Rin sighed deeply as he stepped onto the balcony, finally escaping the endless sea of annoying nobles bombarding him with problems they could very well solve on their own.
He leaned against the railing, staring at the night sky in frustration.
"Solve your own damn problems!!!"
He had placed an illusion barrier around the balcony to prevent any eavesdroppers from hearing his outburst. It felt good to finally let it out.
…Or so he thought.
Because the moment he yelled, he heard another scream from nearby.
"Aaaaaaaaaaa! Please don't talk to me! Go away, you evil souls with bad intentions!!!"
Rin blinked. What?
Turning towards the source of the voice, he saw a girl in white combat robes—the signature attire of the Saintess of Benevolence—emerging from behind the potted plants on the balcony.
She was holding a stick like a sword, though her stance was comically amateurish.
Then—
WHACK!
She swung it at Rin.
The stick snapped instantly against his psychic barrier, not even scratching him.
The girl froze. Slowly, she opened her eyes—
—And gasped in shock.
"Eh?!"
Her golden eyes widened in realization.
"A… beautiful soul?! Wait… the same one?! Rin?!"
Rin narrowed his eyes. She knows me?
Before he could speak, the girl freaked out even more.
"Wait, why do you look like a noble?! Huh?! Hoshimi?! HUH?! AN IMPERIAL PRINCE?!"
Her voice escalated with each word, as if her brain was trying to catch up with reality.
Rin frowned, keeping his composure.
She was Elaine, the Saintess of Benevolence.
But more importantly—how the hell did she recognize him so fast?
Rin decided to play it off.
"Have we met before, Saintess?" He kept his tone neutral.
Elaine, however, pointed directly at him.
"You're Rin, right?! Shimuzu Rin?! Why are you wearing the insignia of the 2nd Imperial Prince Hoshimi Rin?!
She took a step forward.
"Your soul is the same! The same beautiful one! And the same signature—AHA!"
She clapped her hands together in triumph.
"You actually ARE the same person!"
Rin sighed, realizing there was no point in denying it.
"Well… that's that, then." He crossed his arms. "It has been a while since we last met at the marketplace, Saintess Elaine."
Elaine grinned.
"So it really is you!"
Rin exhaled tiredly as he felt an incoming headache.
Dealing with nobles was one kind of exhausting.
Dealing with Elaine… was an entirely different kind of exhausting.
The Saintess Elaine Rin had met in the marketplace was completely different from the one in front of him now.
Back then, she had been dignified and calm, though she had a slight klutzy moment when she urged him to leave. Rin had assumed she was simply caught off guard by what she called his beautiful soul.
But now?
This same Saintess Elaine was acting like a lost child, poking her index fingers together as she nervously tried to explain herself.
Rin pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why is the Saintess of Benevolence here?"
Elaine shuffled awkwardly.
"Umm… The Voice of Heaven told me to come here."
She quickly pulled out an invitation from her robes, as if to prove her point.
"But…" She fidgeted. "Even though I'm a Saintess, no one really made an important announcement for my arrival. I guess it's because I don't have much influence in the Heavenly Doctrine State yet…"
Rin sighed. That made sense.
The Voice of Heaven was something similar to the Golden Princess's bond with the Golden Dragon.
The Golden Dragon could manipulate and change fate.The Voice of Heaven simply guided Elaine to certain threads of fate without changing them.
Just as Rin was processing that thought—
Elaine suddenly teared up.
"I was scared!"
Huh?
"There were too many evil people with bad intentions! I was trying to find you, but I had no idea where you were! I hid here because I was surrounded by those terrible nobles!"
Rin sighed deeply. "Then you shouldn't have come here in the first place."
He crossed his arms. "Also, why were you trying to find me?"
Elaine clung to his sleeve.
"Because the Voice of Heaven told me that you are the one who will help restore the True Heavenly Doctrine!"
Her voice was full of determination.
Then she pouted. "Grrrr! If only the Voice had told me earlier—before you left the marketplace—I would have tried to stop you!"
Rin deadpanned.
"Yeah, no. You should probably find someone else."
Elaine suddenly grabbed onto Rin's arm.
"Please hear me out, Rin!"
Rin instinctively tried to pull away.
"Let go of me, Saintess! Don't drag me into more problems—GUAAAAH!"
