"The Tura Paladin"
Saint Raphael held the radiant seat of a paladin, a peerless European swordsman who had reached the status of a "Grail Knight."
Yet although Saint Raphael was, by any reasonable account, an old veteran from a bygone era, she looked no different from a girl in her twenties.
No ordinary person would ever imagine that this "Saint Raphael" and that "Lucrezia Zola" knight were, in fact, people of two different ages.
The reason the two of them could preserve their looks was also simple. Any Grand Magus (Archmage) whose spiritual power had reached the Pure Realm could use a Sacred Sword to prolong life.
This effect was especially dramatic for women. Men generally retained the appearance of their thirties, or even their forties or fifties—like that Marquis Voban. But for women, keeping the looks of one's mid-twenties, or even around twenty, was not impossible.
The emerald-phoenix beauty on Saint Raphael's face was a blessing born of that very grace.
…
After falling from her blue warhorse, the female knight named Saint Raphael looked toward Sai Akuto and stated her terms.
"Bully a little girl—doesn't that strike you as unreasonable? If you must bring your sword down, bring it down on me, Swordbound."
"Huh?! Saint Raphael-sama, you mean—!"
Erica had been hesitating. She never expected Saint Raphael to appear out of nowhere, much less to offer herself in Erica's place and form a knightly pact of "Gods Shall Fall" with an unknown divinity.
Seeing the bewilderment on Erica's face, Saint Raphael smiled helplessly.
"It's nothing. I'm not particularly eager to pay a price for you. But when an old friend is in trouble, as a friend and a comrade-in-arms, I can't stand by and do nothing."
As she spoke, a ballad-like melody slowly rose into the air.
"Well then. If all you want is a knight or a retainer, my qualifications are no less than that little girl's—and my strength is greater. Surely that makes me the more suitable choice."
"Isn't that right?"
Hearing Saint Raphael's words, Akuto smiled and shook his head.
"Hahaha. You claim your looks are no worse than Erica's?"
He had already heard what she was really saying.
Like Erica, Saint Raphael wanted to become Erica's "retainer" and protect her.
The reason she proactively asked to take over Erica's contract was, on one hand, to shield Erica. On the other, it was to awaken the "Sai Akuto" she knew.
After all, his face and presence had changed quite a bit.
An adult's maturing features, layered with the aura-shift from unlocking the "Demonic Bloodline"—with those two changes stacked together, it really could make someone think he had been possessed by a Heretic God.
…
On the other side, Saint Raphael—having failed to get the answer she wanted—frowned.
"Hm? Are you saying my looks or my strength are inferior to Erica's?"
Saint Raphael's brow knit.
Indeed, by the world's conventional standards, even if their beauty were comparable, as a dark-skinned girl she would inevitably be judged as less "appealing" than Erica, a classic blonde beauty.
Still, hearing that unspoken truth laid out to her face by Akuto left her dissatisfied.
"No, Saint Raphael-dono, you misunderstand. That isn't what I mean♪"
Akuto shook his head.
"I'm not saying your looks are inferior to Erica's. On the contrary—I'm delighted to have gained a knight whose beauty surpasses Erica's, and whose strength exceeds hers as well."
Akuto's voice held a light, pleased laugh.
Just as he said, to him, Saint Raphael was unquestionably more valuable than Erica.
Because Erica was like a Pokémon that spawned at a fixed location—so long as he could trigger "Red Copper Black Cross" into attacking, he could swap Erica in at any time.
But unlike Erica, Saint Raphael was the kind of Pokémon that spawned unpredictably—rare, wandering the world with no faction of her own, not someone you could easily encounter.
Between a "fixed spawn" and a "random spawn with no set time or place," when the meeting difficulty differed so sharply, Akuto would even prefer the latter.
Besides, Akuto's tastes were broad. Whether it was the most mature, aristocratic allure, or a sword-princess in black, blue, purple, or red—so long as it wasn't some hairy middle-aged man type, so long as she was worthy of standing beside him, Akuto liked them all.
In fact, he even rated them higher precisely because sword-princesses in black, blue, purple, red, and other "color slots" were scarce within a harem.
…
"Mm-hm?"
Hearing Akuto imply that, in his eyes, Saint Raphael's magic was on his level while Erica's was weaker, Erica clearly did not agree.
