It has been a month since we left the castle town of Marquise Larose. We are on our way to the main church.

  “Lucy, this is your hometown.” Lady Aria said to the baby she held in her bosom.

  “This is your mother’s resting place. Say hello to her.” They were in front of a grave.

  Lady Aria knelt down in front of the tombstone while holding Lucy. As she held Lucy’s hand and placed it on the tombstone, she said.

  “Sister, how are you doing? I am bringing Lucy to visit you. She is growing up well. So, please don’t worry. I will try my best to take care of her.” She spoke softly as she was trying to soothe the dead.

  This place, this ruined settlement, is where I decide to change myself. This is where I began to seriously set my focus on protecting her. This is the very place where I was bathed in her light.

  In this place, at that time, I witnessed Lady Aria shed tears for the first time.

  It was one month after we left for the pilgrimage.

  We received the news that a horde of monsters was attacking a small settlement while we were camping.

  Upon hearing the news, we packed up and were on the move. It was the opposite direction from that settlement, of course. However, Lady Aria began to veto. She urged us to help them.

  From the report, the monsters were nothing but small fry, but their number was a bit too much for a small settlement to handle. It was a common occurrence in the small territories or territories with a neglected lord. They tend to overlook weak monsters and leave them alone. However, as time passed, those monsters would multiply until things got out of control. If it were near a town or large settlements, they could hire Sellswords or have enough manpower to cope with it by themselves. However, with the settlement of that size, they wouldn’t be able to deal with it. That was why it was important to periodically exterminate monsters. Well, it seemed like the lord of this land fell under the incompetence category.

  It would not pose a problem to our group. With just a couple of guard knights, we could easily deal with the hordes that size, so no one panicked. However, what we were concerned about was the clergy and Lady Aria. We could not risk the safety of Lady Aria after all.

  Before Lady Aria issued her order, she asked our scout about the horde and our military might, to which he replied, “It will not pose a problem to us. Just me and my buddy can take care of the horde that size easily.”

  I got a bad feeling about this. That fool should not boast about it.

  “This is my order. We need to go help them.” After confirming the fact, Lady Aria issued her command. I had to give her credit. She did not recklessly charge into danger. She, at least, assessed the strength of the enemy and herself first. It was a good quality for the leader.

  However, none of us could comply with her order. Yet, she still insisted.

  At the end, I could not help but point out the impossible

  “It cannot be done, milady. We cannot put you in danger. With you with us, even if we go now, we will not get there in time.”

  It was possible if we rode the horse at full speed. But we could not do that. We had to drag her carriage with us, which would slow us down. And we could not leave her here.

  “Paul, I order you. Leave me here and go help them.” As she caught on to what I said, she gave me another impossible order.

  “Forgive me, milady. I cannot comply.” It was truly impossible. If something were to happen to her, I would be killed.

  “This is my order.” For the first time since I met her, Lady Aria raised her voice.

  “No means no.” Although I was surprised, I still stood on my ground.

  “Do you want me to report to my father that you went against my order?” Lady Aria said with a trembling voice.

  “I only take orders from the duke. I am not paid enough for these shits.” My patient began to run out. I gave her my back.

  “Paul, please, I bag you.”

  “…… Do you really have a death wish?” Irritated, I looked back.

  “If it means I could save them, I would gladly accept it.”

  Then, I saw her eyes, unwavering, strong, and resolute.

  “tsk ……………. High priest, please restrain milady. I will speed up a bit.” However, I could not comply. I sensed something.

  After we moved out for a while, I noticed. The monsters were moving this way. I told our convoy to stop.

  “Guards, prepare to engage the enemy.”

  After the brief fight, when we confirmed that it was safe, Lady Aria jumped out of the carriage. Apparently, the High Priest failed to stop her.

  When she confirmed that everyone was safe, she said.

  “Sir Dile, you said that the monster horde that size poses no threat to us, right? I can see that it was true.” Then she deployed a shield around her. “So, if we go to help them, I believe it will not cause any harm to us.”

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  I got a bad feeling about that. All of us glared sharply at Sir Dile. It was your fault.

  “Even if I have to walk there, I will go save them. If you are worried about my safety, you should follow me.” Lady Aria used herself as a bargaining chip. Even the high priest was left speechless.

  I thought to myself. The monster horde we just faced may have come from that settlement. So, it means it's too late. This horde may overrun them. From Sir Dile’s report, we could deduce that most of the monsters were lying dead around us. If we went there, it wouldn’t be much of a problem. I also thought it was a good idea to show Lady Aria the reality. Although it may be too harsh for a sheltered nine-year-old girl to see the after-match, it would serve as a good experience for her. The simulation could be too harsh for her first experience, but it could help push out the flower field from her head.

  So, I agreed with her demand. We directed our group toward that settlement. On the way, we dealt with the monsters as they jumped out from time to time.

  On the way there, Lady Aria kept praying, “Please, please survive.”

  However, I have to say. It was impossible. She was praying for the impossible.

  ---------------------

  The scene we saw upon arriving at that settlement… It was as I expected. Torn body parts, carcasses of both humans and monsters, lay scattered over the place. It was a familiar scene for me, a sellsword and the guard knights. However, it seemed that was not the case with the clergy, judging by their faces. I was unsure whether I should expose Lady Aria to this scene. It was too stimulated. Then, I noticed the carriage door was about to open. I got there in time and blocked it. “Are you sure you want to do this, milady?”

  “Please put your hand away from the door.” I heard a calm voice.

