"Finally gone?"

Watching Lea's silhouette gradually fade into the distance, Moen let out a long, relieved breath. "More stubborn than I thought."

He lowered his head to look at his hands.

The skin was cracked, blood streaming down, dangling weakly at his sides.

This was the backlash of forcibly unleashing a twenty stacks *Thunder*.

But… it wasn't as severe as he'd imagined.

At the very least, he could still grip his blade.

"Holy Light... what a convenient power indeed."

If not for Lea's blessing of Holy Light, his hands might have been rendered utterly useless by that last effort.

After all, doubling the force in that manner—even with all the external boosts—still fundamentally relied on his own physical strength to sustain it.

"Really... how profoundly... touching," he muttered.

The priest ceased his attacks, simply gazing at Moen with an air of serene condescension, as if he were toying with a prey cornered in despair.

"Struggling with all your might, sacrificing yourself to secure the escape of that young lady from the church—is this the noble conduct befitting the son of a duke?"

"Heh, it's the first time anyone's ever called me noble," Moen quipped, rolling his shoulders. His demeanor remained remarkably calm, as if he hadn't realized the sheer gravity of his predicament.

"But for the record, I never said I was planning to sacrifice myself."

"You think there's still a way out for you?"

"How would I know if I don't try?"

"Fair enough. Makes sense," the priest replied with a nod.

"But I'm not the only one who disagrees with you."

A sharp, grating sound filled the air—a noise like steel grinding against stone.

Out of the corner of his eye, Moen caught sight of a horrifying creature: the previously injured hyena, now fully transformed into a monstrous beast. It lumbered forward, dragging claws more than a foot long along the ground, its blood-red eyes glinting as it blocked Moen's escape route.

The creature’s wounds had completely healed. Its body was now adorned with thick scales and sharp bone spurs, giving it an even more menacing appearance.

To another side, emerald-green light pulsed with vitality. Fular, healing her own injuries, stared venomously at Moen while steadily regaining her fighting strength. It was only a matter of time before she was back to full capacity.

All around them, the storm raged, the enormous trees bent and twisted out of shape.

The oppressive atmosphere was suffocating, pressing down on Moen's nerves.

He had managed to suppress them earlier through a series of clever tricks. After all, the gap between Tier Three and Tier Four was a nearly insurmountable chasm.

This time, however, they wouldn't grant him another opening.

And on top of that, there was now a priest whose strength seemed unfathomable.

By all appearances, this was indeed a dead end.

"There is no escape for you, Moen Campbell," the priest pronounced mournfully. "I recognize your talent, but you made a grave mistake. If you'd joined forces with that young lady, you might have caused us some trouble."

"But now, without her Holy Light to aid you, how will you bridge the gap in strength between us?"

"As I said before: how would I know if I don't try?" Moen smirked. "Maybe I'm just better at fighting solo."

He began rolling his shoulders and swinging his arms more vigorously. It was as though those nearly incapacitated limbs were quickly recovering under the influence of some mysterious force.

Deep in his eyes, a faint fire ignited.

Yet no one noticed.

"Commendable courage... I'm just not sure if that's genuine confidence," the priest remarked, his tone laced with mockery, "or if you're merely stalling for time, hoping to save your companion.

"Still..."

The priest's expression shifted to one of cryptic amusement.

"Even if that's what you're hoping for, do you truly believe she can escape?"

"Hmm?" Moen frowned, his sharp gaze sweeping his surroundings as if he'd realized something. With sudden clarity, the realization struck him. "So that’s your instruction, huh?"

"No," the priest responded with a beaming smile, as if reveling in the opening act of a grand spectacle. "I'm merely letting the seed you planted... germinate and grow."

"I see."

But Moen simply shrugged dismissively, a light chuckle escaping his lips.

"I think you’re overthinking this."

---

---

In the dim forest, the girl continued to run desperately.

She looked fragile, her slender frame seemingly barely able to support her. And yet, paradoxically, her chest was full and ample, creating an incongruous image—one that even seemed to make running slightly more cumbersome for her.

Even so, aided by the blessings of Holy Light, her speed was extraordinary.

She moved so fast that her figure left afterimages in her wake. So fast that…

It wasn’t until she finally caught sight of bright light breaking through the dense undergrowth that her consciousness seemed to realign with her body.

"Is that... the edge of the forest?"

Lea came to an abrupt halt, her chest heaving with labored breaths as she stared ahead in stunned disbelief.

That light—it was dazzling, warm.

For someone who had wandered in darkness for so long, it was like an oasis amid a scorching desert, brimming with temptation.

Her halted footsteps began to move again, seemingly of their own accord.

Yes, that was the exit. Judging by the distance, at her current speed, she could leave the forest in less than half an hour.

Leave behind this cursed forest of deadly insects, savage beasts, and ever-present death.

Yes.

All she had to do was press forward.

Once out of the forest, everything would fall back into place.

She could proceed to the Holy City, participate in that most important ritual, and—with Ariel’s help—contend for the saintess' esteemed position.

Yes, everything was exactly as planned, with no unexpected complications.

