As a devoted member of the church, she served the goddess who created this world.
As a member of the Hero’s Party, she wished to care for the people living in it.

And, as a woman who loved the Hero, she was prepared to dedicate everything to him.

Aria.

She was the saintess.

. . .

In the mining city of Lacr, the day began at dawn, when the first light of the sun broke over the horizon.
However, there was someone who rose even earlier than the city—Saintess Aria.

"Oh, Goddess…"

Her day always began with the same early morning prayer.
When her prayer concluded, she passed by the newly awakened servants of the Marquis of Lacr’s estate, carrying water with her.

"Saintess, let me carry that for you."

"No, it’s part of my training. But thank you for offering."

"Ah…"

After washing, she would dress and make her way to the church in the city.

"Saintess! Saintess!"

"Oh my, why are you awake so early?"

"I wanted to see you, Saintess!"

"Oh~. Thank you. But good children need more sleep. It’s still too early."

"Yawn… I’m not sleepy!"

On her way to the church, she would greet everyone she met, whether children or adults.
If someone had fallen ill or been injured during the night, she would include a stop to heal them in her schedule.

"Father."

"Saintess! Oh, I’m sorry. I’ve been overwhelmed with work…!"

"Let me help. Should I start by moving these?"

"No, no. I can handle it, Saintess. You should—"

"Things will go faster if we work together. Please, allow me to help."

By the time the church’s duties were finished, the sun would have risen, and the sky brightened.
That was when Aria’s true work began.

"Saintess! Could you pray for my child just once?"

"What’s your child’s name?"

"Rastel!"

"Rastel… May the Goddess bless your path with radiant light…"

"Oh…"

Whether people came seeking healing for physical ailments, or simply to pray for good fortune, Aria welcomed them all.

While not everyone was always kind or respectful, Aria had never allowed anyone to hurt her heart.
For every wound, there were always more people who brought her joy and warmth, helping her endure, and she never gave up on her calling.

"Saintess, the morning examinations are complete."

"Then it’s time for the prayer session. Could we prepare the courtyard outside? More people will be able to participate that way."

"Understood."

As the characteristic clanking and clattering of the mining city filled the background, Aria would gently finger her rosary while the priests prepared for the prayers.

"Let us pray, everyone."

Then, together with hundreds of citizens, she would lead the prayer.
After completing about four rounds of prayer, her afternoon duties would come to an end.

Before joining the Hero’s Party, Aria would continue her evening and early morning routines as well, but now she shortened her tasks to ensure she was always fully prepared for her new responsibilities.
In exchange, she spent her time helping train the other party members or managing the supplies and plans of the Hero’s Party.

"Aria, have you been waiting long?"

"Oh, no! I just came out as well."

Today, Aria was set to spend time with the Hero, Aswell, to carry out a task that the party’s mage, Louie, had requested.

‘Ugh…’

Come to think of it, there hadn’t been many occasions where she and Aswell were alone together.

In the very beginning, before Serlin had joined the party, it was just the two of them on their journey.
But with the support of both the church and the Adventurer’s Guild, they barely had any time alone aside from the moments they returned to their lodgings after missions.

But now, this opportunity had arrived.

‘Why… is my heart beating so fast?’

Though this mission was still for work, Aria couldn’t help but feel excited.
After all, just being with the Hero brought her happiness.

However, she knew she couldn’t let herself get too distracted.
During missions and battles, she focused entirely on her duties, pushing her feelings aside.
It was only after the tasks were complete, and she found herself in her tent or in a room provided by the mage, that she would let her emotions take over, her feet dancing in excitement.

"Shall we start by visiting the southern district?"

"Y-yes, that sounds good."

Phew.

She took a small breath, making sure Aswell wouldn’t notice, and tried to calm herself.
Even though it might feel like a date, this was still a mission to save someone.

She needed to stay focused…

‘A d-date?!’

But wait… if this was a date, that was something entirely different!

Walking through a new city with the man she loved, talking with the townspeople—it was like the very definition of a city date, wasn’t it?

‘Oh no… I hope my clothes don’t look strange…’

Her clothes were, as always, the custom-designed priestess robes made for a saintess, but today she had chosen her favorite set, the one she cherished the most.

"We’ll cover as much ground as possible, especially in the larger areas, to fulfill Louie’s request quickly…"

‘...It seems like he hasn’t noticed.’

Still, she found even Aswell’s obliviousness to be part of his charm.

"Hero, during the prayer session earlier, I made sure to mention the task. So, we should focus on speaking with blacksmiths and miners who couldn’t attend…"

Together, they consulted the map of Lacr’s districts and planned their route.
Thanks to the support from both the Adventurer’s Guild and the church, there weren’t too many areas that they had to inspect themselves.

With everything laid out, the plan almost felt like a casual stroll—like a date.

Being by the side of the man she loved and helping save a life brought a gentle smile to Aria’s face.

"Aria, by the way, have you met with the Marquis of Lacr yet?"

"Me? No… I left too early this morning to see him."

