Althea: The Legendary Saintess [Shoujo]

As soon as she entered the cave, she cast enhancement and defensive spells on herself. After closing her eyes, she concentrated on detecting the presence of the Phoenix and, simultaneously, other monsters.

"—There it is."

Fortunately, there seemed to be very few monsters inside the cave. Perhaps they had all gone to destroy the port.

"I've only got five minutes with Laila’s time limit, so I can’t afford to be slow."

Muttering to herself, she followed the Phoenix's aura deeper into the cave. The path soon split into three, but she chose the left path without hesitation and heard voices coming from further ahead.

"—...Are we supposed to just let that area be destroyed? Damn, did you hold back your strength? There's no way a barrier could withstand a divine beast like you… Wait, who’s there?!"

The figure who turned around was a beastman. However, there was no one visible.

"...Must be my imagination. No one else should be here. Is my tension getting the better of me? …And hurry up with your self-healing! I want to start fighting soon too!!"

Althea, who had been watching from a hidden state, struggled to contain her anger.

'To be mistreated while being possessed… How awful. …By the way, earlier they mentioned "that area being destroyed," but where exactly is "that area"?'

As she pondered this, Althea used her invisibility magic to approach the Phoenix without being detected by the beastman.

Sensing Althea’s presence, the Phoenix twitched slightly.

Althea stood behind the Phoenix and began to pray, speaking to it in her mind.

“I have come to help… Do you recognize me? Please, don’t refuse my assistance.”

A cold voice echoed in Althea’s head.

“…What are you doing here? Since you’ve managed to lure a key figure of the demonkind, now is the time to head to the shrine and retrieve my feathers. You can leave me behind.”

“Were you captured to distract us from the shrine in the northeast? If so, then leaving you behind is…”

“Are you foolish? My voice cannot reach the Maiden of Dawn this time. If we waste time in this state, the darkness of the Demon Kingdom will invade this world. We cannot afford to waste time here.”

“So you’re a decoy?”

“…To shorten the time needed to obtain the sword.”

“Hey!”

At that moment, the beastman, who had been observing the Phoenix’s healing, lost his patience and called out.

“Didn’t I tell you to heal quickly? Why are you frozen? If you’re not going to heal, then we’ll leave you as you are. Though you might die from not being able to fly. …Actually, even if you die, you might be revived by entering the flames. …In fact, dying once might make you more compliant in both body and spirit?”

The beastman laughed heartily again and tugged on the reins in his hand.

The reins were tied to the Phoenix’s neck. As the reins were pulled, the Phoenix made a distressed sound, likely due to the tightening around its neck.

It seemed that to free the Phoenix, Althea needed to deal with these reins.

Althea visualized a rescue plan in her mind.

'The beastman can be restrained and thrown out with wind magic, and Laila and Ciel should manage the rest. The problem is those reins. I need to sever them while casting barrier magic. Combining earth magic with advanced magic… A sturdy barrier from the ground with earth magic… Sharpen the edges of the barrier with advanced magic, and imagine cutting the reins in the process…'

“—Desire.”

As Althea chanted, the cave shook violently, and the ground began to rise, encircling the Phoenix.

The beastman, who had been alone in the cave, was startled and panicked as the sudden tremor and rising earth surrounded the Phoenix.

“What, what’s happening? An earthquake?”

While he was bewildered, the reins connecting him to the Phoenix were severed by the rising earth, causing him to lose his balance and fall.

“Ugh?! …Why did the reins snap? I was told they had special properties to block light… No, more importantly, why is the rising earth covering the Phoenix?! Is this a barrier? …Hey, come out!! If not, I’ll destroy that area right now. If I give the orders… Urgh?!”

The beastman’s movements abruptly stopped.

Staring wide-eyed at his motionless limbs and his mouth seemingly blocked, he could only move his gaze. Through the blurred surroundings, he faintly saw a human figure.

“For now, let the beastman leave the cave.”

As the figure spoke, the beastman’s immobile body floated gently and was swiftly carried out of the cave.

“…It seems I didn’t use as much magic as I thought? …I still can’t quite grasp magic consumption. And more importantly, I need to dispel this barrier.”

Althea touched the earthen wall covering the Phoenix, and it crumbled away immediately.

