Volume 7 Chapter 167
A Cry for Help
「─?」
Oh, my head hurts.
……Huh? Why am I lying on the floor?
Eh, why won’t my bodymove!?
When I looked at my body, my arms and legs were bound.
「Why!?」
「You’ve finally awakened」
「─!?」
I was startled by the voice coming from behind me.
Because standing behind me was──
「Duke Ifer? What is the meaning of this!?」
Duke Ifer, the ruler of the Holy City, was walking towards me with his hands clasped behind his back.
「Oh, you really can’t understand this kind of situation, can you?」
As he said that, Duke Ifer’s appearance changed.
It was as if he had forcibly compressed the malice of this world into a human form.
I know this presence.
「…….A demon」
「Indeed, you’re a true Holy Maiden. I am Gusion, a demon under the command of the Evil God, ranked eleventh」
The worst.
While there are countless demons in this world, the demons under the direct command of the Evil God, the seventy-seven pillars, possess immense power and command numerous demons.
To be ranked eleventh is quite high for a demon.
So, why is a demon like this in front of me……
「─Huh, I-Isha!?」
A large crucifix was set up on the wall behind the demon, and Isha, the candidate to inherit the role of the Holy Maiden, was crucified there.
The crucifix where Isha was crucified was one I had seen before. I see it every day, so I couldn’t be mistaken.
Yes, it’s the crucifix in the Great Temple.
This is the Great Temple.
Since I can’t see the sunlight through the windows, it must be nighttime.
Still I couldn’t believe there was a demon in the Great Temple, the dwelling of the Creator God.
But right now, more importantly—
「What have you done to Isha!?」
I was worried about her.
She doesn’t appear to be injured, from what I can see……
「Just like you a moment ago, she’s merely asleep. Well, she’ll soon become a sacrifice to replenish the Holy Maiden’s magic power」
「We’re using her as a sacrifice for me to become the Holy Maiden」
「Robelia! You can’t be serious!?」
Robelia, Isha’s peer, suddenly appeared from the depths of the Great Temple. She is Duke Ifer’s daughter.
She’s here.
As she saw Isha, her fellow student, crucified, she smiled.
In other words, Robelia is also one of the demons.
And it’s not that a demon has possessed Duke Ifer; the demon is Duke Ifer.
「It’s about to be the next day. Shall we begin the ceremony to make you the Holy Maiden?」
「Yes, Father」
Robelia approached Isha with the holy spear in hand.
「Stop! Don’t lay a hand on her! I’ll be the sacrifice instead?」
「That’s an impossible request. You have to be the one to baptize my daughter」
The demon approached me.
Its hand touched my head—
「Good, the barrier protecting you has disappeared」
The demon’s hand touched me.
I’m a Holy Maiden; demons and monsters shouldn’t be able to touch me.
But somehow, from the bracelet that had been attached to my right wrist, black cracks like fissures were extending, invading my body.
This is probably the cause.
「I’ve left only enough power for the baptism; I’ve erased all your other Holy Maiden powers」
The demon kindly informed me.
Perhaps it wants to see my despair.
There’s nothing I can do but despair.
Without my Holy Maiden powers, I can’t do anything.
I am helpless.
Out of frustration, tears began to flow down my cheeks.
I can’t even save the girl who’s been working hard every day to inherit my role as the Holy Maiden.
「Two hundred years of hard work. Your final task will be to baptize the demon’s daughter and make her the Holy Maiden」
「No matter how much you threaten me, I’ll never do such a thing?」
「Oh, don’t worry. Now that I can touch you like this, you, with your weakened Holy Maiden powers, are easily susceptible to brainwashing」
「N-no」
It seems there’s nothing I can do.
「…… Creator God」
「Hahaha. It’s futile! Even if this is the temple of the Creator God, the god can’t directly intervene with us?」
The demon spoke to break my last hope. I don’t want to admit it, but it’s true.
I’ve only received divine revelations from the Creator God. I’ve never seen the god manifest before me.
Even so, I’ve prayed to the Creator God for two hundred years.
I’ve endured everything, like a normal girl wanting to play, eat delicious food, see beautiful scenery, and get along with boys.
I’ve endured it all because I’m a Holy Maiden.
I’ve even refrained from forming relationships with men.
I wanted to devote myself to that one special person.
I wanted to be with that special person.
Please, just work one miracle for me at the end.
I don’t care what happens to me.
Please, at least save Isha.
「Her last words are『Creator God』—isn’t that fitting for a Holy Maiden? Goodbye」
From the demon’s hand I felt something enter my head.
I could no longer feel myself—
「──Guhaa!!」
Just like that I was back to myself.
The demon Gusion, who had touched my head, was blown away by someone.
It was a knight.
Not the Holy Knight who’s usually my protector.
Definitely not.
Because that knight in front of me was covered in flames.
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