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Chapter 20
Even for humans, slicing a Mutant cleanly in a single stroke was already a story that would be talked about among demons for ages. Even if one were born with a talent that appeared once in a millennium, anything beyond this was impossible.
“At this rate… argh, I’m going to die.”
Yet Raiden showed no hesitation or trace of fear. In the way he gripped his sword and stared at the Mutant, confidence radiated instead.
“I intend to save both you and Kanan.”
Seizing the opportunity, Raiden dashed at the Mutant in an instant.
It was fast, but recklessly bold. Anyone who had seen the Mutant’s movements just moments ago would know that charging head-on like this was madness.
From the perspective of a normal human, it could only look like he was courting death.
But to Seiri, it was clear. She could see Raiden targeting the exact moment when the Mutant had slowed down because of the sword embedded in it. If she had been in that position, she would have done the same.
Whoosh!
Raiden’s sword cut the tentacle attacking from behind and went straight for the Mutant’s head. But simultaneously, two newly sprouted tentacles lunged at his sides with terrifying speed.
“Look to your side!”
Despite Seiri’s shout, Raiden didn’t dodge, striking the Mutant’s neck with perfect precision.
Reno couldn’t bear to watch what was about to happen and squeezed his eyes shut. Seiri, however, didn’t blink—she saw everything.
The two tentacles aiming for Raiden’s torso seemed frozen in midair.
“Time-freeze magic…”
Seiri murmured, and Reno cautiously opened his eyes, only to witness an astonishing sight.
He had known that Raiden was the only royal ever capable of using magic, but Raiden was extremely reluctant to use it. Even when asked playfully to show it, he flatly refused with a dark expression. Therefore, the only people who had ever seen him use magic were some officers who had fought alongside him in war. Reno, despite being his friend for fifteen years, had never seen Raiden wield magic.
“So this is what it looks like… truly amazing.”
Reno could only marvel at what unfolded before him.
Seiri’s heart, however, was tangled not with awe but with suspicion.
How can a human use that kind of magic?
Controlling the flow of time was far more difficult and intricate than magic that manipulated the elements of nature. Without innate talent, it was impossible—so rare that even the gods seldom used it. And yet, Raiden demonstrated this skill while wielding his sword.
Even more incomprehensible was…
Why are you using Ferdinando’s power?
Time-freeze magic was created by Ferdinando, one of the four great elder gods governing the divine realm.
Seiri had heard that only a minuscule number of gods could wield such magic, and even then, they were only imperfect imitations of Ferdinando. This wasn’t a spell that should manifest perfectly in a human.
What connection do you have with Ferdinando? What is he planning…?
“Your Highness the Prince!”
Reno’s shout snapped Seiri out of her thoughts.
Right. Kanan! Seiri finally came back to reality. Now, Ferdinando’s magic was irrelevant.
“Argh!”
Ignoring her battered body, she tried to rise—but the pain, as if her organs were being ripped apart, stopped her. She could only stumble a few steps before collapsing back onto the floor.
Haa… haa…
The wounds had worsened, and her vision blurred. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw the Mutant’s body scattered on the floor and Kanan, intact, cradled safely in Reno’s arms.
Thank heavens. That child was safe.
Even amid the agony tearing her body apart, a sense of relief spread through her. Seeing Kanan’s calm, peaceful face brought an almost strange comfort.
Thank goodness… the child is alright. Thank goodness. I protected him.
This time, without fail…
“Saintess, His Highness is safe! Thanks to you, Saintess…”
“Seiri!”
Seeing Raiden running toward her, Seiri finally lost consciousness.
Below a mountainside covered in low yellow flowers stretching as far as the eye could see, a woman in a long, flowing white dress danced.
The wind carried soft flower seeds, brushing across her rosy cheeks and long hair. Warm sunlight settled over her black hair, signaling the fullness of autumn. It was an extremely peaceful season.
“You look happy.”
An old woman watching her smiled faintly.
“I don’t think I could be any happier.”
