"Looks like I win again this time," Saches said with a smug grin. "You're still nowhere near good enough."

Damn it. I was supposed to win easily. With such a huge strength gap, I should’ve crushed him just by swinging my sword. Why did this happen?

"It’s just my body isn’t used to this power yet," I snapped, flinging my sword hard. It shot through the air and embedded deep into a nearby tree trunk. "Next time, your cheap tricks won’t work at all. I’ll definitely beat you."

"Next time, I’ll be even stronger," he said earnestly. "You might still not catch up. I train hard every single day. By our next fight, the gap between us will shrink."

"Oh? Really?" I replied with a hint of sarcasm. "Sure, you might surpass me with effort. But don’t forget—I’m not even a Knight by trade." My plan was ruined; I hadn’t expected to lose. Still, words could keep prodding him. "You barely scraped a win against a Cleric-type who didn’t use Divine Arts. What’s there to be proud of? Even if you train daily, how long until you match my strength? Can you even become a Knight?"

Fooling him was easy. Truth was, my novice Cleric class meant nothing—all my stats came from being a Six Winged Angel. If I fully adapted to this body, my power could rival a high-level Knight who’d mastered Battle Aura. If he ever matched me physically, he wouldn’t need exams—he could impress some minor lord and get knighted on the spot.

But Saches couldn’t see that. His face darkened, thoughts stuck in a loop. Right—he’d trained so long yet almost lost to a Holy Cleric without Divine Arts. What was the point?

"You’re young, but wasting time on useless training," I pressed, finally reaching today’s real goal. I pulled a transparent jar from my Collar. "Becoming a Knight will take ages. With such a long road ahead, when will you reach the peak? When will you restore your family’s glory?"

Inside floated a cyan seed, emitting a faint mist. It glowed with mesmerizing beauty—the Battle Aura seed I’d bought for him at auction. Fusing it would bring him closer to his dream.

His expression twisted with conflict. Yet again, he refused firmly. "I don’t need this. A Knight forges his path step by step."

Not enough. Time to push harder. "I saw you selling your sword yesterday," I said lightly. "What’s so important that a Knight sells his weapon?" He froze, visibly shaken. "Saches, are you in love? Buying gifts for a girl?"

"No, I’m not—" His weak denial hung in the air. I leaned closer, smiling like a gossiping girl. To him, I probably looked like a Demon. "The shopkeeper told me you’re hunting outside the city. Still broke? Girls love strong, handsome, rich men. You’re not handsome, your family’s dirt poor, and your strength? Pathetic. How will you win her over?" My words were cold truths—impossible to argue. "With this Battle Aura seed, you’ll change. Kill stronger Monstrous Beasts, earn real coin, buy proper gifts. Maybe she’ll admire your power." I tossed the jar to him.

Saches fumbled to catch it, eyes wide and panicked. He hesitated, torn between returning it and keeping it. His resolve was crumbling. "Don’t give it back. Ask yourself if you need it. Chivalry is for real Knights—not some novice like you. What if she’s stronger than you? Do you have the face to stand beside her?" His eyes dimmed instantly. The hand that had reached to return the jar clenched around it, slowly cradling it to his chest. Bullseye—I’d struck his weak spot.

Honestly, that last jab was a guess. This blockhead chased strength obsessively. The girl he liked was likely stronger. With his weak power, falling for someone like that was probable. Lucky me—I’d guessed right.

"Good. Smart people know what they truly want. Let’s unwind—come stroll with me." My goal achieved, I was giddy. I called Weihui over. The three of us shared snacks, played a board game, then saw Saches off.

Next time we meet, I’ll have an even stronger enforcer.