But given that Saint Raphael truly meant well for her, and given that these were the "golden words" of a Heretic God, Erica naturally didn't refute him.
Saint Raphael, too, was shaken by Akuto's words.
All this time, she had regarded Akuto as "salvation," as a "friend," and as a "comrade."
She never expected that, with a god's presence upon him, Akuto would say something like this—and that her heart would ripple, just slightly.
I never imagined that, at my age, I could still receive such an appraisal from a master. I am honored beyond measure.
I wonder—does the flutter in this girl's life arise because of the unknown god so full of magic, or because of Sai Akuto whose body he inhabits, or perhaps both at once?
Holding that subtle, delicate feeling in her chest, Saint Raphael spoke warmly.
"I can feel that your words come from the heart. I am honored beyond measure to receive such an evaluation from my master."
Since Heretic Gods disdained lies, Saint Raphael could not help but trust the truth of Akuto's words.
And so, she lowered herself to one knee in a knight's salute, declaring her loyalty to Akuto.
"Heretic Gods are not all false metaphors. In history, there have been many who, after subduing a god, chose shrine maidens or knights as their followers. Therefore, I, Saint Raphael, offer you reverence and loyalty—not as empty words, but from my heart."
She was even happy.
Because from the fact that he was willing to take her as a follower, she could infer and judge what Akuto's "unknown divine original form" might be.
Akuto looked down at the kneeling Saint Raphael. He did not reveal that he had not been possessed at all; instead, he nodded in satisfaction.
"Very well, Saint Raphael-dono. From today on, you are the knight who serves me, and I am your master."
"Hai."
In the next second, Akuto extended his hand slightly.
A contract appeared—Paladins are born from the Sacred Sword.
…
Saint Raphael had not expected Akuto to make her sign a contract as well, and she hesitated for several seconds.
But in the end, she still signed her name upon it.
No matter what, she needed a chance to draw close to this Heretic God inhabiting Akuto's body, so she could rescue Akuto himself.
"Signature: 'Saint Raphael.' Contract successfully formed. Saint Raphael's Sacred Sword is born."
A few seconds later, Saint Raphael hardened her resolve and branded her own crest upon the contract.
"Boom—!"
Once the pact was completed, the paper contract turned to ash and vanished from the world.
By then, she lifted her gaze to Akuto.
"By the way. Since I have already become a knight who serves my master as a retainer… may I know the truth of my master?"
Her timing was deft.
In principle, when taking a knight, a god should reveal their true name. Otherwise, it was disrespect toward the follower, and also disrespect toward the contract itself.
Akuto replied.
"There's no need for a 'true form.' To be honest, I don't even know what my true form is."
"But if you like, you may call me 'Holy Child-sama,' or 'Holy Child Sai Akuto.' In my memories, many have addressed me that way."
"Hah?"
Erica froze.
A Holy Child—was this a joke?
Could an existence on the level of a Holy Child (Jesus) really descend into the world? Was she dreaming?
And… Holy Child Sai Akuto, what was that supposed to mean?
A Holy Child hadn't possessed a Westerner, but an Easterner instead?
Hearing the name "Sai Akuto," Erica finally reacted.
No wonder the god's face felt familiar—this "Holy Child" inhabiting the body was Sai Akuto!
Erica felt mortified at the instinctive fact that she "didn't recognize him." In truth, she had never properly met Akuto; she had only seen photographs.
And Akuto now looked very different from those photos—but she had still failed to recognize him.
"Is that so… Holy Child-sama. It is my great honor, Saint Raphael, to become your knight."
Though Saint Raphael could not yet determine which pantheon Akuto's Holy Child belonged to, any god bearing the title "Holy Child" was undeniably exalted.
With that single title, Akuto's identity had already narrowed to a very small range.
…
However, rather than probing the Holy Child's true nature right now, Saint Raphael had something far more urgent to do.
Maintaining her one-knee posture, she made a soft request.
"Holy Child-sama, please grant the people your mercy. Slay that beast which now runs rampant upon the land."
Saint Raphael did not say anything like, "Please fulfill your promise to me."
On one hand, she believed that with the Holy Child's nobility and ability, he would understand her meaning. After all, in myth, Holy Children were often righteous heroes who stayed close to the common people.
On the other hand, since she had already become Holy Child-sama's knight, she had no right to demand anything of her master.
All she could do was offer counsel.
(End of Chapter)
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