“I have the powers granted to me by God. I do not believe you to be the evil sort,” she says with a saintly smile.
Wow, she can smile like that even before the intimidation devil known as Julius. I wouldn’t expect any less of the woman I used to admire!
I nod along with her reaction as I hold up the real woman to her manga version. Yup, yup! Aela has the special powers God gave her.
Having left the Fairy Realm on a journey to defeat the Demon Lord, Lylish discovers Aela, a girl with the potential to become a saint, and grants her the powers of some powerful entity she calls “God.” Fairies are a special species rarely seen in these lands. They’re said to have taught humans how to use magic but have since retreated to seclusion in their original realm because they couldn’t adapt to the magic particles of the human world.
However, the devastation of the human world leads to the devastation of the fairy realm, and so Lylish journeys to save the human world from the Demon Lord’s destruction, empowering Aela along the way. Their whole backstory is right out of a fantasy novel. Well, it is a fantasy manga.
Anyway, that’s why Aela can use an amazing, miraculous class of magic unattainable by human sorcerers.
“God? How quaint. Such beings aren’t real… But you’re free to believe what you want. After all, I can’t let you leave here alive now that you’ve discovered us.” Julius drops that line like a villain, his intent to kill them palpable.
I’m not his target and I’ve still got goose bumps from it.
Scary. I keep forgetting that Julius is Analia’s strongest Grand Magi…and not necessarily a “good” guy.
“Damn you!” Guido curses and swings down his enchanted sword. But it snags on an invisible wall halfway. “Tch! A magic shield!”
Julius flicks his wrist like he’s swatting an irritating fly, blowing Guido back until his head slams into the wall. Guido slides down and struggles to get up right away after being hit by a far more powerful attack than Laurent’s gust of wind.
But, as you should expect of a shounen hero, he thrusts his sword into the floor and uses it to unsteadily rise off the ground. Pretty impressive he’s able to stand after that blow.
“Oh? You can stand after taking a direct hit from me?” Julius comments, a hint of amusement entering his otherwise deadpan voice.
Meanwhile, I’m sitting on pins and needles over how he’s been reciting lines right out of the villain playbook! Is this what they call a Bad Ending flag? Are things going to be okay like this?
Also, maybe everyone has let it escape their notice, but we’re inside an Elle Village mansion! Please don’t play out a mini-boss fight right here!
“Master Julius doesn’t show mercy, does he?” Laurent mutters beside me.
Right? Anyone who sees this would think so. Also, his word choice captures just the right amount of cool villainy. I’m in awe.
For that matter, is Julius serious about killing them…? The death aura pouring off him is real. Goose bumps are still prickling my flesh.
Honestly, I’m scared of Saint Aela’s group. I mean, they might kill me…
But I don’t want to see them get killed here, either. After all, I know from the manga that they’re really good people. I don’t want to let Aela’s story end before it’s supposed to.
“J-Julius. Th-That’s enough, I think. They aren’t so bad, and they got rid of that sleazy messenger for us!” I say, drawing this fact to his attention and grabbing hold of his arm.
He frowns and groans my name. “Elle…”
Silence reigns.
In that moment of impasse, Saint Aela runs over to the barely standing Guido. She puts her arm around his shoulder and looks back at us.
“Why don’t we…talk first? I still am not convinced that you are bad people. You have a reason for not wanting us to leave here alive, right? I can help you.”
She must be shaken up and angry after seeing her dear friend thrown against the wall like a rag doll, but her unflinching gaze reveals neither emotion.
Julius and Aela hold each other’s gaze.
It feels like a needle is pricking my heart.
I know this is not the time for it, but it hurts seeing them exchange looks.
“…Elle,” Julius calls while I’m sinking into depression, “you do not want me to kill them, right?”
“What?! Ah, yeah. That’s right. I don’t want them to die. I guarantee you that they’re not bad people!” I say, vehemently defending them.
Julius exhales a long breath and strides over to Guido. “I’m sorry. Can you stand?”
Guido slaps away Julius’s hand. “Don’t come near me,” he seethes.
Yeah, it’d come across as a slap in the face if the person who sent you flying asks if you can stand. Poor guy.
“Please sit still, Your Highness. I’ll heal your wounds. Close your eyes,” Aela instructs, pressing her forehead against his.
Oooh! I know what’s going on! Aela’s using the recovery spell unique to her!
It’s an awesome ability where just by pressing her forehead against another will heal the person’s wounds in the blink of an eye. This is it! Part of the magic that earned her the title of saint.
It’s no big secret that Analia has no healing spells. About the only thing we have to heal ourselves are the elixirs made by the DemiOracle.
Recovery magic is extremely valuable!
My inner fangirl is itching to get out and take a closer look at Aela’s magic, but an already healed Guido stands up before I can.
He glares at Julius, letting him know he’s ready to fight. Saint Aela stands between them with a troubled smile.
I’ve read enough manga to feel like I’m watching a love triangle scene unfold between them.
Just thinking of it that way…agitates me. Why? It’s so strange.
I adored these kinds of scenes when I read the manga…