"Wait a second, you little brat. You've been talking so much... you're not scared, are you?"

Pink Bear exhaled a ring of smoke and raised an eyebrow.

"Such a coward? Need me to plead for you, to help you back out of this ceremony? My authority should suffice."

"...Of course not."

Moen straightened his back again, looked calmly at Pink Bear, thought for a moment, and said,

"I'm just venting. At this point, I'm not so easily shaken by such trivial matters."

"Trivial matters? Heh, your tone's getting pretty bold now, kid."

"I wouldn't dare to be arrogant."

Moen stood up and bid farewell to Pink Bear.

"Then I'll take my leave now, dear Uncle."

"Heading out?"

"Holy City must have a lot of good stuff. Wandering around requires a bit of preparation ahead of time."

Moen sighed.

"After all, I'm not one of those hot-headed protagonists in stories, able to accomplish anything with sheer passion."

"I thought you'd use the time before the ceremony started to take that girl out on a date."

Losing his sense of amusement, Pink Bear shifted into a casual, relaxed posture in his chair, clenching his cigar and waving Moen away.

"Go on, get out of here. Don't disturb my rare moments of solitude. You're not some big-busted beauty in silky stockings. But your performance in the relic—I will be there to witness. Just don't get beaten up and cry about it."

"..."

Moen paused in his steps, then turned his head back.

"I can't help but feel... slightly annoyed."

It was bad enough that he'd fallen into a pit.

But this guy wasn’t content with just watching him struggle; he'd been filling it with dirt from above as well.

So infuriating!

"Hm?"

Pink Bear froze for a moment, not fully processing what was happening, when he saw Moen pull out a transmission stone and shoot him a sinister smile.

"Is this Professor Pulan? Yes, it's me, Moen. I'd like to report that Pink Bear has been secretly smoking high-end cigars again. He obviously can't afford them on his own, and they seem suspiciously like misappropriated academy funds. Please make sure to strictly deal wi—"

"Hey, you bastard!"

...

Lea’s room, bathroom.

Amid the swirling steam, Lea carefully extended her long but modestly slender leg, allowing her toes to test the warmth of the bathwater.

Once the temperature was confirmed as within her comfort range, she loosened the towel wrapped around her body, and submerged her delicate figure into the tub. Her fair skin took on a blush of pink, resembling the petals of cherry blossoms, under the misty warmth.

She released a deeply relaxed breath.

With the rise and fall of her chest, two round, pale mounds slowly surfaced amid the rippling waves, like white whales emerging from the horizon across a morning ocean.

Lea’s gaze drifted beyond the two peaks and landed farther away, on the tips of her toes gently resting on the edge of the tub. They looked soft and adorable, like freshly risen dough ready for baking.

Her ten toes flexed nimbly, seeming to dance like little sprites frolicking among flowers.

Lea watched their lively dance, humming casually whatever melody came to mind.

"Hmm~ hmm-hmm..."

With her musical talent, even the most impromptu hum sounded like the pleasing song of a nightingale.

What a pity there were no spectators.

If there had been, they surely would have offered earnest applause and heartfelt compliments.

Just like Moen.

"Ah..."

Suddenly, the beautiful humming came to an abrupt halt.

Lea lowered her head and gazed into the water, where her reflection stared back at her.

"Could it be... that I like Moen?"

...

It came so suddenly.

Just like the quickest blade in the world slicing through an apple—when all fell silent, only then did one realize the truth revealed within.

Thump.

That was "like"...

"Wait, wait, no, something’s off!"

Lea’s face turned crimson as she splashed the water, breaking apart her reflection.

"Even though it resembles what Saintess said, but... but... it may not necessarily mean anything, right? A racing heartbeat—it's happened plenty of times before. It's just stronger this time, that's all."

Lea buried half her head underwater, blowing bubbles.

After all, Saintess herself... she's single, too.

She doesn’t have firsthand experience in these matters—can her words really be trusted?

Besides, Lea’s own goal is also to become a Saintess!

"Goddess, please trust Lea..."

Lea suddenly sat upright in the bathtub, clasping her hands together in devout prayer.

"Lea is an honest child. Lea absolutely won’t lie. Lea will always..."

Knock-knock.

Her solemn prayer was interrupted by the sound of knocking.

"Who’s there?"

"Me."

Outside the door, the cold voice of Head Nun Lynn replied.

"I’ve brought you clothes."

"Oh, please come in."

Lea hurriedly wrapped herself in her towel and went to open the door.

Upon seeing Lea in such disarray, Lynn quickly stepped into the room, shut the door, and said,

"It seems I’ve come just in time."

In her hands were neatly folded garments.

Lea's previous personal belongings had been lost, so she’d asked the church for clothes—including the ceremonial gown she’d worn last night.

"Thank you!"

Lea gratefully accepted the pile of clothes, which were simple in texture and plain in color. Church attire was never extravagant, yet a sense of nostalgia rose within her, making her feel at ease.

"By the way, one more thing."

Just as Lynn was about to leave, she suddenly stopped and added,

"Moen Campbell asked me to inquire whether you’d like to go out tomorrow."

"Go out? The two of us?"

"He mentioned gathering some tools and supplies to compensate for your previous losses. Said you’d agreed to it before."

"Ah."

Lea recalled Moen’s mention of this back in the forest.

But... had she really promised at the time?

She couldn’t quite remember clearly, because that frustrating thumping sound was starting up again.

And for some reason, the modest clothes in her hands that had reassured her earlier now felt oddly irritating.

"Um, well..."

"The church only has these, or nun robes."

Lynn remained expressionless, speaking swiftly before taking her leave.

In the quiet room, Lea stared blankly at the unassuming pile of clothes, lost in thought.

After all, as a publicly recognized Saintess candidate, wearing such simple attire might not be appropriate if going out...

As for last night’s ceremonial gown, its stately design obviously wasn’t suitable for casual outings.

So...

Lea looked up and gazed out the window.

Perhaps… the evening isn’t too late yet. Maybe she could take a short trip to the streets.

Not just for clothing—there were other items she needed to purchase too.

...

...

The sound of heavy breathing filled the darkness, disturbing the airflow like a bellows.

Ariel, covered in blood, stood leaning on a wide, heavy sword, her expression fierce as she eyed the surroundings.

Under the flickering glow of a Lighting Spell, massive bronze automaton figures wielded sharp, cold blades as they closed in step by step.

"Damn it."

Her master’s voice rang out.

"Looks like we picked the wrong path. There’s no trace of that girl Lea here, plus the time within this space seems distorted—I’ve completely lost track of how long we’ve been here."

"Doesn’t matter. As long as we’re still in the relic, moving forward will eventually lead us to her."

Ariel’s gaze was resolute, her belief in her bond with Lea unshakable.

"True. Can you still hold out?"

"Of course!"

Ariel wiped the blood from her face, her mind burning with excitement as she considered all she’d gained through this journey.

Everything she lacked before had now been obtained—money, even, which once troubled her most. Which means...

"Just thinking about asking Lea out after we leave here fills me with strength!"

Ariel swung her sword fiercely, firelight illuminating the bronze of the automatons, casting emerald shadows above her head.

"Wait for me, Lea!"