Sometimes, I'd suddenly notice that I was in the middle of a dream. This was one of those times.
I was inside my oh-so-familiar apartment, with my oh-so-familiar mediocre looks. My body felt light—way too light. It wasn't natural.
Yup, definitely a dream.
Oh, and something else was strange—I was having an out-of-body experience. Like, I could see myself as if I was floating over my body. Then again, I guess dreams were usually strange like that.
Even though it wasn't real, I figured I might as well enjoy my return to normalcy. My body was just staring off into space with a dumb expression, so I took control of it and turned on my computer.
The very first thing I did was open the official website of Kuon no Sanka; I just had to.
You might've been wondering why. Well, the reason was very simple—I could see the date on the corner of my screen, and it just so happened to be the day the character popularity ranking had been uploaded. Even if I were inside a dream, I just had to know the results! Needless to say, I had voted for my lovely Eterna.
I hope she gets first place...
When I opened the page, though, what I saw was seriously shocking.
The first is...Marie, huh? Frustrating, but fair enough.
Marie was a kuudere—an ice queen, but a huge softie on the inside—and the most popular character. There was always a second lead that ended up being more popular than the heroine, right?
The second place went to Eterna. I was a bit sad that she hadn't managed to snatch the top spot, but it was still a good ranking. I just hoped she'd do even better next time if another contest was organized.
Third place... All right.
Fourth place... Yeah, sure.
Fifth place... Ellize?! What the hell?!
No way... There's no way in hell she got fifth!!! Just what kind of freak would even vote for her?! Why?! Just why?!
Ellize was supposed to be universally hated, the target of hate campaigns. She was, like, the textbook case of a detestable villain and a huge pile of turds. She was the worst piece of shit in the world, even! It made no sense for her to rank fifth!
While I was freaking out, I scrolled down all the way to the comments.
Ellize is such a saint!
I know, right? Even holier than the original.
And prettier...
Give us an Ellize route, c'mon!
Ellize, my goddess!!!
No route and she's fifth... Go for it, Miss (true) Saint!
The best part of the game.
Ellize's too pure for this world.
She's supposed to be a fake saint, right? Makes sense—she's no saint, she's an outright goddess!
Fuuuuuuuckkkkk!!! Only fifth place?!
I swear, the lack of Ellize route makes this game shit.
Let's face it, she's the real saint. Eterna did nothing but steal her spotlight. What a saint... lol.
>Can you go shit on the other girls somewhere else, asshole?
>You don't need to diss Eterna to praise your waifu!
>Go kill yourself!
Ellize's the only one worthy of being called a saint!
Huh??? Is there...something wrong with my eyes??? These comments just don't make any sense.
Ellize's story went as follows: Before the game's events, she was switched with Eterna at birth, claimed the other girl's position, and did whatever the hell she wanted until everyone hated the saint. Even after the main story began, she continued to pull shit, and almost every player hated her guts. She finally got what was coming toward the end, and everyone rejoiced. She was even more of a villain than the witch.
There's no way in hell anyone could mistake her intentions and write posts like that. What's going on?! Wait, is it April Fools' Day? Yeah, no. It's not the first of April. I'm so confused. Why?! How?!
I had no clue what the hell was going on, so I looked up Ellize's name and clicked on her wiki page.
Ellize
Profile:
A non-dateable character of the game Kuon no Sanka.
Ellize is referred to as the saint. She's proficient in magic and swordplay and is one of the most powerful characters in the game.
When she was a child, she was selfish and often acted up, but after realizing the error of her ways, she changes altogether and decides to devote her life to helping others.
Ellize rises as the symbol of light to oppose the witch, the grim symbol of darkness. She often helps the player in times of need.
At the start of the story, she helps the fourteen-year-old Verner control his powers and gives him a pendant. This event becomes a turning point for him.
However, absorbing part of his powers shortens Ellize's life. As a result, her body also stops growing. This is the reason why she always looks fourteen.
Ellize refuses to abandon even the smallest village and rushes to battle monsters wherever they appear. She also heals everyone she comes across, no matter who they are.
Even though Ellize is a flawless saint, she's not the real one of Kuon no Sanka. As a child, she was mistaken for Eterna. In truth, she's only a commoner. As a result, she's unable to defeat the witch. Still, her holy behavior makes her a true saint in the hearts of her followers, and even the witch recognizes her as one.
