I was having trouble breathing.
My throat, lungs, and internal organs felt as if they were burning, and I was overcome with excruciating pain.
"Ugh..."
I coughed up blood with my breath.
It hurts. It's hot. It's painful. I want to feel better.
Then the pain quickly subsided.
Little by little, it became easier to breathe and the heat and discomfort subsided.
As I felt the wind blowing gently across my cheeks, the scent of the trees, and the sunlight, my hazy consciousness gradually became clearer.
"...Huh? What was I doing? Um..." (Fia)
As I was getting up, I spotted the black dragon next to me, covered in blood, peering at me, and I screamed in surprise.
"Gyaaaaa!!!" (Fia)
Then I drew my sword and, although staggering, I turned towards the black dragon.
"Kikikikikitara, kikikiru." (Fia)
The black dragon looked at me with a puzzled expression and asked.
"What is 'kikikikikita'? I've never heard of 'kikikiru' either."
Gnunu...
I guessed I just took a big a bite.
Was he making fun of me because they know the answer? Or was he just asking because they don't understand?
I was about to think honestly about the question he asked, but then I remembered that I had almost been killed by the black dragon in front of me earlier.
"Ahh! Oh, by the way, I'm injured! My shoulder is gone! My side has been eaten too! There's not enough blood..." (Fia)
I hastily felt around my body and found that my shoulders and sides were there just fine.
Although my whole body was covered in blood, I didn't feel any pain like I had been injured.
"Huh?" (Fia)
As I tilted my head in confusion, the black dragon bowed its head dejectedly.
"...Even though you used a healing potion on me, I mistook the intense pain that came with it for an attack and bit you, so I'm sorry. Despite that, thank you for saving me with your healing magic." (Black dragon)
"……hah?" (Fia)
I didn't quite understand the second half.
Did I use healing magic to help?
...Huh? Am I a Saint? No, did I have a dream like that? No, it wasn't a dream...
"Ah, I don't really know. I'm going home. I'm going to go home and sleep. I can't think about it right now..." (Fia)
I sat down flat on the ground.
I said I was going home, but my whole body was so limp I didn't feel like I could stand up or walk.
When I saw the black dragon, I thought "I might be killed" so I stood up instantly, but now I was not in any sort of mood to be killed, and once I relaxed, I suddenly felt exhausted.
"I guess I'll just go to sleep like this. Goodnight..." (Fia)
As I collapsed to the ground and closed my eyes, I heard the black dragon's voice, as if talking to itself.
"You used advanced magic like 'Complete Recovery,' so you're running out of magical power. I wish I could share some with you..." (Black dragon)
Just when I thought the voice had quieted down, I felt someone shake my sleeping shoulders.
"Hey, big sister. You see, in the dragon race, when one's life is saved, they dedicate it to the person who saved them. So, I belong to you, big sister." (Black dragon)
"……Yeah" (Fia)
"I can make a slave contract with you now. Then I can share my magical powers with you. So, please tell me your name." (Black dragon)
"...Name? Fia Ruud." (Fia)
"Thank you! ...I, the Black Dragon King Zavilia, have made a pact with my master, Fia Ruud. With my blood, flesh and soul, I pledge my eternal loyalty to my master!" (Black dragon)
Behind my closed eyelids, multiple layers of light intertwine.
"Hehe, now I belong to Fia. The nights are cold and the incidence of monsters appearing has increased. If I'm spreading the sweet scent of the saint's blood, it's practically a call for me to attack, but Fia is so laid-back..." (Black dragon)
The black dragon seemed to be muttering something, but then my consciousness was cut off.
When I woke up, it was morning.
I must had slept for a long time. My body and mind felt refreshed.
When I tried to turn over in my sleep, I noticed I was wrapped in something cool and smooth.
"...Hmm? Is this what my futon looks like..." (Fia)
When I touched the futon with my hand, for some reason the futon started to wrap around my hand.
Curious, I slowly opened my eyes and met blue ones.
"Black dragon!" (Fia)
I jumped up in a panic.
Apparently, I had spent the night in the wood.
