The destination is the Kingdom of Levallis—one of the world's rgest cities and a great nation that stands as a counterpart to the Ragnas Empire.

  The western superpower is the Kingdom of Levallis. The eastern superpower is the Ragnas Empire.

  At present, there is no major conflict between them, but Theo will inevitably be drawn into their strife—that is the premise of this game's story.

  For now, I pn to head to the Kingdom to gather information. I could go to the Empire instead, but entry there is extremely strict.

  Even if I managed to get in, any suspicious behavior could nd me imprisoned.

  It’s a complete military state with perfect information control. I can’t just waltz in there without a pn.

  That’s why I’ve decided to head to the Kingdom first.

  "Kyaaa——!!"

  Just then, a woman’s shrill scream pierced the air.

  Could someone be under attack by a monster? It’s not an uncommon occurrence, but my passive skill attracts monsters.

  The range is only about five meters, but even so, monsters can sense me from a distance and swarm toward me.

  I don’t know why someone else is being attacked instead of me, but regardless, I swiftly dash toward the source of the scream.

  "That’s…"

  I immediately grasp the situation.

  A carriage lies overturned, and the driver—a man—is unconscious, blood streaming from his forehead.

  And the other person is—a woman.

  Her long hair glows like moonlight woven into silver strands, and her rge eyes hold a blue as clear as a tranquil ke.

  Her skin is smooth like porcein, almost translucent under the sun’s rays.

  She’s cd in a bck habit, though it’s slightly dirtied.

  I recognize her.

  She’s one of the heroines—Saint Ria.

  A woman who joins Theo’s party in the tter half of the story and pys an active role.

  "—Are you okay?"

  Helping her isn’t even a choice. I immediately step between her and the attacking monster—a griffin.

  Griffins are ferocious flying predators, their bodies as muscur as lions.

  Their heads, front legs, and wings are that of an eagle. Highly intelligent, their hunting prowess is among the best of all monsters.

  However, griffins usually appear in higher-level forests. They shouldn’t be in this one…

  "Grrrrrrrr…"

  Well, no choice but to fight.

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

  I draw the sword at my waist and face the griffin. On closer look, its eyes are dyed red, gleaming with madness.

  I already tested my skills earlier, so this time, I’ll practice some magic.

  "Screeeeech!!"

  The griffin lunges at me with its razor-sharp cws, using its wings to glide slightly off the ground—but I meet it head-on.

  I activate the skill [Body Enhancement], then yer it with the higher-tier skill [Iron Arms].

  We csh in a contest of strength, but the outcome is already decided.

  "—Dark Lance."

  While maintaining my skills, I simultaneously cast magic. A spear of dark energy materializes above the griffin’s head and plunges straight through its skull.

  Thud. Its massive body colpses to the ground.

  Hmm. No issues with the magic activation. Once again, I’m reminded that Yuri is undeniably a genius.

  The ability to seamlessly wield both skills and magic at once is something only a true genius could manage.

  "Huh…? You took down a griffin… that easily?"

  She stares at me, dumbfounded.

  "Are you alright? Any injuries?""Ah… Um, I’m fine. But he’s a little… He needs healing right away."

  She rushes to the unconscious man, chanting "Heal" as she casts a recovery spell.

  "Ugh…""He should be okay now."

  The man’s condition seems to stabilize quickly.

  "Once again, thank you so much.""Don’t mention it. Mind taking care of that thing?" I gesture to the griffin."Yes. I’ll report it to the Adventurer’s Guild."

  Then, as if remembering something, she speaks up.

  "Oh! I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Ria.""I’m Yuri.""Yuri… Thank you again, truly."

  She bows deeply, her silver hair spilling forward.

  "Um…! I’d really like to repay you properly. The vilge is just nearby, so…"

  I consider it briefly.

  In the original game, the story follows Theo’s perspective, and Saint Ria’s past isn’t explored in depth. But still—forming a connection with her now isn’t a bad idea.

  She’ll definitely be a valuable ally in the final battle.

  So I decide to accept her offer.

  "Sure. I was pnning to stay in the vilge anyway. I’ll be in your care.""Thank you!"

  Ria beams with joy.

  Before boarding the carriage, I ask her about the earlier incident.

