I attempted to open the iron door stained red.
“This won’t budge…”
“It’s a bit tough.”
The stone floor scratched as the door slowly opened. Nex and I strained with all our might to finally push it open.
Grrr… came a chilling sound.
Is this a place used for gladiatorial combat, blocking the escape route? As we entered, a larger area was revealed. If I remember correctly, we need to go further from here.
As we moved forward, voices of people started to echo around us.
“To the fallen heroes of falsehood!!”
“Please teach the ignorant Ten Heroes!”
It felt like a place resembling a church’s hall. In the pitch-black surroundings with no sunlight, several followers were praying, illuminated only by candlelight.
“Hero Church followers, do you believe in our heroes!”
“We do!”
A crowd dressed in the same attire was tightly packed in one area, resembling a swarm of white ants. Some were speaking as if they were almost crying.
“Of course, we believe!!”
“The true heroes who defeated the Demon God!!”
Their voices were filled with ecstasy. The boiling heat of the atmosphere made it feel like some kind of festival, and no one seemed to notice we had mixed in unnoticed.
“…Today, the one who will finally lay the cornerstone of the prophecy has arrived. It is none other than Nex Aureus, descendant of the Ten Heroes.”
Standing on the podium was a woman with demon wings.
“The noble path, the path where everyone can be happy, will be led by the hero of all time, just as it always has been!”
No one would mistake her for a succubus. She had pink hair and wore the white Hero Church attire, but she radiated no sense of the divine.
‘Among the apostles, of all things… it’s lust.’
The worst match for a male character.
Described with sheep’s horns and a heart-shaped tail, she appeared in a way that was alluring at a glance, but that was likely the trait of the succubus race. I vigorously shook my head to maintain my sanity.
No matter how you look at it, she can’t compare to our Saintess. What’s the use of having a pretty face when character is what matters? Such revealing attire only seemed disgusting to me.
“Get your act together, Senpai.”
“…”
I crumpled my face inside the helmet, revealing my hostility. This was my first game over in a sequel.
Is Senior Schartines also trapped like this? She must be stuck in a dream, unable to awaken.
“…Ah. Schar?”
“Senpai?”
Nex, unlike me, had a vacant look in his eyes. It seems he’s not fully harnessing the power of the Phoenix yet. If it were [Night Heart], this wouldn’t have happened.
“Nex?”
“…”
There was no answer.
“Snap out of it. Nex. It’s all a dream!”
I quickly shook his shoulders, trying to bring him back to reality.
Chirp…?
He opened his mouth and drooled. This is worse than I thought. Even the spirit was swayed by the succubus and staggering.
“…Nex, Nex! Wake up! What you see right now….”
An attack that shouldn’t affect a Holy Relic. Should I have been more cautious about this ambush? I anxiously called out to him multiple times. In the game, he’d wake up like this. Why?
Huhuhu… “As expected, all men are the same. Even a descendant of the Ten Heroes can be this dull.”
At that, I met the gaze of the succubus who had been speaking from the farthest point. She flapped her wings slightly. An ominous breeze swept through.
“Purple Phoenix. The betrayer, Nex Aureus, welcome.”
A woman moving closer to us. The scent around her was increasingly potent, and my mind grew hazy. No, this is a flag. If she gets any closer, it’ll be dangerous.
The followers around her stood frozen, swallowing hard as if they’d turned into stunned mutes, observing her with an awed expression.
Why isn’t she attacking us? I wondered in my mind. I surveyed the situation. Like Nex, others were dazed and drooling.
They’re all male followers.
She’s controlling them with allure. That’s why they’re just standing there. They’re waiting for the orders of the succubus apostle. This is how the faith of the Hero Church is maintained.
In the event from [Black Heart] where I struggled to awaken.
“…Hmm? Two of them…? And why aren’t you affected by the allure?”
She looked at me, her expression frozen. Is it her first time encountering a man who isn’t easily swayed? This is my chance.
