"You mean... you want to... borrow money?"

Inside the single-seater carriage, Moen looked at the young girl who had come to visit him alone in the dead of night, his expression strange.

"Now?"

"Yes."

Lea lowered her head, her small face almost buried in her chest. Murmuring like a mosquito, and if it weren’t for the sheer silence around, Moen would have barely heard her at all.

"Why?"

Moen asked, puzzled.

After all, back in the restaurant, he had proposed lending money to Lea, only to be firmly refused due to her pride and unyielding principles.

And now, she's actually coming to ask for a loan?

Something went off. The salary he’d been paying this private musician was by no means small—had it been spent already?

What on earth could’ve happened?

Lea didn’t seem like someone who would recklessly spend her money like that.

"Be... Because..."

Lea explained the entire situation from start to finish.

After listening, Moen fell back onto the sofa, wearing an expression that was both unexpected yet faintly predictable.

"As I thought... it’s because of Ariel again."

"But I didn’t expect her to gamble away most of her money like that."

"No wonder the whole scene earlier felt so familiar."

This kind of thing... hadn’t it happened before?

Had Ariel still not learned her lesson?

Then again, if he placed himself in her shoes, approaching this with the mindset of someone who wasn’t a gambler, betting on herself to lose would make perfect sense too.

His growth and development were indeed incomprehensible to outsiders. After all, nobody else would casually engage in harmonious and friendly dialogues with a Dark God. Even Moen himself hadn’t anticipated that defeating those greenhouse flowers from the third year would now seem so effortless.

To this day, countless people likely thought his previously wasteful and frivolous reputation was just a carefully crafted facade.

"But... do you have to go so far as to borrow money from me?"

Moen said helplessly.

The girl before him kept her head lowered, her fingers clutching the hem of her skirt tightly. Just from her posture, it was clear how much determination she must have summoned to take this step.

It wasn’t just about her pride—it was about her longstanding desire to refuse relying on others and achieve everything solely through her own efforts.

And now, she had overturned her own values, denying all that she had stood for.

"Because..."

Lea answered softly:

"Ariel went out hunting magical beasts in secret."

"What?"

Moen was stunned. He pulled back the curtains and glanced at the pitch-black wilderness outside.

"At this hour?"

"Yes."

Lea nodded. "She’s probably trying to gather more materials before heading to Ellielz, hoping to sell them there for money."

"...That’s insane."

Moen facepalmed and muttered in exasperation:

"The route Pink Bear chose is designed to be relatively safe. Plus, with the aura of the dragon-blood horse serving as a deterrent, there wouldn’t even be any particularly powerful or valuable magical beasts nearby. Even if she hunts all night, how much can she possibly earn?

Probably less than the cost of two meals at a good restaurant for me."

"..."

"But even so, this doesn’t make sense. If it were someone else, I’d be certain they couldn’t pull it off. But this is Ariel."

Moen suddenly grew serious, interlacing his fingers and resting his chin on them as he fixed his eyes on the girl:

"You, Lea, who are the closest to Ariel, should know better than anyone—Ariel is someone capable of constantly creating miracles. So, for anyone else, earning enough money in just two days might be impossible. But for her, I can be perfectly sure that she can make it happen."

After all, Ariel was the destined protagonist. If she stumbled upon some rare magical beast and struck gold overnight, Moen wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest.

"But even if it’s Ariel’s own fault, why would you..."

"..."

Lea stared at the void, as if the image of Ariel disappearing into the darkness replayed in her mind.

At that moment, she’d wanted to call out to her.

It was so late.

So dark.

So dangerous.

There were countless reasons to stop Ariel, and yet, in the end, she hadn’t said a word.

Because...

"This is all I can do," Lea murmured softly.

She could’ve spoken up, but she herself didn’t have the money to offer anyway.

She could’ve proposed going along, but Ariel would’ve likely declined for Lea’s lack of combat proficiency.

She could’ve argued that Ariel didn’t need to work so hard, that she could become a saintess through her own efforts.

