The Abandoned Saint I Picked Up is a Side Character in an Otome Game and Turns Out to Be the World's Strongest Mage. I Plan to Rescue the Heroine Who Couldn't Achieve Her Happy Ending in a Dungeon. - Chapter 10

Christiana was one of the most battle-hungry characters in the story.

One of her most memorable moments in Under the Shining Starry Sky was when her son, a love interest, introduced Ariel to her.

Without hesitation, she immediately challenged Ariel to a fight.

When questioned afterward, her reasoning was, “I didn’t raise a man who can’t protect the woman he loves.”

That’s how much she valued strength—she was, without a doubt, one of the most intense characters in the story.

“Ariel, go on ahead,” I said.

“Huh?”

I handed her a spare Anywhere Key, signaling her to escape first.

Christiana was strong.

In the game, she was far tougher than the Demon Lord, even in a scripted battle where victory was guaranteed. I’d lost to her countless times.

Even though Ariel had grown stronger from power-leveling, she still wasn’t ready to defeat someone like Christiana.

I had to stay behind and buy her time to escape.

“…Understood. Please be careful,” Ariel said, recasting her buff spell on me before sprinting away.

Christiana watched Ariel’s retreat with a hint of regret but quickly shifted her attention to me.

She must have decided I was the stronger opponent because her gaze sharpened, gleaming like that of a predator sizing up its prey.

Just as we were about to clash, our timing turned sour—Roland arrived, bringing a group of guards with him.

“Ah, Lady Christiana, Captain of the Knights!?”

“Oh? Your Highness, the Crown Prince! What a coincidence. How’s my idiot son doing these days?”

Her casual tone, as if chatting about the weather, made me wonder if she was just confident or simply carefree.

“L-Lady Christiana! That man is one of the culprits responsible for the recent attacks on the academy! Please assist us in capturing him!”

“No.”

“…Excuse me? W-what did you say?”

“This boy is my prey. If anyone interferes, even you, Your Highness, I won’t hold back,” Christiana replied, leveling her blade at Roland.

She’s absolutely insane…

“Th-then we’ll pursue the girl who fled—”

“That’s not happening either. If you do, I’ll lose my temper.”

“…What?” Roland and I both blurted out in unison, equally stunned.

I couldn’t believe it. Christiana was stopping Roland from going after Ariel?

“What’s gotten into you?” I asked.

“I like men who understand the meaning of ‘ladies first.’ Letting the girl escape first shows good manners,” she said with a sly smile.

“I… see.”

“So, here’s the deal. I won’t let anyone chase after her, but in return, you’ll indulge me, won’t you?”

“…Let’s hear it.”

With a delighted grin, Christiana leaned in closer.

“Let’s fight for real! Don’t bore me!”

“…Hahaha. You really are a berserker.”

“Oh? Have we met before? I’d never forget someone as spirited as you.”

“I know you, but you don’t know me. Fine, I’ll take you on. Give me ten seconds to prepare.”

Surprisingly, Christiana actually waited ten seconds, clearly eager to fight.

She really loved combat.

Honestly, I couldn’t deny I felt a twinge of excitement too.

The last time I fought seriously was in the deepest dungeon when I defeated the spirit guardian.

Maybe it was time to go all out again. I couldn’t blame Christiana for wanting the same.

“Transformation.”

I didn’t have to say it aloud, but it sounded cool, so I did.

My body was encased in steel.

My perspective shifted as I grew taller, my body weighed down by a heavy but powerful presence.

To the untrained eye, it might look like an ordinary black suit of armor.

But anyone knowledgeable would immediately notice something unusual.

The armor had no seams.

And yet, it didn’t restrict my movements. If anything, it allowed me to move more fluidly and powerfully than before.

From my back, secondary arms extended, while a steel tail unfurled from my tailbone, all of which I could control freely.

“This is my full power—my Exoskeletal Armored Powered Suit.”

“Wha…”

“Hm? What’s the matter? Did I scare you? The renowned captain of the knight order, afraid already—”

“That’s amazing!! So cool!!”

“…What!?”

Before I could process what was happening, Christiana ran over to me and began inspecting my powered suit, patting it down enthusiastically.

In doing so, her very large assets pressed firmly against my arm.

Since my powered suit transmits tactile sensations directly, the unexpected softness caused me to momentarily freeze.

“I especially love the color! A jet-black suit of armor! You have excellent taste!”

“Eh, y-you think so?”

“Absolutely! The red accents complement the black perfectly! Stylish and practical—well done!”

This was unexpected.

Christiana turned out to be much more relatable than I had imagined.

In the game, she was just a berserker, but meeting her in person… she was kind of fun to talk to.

As I shared my thoughts on powered suits with Christiana, Roland’s exasperated voice cut in.

“L-Lady Christiana! Why are you chatting so happily with a criminal!?”

“Oh, young people these days are so impatient. You know, men who take their time tend to be more popular.”

“Exactly! A kid who can’t appreciate how cool this armor is should just stay out of it.”

“Wh-what did you say!?”

Ignoring Roland’s outburst, Christiana and I turned back to each other.

“Christiana Ray Grandrais, Captain of the Andarencia Kingdom’s Knight Order. Ready when you are,” she declared confidently.

“Ah, I’m Endo, a magician. They call me ‘Iron Striker.’”

“I like a man who can go with the flow. But I’ve never heard of a magician called ‘Iron Striker.’ I usually keep tabs on the strong ones.”

“That’s not surprising. The ones who’ve opposed me haven’t lived to tell anyone about it. The nickname’s just something a fellow magician came up with.”

“So, a bad magician, huh? That makes it even better—I won’t hold back!”

It all happened in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, Christiana had closed the distance between us, sword raised to cut through my powered suit.

But… defense was unnecessary.

The moment she swung her blade, it snapped in half.

“As expected, it’s tough! Slicing is pointless, huh?”

“Not just slicing—this suit can block strikes, stabs, and even reflect magic attacks by amplifying their power.”

“That sounds invincible! Then how about a joint lock!?”

Tossing aside her broken sword, Christiana darted in close, aiming for one of my suit’s weak points.

Incredibly, she identified a vulnerability on her first attempt.

“Impressive, but this suit also enhances my physical strength. I can easily break free from any hold—”

I stopped mid-sentence.

Christiana had me in a classic judo-style arm lock… but her very ample assets were once again pressed against my arm.

If I wanted to, I could have easily overpowered her and broken free.

But strangely, my will to resist faded.

Casually, I decided to appreciate the moment and grabbed a handful. Christiana didn’t even seem to notice.

As much as I’d like to enjoy this longer, Ariel should have reached the hideout by now.

With a burst of strength, I broke free from Christiana’s hold.

“Hah!”

“Whoa! Such power!”

“I’d love to keep fighting, Christiana, but I don’t have the time. I’ll be taking my leave.”

“What!? But the fun’s just getting started!”

“Sorry.”

I turned my back to Christiana and sprinted to a nearby building. Using my Anywhere Key, I inserted it into the door, ready to escape.

Just as I opened the door and tried to step through—

“Wait for me!!”

“Huh? Whoa!”

“You’re the first strong opponent I’ve met in ages! There’s no way I’m letting you escape!”

Christiana, moving with incredible speed, charged through the doorway after me, following me to the other side.