“I already have someone I love in my heart. Apostle of lust. Servi.”
I halted the succubus from approaching Nex. As if finding it amusing that her name had been revealed, a seductive smile spread across her face.
“Oh my, you…? How did you know my name…?”
“Well, just ask that big-headed one.”
“Are you perhaps the new hero chosen by Akasha? That would make sense…”
I lightly tapped the side of her temple through the helmet.
“Is that all your brain can come up with?”
She let out a twisted chuckle and tried to play it cool. As she paused, appearing lost in thought due to my sudden provocation, was it a success?
“Hmmm… Even so, this doesn’t make sense…”
This is my chance.
“Please wake up quickly. If you’re the you I know, this level of allure shouldn’t…”
I needed to buy some time. After all, she had the advantage in numbers. Even if I drew my sword, it would be difficult to handle this situation without Nex Aureus.
And if I use Schartines as a shield, I wouldn’t be able to do anything either. Just as Nex’s gaze began to regain its focus.
Gyakhaaa…! “I’ve changed my mind! If I can take this… the hero of all time will surely be pleased!”
The succubus now laughed derisively, letting out a small chuckle.
“I don’t know how you knew my name, but… hehehe… I guess I’ll just have to find out slowly from now!”
Her devilish eyes glowed pink and narrowed. It’s charm. No matter what happens, I had to respond immediately. I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword.
“It’s been a while since I met a man worth pursuing.”
“Get away…!”
Just as I aimed to draw my sword and unleash a Void Slash—
“Have a nice dream, both of you.”
I collapsed onto the cold floor.
*
“It’s strange.”
“Why…? Mardol?”
Her motions suddenly stopped.
Pina halted as she was walking with Kainel’s group after Drake’s class. It was as if someone had pulled her, making it unnatural.
“I don’t know.”
“Is it because Licht is absent today? Drake said it would be fine when I asked him. Let’s not worry, Mardol.”
“Right. If it’s helmet guy, he’ll do great wherever he is!”
Ariel spoke brightly to the glass knight, recalling previous memories. He looked to be the strongest among the first-year newcomers, and he had helped her with her love endeavors, making him a pure-hearted person.
“That’s not it.”
But something suffocating was already building up, and her hands had risen to the chest of her armor. Her golden eyes were squinting.
“Wait a minute.”
The glass knight began to sprint towards the cathedral, kicking the ground heavily.
“W-wait! Mardol? Kain… shouldn’t we catch that?!”
“Let her be, Ariel. She probably has a hunch about something. If she needs us, she’ll call.”
Kainel and Ariel could only watch as Pina raced ahead. After all, this was the academy. A hero was strapped with a Holy Sword, and the Ten Heroes were all here.
“And last week, she ran off like that too.”
“That’s true… after a mountain climb.”
Unless the Demon King directly intervenes, it would be rare for a student to be in danger.
The hero couple felt uneasy because of past memories, but—
“It can’t be.”
“Could it be the Demon King? Kain…”
Rather, that made Pina hesitate to move forward.
*
“…Where am I?”
In an empty, white space.
I had fallen into it. I touched my face. I felt the smooth texture of my skin. No matter how I thought, it felt foreign.
Something’s wrong. Think. What was happening just a moment ago? What was I doing and how did I end up here…
Then, a high-pitched voice resounded.
“…Hello, Knight.”
She was like a blank musical score, completely featureless.
“Has it been about five years, perhaps?”
A white-robed saintess with wolf ears stood far away.
“It seems we’ve finally met. This must be fate.”
“…”
The white-haired woman was stepping closer. The scent she emitted was that of nostalgic roses.
“How did you get here? Knight?”
“To make someone unhappy happy.”
“Oh my, is that perhaps me? How moving.”
“…”
With soft footsteps, she slowly approached me. Her golden eyes were gazing into mine.
“…Knight, did you perhaps receive a champion’s selection?”
“No, I’m just a Black Knight. Didn’t you mention it before, Sister?”
