When I Maxed Out the Zero-Star Saintess, a Yandere Confinement Life with Overwhelming Love Began - Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The capital was wrapped in a piercingly clear blue sky, as if last night’s thunderstorm had been a lie.

But the air in the grand cathedral was a bit restless. Since early morning, a “strange poster” had appeared on the bulletin board in the town square, and a crowd had gathered.

“Lyle-san, here it is.”

At the breakfast table, Sizzle spread out a sheet of parchment on the table. It was a copy of what had been posted on the bulletin board this morning.

“The townspeople are making a fuss, calling it ‘a divine revelation’ or ‘a book of prophecy’… But what do you think? I suspect it’s just something someone who saw yesterday’s battle made for fun…”

Sizzle frowned suspiciously. I peeked at the paper—and almost spit out the coffee I was drinking.

【Strongest Ranking (Ver.8.1 Provisional Edition)】
[Tier SSS]
・Vermilia (New!)

[Tier SS]
・Celesfia
…

[Tier S]
・Sizzle
…

[Tier D]
・Aira

(…This is a serious player’s ‘Tier list,’ the so-called strongest character ranking!)

I inwardly made a huge retort. It was unclear who posted it, but the content was cruelly accurate. Especially noteworthy was that Vermilia, who until yesterday had no presence at all, reigned alone at the top ‘SSS’.

(…No mistake. It’s here.)

I gripped the paper with trembling hands. After yesterday’s Vermilia raid event, the world had advanced to the next stage. The internal system clock had moved forward, and the expansion patch had been applied.

“…I don’t like it.”

Sizzle muttered unhappily.

“A sudden newcomer (Vermilia) taking the top spot over me or Celesfia-sama…? Whoever made this ranking must have rotten eyes.”

“Now, now, Sizzle. It’s just nonsense on a scrap of paper.”

Celesfia nibbled elegantly on her toast while floating a composed smile. She was in invincible mode from the afterglow of yesterday’s deep kiss. Being the only one in 4-conviction probably played a part, but she seemed confident in leading another race as well.

“Rankings don’t matter. Who is Lyle-sama’s number one… his official wife was proven by yesterday’s ‘ceremony’ ♡”

“…!”

Sizzle’s eyebrow twitched, and that was the moment.

“—Report!”

A guard rushed hurriedly into the dining hall.

“A person thought to be yesterday’s… ‘black dragon knight’ has appeared at the main gate of the grand cathedral!”

“What!?”

Sizzle stood up immediately and drew her dagger. I stopped the two of them, kicked my chair, and ran out.

“No, this time it’s different! …I’ll go!”

◆

In front of the main gate of the grand cathedral. An unusual scene unfolded there.

No ominous armor from yesterday, no wings. There stood a petite girl in tattered leather armor—Vermilia. She knelt before the gate, crouching as if pressing her forehead to the ground.

“…Lyle-sama.”

When I rushed over, she flinched her shoulders and spoke without raising her face.

“…I’ve come to be executed.”

Her voice was faint, as if fading away.

“I pointed a sword at the saintess… destroyed the grand cathedral, and injured Sizzle-sama. …I’ll atone with my death. Please, with your hands… dispose of this trash.”

She offered the rusted greatsword on her back and hung her head. Her back was small and trembling with despair.

“…No one wants to dispose of you.”

I walked up to her and knelt down.

“Raise your face, Vermilia… Yesterday, I told you, didn’t I? ‘I’ll remove your shackles’.”

“But it didn’t work…! You rejected me…! You said I had no qualifications…!”

“That was… just because I wasn’t feeling well. It’s different now. …Believe me.”

I held out my hand to her. The same hand that yesterday had been repelled with a merciless error sound. Vermilia hesitated but stared into my eyes—and timidly reached out her mud-covered hand.

Our fingertips touched. I gripped her hand firmly.

‘Contact Confirmed (ContactVerified)’

‘Target: Vermilia (PlayableCharacterID:800)’

‘Contact Depth: Level 1 (HandShake)――’

Kaaaaaaa!!!!

