Taming the Evil Saintess

---

“So, why are you in armor?”

“It seems like she wanted to help me.”

“Haha. I had my moments too. Whenever my father went off to war, I would throw a fit to tag along. I once stole our family’s treasured sword and got whacked on the head more times than I can count.”

Albrecht, who was leading the way, shot me a gentle smile.

“You should take pride in being loved by the Saint Lady.”

“Well, it’s not exactly a pleasant feeling.”

“First times are always like that.”

Albrecht’s face, as if he understood everything, was truly annoying. I kicked a pebble on the roadside.

Of course, I didn’t think Ophelia was being foolish. The sight of her pushing Azar to learn Shield Technique and awkwardly donning armor was commendable.

“Do well.”

“I am doing just fine.”

Once this is over, I plan to teach Ophelia Close Combat Technique properly. It seems Azar thinks more positively of Ophelia than I expected.

Of course, it’s best that the Saintess Ophelia never encounters an enemy with a sword, but it’s wise to prepare for the worst. Learning can only do good.

“…Hmm.”

I hesitated before speaking.

“Hey, Albrecht.”

“What’s on your mind?”

“Do you think the Mark is the blessing of God?”

I remembered Mereba’s notes from Nua Diel’s library.

“It’s widely known that those gods don’t understand human affairs. But still… granting a Mark to Possessors and forcing their destinies seems a bit odd, don’t you think?”

“…Hmm.”

Albrecht’s expression turned wry as he traced the Sword Saint’s Mark on his cheek.

“Elliot. I have a rough idea of what you’re thinking, and I don’t think it’s a good one.”

“…”

“The Mark, whether a blessing or a curse, or the Will of God, isn’t what’s important.”

Albrecht stated calmly.

“What matters is that there’s a Demon King threatening this world, and we have the power to confront that Demon King.”

“That means…”

“Yes. Whether the Mark is good or bad, if we can use it, then it holds value.”

As those words left his mouth, I turned to Azar, who raised both hands in surrender.

A sign of giving up.

Albrecht continued.

“Additionally, while we understand you and your doubts better than anyone else, other organizations believing in God, like the Imperial National Church, might question your worth as a Hero if they heard you say that.”

“Got it. I’ll tread carefully.”

It’s true the Mark grants great power. For humanity facing a gigantic foe like the Demon King, there’s no choice.

Whatever the case, it’s undeniable that the Mark grants the power to defeat the Demon King.

Albrecht’s words underlined the importance of seeing the Mark as a means.

“Thanks. That helped me clear my thoughts.”

“Anytime.”

Showing gratitude to Albrecht, I looked ahead.

At that moment, the tracking unit Wuzmund and Erwin turned back to me.

Behind them was a vast space surrounded by trees in a dome shape.

Erwin spoke in a low tone.

“I found it. This is the ‘Workshop.'”

I stiffened.

*

The Workshop was even more bizarre than any Dark Mage’s dwelling I had ever seen.

Magic was condensed through Spirit Magic, distorting the forest and forming a barrier.

The completed Workshop emitted a dissonance, like a drop of black paint on a masterpiece.

It was a true signature of a Dark Mage’s bad taste.

“We’re entering a place like this…?”

Ophelia muttered, her face particularly pale.

She frowned at the magic seeping from the trees. Being a Saintess and able to wield Divine Power, she inevitably had to be cautious of that wicked magic.

Upon facing that magic, memories of the past came rushing back.

From my days as a mercenary, I felt those instincts honed through countless battles.

Naturally, my expression turned stern.

“Elliot…? What’s your plan?”

Did my expression seem a bit scary? Ophelia cautiously asked.

To think she was gauging my mood like this. I couldn’t help but smile as I placed my hand on her crown.

“We have to go in. What choice do we have?”

“Choice?”

“If a Dark Mage can calibrate that level of magic, then there’s a chance they could’ve bestowed a certain power to the Workshop.”

“What does that mean?”

“Simple terms? They might have made rules.”

Ophelia tilted her head, not quite getting it.

I explained further.

“Some Workshops distort the laws of nature through the powers of Evil Gods. What we deem common sense might not even apply inside.”

“Hmm.”

“In simpler terms, if you drop something, it could fly into the sky.”

The power of Evil Gods is indeed terrifying.

That power inverts the common sense of the world.

Creating territories through such abilities was a specialty of Hell Duke Derabilice, a Demon King’s army commander.

In the game, fighting Hell Duke Derabilice was unique. Each turn the stage changed and even the rules of combat shifted. Relationships were turned upside down; buffs and debuffs switched places; distinctions between ally and enemy blurred.

Though I didn’t think Daniel possessed such power, it was enough reason to stay alert.

“How about we just break the barrier from outside?”

“That won’t work. The barrier is too strong from the outside.”

“And breaking it from within?”

“Then it means we’d have to go in.”

“…Ugh.”

Ophelia hesitantly tugged at my clothing.