The wolf ears moved slightly above her nun attire. I had seen this in the game, but experiencing it in reality was something else. It was quite intriguing.
“Hehe, indeed. You hold many memories of me… I cherish each day I haven’t thought about you.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’m the Nameless Saintess, remember?”
Her tail swayed gently. It was silky and fluffy, obviously well-groomed.
“…Your precious person.”
Watching her smile softly, I rested my chin on my hand. Now, we were hardly a palm’s length apart.
“Now, shall we tell the story of our unfulfilled love, Knight?”
She brought her face so close that I could feel her breath. I didn’t resist but observed her with a watchful eye. There was an odd sense of discomfort in her expression.
“Will you… kiss me?”
Right from the beginning, I sensed it, but she had crossed the line.
I had been pretending to be careless to expose the gaps, but I couldn’t hold on any longer.
“Get lost, you bitch.”
I grabbed the wrist of the fake saintess trying to caress my cheek and twisted it tightly.
“O-oh? Knight?! It hurts! Why…?”
“You should know nothing about me. ‘Self-proclaimed’ Nameless Saintess.”
It’s a fact that anyone could realize with only a little thought. While I knew her from the game,
“You ask for a kiss from someone you’ve never met? At least our Saintess wouldn’t do that.”
Here’s the past. The Nameless Saintess wouldn’t know me.
‘I struggled with this and ultimately concluded it would be best to help the person she loved connect with her.’
A mix of emotions flooded through me. In the end, her happiness was also my happiness. I shouldn’t wallow in pity.
I glared at the fake trying to escape from me.
“No, you love me. A lot… because I’m your lifesaver…”
“Don’t use that person’s face to spew such crap.”
“What…?”
The succubus mainly can grasp only fragmentary information. From that, she spills out the rest.
Frustration erupted within me. Bitter liquid pooled in my mouth.
“Just because I saved your life means I fell in love? That’s absurd… Who thinks like that these days?”
“Then why…?”
“Character matters. Something you lack.”
If I had reincarnated in [Night Heart] or [Black Heart], maybe she could have liked me, but,
Even if that were true, she is nothing more than a fake wearing the skin of a pleasant relationship.
That’s not love. It’s nauseating hypocrisy.
“What’s the reason? You’re saying you just love me right? Knight would also like that!”
“Our heights don’t match. About 5 cm difference?”
“Are you insane? People can grow a little, you know?”
If that were the case, she would have searched for a way to return to her original owner. In fact, it was incredibly fortunate that I had reincarnated in the past. At least I wouldn’t be intercepting someone else’s love line.
“Impossible.”
I snapped, venting my pent-up thoughts in frustration. How could someone grow taller in the past, not in the future?
“Wanna hear more? Your laughter is awkward, and your voice is a little high-pitched too?”
“Hahaha…”
As I wrapped up my commentary, it seemed like she had given up on making counterarguments, tilting her head down.
“GYAHAHAHA!”
Then her hair color shifted from white to pink, taking on the form of a succubus.
“Kyak! Caught me! But what to do… you won’t be able to escape unless you become my prisoner!”
“…If you’re going to imitate, do it properly.”
“Even deceiving a saint called Schartines was satisfying. How unfortunate.”
I was at a loss for words. The first NTR incident I saw in [Black Heart] was thanks to the apostle of lust, Servi, but I wouldn’t fall for such a thing.
“I thought all men would lose their minds for their favorite women. You’re rather unique.”
“I might be more inclined to madness than others.”
Thinking back, I got angrier. At least in the original, there was none of this nonsense; I recalled an interview stating they realized romantic diversity based on trends.
“Nex Aureus, and this time’s intruders… one a vampire saintess, another a wolf-eared saintess…”
“To be honest, she’s prettier than a succubus.”
“…Interesting. Really.”
If I had succumbed to allure here, I’d probably have become a member of the hero church alongside Nex, battling Kainel.
I recalled the betrayer route of Nex. So, they were trying to catch me off-guard.