As for Ellize herself, she's aware of her situation from the very start, and she's ready to return Eterna's rightful spot to her at any time.
Game events:
Ellize is a non-dateable character, but she appears in every route to help the player.
・In all routes:
Meets Verner at fourteen.
・In Eterna's route:
Appears at the magic academy, and...
While I was looking at Ellize's page, my vision started getting blurry.
Uh oh. I'm gonna wake up...
I could hear birds chirping around me.
Hang on! Hold the phone! Show me the reeeeest! What happens at the magic academy?! "She appears and..." what?! I need to know now! Hey! C'moooooon! Daaaaaamn it!!!
And there I was, lying awake.
Argh. The morning sun's way too effing bright.
I got up, stretched a little, walked to the mirror, and freshened up a little.
Perfect, I thought, looking smugly at myself. I was just as pretty as I was an asshole.
In the original game, Ellize would've already been already a big fatso from overeating, but I was different. I exercised regularly (by killing monsters), so I was still a slim beauty. My hair and skin were glowing too. Okay, there weren't really any hair or skin care products in this world, so I had to cheat a little by using magic, but that was my little secret.
I was already seventeen, but my looks hadn't changed one bit since I was fourteen. I could only assume my cells had gone crazy after being forced to withstand the dark powers (lol) of the main character.
All right. It's finally time for the main story to start.
My objective hadn't changed. I was going to make sure Verner was on Eterna's route and help them reach a happy ending. Once I got to witness the grand finale... Well, I guessed it'd be time for me to make my exit. I'd kill myself to ensure that the real Ellize would never regain control over her body and mess everything up.
Plan B was to get myself exiled after revealing I was nothing but a fake, then spend the rest of my life taking it easy somewhere very, very far away.
To be honest, I wasn't all that scared of death. People often feared it because they didn't know what awaited them. I was pretty sure everyone had freaked out at the thought of fading into an endless slumber at least a few times.
On the other hand, if everyone knew with certainty that a paradise for NEETs existed—one where you never had to work another day in your life—then the number of people who feared their mortality would get cut by half in one go.
I knew that the world of Kuon no Sanka had an afterlife. That was why I couldn't care less if my life span was shorter now that I'd taken over a part of Verner's darkness. Actually, playing the role of the saint was incredibly tiring, so I wasn't against kicking the bucket soon and taking it easy in NEET paradise.
Wait... What do I do if I end up in hell, though? Oh well, that's a worry for another day! Let's go over my plans from now on instead.
After our encounter, Verner had reached the village where Eterna lived without issues. The two of them were now seventeen and set to enter the magic academy. There, they would train to become magic knights. All in all, everything was proceeding as it was supposed to.
The magic academy's main goal was to foster knights that would be able to face the monsters and the witch. The best students were chosen to join the saint's personal guard.
Sounds like more of a punishment than a reward if you ask me, but yeah.
In the game, neither Verner nor Eterna had aimed for these spots. Well, duh! Obviously! The saint was a true piece of shit, and everyone across the country knew it. Who'd want to serve her?
The two of them had only entered the academy because they wanted to become strong enough to fight monsters.
However, Verner's protagonist charm had played against him, and he'd ended up catching Ellize's attention. From that point onward, she'd tried everything to get him to join her personal guard. When things hadn't gone her way, she'd snapped and decided to harass him instead. Naturally, she hadn't stopped at that either—she'd also bullied the girls that were close to him.
Damn, can't you just drop dead, you fake? Oh, wait—that's me now.
Anyway, that was how the fake saint led many of the heroines to despair.
In other words, my main objective was to avoid doing anything dumb to avoid repeating that. Step two involved helping out the girls whenever I could so they'd be even happier.
And so, I found myself at the academy after I'd been invited to visit.
I was observing the new students and thinking about how cool their uniform was—sort of like a British military uniform from the seventeenth century. Well, minus the military orders and weapons, I mean. The boys wore a black uniform, adorned with blue accents, while the girls wore white with touches of green.
It's a bit surprising—none of them wear red.
"I would now like to invite Ellize, the holy saint, to give a speech to our new students."
Oh, is it my turn? What do I tell them?