Dazzling light overflowed from our joined hands. The stagnant air enveloping Vermilia’s body was purified, and enormous magic power gushed out from inside her like a torrent. It was unmistakably SSS-class brilliance.

“…Eh? …Ah, ah…!?”

Vermilia stared at her own hand in shock and shed tears drop by drop.

“I… somehow… this… warm power… U, uwaaaaa!! Lyle-samaaaaa!!”

She clung to my waist and wailed like a child. And so, the “Tier SSS loyal dog” joined our companions.

◆

It seemed settled… but my sigh of relief didn’t last long.

“…Well. Now that the touching reunion is over.”

A voice like sub-zero temperatures rang from behind. When I turned, Sizzle stood with arms crossed, and Aira, who had woken up somehow, stood beside her. Neither had smiling eyes.

“Master…? What’s going on?”

Aira stepped forward.

“…Yesterday in the battle, you deep kissed Celesfia.”

I froze. Cold sweat ran down my back.

“N-No, that was an emergency measure, a necessary ritual to save the world…”

“So unfair! I want one too!”

Aira shouted. Furthermore, Sizzle silently circled behind me, cutting off my retreat. In her hand was a bottle of suspicious glowing aphrodisiac.

“…Lyle-sama. I don’t care about the tier list ranking. But…”

Sizzle’s eyes gleamed bewitchingly.

“Unequal ‘administrator contact frequency’ cannot be overlooked. …Is only Celesfia-sama getting special treatment? I can’t get any stronger without deep ‘contact’ either, you know?”

“W-Wait, Sizzle! What’s that bottle!?”

“It’s a nutritional drink that can only be taken mouth-to-mouth. Come on, open wide.”

“…Me too. I want to do intense stuff with Lyle too!!”

Aira jumped at me too. Aira on the right, Sizzle on the left. And in front, the 1-conviction satisfied loyal dog Vermilia cheerfully wagged her tail with “Master, you’re so popular! Woof!”

“H-Hey, stop, Celes! Help—”

I sought help from the Tier SS saintess. But Celesfia sipped her black tea elegantly, as if it was none of her business.

“Oh my. …Well, this must be the composure of the official wife. Please help yourselves to the scraps. Though some of my saliva is mixed in.”

“You traitor!!”

Under the blue sky, my scream echoed through the grand cathedral. But. My chastity crisis was abruptly interrupted by a sudden Zdoooooon!!!! loud destruction sound.

A tremendous impact roared, and the ground shook greatly. The heavily guarded door to the living quarters blew away like paper craft.

“…Enemy attack!?”

“No, no magic reaction. This is pure physical attack wave…!”

“To come this far… Quite bold!”

“Uw ah! S-Suddenly work!?”

The four strongest in this world instantly took battle stances to protect me. From the rising thick dust, emerged—a pink-haired twin-tailed girl lightly carrying a hammer bigger than herself.

“Fo… Fooound youuu…♡”

The girl stood on the rubble of the destroyed gate, pointed straight at me with a suspicious full smile.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Lyle-kun! As promised, I came to pick you up with the marriage registration!!”

The moment those words were uttered. The temperature in the grand cathedral felt like it plummeted below freezing. The four gazes shifted from the girl to me.

“…Just now, what? Marriage registration…?”

The highlights (light) completely vanished from the saintess’s golden eyes. Her previous “composure” disappeared, and pitch-black aura erupted from her back.

“Another pest has come to Lyle-sama.”

“…Yes. Extermination needed.”

Sizzle silently deployed countless knives from the shadows, her pupils narrowing like a reptile targeting prey. Aira silently drew her bow to the limit, and even Vermilia growled deep in her throat with “An enemy deceiving master…!”

“…Let’s kill her.”

The moment Celesfia’s command united all their killing intent. The jealous blades that had been aimed at me moments ago all concentrated on the girl at the gate.

“E, eeeeeeh!? W-Wait a minute, I don’t know her! I don’t know that girl at all!!”

With the arrival of the new typhoon calling herself my fiancée, my scream was sucked away in vain.