"Thanks for taking my shift Lane!"
"No problem Elaine. I mean I wouldn't want you to miss out on a chance to cuddle with that husband of yours~"
" Oh, you!" Elaine pokes Lane's sides.
"Ouch, such a bashful wife you are!" Lane laughing retorts.
"Oh stop!" Elaine playfully shoves Lane then bids Lane goodbye promising to send her tons of delicious meals at dinner time. Lane happily waves Elaine goodbye but as soon as Elaine is far away the whole demeanor of Lane changes into a serious one. Lane too exits the adventurers' guild and makes her way to meet the other escorts for the opening ceremony.
"Finally, it's time to let 'him' taste my vengeance."
With a lot of preparation, effort, money, and time, Saine, now called Lane, is able to secure the route to kill the 'Hero'. She even had to use her prestige as a silver adventurer just to take a spot for the escort party meant for the 'Hero'. It also took a lot of bribing to ensure that the 'hero' use certain paths prepared by her on his way to the ceremony.
"Lane! You're here!" George the captain of the escorts yells cheerily.
"Yup, so how's everything? No problems hopefully?"
"Well," George scratches his chin nervously, "They were last-minute changes in the route we're supposed to take."
"Really?" Saine feigns a supprise. But deep inside she's practically grinning.
"Yeah... And since it's a bit dangerous route I need you to be the closest to the Hero. You're the best at detecting danger after all!"
"Why thank you for the false flattery, but are you sure that's a good idea? I mean the Hero practically doesn't need protecting after all so our formation doesn't matter." Saine said matter of factly.
"Heh, hah, ha hah!" George burst out laughing. He then slaps Saines back. "And this why I like you, lass! So frank and sly at the same time! Well, the Hero is powerful and that is why we are trying not to get into his bad side. Meaning, we don't want us to look bad by not being able to even warn him when there's danger."
"Ah, for appearance's sake it is then. Typical."
"Pfft," Goerge burst out laughing again. "Typical indeed!"
Seeing the other escorts joining in, George calls them for a meeting and briefs them about the changes in the route. Saine, of course, already knows about the changes since it is all part of her plan after all. She feels satisfied with how her efforts are showing signs of success.
After the briefing, they finally set off to meet and escort the 'Hero'. They're meeting the 'Hero' in the well-known old outskirt church. Upon reaching the church, the escorts immediately crowd the entrance trying to steal a look at the 'hero' and the famous rumored partner of his, the 'saintess'.
George almost losing his temper, smacks the escorts in the head and glares at them with the exception of Saine of course. The escorts then meekly line up and patiently waits for the Hero to exit the church. George made sure to look each escort in the eye silently gesturing that he have his eyes on them!
"This bunch of fools!" George mutters as he shakes his head, then pats Saine on the shoulder, "Good thing we have you, or else the dignity of the guild really would be shattered with only fools escorting the Hero"
"Glad to be of service." Saine sarcastically replies with a mischievous grin. George grins back.
Finally, the Hero exits the church but to the utter disappointment of everyone, he is wearing a concealing white robe from the church. Saine frowns. Knowing that there's a possibility that the Hero they are escorting might be fake Saine already make preparation to test him out along the way.
"Lane! Oy Lane!!" George calls out.
"Hmm?" snatch from her deep thoughts, Saine mutters. Then, she's startled to see the Hero in front of her. She stiffens a bit then quickly forces herself to relax.
"Hello." with a sensuous, soothing, and captivating voice, the Hero greets her.
"Hi." Saine curtly replies.
George seeing Lane's stiff response laughs. "I guess, even our best adventurer in town feels pressure in front of the Hero, huh?" George teasingly elbows Saine.
"Hah, I guess..." Saine looks down to hide the murderous intent in her eyes.
"I hope you can feel at ease around me, Ms. Lane. I wouldn't want you to feel tense all the time escorting me after all." the Hero soothingly answers.
"Hmm.." Saine only nods her head and signals George with her hands to begin the formation to escort the Hero. Geroge thinks it is quite awkward for Lane that's why she's signaling him to start suppressing his laughter and rounds up the escort to begin their journey.
Most of the paths that they pass have tainted ground from bygone eras, they aren't purified before because the path leading to them is obscure. And so in order to safely get past them, the 'Hero' is forced to purify these tainted grounds.
George whenever they reach a tainted ground, could only helplessly apologize to Hero time and time again for his superiors' scheme of using the 'hero' to purify these old places. The Hero would always laugh it off gently and ease George's worries by telling him it's part of his duty and he doesn't find it troublesome at all.
All this while Saine is paying close attention to whether the Hero is the one truly purifying the tainted ground or using a holy relic instead. After the tenth tainted ground is purified, Saine is completely sure that the Hero before them is the genuine one. She couldn't help but let out a smile unconsciously thinking about it. She caught the Hero quickly taking a glance at her. But dismisses it as a coincidence. She then cautiously urges them to move to the abandoned church the last stop before entering the main road to the opening ceremony.
Passing through the wide arch leading to the abandoned church, it's finally time for Saine to put revenge into action. The abandoned church is the most secluded place in the town and the hardest part to reach. The perfect setting for her vengeance. Saine quickly undoes the forbidden spell and transforms back to her demi-human form and silently knocks out all the escorts around Hero, including the shocked George.
Reacting quickly the Hero blocks Saine's attacks. Saine's attacks only aggressively grow stronger and deadlier. She is so focused on killing the Hero that it took her a while to realize that the Hero is actually only blocking her and never taking a chance to counter. She gnashes her teeth and glares at the hero with passion. Taking his inaction as an insult to her resolve, Saine let her primal instinct take over but quickly regained composure.
All her attacks, be it physical or magical, are aimed at the Hero's vital points. For some unknown reason, the Hero ridiculously trips and falls on his butt. Saine didn't miss the chance to go in for the kill but then the moment Saine stabs the Hero, the Hero's hood falls off and reveals his heavenly features. His soft pale brown wavy hair, stunning green eyes, and luscious red lips make him such an ethereal beauty.
With Saine's blade halfway puncturing the hero's heart, Saine suddenly insanely lost all her malice and lets her grip slip.
"What?..." in a bit of a daze, Saine could only stare at the Hero unblinking.
Then before she can even curse how the hell can a person be so freaking beautiful, an arrow pierces her heart, she coughs up blood and knew that it was potently poisoned for she can barely feel herself breathe,
"Shit..." she mutters as her senses dull and begins to topple over.
"SAINE!" the Hero quickly catches her as she collapses
The shock of hearing her name brought her sense back only for a moment, but that moment is enough to see the panic-stricken beautiful face of the Hero shouting her name.
Absurd, how the hell does the hero know her...
Her consciousness fades.