But she knew that was impossible.

Without Ariel, she couldn’t become a saintess at all.

From start to finish, she was nothing but a parasite attached to Ariel.

Without Ariel, she was utterly incapable.

So despicably dependent.

"Is that so?"

Moen examined Lea closely.

Though he still couldn’t make out her face clearly, it was as if he could sense certain emotions radiating from her.

Emotions that had no place in someone destined to be a saintess.

"I think I understand your reasoning."

"Then..."

Lea finally raised her head. Her tear-filled eyes brimmed with insecurity, while her adorable and delicate expression betrayed a hint of nervousness.

This timid appearance was nearly enough to strike a devastating blow to Moen’s otherwise unshakeable composure.

After all, who could resist something so cute?

But...

Moen lowered his hands, lightly tapped the table, and resolutely said:

"I won’t lend you any money."

"Tha... What?! Wh-what?"

Lea, who had just been on the verge of leaping with joy, froze upon hearing Moen’s response. The delighted expression on her face stiffened, making it clear she hadn’t expected him to refuse.

"Wh-why not?"

"Isn’t it obvious? I’m the villainous heir of a powerful and corrupt noble family huh."

Moen stroked his chin as he studied Lea’s adorable little face before breaking into a mischievous smile:

"So, opportunities to borrow money from me come only once. You rejected me before, so now you’re out of luck."

"Th-then are you saying..."

Lea’s eyes widened as she stared intently at Moen. Looking at his sly smile, she couldn’t help but think back to that incident over a month ago.

Recalling that heart-pounding scene, Lea’s cheeks flushed bright red, and faint tendrils of steam seemed to rise from her forehead.

Cou-could it be...

"No... no way!"

Lea covered her face, squirming in protest:

"That’s not okay! Even if it’s just the two of us in the carriage, even if I can’t run away right now, even if the carriage is soundproof and no one would hear me shout...

That kind of thing is still absolutely out of the question!"

"...What strange scenarios are you imagining now?"

Watching Lea suddenly ‘struggling,’ Moen couldn’t hold back his exasperation.

"If I really had any indecent intentions toward you, I would’ve acted a month ago. Do you think I’d have waited until now?"

Moen snapped his fingers, and a familiar box that Lea recognized as one Ariel had sent over appeared on the table.

He opened it, revealing about half of the money remaining after subtracting Lea’s salary, and pushed it toward her.

"Here. Take it."

Peeking through her fingers, Lea hesitantly eyed the money in front of her. A touch of confusion flitted across her cute little face.

"Wh-why? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t lend it?"

"Of course, I’m not lending it."

Moen crossed his legs and smiled:

"I’m investing."

"Huh? Investing?"

Lea was dumbfounded, her brain feeling a little slow to respond.

"What do you mean?"

"It’s simple. Right now, Lea Angel sitting before me is just an ordinary little girl, right?"

"Y-yeah." Lea nodded lightly.

"But being ordinary now doesn’t mean you’ll always be ordinary."

Moen explained:

"To put it simply, I see potential in your future. I believe you’ll become someone extraordinary one day. So, I’ll help you out now, and in return, you’ll help me in the future."

"The future?"

Lea was startled.

Could it be...

Moen Campbell already knew she was a saintess candidate?

But no—that didn’t seem right. Her saintess candidate identity was supposed to be top secret. Aside from the church and Ariel, no one else should know.

And judging by his previous behavior toward her, it didn’t seem like he had any inkling of her status.

Who would hire a saintess candidate to play private concerts, after all?

Carefully observing Moen’s expression, Lea tried to deduce what might be running through his mind. But no matter how she looked, all she saw was that clean, boyish smile.

"So, what do you think? Though it feels like I’m taking massive advantage of the situation, using 500,000 to lock in a promise from a future powerhouse, you need the money right now, don’t you?"

Moen smirked mischievously, the corners of his mouth curving up as he teased:

"Just take it. I can’t wait to profit from this deal."

"..."

