"As expected of a divine beast..."
Just how the thought process of this Knight Erica had developed was anyone's guess. After confirming at first glance that the opponent was a Heretic God, she still chose to test it at close range with her magical armament.
Once her attack was blocked by the Golden Barrier surrounding it, she reconfirmed the fact that it was indeed a divine beast—completely unaware that she had just wagered her own life to verify a conclusion she already knew.
The enormous Boar was not known for its good temper. Relying on the golden barrier encasing its body, it advanced step by step toward Erica, its massive frame pushing all the way to the cathedral known as Tama.
It was a place of worship, where prayers were offered in reverence to the sacred.
Beside that building of silence and devotion stood a colossal beast—dozens of meters tall, a black 'Boar' as immense as the Tama Cathedral itself.
Its body was so burly it appeared almost fat, yet every inch of it was packed with strength.
Its limbs were surprisingly slender by comparison, and from its mouth jutted terrifying, massive tusks.
There was a saying among the common folk: "First the boar, second the bear, third the tiger."
It proved that encountering a wild boar in nature was an extremely dangerous affair for humans.
The older a boar grew, the longer its tusks became, and the more ferocious and terrifying it appeared. Its small eyes gleamed with vicious light, its ears and sense of smell extraordinarily sharp.
It could run as fast as lightning, making it nearly impossible for ordinary hunters to aim properly.
Even when shot, unless struck in a vital spot, it would not fall. Boars loved to roll in mud, and they spent long periods rubbing their flanks against tree stumps, rocks, and hardened riverbanks, grinding their skin into a hardened protective layer. Their hides grew so thick that most bullets could not penetrate them.
And that was merely an ordinary boar.
The one before them had clearly surpassed the limits of what could be called "ordinary"—no matter how enraged a mountain boar might be, none would be as savage, as grotesque, as violently overwhelming as this. Its brutality felt divine. Never before had one encountered something so terrifying.
Compared to this stone-built cathedral, the Boar seemed the true sacred presence.
A god of wrath. A god of destruction. A god of pitch-black darkness.
Roar roar roar!
ROAR ROAR ROAR ROAR ROAR!
The erupting divine might surged straight toward the target that dared obstruct the God's advance. The shockwave, almost tangible in form, collapsed the rooftop where Erica stood, hurling the Knight herself into the air.
The collapse of her magic placed her in an extremely dire situation. Not only did her magical weapon vanish from her hand, she no longer possessed even the power required to summon Hermes' Boots.
Falling from such a height, even with physical abilities far beyond an ordinary human's, she would inevitably suffer grievous injuries.
Erica knew this well. But flung away by divine force, she had no means to resist. She could only instinctively adjust her posture midair, striving to avoid the worst possible outcome.
Then, in the next instant—
She suddenly felt herself landing against something slightly warm, like a cushion. A faint, unfamiliar fragrance drifted from behind her.
"?"
The abrupt change left Erica utterly bewildered. Should she not have slammed heavily into the ground, desperately trying to avoid broken bones or displaced organs?
How had she simply returned to the ground like this?
And—completely unharmed?
As Erica stood there in a daze, the 'cushion' behind her spoke.
"First a roadside bandit, and now an ungrateful hooligan. I went out of my way to assist you because you possessed the ability to contend with a God. Is 'knight' in Italy merely another term for organized crime?"
The cool, ethereal voice carried unmistakable mockery. Spoken in flawless Italian, it made Erica's expression stiffen. She immediately turned her head to look at the 'cushion' behind her.
It was as if a white radiance shaped like a human figure shimmered there. Fine black hair cascaded down to her legs, giving her a unique elegance. Golden eyes glimmered with faint traces of cunning and disdain. Curved brows, long lashes trembling lightly, flawless fair skin tinged with a soft blush, and delicate lips like pale pink petals.
Though this was not the first time she had seen her, in this moment—backlit by the golden glow of the boar—Erica's gaze was wholly captured. As the dazzling brilliance faded, she finally beheld the true form of the one before her.
