The Saint’s Arrival

To understand how we got here, we must wind back the clock a short while.

In the Royal Capital, Saint Emilina had been scouring the streets for information on the rumored Orphan Savior. Finally, a lead landed in her lap.

The Savior’s name was Yuri Lousouth. Apparently, he had been granted his own territory and was currently serving as its Lord.

It was no wonder she hadn't found him; she had been looking in the wrong place entirely. However, she couldn't simply abandon her post at the Church in the Capital without a compelling reason. She had resigned herself to waiting for his next visit to the city—until an unexpected visitor arrived at the Church gates.

It was his younger sister, Sasha Lousouth.

She was visibly shaken, her face a ghostly shade of white.

“I-is Lady Emilina here? Please!”

The sheer desperation in the girl’s voice suggested that something catastrophic was afoot.

“I am right here,” Emilina said, stepping forward with a serene, practiced smile. “We’ll draw too much attention out here. Let us speak in my room.”

Relief flooded Sasha’s features as she followed the Saint through the halls. The room Emilina led her to was a modest private chamber provided by the Church—a Spartan space containing nothing more than a bed and a desk.

“I thought it best we speak where we wouldn't be overheard,” Emilina apologized, beginning to brew tea. “I’m sorry I have nothing better to offer you.”

Tea was one of Emilina's few indulgences. Every time she ventured into the city, she used her meager allowance to carefully select the finest leaves she could afford.

“Ah… it smells wonderful,” Sasha murmured. The gentle aroma seemed to anchor her, slowly drawing her back from the brink of panic. She took a sip. “It’s delicious.”

“Thank you. Now, you mentioned you had urgent business. What has happened?”

“R-right! Um… my brother… Please, you have to help Yuri!”

Emilina’s expression clouded. A noble who genuinely cared for the poor was a rare, heretical breed in the current climate. Such a man would naturally accrue enemies.

Yet, Yuri was a Lousouth. The family was legendary for its high Aptitude, and their status as Dukes placed them at the pinnacle of the Kingdom’s hierarchy. To cross the son was to cross the Duke himself. No noble would be foolish enough to do so openly.

Unless, of course, the enemy was within.

“Tell me everything,” Emilina urged.

“Recently, my broth—no, Yuri… he went to the frontier to study lordship. But it was all a trap. My father planned it…”

Emilina’s suspicions were confirmed. Yuri’s protection lasted only as long as he had his family's backing. If the Duke himself turned against him, he was defenseless.

“But would Duke Lousouth really stoop to attacking his own son? He’s so obsessed with his public image. I would expect him to be more discreet—an ‘accident’ or a quiet assassination, perhaps.”

Sasha nodded fervently. “He isn't doing it himself. I overheard them talking… they’re going to use a Dragon. T-that’s impossible, right? He wouldn't…” Tears began to well in Sasha’s eyes.

“I can’t be certain with just that,” Emilina said softly, “but was there anything else? Anything unusual?”

“N-now that you mention it… the person my father was talking to… I’ve never seen anyone like him. I don’t even know if he was human. He had wings and horns… like a demon.”

Emilina bolted upright. She crossed the room to her bookshelf, yanked out a heavy tome, and flipped through the pages until she found what she was looking for. She slammed the book onto the table and pointed.

“Was it someone like this?”

The illustration depicted a member of the Demon Race—the cruel, powerful inhabitants of the Trismalis Demon Kingdom. They possessed Aptitudes far beyond human reach, specialized in Dark Attribute magic, and bore wings that allowed them to dominate the skies. Their claws could shred iron, and they were masters of manipulating Monsters.

If the Duke was in league with them, a Dragon attack made perfect sense. To an outsider, it would look like a tragic natural disaster.

But the implications were far worse. The Kingdom of Inraku had been founded on a rebellion against the Trismalis Demon Kingdom, where humans had once been kept as slaves. Every child knew the story of the First King of Inraku, the Hero who slew the Demon Lord. The two nations were bitter enemies; a secret alliance with the Demon Race was nothing short of high treason.

Sasha’s eyes widened as she stared at the page. “That’s him! That’s exactly what he looked like!”

It was settled. Duke Lousouth was guilty.

And if he was moving now, Yuri’s territory was as good as gone. A frontier village couldn't possibly withstand a Dragon.

“I understand,” Emilina said firmly. “I don’t know how much I can do, but I will give everything I have to help him.”