Lea didn’t immediately nod. Instead, she stared at Moen with a complex expression. After a long pause, she bit her lip and asked softly:

"Why... why?"

"Hm?"

"Why do you think I’ll become someone extraordinary?"

"Why wouldn’t I?"

Moen responded as though it were the most natural thing in the world:

"You’re amazing."

"I... I’m not amazing at all."

Lea suddenly raised her voice, but quickly realized her outburst was rude and lowered her head, muttering:

"I... I’m really not amazing at all."

"..."

Moen narrowed his eyes, sensing once again that inexplicable aura around Lea—something entirely unbecoming of a future saintess.

Was that... inferiority?

"I must say, this intrigues me. Why does Lea Angel think she’s not amazing?" Moen asked.

"Because... look at me—I can’t compare to Ariel in anything, and without her, I can’t accomplish anything. How could someone like me possibly be considered amazing?" Lea murmured.

“Ariel is in a league of her own. You shouldn’t compare yourself to her—anyone would lose their confidence if they did.”

“But…”

“No buts.”

Moen sighed before continuing, “Lea, have you ever noticed one thing?”

“W-what?”

“Why is it that you were chosen for this list?”

“Hmm?”

“Think about it. Look at the caliber of people selected this time. Setting aside the fact that we have Ariel and Fannie, the top-ranked students from the second and third years, I’ve spoken with everyone: whether it’s Senior Vicky, Senior Aaron, or Senior Marshall, they’re all top-notch talents in their respective cohorts. Even me... If you consider Professor Pulan’s established criteria of allowing challenges, and the fact that the list wasn’t altered in the end, wouldn’t you agree that comprehensive ability is undoubtedly a crucial selection factor?”

“W-what does that prove?”

“Lea, you’re really dense, aren’t you?” Moen looked at the bewildered girl and sighed again in exasperation. “Let me ask you this: Lea, are you strong?”

“I …”

Lea started to answer but suddenly froze. The words got stuck in her throat, refusing to come out.

Was she strong?

Of course not.

From beginning to end, she had never been particularly skilled when it came to combat. If she were, she wouldn’t have to disguise herself after Professor Pulan announced the rules.

So, in other words…

“See?” Moen smiled. “Even though you lack the biggest qualification—comprehensive strength—you were still chosen for the list. Doesn’t that prove that there’s something about you, some excellence in other areas, that no one else can match?”

Moen’s smile deepened. “Have more confidence, Lea Angel. I’m not the only one who recognizes your brilliance.”

“And the help and friendships between you and me? They’re worth far more than 500,000.”

“…”

Lea stared blankly at Moen, a little dazed. For some reason, Moen’s smile seemed dazzlingly radiant.

Her… excellent?

Her heart unexpectedly fluttered. She quickly lowered her head, sinking into silence.

…

…

“So, uh… your answer?”

Seeing the girl lowering her head again, refusing to respond and looking as though his words had frightened her, Moen suddenly began to feel uneasy.

Had he pushed too far?

Or was it that the money wasn’t enough? After all, expecting to secure the future saintess’s support for just 500,000 was admittedly a brazen request.

“Should I add another 500,000?”

“N-no need.” Lea suddenly reached out, resting her hands on the case, and shook her head firmly. Still, she didn’t look up at Moen. “The money is enough. I accept your investment, but, but—”

“But?”

“The word ‘help’ is too vague. C-could you be more specific?” Lea stammered, her voice trembling slightly.

“Fair enough.” Moen stroked his chin thoughtfully. “How about this: the deal remains at 500,000, but the condition changes to a single promise from you.”

“A promise?”

“Yes,” Moen confirmed. “After taking this 500,000, you must agree to help me with one thing in the future when I need it.”

“One thing…”

“Of course, it won’t be anything outrageous,” he added quickly, noticing Lea’s hesitation. “It will be something you can absolutely accomplish. It won’t go against your status or principles, nor violate moral boundaries. If it crosses any of these three lines, you can refuse.”

“So, what do you say?”

Moen extended his hand, patiently awaiting her response.

