CHAPTER 53………….
The Boy Who Hurts My Heart (3):
“…Sion? Why are you here—ugh!”
Ares tried to stand up but, as if in pain, collapsed again.
Just then, I heard the cries of Rete and Kallion behind me.
“Princess…! Good heavens, young lord!”
“Sion!”
Drakon clicked his tongue as he handed Ares over to the knight who had come with Rete.
“Come now. He says he got those scratches breaking through the window. Escort the princess away from here, my lady.”
“Yes, but…”
Rete glanced uneasily at the collapsed part of the building.
There, a girl in a Minte knight’s coat was clinging to a knight, pleading desperately.
“I, I have to go in…! M-my little brother! My brother’s still in there!”
It was Theia Nestor.
Her prettily adorned appearance was now meaningless—her face was a mess of dirt, tears, and scratches.
But the knight firmly pushed away the sobbing Theia.
“You mustn’t, my lady. Hurry, escape with the others!”
“But—!”
At that sight, I remembered the orange-haired girl who always followed Theia.
Selina Nestor isn’t here. Then is she trapped inside?
Right now, Father was holding back collapsing buildings on all sides and rescuing people stuck on the upper floors.
But once a building has already fallen apart, there’s no way to touch it…!
Just then, Minte single-handedly shifted a toppled pillar and shouted:
“Everyone, watch out! There are still people trapped underneath!”
At that moment, an enraged scream came from the street behind the building.
Drakon ruffled his tangled hair in irritation.
“Damn it. A fight, now of all times.”
“Duke, what’s going on over there?”
“…The demons and humans are fighting.”
“Why now—!”
I began to shout in disbelief but cut myself short.
The buildings in the Belled District had all undergone strict safety inspections for this event.
Yet such an accident had still happened—meaning someone had staged it.
Most likely the humans. This timing is too perfect…!
Even the knights guarding us were struggling to hold back a group of humans.
“Please, let us through! Our children are in there!”
“Stand back! We’ll handle this!”
“How can we trust that!”
A dark-haired woman with olive-toned skin, her hair bound with golden thread, cried out.
Judging from her attire, she seemed fairly wealthy.
“You nobles will rescue your own first, won’t you!”
“If everyone is trapped together, then we’ll—”
“You’ll put our children last!”
Her anguished voice made the situation spiral further out of control.
At this rate, it wouldn’t be surprising if someone died in the fighting.
Then Kallion shouted to Minte, pointing at a section of the wreckage.
“Sir! Over there! More people are under that spot!”
“Ghh…!”
At his words, Minte cast aside the pillar he was holding and frantically began digging.
When Drakon and the other knights joined in, a hole appeared amidst the white dust and crumbling debris—just big enough for a child to crawl through.
From inside came the faint sound of sobbing.
“Hic… Ugh…”
Minte desperately reached into the hole.
“Hurry! Come out!”
But with the rumble of collapsing earth came screams.
“Help—!”
“Kyaa!”
As if possessed by that cry, I stepped toward the spot Minte was struggling with.
I vaguely heard Rete shouting my name and the duke stopping her.
But I could only think of one thing, as though seized by something.
Suddenly, an image flashed before my eyes—an eerily white room.
The hidden chamber in the capital’s temple.
A jewel floating above a white marble pillar.
A brilliant radiance, where violet, blue, and green swirled together.
The 12th High Saintess guiding my hand to touch the jewel…
This scene…?
Then a woman who looked strikingly like my original self smiled coldly.
“13th. Don’t forget your mission. Even if your form changes, your duty is to create paradise on earth.”
Until the day your soul disappears…
…The moment I heard that final whisper, my mind went blank.
At that moment, Minte straightened up.
When he saw me right beside him, he jumped in shock.
“Princess…?! Your Highness, you must leave! It’s too dangerous here!”
“…Step aside, Minte.”
“Princess, what are you—ugh!”
Minte reached out, but his hand was repelled by the black particles rising at my feet.
Like obsidian dust, the particles sparkled even amidst the clouds of earth.
Though the world was so noisy, none of it reached me.
Before anyone could stop me, I entered the small hole.
A room that must once have been decorated beautifully was now dark and damp, like a living hell.
The first floor collapsed straight down into the basement, perhaps.
In the darkness, a cluster of children huddled together, trembling.
Some were injured and lying down, though their limbs seemed intact.
The children, bruised and terrified, widened their eyes when they saw me.
“Ah, Y-Your Highness…!”
“…What are you afraid of?”
I whispered as I stretched out both hands toward them.
My black magic particles gathered, forming a shimmering barrier above the children’s heads.
“While I am with you.”
For the one who brings paradise to the suffering—the High Saintess had come. There was nothing to fear.
The children gazed at me as if entranced.
Some demon children whose names I knew, and some human children I had never seen before.
But in my eyes, they were all the same.
Those I must save.
“Come now, let’s go out.”
At my words, the black particles rose at my feet.
This time, they wrapped gently around an injured child.
Enveloped in particles, the child floated up toward the hole I had entered from.
I stretched my hand toward the others.
“Now the rest of you, climb up.”
“B-but, the ceiling…”
“I’m holding it so it won’t collapse.”
The barrier I created was keeping the unstable ceiling in place.
It won’t last long, though.
Yet strangely, I wasn’t afraid at all.
“Don’t worry. Go quickly.”
When I gently urged them, the children began to rise one by one toward the hole.
Outside, Minte and the knights were widening the opening.
They stretched out their hands, pulling the children up one by one—cheers rising with each rescue.
Is it over?
Watching the children climb, I frowned.
No.
Selina Nestor isn’t here.
I calmly looked around.
Perhaps the collapse had separated the group.
Is there a deeper hole leading further underground?
If I couldn’t see one, I would have to search.
Then someone jumped down from above.
At the heavy thud, I turned—and even in the darkness, faint golden hair gleamed.
“Haah, Lady Sion!”
“…Kallion?”
Why was Kallion here…?
“Gasp!”
Until then I had been watching blankly, but suddenly my mind cleared as if doused with cold water.
Th-this idiot, what’s he doing here!
I rushed to Kallion and grabbed his hand.
“You fool! Why did you come down!”
“You came down too, Lady Sion! Who else are you looking for?”
Kallion, as if hearing something, pointed straight at the ground.
“I think there are two more people down there.”
“Two? Not just Selina—”
I cut myself off at the sight of who had just descended.
Stones and debris were pouring onto her back—Minte, her face dirtied and scratched beyond recognition in just minutes.
“Both of you, cough—go up now!”
“Minte!”
“Hurry, Your Highness!”
With ease, Minte pulled both me and Kallion into her arms.
But I struggled.
“But below! There are still children below!”
“What…?!”
“Two more are still there!”
Minte’s eyes widened as she looked where I pointed.
At the grim set of her face, a chill of fear ran through me.
Will she even believe me?
Even if she did, what more could be done in such a dangerous situation?
Time was running out—
“Understood. I’ll go. Don’t worry.”
But still, Minte pulled me and Kallion toward the hole.
No—!
My power was what kept this place from collapsing.
If I left, the ceiling would come crashing down on Minte…!
