It was a kind of gamble. Marquis Tenia, Ariel’s father, was also skeptical.

“The chances of you obtaining proper holy power from this is very, very low.”

“But still! As long as I can prove I have holy power, I can enter the Holy Academy.”

“…How about studying at an academy abroad instead?”

“What?”

Marquis Tenia scratched the back of his head a few times before continuing.

“You might do well as an official since you don’t have holy power. You’ve always been good at those studies.”

“……”

“I’m planning to send you to an academy in a nearby kingdom soon…”

“No! The Holy Academy also teaches those as basic courses!”

She didn’t even consider her father’s words. It was tantamount to saying she should be separated from Lionel.

“Ari, it will be tough. Don’t take it lightly…”

“I’m not taking it lightly. Lionel is going! What kind of fiancée sends her fiancé off alone?”

“Anyone who hears you would think he’s being sent to a very dangerous place.”

“It is dangerous! They said they teach how to fight monsters at the Holy Academy.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“I won’t let Lionel learn such dangerous things alone!”

Ariel caused quite a commotion and finally called the priests, spending a whole week. It was a grueling journey to unlock holy power.

“You have to endure a bit more, Miss.”

“In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti…”

The priests stood in a circle around Ariel, holding her hands and infusing her with holy power while praying.

“Ugh…”

“Just a bit more. The pain will pass soon.”

“Oremus, tuque, Princeps militiæ cælestis…”

During that period, Ariel could hardly eat or sleep to show her devotion to God. And every time she felt like collapsing, she thought of Lionel. It was closer to praying to Lionel than to God.

‘I can’t let such a beautiful boy face those horrible monsters alone.’

With only the thought of Lionel in her heart, Ariel endured that period. In the end, her efforts weren’t entirely fruitless. After spending seven days from her twelfth birthday with the priests…

“Holy power! It’s holy power!”

“Hmm…”

“Yes, it is holy power, but…”

Ariel manifested holy power.

The amount of holy power she could produce was very small, not even enough to cover a fingertip. It was almost useless in practice, but Ariel had a plan.

‘I’ll just grow it after I get admitted!’

But before she could put that resolve into action, Ariel collapsed. It was only natural for a twelve-year-old to collapse after not eating or sleeping properly for a week.

“Miss!”

“Call a doctor!”

When she woke up after fainting, Lionel and Rayen were there with gifts. Because she started her holy power training on her twelfth birthday, she hadn’t received the birthday gifts that symbolized the goodwill between families.

“Lionel! I’ve awakened my holy power!”

“…I see.”

Lionel’s reaction was rather indifferent. He didn’t look happy that she had awakened her holy power. His response also carried that sentiment.

“…Did you hold hands with the priests to do that?”

“Yes? Of course! Skin contact is necessary!”

“And you neglected to eat or sleep properly, weakening your body?”

“I had to show my devotion to God!”

Holding hands with the priests and praying, as well as not eating or sleeping to show faith, were conditions for unlocking holy power.

Hearing this, Lionel still had a discontented expression. Although Ariel noticed this, she didn’t mind much.

‘Anyway, Lionel came to see me.’

And he brought gifts!

That fact filled Ariel’s heart with joy.

“Now I can attend the Holy Academy with Lionel! You brought gifts to celebrate that, right? Yes?”

“……”

Lionel just lowered his eyes and closed his mouth. He seemed somewhat angry. His beautiful eyebrows furrowed even more when he looked at Ariel’s pale face, which had become gaunt from training.

“…Training to become a holy knight will be even harder.”

“I know!”

“You’ll have to train with men you’ve never seen before, roll around in the training ground, and undergo fasting and endurance training.”

“It’s okay!”

Ariel shouted with a bright smile.

“I like you, Lionel, enough to endure all that!”

Hearing that, Lionel’s eyes widened to their limit, and he froze. The silence grew so long that it became awkward for everyone present.

Eventually, Rayen, who had come with Lionel, cleared his throat and spoke.

“Ariel, I also brought a gift.”

“Of course, I like Rayen too. But I like Lionel the most!”

As she said this, she ran to hug Lionel. His already stiff expression hardened further. Although he usually flinched when she hugged or held his hand, today was particularly severe.