"The Marquis mentioned he wanted to express his gratitude to you. He’ll probably call for you when we return to the estate today."

"What? But I didn’t do anything."

That was true.
In this plan, Aria wasn’t the one playing the most crucial role. That responsibility belonged to their white-haired mage.
Without Louie’s help, Serlin’s concerns about giving people false hope would’ve come true.

"Well, he already thanked Louie. I’ll never forget the look on her face when the Marquis of Lacr knelt in front of her before we left his mansion."

Aswell chuckled lightly as he spoke.

Thump.

Hearing his laughter made Aria’s heart race uncontrollably.

‘What a wonderful man…’

A man who, despite carrying the heavy burden of saving the world, remained so upright and just.
Aria found herself thinking back to the first time she had met Aswell.

[Hello, Saintess.]

[Hello…? You shouldn’t be here though…]

[Ah? Oh! I’m sorry. I was just looking around after training and accidentally wandered in!]

[Haha, it happens to a lot of newcomers.]

[...I won’t get in trouble with the Goddess or you, will I? That would be bad…]

[Don’t worry, the Goddess doesn’t get angry about things like this. Neither do I.]

[That’s a relief. Oh, right! I almost forgot my mentor is waiting for me… Saintess, I’ll be off now!]

[Wait, may I know your name?]

[Aswell!]

It wasn’t until the next day, during a meeting with the Pope, that Aria learned Aswell was the Hero.
She had already liked him, but discovering he was the Hero had sealed her feelings, making her feel as if she had fallen into a bottomless pit.

"The path this way, Grandma?"

"Thank you, dear…"

The pit of love.

The two of them finished their work just as the sun began to set.

"Phew…"

"Thank you for your hard work, Hero."

"Aria, you worked harder than I did."

"Let’s say we both worked hard. But you seem more tired than usual today."

"Do I? Well, I did handle a couple of subjugation requests in nearby villages this morning."

"...What? Even the closest village is at least an hour’s ride on horseback!"

"Haha…"

"I’ll have to treat Tempest to some extra feed later…"

Aswell rubbed his eyes, clearly more exhausted than usual.
Seeing him like this, Aria knew the time had come.

"Hero."

"Hm…?"

"How about we rest for a bit over there?"

Aria pointed to a small, secluded clearing on a gentle hill.

It had a well-maintained grassy area and a long bench, perfect for someone to lie down on.

"No, I think I can make it back to the estate."

"But if you collapse, I’ll have to carry you."

Her logic was a bit forced, but Aswell, too tired to think clearly, didn’t argue.
And so, he allowed Aria to lead him to the clearing, where he lay down under the warm glow of the setting sun.

"Just a little rest, then…"

The Hero fell asleep almost instantly.
Aria gently waved her hand to check if he was fully asleep before moving closer and sitting beside him, her heart racing wildly.

Carefully, like cradling a child, she lifted Aswell’s head and placed it on her lap.
He instinctively shifted, finding the most comfortable position, as if he was adjusting himself to fit perfectly.

"Eek…!"

As his head moved against her lap, Aria stifled a squeal, trying to suppress the ticklish sensation.
After a brief struggle, Aswell settled down, and peace returned.

"......"

Aria gazed down at the sleeping Hero in her lap, taking in the moment.
This was the first time she had ever looked at him this closely, for so long.

This time—granted by chance—was something she wanted to last forever.

But.

‘It cannot.’

She was the saintess, and he was the Hero.
Besides, so many others had their eyes on him as well.

Serlin and Laffiel, for instance, had feelings for Aswell, and even the newest member, Nia Bella, was beginning to develop affection for him.
Serlin and Laffiel were steadily building their relationships with Aswell, and Nia Bella was trying her best to grow closer to him in her own way.

But there was one person who wasn’t making any effort to pursue him on her own.

Moments later, Aswell slowly opened his eyes.

"Ah, sorry… I was so tired… Oh?"

"You’re awake?"

"W-wait a second. What is…"

He had finally realized he was resting on her lap, and his face instantly turned red with embarrassment.
To be honest, Aria was also extremely flustered, but she remembered the advice she had received.

[Don’t let yourself get flustered. You need to stay calm and reassure the Hero, who will be surprised by the situation.]

"You looked uncomfortable, so I thought this might help. Did you not like it?"

"No, it’s not that… I just… sorry."

Aswell turned his head away, apologizing as his face grew even redder.
Only then did Aria realize that part of his face had been obscured—by her chest.

"...Ah."

It was because of her chest.

A wave of embarrassment washed over her, but she didn’t back down.
Not because of the advice she had been given, but because there was one question she absolutely needed to ask.

"Hero."

Did he feel the same as they did?

The thought had crossed her mind several months ago, when she first saw him and Louie riding together.
She had tried to push the idea away, but after all they had been through, she could no longer deny her curiosity.
Aria needed to know—not just for herself, but for him, for Louie, and for the future of the party.

"…Huh?"

"May I ask you one question?"

"Could I answer it after I sit up? This is a little…"

"What do you think of Louie?"

A question that might just change the future of the Hero’s Party.