Vol 1: Chapter 12: Saint of Devotion

AN: Deadly Battle with the Fire Dragon

The Path to The Saint Legend

Saint of Devotion

As Chris and I walked through the large chapel, we came across a sword stuck in a pedestal. I was overcome by a strange feeling of incredible power and will. It was as if it was telling me to pull out the sword from the pedestal.

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"Aleph-san, that sword looks like the holy sword Arondight used by the first Hero..."

Chris told me with a surprised look on her face. I had seen it in textbooks a few times before, but now that she said it, I did remember it looking something like that.

"Why is the first hero's holy sword in a place like this...? And is it even real?"

"I don't know about that. It is said that the first hero's holy sword went missing after the fight with the Demon King..."

I couldn't judge if it was real or not, but I could sense the sword's presence even from here, and I knew it was no ordinary sword. And, it's possible, I was led here to pull out this sword.

"Chris, I think I'm going to pull out that sword. I can't explain it well, but I have to."

I said, but to be honest, I couldn't help but think I was crazy. I was going to try and pull out the mysterious sword stuck in the suspicious chapel beneath the abyss. Chris would probably feel very uneasy.

"...I understand. If that's what you say, then I'll just believe it."

But Chris believed me, laughed, and agreed.

Your words, your kind heart that believed in me without expectation, and your purity are what have led me to this point. I will definitely repay you.

I walked towards the pedestal.

However, my progress was halted by an overwhelming presence that attacked us at high speed from the sky.

Chris grabbed my hand and yanked it back, and the thing crashed into the spot where I was. If it had collided with me, it would have completely destroyed my body.

It was huge, like a castle.

It was more ferocious than any magical beast I had ever seen.

Its entire body was very red.

It was a dragon, its whole body red... a powerful, fierce fire dragon. The king of this cave stood before us. My body trembled involuntarily... an instinctual fear, the undeniable truth of the strong and the weak. A dense murderous intent.

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Dragons are considered the highest-ranking monsters. It would be difficult for a weak being like a human to even confront them. Just meeting them like this made me lose my courage several times. When I looked at Chris, who had taken my hand and helped me up, she was shaking all over and was completely pale with tears streaming down her face.

Perhaps Chris knows this too: that we will both be killed here.

Oh, I'm scared. It's not about my own death. I don't care. It's that I'm going get Chris killed.

Even though I had resolved to protect her, I was so useless that I simply hated myself. Why am I such a piece of dust? I'm nothing more than a powerless brat, so there's no way I can deny what Aria and the others are saying.

In that case, I had better at least be a decoy. If Chris could escape while it was eating me, maybe she could be saved. Come on, move! My legs! Hurry up and be a decoy for Chris...!!

"Aleph-san... I'll act as a decoy and draw its' attention. In the meantime, Aleph-san, please pull the sword from the pedestal."

"……Eh?"

What are you talking about? At this point, you still believe my nonsense...?

“I told you that I believe in you, Aleph-san. So, if you came here to get that sword, then I believe that my purpose in coming here is to lead you to the sword.”

You're trembling and trusting someone like me who can't explain it well, even though you should actually be scared.

"...Please go. If you don't hurry, I'll lose to my weak self..."

In the end, I still have to rely on her until the very end, and my kind-hearted girl, Chris, would even lose her life because of me...?

No, no, no, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! I can't accept that!

I am...

"Okay. If I can draw the sword, I'll absolutely...save you. So... I ...."

"Yes, Aleph-san... I'll be waiting. So, please definitely come and help me, okay?"

Chris smiles at me. I can't tell if it's a smile of resignation or not. But it's a smile of someone heading towards death to lead me to the pedestal.

In that case, I just have to believe in myself because Chris believed in me. I can't betray Chris's expectations. I've been betrayed so many times, so there's no way I want to do the betraying to her

Chris believes in me, and I believe in Chris. That's it, no need to get complicated.

Chris blinds the fire dragon with holy light. The fire dragon flinches for a moment, but soon gets used to it and turns its attention to Chris, the source of the light. Chris doesn't know any lethal magic. In other words, she can't defeat the dragon.

"Fire Dragon! I will face you. My name is Christina! The power of the Saint will never yield, no matter how great the force!!"

Chris yelled and moved away from me, and the fire dragon let out an enraged roar and attacked her. She had truly taken the fire dragon in my place.

She put up a defensive magic protection but was blown away by the overwhelming force, and yet she continued to put some distance between me and her. Believing in my delusions.

So what about me? I'd better hurry up and head to the pedestal. Run, you fool! I can't end up with being the bastard Aleph who used her as a decoy after giving me her everything. I have to repay her. I'll definitely save Chris, even if it means my death.

I reached the pedestal. It didn't matter, I just had to get it out quickly, if I didn't hurry she would die, my beloved Chris would die. I couldn't let that happen!

So, if you (sword) have any power, give it to me quickly!!

Without hesitation, I put my hand on my sword.

-- then I heard a voice.

Yesssss, I was so lucky that the boss appeared at such an important turning point. Of course I begged Aleph to take his place, to show my devotion. If I say so myself, it was a wonderful and beautiful performance.

His face filled with a damn scary expression, with all the emotions showing, but I was just worried about whether he understood my "Leave this to me!" kind of acting. I thought it was a pretty elaborate farce, but... He's running towards the pedestal, but he's ridiculously slow. I wonder if he really wants to help me.

"GROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"

The Fire Dragon (the punching bag) seems to be angry because of my beautiful provocation, as it raises its claws and roars in an ear-splitting manner, so I put up a defensive magic protection. But it's easily broken and I'm blown away.

The essence of the substitute situation is to get torn to shreds in a good way. Well, I'm definitely not going to let it do that to my beautiful face.

No wonder it can broke my defensive magic Protection level II.  That said, I've actually already mastered defensive magic Protection level V, so if I really put up that defense I'd be able to take no damage with ease.

That's, how should I put it, is no good.

If a beautiful girl takes your place, it's better to make a fleeting devotion move and get covered in wounds and in tatters, rather than making a strong move and remaining unscathed.

I'm not weak, but taking on a stronger opponent to buy time would make for a beautiful self-sacrifice episode, right? I'm a Saint after all! That's just how it is!

Considering its size, its attacks aren't that fierce, so to be honest it's a bit disappointing, but every time its attacked me, it have to scratch my body somewhere, so it's tough in a different sense.

If Aleph awakens and rush at it, another option is to take a big hit to the stomach and be on the verge of death. If I do it too much I'll seriously die, so I have to know how much need to be done...

Hurry and awaken Aleph so I can use my Master's plan. If I hold out for too long, my flaws will be exposed. I'm holding it in with all my might, but do you intend to make me holding out forever!?

So, whatever, just pull sword out and awaken already, or the excitement will be gone. The Legendary Saint Chris will be dead. That can't be allowed.

Thinking about this, I blocked the fire dragon's attack again.

--While taking a few bit of hits

AN: A deadly battle with a fire dragon (lol)