But despite that, I didn't feel cold and seemed to sleep well.
"...Maybe you stayed with me all night?" (Fia)
"Yeah. It's my duty to protect my master." (Black dragon)
It really seems like he kept me warm all night. What a kind monster.
"Thank you, Black Dragon." (Fia)
As I stroked his body and expressed my gratitude, the black dragon made a sulky noise.
"It's Zavilia. Can I call you Fia too?" (Black dragon)
Ah, I've remembered a lot of things...
"Black dra...Zavilia. Last night, I had a dream that I made a familiar contract with you." (Fia)
"Hehe, of course it's real. I've properly signed what you call a familiar contract in my name, so I belong to Fia. Look at you left wrist. There's a proof." (Black dragon)
Looking, I saw a black ring about 1 mm wide drawn all the way around my left wrist, proof that the contract was completed.
"From now on, even if we're far apart, if Fia calls, I'll rush over right away and share my magical power with her. Ah, Fia used too much recovery magic yesterday and ran out of magical power. I shared my magical power with you, so I think you're feeling better now, how's it?" (Black dragon)
"...I had a dream that I was a saint in my previous life..." (Fia)
"Hehe, of course, that's reality too. I mean, I don't know what it was like in your past life, but the current Fia is definitely a Saint. I messed up a bit and nearly died. I turned into a baby, but I couldn't keep up with the recovery, so I thought, 'Ah, I'm going to die,' and gave up, but Fia saved me with her healing magic. I was practically dead, so it was almost at the resurrection level. There is no other saint who can use such advanced magic other than Fia." (Black dragon)
"...I couldn't use magic though." (Fia)
"Yes, I guess your magical powers returned along with your memories. It's a method we dragons use too. When we die, we transfer our memories to our children, passing on our powers to the next generation. Memory is power, after all." (Black dragon)
So much information was coming in at once that it's hard to organize it all. But I felt I needed to tell Zavilia what I needed to say right now.
"...Um, could you please keep quiet about the fact that I'm a saint? ...I was a saint, and in my previous life, I was killed. It was a pretty horrible way to be killed. ...I'm afraid that if I declare that I'm a saint, I'll be killed again." (Fia)
When my memories of my previous life came back to me, the first thing that came to my mind was, "If anyone finds out I'm a saint, I'll be killed."
Because that's what the monster that killed me said.
Because I was a saint, I would be abused, tortured, humiliated, and killed.
And that when I was reborn as a saint, they would definitely find me and kill me in the same way again.
As I began to tremble uncontrollably, Zivilia answered me with a straight face.
"Of course, I won't tell you that you're a saint. It's my role to help you do what you want to do. But remember, I'll protect you with all my might." (Black dragon)
The way he said it sounded so reassuring that I couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed, and when I looked away... I noticed that Zavilia and I were surrounded by the corpses of monsters scattered here and there, and my face twitched.
"...what is this?" (Fia)
"It's the corpse of a monster that was trying to attack Fia. With the saint's blood all over its body and that sweet smell dripping from it, it's practically asking to be attacked. Monsters kept attacking it all night long. Fia sure is popular." (Zavilia)
"But, how many are there? Fifty? Or sixty? Plus, they're all strong looking monsters..." (Fia)
As I was about to speak, I suddenly remembered why I came to this forest in the first place.
"The Coming of Age Ceremony! Oh no, it's already morning! A whole day has passed. My sister will be worried!" (Fia)
I took out my dagger and looked up at Zavilia.
"Can I have this monster's magic stone?" (Fia)
Then, after seeing Zavilia nod, I stabbed the nearest monster with my dagger and pulled out a magic stone.
"Sorry, I'm going home because my sister is worried!" (Fia)
"Wait. I'll give you a ride." (Black dragon)
With that, Zavilia leaned forward to make it easier for me to get on.
It seemed like it would cause a huge commotion if a black dragon was seen, but there was no other way.
I had to get back as quickly as possible, or else my sister would gather all the knights in the knight territory and organize a search party.
I clung to Zavilia and hurried home.