In the struggle, both of them lost their balance—
—and fell to the ground.
Rin landed on top of Elaine, his face inches away from hers.
At that exact moment—
Rei walked onto the balcony.
She stopped dead in her tracks.
From her perspective—
Her secret lover was pinning down another woman.
The tension was instant.
Elaine, completely oblivious, screamed.
"KYAAAAA! GET AWAY, YOU PERVERT!"
She swung her hand to slap Rin—
—but it bounced off his psychic barrier.
Rei's eyes darkened.
"...Rin."
Rin felt a shiver down his spine.
He quickly got up, raising his hands in defense. "Rei, before anything—let me explain—"
Rei crossed her arms. "Explain how you pushed down a woman?"
"I DIDN'T!!!"
Rei's expression remained unreadable.
Elaine, still on the ground, mumbled. "It was my fault, actually—"
Rin groaned.
This damn Saintess had just turned his night into a massive headache.
After calming down from her Suzuki-possessed state (not literally, but the intensity was the same), Rei finally turned her attention to Elaine, who nervously introduced herself.
"I-I'm the Saintess of Benevolence from the Heavenly Doctrine..."
Elaine fidgeted, but when she looked directly at Rei—
She saw something strange.
Elaine had the ability to see the purity of souls. Most souls were mixed, with various degrees of light and darkness.
But Rei?
Her soul was mostly pure, with just a small trace of taint. Normally, this wouldn't bother Elaine.
Yet—
She felt a deep chill.
Because that tiny bit of darkness wasn't just any taint.
It was the possessiveness of a woman staring at a rival.
A woman who clearly saw Elaine as someone trying to steal Rin.
Rei's expression remained calm, but her words were razor-sharp.
"Care to tell me why my fiancé was dragged down by you, Miss Saintess of Benevolence?"
"Eeep!"
Elaine jumped like a startled cat.
Rin, already exhausted from the night, rubbed his temples. "Saintess Elaine, can you specifically explain why you were trying to find me again?"
Elaine hesitated. Her eyes darted to Rei, as if unsure whether to speak.
But in the end, she swallowed her fear and answered.
"The Voice of Heaven told me that you will be the fated person who will help me restore the True Heavenly Doctrine…"
Rei instantly stepped in front of Rin.
Her hand hovered over her sword hilt.
"So basically, another woman wants to steal Rin?"
"Haaah…" Rin sighed heavily.
He gently held Rei's hand, calming her down.
"Rei, please… Just let me hear her out."
Rei frowned but didn't say anything.
Elaine, seeing Rin actually listen, brightened.
"Really?! Then—"
Before she could continue, Rei cut her off.
"You should really use a formal tone, Saintess. You are speaking to an Imperial Prince, after all."
Elaine froze.
Her eyes wavered. "Uuuhh…"
Rin sighed again. "Rei, let her act casual. Look, she's about to cry from your glare."
Elaine's eyes wobbled with tears.
"Mmeeewwwuuuop...."
Her small whimper only made Rin sigh even harder.
"Alright… Tell me why me?"
Rin's voice was calm but exasperated.
Elaine immediately responded, "Because the Voice said so!"
"…"
Rin sighed so hard he slapped his face, dragging a hand down in frustration.
"You said your mission was to reform the Heavenly Doctrine, right?" Rin stared at Elaine seriously. "Then let me remind you—the Hoshimi Empire has always been the greatest opposition to your doctrine. Especially the Imperial Family."
Elaine flinched. She knew that.
"But… It's not like I have a choice, do I?" she said softly. "The current Heavenly Doctrine is twisted. They manipulate teachings to benefit those in power. I want to change that!"
Rin sighed again. "How?"
Elaine opened her mouth, but he didn't let her speak.
"If you want to make that happen, then you should have a plan, right? A thoroughly crafted plan. You shouldn't just rely on fate and expect things to work out."
He folded his arms. "When I met you as Shimuzu Rin, you barely had any influence. Judging by the people around you, you still don't."
Elaine went silent.
Rin nodded. "Exactly. You have no real plan, no real power, and I have no real reason to help you. Even if I wanted to help out of the kindness of my heart…" He looked at her sharply.
"I can't trust you. Not when I suspect you might be a spy for the very same Heavenly Doctrine you claim to be against."
Elaine's eyes widened.
