It was strange.

I felt an unexpected lightness, as if I had just expelled something that had weighed heavily on me for a long time.

Moments later, my consciousness, which had been captured by the stone, began to return. The overwhelming power of the Divine Stone was receding.

When my mind fully cleared, I opened my eyes wide.

I felt sharper and more refreshed than ever before, as if the stone had purified my very soul.

I stared at the Divine Stone.

That stone was essentially another form of the divine. It seemed to know from the beginning that I was hiding something.

Did it also know that the secret I was hiding was my father’s true identity?

The stone’s color had changed entirely. The once pale and misty surface now shone with a light yellow hue.

Light yellow.

Everyone present in the hall knew exactly what that primrose hue signified.

“This is impossible!”

“The stone’s color has changed!”

“Oh, dear God… This young girl has Divine Power.”

“No! Something must be wrong!”

“Are you questioning the Divine Stone itself?”

“!”

Chaos erupted within the hall.

Despite the noise, I couldn’t take my eyes off the Divine Stone.

...Wow. I thought it might change color, but this is amazing.

Strictly speaking, my Divine Power was unconventional. Unlike those who were born with it, I had obtained it through an irregular and artificial route.

I had worried, even just a little, that the stone might not recognize it.

But now, all those concerns were gone. This was better than I could have hoped.

<‘Dragon Slayer Sylvester’ feels like a weight has finally been lifted off his chest.>

<‘From Maid to Saintess—Astina’ says she’s delighted to see those who looked down on you get what they deserve.>

‘Exactly.’

This is why you shouldn’t treat a child like a liar without any proof. It could come back to bite you!

“Silence! Everyone, be quiet!”

A booming voice echoed from the head of the table. The man who spoke was none other than Cardinal Reuben Pluto, Meteor’s grandfather.

It seemed Reuben was the only cardinal in attendance. Draped in a grand white mantelletta and wearing a high hat, he resembled an emperor in his imposing presence.

His sharp gaze was unlike the gentle demeanor I’d seen from him in the Pluto Ducal House. For a moment, I wondered if he was a completely different person.

After a brief silence, Reuben finally spoke.

“…The primrose light has appeared. As we all know, primrose signifies the lowest level of Divine Power. Therefore, it is undeniable that this young girl has been born with basic Divine Power.”

“This is absurd! That girl is a ward of the Pluto Ducal House, and now she conveniently has Divine Power? How can this be considered a coincidence? A thorough investigation is needed!”

Bishop Baldwin nearly spat as he shouted, his outrage clear.

Of course, Baldwin was the one most opposed to this outcome. He even accused the Pluto Ducal House of orchestrating a manipulation of events.

At that moment, Rearwin raised a hand solemnly.

“As a member of the Pluto Ducal House and a devout follower of the divine, I swear upon my faith. It was I who brought Crescent into our house, and I had no knowledge of her possessing Divine Power. Furthermore, I have neither the ability nor the means to manipulate the results of the Divine Stone. How could a mere human change the color of such a sacred artifact?”

She finished her statement with a firm glance around the hall. Her resolute gaze caused Bishop Baldwin to grit his teeth.

The Divine Stone was the Divine Stone. No one could tamper with such a holy object.

It wasn’t possible to create a counterfeit that resembled the Divine Stone, either.

Reuben took a deep breath before continuing.

“If there were any ulterior motives at play, the divine will would reveal them in due time. What we must focus on now is the fact that, after 150 years, a woman with Divine Power has appeared. And it coincides with the Demon King’s return.”

“……”

The room fell into a sudden and solemn silence. Not a sound was heard, not even the rustling of fabric.

The words that had come from the cardinal’s mouth were suffocating.

The Demon King had returned.

From this point forward, people’s lives would be forever changed.

No one could predict when or how they might fall victim to the Magi. The peaceful days they once knew were over.

It felt like the end of the world.

And yet, a small sprout had appeared amidst the despair.

It was just a sprout, and no one believed it could become humanity’s salvation. But for the first time in 150 years, someone special had appeared in the mortal realm.

This was the first step in humanity’s resistance against the Demon Realm.

It was a glimmer of hope, a sign of positivity.

Reuben addressed me with a tone that left no room for argument.

“Crescent Dallas. From now on, you will reside in the Holy Palace and receive training. You will need to dedicate yourself until you are ready to become an official priestess. Are you prepared to offer yourself to the divine?”

I didn’t need time to think.

I answered in a steady voice, without a hint of hesitation.

“Yes. But I wish to become a Holy Knight, not a priestess.”

“?”

Huh?

The cardinal’s eyes widened in surprise.

He had heard me express interest in Holy Knights before during a meal at the Pluto estate, but he hadn’t expected me to declare my desire so boldly now.

His expression quickly returned to neutrality as he narrowed his eyes.

“A Holy Knight… It’s not impossible. But are you certain? I don’t know if your body, as a young girl, can endure the rigorous training. As a primrose, you won’t excel as a knight.”

“That’s fine.”

I replied with unwavering determination, my eyes shining with resolve.

My goal hadn’t changed. No matter how difficult the training, I was confident I could endure it.

“Even as a primrose, I want to become a Holy Knight. With even the smallest amount of power, I want to eliminate the Magi that threaten people. I want to be one of the knights who saves this world.”

“!”

“Hah.”

Gasps of astonishment and disbelief echoed through the hall.

It was likely because I, an eight-year-old child, had declared such an ambitious goal.

But even as a primrose, unlike others, my Divine Power would continue to grow.

No matter how difficult the training, I wouldn’t give up.

People might not believe me now, but in time, they would all understand.

After all, no one wanted the Demon King gone more than I did. No one wanted my father to return more than I did.

“May your resolve remain steadfast.”

The cardinal’s doubtful gaze met mine, but I smiled in return.

The entire kingdom was in an uproar.

…And the Pluto Ducal House was no exception.

Rearwin had ordered an overwhelming number of outfits and potions in preparation for my training.

She was so excited, like a parent sending their child off to school for the first time, that she had been in a state of constant enthusiasm for days.

“You wouldn’t believe how much your training clothes will tear and get dirty during practice. While the Holy Palace has people to handle laundry, I want my Centi to always have clean, fragrant training outfits ready.”

“So… that’s why I have seven sets of training clothes?”

“Of course! You’ll come home on holidays, so you need at least five sets, and the other two are spares—just in case.”

I alternated between looking at the supply list the Holy Palace had sent and the stack of my training outfits.

They required two sets of training clothes, but I had seven.

They asked for one pair of shoes, but I had three.

And my hair ties—decorated with extravagant frills and lace—looked far too fancy for training.

Staring at my overly luxurious supplies, I cautiously opened my mouth.