I was asked to do this every year, so I was starting to run out of ideas.
The original Ellize used to blurt out crap like, "Do try your best to catch my attention, peasants!" and "I'm the law here!" Obviously, her reputation had already been at rock bottom, but it never stopped her from trying to drag it even further down. She'd even had people expelled for the awful crime of...looking awkward...and other stupid reasons.
She's the absolute worst...and I never understood why she always tried so hard to get everyone else to hate her. Oh, this isn't the time to get sidetracked; I need to go give my speech. What should I say...?
◇
This was the Training Institute for Magic Knights of Alfrea—also known colloquially as the magic academy. Although the word "academy" wasn't in the institute's official name, everyone called it that regardless.
It was named after the very first saint, Alfrea, and imposed harsh training on its students. Those who managed to overcome its grueling regimen would go on to become glorious knights. Furthermore, the top students would be given the honor of joining the saint's guard. Many saw this opportunity as their gateway to success.
These students—young hopefuls aspiring to become magic knights—hailed from all over the world. At the academy, they would train to become strong enough to join humanity's force in the brewing war.
While Alfrea was a training institute, the newcomers were brought into a gigantic chapel on their first day. The walls and ceiling shone with many colors—white, blue, red, yellow, green—and gave the place a solemn, grand atmosphere.
It was the students' big day. It was as much a reward for their past efforts as it was a new beginning. They had all overcome obstacles and difficult training to claim their spot in this school, but that hadn't marked the end of their trials—now they'd have to compete against others who were just as talented and hardworking.
As such, the fledglings felt a mixture of emotions. They were highly motivated, of course, but most of them were still anxious.
And among these students was Verner.
"The atmosphere here really is something else..."
Magic knights were the sword and shield of humanity, the ones chosen to rise up against the witch and fight alongside the saint. Everyone would laud their courage and admire them.
Therefore, the qualifications to become one weren't easy. Only a tenth of the newcomers would pull through and become knights; the rest would end up in lower positions, destined to serve those above them. Around thirty percent of soldiers were people who had once dreamed of becoming knights, but failed. Getting a spot in the saint's guard was even harder—only a select few were allowed to remain close to her.
Naturally, Verner was gunning for one of those spots. Ever since that fateful day when the saint, Ellize, had saved him, he'd dreamed of fighting by her side.
He had already lost everything once and given up on the world. However, right as he'd thought everything was lost, Ellize had embraced him. She'd cast a blinding light upon his dark and miserable existence. The young man had made up his mind there and then—he'd never give in to the dark ever again. He'd just follow along the path of light she had shown him.
He had never let go of the pendant she'd given him, not even once. And now, his dream was finally within grasp.
While Verner was lost in thought, a young girl, Eterna, who hailed from the same village as him, gazed at his face. Her expression was unreadable.
"You look happy, Ver," she said.
"Was I that obvious?" he replied. "I'm really no good, aren't I? I've barely reached the starting point, so I need to brace myself for what's to come! I can't allow myself to become complacent just because I've finally reached her. Just wait—I'll become strong enough to stay by her side."
Eterna was a young girl who had grown up in the very same village Verner had settled in after he'd been driven out of his home. She had lustrous silver hair and was known as the greatest beauty of the village—indeed, what a beauty she was. She'd grown up in a poor village where it was unthinkable to waste resources taking care of one's hair or skin, but her natural charm shone through regardless. With a bit of grooming, she'd be on par with Ellize, the renowned saint.
The only man the dazzling Eterna was interested in was Verner. Although they had only known each other for three years, she had seen him grow up from a boy to a man. Although she couldn't have said whether she was in love with him or simply treasured him as a friend, it was pretty much common sense in their village that boys and girls of similar age who got along well eventually married. Thus, ever since they'd met, Eterna had always figured she and Verner would eventually end up together.
She wasn't opposed to the idea, but the issue was Verner. He only had eyes for someone else—someone very, very far away from the two of them.
"There are so many people..." Eterna noted, looking around.
"The competition will be harsh," Verner agreed.
Indeed, there were plenty of wannabe knights. Such had always been the case, but in recent years, the number of applicants had reached a new high. The reason behind this was quite simple: they were motivated by Ellize, the greatest saint in history...or so the rumor claimed.
