The people of Morningstar City adored Duke Joestar, even though he was a madman who insisted his daughter was a boy.

Without the Griffin Legion, the flames of war would have spread across all of Norland.

A continent unable to make its voice heard on the planar battlefield would become nothing more than spoils for the powerful—plundered at will, stripped of every resource, and left a wasteland.

The natives of Iseran could live in peace and prosperity only thanks to the loyal, dutiful Vanguard.

That was why the people of the Eastern Territory—and the entire Broomflower Kingdom—felt grateful to that man. They also held the Duchess and her daughters, each more beautiful than the last, in the highest regard.

But that didn’t stop the world from condemning an addle-brained old fool who wanted to make a woman a Holy Knight.

The carriage had barely entered Morningstar City before it drew countless curious eyes. Passersby and merchants along Flower Avenue stopped to watch.

Aside from the golden griffin crest, most of their attention was fixed on the unfamiliar girl on horseback.

“That’s the Duke’s family crest. Silver hair, red eyes… Could she be…?”

“No doubt about it. It’s Miss Second Joestar!”

The Duke’s second “real man” had actually come back. That was rare news indeed!

The townspeople buzzed with excitement. Most were dazzled by Nolan’s beauty—she was so young, yet already rivaled her older sister Alicia.

Some felt sorry for the girl in her rough clothes; others found it amusing. Without that getup, they’d never have had such a close look at a noble young lady in their lives.

Under the city guards’ respectful guidance, the carriage made its way to a watchtower perched atop a cliff.

Two fearsome beasts in full armor were already waiting there, restless and impatient.

Only the warriors of Morningstar City would dare ride griffins, such wild and unruly creatures. Even a young adult griffin was at least a fifth-rank magical beast, with razor-sharp claws and teeth and powerful wings. It could tear ordinary armor to shreds with ease.

“What are you waiting for, a hug? I’m pretty sure I taught you how to ride.”

Karma took a gray cloth bundle from her saddle and tossed it to Nolan. Inside were fresh water, dry rations, and a simple map of Norland.

There were no more polite exchanges. Under the Duke’s strict orders, everyone always treated Second Joestar with a soldier’s brisk efficiency.

Miss Nolan, who was used to simply taking whatever came her way, didn’t care for pointless talk either. She swung herself onto the other strong griffin.

She paused, then reluctantly raised a hand and waved to Tess. It was her way of saying goodbye.

It was the first time since Second Joestar had come of age that she’d taken the initiative to say goodbye.

The Duchess shuddered as tears sprang to her eyes. She couldn’t imagine what cruel things her husband was putting their child through. Perhaps she’d never be able to make up for the guilt she felt—not in her entire life.

Who knew that the Beautiful Goddess-King, who dwelt alongside destruction, was so ill-suited to the dull social rituals of mortals?

Well, what could she do? She had faith to collect~

And so, before Nolan had even had a chance to properly reacquaint herself with her hometown, she was sent off again—to another unfamiliar city-state, carrying an admission letter.

“Move out!”

The griffin let out a low growl, shook its massive head, then beat its wings and rose into the air, impatient to be off.

Tess watched her most beloved daughter—the one she’d spent the least time with—grow smaller in the distance. She wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes, then gave the old butler a meaningful look.

The old man polished his monocle and smiled faintly. He understood.

The Duchess wasn’t going to be so obedient. She was still fighting for her daughter’s happiness, waiting for the right chance to completely ruin her husband’s dream…

The children of Morningstar City were born to the sky. After only a few training sessions, Second Joestar was already skilled enough to fly alongside Karma, letting the fierce wind slap her cheeks and tear loose her blue ribbon. Her silver hair traced a bright streak across the azure sky.

There was something satisfying about racing across the heavens and looking down on all creation. It even gave someone a faint reminder of the pride she’d once felt as a Lord of Chaos.

A voice growing more alluring by the day, a figure gradually becoming fuller and more womanly, and even the monthly bleeding debuff that came with her first period…

All those unavoidable milestones in a girl’s growth were driving Nolan crazy!

At least she was free again now, wasn’t she?

Griffins flew faster than anything but dragons. Half a day later, the two had crossed Broomflower’s easternmost border and entered the River Valley.

As dusk fell, their instructor Karma raised a hand, signaling them to land in the valley below and spend the night there.

They landed one after the other. Karma patted her griffin’s head, then fixed a half-smile on Second Joestar—her boss’s taciturn second daughter.

Nolan had a knack for commanding a mount. In that respect, she was well suited to becoming a knight.

As for everything else, she was decent enough. Her natural abilities weren’t as impressive as those of the other two young ladies, but they were still above average.

Second Joestar did have her strengths: a frankly astonishing capacity for execution, obedience, and action, as well as a will as steady as bedrock.

No matter how harsh the orders or the training, she never refused or complained—and in the end, she always carried everything out perfectly. That was what made her frightening.

Those were all essential qualities for becoming an outstanding soldier, and perhaps even a commander one day.

Nolan put together a simple campfire, then slipped into the bushes in the valley. Before long, she returned with two rabbits.

She skinned them, bled them, and set them over the fire. A delicious dinner was ready in no time. She was every bit the wild boy.

The “real man” education had been a tremendous success. Nolan could survive even without the old butler.

“Looks like you won’t be having a grand debutante ball. I’m sorry.”

Karma patted her belly and teased the beautiful girl beside her, born to high nobility yet living a more miserable life than any commoner.

She actually liked Second Joestar’s personality, though these tutoring sessions had been a trial.

Nolan gave a “hmph.” The joke wasn’t funny at all. She’d be an adult before long.

She’d heard that when Alicia had come of age, nobles and powerful figures from across the kingdom had attended. Many powerful allies from other planes had come too. Even the King of Broomflower had joined the magnificent feast. It had been a proud moment for all of Iseran.

Now Joanna had won the favor of the Seven Luminaries Temple, and the Pope himself would perform her sacred baptism. Her status was worlds apart, and her future was boundless.

By comparison, all that awaited Second Joestar was despair.

The outcome was easy to predict. The old Duke couldn’t bear the thought of Second Joestar wearing a beautiful gown, but he couldn’t exactly make her dress as a boy and invite every noble girl to play along, either.

So he simply turned a deaf ear…

A floral gown, a stage with every eye upon her, and a handsome, powerful dance partner—that was everything every noble girl dreamed of.

Nolan wrapped her arms around her knees and stared blankly into the fire.

There was no sadness, no pain. Only quiet thought.

The melancholy Second Joestar seemed to be thinking all the time. She was impossible not to feel sorry for.

At that moment, even a hard-hearted warrior like Karma couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

Her gaze drifted from Second Joestar’s lovely profile down to her slender neck, then from her delicate collarbones to her budding figure. Her eyes grew more and more captivated.

Perhaps her unusual life had given Nolan a charm that could captivate both men and women. She might have inherited it perfectly from the famously beautiful young Miss Tess and the Duke, who had once charmed countless young women.

If a girl like her really did become a Holy Knight one day, she’d be an absolutely irresistible charmer.

That was what Karma thought.