  I thought, smart as she was, she might have already assessed the situation. I took my hand off the door.

  After she got off the carriage, she looked around. Although unshaken from the outside, her emotions were evident in her eyes. “Everyone, search for the survivors.”

  At this point, we just silently followed her command. At the end of the day, we had to gather the bodies and purify them anyway. It was against the church's teaching to allow the undead to rise when we could prevent it. If we did not give them a proper burial or purify their body, they could rise as the undead. Another, more straightforward method was to burn them all.

  As we moved around, I heard Lady Aria mutter. “Forgive me. I could not get here on time.”

  When we got to the edge of the settlement, inside a ditch, we found a body. It was a woman. It looked like she was escaping after being bitten. She was holding a baby, too. Tsk, I could not help but click my tongue. Even though it was a regular sight to me, I could never get used to it. Then I noticed something. Lady Aria also saw it. Before I could stop her, she rushed to that body.

  That life force was too small, too flickering. It was as if it would be extinguished anytime, any second. That newborn baby was at death’s door, already. As Lady Aria ran toward it, she murmured, “Please survive, please survive. Please, I beg you. Please, please.”

  I had to say. It was impossible. Even the high priest would not be able to snatch it back from death. I whistled to summon everyone to our place, as I watched Lady Aria using her divine art. The amount, the density, and the quality of divinity she showed at that time had already surpassed the high priest. No, it had already surpassed many bishops at the main church. As everyone gathered and silently watched her, I thought it might be a good lesson for her to fail here. She could learn from it and be more mature. So, I stopped the high priest when he wanted to stop her. “Please, please, please, please,…” Only Lady Aria’s plea kept echoing around us for a long time. However, I could feel that some of the veteran guard knights also felt it: the baby’s life force was about to be gone. This would be its last breath.

  Then, suddenly, Lady Aria took out a knife. To our surprise, she used it to cut her own left palm. We rushed to stop her, but were prevented by an invisible shield. It was not the shielding technique she usually used. It was too strong. I tried to hit it several times with full force, yet it did not break.

  “This.” The high priest exclaimed. The air around us changed. The density of divinity around Lady Aria became more concentrated. This amount of divinity was humanly impossible. I looked at the high priest for an explanation. “High priest, what is this?”

  “….. I, I don’t know. It, it-” he shuttled

  “What is this, High Priest? Answer me.” I pressed for an answer again.

  “It, it, it looks like the forbidden art……………. The user uses their own blood as a medium to inject the divinity into other people. In other words, they transfer their life force to others. It was strictly regulated by the church. Because of the danger, only a select few could learn it. This, this……”

  “Tsk,” I clicked my tongue. You had gone and done it, milady. I thought to myself. You were literally trading your life with a peasant. If word reached Duke Ellon, we all were going to die. Many quick-witted people also noticed it. When we were lost in what to do, we heard a cry.

  “wawawa.” It really survived. It was a miracle brought by Lady Aria in exchange for her lifespan.

  “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for being alive. Thank you.” Lady Aria held the baby to her bosom as she cried.

  That was the first time I saw Lady Aria shed tears. At that time, I was foolishly praying that it would be the last time I saw her shed tears.

  Albeit covered in mud, I thought Lady Aria was beautiful at the time. She was so untainted. She was so pure.

  After that, we unanimously agreed not to talk about that accident. We swore to each other not to speak of this accident. If outsiders knew about this, everyone here would die without exception.

  .

  At the end, we caved in to Lady Aria’s plea and allowed Lucy to be with her.

  “I will take care of her. If you think of her as a burden, I will take full responsibility for her and take care of her alone. You do not have to bother with it.”

  And when we point out the feeding problem.

  “You do not have to worry. I can feed her, for she is my daughter.”

  I really wanted to point out. Considering the age difference, it was more like a sister. Why did you insist on being a mother? And what did you mean by feeding her? You were nine years old. How could you produce M-? forget it.

  True to her word, she alone took care of Lucy. It was much later that she started accepting other help. That was also the first time I experienced her stubbornness. Or should I say her tantrum? And what she has been feeding Lucy was….. It was, literally, her blood. It was infused with divinity. She kept saying a small amount of blood did not cause her much life force. She could recover just fine. Thus, we decided to find her a wet nurse as soon as possible.

  Although we later found a wet nurse for Lucy, Lady Aria would still feed her blood from time to time. Because of her circumstances, Lucy was weak and needed a constant supply of divinity to keep her healthy for the time being. We had to endure it for several more years. Regarding this matter, the high priest was oddly quiet. When I asked him, he said it was not the first time. The current saintess also did something similar. However, she was already chosen as a saintess when she did that. And the baby was more than one year old.

  .

  While I was reminiscing about the old times, A carriage arrived at the foot of the hill where we were resting. We finished paying homage to Lucy’s mother and were waiting for them to pick us up.

  I was guarding Lady Aria as she sat under the tree holding Lucy. And Lucy was sleeping peacefully in her embrace. Albeit their small age gaps, I could not help but see them as mother and daughter.

  Then, that garbage walked to us. After he gave me his salute, he knelt down next to Lady Aria.

  “Is Lucy asleep?”

  “Yes, she has fallen asleep. Isn’t she lovely?” Lady Aria replied with a gentle smile without taking her eyes off Lucy.

  “…Yes, very lovely.”

  Tsk, this love-sick fool. The way he looked at Lady Aria as he said that word… I really needed to roll him more somehow.

  I thought back to his first meeting with Lucy. The first time he met Lucy was truly a sight to behold.