I didn't want to trust people.
I couldn't trust them.
Humans who changed based on their positions and circumstances disgusted me.
I hated those who could throw anything away for their own sake.
I resented the goddess who allowed the world to fall into such ruin.
I was on the verge of turning my back on the world entirely.
But then, I met Noah.
Even in this wretched world, Noah shone beautifully.
No matter how difficult things became, she kept moving forward.
She embraced me, someone who had given up on humanity, someone who had given up on the world.
She took in someone as pathetic as me.
When I had no one left, she became my only friend.
When the whole world called me Priestess, only Noah called me Rubia.
A small flicker of hope ignited within me, urging me to trust people once more.
If it's a world Noah lives in,
A world she loves,
Maybe it's worth saving.
Even if I despised billions of humans,
If it's a world where Noah remembers me,
Where Noah cares for me,
Maybe it's worth saving.
I gazed at the adventurers surrounding the gate.
These were people I couldn't fully trust, but I decided to give them a chance.
Clearing my throat, I steadied my voice, hoping it wouldn't waver.
"Adventurers, no matter what happens, you must maintain the formation. Even the slightest break will put the entire village at risk. Please, I beg you, don't give up. Protect the village."
Voices of defiance rang out, some claiming there was nowhere to run, others filled with confidence, promising to defend at all costs. Some were shaking in fear, while others spoke with ambition, hoping for social advancement.
I forced a smile onto my face, despite the bitter taste in my mouth.
"I will take responsibility for your lives. So... I ask that you protect the villagers... so the nightmare of the past doesn't... doesn't repeat itself..."
I wanted to sound strong, but my voice trembled.
I took a deep breath, steadied myself, and spoke again.
"Please, I'm counting on you."
With that, I took a step forward.
Through the ranks of adventurers,
Past the gold-ranked adventurer leading them.
Further forward.
"I will lead the vanguard."
And then, saying the words I despised the most, I unleashed divine power toward the thousands of monsters charging from the front.
"For the glory of Erden."
As soon as those words left my lips, the southern wall collapsed, and the battle on the western front began.
* * * *
"Little girl!"
As Heinzel's voice called out, I threw myself to the side.
In the same instant, Heinzel's unique ability activated right where I had been standing.
His halberd cut through the wind and sliced dozens of gnolls apart in one swing.
"A-Are you insane...?! Were you trying to kill me?!"
Ignoring my horrified shout, Heinzel swung his halberd once more.
"Kahaha! If you can't dodge something like this, how do you expect to make a living as an adventurer?!"
Heinzel, the brute.
The bald, shiny-headed brute, Heinzel!
"Ugh... Using your unique ability is cheating. That doesn't count!"
I stood up, dusting off the layers of dirt that had collected on my head.
"If you're upset, then use yours!"
"Y-You...! You bald... brute!"
I wanted to hurl more insults, but I held back.
Calling him bald wasn't really an insult, so it's fine.
"What are you doing, picking on someone who's half your age, Heinzel? Oh, by the way, it looks like I'm in the lead."
"Y-You're no different... Seriously..."
Despite the calm tone in which Luchi spoke, his body was in tatters as he swiftly swung his sword.
His swordplay looked light, but with each swing, ten or more gnolls fell.
Meanwhile, I...
"Hrrrng—!"
Even with all my strength, I could only take down three or four at a time.
Why is this happening to me...?
Is it because my weapon is cheap...?
No... They say a craftsman doesn't blame their tools, so it's not the equipment's fault.
It's because I don't have a unique ability.
Just wait...
Once I develop mine, I'll beat all of them.
"I'll win... in the end, I'll beat them all..."
By the time Heinzel and Luchi are old, bent-over men, I'll win.
Ignoring the old men's banter, I focused on the battle.
I kept slashing, tearing, and breaking until a wall of gnoll corpses surrounded me.
When my blade dulled, I swapped it out for another greatsword, never stopping.
I ignored minor injuries, focusing only on deflecting attacks aimed at my vital points.
I mimicked Luchi's fluid swordsmanship, not Heinzel's brute strength.
No greed, one gnoll at a time.
By the time only one of my five greatswords remained, I felt an overwhelming surge of energy from the west.
"Huh?"
It was Rubia's divine power.
"That's the Priestess's power... But what's going on?"
Luchi paused mid-action, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
Similarly, Heinzel rested his halberd on his shoulder, staring up at the sky.
A sense of unease washed over me.
I swung my greatsword to push back the gnolls and stepped away from the battle.
"I'll guard you."
"...Thank you."
As Heinzel began to cover me, I expanded my senses.
The first thing I sensed was the adventurers.
Dozens of them.
Adventurers who shouldn't be there.
I expanded my senses further.
Adventurers. Adventurers. Adventurers.
Adventurers who had fled.
Adventurers who had abandoned Rubia.
They filled my mind.
I expanded my senses further.
I saw the fiends.
Countless orcs.
Hundreds of orcs, crushing, tearing, devouring, and slaughtering the people.
I expanded my senses further.
To the far western edge.
