"I... I'm doing squats..."

From the remote sound-transmitting stone came Lea's slightly muffled voice.

"Squats?"

Ariel stroked her chin with a look of great seriousness and nodded:

"I see. That's indeed a very suitable exercise for losing weight. It doesn't require any particular space, you can do it anytime, and most importantly, for slimming the legs and shaping the thighs, it's very helpful."

"Y-yes... lately my thighs... mm... are a bit thick."

"But I think what you hateful big milk cow most need to slim isn't your thighs, okay."

Her gaze resentfully flicked over a certain unabashedly flat part of herself. Ariel curled her five fingers to grasp the empty air and said viciously:

"You shouldn't be doing squats, you should be..."

"...Eee-ya!"

Lea's voice suddenly rose, with a touch of inexplicable lilt, cutting Ariel off.

"W-what's wrong? Did something happen?" Ariel couldn't help asking anxiously.

"N-no, it's just... I accidentally banged my little toe on the table leg, yes, on the table corner. I'm fine now. Ariel, go on, I... I'm listening."

From the other end came a creak, followed by the sound of forceful slapping, as if she'd accidentally been bumped by her own little brats and, angry, was taking it out on that culprit of a table leg.

Hmph, Lea can be childish sometimes. Ariel thought with amusement.

"Honestly, getting hurt even while exercising—you really are too clumsy."

Ariel teased:

"If you ask me, you shouldn't be doing squats; you should be doing push-ups."

"Push-ups?"

"That's right—the part a big milk cow like you most needs to slim is the one that needs it."

"I told you... I'm not... a... a big... big milk cow... mm... I'm not!"

Lea denied it twice in succession, and after that Ariel heard that huffy smacking sound again.

Mm, she still hates it when I talk about her like that.

A sweet smile curved at the corner of Ariel's mouth; she could almost see Lea in front of her, wanting to retaliate in a playful pout because of her deliberate "teasing."

"Lea, have you been well lately?" Ariel still couldn't help asking.

"G-good... of course, I'm fine."

There was nothing in her tone gave anything away. Was she putting on a brave face?

"That's good. Listen—this time in the relic, I actually..."

"Eee-ya... naughty~"

"Hm?"

"It hurts—I mean it really hurts. The little toe I hit just now still hurts."

"But don't you have the Holy Light spell?"

Ariel asked oddly.

"H-Holy Light? Right, I do... but I can't use it now. If I used it now, wouldn't all that exercise just now be... be for nothing?"

"Ah... true."

The Holy Light spell heals wounds and also clears away fatigue.

And fatigue is the best training for the body.

But Lea is really putting in the effort this time. She's still panting like this now, and it hasn't lessened even after we've talked a while. Is she chatting with me while keeping up the exercise?

"Then, Lea, I..."

"Ah... no... I can't do this..."

"Eh? Can't do what?"

"No, Ariel... I... I have something to deal with right now. Can we talk later?" Lea suddenly said.

"Huh?"

"Come find me in Holy City... I... mm... really can't keep this up..."

"Beep-beep-beep-beep..."

Leaving behind a sentence without head or tail, but with an especially high and honeyed trailing note, the sound-transmitting stone had already disconnected.

Only the dazed Ariel remained, blinking blankly.

"She hung up so urgently—could it be... there really is something urgent?"

Ariel felt a bit worried.

But she soon put away that worry.

The night was still deep; dawn was still far off. Yet after that brief conversation with Lea, her mood had completely brightened.

Lea must be the same, right?

No matter what difficulties there are, when the time comes I can help you solve them!

Lea lifted her head, her gaze following the far-off hills and fields shrouded in night, and suddenly clenched her fist.

Therefore there was nothing more to say.

Set off, to Holy City!

...

...

Under Moen's constant mischief, Lea finally reached that blissful cloud-top, and every inch of her tender body trembled with happiness.

Then, she collapsed weakly into Moen's arms, as fragile as if all her bones had melted away.

"Lea, you're such a little pervert, doing that even in a situation like this..."

Moen, who had likewise felt the utmost pleasure, gently stroked Lea's sweat-damp long hair and teased with a smile.

"Hmph... you're the pervert..."

Lea rubbed against Moen's chest and huffed:

"It's all because you're such a bad man. I was clearly talking to Ariel, and you just had to make trouble!"

"But you seemed to like it."

"N-no I didn't."

"Heh heh, your mouth won't admit it, but your body's very honest. Just now, you were..."

"I! Did! Not!"

Lea, fuming, bit Moen on the shoulder and said in a coy pout:

"Aren't you afraid like this that Ariel will find out?"

"Find out..."

Moen, who had been immersed in that thrill just now, shivered all over.

For some reason, his neck suddenly felt a bit cold, and he inexplicably thought of Ariel's big sword—both thick and long.