Rin took a step closer, lowering his voice. "Tell me, Saintess Elaine—why should I help you?"
"If you don't… I'll follow you everywhere!" Elaine declared.
Rei's expression darkened instantly.
"A stalker? You?"
Elaine flinched under Rei's cold gaze. "Ggghhh… P-Please?"
Rin sighed loudly. "Look, I don't even see how you benefit me in any way. More importantly—how can you even be sure that the 'Voice' you hear is the real Voice of Heaven?"
Elaine looked like she was about to cry.
Rin turned away. "Just find someone else, Saintess. I have too many problems already."
He and Rei turned to leave.
But then—
Suddenly—light shimmered in the air.
Figures began to form, shaped from radiant silver mana.
Four armored soldiers—faceless, seamless, flawless.
Their presence radiated power as they materialized before the entrance to the ballroom, silently standing guard.
They weren't human.
They were manifested from pure mana.
Rin and Rei instinctively stepped in front of Elaine, their bodies dropping into battle-ready stances. Rei's hand went to her sword. Rin's psychic aura flared like a storm held at bay.
Behind them, Elaine's eyes glowed with a piercing silver light—ethereal, divine.
And even she looked shocked.
"U-Um…" she raised both hands nervously. "Please listen—UWAH—why are you two in a combat stance?!"
Rin's voice was steady, but cautious.
"This magic… is no ordinary incantation."
He eyed the Silver Guards warily.
"Divine Magic: Silver Generation..."
He took a step forward, gaze locked on Elaine's glowing eyes.
"If you're able to use Divine-tier magic... then you either possess unwavering conviction—or a deity has truly chosen you. Still you are too weak to use it."
Elaine's lower lip trembled.
"I-I told you I wasn't lying about hearing the Voice of Heaven…" she whimpered, almost in tears again.
Rin stared at her a moment longer, then finally sighed.
The pressure around him faded. His aura withdrew.
He placed a calming hand on Rei's shoulder. "Stand down. She's not attacking."
Rei hesitated, then relaxed her grip on the hilt, though her eyes never left Elaine.
"…Fine."
Rin turned fully toward the Saintess. "You said you wanted to change the Heavenly Doctrine, didn't you?"
Elaine sniffled and nodded. "Y-Yes…"
"Then speak clearly," Rin said, his tone still guarded but less harsh. "What exactly are you trying to change? And what role do you want me to play in it?"
"I… I actually don't have a specific plan yet…" Elaine mumbled, poking her index fingers together as she avoided eye contact.
Rin and Rei stared at her in unison, utterly exasperated.
This girl... is too innocent for her own good.
That thought echoed in both their minds at the exact same time.
Rei finally broke the silence, eyebrows twitching. "Since when did you decide this was your mission, exactly?"
Elaine blinked, then gave a sheepish smile. "Um… the moment I became a Saintess of the Heavenly Doctrine?"
That earned a long pause.
Elaine was the most recently chosen among the three publicly recognized Saintesses—Compassion, Justice, and Benevolence. If Rin remembered correctly, the Saintess of Benevolence had been officially announced about two years ago.
"…Wait." Rin narrowed his eyes. "You've been a Saintess for two years?"
Elaine froze.
"…What exactly have you been doing for those two years?"
A beat.
"I… I'm sorry!!" she wailed, bowing so fast and low she nearly knocked herself over.
Rei facepalmed.
Rin pressed a hand to his temple.
Rin exhaled slowly, folding his arms as he looked down at Elaine.
"Look, Saintess… I really don't understand you."
His voice was calm, but there was a sharp edge beneath it.
"You say you want to reform the Heavenly Doctrine… but you don't have a concrete plan. No political backing. No loyal followers. You've barely built any influence—"
He sighed, gaze sharpening.
"—and honestly, you're so innocent it makes me think this whole thing is hopeless."
Elaine shrunk a little under his words.
"Even if I wanted to help… what can you give me, Saintess Elaine?"
Rei's eyes twitched.
She shot a glare at Rin, silently accusing him of implying something indecent. Her expression darkened further as her eyes flicked to Elaine's figure—grudgingly acknowledging it matched her own.
He better not be trying to make this girl sell herself.
Elaine, however, didn't react at all.
She was quiet for a moment, until—
Her silver eyes glowed once more.
