“We’ll Definitely Come Back to Save You!” — It’s Been Three Years Since I Was Left in the Most Difficult Dungeon, Isn’t It About Time for Help to Arrive...? - 20-21

Chapter 20: Within the Clouded Consciousness, the Three of Them…

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Within the haze of muddled consciousness, the Saintess wept.

If only she had stopped at the stairs that day. Or if she had grown stronger faster and rushed to Athos’s side—then maybe he wouldn’t have become a monster… Maybe… Maybe Athos wouldn’t become the “Demon Lord,” a threat to all humanity.

…Because of me… it’s my fault Athos-san became like this… That’s why—I have to purify him with my own hands… As a Saintess, as someone who banishes evil and brings salvation… I must save him…

Driven by a mission so powerful it hardly felt like her own, Eishia’s resolve to “defeat the Demon Lord Athos” grew stronger. And yet, the reality that she must defeat him wrapped painfully around her heart. That was when a single question passed through her mind.

…What happens after he’s purified? Where will Athos-san go? Will he have nowhere to go, belong to no one, just return to nothingness alone…?

In that instant—an emotion long buried deep within her heart awakened.

That’s… That’s absolutely not okay! I don’t want that…!

They had finally reunited like this. She could see his face again, hear his voice, breathe in his scent, feel his touch—she could finally experience all of him again.

If things continued like this, it would be no different than before. She would lose Athos-san once more. And she, who shared so few words and memories with him, would be left to spend her days clinging to the handful she had.

…I will save him. This time, no matter what, I absolutely will save him…!

Her duty as a Saintess, and the emotions she had always suppressed because she was a Saintess—those two threads twisted together, merging into a single, raw, unfiltered desire.

—I alone will claim everything that is Athos-san’s…

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Within the haze of muddled consciousness, the Warrior harbored doubt.

Was the man before her really Athos?

…Athos was attacked by a monster and became the Demon Lord…? No way—that guy wouldn’t lose to a monster, that’s just… No…

Over and over, the idea repeated in her mind—“Athos died,” and “Athos, now the Demon Lord, must be defeated.” As if trying to convince herself that it was the truth. But deep down, Ripley rejected it with all her being.

That’s a lie. It has to be a lie…! Because Athos—he’s the man I acknowledged…!

From the day she became an adventurer, Ripley had always chased after Athos’s back. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t catch up to him. No matter how much she trained, he always pulled further ahead.

Athos wouldn’t lose…! He wouldn’t bow to some monster…!

A curse-like emotion churned within her. And in a flash—an emotion long buried deep inside awakened.

…I see. So this Athos—you’re not the Athos I know… are you…?

Athos, who would lose to someone, wasn’t Athos. That fact, etched in her heart as a conviction called respect, twisted and morphed into warped affection.

…That’s right. He must’ve become the Demon Lord because he’s not the real Athos…! This isn’t my Athos… No. No no no no no no NO!

Drunk on belief, rejecting all doubt, Ripley let out a broken smile and filled her fists with conviction—and love.

Just wait, Athos… I’ll crush that fake and prove your strength… I’ll show everyone that this Athos is fake…!

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Within the haze of muddled consciousness, the wizard glared. She glared at the unknown woman standing beside Athos—now the Demon Lord.

…Who is that woman…?

Black hair. Cold eyes. No warmth or charm to speak of—just a ruthless existence. She was a complete stranger. Had Midi recognized her, she wouldn’t have been so emotionally shaken.

…Why is a woman I don’t know standing beside Athos…?

Small, expressionless, and carrying a presence oddly similar to her own. But the one standing beside Athos now wasn’t Midi. That truth alone pierced her like venom.

…Why isn’t it me…?

Athos had always been by her side. Quiet, awkward with people, never blending into a group—he had lived in solitude, and yet he would smile so innocently when next to her.

He’d always praised her magic. Sure, she usually got scolded for being clumsy, reckless, and relying on brute force. But Athos was different. He’d genuinely praised her, with warmth and sincerity in his eyes.

Ever since then, Athos has always been someone special to me… And I was special to him too… I know I was… So why…?

‘Why… is he with a woman like that…?

And in that instant—an emotion buried deep inside her heart awakened.

…I understand now, Athos. You became the Demon Lord… Because of that woman, didn’t you…?

She could clearly recall that Athos had been attacked by a monster and became the Demon Lord. But the cause remained a mystery. If that monster woman standing beside him was the reason, then it all made sense—why he became the Demon Lord, why he wasn’t with Midi.

…It’s okay now, Athos. I’ll erase everything… Just like that. And then… you’ll praise me again, right…? In a world for just the two of us… Where no one can interrupt us… Just you and me…

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Chapter 21: Something Feels Off

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—A short time earlier.

