He Became the Only Ally of the Abandoned Warrior

“I didn’t see it, but I did hear it.”

“Then why? Why are you defending the mage?”

“In that situation, saying those things was the natural response. Whether she meant it sincerely will be shown through her actions.”

“That other woman was the same!”

“No, she’s different.”

Lin firmly denied it.

“Their environments, their experiences, they’re all different.”

“But they both committed the same wrongs.”

“We all make mistakes, big or small. We’re lenient with our own mistakes but strict with others’. If we punished every mistake on the spot, no one would be left alive in this world.”

Denarua let out a bitter laugh.

“Have you forgotten what I am? I’m a demon. A demon who wishes for the destruction of the world.”

“Oh, right. You’re so kind that I forgot.”

“Who’s kind?!”

Denarua felt momentarily deflated by Lin’s absent-minded response, but she didn’t lower her sword. Lin, who thought he had defused the tension, felt a bit disappointed.

“Come with us. We’ve never wronged you. We only have eyes for you. Why do you want to stay with a party that torments you without even realizing it?”

“Wishing to destroy the world is a bit extreme, don’t you think?”

“They’re all sinners!”

“And what’s left after that? An empty world with no one to take out your anger on?”

“Then what? Do you suggest we forgive those shameless humans?”

“Hm, you don’t really understand forgiveness, do you?”

Lin spoke with a gentle smile.

“Forgiveness is when you’ve beaten the wrongdoer enough and then stop when you don’t need to beat them anymore. It’s not about the victim enduring everything silently.”

“…That’s quite demonic of you.”

“Is it?”

Lin didn’t like her words. He felt a bit hurt by Denarua. But he had bought enough time.

He deliberately stood firm in front of Denarua while healing the badly injured Tigrea with a recovery scroll.

To be able to attack, defend, and heal—Lin was very satisfied with the Item Master class.

“I can’t take Lin with me….”

Wiping away her tear stains, Tigrea stood up.

“I’ll defeat you here.”

“Tigrea?”

“Lin, please leave this to me. I think it’s time to settle this.”

Despite Tigrea’s resolute determination, Denarua scoffed. Even though she had used up her magic summoning hell and couldn’t use Darkfang Sanctuary, a mage was no threat to someone like her, whose primary skill was swordsmanship.

Lin hesitated but then realized that Denarua hadn’t shown any killing intent from the start. He took a step back. She was fully aware that he had been healing the mage, yet she had deliberately left him alone.

Still, he was ready to intervene if things got out of hand.

“I’ll give it my all.”

“Bragging won’t—ugh?!”

“---!!!!”

Before she could finish her sentence, a magic arrow flew at her. Denarua didn’t even hear the incantation. No, it was more accurate to say she couldn’t make out the incantation’s words.

“------!!”

The spellcasting speed was so fast that it wasn’t just the pronunciation that was slurred—it was like listening to something played at several times the normal speed.

When Denarua slashed or thrust her swords, Tigrea instantly cast short-range teleportation to maintain distance. At the same time, she harassed the dual-wielding swordswoman with a barrage of magic arrows, lightning bolts, and fireballs, even freezing the ground beneath her.

“This…!”

Denarua increased her speed. Tigrea’s reactions also quickened. To an observer, it might have looked like multiple clones were fighting each other, the battle was so fast.

But a life-and-death duel wasn’t just about raw power.

“The very idea that someone like you is keeping Lin with you is disgusting!”

“It’s meaningless to hear that from a demon.”

Despite responding mid-incantation, Tigrea’s spells continued without interruption. After being locked away for centuries, only practicing magic, her skills had become annoyingly proficient.

But Denarua hadn’t spoken to pull a cheap trick.

“I was speaking from Lin’s perspective. We demons have never wronged Lin.”

Her words cut through Tigrea’s chest more sharply than any blade.

That tiny moment of hesitation—just a single breath—was all Denarua needed. In that brief instant, Denarua’s right-hand sword, Solitude, pierced through Tigrea’s defenses. Tigrea barely managed to dodge with acceleration magic, but then Silence, Denarua’s left-hand sword, sliced through her.

“Agh!”

Her clothing was torn, but the flowing blood quickly adhered to the fabric. The wound was shallower than expected. Tigrea tried to prepare another spell, but Denarua slashed her cheek.

Then her thigh, her arm, even her back at times.

Denarua was toying with the mage.

“Apologize to Lin.”

“Ugh…!”

“Apologize for ignoring him and making things difficult for him, you pathetic doll.”