  "Still, that was some bad luck. I never expected a griffin to show up here.""Yes, I was shocked too. I was on my way back from the Kingdom, but I’ve never seen a high-rank monster in this forest before.""Monsters have general habitats, but nothing’s set in stone. Must’ve been an irregur occurrence.""Perhaps. But thanks to you, Yuri, we’re safe. It must’ve been the guidance of the gods."

  Saint Ria is more devout than anyone. She csps her hands and closes her eyes in prayer.

  As we ride the carriage toward the vilge, I pose another question.

  "Aren’t you afraid of me, Ria?""Ah… Are you talking about your skill?""Yeah. My passive skill, [Evil Presence], instills fear in living beings. But you don’t seem affected.""My passive skill is [Affection]. The opposite of yours—it makes beings like me. It doesn’t work well on monsters, though.""Ah. So they cancel each other out."

  I already knew that from the game, but I wanted to confirm… Still, this really is the world of the game I know.

  "Hehe.""What?""Nothing. It just feels… like fate. People I meet usually become very friendly because of this skill.""Sorry for being standoffish, then.""No, not at all. It’s normal for a first meeting."

  Even without the influence of her skill, Ria’s smile is undeniably charming.

  Like me, she suppresses her skill’s effects with magic, but neither of us is perfect at it. Maybe she found me a little intriguing too.

  "We’re here. Please, come to my residence.""Your residence? Not the church?"

  I had assumed we’d go to the church, so this surprises me.

  "You’re suppressing your skill, but ordinary people would still be affected to some degree.""But is that really okay?""Yes! I live alone in a fairly rge house, so it’s no trouble at all."

  She smiles brightly, but… is that really okay?

  Wait, hold on. Is this the start of getting closer to her, leading to a marriage fg—? No, that’s probably overthinking it.

  Well, I’ll go along with her suggestion.

  "Got it. I’ll stop by an inn first, then head over.""Yes. My residence is just up ahead, and there’s an inn along the way. I’ll stop by the church first, so let’s meet up ter.""Understood."

  With that, we part ways for now.

  I check into an inn, but as usual, the receptionist is visibly terrified of me.

  Thanks to that, the process is quick… but still.

  Hmm. It can’t be helped, but it’s really inconvenient. There is a way to deal with it, but it requires an ability Yuri awakens in the ter part of the story.

  I already know the nature of my power.

  Maybe I’ll stay in this vilge for a while and try to draw it out. Fortunately, there’s a small dungeon nearby and an Adventurer’s Guild.

  "Night already, huh."

  Before I know it, dusk has fallen. The faint cries of birds of prey echo in the distance.

  I head toward Ria’s residence—but along the way, I spot the church.

  The church is a sturdy stone structure, its tall spire reaching high into the sky. The rge stained-gss windows reflect the st remnants of daylight, casting colorful beams inside.

  It’s a truly sacred space, befitting a church.

  "Ah, Saint! Please, continue to save us…!""Yes. The gods are always with you."

  Inside, Ria is exchanging such words with believers.

  "May the blessings of the gods be upon you."

  She smiles beautifully, performing a gesture of prayer. The very picture of a saint.

  So this was her errand. Might as well join her and head to her residence together.

  I’m about to call out to her—but after seeing off the believers, Ria heads toward the back of the church.

  "Ugh… So tired. My shoulders are killing me. Someone give me a massage or something."

  She rolls her right shoulder, grumbling.

  …Huh? Her tone feels off.

  Her demeanor is nothing like the Ria I know. In the game, Saint Ria is the epitome of grace and purity.

  Then, she pulls a flower from her habit’s pocket.

  It’s a Fnum flower—a type of pnt that, when burned, releases smoke through its stem.

  It’s a recreational item, kind of like tobacco.

  Not illegal, and fairly common in this world, but…

  "Phew… Can’t live without this. Ugh, still got that reception ter. Being a saint is exhausting, seriously."

  The sight of a saint smoking is… something else. The sheer gap leaves me feeling like I’ve seen something I shouldn’t have.

  Again, the Saint Ria I know is the purest, most innocent being…

  …I-I’ll pretend I didn’t see that. Yeah. For both our sakes. Everyone has their own… stress, right? My corporate life in my past world was tough too…

  As I turn to leave, my flustered steps catch on some grass, making a loud rustling noise.

  Ria’s gaze snaps toward me.

  Our eyes meet.

  "Ah.""Eh…!?"