Love Letter From The Future

Before long, the battlefield was being steadily filled with gathering forces

Celine, who dashed out earlier, was attempting to break through while fighting a bloody battle against the Flesh Globs.

Every time an explosion echoed, flesh and blood splattered everywhere but, unlike Ian, her advance was sluggish. The gap in their skills was evident.

Despite this, she still wore a desperate expression.

Fortunately, since it was a path that Ian had already cleared, Celine's life didn’t seem to be in danger. It was just that the remaining enemies were a bit bothersome.

Elsie, on the other hand, didn’t have to traverse a long path.

Rather, the wider the view a mage could secure, the better. After all, a mage’s primary role was to provide firepower support from a distance.

This was no different for a combat mage specialised in high-speed incantations.

So far, Elsie had been responding to rapidly changing battle conditions at close range. However, if she were given time, she could cast more powerful and wide-ranging spells.

Though it was uncertain how effective they would be against that 'Corpse Giant.'

Elsie nervously chewed her lip while fidgeting with the potion bottle in her pocket.

Even if it was impossible, she had to do her best.

It was a battle she began with that resolve.

And then there was a woman who dashed out before Elsie, but was still at a loss.

It was the Saintess.

Of course, this was purely because there was someone persistently holding her back.

After the Saintess bolted from her position, there was a man who repeatedly blocked her path.

It was her Escort Knight, Yuren.

In her heart she wanted to ignore Yuren and leave, but the Saintess was a priestess and Yuren was a swordsman. There was no way she could match him in physical abilities.

In the end, unable to bear it any longer, the Saintess revealed her true nature.

"Yuren, move out of the way right now! If something happens to Ian, both you and I are as good as dead..."

"Sister... please, just stop already."

However, Yuren blocked her path until the end.

His attitude made it clear that he would never let her go.

And that was only natural.

As her Escort Knight, his top priority was ensuring the Saintess's safety.

At a glance, it was clear that he couldn't send her into such a terrifying battlefield.

Of course, it was possible to transmit Holy Power even from a somewhat distant position.

This meant that it wasn’t necessary to be in close proximity to assist in combat.

But it was different for healing.

Healing was a meticulous task that required considerationof the precise location and condition of injuries. It was impossible to perform it from a distance.

And right now, the Saintess' utmost priority was Ian's life.

Her beloved was on the verge of death and she didn't have the patience to just stand idly by in the rear.

On the contrary, she was on the verge of going crazy.

"Yuren, that's an order. If you don't move right now, I will formally bring you to trial later...!"

"Yes, yes, you can bring me to trial... Sister, wouldn't I want to save Ian too?"

Yuren replied with a look of frustration in his eyes.

Regardless, as the Saintess glanced around looking for a way to slip past, he began to plead with her more earnestly. .

"But the weight of the responsibilities we carry is different. Others might die, and that would be the end of it, but what if you die?"

At this, the Saintess flinched, showing a slight reaction.

Her light pink eyes, filled with dissatisfaction, glared at Yuren.

Yuren had to suppress a bitter laugh.

To think that his once aloof and indifferent sister could change this much.

He wasn't sure whether to feel admiration or anger.

However, Yuren was simply being faithful to his duty.

"The political repercussions of the Saintess' death would be unimaginable. Naturally, the Church of the Heavenly God’s believers would also experience great turmoil... And how many people would die and get injured in the meantime?"

"...So?"

"I'm saying that you, of all people, cannot act like this."

Yuren's words were logically sound.

Even the Saintess could only glance sideways without saying anything in response.

Seeing that he was finally getting through to her, Yuren sighed in relief. He quickly continued his eloquent argument.

"Sister, please distinguish between public and private matters... It's something you've always been good at. Calculating gains and losses to make political judgments."

The Saintess remained silent for a moment and averted her gaze.

Her eyes turned toward the Corpse Giant in the distance.

There, her first love was still fighting for his life.

Without a word, the Saintess bit her lip.

Worried that she might break free and run off at any given time , Yuren, despite his embarrassment, had to bring up stories from long ago.

"We promised, didn't we? That we would create a world where orphans like us wouldn't have to suffer... Sister, I still believe in that promise. To fulfil that dream, I'd do anything..."

"...Yuren"

It was a low murmur from the Saintess.

Hearing that unwavering tone, Yuren instantly realised.

Ah, this isn’t going to work.

"What's the identity of that monster?"

"...An Underling of the Evil God."

"And yet the Saintess of the Heavenly God's Church and her Escort Knight are chickening out while a man with no connection to the Church is fighting that monster?"

Yuren tried to come up with a retort, but ended up sighing deeply.

There was no way to break her stubbornness.

She dealt the final blow to the troubled-looking Yuren.

"Obey."

For it was the mission given by the Heavenly God.

