I Finished Saving the World, But Then I Picked Up a Girl With Amnesia - Chapter 14

What is this monster?

That was the pure terror the two-horned devil felt toward the knight standing before him.

The skin of a devil is impenetrable to ordinary blades. A poorly crafted sword would shatter against it.

Yet, the head of his kin had been severed in a single strike.

To begin with, that slash should never have been within the sword’s range.

He couldn’t comprehend what had happened.

Thus, the two-horned devil’s first instinct was not to attack but to retreat.

“Damn it!”

He spread his wings and leapt into the air.

Unlike battles against magic users or mages, the standard strategy when fighting a knight was to maintain distance. If one had ranged attacks, staying beyond the reach of a sword allowed for an easy and one-sided kill.

But this knight could slash even from outside a sword’s range. Therefore, he needed to put even more distance between them—

“Too slow.”

The merciless declaration judged that his thoughts were already too late.

The knight held two greatswords. Wielding two swords meant having twice as many opportunities to strike.

“What the—”

To cut to the conclusion: the devil couldn’t even complete his leap.

The knight’s left greatsword was thrust into the ground.

From there, a network of ice radiated outward like a spiderweb, freezing the devil’s leg in place.

And then came the second strike.

“Argh… AAAAAHHHH!”

The right sword flashed again, severing one of the two-horned devil’s wings.

Most knights channel their magical power primarily into physical reinforcement, but some are skilled enough to incorporate magic into their combat style.

Blood dripped from the base of the severed wing. Despite the pain, the two-horned devil forced himself to keep thinking.

This woman uses ice magic. In terms of elemental compatibility, fire gives him the advantage.

She may think freezing his leg has immobilized him, but… something like this can be melted in an instant.

Step by deliberate step, the knight approached, her heavy armor echoing with each movement. The devil glared at her, clenching his teeth so hard it seemed they might break.

Her right greatsword was raised.

The massive sword, commonly referred to as a “long buster sword,” was a weapon so large it was designed to be wielded with both hands. Yet she swung it with one hand as if it were a normal sword. Her physical reinforcement through magic was astounding, but… with a weapon that large, openings were inevitable.

“Fool.”

At the same time he muttered, flames erupted from his monstrous hands.

The two-horned devil’s magic was fire-based. With a large enough magic circle, he could incinerate an entire mansion in an instant. Even without one, the flames bursting from his palms could easily engulf a human and turn them into a burning heap.

The ice binding his leg melted in an instant.

Using the burst of flames as push, the devil lunged forward. This was not an attempt to escape. It was a desperate charge aimed at killing his opponent.

He aimed for the space inside the greatsword’s range—a decisive move born of desperation and determination.

Clink.

The sound was faint as his sharp claws grazed the knight’s armor.

In the battle of tactics and timing, the devil had gained the upper hand.

“Burn.”

He could sense the sharp intake of breath from inside the knight’s helmet.

And then, the azure-silver armor was engulfed in flames.

—

It was a story from long ago.

She still vividly remembers the day she met the Hero.

He saw her panties.

That was the beginning of the relationship between Aria Linage Aiaras and the Hero. She remembers it well—even the fact that they were white that day.

It was the entrance day for the knight academy located in the royal capital. Aria, dressed uncomfortably in her uniform, was walking alone toward the auditorium for the opening ceremony.

“…Haa.”

The start of her student life, set to last three years. On this day, filled with hope for a new chapter, she let out a deep sigh.

The neighboring kingdom’s third princess was being admitted to the knight academy as a special scholarship student. While it sounded impressive to say her strength had been acknowledged, the truth was that she was being sent as a hostage, a tribute from the Aiaras royal family to the kingdom. Aria wanted to get along with her peers, but her status and strength intimidated them, making even casual conversation difficult.

For someone like Aria, who enjoyed interacting with others, this environment was more than enough to make her feel gloomy.

“Forget it. I’ll just skip the ceremony.”

She had already been placed in a separate category from everyone else. Being seen as a delinquent at this point wouldn’t matter. In fact, claiming she was absent due to illness would sound appropriately “princess-like” and draw less criticism.

She wandered the unfamiliar campus, searching for a quiet, secluded spot. Feeling a vague desire to look out at the scenery from a high place, she chose the rooftop.

However, when she opened the door, someone was already there.

“Oh.”

“Ah.”

Their brief murmurs overlapped.

The boy, like Aria, wore a uniform with a decorative flower pinned to his chest—a clear sign that he too was a first-year student.

“Skipping the ceremony too?”

“What about you?”

“Yeah.”

“Bold of you.”

“I don’t like formalities.”

“Same.”

Their conversation was shallow and trivial. Yet for Aria, it was refreshing to have such an easy, unguarded exchange after so long.

“Mind if I sit here?”

“Be my guest. It’s not like I own the place. May I ask your name, m’lady?”

The boy’s casual tone was to Aria’s liking, but… she hesitated. Would he also draw back from her once he learned her name?

“I’m…”

At that moment, the wind blew.

Perfectly timed, her skirt fluttered up.

The boy’s gaze naturally followed downward.

There was a pause.

After a beat of silence, Aria asked.

“…Did you see?”

“Well, uh… yes. To be honest, I saw. I mean, it was visible.”

“…”

“Sorry. Thank you for the meal.”

My panties aren’t food.

“…Haa.”

Aria sighed again.

Some days just don’t go your way.

“Well, whatever. See you.”

The situation had become awkward.

This skirt, designed for ceremonial aesthetics, is way too short, she thought as she turned to leave.

But the boy panicked.

“W-Wait, hold on!”

“What is it?”

“Well… I’m the one who saw something, but… I just… I was surprised. I thought you’d scream or slap me or something.”

“It’s just underwear.”

At the end of the day, it was just fabric. Of course, Aria would have been embarrassed if she’d been seen naked, but a brief peek at her underwear wasn’t a big deal. Truthfully, she couldn’t understand why girls her age made such a fuss over being seen.

“Wow… Coming from the guy who saw them, this might sound weird, but I think you should value your underwear more. They’re worth more than you think, especially since you’re a princess.”

“…Fufu. What’s that supposed to mean… Wait.”

Value my underwear? What a ridiculous notion, she thought, laughing. But it was his next words that caught her attention.

“Wait, you know who I am?”

“Yeah. You’re Aiaras, the scholarship student. The third princess of the neighboring kingdom, right?”

“That’s correct, but…”

He knew who she was, and yet he still talked to her.

Something sparked within Aria’s heart—a budding curiosity about this boy.

“Hey, you. You’re free, right?”

“Obviously.”

“Then, how about a sparring match? As payment for the panties. I’ve been wanting to let off some steam.”

“Oh, sounds fun.”

To her surprise, the boy was eager.

“You’re strong, right, Princess?”

“Of course I am.”

“Sweet.”

His grin was the most genuine she’d seen since they started talking.

“I want to defeat the Demon King and save the world, so I want to fight strong people as much as I can.”