To where the adventurers were supposed to be.
Finally, I found Rubia.
She was standing alone at the western gate.
Her body was riddled with dozens of arrows.
A spear had pierced through her abdomen.
Swords were lodged in her legs.
Teeth and claws were embedded in her body.
Her arms were twisted.
Her legs were broken.
Blood poured from a gaping wound in her side.
Yet, despite all of this, Rubia stood alone, holding back thousands of orcs.
My mind, which had been burning with rage, began to grow cold.
The trembling in my hands subsided.
The storm of emotions within me settled.
"The western front has fallen. I'm heading over."
"...Understood. Finish it quickly and catch up."
"I'll try to save as many villagers as I can, but don't push yourself too hard, little girl. If you die, you owe me a meal."
Heinzel's joke brought a sense of calm.
"I'm going. See you later."
I steadied my breath.
I spat out the broken tooth in my mouth.
I wet my parched throat with the blood in my mouth and ran toward Rubia.
I ignored the fiends rushing toward me, trusting Heinzel and Luchi to handle them.
The peaceful village of Roholan was filled with despair.
The sound of flesh being torn apart.
Screams that couldn't even form words.
The cries of children.
The fury directed at the fiends.
The horror of death.
All of it assaulted my ears.
But.
I had to ignore it.
I covered my ears.
I shut down my heart.
I ran, thinking only of Rubia.
I trusted Heinzel and Luchi.
I smashed the head of the orcs blocking my path.
I sliced through the bellies of goblins.
I pushed forward.
By the time Rubia's divine power began to fade, I had reached her.
I swung my greatsword.
At the fiends surrounding Rubia.
Over and over.
Hoping to clear a path.
Hoping Rubia wouldn't fall.
I swung my greatsword endlessly.
I didn't know how long I'd been swinging it.
I didn't know how many I'd killed.
Screaming her name, I cut my way forward.
The fiends' attacks rained down on me.
I killed and killed and killed.
Before I even thought about it, my body was already moving.
I no longer felt pain.
I didn't bother defending; I focused only on attacking.
I had to reach Rubia.
She couldn't fall.
Not here.
I grabbed a spear from the ground and thrust it forward.
I swung a club.
I threw an axe.
I stabbed with a dagger.
I crushed hearts, bit into eyes, tore apart flesh.
And when there were no more fiends within my reach, I looked around.
Behind me lay a pile of hundreds of corpses.
And in front of me stood Rubia, staggering and covered in blood.
"Rubia."
"N-Noah... is that you?"
Her trembling hand reached out toward me.
I took a step forward and grasped her hand.
"You're... you're so hurt. Does it... does it not hurt? What is all this... Your pretty face... Ah... it makes me so sad."
I had trusted the adventurers.
I didn't think this would happen.
I believed they would hold on, no matter what.
Because they had the Priestess with them.
Because the villagers were behind them.
Because on the other side, only three of us were fighting desperately.
I thought that, as humans, they would endure.
"It's okay, Noah... Can you see this? I'm healing, little by little. I won't die. I won't die until the end... Until the final day. So please... don't get hurt."
Her trembling hand gently stroked my head.
Even with her shattered voice, she was worried about me.
Even as she wavered on her feet, she infused me with her divine power.
Each of her actions grated on my nerves.
"How are... how are the villagers doing?"
I couldn't answer her.
"I see... And the adventurers...?"
I stayed silent.
"Ha... It's my fault for trusting them. My weakness... caused all this. I guess... we should go save the villagers now. They're... they're innocent in all this..."
"Rubia, didn't you hate people?"
Her body flinched when she heard my question.
"How... how did you know, Noah?"
"Then why are you so worried about the villagers?"
My chest tightened.
Frustration began to boil inside me.
"Why... Why didn't you run away?"
Without realizing it, a cold voice escaped me.
But Rubia answered softly, with warmth in her voice.
"Because you were behind me, Noah. If I ran... you'd have had a harder time."
"...Who do you think I am?"
Rubia's trembling hand came to a stop.
Her shattered voice regained its strength.
Her swaying body stood upright.
"Noah... you must never end up like me. Don't let yourself... break like I did."
And then,
Her gentle hand,
Her warm voice,
The bitter yet sweet scent of her,
Everything about Rubia
Embraced me.
"The world, the goddess made it this way. It wasn't people who did this. So... please, Noah, don't end up like me. Keep that light within you."
Then, with a voice full of tears,
With a voice that sounded like it would break at any moment,
She begged me.
"So that I can save the world. So that I don't lose my will. Please, be my guiding light. I beg you... please."
I can't let her break.
I can't let her fall.
I have to give Rubia hope.
Hope for people.
A reason to save the world.
Rubia is still here.
There's still an elixir in Luchi's bag.
Even if something goes wrong, she won't die.
So... let's do this.
"Rubia."
I pushed her back gently and took her hand.
"Let's go."
Her trembling hand,
Her swaying body,
Her tear-filled eyes.
"So you can see with your own eyes."
I pulled her forward.
"What I can do."
And I met her eyes.
"Watch closely."