Without any deliberate motion, she simply stood there behind her, naturally and effortlessly. Slightly lowering her head, she gazed into Erica's eyes. Though her expression was cool, both her teasing and her sharp words carried an air of refined composure. Even amidst a battlefield filled with a god's roars, she seemed detached from worldly chaos, radiating a distinct and serene beauty.
In that instant, shyness and a strange emotion rose within Erica's heart, blooming into a crimson flush across her cheeks.
"Y-You're... that thief from earlier?"
For reasons she herself could not understand, Erica's voice—once regal as a queen—no longer sounded lofty. Instead, it carried an oddly flustered tone.
"Thief..." The look of disdain on Satsuki's face deepened. "Is this how Italian Knights treat their saviors?"
"Ah—I'm sorry." Faced with undeniable fact, Erica fell into unprecedented panic. Her heart pounded wildly, and she even forgot to step away from Satsuki.
In truth, touching Satsuki's body was impossible.
Multiple layers of protection surrounded her. The Dead Line Boundary alone was something this inexperienced Mage could never penetrate. The cushion Erica perceived was merely repulsive force adjusted through the power of the Tenseigan.
"The wind is rising..."
Satsuki stepped back two paces, putting distance between herself and Erica, then raised her gaze toward the Boar.
At first, a cool breeze circled the gigantic beast.
Then it strengthened into powerful gusts.
Soon, it became a tornado.
What followed was a battle between the tornado and the black Boar.
The boar had been standing in the cathedral plaza near Tama Cathedral, an area filled with ancient buildings.
The Elephant Tower. The Tower of San Pancrazio... Medieval churches built in Gothic and Baroque styles stood throughout the historic district.
Amid these historical structures, the newly formed tornado lifted the Boar with unimaginable force, hurling it high into the sky.
The Boar's crimson eyes and savage expression, for the first time, revealed a flicker of fear. Suspended within the spiraling tempest, it dangled like a pendant swaying in the wind.
In the next moment, Satsuki's Tenseigan narrowed slightly.
Within her vision, countless strands of golden divine power emerged from the void, transforming into brilliant flashes of light. Like the arrogant King of Heroes of old, innumerable sharp golden rays converged from every direction, rapidly slicing apart the seemingly impregnable Golden Barrier surrounding the Boar.
That golden barrier—proof of its godhood—failed to delay them even for a moment. Like a red-hot blade plunging into butter, the boar's body was dismembered in a blaze of dazzling light within the blink of an eye.
ROAR ROAR ROAR!
The gigantic Boar managed only a dying scream.
Its crimson eyes lost their divine glow. Deprived of support, its colossal black body plummeted to the ground with a thunderous crash. A tower collapsed, stones scattering in all directions and crushing nearby buildings.
Then the body of this Heretic God gradually crumbled into sand.
The tornado that had wrought all this slowly subsided, weakening into a strong wind that carried away the sand that had once been the 'Boar.'
The battle—shocking and epic as myth—seized all of Erica's attention. Even her capacity for thought seemed stripped away, so much so that she failed to notice the words spoken by the person beside her.
"...An unremarkable battle."
The appearance of a Heretic God could only be perceived by those who possessed magic.
Ordinary people would not see the towering, majestic figure of a god. In their eyes, there were only the manifested natural disasters.
Around the heavily devastated streets swirled a chaotic crowd.
When faced with calamity, the outer layers of humanity were stripped away, revealing everything laid bare.
Thus, even in this so-called developed and civilized nation, all kinds of people emerged.
Those who cared only about fleeing for themselves... those who stood frozen in place... those who wept in anger... those injured and trembling in fear... and those absurdly praying to a god.
They had no idea that the very existence which had reduced them to this state was the very God named in their prayers.
At a street corner far removed from the crowds, Satsuki sat on a bench before a small house that had narrowly escaped destruction due to its secluded location. Before her stood a visibly uneasy Erica.
"...Please allow me to thank you, and forgive my rudeness when we first met."
The knight named Erica Blandelli was now fully demonstrating what it meant to have more emotion than reason. She seemed to have shifted her focus entirely away from the recent battle of gods and onto Satsuki herself.
"Thank you for saving my life."
At Satsuki's current level, it was difficult for her to feel any particular fondness toward a mortal like Erica, though neither did she harbor any special dislike.
