Chapter 87: Townsman A is Saved by the Villainess

I heard Ana’s voice calling to me. It felt so cold.

Yet, despite that chill—or perhaps because of it—I wasn’t actually shivering. In fact, I felt almost... warm.

What on earth is going on?

Once again, I heard her calling my name. Then, the body that should have been freezing grew warmer by the second.

What is this?

“Allen!”

I jolted at the sound of her voice. When I opened my eyes, Ana was right there in front of me, her eyes brimming with tears and her face washed with relief.

“How...? Why? Is this... a dream?”

“You idiot. Of course it isn’t a dream. You’re alive, Allen. Oh, thank God... Allen!”

As she spoke, she pulled me into a crushing embrace. I felt her warmth surging through me, and her lovely scent filled my nose. I found the sensation so unbearably precious I could hardly stand it.

Only then did it finally sink in: my life had been preserved.

According to Ana and the Duke—wait, no, I should call him Gerhardt-san now—Ana was the one who healed my wounds. Apparently, she’d suddenly heard a voice and found she could do it.

Furthermore, she had been granted the Divine Protection of the [Ice Saint]. While her [Ice Magic] Divine Protection had vanished, it had been replaced by the [Holy Ice Magic] Skill. I had a pretty good idea what had caused the change, but I performed an Appraisal just in case.

[Sky Knight] The Divine Protection of a Knight given to those who wish to protect people; evolved from a standard Knight’s blessing via the Sword of the Sky Knight. In addition to base Knight aptitude, it drastically increases aptitude for Wind Magic.

[Ice Saint] Granted to a female practitioner of Ice Magic who possesses a noble spirit and deep love, and who has been granted a Holy Blessing. Allows the wielder to manifest holy power through ice. Drastically increases aptitude for Holy Ice Magic. Upon receiving this Divine Protection, the wielder is granted the [Holy Ice Magic] Skill.

[Holy Ice Magic] An evolution of the Ice Magic Divine Protection or Skill, triggered when the owner becomes an Ice Saint. Allows the manipulation of ice imbued with holy power. Completely encompasses all functions of the [Ice Magic] Skill.

“...Or so it seems,” I concluded.

“F-For a woman like me to be a Saint...”

Ana looked genuinely bewildered.

“This is just a guess, but you received the Blessing of the Light Spirit, right, Ana? I think your intense desire was funneled through the Staff of Guidance to make it happen.”

“I-Is that so?”

Even after my explanation, she looked like it hadn’t quite sunk in yet.

“But thank you, Ana. It’s thanks to you that I’m still standing here.”

“A-Ah... Yes. You know, I thought my heart was going to stop.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I never want to go through something like that again. Ever.”

“Yeah. I’m sorry.”

“Hmph. As long as you understand, then it’s fine.”

She looked so cute saying that I couldn't help but pull her into another tight hug.

“Ahem. It is wonderful that you fiances are on such good terms, but could we perhaps move the conversation along?”

I’d just started flirting with Ana, and Gerhardt-san had already shut us down. Dammit.

“Now then. What is this about a ‘witch’?”

“Right. When I appraised that woman, Amy von Braises, I saw a Divine Protection called [Bewitching Witch]. Its effects include the enhancement of feminine charm and a drastic increase in aptitude for the [Kotodama] Skill.”

“[Kotodama], huh? I’ve heard of such things in fairy tales, but it is quite a troublesome Skill to encounter in reality. In short, if someone shows even the slightest hint of interest in her, she can corrupt them instantly just by speaking?”

“Does that mean that woman has been manipulating those five like that for years?” Ana asked, her face twisted into a scowl.

“No, I think she probably obtained that power recently. If she’d had it from the start, the academy would have likely ended up in a much worse state.”

However, considering the abnormal atmosphere at the academy, I couldn't rule out the possibility that she’d been using a weak version of [Kotodama] even without the official Skill or Divine Protection.

“I suppose so. It certainly wouldn't be out of character for that woman to demand every man on earth serve her. Which means Allen, too...!”

Perhaps imagining that scenario, a literal chill began to leak from Ana’s body.

“A-Ana, that’s not it at all! You can rest easy, okay? I only have eyes for you.”

I felt a cold sweat—and not from her magic—run down my spine. I certainly wasn't going to let it slip that since her looks were decent, things had been a bit touch-and-go at the very beginning. I didn't exactly have a death wish, and more importantly, saying something like that would only hurt her.

“I-I see. Right. That’s true. There’s no way Allen would be swayed by a woman like that.”

“That’s right. The only woman I love is you, Ana.”

I took her hand and gazed into her eyes. Her expression finally softened, and her cheeks flushed a light pink.

“Ahem. You two, if you don't mind?”

““Ah.””

We were once again pulled back from our private world.

“Well, fine. Regardless, this witch is a problem. If we leave someone with such a dangerous ability to her own devices, the world will be in chaos. I shall issue a high-priority order at once.”

With that, Gerhardt-san turned and exited the room.