Humming a tune, the woman cradled her large, swollen belly with both hands and twirled twice. From within, she felt the strong movements of the child, as if acknowledging her joy.
“This isn’t my first pregnancy, and it’s my eighth. Why are you so gleeful like a child?”
“Because this is our child.”
Sitting amid the flowers, the woman smiled, imagining the baby soon to be born.
What will your face look like? Will you take after him, or me? How happy will he be when you’re born?
“There isn’t another couple in the world like us. After so many years together, you still can’t go a single day apart.”
As if to prove the old woman’s words, the woman glanced around, anticipating her husband’s arrival.
“Oh, there he is! This way, this way!”
Spotting a man walking from afar, she smiled widely and waved. The old woman, observing the man hurrying over as if unable to contain his excitement, shook her head warmly, conceding to their joy.
“Really. Are you that happy?”
The woman’s smile shone so brightly it could melt even the eternal snows in the distance.
“Yes. I love him so deeply, I don’t even know how to express it… I love him with all my heart.”
“…Sir.”
“Saintess.”
“Mm…”
“Saintess? Wake up.”
Opening her eyes at the voice, she saw a maid shaking her awake and the white ceiling molding above her. The golden molding contained a magnificent painting—this was the third time she had seen it from this angle.
Here again…
“The Emperor has been waiting for you to wake up. We’ll bring you to him immediately.”
Watching the maid rush out, Seiri raised her torso.
I think I had a dream… ugh!
A twisting pain shot through her abdomen. Looking down, she saw bandages wrapped around her body beneath her pajamas. Only then did she recall what had almost happened to Kanan at the hands of the Mutant—and the peaceful expression on his face she had seen last.
Yes, he’s safe…
The memory of that perilous moment sent shivers down her spine, but in the end, Kanan had survived. If she had been a moment later, it would have been irreversible. Truly fortunate.
But why is recovery so slow?
These were injuries that should have healed after a night’s rest. Why were they still painful?
Having trained her body over years into the strongest form, Seiri was not used to this fragile state.
She unwound the bandages and saw faint horizontal scars.
The wounds had mostly healed, but she wasn’t yet fully free to move. Twisting her torso left and right, she couldn’t help but groan.
“Seiri!”
A long-legged figure approached swiftly. The Emperor.
He pulled a chair to sit in front of her and studied her expression. Up close, she noticed the top button of his velvet jacket was undone.
“I’m impressed with your swordsmanship and your resilience. An ordinary person would have died instantly. As expected of the Great Saintess.”
“I’m about to die from slow recovery—how is that impressive?”
“You may not know what happened where you were, but here, recovering this quickly is a miracle.”
“…How long have I been asleep?”
“Three full days.”
Looking at her wrist, she saw that blood had already filled nearly eighty percent.
Considering the last time she saved a child, all blood should have vanished after rescuing Kanan, but seeing it accumulate again, it was clear that this rubber-like god intended to drain her to the bone.
“I was worried you might not wake up, so I made sure you were breathing steadily.”
“Why worry about me?”
Seiri blurted out in irritation, but he seemed to understand the meaning behind her words.
“If the Saintess sent by the gods were harmed, it would be problematic for an Emperor, right? And…”
With a subtle, alluring smile, Raiden gazed directly into Seiri’s eyes.
“I can’t just let slip a woman I might meet once in a lifetime.”
His eyes, never before filled with emotion, now shone with passion.
Seiri recognized the look. It was the same as Horu’s when drunk and lacking restraint, the one who had once held her. Faint traces even lingered in memories long buried.
Whatever had started it, the persistent ember could not be extinguished.
If it ever flared into fire, her chest would tighten and a strange burning emotion would rise. Simultaneously, a strong urge to deny it would surge.
She didn’t know the cause or form, but especially when related to Ferdinando, this feeling surged unexpectedly.
Annoyed, Seiri once again denied it, as always.
“Don’t talk like I belong to you. I decide whether I stay here or leave.”