"It was nothing more than a trivial gesture. However, after such an incident, any pleasant mood for sightseeing has been thoroughly ruined. It is time for me to leave this place."
With a soft sigh, Satsuki turned and walked away.
After only a few steps, the sound of high heels striking the pavement followed once more from behind her.
Clearly, a certain blonde knight had chosen to engage in the rather un-knightly act of tailing her.
"Is there something else?"
The Tenseigan granted a full 360-degree field of vision, so Satsuki did not even need to turn her head to see Erica—now changed back into her red evening gown—following closely behind.
The sudden question caused a faint blush to flash across the knight's face once again.
After a brief moment of speechlessness, the self-proclaimed lady finally found a suitable excuse.
"As a knight of the Copper-Black Cross, I cannot ignore the grimoire in your possession. And since you are my savior, I will repay your great kindness in my own way."
"Is that so?"
At this, Satsuki withdrew the black stone slab from her sleeve.
"So you have not abandoned the idea of taking it from me?"
"..."
For the first time, Erica—who prided herself on her sharp mind—felt herself falling behind even in verbal sparring.
The breathtaking figure before her possessed magic and presence surpassing her own. Even her manner of speech was more refined—yet carried a subtle air of condescension.
This was not the bearing of someone from an ordinary background. Such perspective and temperament could only be cultivated by an extraordinary lineage spanning centuries.
Satsuki did not continue to trouble the insignificant little knight in her eyes. Instead, she explained calmly.
"Though it is a fine sacred relic, it is not mine. I have come here merely to return it to its original owner."
"The original owner? Is that person on Sardinia?"
The golden witch suddenly displayed keen interest in the owner of the grimoire.
"Yes. Her name appears to be Lucretia Zola—the so-called Witch of Sardinia."
Upon hearing this, realization dawned across Erica's face. She glanced back and forth between Satsuki and the stone slab.
As expected, this young woman was no ordinary person. Could she perhaps be that witch's disciple?
"Lucretia Zola? The one known as the Witch of Sardinia? You intend to meet her?"
"Yes. So—this is where we part."
Without turning around, Satsuki lightly waved her hand.
Yet once again, Erica refused to relent and hurried after her.
Before Satsuki's patience could thin, Erica spoke first.
"If you intend to travel from here to the center of Sardinia, due to the recent battle, there are no trains or ships currently operating."
That made Satsuki pause. For the first time, she turned her head and regarded Erica.
"And?"
Perhaps pleased at having drawn her attention, Erica smiled faintly.
"I have my own car and driver. Leaving aside airplanes, as long as we travel by land, this is a trivial matter."
Satsuki gave her a measured look from head to toe, then turned away with a subtle expression.
Even the system in her mind could not resist commenting, Is she truly a witch? Did she not even realize she was saved by spatial magic just now?
Would someone proficient in spatial magic truly worry about transportation?
It was... difficult to put into words.
"Moreover, as a knight, in order to fulfill one's mission, one must endure and endure again. To abandon it halfway would be unthinkable. Such is tradition."
Was this merely another way of saying, "I'm sticking with you"?
She had not even given her name. The signal of "please leave" could not have been clearer. Was this knight deliberately pretending not to understand?
"Then I will accompany you to Lucretia Zola," Erica declared firmly. "And... I am interested in what you intend to do by meeting the famous Witch of Sardinia. I am also interested in the power contained within this stone slab."
SCREEECH—
With the shriek of sudden braking, a red SUV shot in from the roadside like it had just descended from a mountain pass at full speed. After bouncing across several drainage grates and trailing dust in its wake, it came to an abrupt halt beside them.
Inside the vehicle sat a maid in full uniform, her expression tangled in distress—apparently undecided whether to relax the foot on the brake or the one on the accelerator.
Even after stopping, the brake pads continued to emit a pitiful squeeeeeeak.
"This is the driver your family assigned you...?"
Equipped with such a textbook road hazard, Satsuki could not help but wonder how this young lady had survived to adulthood.
Though the area was sparsely populated, natural selection seemed rather lax.
Erica awkwardly scratched her head.
"Well... Ariana is an excellent maid in every respect—except for driving and cooking."