As Ariel looked at the frozen Lionel with a puzzled expression, she realized something.

‘I haven’t properly washed for a whole week!’

She must have been quite smelly. It was a disaster.

“Sorry!”

Ariel quickly stepped away from him. Only then did Lionel breathe and blink, clenching and unclenching his hands repeatedly. Ariel hurriedly looked down at herself.

‘What was I thinking! Meeting guests in this state!’

It was indeed a sight. Her clothes were shabby, her hair uncombed, and her body smelled of her natural scent rather than perfumed oil.

Ariel’s face turned red with embarrassment. Seeing this, Rayen glanced at Lionel and then tried to wrap up the situation.

“Alright, Ariel. We’ll be going now.”

“Yes! See you at the academy, Lionel! Thank you for the gift!”

Lionel’s face was still awkwardly stiff, making it hard to tell whether he was in a good or bad mood. But Ariel was happy. She was happy that even as they left, his gaze lingered on her…

‘I can do things like this.’

She was happy that she had done her best for someone she liked and achieved something she thought was impossible. She felt like there was nothing she couldn’t do.

‘Alright. I’ll work harder and join the same subjugation team as Lionel!’

She thought it might be good to keep this plan a secret from Lionel. How surprised and proud would he be to see her standing next to him one day?

Thinking about this made Ariel even happier.

That was until she discovered an unknown phobia shortly after entering the Academy.

“Ugh!”

Clang!

It was during her first holy knight training session, practicing against monsters and demonic beasts. Ariel dropped the sword she was holding, and a sharp voice scolded her.

“Miss Ariel Tenia, what are you doing!”

Seeing the demonic beast created by illusion magic, Ariel jumped and froze on the spot.

“Ah! I’m sorry!”

“Miss Tenia, are you seriously scared of that?”

“Well…”

The demonic beast that had made Ariel freeze was…

— Roar!

“You’re the first holy knight candidate I’ve seen who’s scared of a small dog-like demonic beast!”

She flinched at a small, dust-like dog demonic beast. Despite its cute appearance, its teeth were very sharp and large.

‘Teeth…’

The day she fought the hunting dog at Lionel’s house, the day she didn’t back down because she had to protect Lionel.

The sharp teeth and claws of the dog, deeply imprinted in her subconscious, came to mind. She thought she handled it well then, but that hunting dog often appeared in her nightmares, trying to bite her.

‘It was so big and looked so painful…’

The barking and teeth of that dog were etched into her memory, haunting her at crucial moments. The sensation of its hard teeth grazing her arm and the rough breath that seemed ready to tear her flesh came back vividly whenever she faced something similar.

It was less severe when dealing with humanoid monsters. But she couldn’t control her phobia of four-legged demonic beasts with teeth.

‘I have to hide this from Lionel!’

If she wanted to join the same subjugation team as Lionel, she couldn’t let him know she was afraid of demonic beasts. If Lionel found out, he might make her quit immediately.

But it wasn’t easy. Those who were familiar with the gossip between Ariel Tenia and Lionel Frenderick, especially those who wanted to see them break up, eagerly spread the word.

When the story finally reached Lionel, he sighed deeply and said.

“It’s rather fortunate.”

“……”

“If you’re so scared of demonic beasts, you don’t have to risk your life following me.”

“But you’re overcoming your fear and training to hunt demonic beasts, Lionel…”

“What are you talking about?”

Lionel said that, but Ariel still remembered him climbing up the tree to avoid the hunting dog. If Lionel could endure it, she felt she couldn’t fail.

However, during the next week’s monster training session, her phobia was the same. And the week after that, and the week after that.

Eventually, the instructor, who had been observing Ariel, gave a cold assessment.

“Miss Ariel Tenia, you have no talent in this area. Look for another field.”

Due to her phobia and lack of holy power, Ariel was eliminated from the holy knight training course in less than a year.

Heartbroken, Ariel stayed indoors for a while, not going out. Perhaps to comfort her, her window sill and door were filled with all sorts of ointments and snacks. They had a scent similar to what Lionel used.

Ariel sighed as she looked at them.