Tigrea was getting cut, stabbed, and slashed repeatedly. Once again, she was being beaten to a pulp, just like when they entered the ruins.

“Apologize.”

“Prepare… ouch!”

Every time she tried to chant a spell, Denarua openly slapped or struck her, silencing her. Tigrea was furious with herself for being so helplessly mocked.

“Apologize!”

What happened to giving her all?

She couldn’t even open her mouth against a dual-wielding swordswoman who wasn’t using her ultimate skills.

She hated that self-righteous demon demanding an apology.

She hated that self-righteous demon who pretended to know everything and tried to condemn her.

Tigrea finally snapped and shouted back.

“I was going to apologize!”

“What?”

“But how can I apologize when Lin won’t even let me?!”

“You pathetic fool… You call that an excuse?”

Lin felt a chill run down his spine.

Unlike the screaming Tigrea, Denarua had become completely expressionless.

Lin had expected that since Denarua hadn’t shown any killing intent, she would let this go. But he was mistaken. Denarua could kill a mage without any killing intent, as if it were just something she naturally had to do.

“Is that what you’re upset about? Is that really what you want to scream about, that you didn’t even get the chance to ask for forgiveness?”

Denarua assumed her stance.

“That’s all you’ve got. I’ll kill you now, while you still have some sense of guilt. That’s my mercy.”

She charged like an arrow.

[Master Skill: Item Creation]

Ultimate Skill

“Unyielding: No Retreat!”

But once again, Lin intervened, stopping her from drawing her sword.

“Step aside, Lin!”

“No, never.”

“Why?! Did anyone in that hero’s party ever protect you, showing you their back? Did that mage ever speak up, saying you should be given your share of the food when the rest of the party ate everything you cooked?”

“……”

Denarua stopped, seeing Lin’s face darken with bitterness.

She had lashed out at him because she felt hurt, but in doing so, she had caused him pain.

“Lin, I…”

“Say more….”

Tigrea, staggering to her feet, urged Denarua to continue.

“Tell me more about my mistakes.”

“You pathetic fool…!”

“Hurry! So Lin can hear, and I can apologize, tell me more!”

Tigrea dodged past Lin, thrusting her Horned Staff like a sword.

“Give me a chance! Even if I’m pitiful, even if I’m shameless, please, give me a chance to ask for forgiveness!”

Finally, I want to be forgiven, to experience his warmth.

The staff thrust out with desperation was a weapon even less effective than a simple club.

Crack!

When Denarua struck it with all her strength using the flat of her sword, the exclusive item bestowed by the goddess shattered into pieces.

“Tigrea!”

At the same time, her other sword aimed for Tigrea’s eye.

Lin screamed, but there was nothing he could do as the blade drew closer to her eye.

“Remember this. You were at least the most conscientious of all the dolls. But remember that it was only ‘at least.’”

Ah, I’m going to die.

There were still so many regrets left in her life, yet she was now helplessly waiting for the sword to pierce her brain.

And then, the world stopped.

Denarua, who was thrusting her sword, Lin, who was rushing to save Tigrea, and even Tigrea herself, who had given up on everything—all of them froze in place.

The only one who could move was the goddess, who descended from the ceiling of the royal ruins, her wings spread wide.

[You were serious, weren’t you?]

About what?

[The part where you asked for a chance to be forgiven, a chance to atone.]

Yes, I was serious. Please, give me a chance…!

[The opportunity comes from Lin, not from me. But I can give you a way to fight for it.]

Anything will do, as long as it gives me a chance to ask for his forgiveness.

[Will you devote yourself to Lin? Will you sacrifice yourself for him?]

I’m ready to give my life for him at any time.

[Good. I’ll use my power for you, just this once.]

The shattered pieces of the Horned Staff were enveloped in light. Like Lin’s porter’s pouch, the light split into two.

However, instead of splitting completely, the pieces reformed into a scroll, connected by magic.

[A scroll of knowledge that stores and uses magic. It will allow you to cast most spells without incantation, and you can look up any information related to magic within it.]

As soon as the scroll landed in her hand, Tigrea began loading it with countless spells.

She was calculating how to handle the situation once the time stop ended, storing spells for every possible scenario.

[I feel a little guilty, though not as much as I do with Lin. It’s like collective punishment for the mistakes made consistently by your predecessors. Considering the precedent set by the Second Mage, I must be strict with you. You’re probably aware that your current situation is very similar to hers.]

The light was fading. The goddess’s power had reached its limit. She had already pushed herself too far, suppressing the immense causality.

[Remember this: dolls who harbor emotions are highly likely to commit irreparable mistakes.]