A radiant light shimmered faintly around her as her voice deepened, overlapping with another—a divine resonance.
"Fated one... A sacrifice for the world's continuance… The Golden Princess did not accept the fate of Hoshimi Rin…"
Rin froze.
His breath caught in his throat as the words struck something deep within.
Then—
"Reset time… to save Hoshimi Rin. Promise with the Golden Princess… My mission is both to reform the Doctrine— And to save you."
The balcony went still.
Even Rei, who had one hand ready to draw her blade, lowered it with a sharp inhale.
Because that name—Golden Princess—and the phrase reset time…
Those weren't words just anyone could say.
Those were words tied to knowledge no one outside the cycle should've known.
Rin's heartbeat echoed in his ears.
Rei's eyes narrowed, calculating.
This wasn't just a klutzy saintess anymore.
This girl…
She knew about the Cycles Passed.
Elaine's silver eyes flickered—then dimmed back to normal.
She blinked, looking between Rin and Rei, who both wore very serious expressions.
"Ummm… What just happened…?"
Rin exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"As expected… you don't remember." His tone was resigned, as if dealing with yet another exhausting revelation.
Elaine tilted her head, utterly confused. "Remember what?"
Rei bit the inside of her cheek, her gaze sharp.
"Saintess," she said slowly. "What you just said earlier—those words—were only known to us and the Hoshimi Imperial Family."
Elaine stiffened. "H-Huh?"
Rin nodded. His golden eyes, usually guarded, gleamed with something unreadable.
"For an outsider to know that the world has undergone resets… And for a divine deity to remember them…"
His gaze locked onto Elaine.
"You have just become irreplaceable to us."
Elaine gulped. She didn't know what she had just said. Her mind raced.
The Voice of Heaven had suddenly taken over—forcing words from her lips that even she didn't understand.
Rin studied her for a long moment, then finally spoke.
"…I'll help you."
Elaine's eyes widened. "R-Really?!"
"In your mission to reform the Heavenly Doctrine, yes." His voice was calm—but something cold lurked beneath it.
"Just know this—" Rin's gaze darkened.
"You will hate my methods."
Elaine shivered, feeling an eerie weight behind those words.
Then—
Rin stepped closer to Rei, leaning in to whisper near her ear.
Rei listened.
And then—
Her entire expression shifted.
Her crimson eyes snapped to Rin's, scanning his face for any sign of a joke.
But he was serious. Dead serious.
Her fingers curled into fists. A storm brewed behind her eyes.
She turned to Elaine.
The Saintess flinched.
Because Rei was staring at her like she had just become a threat—someone who had somehow gotten too close to Rin far too quickly.
Elaine stiffened. Why do I feel like I just triggered something dangerous…?
After a long silence, Rei finally exhaled.
She hated this.
She hated that Rin was suddenly considering this girl important.
But…
She accepted it.
With one last glare at Elaine, Rei nodded.
"Fine."
Rin reached out—not for Elaine's wrist, but her hand—his fingers wrapping around hers with surprising warmth and firmness.
Elaine blinked in surprise. Her heart skipped. Why does this feel so… serious?
Rin took a deep breath, steadying himself. He couldn't afford hesitation now.
Rei stepped forward, her tone sharp but worried.
"Isn't there another way?"
"There is," Rin admitted quietly, his golden eyes steady.
"But this... this is the most effective way. If we want to give her a real reason to walk into the Hoshimi Empire—and survive it—then we need to make a connection the Doctrine can't ignore."
Elaine opened her mouth, confused. "Wait, what does that—?"
But she didn't get the chance to finish.
Rin pulled her along, hand still tightly clasped in his.
She stumbled, trying to keep up. "W-Wait! Where are we going?!"
"To the ballroom," he said simply.
Elaine still didn't understand. All she could focus on was the warmth of Rin's hand… and the fact that he wasn't letting go.
She had no idea what was about to happen—but the weight of it pressed down on her shoulders.
Something big was coming.
Something that would shake the Crimson Valor Kingdom to its core.
Behind them, Rei stood still for a moment, watching the pair.
She could see it clearly now.
This girl… this clueless, naive Saintess…
She was going to become crucial—to the Empire, to their world, and most painfully… to Rin himself.
Rei sighed.
"I suppose," she muttered, following after them, "we don't have much of a choice anymore."