Sitting inside the bathing tub, Emma let out a long breath.

She had healed her wounds, but a few scars would still remain.

She wasn't too worried about that. The only man who would ever see those scars didn't care about them.

What troubled her instead was the way she had fought that devil back then.

Had she really grown so rusty over the past two years that she needed to start from zero?

No. That wasn't it. Emma knew exactly what had gone wrong.

It was negligence. A lack of battle awareness.

Some things cannot be learned just by hearing about them. They can only be forged through experience, through living them firsthand.

Both William and Emma came from prominent families, yet the way they were raised was strikingly different.

Emma grew up in a sheltered household. Her father always made sure she had some form of backup whenever she faced danger.

William, on the other hand, was raised differently. Count Delimore, despite the deep affection he held for his son, never interfered in his battles.

William fought alone, without assistance, without the certainty that help would arrive. He had walked through countless moments of life and death.

And that was precisely what made him William Delimore.

Emma knew she could not rely on Divine Manifestation every time to save her. Not only did it drain her completely, but it also lasted for only a few minutes. Against several strong opponents, that would only corner her.

"Haah… I need to stop thinking and start doing something about this." Shaking her head, she stepped out of the bathtub and wiped her still-warm body.

Once done, she put on the dress provided by the church, a plain white gown that reached her ankles.

She tied a brown belt around her waist to keep it in place and left her hair untied, as it was still slightly damp.

"Has it been an hour?" Emma wondered. She wanted to see William, knowing he must still be worried. With that in mind, she decided to go and wait for him in the church.

On the way, she passed several nuns rushing back and forth, likely busy treating the soldiers.

She did not stop them from asking about the situation on the front lines and continued toward the prayer hall.

Once she reached the place where she had promised to meet him, Emma found that William had not arrived yet.

"Was I too early?"

She clasped her hands behind her back and took a few steps forward, only then noticing that the hall was not empty.

Kneeling before the altar was the familiar violet-haired woman.

Emma's brows lifted in surprise.

Fiona was channeling aether around herself in such a calm, steady stream that Emma had not noticed her presence at all when she entered.

Emma had never seen someone regulate their aether with such composure and precision, except for one person.

"Are you curious?" Fiona suddenly spoke, making Emma flinch as she asked, "Did I disturb you?"

Fiona shook her head as she rose to her feet. "No. I was simply offering my gratitude to the All-Seer, and praying for the soldiers who sacrificed themselves today."

Emma lowered her head slightly. The death of one of those soldiers still lingered in her mind.

After a moment, Fiona asked softly, "Is something troubling you?"

Emma did not look up as she replied, "I'm just… a little lost. That's all."

Fiona smiled gently and rested a hand on Emma's shoulder. "It's all right to be lost, child. But you should have a way to return to your path."

Emma looked up at her. "And how do I do that?"

"There are only two choices," Fiona said. "Either you leave this path forever, or you do something that prevents you from feeling this helpless again."

Emma did not hesitate in making her choice.

She knew exactly what kind of dangers this world held. There would come a time when no amount of protection or authority would be enough.

"I need to keep growing," she said. "There is no second option."

"Then… I can help you," Fiona said. "I can help you refine your abilities, reach the full potential of your skills, and understand what you have yet to discover about yourself."

Emma was taken aback. "I… umm… but aren't you a busy person? Why would you help me?"

"Because I see it in you, child," Fiona replied. "You have a pure heart. You are someone who can bring positive change to this world, healing scars that run deeper than any monument. When this world plunges into the greatest war known to mankind, you will be the truce that calms it all."

Emma felt overwhelmed by the weight of those expectations.

And yet, she could not deny how admirable Fiona's skills had been during the battle.

Fiona had used the very same spell that the Devil had shrugged off when Emma cast it. In Fiona's hands, however, the spell restrained the Devil for a considerable time, giving Emma the crucial window she needed to chant a new spell.

So yes, it was tempting.

To be trained by someone who had mastered the same stream of spells as her own was an opportunity Emma could not easily ignore.

"But," Fiona continued, "…if you truly wish to reach your full potential, you will have to sacrifice a few things, Emma." Her voice carried a grave weight.

"You must give up a year of your life and devote it entirely to the church. You will train here, under my guidance. During that time, you will be forbidden from meeting anyone you know. Your family, your friends, your lover. No one."

Emma fell into a grim silence.

Fiona went on, her tone unwavering. "Now choose, child. This may be your only chance to become someone people can truly depend on. If you do not wish for your lover to come running to you every time, fearing for your safety, then you must change yourself."

She squeezed Emma's shoulder before delivering her final words.

"One year of struggle can grant you a lifetime of security and peace. Choose wisely."

Leaving those words behind, Fiona walked away.

Emma remained standing there for a few seconds. Her heart was heavy.

Then, she turned and started walking in an unknown direction.

Emma wanted to see him right now.

Her heart felt restless.

She had no idea where he was. She could not see where the nun had taken him an hour ago. But she did not care. She wanted him by her side. Now.

Entering the gallery, different from the one she had taken to reach the prayer hall, she wandered aimlessly, peering into every room in search of him.

Just then,

"Ah!"

Her hand was seized, and she was pulled behind a pillar.

A pair of crimson eyes locked onto her.

A shade the world regarded as danger, yet to her, it was the color of peace.

She breathed heavily, her chest finally feeling lighter.

"You look quite stressed," he said in a husky tone.

They were hidden from those passing by, concealed behind the tall pillar and heavy curtains.

Emma rested her hands on his chest and asked, "Why were you late? Did something happen?"

William shook his head. "No… I was there. You didn't notice me." There was a faint hurt in his voice. "You were focused on that woman."

Emma blinked, surprise flashing across her face as realization dawned. "You heard us?" There was no wariness in her tone, only genuine shock at her own negligence.

"Emma…" In one swift motion, he twirled her onto her toes and pinned her against the pillar.

His arm wrapped firmly around her waist, his presence suddenly intense, almost overwhelming.

Staring into her eyes, he asked darkly, "What did that woman tell you?"

Emma's breath caught in her throat, her heart skipping beats as she replied, "To… leave you and train under her."

William growled softly. "So she wants to separate us, huh?"

Emma said nothing, too lost in the depths of his dark gaze.

He cupped her cheek and asked, "And? What have you decided?"

Still dazed, Emma whispered, "Forget a year. Even an hour without you feels unbearable."

The corner of his lips lifted slightly as his hold on her slender waist tightened. "I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who finds that idea completely nonsensical."

Emma's fingers curled into the hem of his shirt. "I was curious how you'd react to the idea… and I'm glad you weren't even considering letting me go."

William's left brow rose. "Oh? And what if I had agreed?"

Emma grabbed his collar and pulled him closer. "Then I would've been really mad, might've even made you bleed, and still wouldn't have cared one bit about that training."

William chuckled, his deep laughter filling her ears and making her draw in a sharp breath.

He looked down at his beloved and asked, "You got scars?"

He could feel them, faint beneath his hand at her waist.

Emma nodded. "Yes… in several places I can't show you here."

William leaned closer and whispered into her ear, "Then let's go somewhere you can."

°°°°°°°°

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