Laetitia and Elise were good friends.
At least, that's what Laetitia believed. She didn't know what Elise thought, but in her mind, they were definitely good friends.
Completely different from a certain blonde fox!
It was back when the Church had just begun to rise in power—that was the first time Laetitia heard Elise's name.
"Elise? That saintess the Church just introduced?"
The first time she heard the name, she didn't think much of it.
Laetitia Blanchard, the only daughter of the distinguished Blanchard family, was born and raised among nobility. She had long since grown familiar with the ways of power.
There was no way she would believe that the Church, such a massive organization, would actually allow a teenage girl to hold a high-ranking position. Most likely, she was just a puppet, a figurehead for public relations, right?
After all, she had seen a photo of this so-called "Saintess"—and yes, the girl was breathtakingly beautiful. But why did she wear a blindfold?
Was she blind?
But the information she gathered later stated that this Saintess wasn't blind. She had chosen to wear the blindfold herself.
Why?
A small question surfaced in Laetitia's heart. Just a hint of curiosity, nothing urgent—but enough to pique her interest in this Saintess she had never met.
And so, during one of the Integrated Enterprise Foundation's exchange events, Laetitia saw the Saintess in person for the first time.
She was even more beautiful than the photos—countless times more!
But at the time, Laetitia was merely attending as a representative of her academy. She didn't have a chance to speak with Elise, only watching from afar.
Still, there was something about that Saintess—a mysterious power.
Laetitia was undoubtedly strong, but only within the context of her academy. She was aware of that herself.
Even though she had once won the Gryps Festa championship, in the eyes of true powerhouses, that accomplishment was trivial.
Elise gave Laetitia the feeling of a true powerhouse. Though it was just a feeling, and she couldn't be certain.
But that was fine. Laetitia had confidence in other things—she believed that in the future, she would definitely become stronger than Elise!
As time passed, the Church's influence grew. The term "Seventh Conglomerate" started making the rounds, and even the upper echelons of the Integrated Enterprise Foundation were stirred. It was only then that Laetitia began to seriously take notice of the Church again.
And began paying attention to the Saintess once more.
By this point, she had no choice but to change her view. That Saintess named Elise truly was extraordinary.
Having managed her own family, Laetitia knew all too well how difficult it was to develop an organization—let alone one as massive as the Church.
And yet, the Church had flourished! And its rise had been driven entirely by Elise alone!
What kind of skill was that?
One person supporting a force capable of rivaling the Integrated Enterprise Foundation?
At that moment, she realized the gap between herself and the Saintess was far wider than she had imagined.
Would she really have the chance to surpass her in the future? Right now, she couldn't even defeat Claudia.
Finally, at a banquet, Laetitia and Elise met again.
But this time, she didn't merely watch from afar—she approached Elise and initiated a conversation.
"Is there something you need, Miss Laetitia Blanchard?" Elise called her name with ease, causing a slight pang of nervousness in Laetitia.
"You... looked into me, didn't you, Elise Holiness?"
It was only natural to wonder. As the daughter of a noble house, Laetitia knew all too well that such families didn't enjoy peace forever.
Countless forces had their eyes on her family. The moment it showed any weakness, it would be ruthlessly torn apart.
Even within her own family, countless eyes watched her every move. The moment she showed weakness, they would seize the opportunity to drag her down.
A woman as formidable as Elise—there was no way Laetitia believed she was as pure and saintly as she appeared!
She had to be just like that scheming Claudia—only wrapped in a different skin.
In a way, her instincts were incredibly sharp. She had nearly guessed the truth. But Elise would never reveal her true nature in front of her.
"I wouldn't call it an investigation," Elise replied with a light smile, as if reminiscing. "We happened to meet once during an exchange with the Integrated Enterprise Foundation. Back then, Miss Blanchard was staring at me rather intently from afar."
"Eh?"
That wasn't quite the response she had expected—but it didn't deter Laetitia from saying what she came to say.
"Fight me, Elise Holiness!"
Laetitia's voice was filled with determination. She didn't even know why she cared so much about the woman in front of her—but she didn't regret this decision!
Even knowing how powerful Elise was, even knowing she would surely lose this battle—Laetitia would never back down! She would charge forward toward her goal without hesitation!
"This..." Elise looked troubled, clearly confused by such a strange request. "May I ask why, Miss Blanchard?"
Although this wasn't their first time meeting, the two of them were essentially strangers. Where had this sudden sense of rivalry come from?
She's that interested in me?
"Of course, if there's something you'd rather not say, Miss Blanchard, feel free to decline."
"It's not that I can't say it... I just want to understand you better—and at the same time, understand myself!"
Laetitia hesitated, but finally, her expression turned firm.
"So please, don't refuse me!"
Elise seemed to realize something, and her face grew serious as well.
"Very well."
"But we're still at a banquet. I ask you to wait patiently, Miss Blanchard. Once the banquet ends, we can step outside and properly exchange views."
With that, Elise returned to smiling and chatting with those eager to meet her. Her face was lit with sincere warmth, making everyone around her seem to shine.
And on Laetitia's side, her actions mirrored Elise's—she too was surrounded by people, smiling and conversing with them in much the same way.
So why did it feel so different?
Am I really that far behind her?
In that moment, Laetitia was overcome by a deep sense of doubt.
Those who do the same things will inevitably compare themselves.
And the one who does it better—will always draw more attention.