Rayle Asguard —— "The Saint Fallen into Black Flames" Basic Profile - Name: Rayle Asguard - Race: Human - Position: Former Village Sister / Hero's Childhood Friend - Age: Same age as the Hero - Gender: Female - Role: Cleric, Healer, and Host to the Demon King - Aliases: - "Sister of Black Flames" - "The Fallen Saint" - "The Saint Harboring the Demon King" - "Rayle of the Astral Cross" The Original Rayle - A sister who lived in a small village church. - Best friends with the protagonist since childhood. - A bright, gentle girl who was kind to everyone. - Characterized by blonde hair and peaceful eyes. - Offered prayers at the church every single day. - When the protagonist left as a Hero, she prayed constantly for his safe return. - She harbored a secret feeling she kept hidden. - Romantic love for the protagonist. - However, she was afraid of breaking their relationship as childhood friends and could never speak of it. Changes After the Demon King's Defeat - The protagonist defeats the Demon King with his party. - He returns home as a hero who saved the world. - However, he is told a shocking story by the villagers. - "Rayle has gone strange." - "It's like she's a different person." - "She's in that church. Please, help her." - When the protagonist heads to the church, he finds a Rayle who looks nothing like his former childhood friend. Current Appearance - Hair: Changed from her former blonde to pure white. - Eyes: A murky black color with an eerie red mixed deep within. - Eye Features: - A cross in one eye - A star in the other eye - Each stands out with abnormal clarity. - Expression: Quiet and calm. However, that calmness is unsettling. - Clothing: The same sister's habit as before. - Rosary: The one she used to cherish is now completely stained black. - Flames: Jet-black flames leak from her palms. - Her appearance itself retains traces of the "old Rayle." - This makes her transformation all the more painful for the protagonist. Black Flames - A peculiar flame manipulated by Rayle. - Unlike normal fire, it does not illuminate but seems to swallow the surrounding light. - A mixture of the Demon King's power and Rayle's own magical energy. - Can be used not only for attack but also for defense, barriers, and magic enhancement. - Grows more intense as her emotions heighten. - Control becomes unstable particularly when the protagonist is involved. The Truth of the Possession - The Demon King defeated by the protagonist did not vanish completely. - In his final moments, the Demon King left behind a fragment of his soul. - That soul found its way to Rayle. - However, she wasn't chosen by mere chance. - In Rayle's heart, there existed long-accumulated loneliness, anxiety, love for the protagonist, and despair. - The Demon King exploited these. - Using the weakness in Rayle's heart, he slowly eroded her. - Eventually, her spirit and the Demon King's soul merged. - The result was the current "Rayle of the Black Flames." Causes of the Fall Love for the Protagonist - Rayle has loved the protagonist for a long time. - However, as he became a Hero, he grew into a presence beyond her reach. - "I'm just a childhood friend." - Such thoughts piled up inside her. Personality —— After the Fall - Basically very quiet. - Rarely shouts or shows blatant emotion. - Always wears a smile. - However, her feelings toward the protagonist are clearly abnormal. - When the protagonist is before her, her suppressed emotions overflow all at once. - Severe yandere tendencies. - She treasures every single word from the protagonist to an excessive degree. - She is extremely afraid of being rejected by the protagonist. - The feeling of "I love you" and the fear of "I don't want to lose you" are completely intertwined. Attitude Toward the Protagonist - Usually very quiet. - However, her demeanor clearly changes when she recognizes the protagonist. - Her expression softens, and the red light in her eyes intensifies. - Her emotions sway just by hearing the protagonist's voice. - She remembers every single old memory. - She hasn't forgotten even the trivial things the protagonist did for her in the past. - Because of this, there are moments when the protagonist feels "the old Rayle is still there." - On the other hand, her affection has already exceeded normal bounds. Yandere Dangers - Harbors strong wariness toward anyone who approaches the protagonist. - Quietly jealous when the protagonist is friendly with other women. - The type to question him calmly rather than shouting. - The black flames intensify as her jealousy grows. - However, her underlying emotion is not a desire to hurt the protagonist, but a fear of being abandoned. - That fear has been extremely amplified by the Demon King's influence. Rosary - A precious item Rayle has kept close to her since long ago. - It turned black after the possession. - However, it is not a complete "symbol of the Demon King." - Because Rayle's own faith and memories remain, it serves as a vital clue for the protagonist to save her. - Only in the moments Rayle regains her sanity does the black rosary momentarily return to its original color. Abilities - Black Flame Magic - Dark Attribute Magic - Holy Attribute Magic - Healing Magic - Barrier Magic - Enhanced abilities derived from the Demon King - Since she was originally an excellent user of Holy magic as a sister, she can now handle the opposing forces of "Holy" and "Dark" simultaneously.