Chapter 3: Are you worried about me?

[If I had even a tiny bit of magic talent, maybe she wouldn’t have died.]

In a daze, Celis’s words flashed through Aaliyah’s mind. In that moment, she saw the irredeemable self-blame and regret in her eyes.

But being unable to save her mother wasn’t Celis’s fault. She was born without talent. Rushing out then would have only added a cold corpse.

Aaliyah was different. She had talent. She had strength.

She shouldn’t leave behind such regret.

So… stop lying to yourself, Aaliyah!

Celis had no ability to kill monsters. She stayed behind to save you!

She could rush into the dungeon for you without a thought. Can’t you muster courage for her?!

The only one she can rely on now is you!

…

Clang—!

Under the gnoll’s claws, the longsword flew from her hand. Celis couldn’t withstand the impact. She stumbled back two steps and collapsed to the ground.

Her left sleeve was torn. Three gashes marred her pale skin. Blood flowed from her arm, staining the ground red.

Knowing the girl could no longer resist, the gnoll advanced step by step like a victor. Foul drool dripped from its maw.

Hugging her left arm, Celis slowly closed her eyes.

She waited quietly for death.

The gnoll’s claws swung down with a foul wind, about to tear her apart.

But at that critical moment, a longsword whistled through the air from behind Celis. It blocked the claws with perfect precision!

Sparks flew!

The girl gripping the sword held the hilt with both hands. Her delicate body still trembled, but her resolve was unshakable.

It was Aaliyah.

Tear tracks remained on her face. Her eyes blazed with unprecedented light—the determination to protect someone.

She couldn’t accept that the only person who understood and shielded her would die for her sake.

Celis opened her eyes in shock. Seeing Aaliyah, she grew anxious.

“Aaliyah? Why—why did you come back…”

“Because I don’t want regrets!”

Taking a deep breath, Aaliyah stared at the gnoll. She suppressed her fear and recalled its weaknesses and knight sword techniques.

The next second, the gnoll charged!

“Slash!”

Aaliyah shouted. Her knight sword swung down. A brilliant arc of light flashed. The gnoll’s body was cleaved in half mid-air.

Warm blood splattered over her. After a brief daze, she looked shakily at the corpse, unable to believe it.

“Aaliyah, you did it!”

Celis’s embrace followed.

As an imperial saintess, Celis didn’t care about the grime on Aaliyah now. She hugged her tightly, pressing her head to Aaliyah’s back, listening to her heartbeat.

The sudden hug snapped Aaliyah from her stupor. Feeling the warmth from the saintess, she blushed and murmured.

“Yeah… I really did it…”

“I knew you could! Let’s go home.”

Extending her right hand, Celis tilted her head. Her smile bloomed like a flower. Aaliyah took the hand and nodded firmly.

“Yes!”

…

Outside the Hecate Monster Dungeon, over a dozen young knights sat around a campfire. Their expressions were grave.

“Do you think she can really come out of the monster dungeon?”

“Saintess Celis went in to save her. It should be fine, right?”

“But I heard this saintess has no magic talent…”

No one spoke. Only the crackle of the fire remained. They had waited nearly a day. The longer it went, the less confident they felt.

Could Aaliyah really emerge?

“They’re out! They’re out!”

Someone shouted. All eyes turned to the dungeon entrance. Two figures supported each other as they walked out.

“Aaliyah!”

“So glad you’re okay!”

“Are you hurt? What happened inside?”

The moment they saw her, joy spread. They rushed over with concern. Celis quietly stepped back, watching them. A weary smile no one noticed curved her lips.

Then she leaned alone against a nearby tree trunk. Hugging her injured left arm, she let out a faint breath, closed her eyes, and tried to recover some strength.

The world’s noise seemed unrelated to her here.

The Rose Knights’ leader, the blonde Leanna, scanned the scene sharply. She didn’t rush to Aaliyah like the others. She searched for the white figure.

Seeing Celis resting against the tree, her brows furrowed deeply. Admiration, pity, and anger surged in her heart.

Pushing past the knights in her way, she strode to Celis.

She bent at the waist, placed her right hand over her chest, and knelt on one knee solemnly.

“Lady Celis, the Rose Knights will remember this debt.”

Leanna’s voice rang with unwavering respect and unconcealed concern. Everyone heard clearly. The girls chattering over Aaliyah fell silent.

Yes. Aaliyah escaped the dungeon because of Celis.

Yet they had crowded around Aaliyah first…

Shame colored the girls’ faces.

“It’s fine. It’s what I should do.”

Celis waved hurriedly with a smile. That was when Leanna noticed the wound on her left arm.

“You’re injured?”

“Just a small scratch. A quick heal will fix it.”

Turning aside, Celis covered the wound with her right hand. Silver hair cascaded over her shoulders, hiding half her face and making her seem even more fragile.

Leanna pulled a vial from her pocket.

“This is a healing potion. It will mend your wound. Please accept it.”

“Ah? No, no. This potion is from Isabelle. It’s precious. My injury—huh?”

“Pardon me.”

Ignoring her, Leanna stepped forward, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her into an embrace. Under Celis’s surprised gaze, she opened the vial and applied it to the wound.

In her arms, Celis was like a docile little rabbit. Head lowered, she didn’t dare move as Leanna bandaged the injury.

Only after did Celis blush and leave the embrace. Then she glared fiercely at Leanna.

Insolence from a subordinate!

But her imagined fierce glare was nothing like the real thing. It was just an angry bunny—cute no matter how hard she tried.

Leanna remained oblivious to any overstep.

“Will Lady Celis be punished later? Lady Isabelle said anyone helping Aaliyah would share her crime.”

“Is Leanna worried about me?”

Hands behind her back, Celis suddenly leaned close and smiled. Leanna, unsure why she came so near, instinctively looked away.

Yet the saintess’s breath still brushed her neck. Her cheeks flushed for no reason. Her voice became mosquito-thin.

“Yes.”

Hearing the answer, Celis giggled. She turned and walked into the dark forest. Before leaving, she waved.

“Don’t worry. We’re both saintesses. She won’t do anything to me.”

Her voice faded with her departure. Only then did Leanna gradually recover from the intimacy.

“Captain, didn’t expect that. Moving so fast?”

“When did this happen? How come we didn’t know?”

“Spill it! We want the story!”

Realizing the other knights were eyeing her teasingly, Leanna understood—she’d been teased by Saintess Celis.

She and Celis were innocent!

Glaring at them fiercely, she waited until Aaliyah’s group dispersed. Then she looked again where Celis had vanished.

Her right hand touched her chest. Her expression grew heavy.

With Lady Isabelle’s personality, would Celis really be fine?

She shook her head. Deep down, she already had an answer.