"Sigh..."

  Every time the carriage wheels hit a small stone, a faint vibration traveled through my body.

  I stared bnkly at the scenery outside the window, letting out a sigh. The familiar sights passed by like scenes from a picture book.

  Right now, I was on my way back from a council meeting held at the kingdom’s church, and I was utterly exhausted.

  Haa… There’s been so many of these tely, ever since half a year ago…

  Truth be told, I wasn’t particurly religious. I didn’t believe in gods, and faith meant little to me.

  The only reason I was chosen as a Saint candidate was because of my rare skill, "Affection of the Favored."

  Apparently, there was some power struggle going on within the church, but I paid no attention to it. I didn’t care about authority, and I didn’t crave wealth either.

  What I truly wanted was—

  Just then, an unnatural impact jolted the carriage.

  "Kyaa…!"

  The carriage rolled violently, throwing me out. There was no way I could brace myself in time—I just tumbled helplessly across the ground.

  "Ugh…"

  I managed to lift my head. The carriage driver, who had been riding outside, was already knocked unconscious. Though I escaped with only minor injuries, when I looked up at the sky—there was a massive shadow of a bird looming above.

  "KYAAAA—!!"

  A scream tore from my throat. I’d never seen a monster this huge before. I’d read about them in texts, but this was unmistakably a Griffin.

  Its muscur frame, its gleaming, piercing eyes—it was staring straight at me. There was no doubt—it intended to devour me.

  "A-ah…"

  I scrambled backward. There was no way I could win. I could use magic and skills to some extent, but defeating a high-rank monster was impossible. I wasn’t an adventurer—I had zero combat experience.

  I see… So this is where it ends for me.

  But surprisingly, I found myself accepting it easily.

  Because I—

  "—You alright?"

  A man appeared—dashing and composed. His back seemed broader than anyone else’s I’d ever seen. And there he stood, facing that enormous Griffin head-on.

  "Leave this to me.""B-but…!""It’s fine."

  There’s no way it’s fine…! Even I knew that the number of adventurers in the world capable of sying such a monster could be counted on one hand.

  Is he really going to sacrifice himself for me…?

  But as I watched, he blocked the Griffin’s attack head-on. The monster’s massive cws cshed against his sword, sending faint sparks flying.

  "Huh…?"

  Wait… is he actually… strong?

  Dumbfounded, I stared as he swiftly defeated the Griffin.

  That was my first meeting with Yuri.

  I figured I should at least thank him properly, so I invited him to my estate. If I called him to the church, everyone would freak out because of his skill, "Evil Presence."

  But because I let my guard down, he ended up seeing my true self.

  Ahh… He saw right through me, huh?

  Normally, my Affection of the Favored could smooth things over, but his skill was the complete opposite. Our abilities canceled each other out, leaving our interactions unaffected by either.

  Feeling a bit reckless, I tried talking to him honestly—and surprisingly, he didn’t seem to mind at all.

  Huh. So people like this exist. That’s what I thought at the time.

  And since his skill was perfect for my needs, I decided to hire him as my bodyguard. Lately, I’d been feeling an odd gaze on me—though that might’ve just been my imagination. That was partly true, but it was also just an excuse.

  I’d never had anyone I could talk to as an equal because of my skill. So, I was curious—how would Yuri treat me?

  At first, it was just idle curiosity, but ter, I’d come to be grateful for that decision.

  "Just who… is Yuri?"

  Lying in bed, I muttered to myself, staring at the familiar ceiling as thoughts of him filled my mind.

  When I warned him that I wouldn’t tolerate any funny business, he immediately assured me he’d never do such a thing. Well, obviously—but the way he so firmly rejected the idea made me wonder if I was unattractive as a woman… and I ended up feeling a little down.

  Haa… I guess I’m more troublesome than I thought.

  But—there was something about him. Just a gut feeling, but he didn’t seem ordinary. I mean, taking down a Griffin was impressive enough, but was he just a top-tier adventurer? No, it felt like there was something deeper.

  And… initially, I’d only hired him as a bodyguard, but talking to him felt… comfortable. For the first time, someone was looking at me, not through the filter of Affection of the Favored.

  He didn’t treat me like some saint—he was just easy to be around. Like neither of us had to put up any pretenses.

  "L-Lightning…"

  At night, the sound of thunder rumbled. I’d always been afraid of lightning—ever since my days at the orphanage. I had no good memories of it. The sky would fsh, followed by deafening booms. Back then, all I could do was cover my ears, curl up under the bnkets, and tremble.

  But now… My feet carried me to Yuri’s room on their own.

  He pointed out that sharing a bed wasn’t exactly proper for a man and a woman, but… my fear of thunder outweighed any hesitation.

  Though he looked a little troubled, Yuri still let me sleep beside him. We y back-to-back in the same bed.

  When another bolt struck and I flinched, he gently took my hand. I clutched it tightly, as if praying. His hand was so much rger and warmer than mine.

  If—just hypothetically—

  If I had parents or siblings… would it feel like this? Is this what family is like? Will I ever have one of my own someday?

  With those thoughts in my heart, I drifted into a peaceful sleep.