“Thank you! Oh, thank you!” Sasha bowed her head, weeping with relief.

Emilina watched her, her mind already racing. Yuri was in danger, but Sasha was in even more immediate peril. If the Duke realized his daughter knew his secret, he would move to silence her instantly. She couldn't stay here.

“Lady Sasha, you should come with me. I will handle the Duke. We’ll use the Pilgrimage of the Saint as our cover.”

“A-are you sure?”

“Of course. Let’s go make sure Lord Yuri is safe.”

And so, the two greatest threats to my survival—the game’s female lead and the sister carrying a mountain of ruin flags—began their journey toward the frontier.

◇　◆　◇

The news that the Saint was coming hit me like a physical blow. As I scrambled around in a panic, Fee watched me with a look of pure confusion.

“Why are you so scared of a Saint?” she asked. “Isn't she supposed to be a savior?”

“You don't understand, Fee. If you get too close to that woman, the Guillotine starts sharpening its blade. It’s a literal death sentence.”

“T-that sounds terrifying...”

“I assure you, no such fate awaits you.”

A new voice cut through our frantic huddle. I froze.

A girl with cascading golden hair and a pristine white habit stepped into the clearing. It was Emilina—the Saint herself. Since we were still five years away from the game’s start, she looked younger than her illustrations, but the early signs of her legendary "assets" were already... well, let’s just say the "Decameron" nicknames weren't exaggerations.

“Hahaha... just a joke, obviously!” I forced a laugh, sweating bullets. “I would never speak ill of the Saint. Not me.”

“Is that so?” Emilina tilted her head, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. “Your words sounded remarkably sincere just now.”

“It’s just the shadows,” I lied through my teeth. “The trees make everything look more ominous than it is.”

We stared at each other, both of us maintaining perfectly fake smiles.

“Lord Yuri is scary...” Fee whispered, trembling behind my cloak.

Suddenly, a smaller figure in expensive silks peeked out from behind the Saint. She looked frantic.

“Lady Emilina, we don't have time! We have to tell him about the Dragon!”

It was Sasha, my younger sister. I had no idea why the girl destined for ruin was traveling with the Saint who usually delivers it, but she looked genuinely worried for me. I felt a small pang of genuine gratitude.

“A Dragon?” I asked. “You mean the Earth Dragon?”

They were rare, but Earth Dragons were native to this region. I figured they must have spotted another one on the way.

“T-that’s what Father said!” Sasha cried.

“An Earth Dragon?!” Emilina gasped, her composure finally breaking. “We can’t fight that! Lord Yuri, we have to evacuate the village immediately!”

So it was an Earth Dragon. That explained why I couldn't feel its presence anymore; Fritz must have already finished the job.

“Right, well... how about we head back to the village first?” I suggested.

“Are you insane?” Sasha shrieked. “You’ll be eaten!”

“Do you see a dragon anywhere?” I asked, gesturing to the quiet forest.

“Well... no, but...” Sasha faltered, looking around in confusion. She probably thought she’d been given bad intel.

“You’ve had a long trip,” I said, my voice dripping with forced hospitality. “There isn't much here, but please, make yourself at home,” I added, while internally screaming for them to leave as fast as humanly possible.

If I turned them away now, the rumors would ruin me faster than any dragon could. I had no choice. I led the two "doom flags" toward my settlement.

◇　◇　◇

My territory was still a work in progress—mostly just dirt and a few new trenches for defense. And, of course, the massive, hole-riddled corpse of an Earth Dragon lying unceremoniously by the roadside. To me, it was just a landscape feature.

I started to walk past it into the village, but Sasha grabbed my arm, her face twisting in horror.

“W-why are you just walking past it?!” she screamed, pointing at the dead beast. “That’s the dragon! It’s right there!”

“Oh, that? It’s just a giant lizard with no salvage value,” I said with a shrug. “If you want it, it’s yours. Consider it a souvenir.”

Moving that much dead weight was a logistical nightmare I didn't have the budget for. If it wasn't going to make me a profit, I wasn't touching it.

“In that case... may I truly have it?” Emilina asked, stepping forward with an opportunistic glint in her eyes.

Maybe the Church had some use for dragon scales or whatever. I didn't care.

“Sure. Take the whole thing. Be my guest.”

I gave the Saint a thumbs-up, happy to have someone else deal with the trash.