Main Route: Chapter 13: Saint's Sword Line

"The Demon King's army!"

The battle with the Demon King's army began three days later.

Since we sent out scouts regularly, we were not taken by surprise, and since our armies were simply outnumbered, we would simply clash with each other.

An army of a different species than humans.

A life form with intelligence different from that of monsters.

However, just because they have intelligence doesn't mean we can understand them.

This has been proven to date.

"That's... a demon..."

Some people are frightened by the sight of it.

Unlike humans, demons have huge racial differences.

Some look like humans, while others look like monsters.

The demon army is a mixed army of these.

However, if I... no, the Hero bravely stands up to it, it will inspire everyone's courage.

["Break Power!"]

Filia's support magic envelops me.

Then, strength surged from my whole body.

If I remember correctly, this was a spell to improve strength.

I remember because I trained a lot with Filia every day.

"Filia, don't leave me!"

"Yes, I'll accompany you!"

With those words, I charged towards the Demon King's army.

There is a plan.

But it's not me who will put the plan into action.

As a Hero, my job is to fight on the front lines and raise morale.

Yes, a Hero must prove himself through bravery, not through cunning.

"Hmph!"

The collision killed one demon.

Blood of a different color than that of a human is spurting out.

Seeing that color made me feel just a little better.

I will not forgive the Demon King.

And I will not forgive the demons who are under the Demon King's command.

I do think that fighting with a desire for revenge is not what a Hero should do, but I still fight with revenge as my fuel.

I won't stop fighting until I kill the Demon King with my own hands.

"Haaah!"

Following me, Filia killed a demon.

Her movements were clumsy at first, but with practice she have improved considerably.

There is still room for growth, but there is no way she will fall behind a demon of this caliber.

"He's the Hero. Kill him!"

Such a voice resounded from the Demon King's army.

To them, I'm the Hero and the number one target they want to kill.

My life has been in danger many times, so there's no need to check now.

Perfect timing. Let's focus the demons' attention on me.

"I am the Hero Trust! Kill me if you can!"

When I announced my name, the morale of my allies rose.

Swords, spears, staffs, bows.

They have transformed their own bravery into strength and are fighting, throwing their lives away.

I can't save all of their lives.

But I will save as many people as possible.

If one of them dies, I'll kill ten times that number... no, a hundred times as many demons.

That is my duty as a Hero fighting alongside them.

"Die!"

The demons' attacks are concentrated on me.

It's only natural, since I put my name forward.

But…….

"..."

Filia's blade cuts down the demons whose attention was only directed towards me.

She defeats the enemy as if to protect me.

But that won't do.

I'm the one who will protect her.

I will never let her die.

"Gwaaaaahhh--!"

I cut the demon in half with one slash of my sword.

Strangely, a power like never before welled up within me.

Suddenly, I remembered what the city representative had said before we left.

According to the city representative, I've changed.

I was told I was stronger than before.

...That might be true.

A cold feeling that comes from loneliness after being betrayed.

An irresistible murderous intent towards the Demon King.

She gave me the strength to live today.

These mixed emotions give me strength.

"Don't think you can kill me with that!"

I shouted, unleashing my overflowing power on the Demon King's army.

"What are you doing so slowly?"

Amidst the battlefield where metal clashed and arrows and magic flew, a clear... female, evil voice rang out.

When I heard that voice, my heart clenched.

"Oh my, isn't that a a weak Hero over there."

"Mare...!"

A voice that seemed to resonate from the depths of the earth came out of my mouth.

Mare Flavel.

The woman I loved.

My childhood friend, a companion who has trained with me since we were little.

We spent a long time together, fighting alongside monsters and demons.

And then...after she confessed her feelings, we were supposed to be together...

Mare's hair, which was once as beautiful as a sacred flame, had turned a dull purple.

Her once clear blue eyes have turned blood red.

Her white skin was now dyed a dark shade typical of demons, giving off a seductive aura.

There is almost no trace left of her human form.

"Yes, Demon General Mera here. So, why haven't you caught our target yet?"

"Ha! It is just too difficult to do that with the Hero in front of us!"

"Ah, that's..."

"Mare-sama..."

A voice of surprise rang out from nearby.

The people fighting alongside me now are all from Nerisford.

They have spoken to Mera before, and many of them have had their lives saved by her.