As the goddess ascended back into the sky, Tigrea managed to muster the strength to ask a question she had been pondering.

Why had the goddess asked her about her wish when she was given the Horned Staff that day?

[A wish…? I’ve never asked anyone about their wish, except Lin… Don’t tell me!]

The goddess, who had always been gentle and kind, suddenly wore a harsh expression.

[Angria! So you’ve done it!]

That name made everything clear to Tigrea.

Angria.

The name of the demon god.

The goddess, unable to delay any longer, bit her lip.

[Tigrea, you who are a doll born with repressed tragedy, I have a request for you.]

The mage listened attentively.

[If the opportunity arises, please check with the saint and the archer to see if I asked them about their wishes as well.]

The light began to fade away. Tigrea couldn’t nod because time was still frozen, but she desperately tried to communicate her agreement to the goddess.

[Thank you. And don’t give up. Show them that you are different from the Second Mage.]

It might have been an empty encouragement.

But even if it was just empty words, knowing that someone was cheering for her made Tigrea choke up with emotion.

However, time waits for no one.

As soon as the frozen time resumed, Tigrea used one of the teleportation spells stored in the scroll to escape.

“Huh?!”

Denarua, who had just struck at thin air, stopped in her tracks.

Lin, who was rushing over, looked confused as Tigrea’s voice echoed from above.

“Ultimate Skill.”

Denarua looked up at the ceiling of the royal ruins, where a dazzling display of blue and red lights unfolded.

Magic circles and spells floated around Tigrea as if forming a protective barrier.

In the center of it all was the scroll of knowledge.

“Arcane Art: Myriad Transformations.”

“Could it be that the goddess…!”

A barrage of magic bullets and lasers rained down on Denarua’s position.

As she lowered her stance and ran sideways, the spells adjusted their trajectory to follow her.

This made it nearly impossible for Denarua to leap into the air to attack Tigrea. If she tried, she would be intercepted immediately.

‘If only I could use Darkfang Sanctuary…!’

She cursed herself for using up all her magic power to show hell, leaving her unable to cast her ultimate skill.

“You’re just a mere mage! I’ve slain thousands like you!”

But that didn’t mean she was out of options.

Denarua began to parry and neutralize every spell with her twin swords, Solitude and Silence. How far could sheer physical strength take her?

She wasn’t called the strongest of the Demon Warriors for nothing.

However, when Tigrea waved her hand again, summoning countless more magic circles, Denarua gritted her teeth.

In the end, she had to make a choice.

Her hesitation was brief, and her decision was quick.

Denarua stretched her leg forward and leaned her upper body back, preparing to use her final trump card.

But before she could unleash it, a voice from the Illusionist rang in her ears.

[Denarua, this is pointless. Withdraw.]

‘If I don’t deal with her here, she’ll become a major obstacle for us!’

[Our goal has already been achieved. Besides, she’ll likely protect Lin in a different way than the Hero would.]

‘We can protect Lin just as well, without a scratch!’

[True, but we need you as part of that “we.” You’re essential.]

The Illusionist cunningly played on Denarua’s loneliness.

She hated herself for knowing it was deliberate and still agreeing, but Denarua clicked her tongue and relaxed her stance.

As the hostility disappeared, Tigrea also released her magic and looked down at Denarua from above.

“The next time you see me, it will be after your head has already fallen.”

Tigrea couldn’t stop the vampire, who vanished into black smoke.

She was also too exhausted to move further.

Instead, Tigrea made a vow for the future.

“I’ll look forward to it, vampire.”

“…You’ve become quite arrogant.”

As Denarua fully disappeared, Tigrea closed her eyes and collapsed.

Lin, who caught her with a leap, felt the entire royal ruins shake.

The ruins couldn’t withstand the intense battle between the mage and the dual-wielding swordswoman.

[Intermediate Skill: Irreversible Steps (Lv.5)]

Activating a speed buff, Lin barely managed to escape the ruins before they collapsed with a deafening roar.

The city of Gillesman, the City of Sorrow, met its end only after hearing the lament of the Second Mage, the princess, echoing from hell.

“Whew… whew….”

Lin, who finally reached the campsite, collapsed to the ground.

As he gasped for breath, Tigrea gently touched his cheek with her trembling hand.

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry….”

This sorrow, different from Lucy’s, made Lin sigh deeply.

Clink!

One of the many chains around Lin finally broke, turning a shade of lavender as it released him from its binding.

Clatter

“It’s not something I can easily forgive.”

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At Lin’s firm words, Tigrea smiled.

It was a natural, soft smile filled with tears.