“Damn it!!! Eishia, healing magic! Cast healing magic—!”

Wurfe shouted, blood gushing from his nose, but his voice didn’t reach. Eishia stood frozen, her lips slightly parted, completely motionless on the spot with a vacant look.

Apparently, their coordination had broken down. Thinking it was a perfect chance to finish this, I began to approach—when Wurfe suddenly twisted his lips into an eerie, unnatural smile and pulled something from his coat.

Whatever that shiny object was, it didn’t matter—before I could even check, an overwhelming flash of light swallowed my vision.

“What the—?! It’s so bright—!?”

By the time I realized it was a flash bomb, my reflexes had already forced my eyes shut. I quickly opened them again and raised my guard—but strangely, there was no sign of anyone attacking. Everyone on the field had been completely stopped in their tracks by the light.

“…What the hell was that just now…?”

“—Athos! Behind you!”

I heard Hel’s shout and turned around—Ripley was already on the move, flying toward me with a kick, fully wound up. I couldn’t even react in time. Her blow slammed into my shoulder, launching me several meters despite my braced stance.

“Guh… That hurts…!”

A sharp, throbbing pain ran through my shoulder. Judging by the fiercer look in Ripley’s eyes, she was clearly getting serious. Her kicks radiated a murderous intent that was anything but ordinary.

“Fake… Athos…!”

Ripley bit her lip, glaring at me with bloodshot eyes. A moment later, her signature flash kick blazed once more, hurtling toward me. Watching her from a short distance away, Wurfe let out a loud, delighted laugh.

“Haha…! Hahahahaha! That’s it! Take Athos down!!”

His mouth twisted, his laughter childlike and deranged, as if he were playing with broken dolls. But then…

“—Chains of Radiance: Aksalm Lumia…”

Just like before, glowing chains erupted from the magic circle at someone’s feet. But their target wasn’t me—it was Ripley, who was supposed to be on their side.

“—! What the…?! Let me go…!”

Bound at the limbs, Ripley let out a furious yell as her movements were completely sealed.

“…Please wait quietly over there.”

Eishia spoke with flat, emotionless detachment as she cast the same enhancement spell she had once used on Wurfe—this time on herself.

“Wha-… What’s going on…? Why is Eishia restraining Ripley…?”

She turned to face me, her gaze twisted with madness, completely unbecoming of a Saintess—and charged straight at me. I had never imagined Eishia would take the initiative to attack. I was so stunned that I didn’t resist as she grabbed both my wrists and pushed me down to the ground.

“Athos-san… Please, entrust yourself to me… I will save you… With my own hands. That way, we can be happy… together…”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about!? Eishia, calm down, okay!? I mean, you’ve been kind of glassy-eyed since earlier—”

“Forget about me… It doesn’t matter… As long as I can save you, Athos-san, that’s all I care about…”

“Seriously, what are you even—!?”

“Yes! Once the purification is complete, let’s go somewhere far away—where there are no people. Just the two of us, living quietly together… I’ll give you everything I have, Athos-san… and you’ll give everything of yourself to me… Right…? Hehehe…”

This was bad. We were no longer having a coherent conversation. I couldn’t even break free. Her grip on my wrists was so tight I couldn’t gather strength. At this rate, who knows what she would—

“—Don’t get in the way…”

Amid the chaos, a low mutter came from behind Eishia and Ripley. It was Midi. Malevolent magical energy gathered at her fingertips, and then she unleashed it: a massive fireball spell—Abyss Flare, the infernal pyre. And it wasn’t normal—she had used her specialty, magical compression overboost, to enhance its power well beyond standard levels.

“—Tch…!”

Maybe even Eishia realized she couldn’t ignore that one. She let go of my wrists and immediately cast her holy barrier—Holy Shield: Sera Defelia—right in front of herself. The shield managed to block Midi’s magic, but it couldn’t defend against the heat from the explosion. Eishia was blasted away into the distance by the resulting shockwave.

“…Athos will be with me. Always. Always… Always…Always… Together…”

Now it was Midi who approached me, wearing a mismatched, eerie smile nothing like the one from my memories.

“—You two have been getting in the way… This whole time!”

Ripley, who should have still been bound by chains, forcibly tore them apart and slammed her foot into the ground. To avoid the shockwave erupting from the cracked earth, Midi retreated back for some distance. I, too, leapt away before I got caught in it and hurried over to the only remaining safe zone—where Hel was.

“…Have they always been like this?”

“No… At least, not that I know of. The people I knew weren’t like this…”

Watching the girls—who had just been my allies—now fighting one another while radiating an unhinged, unnatural aura, I felt a deep and growing sense of dread swell within me.

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