Given that she was my fave, there was no way I’d miss the brief sparkle in her eye when I mentioned Angela’s name. She must have been precious to her.
“I came here to save you on her request.” I sipped some of the fruit water before explaining more. “I know it must hurt being hated by everyone around you, and I think I know how to save you.”
“Save me? Right, you don’t seem to feel repulsion toward me. Why is that?”
Her eyes widened, and then, for just a moment, she seemed to smile. The problem was that her smile was quite ominous.
“Well…”
Just as I tried to explain my reasoning, I felt my head grow heavy. What was happening? My body grew unresponsive even as I was trying to work through my confusion.
“I’ll answer for you,” said Astesia. “It’s because you’re a heretic, right?”
“What? No, I’m here to…”
“I know exactly what the curse on me is. I will be ‘hated by all’ except those in that heretical religion, right? Then, when I’m at my lowest, you and your people would show up to ‘save’ and brainwash me. Too bad for you, but I was once called a saint. I have knowledge of curses, though I was only able to weaken its effects instead of ridding myself of it entirely…”
Frozen under her gaze, I could only groan. This was bad! She’d mistaken me for a member of the Hades Church. Not only that, but what she described was exactly how they recruited her in the game.
Talk about persuasive.
“Were you the ones who kidnapped Malta? I’m going to make you talk. I’ve never tortured someone before, but don’t worry,” Astesia said as she drew my own sword from my belt. “I’ll be able to heal your wounds quickly.”
Shit! I am so dead! Man, all these villain characters are so quick to violence. Aigis was just like this! I desperately tried to move my body, but it wasn’t listening to me. A paralysis effect was locking me in place.
“I adjusted the medicine so you’d be able to speak.” Her eyes were cold as she lifted my sword to my throat. “Why did you curse me like this? And what do I need to do to dispel it?”
“You’ve…got it all wrong…” I protested. “I’m not one of them… I’m here to save…”
“Is that so? I’m disappointed you won’t be honest. Torture isn’t really my thing, but I’ll heal you as long as you survive. Fear not.”
Aah, I am so screwed! What do you mean, “fear not”?!
Okay, well, I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t something kinda hot about having my fave coolheaded, beautiful dark saint threatening me. The problem was that this was also my other fave’s body, and I wanted to avoid harming him as much as possible.
In the end, an unexpected individual saved me from this desperate predicament.
“Keww! Kew? Kewwww!”
“White?!” I cried.
Astesia stared. “What? Why is a Divine Beast here?”
My adorable White squeezed through the gap in the door and saw me in my moment of turmoil, then spread his tiny arms out to try and protect me from Astesia.
What a thoughtful, loving little guy he was, but I couldn’t afford to let him get hurt. In the game, Astesia hated Divine Beasts so much that she singularly targeted characters who had pacts with them. By appearing here, he’d put himself in mortal danger.
“White, run…! Run and get Rosalia…”
“Kew!”
Instead of complying, he stayed right where he was. I was trying to figure out what to do next when Astesia laid down my sword and lowered her head as if she were in the presence of a god.
“Wh-why would a Divine Beast…?” She spoke with a trembling voice and a look of sheer disbelief on her face. “Could it be that you’ve formed a pact? Is that…why the curse does not affect you?”
Huh? She’s changed her mind? In any case, I’m saved!
“Yeah, that’s it.” I barely managed to squeeze out the words. “I-if possible, it’d be lovely if you did something about this poison…”
“Right, I’m so sorry! Divine blessing, purify this man!” Astesia said in a panicked voice. A moment later, my body was wrapped in bright light, and my paralysis vanished as if it had never been to begin with. Wow, healing magic was incredible!
“Wow, thanks. You really saved my butt, White!”
White climbed my shoulder happily while I was busy being impressed by Astesia’s fantasy magic, then began to nuzzle my cheek. His soft fur felt incredible.
“Kew, kew!” he chittered.
The little guy saved me big-time. According to the church, Divine Beasts were the messengers of God himself, beings to be venerated. Unlike in the game, Astesia hadn’t yet fallen into darkness, so she, too, revered these creatures. Things were finally looking up for me.
“I am so sorry. There’s no way a heretic could have a pact with a Divine Beast, yet I doubted you. I’ll do anything to make it up to you.”
Astesia was so apologetic that it made me feel like I had been imagining her behavior earlier. I had White to thank for this.
Wait, did she say “anything?” That was like something straight out of an over-eighteen doujin.
“Mua ha ha! All right, then how about you prostrate yourself and repeat the following: ‘I’m so sorry. I’m a foolish woman for ever doubting you, Lord Weiss.’”
“As you wish. I’m so…”
“Ah, stop, stop! I was just joking. I’m sorry!” I panicked and managed to stop her just as her forehead was about to touch the floor. “Please don’t lower your head like that. Given the situation, I understand why I came off as suspicious. You don’t have anything to apologize for.”