Just in case, he hurriedly cupped Lea's delicate little face and said with utter seriousness:

"Dear Lea, if Ariel wants to chop me later, you have to help me."

"Hm? Why would Ariel want to chop you?" Lea tilted her head.

Why even ask—it's because you're in my arms right now!

If I were Ariel, I'd already be sharpening my blade!

Of course, she probably doesn't know anything yet.

"In any case... you'll definitely help me, right? We agreed before."

"Before... ah..."

Lea thought of the promises she'd made with Moen on the road to Holy City, and her lips unconsciously curled up again.

She remembered how at the very beginning, she really had thought he was a bad person.

Now...

Hmph, he is a bad person.

"Heh heh, let's see how you perform."

"Then I'd better perform well."

Moen suddenly flipped over and pressed Lea beneath him.

"W-what are you trying to do?"

Lea blinked, her expression pure as could be, and asked.

"Do what?"

Moen chuckled wickedly:

"Little Lea's squats are done. Now, of course, it's my turn to do push-ups."

...

...

Holy City, city gate.

After refusing help from her family, Ariel rented the fastest carriage in a border city of the Empire and, without stopping, arrived at the gate of Holy City.

Only upon arriving did she notice the unusual atmosphere.

The gates, which normally allowed believers from all over to enter freely, had now been set with strict checkpoints. Squads of knights in gleaming armor patrolled back and forth, their expressions solemn.

A faint radiance drifted above the city, exuding a sacred aura.

One opulent carriage after another, their banners of many colors fluttering, had formed a long line before Holy City's gate. With just a glance across those banners, Ariel recognized many famous powers and families.

"How lively..."

Ariel grabbed a believer beside her who kept bowing toward Holy City and asked:

"Did something happen in Holy City? Why are there so many people?"

"Hm? You don't know?"

The believer wore a look of disdain as if at a country bumpkin and said coldly:

"Tomorrow is Her Highness the saintess's succession ceremony!"

"...I see."

Ariel understood at once. In her hurry to come to Holy City to see Lea, she had actually forgotten about this.

After that Holy Ablution rite she herself had missed, naturally came the new saintess's succession ceremony.

Such an important affair—on the basis of the observers previously sent to the Holy Ablution rite, every nation and power would surely add more delegates to show how seriously they took it.

Thinking of this, Ariel couldn't help but gaze deeply once more at the Holy City so near at hand.

The more it is a time like this, the sadder Lea must be.

Sorry, Lea. It's all my fault. But don't be afraid—I'm here!

"Identification."

"Eh?"

At the gate, Ariel stared blankly at the knight before her and stammered:

"W-what identification? To enter Holy City, isn't a transit pass enough?"

"It used to be, but this is a special time."

The knight explained:

"For the safety of Her Highness the saintess's succession ceremony and to prevent dangerous elements from slipping into the city, if you can't prove which country, which family, or which power you come from, with a registered real identity, you can't enter. Haven't you seen how many believers can only worship outside Holy City?"

"Wait, wait, wait. I'm from the Leopard Empire, the Bugard family's first heir, Ariel Bugard!"

Ariel hurriedly said:

"There aren't many who'd dare forge a noble identity like that, right!"

"Proof."

The knight didn't waste words; he simply held out his hand.

"..."

Ariel froze, patted herself down in a daze, then shook her head.

How could she possibly have something like that on her.

She was originally supposed to enter the city with the Academy's group, so she didn't need any so-called identification. On top of that, she rarely relied on her family when going out—she'd even refused the family's carriage earlier—and hadn't brought a single family crest.

And normally you don't need that sort of thing, right? Who knew Holy City would suddenly be checking so strictly!

"If you don't have it, please leave. The people behind you are still waiting."

The knight waved impatiently at Ariel, signaling her to move along.

"Wait!"

Ariel thought for a moment, then a sudden flash of inspiration struck her, and she said:

"The Leopard Empire Embassy! And the Academy! They can all verify my identity. As long as you let me in, I can get my identification."

"If you want to get in, show your identification first."

"But to get my identification, I have to go in first!"

"Then give me your identification!"

"I've already said, I need to go in before I can have any identification!"

"Show your identification first, then you can go in!"

"I want to go in!" Ariel roared.

"No! Identification is required!"

With a clang, the knight, eyes blazing as well, drew his sword halfway from its scabbard.

"Damn it!"

Ariel gritted her teeth and felt a deep despair at the rigidity of these Holy City knights.

But she couldn’t just force her way in; the city before her was a gathering place of humanity’s greatest combat power. Even though her strength had recently improved quite a bit, forcing her way in would absolutely be a dead end.

"Looks like I’ll have to think of another way."

Ariel’s gaze flickered.

The path may be fixed, but people are flexible.

How could the road to her reunion with Lea come to an end over such a tiny setback?