Chapter 36
The final battle with the assassination organization “Seven-Leaf Tree” is about to begin. Sister Phylicia asked if I was ready. Of course, I nodded. After all, their ultimate goal is to assassinate the Queen of the Holy Flame—which is to say, my childhood friend, Tristina. How could I sit back and do nothing?
However, the location of the decisive battle being an execution ground was something I had never expected. In my fifteen years as a Saintess, I had never once watched a public execution. Psychologically speaking, I’m a bit averse to it. But I have no choice; Sister Phylicia dragged me here. Her plan is to use the three captured people as bait to lure their comrades into a rescue attempt, allowing us to wipe them all out in one go.
When afternoon arrived… I knew it was a “public execution,” but… I didn’t expect this many people to be watching. We were stationed at the very back of the execution platform, our backs against the wall, lying in wait. Qifeng ran over and gave me a hand signal—“Fei’er, I’ve set up the traps.”
Next, Qifeng looked at her pocket watch—
“It’s almost time for the public execution.”
“What if they don’t come?” Lian Qi asked, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.
“Sister Phylicia said that given ‘Death’s Blade’s’ personality, she will definitely come, even knowing it’s a trap. Otherwise, those three people will all be executed by fire to comfort the souls of the sacrificed soldiers in heaven,” I said weakly, unable to stop myself from glancing at the one man and two women fixed to the execution racks.
Perhaps I shouldn’t pity them. After all, when they killed Sister Phylicia’s subordinate, they showed absolutely no mercy.
Just as Qifeng said, they are just murderers hiding behind the banner of “justice.”
“Actually, I’ve had a question for a long time,” Lian Qi said, arms crossed. “Is the Demon King backing the rebels that are causing unrest in this country? War can cause society to collapse, which would also be part of the plan to stagnate magical technology, right?”
Hearing Lian Qi say that, I froze for a moment. I thought of my own name on the assassination list and couldn’t help but give a bitter smile.
If that person wanted to kill me, why not do it personally? Is it out of consideration for our past relationship, so she’s leaving it to someone else?
Without warning, a black shadow suddenly landed to my left!
I jumped in fright—“!?”
What? I couldn’t feel a presence at all!
I caught a glimpse of a graceful, black-haired figure raising a black blade, bringing it down on me—!
The blade flashed. Blood splattered.
But it wasn’t my blood!?
The one who was cut wasn’t me, but… Qifeng?
At the critical moment, Qifeng threw herself in front of me!?
I was stunned.
Qifeng leaned back and fell into my arms. And the culprit flicked the blood from her black blade, letting the droplets spatter on the ground, and said coldly—“Justice served!”
“You call this justice?!?!”
With one hand holding Qifeng, I summoned the Hammer of Holy Light with the other—
“Hurting Qifeng is for justice???”
I’ll smash you to death with this one blow!
“Death’s Blade”1 revealed a surprised expression and hurriedly brought her black blade across her chest to defend!
The pure white hammer slammed violently onto the jet-black longsword! The clouds in the sky were blasted apart.
Tsk! Was the force too light because I’m holding Qifeng?
“Death’s Blade” was sent flying, blade and all! She crashed through one wall without stopping, then crashed through a second wall. After smashing through more than ten buildings in a row, she completely vanished from sight. I don’t know if she’s dead or not.
But right now, I don’t care about her at all. I only care about Qifeng!
I collapsed onto the ground, holding Qifeng in my lap.
She smiled at me. “Uu… I didn’t have time to materialize my chains.”
“Silly girl! Are you crazy???”
I looked at my hand. It was covered in blood!
Blood seeped from her chest, staining her clothes, the ground, and my hand.
Why is there so much blood?
I suddenly remembered something. The thought made me ice-cold, almost suffocating me—Qifeng was cut by “Death’s Blade.”
Her blade possesses magic that prevents wounds from healing---!
“Don’t cry, Fei’er…”
Qifeng’s voice overlapped with the voice of the Nun Sister who raised me—
That year, on her sickbed, the Nun Sister, in her final moments, stroked my crying face and said to me—
“Don’t cry, Fei’er. You… be brave, don’t cry. You must remember, you are the Saintess. You must always keep smiling, no matter what. Because you are everyone’s hope. If even you fall into despair, everyone… will…”
The Nun Sister’s hand slipped from my face, bit by bit.
“No--- Don’t---”
I wept uncontrollably. At that time, it was Xubai—that’s right, it was that Demon Lord who held me from behind and pulled me away.
“Fei’er, calm down. Listen to me. Your Nun Sister… she has just… returned to the Holy Light.”
…
I’m sorry.
I’m sorry, Nun Sister. I can’t do what you said.
I can’t not despair. I can’t keep smiling all the time…-!
“Uu…”
I burst into tears, wailing.
Tears streamed down, plip plop, onto Qifeng!
Her bleeding gradually slowed.
“You shut up---! You tell me not to cry… are you trying to make me use my saliva to heal your wound instead?”
Qifeng stroked my face and gave a small laugh—“The happiest thing in my life… is taking a blade for you~”
“I don’t want you to take a blade for me! You’re so weak!”
Qifeng’s bleeding stopped completely, but “Death’s Blade’s” magic prevented the wound from healing any further. I was terrified that if I moved away, the wound would worsen—
No, even if I have to cry out all my tears, or even all my blood, I will not let anything happen to Qifeng—!
I’m willing to water her with my tears for a lifetime!
“It’s not working? It won’t heal?” Lian Qi knelt beside me, speaking nervously.
I was too focused. I didn’t even know when Lian Qi had come to my side.
“Save Qifeng!
I pleaded with Lian Qi, crying.
“‘Death’s Blade’s’ magic is… stopping Qifeng’s wound from healing. What do we do?”
“Fei’er, calm down. It’s okay, leave it to me. My explosion magic can destroy others’ magic. So, let me try.”
I sniffled. In an instant, I felt like the clouds had parted.
I quickly made some room for Lian Qi. I watched as she tore open Qifeng’s blood-soaked uniform, as if she were about to perform surgery.
At that exact moment, I suddenly sensed three powerful magic presences descending on the execution ground. I sniffled and looked over—only to see three “guests” standing on a rooftop, looking down on us.
“Where’s Sister Yelijia?”2 one of them said.
“I don’t know. She’s gone,” another replied.
I understood in a second. All the remaining members of the assassination organization “Seven-Leaf Tree” were now present.
It seemed they were having a disagreement.
“Don’t get bogged down in a fight. Saving them is the priority.”
“No, now is the perfect chance to kill them!”
The perfect chance to kill us? Then bring it on!
I tightened my grip on my hammer, but I didn’t stand up, because I was worried that without my tears, Qifeng’s wound would worsen.
Suddenly, a crimson figure blocked my view! “Scarlet Flame,” Sister Phylicia, had arrived.
From the moment I was ambushed by “Death’s Blade” until now, only one minute had passed.