Chapter 25: 8-2. The Purple Phoenix and the Vampire Saintess.
I tried to open the red-stained iron door.
“Why won’t this thing budge…?”
“It’s really stuck.”
The stone floor scraped as the door slowly gave way. Nex and I had to strain ourselves just to push it open.
Grgrrk. A chilling sound echoed through the hall.
It seemed like the exit from the arena had been sealed. As we stepped through, a much larger space came into view. I remembered that we had to keep moving forward.
As we advanced, we began to hear voices.
“Down with the false heroes!”
“Teach the ignorant Ten Great Heroes a lesson!”
It was a place that resembled a church’s sanctuary. The only light came from candles, casting flickering shadows across the dark room. Numerous cultists were praying inside.
“Followers of the Hero Cult, do you believe in our heroes?”
“We believe!”
A mass of people dressed in the same robes packed the area, making it look like a swarm of white ants. Some were almost in tears as they spoke,
“Of course we believe!!”
“The true heroes who defeated the Demon King!!”
The voices were filled with excitement, and the atmosphere had completely flipped from before. No one seemed to notice that we had slipped in among them.
“Today, the cornerstone of the prophecy will finally arrive. None other than Nex Aureus, descendant of the Ten Great Heroes.”
At the front of the congregation stood a woman with demon wings.
“The omniscient hero will lead us to the righteous path, the path where everyone can be happy, just as always!”
The woman, with pink hair and a heart-shaped tail, was unmistakably a succubus. She wore the white robes of the Heroic Cult, but there was nothing sacred about her.
‘Of all apostles… it had to be Lust.’
She was the worst match for any male character.
Her ram horns and sensual form, typical of a succubus, were enough to momentarily distract even me. I shook my head to stay focused.
No matter what, she wasn’t as beautiful as our saintess. Sure, her face might be attractive, but character matters more. No matter how revealing her outfit was, all it did was disgust me.
“Keep your head straight, senior.”
“…”
Nex, inside his helmet, grimaced, his expression filled with hostility. He probably remembered losing to her in the sequel, when he first experienced a game over.
I wondered if Charitines had been captured in a similar way, trapped in a dream she couldn’t wake up from.
“…Char?”
“Senior?”
Nex’s eyes were glazed over. It seemed like he hadn’t fully mastered the phoenix’s power yet. If this were <Knight Heart>, this wouldn’t have happened.
“Nex?”
“…”
There was no response.
“Wake up, Nex. It’s all just a dream!”
I grabbed his shoulder and shook him, trying to snap him out of it.
“Chirp…?”
His mouth was hanging open, drooling. This was worse than I thought. Even his phoenix spirit was wobbling, enchanted by the succubus.
“…Nex, Nex! Wake up! What you’re seeing isn’t real….”
If the phoenix were in its adult form, this wouldn’t have affected him. Maybe I should’ve been more cautious. I called his name several times, growing more anxious. In the game, this was usually enough to snap him out of it. Why wasn’t it working?
“Hahaha… Men really are all the same. Even the descendant of the Ten Great Heroes is this foolish.”
The succubus at the far end of the hall had noticed us. She flapped her wings slightly, and a sinister wind blew through the room.
“Violet Phoenix, the traitor Nex Aureus, welcome.”
The woman began to approach, her fragrance growing stronger with each step, making it harder to think clearly. This was dangerous. She had already set her trap. If she got any closer, it would be over.
The cultists around us were dead silent, as if they had been struck dumb by her presence, merely swallowing nervously.
Why wasn’t she attacking? Why were they just standing there? I took a moment to assess the situation. I saw the same unfocused eyes and slack mouths on the men around us.
They were all male cultists.
They were under her control through enchantment. They weren’t moving because they were waiting for the succubus’s command. This was how the Heroic Cult maintained their faith.
It was a scene right out of the <Black Heart> event, where I had struggled to break free.
“…Hm? Two of you? And why isn’t the enchantment working on you?”
Her expression stiffened as she looked at me. Looks like she wasn’t used to men who weren’t swayed by her charm. This was my chance.
