Published at 17th of November 2021 02:51:58 PM

450 A Certain Saints Miscalculation (side: Lilixira)

Saint-sama, Saint-sama, wake up!

Lilixira recovers consciousness to the sound of her holy knight subordinate, Alphiss. She finds herself sitting against the wall of a room that has lost its roof.

She notices that a pool of blood is spreading out from her. Her hand searches around, before her fingers close tightly around her [Holy Countrys Staff of Authority]. Then, she remembers what happened.

A monster called ruin suddenly burst through the floor. The ruin shot her with its magic attack, and she responded with her [Mirror Counter]. However, her magic mirror was easily shattered. By remembering that much, Lilixira is able to understand the gist of what happened.

By the glimpse she saw of the iridescent monsters status, she was able to learn that it had the name ruin, and that it was most likely the result of the Demon Lord evolving while bypassing the normal means.

Youre awake, Saint-sama! Ive already applied [Rest], but Your left leg and arm

Hearing Alphisss words, Lilixira glances at her body. Her left leg is crooked and bent, and her left arm is completely missing from the shoulder down.

Your leg was crushed by debris after you fell in the hole. Your arm was, umm It was directly hit by that iridescent monsters magic and seems to have disintegrated.

It looks like Ill need to return to the Holy Country and visit the regeneration specialist. This was why I asked him to come along.

Lilixira speaks expressionlessly, almost as though shes talking about someone elses wound. Standing around her the eight Holy Knights who shed had enter Alban in disguise.

It looks like quite a lot of time has passed while I was out. The ruin What is the situation of that monster, and the [Human Realm]?

That is, umm The dragon acted as a decoy to lead the rampaging monster away from the city

Lilixira opens her eyes wide and says nothing. After a few seconds of silence, she mutters impossible, grips her staff tightly, and glares at Alphiss.

B-but, that dragon, really

No, that is impossible, Alphiss. There is no possibility that the dragon could have the spare strength to draw that monster away. Isnt it strange that it was able to do that? Especially when Alphiss and Balear, who were tasked with completing the mission at risk to their lives, were present?

Alphiss gulps and keeps her mouth closed.

You and Balear healed that dragon, didnt you?

B-but, Saint-sama To protect the city, that dragon

Lilixira thrusts her staff at Alphisss chin.

If you had that much spare time, then why didnt you crush the ouroboross head, or pluck its wings or legs? Even if you couldnt have managed that, then you should have at least killed it. Alphiss, Balear, do you two understand what you have done?

Lilixiras cold words continue.

This is your third blunder, Alphiss. For a while now, I had thought of you as quick-witted, and trusted you to not be swayed by your emotions, but it seems I was unfortunately mistaken.

Mythird?

The first was when you laid bare your hostility to the ouroboros when we first made contact with it. Some degree of vigilance was necessary to not arouse suspicion, but what you did had the opposite effect.

Yes.

The second was when you warned the undead to leave the ouroboros and run. The result was a fight with the ouroboros that left me unable to react to the unforeseen element of the Demon Lords escape. Did you think I hadnt noticed?

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I have no excuses, it is as you say.

All of this is the result of your blunders. This should have all been within the bounds of what I prepared for. That was why I layered so many back up plans. But because you did things you didnt need to, it has all been ruined.

What Lilixira had most feared was an exception like the ruin. Because of that fear, she dispersed her forces, portioning out her strength to create layers of insurance. It was for this reason that she set the ouroboros after the Demon Lord, and the reason kept the Magic Beast King as a [Spirit Servant], rather than taking the Divine Skill.

Now it is clear that it would have been better if she had killed the ouroboros at the island at the edge of the world and taken its divine skill. The ouroboros was a useful psychological warfare tool to prevent the Demon Lord from running away, but it is not as though there were no other options available.

However, because of the ease of manipulating the ouroboros, she had wanted to keep it as another pawn against any exceptions. However, this time, her fear and caution over an unfamiliar divine skill instead led to the opposite effect. Just a step before the goal, the cooperation broke down. Though it is a view based on hindsight, if she had only consolidated all her forces and fought from the front, it is likely that everything would have fallen into her hands.

But the only person who could smile so convincingly at someone youve already decided to betray is you, Saint-sama.

Her eyes downcast, Alphiss mutters faintly. They were words that had slipped out without thinking, but they were unmistakably her real feelings.

I need to dispose of it now. If its already dead then it would be fine, but if it survives it will be a disaster!

Lilixira clutches the wall and forces herself up.

S-Saint-sama! Chasing it with your body like that is reckless!

The Holy Knight, Balear, hurriedly props up Lilixiras body.

If only the seraphim wasnt dead! I can only hope the distance is sufficient. I never would have thought I would be using my last card from a state like this

Lilixira holds up her staff.

[Spirit Servant]! Appear before me, servant of mine bestowed the name Magic Beast King, the Unclean God of Death, Beelzebub!

Across the floor, a huge dark magic circle spreads. As she witnesses this, Alphisss face turns pale.

S-Saint-sama S-supposing that dragon really did act to protect the city Is there really a need to use Beelzebub?

Even if the royal capital must be burned to ash, the ouroboros cannot be allowed to escape! This is the only possible time when we can safely deal with it! Why can neither of you understand that!? A legendary class monster absolutely cannot be allowed to be born Much less a god of monsters!