  The next morning, I casually made breakfast, and Yuri said it was delicious. Honestly, my first impression of him hadn’t been great—his sharp gaze and overwhelming strength made me a little afraid. But after actually talking to him, I realized he was a good guy.

  And, though it’s embarrassing… he even let me sleep beside him…

  As I prepared to leave for the church, I found myself asking Yuri about my appearance.

  "Do I look… okay?""Yeah. I think you look beautiful.""Uu…! O-okay, I’m heading out then!""Alright. Take care.""…I’m off!"

  For the first time, warmth blossomed in my chest.

  Until now, I’d always been alone in this vast estate. The church had given me this pce because I was "special," but I hated it. I knew it was luxurious and spoiled, but I never wanted any of it. To me, it was just a cold, empty space.

  And I’d never exchanged the kind of ordinary greetings most people took for granted.

  "I’m off.""Take care."

  Such simple, mundane words—yet to me, they were more precious than anything.

  I arrived safely at the church and began my usual duties.

  As a Saintess candidate—technically a Sister—my work consisted of several tasks.

  First, prayer. Offering prayers to the gods was of utmost importance. Next, education and welfare work. The vilge church housed a few orphans, and I taught them.

  Medical care was also part of the job. Most Sisters could use healing magic, and while we weren’t professional medical practitioners, we handled minor injuries.

  Lastly, hearing confessions was a crucial duty. Listening to the worries of believers and offering advice. That was the general routine—but I had another responsibility: attending the Ecclesiastical Council held at the kingdom’s church.

  It was a gathering of high-ranking church officials to discuss important matters of faith, doctrine, and regutions. Though honestly, the meetings felt like hollow formalities. Do these even serve a purpose? Not that I could say that out loud.

  "Haa… Traveling really is exhausting…"

  The trip from the vilge to the Kingdom of Levaris took several hours by carriage. The whole time, I was just being jostled around.

  Lately, I’d been summoned more frequently, and it was wearing me out. Carriages weren’t exactly comfortable—my shoulders stiffened, my body ached.

  But eventually, I arrived at the kingdom and headed to the church as usual—only to find him there.

  "Ah, Lia. It’s been a while.""Yes, it has."

  I smiled gracefully as I greeted him.

  His long crimson hair and gentle smile, paired with strikingly handsome features, made him the very image of a heartthrob.

  His name was Naris Sedwin—the Margrave governing our region. He was still young, only twenty. Normally, that would be too early to inherit the title, but apparently, his father’s health was failing.

  So, though not officially, he was acting as the head of House Sedwin.

  "Lia, how have you been? Anything unusual?""No, nothing in particur… Well, actually…""Did something happen?"

  His expression turned serious.

  "A Griffin appeared in the forest. I was actually attacked.""Ah, I’ve heard about that. I’m just gd you’re safe.""Thank you for your concern.""Not at all. Though, the recent surge in monster activity has become a global issue. I’ve already instructed the Adventurer’s Guild to heighten their vigince.""That’s reassuring. As expected of Lord Sedwin."

  At my words, he smiled softly as always.

  Honestly, I wasn’t fond of nobles. Even with my Affection of the Favored, their ugliness always seeped through. Most nobles I’d met embodied the worst of humanity.

  But he was different—his demeanor never changed, no matter who he spoke to. As far as nobles went, I didn’t dislike him. Though pretending to be polite was still exhausting.

  Haa… I wanna see Yuri soon.

  …Wait, what am I thinking?! N-not in a romantic way or anything…!

  I mentally flustered, making excuses to myself.

  "Well then, I’ll take my leave. If anything comes up, don’t hesitate to reach out. You’re always welcome at my estate, Lia.""Yes, thank you for your kindness."

  I bowed deeply in gratitude.

  "Huh… Was he always wearing that ring?"

  As he left, I noticed a ring on his right index finger—something he didn’t usually wear. Probably some expensive luxury item. I wasn’t into brands, but nobles cared about appearances.

  The truth was, the nobility and the church were inseparable. Lately, noble enterprises had expanded, and their wealth had grown even more.

  They donated generously to the church, but… I was sure there was more to it than met the eye.

  Still, as the saying goes, a wise man keeps away from danger—I had no intention of poking my nose where it didn’t belong.

  "Ugh… I’m so tired…"

  I’d made it back from the kingdom, but I was seriously drained. My usual routine was to grab a quick meal, take a bath, and colpse into bed. Honestly, sometimes even changing clothes felt like too much effort—I’d fallen asleep in my outfit before.

  "…Ah."

  A small sound escaped me.

  There, in the distance, my estate stood illuminated. Normally, it was a lifeless, eerie pce—but now, the warm glow from inside was unmistakably Yuri’s doing.

  And a faint, delicious aroma wafted through the air, making my stomach growl.

  A genuine smile spread across my face as I hurried toward the estate.

  "I’m… home!"

  A little nervous, I stepped inside.

  Then, from the dining area, Yuri appeared and said—

  "Welcome back, Lia.""…Y-yeah! I’m home!"

  He smiled gently at me.

  In that moment, I felt something inside me fill with warmth.

  But I knew—this small, flickering light in my heart had to be extinguished eventually.

  Because Yuri would leave someday. This was only temporary.

  And yet—

  I couldn’t help but wish, with all my heart, that these days would never end.