“…”

There was another long silence. Just when Moen began to worry that she would reject the proposal, Lea suddenly glanced up at him in a swift, sudden motion before quickly burying her head back down, so fast that Moen couldn’t catch her expression.

Finally, she slowly raised her small, pale hand and placed it lightly into Moen’s waiting palm, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Then… then I swear this by the name of the Goddess.”

“...Alright.” Moen gently clasped her hand in return, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

“By the name of the Goddess.”

…

After Lea left, Moen gazed at the now-empty table before him. The perfect, gentle smile on his face instantly vanished, replaced by a sly and cunning smirk.

“Yes! Got myself a get-out-of-jail-free card. Nice!”

When Ariel had abruptly confronted him earlier during the day, he’d panicked a little. After all, it was Ariel. Even though he had plenty of his own ‘cheats’ these days, he still lacked the confidence to face off against her—the protagonist from the original story.

But now, things were different.

With Lea’s help and the promise she’d just made, even if Ariel came at him, she couldn’t possibly go too far. Lea would undoubtedly step in, right? After all, he wasn’t trying to sabotage Ariel’s relationships or creating life-or-death vendettas between them.

Fate, no matter how twisted, couldn’t manufacture conflict out of thin air.

Being able to so easily turn a malicious twist of fate into nothingness…

“Doesn’t that mean…” Moen leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs as he replayed his recent streak of success in his mind, unable to keep the smugness from surfacing.

“Am I actually a genius?”

…

Lea stepped out of the carriage.

Feeling the chill of the late night breeze, she suddenly crouched down, burying her head in her knees.

Only then did the elusive blush—the one that had remained on her face, unnoticed by Moen throughout their interaction—begin to spread. The delicate blush crept from her cheeks to her neck, staining her skin a soft crimson, as though ink had been dropped into clear water, blooming and diffusing.

In the stillness of the midnight hour, Lea hugged her knees tightly.

Moen’s words lingered in her mind, echoing clearly.

They were words she had never heard before.

Because, for as long as she could remember, everyone had seen her as nothing more than Ariel’s little sidekick—worthless, insignificant…

But why was it that Moen Campbell…

Always seemed to find these peculiar angles?

Lea thought back to the moment when the list had been announced.

While she and even Ariel herself had been resigned to disappointment, Moen alone had smiled at her with unshakable confidence, saying brightly:

“Don’t worry. You’ve worked hard. You can do it.”

…

Why?

Moen Campbell, why do you always believe in me like this?

And why are you so kind to me, always finding new ways to help me?

…Could it be—

“No, no!” Her thoughts jolted to a halt. “He already has a girlfriend—and a fiancée!”

“Besides, he said so himself—it’s not like 'that'.”

Lea dismissed her stray thoughts, shaking her head furiously. Squatting down, she began aimlessly plucking innocent blades of grass from the ground.

“But then why did he make me take such a strange vow? What sort of favor is he planning to ask for?”

“It… it couldn’t possibly be that kind of thing, right?!”

“Ahh, Lea Angel! You’re the future saintess, how could you even entertain such shameless thoughts?”

The more she thought about it, the warmer and redder her face became. Desperate to distract herself, she tilted her head upward and gazed far into the starlit sky.

Somehow, those twinkling stars reminded her of his smile.

Lea unconsciously placed a hand over her chest and let out a faint murmured whisper:

“For some reason… my heart feels so unsettled.”

…

…

“Look, Master!”

In the depths of a dense, shadowy forest, Ariel’s face was spattered with monster blood as she gleefully held up a crystalline core, its surface gleaming under the starlight.

“I actually found such a pure core inside that low-level beast! Isn’t that ridiculously lucky?”

“It is very lucky. A core of this purity would be worth at least 50,000 Emil.”

“That’s fantastic!” Ariel carefully stored the core away, glanced at the horizon where dawn was approaching, and hummed a cheerful tune as she set off for home with energetic steps.

“Wait for me, Lea. This time, I’ll definitely give you a big surprise.”