In the end, Yuren raised his hands in surrender and muttered.

"...Immanuel."

"If you don't want to see me die, you better give it your all too."

With that, the Saintess hurriedly moved forward.

Her anxiety was reaching its peak, making her feel like the blood vessels in her brain were tangling.

H-How can I save Ian?

So far, she crossed the threshold between life and death countless times.

Even though she had a Holy Relic left, she couldn’t think of a way to turn the tide of this already bleak battle.

It was then that Yuren grabbed her shoulder one last time.

Just as she was about to glare at him with a murderous look in her eyes.

"...Do you want to save Ian that badly? No matter what the cost?"

Yuren's voice as he asked was so serious and earnest.

That the Saintess was momentarily taken aback and kept her mouth shut.

Seeing this, Yuren asked her again.

"Sister, every choice requires a cost... If you want to save Ian, you have to pay the price. Are you prepared for that?"

"...I am."

Her answer came without a moment’s hesitation.

Yuren silently stared at the Saintess, but her light pink eyes did not waver.

Finally, he clicked his tongue and pulled out something from his bosom, tossing it to her.

The thing that Saintess reflexively caught was a blood-red orb.

Recognizing what it was, the Saintess gasped in shock

"Heart of Blood?! Yuren, if you had something like this, you should have said so earlier...!"

"Do you know how difficult it is to make one of those? And even now you’re just ready to use it up."

Yuren's grumbling left the Saintess momentarily speechless, but she was soon smirking.

"...Of course."

Can't stop the Corpse Giant?

With a sacrifice like the Heart of Blood, it was a different story.

After all, she was the Heavenly God’s most beloved maiden and a priestess of the highest rank.

She could save Ian.

The relief made her feel like she might collapse from exhaustion.

Unaware of Yuren's continued grumbling as he watched,

"Ah, this really won't do... This could once again jeopardise our political standing..."

BOOM! Echoed the sound of the ground shattering.

Standing on the suddenly shaking ground, the Saintess' bewildered gaze turned to the center of the battlefield.

There, she could see Ian rolling on the ground, blown away by the shockwave.

The Saintess immediately regained her senses.

"...Ian!"

Seeing her frantically running towards Ian, Yuren could only click his tongue.

There was a time she used to act like she would stay single for life.

They say that a late first love is frightening, and it seems to be true.

Yuren kicked off the ground, and countless thin lines were etched into the bodies of the two Flesh Globs that were turning their heads at the sound of the Saintess's scream.

Then came an explosion of flesh and blood.

It was a swift sword strike, akin to flashing light..

Thus, another man began to carve a bloody path through the battlefield.

* * *However, not everyone had grasped the situation.

From behind the Corpse Giant, it was difficult to understand the detailed situation. Their view was blocked by its massive, mountain-like body.

Therefore, the private soldiers of the Yurdina family couldn't assess the situation accurately.

It might have been different for a small procession, but this was a march leading a thousand soldiers.

Even if they marched at a rapid pace, it would take time to get a proper view.

Moreover, commanders like Seria and Alex couldn't afford to leave their positions.

If either of them had rushed ahead to assess the situation, Seria might not have been so shocked.

She froze as soon as she witnessed the center of the battlefield.

In disbelief, unintelligible sounds escaped her lips.

"Oh, uh, ah... S-Senior Ian is..."

Her finger trembled uncontrollably as she pointed towards the battlefield.

Alex, on the other hand, merely smiled with a look of keen interest.

"As expected of the Lunatic Young Master. I, too, in my younger days, never shied away from such impossible fights..."

"Senior Ian is on the verge of death!"

Of course, Alex's broad smile did nothing to reassure Seria.

The moment she saw Ian's battered body, she immediately bit her nails.

However, that wasn't the only thing making Seria uneasy.

By now, strange changes were brewing in the sky as well.

Wooooooooooooo-!

The Corpse Giant let out a roar.

The mouths scattered across the monster's body opened simultaneously, emitting ghastly howls. While this sight alone was sufficiently grotesque, the result it brought was even more terrible.

Staggering, torn corpses began to rise.

Severed body parts that couldn't find their original bodies twitched and thrashed pathetically. Most of them, however, were devoured by the Flesh Globs that lunged at them.

The Flesh Globs, once they grew to a certain size, split in half with a scream.

The Flesh Globs multiplied, and the corpses that had once been neighbours staggered forward.

And looking up to the sky, they cried out.

Kieeeeeeeeeek!

The Corpse Giant laughed as if the cacophony was a symphony.

In the center of the battlefield, surrounded by hundreds, nay, thousands of enemies.

There stood a man, readjusting his grip on his sword.

His golden eyes still blazing with undying resolve.

Seria felt like she might faint on the spot.

The battle's intensity was finally reaching its peak.