“Why? Feeling scared all of a sudden?”

“Well, that’s because….”

Ophelia glanced around, taking care to speak cautiously.

“I, uh, need to use the bathroom….”

“…”

“I got nervous and now I need to go.”

“Why didn’t you take care of it before we set off?”

“I couldn’t because I was in armor!”

What is this, if not parenting?

*

In the end, we decided to form ranks and advance as planned.

But as Mr. Jirobo famously said, if five people gather, there will always be one idiot among them.

After checking on Ophelia, who said she would be a minute, we returned to find three empty spots in front of the Workshop.

“What’s going on?”

“…About that.”

Erwin glanced awkwardly at the magic-covered interior.

“The Redrick Tribe made the first move.”

“Don’t tell me they went inside?”

“Exactly.”

“They weren’t stopped?”

“Of course they were. But how could we stop them from going in out of sheer determination? Hitting or subduing them would have jeopardized our position.”

“Damn it.”

That scoundrel Beltrom. I knew he was desperate enough to claim credit for defeating the Mined Creatures, but I never imagined he would recklessly enter a Dark Mage’s Workshop without a plan.

“Crazy bastards.”

I quickly donned my shoulder armor and securely strapped the Holy Sword to my waist.

A Dark Mage’s barrier can stretch and compress time. Even if it’s just a fleeting moment outside, those warriors from the Redrick Tribe could perceive days or more inside the barrier.

We hurried inside the Workshop.

The pulsing magic stirred violently. Simultaneously, a sense of unease gripped my body completely.

In the next moment, the world transformed before my eyes.

“This is….”

It was a scenery that shouldn’t exist in this world.

Yet, it was familiar to me.

Because it was a sight I had seen countless times before, prior to my possession.

In other words, this place is…

“A city?”

I muttered, and Ophelia tilted her head in confusion.

“What is this?”

“This is the landscape of the world where I originally lived.”

Skyscrapers, roads, street lamps, traffic lights, fire hydrants, parked cars.

Everything represented the world I originally lived in.

After all, Daniel was also a Possessor from Earth. It wouldn’t be strange for him to shape the landscape of his barrier this way.

“How fascinating. You lived here? I feel like I couldn’t last a day in such a place.”

Ophelia curiously looked around, then reached out to touch a fire hydrant.

I seized her by the nape to stop her.

“Ugh.”

“Please, just stay still. This is the territory of a Dark Mage. What if you touch something and your hand gets chopped off?”

“Why didn’t you mention this earlier?”

Ophelia timidly followed behind me.

Whether this was the landscape of the city I used to live in or not, didn’t matter.

Finding the great warrior of the Redrick Tribe was the priority.

As I thought that, a voice echoed above my head.

“Welcome, Hero.”

“…”

I looked up, and standing on a building’s rooftop was Dark Mage Daniel, grinning broadly.

“It’s been a while. If we go by time outside, about a week, right?”

“…”

Erwin slowly nocked an arrow to his bowstring.

Though Daniel sensed Erwin’s killing intent, he continued chatting nonchalantly.

“I thought you might like this setup, how does it feel? Isn’t it nostalgic?”

“…Well, it is familiar.”

“The Possessors of the Demon King’s Army get sent back to their original world once they complete their tasks, but I wondered if it really had to be that way.”

Daniel chuckled as he spoke.

“The form of our Earth can be manifested like this, and above all, I have no desire to return to my original world.”

“…”

It’s not incorrect.

I too am already accustomed to this world, whether I like it or not.

The thought of returning to Earth had been dismissed long ago.

However, Daniel belonged to a different category.

Daniel spread his arms wide.

“Aren’t you happy? This world is amazing.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You can do anything you want. If you want money, just take it from someone. Want to kill? Go ahead and kill. If you want to rape, you can do that too. There are no laws. Strength is law.”

“…”

“For instance, if I kill these Ear Demons that just walked in, I wouldn’t face any punishment at all.”

Daniel pulled a head from his cloak.

It was the head of a Redrick warrior.

Ophelia gagged, and I patted her back, twisting my lips in distaste.

“Yeah. I get it for sure.”

“Do you understand my ideals now?”

“No, just that you’re strange.”

I drew my Holy Sword.

Even in this highly concentrated magic Workshop, Olmen’s masterpiece radiated golden light without reservation.

“You’re going to die.”

I declared, and Daniel waved his hand as though he had expected it.

At that moment.

[ Gwooooooah! ]

The Mined Creature I had previously seen, according to his words, the T-800 emerged.

But the Mined was even more horrifying than the last time I saw it.

It had shrunk to four limbs, but the black armor enveloping its body and the protruding spikes were menacing.

This is the realm of the Dark Mage. Thus, the beings he commands possess tens of times the power than those outside.

“Alright then. I guess I’ll have to show you the logic of strength.”

Daniel snapped his fingers.

The Dark Mage’s power took effect.

“Rip them apart, T-1000.”