Among them, there was a soldier who'd seen her wield her magic on the battlefield and save lives. He'd decided to train harder than ever to enter the academy. Over there, a young girl, whose face and leg had been healed by Ellize, had become an expert archer and wanted nothing more than to repay her debt. Finally, there was a boy who'd given up on everything before seeing the saint's light, and had vowed to go through the doors of the academy as soon as he could.
Besides those three, hundreds of others had been saved by the saint, either directly or indirectly... And that was without accounting for the countless others who'd seen her good deeds from afar.
All these young people had been inspired by her courage and devotion. Never before had there been so many knight applicants.
"I would now like to invite Ellize, the holy saint, to give a speech to our new students."
It was time for the one who had started this new era—aka the greatest saint in history—to take the stage.
She was so lovely that anyone would be captivated at first sight. Her golden hair—which tumbled down all the way to her waist—bounced with every step, her smooth porcelain skin glowed under the light, and her eyes shone like jewels. Her pure white dress suited her so well that it looked like it had been personally tailored for her, and the matching white flower that decorated her locks only further enhanced her charm.
Ellize had escaped the curse of aging. She would forever retain the youthfulness of a fourteen-year-old; she looked the same as when Verner had first met her. The flow of time itself bowed down to the living miracle that was the saint. To think that not even time could make her grandeur wither away, the new students thought, transfixed by her appearance.
A voice, clear as the bell of a church, began to speak, to the delight of the freshmen's ears. "First of all, let me congratulate all of you for overcoming this institution's difficult examination. You have earned your place here thanks to your efforts." However, her next words were completely unexpected for everyone in the room. "Sadly—and I must apologize for shattering your dreams—being a knight is not the glorious and honorable position you imagine. A knight must fight on the front line. They face death every day, and most of them do not make it past one year. And, although a select lucky few may accomplish something with their death...most will lose their life for nothing. People are quick to laud a knight's honorable sacrifice, but you must know the truth—oftentimes, you and your peers will die a meaningless death. Honorable in name...but tragically useless."
The saint, the very person they swore to protect, was giving them a disapproving speech.
Still, she was simply stating the truth—knightdom wasn't the valiant, dazzling position they thought it was. It was hard, unrewarding work, and they could all very well die a dog's death.
"I hope you will once again reflect very deeply before continuing on this path," she continued. "Ask yourself if you're truly all right with everything I've just told you. Ask yourself if you're ready to throw your life away to protect a saint you do not know. As for me, I'd be much happier if I knew you were alive and well with your families, protecting them instead... Your lives should not be sacrificed for a single person. No life, and certainly not my own, is worth that much."
Knights were meant to be the sword and shield of the saint. Her existence was their raison d'être. They were sacrificial pawns, used to keep the saint in perfect condition so she would be able to battle the witch at her best. Regardless of how the job might've been dressed up, there was no changing the fact that they were mere substitutes who had to die in place of the saint; she simply wasn't afraid to put it bluntly.
Verner couldn't stop himself from smiling at her words. She truly hadn't changed one bit. He knew everything she'd said was the truth, and he was more than ready. He'd accepted all of that long before coming here.
Even though it obviously benefited the saint to have as many shields around as possible for her safety, she couldn't accept it. That was why she'd tried her hardest to deter prospective knights. If she ended up alone, she'd probably try to fight the witch all on her own without asking anyone for help.
Verner knew what she was like, and it only fueled his desire to protect her. He wasn't the only one—everyone in the room was of the same mind.
"Fighting monsters isn't the only way to resist. Protecting your families, bringing children into this world, and raising them with love... Those are also wonderful ways to fight. If you can accomplish that, you will have already done much more good than I ever could. Are you truly certain you wish to devote your lives to becoming knights? I beg all of you to reconsider."
With those words, Ellize's welcome speech—which sounded more like a farewell speech—came to an end. Even so, the people sitting in the room didn't waver in the slightest; no one got up to leave.
They had all prepared themselves before setting foot in the academy.
They knew their death would amount to nothing, that they would be lumped in with the rest of the deceased and praised with empty words. So what? It didn't matter if they couldn't change anything by themselves; they'd protect the saint with numbers.
In the end, while Ellize's speech confused a few students, including Eterna, it only strengthened the resolve of the others. They were more fired up than ever.