“I’ve already given my heart to someone, Apostle of Lust. Servi.”
I called out her name, stopping her in her tracks as she reached for Nex. Amused that I knew her name, a seductive smile played across her lips.
“Oh my… How do you know my name…?”
“Why don’t you ask your so-called all-knowing hero?”
“Could it be… you’re the chosen hero of the Akashic Records? That would explain it.”
She tapped her finger lightly on her temple, right where my helmet’s visor was.
“…Is that the best you can come up with?”
I let out a twisted laugh, throwing a bit of bravado her way. For a moment, the succubus seemed to hesitate, as if she was processing my sudden provocation. It might be working.
“Hmm… Even so, it still doesn’t add up…”
This was my chance.
‘Come on, wake up. The Nex I know wouldn’t fall for this so easily…’
I needed to buy more time. She had too many followers with her, and without Nex Aureus, I wouldn’t stand a chance, even if I drew my sword. If she used Charitines as a shield, I wouldn’t be able to fight.
Just as I saw the focus returning to Nex’s eyes,
“Heheh… I’ve changed my mind. If I make this one mine… The Omniscient Hero will really be pleased.”
The succubus giggled, her lips curling into a small, sinister smile.
“I’m not sure how you know my name, but… huhuhuhu… I’ll figure it out slowly, won’t I?”
Her pink eyes narrowed, glowing as she fixed her gaze on me. She was preparing to cast Sleep Enchantment. I had to act fast. I placed my hand on my sword hilt.
“Finally, a man worth conquering,” she purred.
“Get lost, you—”
I began to draw my sword for a Vacuum Slash, but—
“…Have sweet dreams, both of you.”
I collapsed onto the cold floor.
***
“This feels… strange.”
“What is it, Mardol?”
Mardol’s sudden halt caught everyone’s attention.
Phine stopped mid-step as she walked with Kainel and Ariel after Drake’s lecture. Her movements were stiff, like someone had grabbed her and yanked her back.
“I don’t know.”
“Are you worried because Licht was absent today? Drake said he’d be fine, remember? Don’t worry about it, Mardol.”
“Yeah! If it’s Helmet Guy, he’ll manage just fine, wherever he is!”
Ariel smiled brightly at the Glass Knight, recalling how Licht had been one of the strongest-looking freshmen and had even helped her with her love life.
“It’s not that.”
But the unsettling feeling constricted Mardol’s chest. Her hand unconsciously moved to her armor’s chest plate. Her golden eyes narrowed.
“I need to go.”
With a powerful leap, Mardol dashed toward the cathedral.
“W-Wait, Mardol? Kain… Shouldn’t we stop her?”
“Let her go, Ariel. She probably has a hunch. If we’re needed, she’ll call us.”
All Kainel and Ariel could do was watch as Phine sprinted away at full speed. After all, this was the academy, a place protected by the Holy Sword and the Ten Great Heroes.
“And… She did the same thing last week, didn’t she?”
“She did… after that mountain climb.”
Unless the Demon King himself made an appearance, it was rare for students to be in any real danger here.
Though they still felt uneasy, due to past memories,
“It can’t be…”
“You think it’s the Demon King? Come on, Kain…”
Those very memories kept them from acting as swiftly as Phine.
***
“…Where am I?”
A pure white space, empty and infinite.
I found myself lying there, feeling the smooth touch of skin as I ran my hand over my face. Despite the familiar sensation, something about this place felt alien, wrong.
What happened? Think. What was I doing just moments ago? How did I end up here?
Then, a high-pitched voice echoed through the void.
“Hello, Knight.”
There she stood, as if drawn on a blank sheet of music—a woman in a white nun’s habit with wolf ears, far off in the distance.
“Has it been five years since we last met?”
The white-haired saintess, with her golden eyes, stood still, watching me.
“It’s fate that we meet again like this, isn’t it?”
“…Ha.”
With each step, she came closer. The scent of roses—a fragrance I hadn’t smelled in years—drifted through the air.
“How did you get here, Knight?” she asked, her voice soft yet carrying a weight of familiarity.
“To make someone unhappy, happy.”