medication barely work at all.”

“She's rejecting magic?”

“The healer said they'd seen similar symptoms before.”

“…And what did they say?”

“That it's likely a kind of curse.”

“A curse… you mean, a hex?”

The prince nodded and continued.

“This is partly my own speculation, but it seems the Demon King placed a curse on her at the very end. By bombarding the target with powerful magic, and even if they survive, using a curse to prevent their wounds from healing and ensure their death…”

The explanation made sense.

The fact that magic worked slightly at first meant the curse must be strengthening over time.

There was no time to spare.

“And so, hearing rumors of a Saint—meaning you—I had my subordinates search for you, thinking you might be able to do something… but I never imagined you'd be in prison.”

While listening to the prince, Lena tried casting healing magic herself.

But unlike a few days ago, the light was weak.

Before it could even reach Nonoa, it faded away.

“Hm, so this was just a test… is that it?”

To Lena, that was her full strength, but seeing the feeble healing magic, the prince must have misunderstood.

However, from the sensation of casting the spell and her experience healing many people at the shelter, Lena saw a possibility—one where she could break the Demon King's curse.

A god-tier healing spell.

If it was this, she could probably erase the curse and heal Nonoa.

But of course, atoning for her sins, accumulating good deeds again, and rebuilding her skill—

there was no time for that now.

That was when—

she suddenly realized something.

“…What a very thorough setup.”

“Hm?”

“I'm sorry, it's nothing.”

Yes, this was probably—

the evil god's final move.

Forcing Lena to use a spell that she could never possibly wield in her current state, and eliminating her.

Just like the curse the Demon King had used when he self-destructed—

making the weakened Lena use a powerful spell that costs her life—

that was the final move.

In that case—

she should be grateful.

Because it gave Lena, even if only a little—

a chance to atone for her sins.

(Very well. Take my life, take anything you want. Even if this is exactly what you intended… I don't care!)

“The Lord holds two arms that govern creation. The four fingers of the right arm preside over—regeneration! Bear witness to the immutable law. Rend the veil of the shrouded night, and bestow upon the people the blessing of the sun that brings forth light!”

She began chanting a god-tier healing spell.

Even before losing her power, it was far more than Lena should have wielded.

In that instant, she felt something drain away from her body.

Even as she felt her life burning away, she continued the chant.

“Like an ever-flowing spring whose vitality never runs dry. Bring judgment of hope upon despair at the brink! Divine miracle, manifest here and now—Resurrection!”

A light more powerful than anything before burst forth from Lena's hands, enveloping Nonoa.

But it was, after all, a curse left behind by the Demon King at the cost of his life.

It didn't reach Nonoa herself immediately.

As the light continued to pour forth, the prince shouted.

“Saint Lena! Stop it!”

The prince grabbed my arm.

Don't interfere—thinking that, I looked at the place where he was holding me……

My arm had changed from how it looked just moments ago.

Like that of an old woman, it was covered in wrinkles, the skin sagging loose.

The sensation I felt the instant I used magic.

The unpleasant feeling as if my very life force were being wrung out of me.

That hadn't been my imagination.

Most likely, right now, Lena was shaving away her own life.

But that was fine.

Shaking off the prince's restraint, I continued to pour out the light.

Because this was my atonement for the sins I had committed.

That so-called “Accounting” skill was nothing more than a means to strengthen my own abilities.

Once that was over, Nonoa would probably leave the party.

What an arrogant way of thinking.

Even though the “Saint” skill was something far beyond what I deserved, merely granted to me by chance.

I ranked people, treated myself as special, and looked down on her.

Phalan left the party with resolve, ready to die.

Why didn't I stop him?

Even though it was my own arrogance that caused it, I made excuses like “I don't have the right to stop him,” and ended up driving him to his death.

And then, Erius.

“I don't want to leave you alone.”

Those were the words he said to me at the very end.

If there's someone who says that to you, then you're no longer alone.

And yet.

Erius must have suffered alone.

Even though we were together all that time, I understood nothing.

Instead of testing him in such roundabout ways, I should have just asked him honestly.

I should have been more straightforward and spoken my true feelings.

I should have told Nonoa, “Thanks to you, the church has been saved. Thank you.”

I should have conveyed that feeling, even just once.

“I don't want you to die. Please don't go.”

Even if Phalan would have been troubled by it, I should have stopped him, even by force.

Of course, if he hadn't gone, perhaps even more people would have been sacrificed.

But even so, I didn't want him to die.

And yet, I……

Even though I asked Erius, “Please don't leave me alone.”

I──ended up leaving everyone alone!

That sin must be atoned for.

Even if, in doing so──I lose my own future.

“I think…… this should be all right.”

Even speaking was painful.

Still, there was a small sense of satisfaction.

I couldn't heal her completely.

But Nonoa's condition was different from before; color had returned to her face, and her breathing was steady.

She had settled into a state where it could be judged that the worst was over.

And──I had no time left.

“Prince, please……”

“What is it?”

“Please keep this…… a secret from Nonoa, from everyone…… Tell them I was executed…… issue such a proclamation.”

At Lena's words, the prince—who until then had shown no change in emotion—looked surprised for the first time.

“Why!? You saved Nonoa, you saved a hero, and yet……!”

“Please…… If you don't promise not to make her bear my death…… I won't be able to…… feel at ease.”

I could barely remain standing.

As my body swayed, the prince supported me.

“Understood. Rest easy. I swear on the honor of the royal family that this promise will be kept.”

“Thank you…… very much.”

Even speaking felt like too much effort now, but after thanking him while looking into his eyes one last time, Lena closed her eyes.

As I closed them…… everything that had happened so far rose behind my eyelids.

I remembered many things, but the last thing that came to mind was──

──Erius, smiling gently as he watched me lick the crumbs from my fingers after eating baked sweets.

If, at that time.

If he had known that Lena would commit a sin, and even so had shared “hope” with me just as he did with the children.

If he had thought that I, too, was worthy of receiving hope.

It might be an audacious wish.

But if there were a chance to meet everyone again.

Next time──.

“Lena, you truly are a saint.”

The prince's voice sounded distant.