“I’m sorry, it must have been suffocating. …Allow me to introduce myself. I am Althea, the Maiden of the Dusk. Although it might be presumptuous, I have come to rescue you, Phoenix.”

The Phoenix, initially showing a look of surprise at Althea’s smiling, outstretched hand, seemed to smile in response.

“So the Maiden of Dawn seemed weak, but the Dusk Maiden is quite something.”

The Phoenix was confined in a high, horizontal chamber within the cave, from which access and egress were possible.

With Althea on its back, the Phoenix soared from the cave. As it lifted off, the Phoenix spoke to Althea:

“I understand that I am dealing with an extraordinary individual, but your actions are quite foolish. I would like to give you a lecture, but we don’t have time for that right now. For the moment, please ride on my back. Let’s get outside first.”

Althea braced herself for the reprimand that would surely follow. Nonetheless, she made a request to the Phoenix before it took flight.

“…I will accept any anger you may direct at me. However, I have asked the others to deal with the beastman at the entrance. Could we please make a stop there?”

“The beastman, you say? I am involved in this as well. Understood. We will head to the entrance.”

With that, the Phoenix ascended towards the cave’s entrance. Once they emerged, a glimmer of light shone from the horizontal exit, indicating that it was indeed a passage to the outside.

Upon reaching the cave entrance, the Phoenix flew towards it. At the entrance, Laila was seen restraining the beastman, who had his mouth sealed by Ciel’s magic.

Althea sighed in relief as she landed with the Phoenix beside Laila and Ciel.

“Lady Althea! You’re safe!”

Laila, still mounted on the beastman, called out with visible relief.

“Yes, I am unharmed. Thank you, Laila, and Ciel.”

“It’s nothing, Lady Althea. We are only following your wishes… By the way, is this… the divine beast?”

Unable to move, Laila, looking somewhat apologetic, inquired.

“Yes, this is the Phoenix, a divine beast residing at the shrine in the northeast.”

“I see… Divine beast, please forgive this humble greeting under such circumstances.”

As Laila spoke, Ciel knelt and bowed deeply beside her.

The Phoenix responded with a small, acknowledging cry.

“Now, what shall we do with the beastman?”

As Althea squatted in front of the restrained beastman, the beastman glared at her with resentment. Unable to move or speak, his frustration was palpable.

“…Could we persuade him to return peacefully to the Demon Kingdom?”

Althea murmured, and the Phoenix’s voice echoed in her mind.

“I doubt that will be possible.”

“Ah… Then we’ll have to keep him restrained. I know it’s not ideal to keep using magic to silence him, but… I would prefer not to kill him if possible.”

“…Sigh. You are truly naïve. Such leniency may lead to severe consequences one day. However… for now, please heal me.”

After a moment of thought, the Phoenix suddenly requested healing.

“Healing? I can manage a bit, but… I’m not very skilled with fire.”

“What are you talking about? Don’t you have your own magic? I understand it may not be easy to use, but I need you to act quickly… Even a small amount will do.”

“…Understood. …――Desire.”

Althea chanted the incantation for advanced magic. The moment she spoke, the flames surrounding the Phoenix intensified, taking on a majestic and divine appearance befitting a divine beast.

Laila and Ciel stared wide-eyed at the sudden change, frozen in place by the transformation.

The Phoenix, seemingly satisfied with the results, said,

“Hmm… This is splendid. It seems there will be no issues. Althea, was it? I will now address your concerns.”

Without further warning, the Phoenix lifted the restrained beastman with one talon and swallowed him whole.

““?!!… Phoenix-sama?!””

Althea, Laila, and Ciel were stunned as they watched the Phoenix consume the beastman, wiping its beak with its feathers afterward, looking content.

“...Did… did it just… eat him?”

Althea asked cautiously.

“No, I have swallowed him. This way, the power of the demon will be neutralized within my body.”

“But… what if he causes trouble inside?”

'Won’t he be digested or something?'

“There’s no need to worry. My interior is connected to another dimension, so even if he struggles, it won’t affect me. And, of course, he won’t be digested. Once the world calms down, I can expel him. As long as balance is maintained, the beastmen are naturally a docile race. …That’s why you didn’t want to kill him, right?”

Feeling that the Phoenix understood her intentions, Althea expressed her gratitude with a proper bow, showing her respect and appreciation.