Knock knock.

Meteor lightly rapped on Crescent’s door.

But if she hadn’t woken up yet, wouldn’t his knock go unanswered?

After a moment of hesitation, he tried turning the doorknob. However, the door wouldn’t budge—it seemed to be locked from the inside.

As he jiggled the handle a few more times, a voice called out from within.

"Who is it?"

"!"

It was Crescent’s voice, clear as day.

Had she finally come to her senses?

But Crescent had run forty-two laps around the training ground yesterday. How she had managed that was a question for later. For now, Meteor was concerned about her condition—she must have barely woken up, and she couldn’t possibly be in good shape after such exertion.

She likely hadn’t even been able to eat.

If she went back to the mansion without recovering properly, his mother would be distraught. And knowing her, she would surely hold him responsible for not taking better care of the child she cherished like a little sister.

Just imagining the reprimand gave Meteor a headache. He sighed and responded.

"It’s me. Meteor."

"Meteor?"

The sound of Crescent’s voice was followed by the creak of the door slowly opening.

Should I take her to the infirmary right away? Or maybe even to one of the top-tier hospitals outside the Holy Palace?

Could she even walk at all?

After running forty-two laps, there was no way she could move properly. Meteor’s thoughts shifted to whether there was a place in the Holy Palace where he could borrow a wheelchair.

And then he saw her.

"What brings you here? I was just about to head out."

"...?"

Meteor blinked.

Crescent stood there in her training uniform, her hair tied up neatly. Her complexion looked completely normal.

He glanced past her into the room. The bed was perfectly made, and the air was fresh, as if she had recently ventilated the space.

Everything seemed completely fine.

Meteor felt a bit disoriented.

"Are you… alright? I heard you collapsed yesterday and hadn’t woken up until now."

"Huh? Who said that? Did someone come by to check on me?"

Crescent tilted her head, confused, before something seemed to click.

"Oh, I did sleep in today. I even skipped breakfast. Guess I was tired after the first training session."

"First training session aside… is it true that you ran forty-two laps around the training ground yesterday?"

"Oh, that?"

Oh, that?

Could Lucas have gotten it wrong?

It didn’t seem like it, but Crescent’s nonchalant response made Meteor doubt himself. After all, for him, running forty-two laps was nothing short of a hellish ordeal.

But "Oh, that?" — her tone was far too casual.

Crescent continued speaking as if it were no big deal.

"Yeah, I did. I must’ve been pretty exhausted because I passed out early in the evening and ended up oversleeping."

As she finished, Crescent gave him a bright, carefree smile.

Meteor was at a loss for words.

Shouldn’t she be bedridden, unable to even lift her head? After going through what could only be described as a grueling hell, wasn’t she supposed to look pale or at least worn out?

"...Really. For someone who supposedly ran forty-two laps, you look perfectly fine. I came to check on you because I was worried Mother might fret if you were hurt."

"Oh, I see! But I’m totally fine," Crescent replied cheerfully.

To emphasize her point, she stretched her arms out and spun around in place. Her movements were smooth, showing no signs of muscle strain or imbalance.

"Also, the potions the Marchioness gave me worked wonders. They were amazing!"

Her smile was radiant, full of innocence.

Is she really alright?

How could this even be possible?

Meteor couldn’t believe it.

...Still, if she wasn’t hurt and truly seemed fine, that was a relief.

As odd as the situation was, it wasn’t something he needed to worry about. In the end, it was a good thing.

Even so, he couldn’t bring himself to ask how she had managed to run forty-two laps.

Much like when they had visited the Aldred family’s mansion, Crescent seemed to have something mysterious about her.

Perhaps it’s because she’s the first female Holy Knight to appear in 150 years. There’s no doubt she’s extraordinary.

***

Five Months into Holy Knight Training at the Holy Palace

It had been five months since I began my training as a Holy Knight at the Holy Palace.

Thanks to the infamous "running incident" at the training ground, life in the Holy Palace had become slightly easier. While there were still some trainee knights who enjoyed teasing me, others admired me.

Becoming a Holy Knight and immediately outrunning all the other trainees to secure first place had definitely left an impression.

Today, as always, I cautiously peeked out of my dorm room, scanning the hallway to ensure no one was lurking with snacks or flowers for me.

Fortunately, the coast was clear.

"Ugh, what a hassle. Can’t they just let me focus on training?"

While those who teased me were annoying, the ones who pestered me out of admiration were equally unwelcome.

Letting out a relieved sigh, I stepped out of my room and closed the door behind me.

“Crescent!”

“Lady Crescent!”

“!”

Voices called out from the end of the hallway. Pretending not to hear, I turned in the opposite direction and picked up my pace.

Unfortunately, they were faster and blocked my path before I could get far.

“Lady Crescent! Where are you going?”

“Oh, hi,” I replied, forcing a smile.

“Are you heading to train again during your break?”

“Uh, yeah. Just thought I’d loosen up a bit.”

With an awkward laugh, I tried to continue on my way, but as expected, they followed close behind.

These were fellow trainee knights, but they seemed to view me as some sort of saint.

Most of the children blessed with divine power were from noble families, and if their parents knew they were trailing after me, they’d likely throw a fit.

“Lady Crescent, you’re amazing as always! Let us join you and help with your training!”

“No, I prefer training alone.”

“Then how about we just stand by and watch over you?”

“...What?”

I turned to look at the trainee knights, baffled by their unnecessary suggestion. Their eyes sparkled with admiration, as if they were looking at their idol.

Shaking my head, I descended the stairs. That’s when I noticed someone at the bottom of the staircase, looking up at me.

It was Adrian, a knight two years older than me.

He had neatly groomed black hair and striking features, standing there with one hand behind his back.

Adrian was a Sapphire-ranked Holy Knight, the second-highest rank of divine power, and was reportedly quite popular even outside the Holy Palace.

As he brought his hand forward, a lush bouquet of flowers came into view.

“!”

The sight made me take a small step back in disbelief.

“Hey, Crescent Dallas,” Adrian called out.

“Yes?”

“Take this. It’ll look nice in your room.”

“I don’t like flowers,” I replied bluntly.

“Really? Then what should I bring next time…?”

Panicking at the thought of a "next time," I quickly shouted, “You don’t have to bring anything!”

“No, I can’t do that. Not for someone I want to marry.”

“...?”

Wait. What? Marriage?

“Crescent, as you know, Holy Knight families must have many children. The more people with divine power, the stronger the force to protect the world. If you, the first female Holy Knight in 150 years, and I, a Sapphire-ranked knight, get married, our children would be unstoppable.”

“Oh, for the love of—”

I clutched my head in exasperation, muttering under my breath.

I couldn’t take it anymore!

Putting on my most stern expression, I addressed him in the firmest tone I could muster.

“I didn’t come here to find a fiancé; I came here to train. If you all keep this up, you’re just getting in the way.”

“Crescent…!”

“But,” I added, “you’re always welcome to challenge me to a duel instead of giving me flowers. If you keep pestering me like this, though, I won’t even consider sparring with you!”

“Oh, I see,” Adrian said, flustered, as he tucked the bouquet behind his back. The other trainee knights, now silent, nodded sheepishly.

Without sparing them another glance, I spun on my heel and headed down the stairs.

While I briefly wondered if I’d been too harsh—they were only trying to be nice—I quickly dismissed the thought. I really didn’t want to be distracted from my training.

"Hiya! Hyaa!"

That day, I threw myself into swordsmanship training, raising my levels significantly. With none other than Sylvester, the former pope, offering advice on my form, there couldn’t have been a better teacher.

The first group training retreat was only days away, and I was too excited to feel tired.