"Being strong isn't just about not feeling fear. It's about standing up to it."

  — Yusuke Urameshi, Yu Yu Hakusho

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  The day...

  Due to Saeko and Rika's unusual excitement the previous night, Roy didn't get to sleep until very te. Surprisingly, he ended up sleeping in. Saeko and Saya, seeing this, didn't wake him ao school on their own.

  It wasn't until 9:00 AM that Roy finally awoke.

  Carefully disentangling himself from Rika, who was still ging to him, Roy got up ao freshen up.

  "I'm heading out!" he called to the girls at home.

  "Be careful!" Shizuka, dressed in a maid outfit, waved to him from the doorway.

  She had retly taken to studying the art of being a maid, believing that as the future head of the Lucifuge , Roy should have a proper maid attending to him.

  So, she had risen early to practice her maidly duties.

  Yuriko and Alice were also diligently studying magic. After the events of the previous night, they had bee even more dedicated to their training.

  ...

  Roy strolled leisurely dowreet.

  Since he was already te, there was no point rushing to school. Besides, with his grades, even skipping css wouldn't draw any reprimands from his teachers.

  As he walked, lost in thought, he noticed a young woman in a bun's habit and white veil up ahead.

  "Whoa!"

  The girl suddenly stumbled and fell forward. The momentum flipped her skirt upwards, draping it over her head and revealing her pao Roy's view.

  "Hmm..." Roy couldn't help but appreciate the ued view. He also instantly reized the girl.

  "Oh dear! Why did I fall?" the nun muttered, sitting up in a daze. Then, she froze, notig Roy standing before her.

  "Are you alright?" Roy asked, extending a hand with a smile.

  The blonde nun was, indeed, Asia Argento.

  "Thank you!" Asia gratefully took his hand and stood up.

  Just then, a gust of wind swept away her veil.

  Asia's lovely face was now fully visible. Her golden hair fluttered in the breeze, her rge, emerald green eyes radiating an aura of purity.

  Startled by the loss of her veil, Asia bli Roy, her expression endearingly i.

  The veil drifted towards Roy, and he caught it.

  "Here you go." He smiled, handing it back to her.

  "Thank you!" Asia accepted the veil gratefully and repced it on her head.

  "You're wele!"

  "By the way, my name is Roy Lucifuge. Just Roy is fine. I don't believe I've caught your name?" Roy introduced himself with a smile.

  Asia blushed, flustered by his smile. She fidgeted, her index fingers pressed together nervously.

  "Roy-san, my name is Asia Argento. Please call me Asia," she replied, her eyes kling into a smile.

  "So, Asia, what are you doing here...?"

  Asia looked embarrassed. "Um... well... I'm lost!" she fessed shyly, her expression pleading.

  Roy, of course, couldn't disappoint her. "I'll be happy to guide you," he offered.

  "Really? Thank you!" Asia's face lit up, but then a worried expression crossed her features. "But... won't that interfere with your pns, Roy-san?"

  "Haha, no worries. I don't have anything else to dht now," Roy reassured her. Skipping school hardly ted as an important e.

  "That's wonderful!" Asia visibly rexed.

  Roy then proceeded to lead Asia towards the church.

  They chatted as they walked.

  "So, Asia, what brings you to this city?"

  "I'm supposed to be taking up a position at the church here," Asia expined with a smile.

  "Oh? As far as I know, the church here has been unmanned for quite some time," Roy said pointedly.

  However, Asia didn't react, suggesting she was already aware of the situation. After all, she wasn't here to take up a new position, as she cimed. She had been exiled from the Churd subsequently misled by a Fallen Priest.

  "It's wonderful to have met you, Roy-san. This must be God's guidance!"

  "Hahaha, is that what you think?" Roy chuckled.

  This naive nun attributed everything to God. Little did she know that her God was already dead.

  "Oh! Is that it over there?" Asia asked, pointing to a dipidated-looking chur the distance.

  "Yes, that's the only chur this city."

  "Wonderful! You've been a great help!"

  "I'd like to thank you properly, Roy-san. Would you please apao the church?" Asia asked, her eyes filled with gratitude.

  "To the church... Certainly."

  Roy couldn't possibly let Asia go to the church alone.

  He khe Fallen Angel Raynare was after her Sacred Gear. If she went alone now, Raynare might try to steal it. There was no telling how the events might unfold.

  And even if Raynare wasn't a threat, there was still the Stray Exorcist, Freed Sellzen.

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