From their perspective, it would be hard to believe how much Mera has changed.

Even I don't want to believe it if it's true.

But the truth is, Mare has changed.

"That's scary. You really is a worthless, weak man to glare at a girl like that."

Hearing those words... I felt my emotions grow cold.

It's not despair.

Not a disappointment either.

It changes into a cold, icy emotion directed towards the enemy that must be defeated.

"Fufufu, I'll definitely kill a scum man like you horribly."

Her former self is no longer there.

She must have been corrupted by the Demon King... by the darkness of the demons.

The girl with a strong sense of justice and who hated wrongdoing is no longer with us.

All that remained was a demonic woman who had betrayed humanity and was subservient to the Demon King.

"But I don't have any businuess with you today."

"Even if you don't have it, I do! I'll protect everyone from you invaders!"

"So you're still saying that? What a petty man."

Mare muttered this in a bored tone, then looked away from me and turned towards Filia.

Filia glares sharply at Mare with eyes filled with strong determination, pointing her single-edged sword at her.

"I have some business with that Saint-chan over there."

...Saint?

Filia, who was told this, also looked at Mare with a suspicious look.

"You know, we call you a saint and hate you."

"..."

"Well, that's only natural. You interrupted the execution of that scumbag and then let him escape."

I see.

Certainly, Filia, who let me, an enemy of the Demon King, escape, is a serious criminal in the eyes of the demons.

In other words, they came to kill Filia.

...I won't let you.

I will never let you do something like that!

"To be hated by despicable people like you... it's quite an honor."

Filia replied sarcastically, showing just how much disgust she felt.

The will dwelling in those eyes was the same as mine.

Something like hatred towards the demons... no, towards Mare is reflected.

"So, Saint-chan, have you done it with that scumbag yet?"

"Wha...?"

I couldn't help but let out that voice.

How vile can this woman become?

I increase the force I put into the sword I'm holding.

To protect Filia.

"Hahaha, I could tell by that scum's reaction! Aha, yes! They're already doing it!"

"..."

Filia looks at Mare with cold eyes.

I could see the deep contempt she felt.

"Oh, thank goodness. The Demon King wants to corrupt and defile you, Saint-chan."

...What?!

He has taken everything important from me and now he is trying to take Filia from me too!

"Plus, there were a lot of requests, and he said it would be better if she was already married to the Hero. So I waited two weeks. I'm really glad!"

Something darker than I've ever felt before rises from the depths of my chest.

After all, we cannot forgive the Demon King, the demons, or Mare and the others.

If you guys want to take everything from me, then I have no choice but to erase everything.

"I mobilized the army just for this. I was worried what I would do if you guys hadn't done it."

"An army just for me? Are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm sane. The Demon King said he wanted you, so I'll do as I'm told. Is there something wrong?"

"...It's crazy."

Even Filia is pulling away.

It was ridiculous to mobilize the entire military of a country, especially an army of this size, just to capture a single girl alive.

I don't know anything about the Demon King's army, but do you know how much damage it has caused?

The enemies I killed alone must have been a considerable blow.

What does the Demon King think of life?

"Among the demons, the strong are the great ones. And humans are far too weak. That's right... humans are a race born to be slaves to the demons."

As she spoke, Mare looked as if she truly wanted it.

...How far does the Demon King intend to trample on human dignity?

I can't even imagine what it takes to make someone like this.

All I can say is that it is something evil and horrible.

"Then let's have the Saint-chan."

"I won't let that happen!"

"Even if you say you won't let her, she herself will want to."

As soon as Mare said this, she held up the ring she was wearing on her ring finger.

A poisonous, evil purple light emanated from the ring and enveloped Filia.

"Ugh..."

"Filia, are you okay?!"

"..."

Filia, bathed in light, looks around.

Gradually, the will in Filia's eyes fades away.

"Saint-chan, come here."

With that said, Filia staggered over to where Mare was.

Damn... what's going on?

"Ufufu, this is infused with the Demon King's brainwashing magic. This girl is now my loyal slave."

The power of brainwashing...?

I search for the meaning of words.

No, I had painfully understood that from all the battles I had fought up until now.

I knew it was strange.

It's unnatural for Mare and the others to suddenly become like this.

"The Demon King used that against Mare and the others...!"

