The man named Fiore had always held himself to impossibly high standards.

He chose to trust others. He gave his all to save them. He reflected when blamed. He saw things through their eyes.

A truly kind soul.

He unquestionably deserved the title "Saint"—and bore its weight. This virtue stayed with him even after becoming the Sword Saint.

His kindness came from his commoner mother. Like many tales’ heroes, the Glorious Duke had fallen for a peasant girl simply for her gentle heart.

Yet even the mighty Glorious Duke wasn’t a Sage. He couldn’t control his fate. Standing at the nobility’s peak meant weathering relentless storms—pressure from lesser nobles, from the Tulip Queen herself.

He had no choice but to let go. He gave the woman he loved money, telling her to hide their child until he could reclaim them.

The Glorious Duke was a formidable man.

He kept his word.

With his life, he secured Fiore’s return as the Duke’s heir—and posthumously granted nobility to Fiore’s mother.

Fiore was only eight or nine then, much like Lilithia two years ago. Kindness flowed in him, taught by his mother. He treated everyone gently.

Soon, he joyfully learned his neighbor Lisanna’s family were nobles too—apparently unaware until recently. *Just like me*, he thought.

Fiore never saw nobles as special. Before his ascension, he’d revered them. After? He saw they bled like anyone else.

Nothing extraordinary.

But Lisanna changed. The ever-smiling girl now bound herself by rigid rules. Her posture stiffened. Her makeup turned precise.

After every misstep, she’d chide: "Fiore, that’s improper. A noble should—" or "That’s no gentleman’s conduct. Remember your duty as the Glorious Duke’s son."

*She must be right*, Fiore believed.

Then he discovered the truth: Lisanna’s family had always been minor nobles. They’d lived in that village only to monitor the Glorious Duke’s hidden son.

—An illusion shattered within him.

Yet it seared a deeper truth: *If born noble, Lisanna must know true nobility’s standards.*

Fiore withdrew. When his mother noticed, she whispered: "Understand them. They have their own struggles."

*I should understand them*, Fiore resolved. He apologized to Lisanna. For a fleeting moment, her expression confused him—but now, he couldn’t recall it. He only remembered his choice.

He told himself he understood Lisanna’s family.

*Truly, they had no choice.*

He met Lisanna’s criticism with kindness, yet it wore him down. *Must I endure this forever?*

But he’d always think: *Her words come from care. I truly erred. I must stay vigilant. Reflect harder.*

Then Lilithia told him:

"Be kinder to yourself."

No one had ever said that to Fiore.

Everyone expected him to become Sword Saint. Those he saved would sigh: "Fiore? Of course you can do it."

They burdened him with impossible hopes—and he felt bound to fulfill them.

Yet contradictions haunted him. When Lilithia first met him, other girls would’ve cried: "Don’t save me! Ignore her threats!"

But Lilithia clung to him, begging for rescue.

This confused Fiore deeply.

*If they trust me enough to say "Fiore can do anything," why don’t they trust me to save them? What do they truly feel?*

That’s why he fell for Lilithia. When she vowed: "I’ll never lie to you," it was salvation.

Only with her did contradictions vanish. No guessing her heart—her words *were* her truth.

So her plea carried crushing weight: "Be kinder to yourself." Undeniably sincere.

"Maybe it’s selfish of me, the one you saved," she’d added, "but even if you hadn’t intervened that day? I wouldn’t have blamed you."

"Hmm?"

"Blame lies with my weakness. My failure. Your rescue? A gift I’ll repay with my life’s work—like what I do now. If you hadn’t come? So what? Relying on others is folly. You needn’t answer every expectation. Those are just greedy wishes."

"Wishing you’d save the world. Defeat the Demon King. Change everything… Isn’t that greed? Why don’t *they* act? Just tossing ‘Fiore can do it’ at you—forcing dreams onto your shoulders. Isn’t that selfish too? Want to change the world? *Do it yourself.*"

Lilithia rubbed her stomach. Overeating after Lisanna’s attack had left her sore.

"Lisanna’s noble etiquette? Let *her* follow it. She doesn’t even manage that."

She cleared the table, summarizing: "If Lisanna’s behavior bothers you? Do what feels right. Just be honest with yourself. Before being Sword Saint, you’re human. Don’t let that human part weep." She waved a dismissive hand. "How you handle it? Not my business."

With a flick of her wrist, *Cleanse* washed the dishes spotless.

She shoved Fiore toward the door. "Go! Busy yourself elsewhere! You’re distracting me from magic and forging!"

*This man steals all my focus.*

At the threshold, she added: "Next time? No gloomy faces. I’ll spot it instantly." A playful wink. "Do well, and I’ll reward you."

"Reward?" Fiore’s ears perked up.

Lilithia beckoned him down. Her whisper brushed his ear: "I’ll make you clothes prettier than last time. Might even be… a bit risqué~"

"!"

*SLAM!*

The door shut. Fiore touched his ear. Her breath’s warmth still lingered, carrying a hint of sweet fragrance.

*Fiore, you’re becoming a pervert.*

But maybe Lilithia was right. Be honest with yourself—even if that self is a pervert. *Perhaps I was born this way.*

Chin in hand, he wandered away from her door, humming softly.

Only then could Lilithia finally breathe. Time to experiment. She activated Blood Transmutation—stealing one drop of Lisanna’s blood. *Will this make me explode like in cheap novels?*

*…Nah. Magic isn’t stored in blood. Probably.*

She absorbed it. Nothing happened.

"Figures," she muttered. Lisanna was just a mage—her body only slightly sturdier than a commoner’s. *Next time, I’ll snag a Sage’s blood.*

*Wait!*

*I should’ve taken Fiore’s!*

*Sword Saint blood!*

His physique alone would be legendary. Why hadn’t she thought of it? Well—she *had* been busy showing off. Begging for blood mid-monologue? *Total coolness killer.* Unacceptable.

Lilithia had standards. But Lisanna… if she hadn’t interfered, how would that knot untangle?

In the original timeline—without her meddling—how would Lisanna’s "conquest event" have played out? Who would’ve unraveled her heart?

Yes. Lisanna’s *full* conquest event.

Lilithia already saw the path: Lisanna and Fiore healing old wounds, Lisanna falling completely. Whether Fiore would fall too? Unclear. But she’d nudged fate.

Still…

A quiet loneliness settled in her chest.