Chapter 3: The False Saint?

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Lloyd cautiously moved toward the source of the sound. The hoofbeats were already fading into the distance, and carried on the wind, he could faintly hear the men’s shouts.

…The False Saint, huh.

The word he had heard from afar clung stubbornly to his mind and refused to leave. It was far too strange to ignore casually, and the sound of it snagged at him in an odd way. At the very least, he had never heard of there being a fake saint before.

“…I should take a look first.”

Lloyd quietly slipped into the thicket of the forest, moving in the direction opposite of where the hoofbeats had gone. The mounted soldiers had ridden deeper toward the other side of the forest, but the shouting he heard had come from around here. If so, the “False Saint” they were chasing was very likely hiding nearby.

He stepped into the forest without making a sound, and as expected, found three horses tied up. Horses only got in the way inside a forest. They must have dismounted. Following the tracks of their boots, he eventually spotted a small clearing where faint moonlight spilled through the trees. Lowering himself and suppressing even the slightest noise, he peered through the bushes.

What he saw was a young girl wearing a white robe. Her long silver hair reflected the moonlight, shining as if wrapped in a faint glow. Yet, in stark contrast to her beauty, several men stood surrounding her. At their waists hung swords engraved with the crest of the Temple Knights. Temple Knights were knights belonging to the church.

“Finally cornered you.”

“You False Saint. Receive the punishment for defying the church.”

One of them drew his sword, while another pulled out something like a rope.

“Please wait! I’m begging you, listen to what I have to say!”

The girl in the white robe pleaded desperately, tears streaming down her face.

“I truly did receive that oracle. God told me—”

“Silence. Do not speak another word. You have no right to say anything.”

Cut off mid-sentence, her shoulders trembled sharply. The cuffs of her robe were soiled with mud and blood, and her knees were scraped raw. Likely injuries sustained while fleeing. There was a small cut on her forehead, and the blood from it traced down her cheek.

“I… I wasn’t lying. I never lied…!”

Her trembling voice dissolved into the night air of the forest. Tears rolled one after another from her eyes. As he watched her crying while still trying to plead, a faint sense of discord stirred in Lloyd’s chest.

…Are those the eyes of someone who’s lying?

There was no deceit or calculation in her expression, only a straightforward light that seemed desperate to convey something. The moment he saw that, something grazed deep within his chest. It felt like pain, but it wasn’t. It felt as if some long-forgotten remnant of emotion had suddenly brushed against him, an odd, unfamiliar sensation.

And then, a moment later—his Malice Glyph began to throb. A faint, gentle heat pulsed from it. But it wasn’t a sign of losing control. It was something calmer, something that felt almost like a warm resonance. It was the first time the Malice Glyph had ever reacted like this.

…Didn’t I just tell myself not to get involved with anyone anymore?

Even so, seeing what was in front of him, Lloyd couldn’t simply walk away. If he turned his back now, that girl would be killed without a doubt. And her life would likely vanish without anyone mourning it. It had nothing to do with him. If the Temple Knights said she was a fake, then she probably was. And yet… Why?

Lloyd found it unbearably unacceptable. He couldn’t explain what this feeling was. But his instincts, his heart, and even his Malice Glyph refused to let him ignore this scene. Maybe he would just repeat the same mistakes again. Even if he saved her, maybe he would only be betrayed again.

Even so, I…

He bit down on his lip and took a single step forward. The three Temple Knights immediately turned around at the sound of Lloyd’s movement. The torchlight illuminated his black hair and shadowy clothing. The girl called the False Saint looked toward him in surprise.

“Sorry, but you’re not the only ones who need something from her.”

Lloyd stated quietly. He didn’t really need anything from her. He simply couldn’t overlook what he saw.

“What the hell are you!?”

“A bandit after women? Stay out of this if it doesn’t concern you. Unless you want to die.”

The Temple Knights shouted and drew their swords, but Lloyd had no intention of backing off. He placed his hand on his hip and slowly drew the magic sword Rukuud. The completely black blade glinted dully in the moonlight.

“So Temple Knights go around saying they’ll kill people, huh… Seems like the teachings of God are rougher than I thought.”

His voice was low, quiet, and—above all—unwavering. At that moment, the Malice Glyph pulsed again. Something within Lloyd began to resonate and then, he directed a killing intent toward the Temple Knights.

“Wha-…?”

The air changed instantly. The smirks that had been on the Temple Knights’ faces tightened into seriousness. They must have felt the strange pressure. But the one who spoke first was the youngest among them.

“What are you? Don’t tell me you intend to fight us?”

His tone was mocking, but the hint of caution in his voice was unmistakable.

“You’re just some bandit looking to make pocket change by taking a woman, aren’t you?”

Another one sneered and glared at Lloyd. The last one placed his sword on his shoulder and snorted.

“Hurry up and take him out so we can drag the fake away.”

Lloyd didn’t even spare them a glance. Instead, he fixed his gaze solely on the girl.

“…Young woman, you said earlier that ‘you weren’t lying,’ didn’t you?”

Surprised by the unexpected question, the girl blinked in confusion. But quickly, she looked him straight in the eyes.

“…Yes.”

Her voice trembled, but she nodded firmly.

“Can you swear those words before God?”

This time, there was the slightest pause. But the silence wasn’t hesitation. Her eyes widened in surprise, and then, tears welled up in her large eyes.

“I swear it!”

Crying openly, she shouted her answer. In her voice and her tears, he sensed no falsehood, no manipulation—nothing of the sort. What he sensed instead was the joy, the relief that someone had finally listened to her words. His chest warmed for reasons he couldn’t explain.

Why…?

A strange feeling swelled quietly within Lloyd. He didn’t know why. But somehow, he could believe her words. No. It was more accurate to say that he wanted to believe her. How many years had it been since he wanted to believe in someone?

Or rather… Perhaps this was the first time he had ever felt moved so strongly.

“…I understand. I will believe you.”

As he spoke those words, an unexpected calm spread through his chest. He sensed the girl gasp softly. All remaining confidence faded from the Temple Knights’ expressions. Lloyd slowly raised the magic sword Rukuud before him. The black blade gleamed eerily under the moonlight.

In the next instant, the surrounding air froze as if stretched taut. Even the rustling of the trees stopped, and the space around them became dominated by Lloyd’s presence. One of the Temple Knights shuddered.

“…What is that sword?”

He never finished his sentence. Instead, Lloyd spoke, low and clear.

“If you’re coming, then come. But from this point forward… Only those ready to risk their lives should take another step.”

The darkness of the magic blade seemed to melt into the night. Standing at its center, Lloyd looked like the darkness itself had taken human form. The girl pressed her hands to her chest as if praying, watching him with wide, trembling eyes.

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