All she had to do...

"Craaaaaw!"

A piercing caw jolted her from her unseeing trance. Lea shuddered, staring blankly ahead at the light. Her forward-moving feet suddenly froze, then buckled under her.

"I... what the hell am I doing?" she murmured.

Her hands sank into the dirt, moist and littered with decomposing leaves.

The girl that cherishes cleanliness a lot didn't even notice the filth that now clung to her hands.

"I’m really... running away?"

Leaving that guy behind? The one who’d saved her so many times, helped her so many times, brought her so much warmth...?

Was she really abandoning him to face their enemies alone?

How could she...

"No… that’s not right."

"He was the one who told me to go ahead. He said he’d catch up. He said he had it all figured out."

**“Believe in me, just as I believe in you.”**

Moen’s words echoed in her mind, prompting a fleeting smile of hope to grace her lips.

"Yes... that’s what he said."

"I just need to trust him."

"Trust him..."

"Trust..."

Yet the smile faltered almost as quickly as it formed. Looking downward, she bit her lip, tears pooling in her eyes.

"How am I supposed to trust that?"

Just as it had been that day at the restaurant.

Just as it had been that time in the carriage.

Spouting truths and platitudes that sounded meticulously reasoned—but if you thought about them carefully, it became clear those *fair-enough words* were nothing more than white lies he'd engineered to help her.

Yes, you'd grown so used to fabricating benevolent falsehoods for me.

So who’s to know if this time—this time, too—I'm just looking at another one of your lies?

A lie meant solely to save me, even as you knowingly place yourself in danger?

Because there’s no denying the disparity in power between you and them—it’s blindingly obvious.

He’s in grave danger.

"In that case, I should..."

"Of course, the smartest thing to do is head for help."

"If I can just find assistance—whether it's Pink Bear, or someone that Moen arranged in advance—if I can find them quickly enough—"

A glimmer of light danced in Lea’s eyes momentarily, only to fade once again.

"If... I can find them quickly enough..."

But…

How could she possibly find them in time?

At her speed, she would need at least half an hour to fully emerge from the forest. Once outside, even if by some miracle Pink Bear or Moen’s backup was waiting at the forest's edge...

The crowned ones are unable to enter this forest.

To rescue Moen, reinforcements would have to be mobilized.

And by then?

How much time would all that take?

Could Moen hold out for that long?

He’s so strong—surely he can last... just another hour or two...

Of course, he can’t.

Life-and-death combat doesn't stretch out over hours. These things are decided in mere moments.

"So... there’s no way."

Lea muttered to herself:

"The path that feels so close for me... is impossibly far for him."

In other words...

At this very moment,

In this enormous world,

Among all these countless people,

The only one who can help him...

Is me.

"But…"

Lea curled into herself, hugging her own trembling shoulders.

"But, what can I even do?"

If only…

Ariel were here.

If it were her, she would certainly be able to save Moen from this peril.

Instead, it’s me...

And I’m so useless.

So timid.

All my life, I’ve hidden behind Ariel’s back, devoting myself purely to study.

I’ve watched Ariel fight. Watched Ariel face life and death. Watched Ariel, like a hero, solve every problem that arose.

All I needed to do was follow in her wake, always moving forward.

Like a parasite, leeching off of Ariel. Without her, I’m just...

Just nothing.

Just powerless.

"Ha… hahaha..." Lea let out a hollow laugh, tears streaming down her pale cheeks.

Looking down at her hands—her trembling, weak hands—she stared in despair.

At this moment, the dense Holy Light that had been radiating from her form began to flicker faintly, mirroring the doubt raging in her heart.

"Goddess..." she whispered. "What should I do?"

Lea closed her eyes, sinking deep into prayer.

"Please, tell me. Someone as useless as me… someone as cowardly as me… someone as weak as me... do I truly have the qualifications to become a saintess?"

"Does someone like me really..."

**"Of course."**

As always, her pious prayer was met with an answer—but it was not the loving voice of the goddess.

Instead...

**"Lea is so amazing. If I were the one choosing the saintess, you’d be my first pick, without a doubt."**

**"You can do it."**

The image of golden hair, accompanied by an honest smile, emerged in her mind.

It blazed as bright as the morning sun.

**"I believe in you."**

Believe in you.

Just as you believed in me.

...

...

In the forest, a dark gloom lingered.

Yet, Lea found the brightness before her piercingly blinding.

“It hurts so much.”

She clutched tightly at her chest, tears streaming down her cheeks in large drops, only to quickly wipe them away with her sleeve.

The holy light shone brightly, shielding her from being tainted by dust and grime.

Slowly, she rose to her feet.

"I really am useless, aren't I?"

"Even though I've learned so much, studied all kinds of knowledge, and read countless books, I still can't understand... why just the thought of never seeing you again makes my heart ache like this."

"But... now, I think I know."

"Compared to danger, or death. Compared to the cowardice within me, I fear... this kind of pain even more."

So...

I have to go back.

Back to that place.

And this time,

it won't be behind him.

It will be—

beside him.

...

...