“I thought I’d see you getting drunk on allure, but it’s unfortunate this way. Yet, now I understand what kind of person you are!”
“…You really think you understand?”
My words began to quicken. I had no desire to continue this discussion.
“Yes! Your weakness is that Nameless Saintess or whatever, right?”
“Shut up.”
I was irritated. That word wasn’t something you could throw around freely.
As multiple identical pink-haired demons began closing in on me, they were about to attack.
“If I inform the hero of all time about this, she’d surely be delighted!”
“Thinking of meddling with the Saintess? Are you kidding? Being unnamed means she can’t be manipulated…”
Anxiety flared within me as the saint’s safety came under threat. It was a bad habit. I shouldn’t give them any chances.
Then, the similarly pink-haired demons opened their mouths one after another.
“That’s something we can find out through ‘all-knowing.’ What do you say? You should ideally join our side. Your precious person’s life is on the line…”
“Ugh… damn.”
I was about to hold out until Nex awakened, but to threaten with our platinum wolf? I couldn’t take it anymore. I let out a long sigh.
Shadows gathered at my feet. This could work.
Crunch.
I bit my tongue hard. Drip, blood oozed in my mouth. For a moment, the sensation of reality returned.
Seeing the crimson liquid falling, Servi showed a shocked expression.
“…Are you trying to wake up from a dream? You can’t do that without my permission!”
I knew it.
The feel of the hot liquid, the sharp pain that pierced my flesh. Even if it was a dream, it hurt as much as reality.
The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.
I could definitely use this as a coping mechanism. Focusing on the strong pain throbbing in my head, I drew my sword from my waist.
“Just think of it as reality instead of a dream.”
It truly felt like my tongue had been cut off. I wholly surrendered myself to this. The enemies I saw before me weren’t illusions; they were becoming increasingly real in my mind.
“What do you think you’re doing with that sword? Nothing works in a magicless space like this.”
I assumed the stance of Drake Style swordsmanship.
I stomped down hard on the ground. Concentrated my senses into my right hand. I had to combine two techniques. As long as I had the will to cut down, it was possible regardless of the circumstances.
Whether it’s a dream or reality.
Steady your resolve.
For a happy ending, I must do my utmost.
The grip on the sword tightened. A strong, howling wind began to swirl around. The sword trembled in response.
Form one and form four.
The techniques that land blows on the connected entity, and the one focused on cutting power. I simultaneously executed Void Slash and Shadow Slash.
─Swoosh!!!
A massive gust of cutting wind shot forth, sweeping through the group of succubi. Surely, amongst them was one connected to the real body.
“KYAHA! Even this won’t work? It was funny when you tried mimicking a cardinal, but this is even more amusing.”
A storm collided with the front. Several doppelgangers were shredded by the wind. Thunk. Blood continued to flow from my mouth.
“It’s useless. This isn’t reality; it’s a dream.”
The succubi, dispersing while laughing at me, seemed to wear a calm expression, as if it were nothing to worry about.
The figures grew fewer. Can’t they notice yet? For the first time in a while, my helmet had been removed, revealing my face. If they laugh, they’re bound to be caught.
It was then.
Creak.
“Huh? Oh no. KYAHA!!!”
As a succubus furthest from the back was cut, Servi began to scream. Should I have dealt with more at once? I couldn’t finish them all at once.
“…Hah… Hah. Kehuk…”
It seemed she barely held onto her life through divine power. Blood staining her, the pink-haired woman gazed at me as if I were a monster.
Gasping heavily, she continued to pour divine power into herself.
Even though she’s a demon, she can do that? Divine power is indeed a manifestation of desires channelled through reason.
“How…”
I might be a bit too much of a pure-hearted guy.
Flipping Servi off, I raised my middle finger. She thought she could best me by pretending to be our Saintess.
The reasoning was simple.
I made sure to create shadows to initiate a sense of reality even in the dream; that’s how I wouldn’t fall for it.