"Ahaha, that can't be true. The Demon King made me happy without using brainwashing. This ring is only for the purpose of bringing Saint-chan to the Demon King. This kind of magic might work on a weakling forever, but for a Saint-chan level, the effect will wear off after a few hours."

That doesn't matter.

I won't let anyone take Filia away from me.

I've decided that I will absolutely protect her!

I gripped my sword tightly and kicked the ground.

"You idiot, of course I've taken measures against you."

Immediately afterwards, a large number of monsters emerge from the surrounding ground.

The monster's huge body blocks the way like a wall.

"Wraaaaaaaah!"

"Herooooooo!"

The people around screamed.

I cut the giant monster with all my might with my sword.

The monster sinks with a loud noise.

However, they keep coming out in droves and I can't move forward.

I can't go to Filia's place.

"Filiaaaaaaa!"

I shouted Filia's name and reached out my hand.

Filia was already close to Mare.

If this continues, I'll lose her... Filia.

"You're lucky. The Demon King will teach you things that feel better than that guy."

"Stop it! Filiaaa!!"

...Stop it. Stop it!!

Don't take away any more of my precious things.

She's all I need.

As long as I have Filia, that's enough for me...but are you trying to take even that away from me!?

"...Ahh~, I can't take this anymore!"

"Eh?"

--A straight sword line runs across.

Immediately afterwards, something unbelievable appeared before my eyes.

"Gyaaaaa!!"

A woman's high-pitched scream echoes.

The single-edged sword held in Filia's hand as she helplessly hung there sliced off Mare's right arm.

Blood...purple blood that was neither human nor demonic splattered everywhere.

Next, two beams of light blast Mare away.

Yes... Filia swung her sword at Mare with clear intent.

"I'm not saying you shouldn't put me in the same category as you. In some ways, we're similar."

"How could the Demon King's brainwashing power be..."

Filia has certainly been subjected to brainwashing magic.

It must have been a perfect hit.

"There are people in this world who are immune to such power."

The power to neutralize brainwashing?

Filia has that kind of power...?

"Trust-sama, I'm coming now! [Break power!]"

Filia cast a strengthening spell on herself and cut down the monsters attacking me from behind.

The power is so strong that it's hard to believe it's coming from such a thin arm.

The cuts made by cutting through monsters were incredibly sharp, and it felt like she had grown since we first met.

I also regained my composure and pointed my sword at the monster.

"Now is the perfect opportunity. Charge!"

The monsters were in a state of confusion as Filia attacked them from behind.

Without missing the opportunity, the knights and soldiers also went on the offensive.

"Reinforcements! Reinforcements have arrived!"

From our perspective, new troops appear on both sides.

They're not enemy troops, they're reinforcements.

It is a coalition of representatives from the city and surrounding countries.

This is our strategy as humans.

I cut down the monsters and reunited with Filia.

"I'm sorry, Trust-sama... I thought you'd be okay..."

"No, it's fine. In fact, thank you, Filia. This will be the starting point for annihilating the Demon King's army, let's go!"

"Yes!"

As Demon General Mare tries to escape, we chase after her.

The demons stand in our way to protect Mare, but with Filia and I working together, they are no match for us.

Even the demons are terrified by the human army attacking from three directions.

There's no better chance than now.

Cutting them down one by one, I catch up with Mare, who is holding her missing arm.

"Hii...!!"

Mare looks up at me with a terrified expression.

Looking at her face, his expression, her attitude, I felt an overwhelming sense of discomfort.

This guy tried to take Filia away from me.

She attempted to commit a cowardly and despicable act such as brainwashing, which defiles the dignity of life.

She was planning to steal Filia's heart, hand her over to the Demon King, and have her raped.

...I can't forgive that.

A murderous intent beyond murderous intent takes over my mind.

I can't forgive anyone who tries to take my Filia away.

And this is the end of it.

A traitor who has become an enemy of humanity... can the hero defeat the witch?

Without any guilt, I swung my sword down with all my might.

"Demon King, h-help――!"

Those were Mare's last words.

I guess that means she lived for the Demon King until the very end.

Shaking off the slight sensation I had, I turned my attention back to the battlefield.

There are still many enemies out there. We can't just stand there like this.

Above all else...I have a girl by my side who will fight alongside me.