"Huu... Huu..."
"Brother Is, you're working hard again from the crack of dawn today."
"Ah, yes, Senior Brothers."
A few days after becoming the Saintess's personal Holy Knight.
Personal Holy Knights had free time while the Saintess slept, so I slept only four hours before she woke up and spent the rest of the time training.
Fortunately, the grand cathedral had a large training ground, and my daily dedication left a good impression on everyone there.
Now they all greeted me first like this.
With all the bad apples weeded out, the cathedral's Holy Knights were mostly out training like me, so I chatted freely with them.
"Senior Leroy, could I ask you again today?"
"Of course, Brother."
As usual: personal training, sparring, prayer, then a quick wash and check the time.
Three minutes until 6 a.m.
'Time to go.'
I donned my helmet for full armor and headed straight to Ariana's room.
Oh, and just to clarify, I wasn't waking her...
Personal Holy Knights got rest while she slept, with others on night watch, but we had to return by 6 a.m. sharp.
Arriving at her door right on time.
- Holy Mother...
Prayers echoed from inside—Ariana's voice.
No idea when she woke, but she was always praying when I arrived.
About ten minutes later, her door opened.
"Is, shall we start another shining day?"
"Yes, Saintess."
She needed to wash up first, so we headed to the bathhouse.
"You can't do this here..."
"The Saintess hasn't even..."
"High Priest Lib, please, do something..."
Something was off—the lower floor was unusually rowdy.
"What could it be?"
"Not sure, but it doesn't sound good. I can hear the priests' distress from here."
I heightened my guard more than usual and descended, just in case.
The scene came into view step by step.
"Looks like some troublemaker showed up."
Priests were flustered around one obnoxious guy.
"I'll escort you to safety first, Saintess, then handle it."
"Phew... please—Huh?"
Ariana started to ask me but froze mid-sentence.
Her face soured in real time—a sight to behold. At the end of her gaze was the priest-bothering jerk—
"Why is the Hero..."
"Pardon?"
Wait, the Hero?
I nearly stumbled in shock but steadied myself and quickly sized him up.
Black hair like obsidian, eyes red as blood.
A man whose looks screamed 'plot armor.'
And there he was, throwing a tantrum at the priests.
'We're screwed.'
The protagonist himself.
I figured he'd be tolerable if Ariana just disliked him, but picking on regular priests too? Unbelievable.
'Get Ariana out first.'
If he's the Hero, he's probably demanding her, so quietly escort her away—
"Ah! Ariana!"
Ah, damn it.
Spotting her, the so-called Hero strode right toward us.
"Hero, wait—Urk!"
He shoved aside a restraining priest.
That priest looked like a high priest by his robes—talk about rough handling.
Being the Hero excuses everything?
The Hero ignored the fallen high priest, smiling as he closed in on Ariana.
"I missed you so much!"
Just as his hand reached for her.
-Thud.
My hand grabbed his wrist first.
"...Who the hell are you?"
"Finally acknowledging me. I'm Is Adonis, the Saintess's new personal Holy Knight."
I'd been by Ariana's side the whole time.
You were too fixated on her to notice.
Staring him down with that implication, the Hero scowled and jabbed his other hand at me.
"You! You're that bastard hanging around my Ariana!"
"As her personal Holy Knight, I'm simply staying close for her safety."
"Shut up! You say that, but you're probably leering at her on the sly!"
"I'm her guard, so I have to watch—"
"You're ogling her with lustful eyes! I know your type!"
"... "
This guy's beyond reason.
I might've admired her beauty, but I swear to the goddess—no lewd thoughts.
With my helmet on, my eyes aren't even visible—what's he on about?
"...The Saintess is heading to the bathhouse, so please wait a moment. We can talk after."
Her hygiene came first, so I released his wrist and turned to leave, but he reached out again.
-Thud.
"What do you think you're doing? I just said she's going to the bathhouse."
Snapping sharply as I seized his wrist again, he exploded in rage.
"No, fuck! Isn't the Saintess mine? I'm the Hero! So washing together shouldn't be a problem!"
"..."
"What! Fuck, it's true!"
I stared with pure disgust, and he snapped back like I was the problem.
This'll take work to fix.
Time to intervene early.
"Hero."
"What!"
"The Saintess isn't an object. She's a person. Don't call her 'mine' like that."
"A mere Holy Knight lecturing me?"
I stayed calm and polite, but he wasn't listening.
"You punk, I held back, but you're hopeless! Behold the Hero's power!"
Finally, he surged with holy power, grinning maliciously at me.
"I'll cripple you halfway!"
-Thwack!
He wrenched his wrist free with force.
Early story meant his holy power wasn't overwhelming, but still no joke.
"The goddess chose me! God did! I'm the son of god!"
His holy-power-wrapped fist rocketed toward me in a blink, and I...
-Boom!
Countered head-on.
My fist glowed gold, just like his.
"What?!"
I perfectly blocked his punch. He looked genuinely shocked.
That should do it. I withdrew my right hand, asking with mild irritation.
"Shall we continue?"
"What the..."
He stumbled back, gritting his teeth before spitting.
"...Fine, rushing her bath right after a romp might be too soon. I'll yield this once."
"Haha, as expected of the magnanimous Hero. Now, Saintess? He's agreed to wait, so let's go."
"Ah, yes!"
We left him behind and headed to the bathhouse.
At the changing room, I turned my back to guard the door. Ariana glanced worriedly but went in.
-Click.
Door shut.
I slumped against the wall.
Carefully removed my right gauntlet.
Revealing my shattered hand.
'Fucking hurts.'
I'd hidden the pain during the clash, but it was excruciating beyond words.
His antics were childish, like a brat before growing up—but his body was Hero-tier.
Even I, training daily, couldn't shrug off that title's raw power.
'Need quick healing while Ariana bathes.'
Unfortunately, my Holy Knight path meant no major healing. Abrasions only.
Couldn't leave my post as personal guard, so wait for a passing priest.
'Any priest around?'
I applied basic holy magic first, then re-armored it.
Couldn't let Ariana see.
She blamed herself for deaths in the monster wave—imagine her guilt over my hand for protecting her.
Standing to resume guard.
"B-Brother Is!"
"Hm? Brother is..."
A robed high priest hurried over from afar.
Name's... Lib, I think.
He bowed deeply upon reaching me, thanking profusely.
"Thank you! Without you, the Saintess would've been in trouble! I tried calming the Hero, but no dice..."
"Haha... no big deal. I get your usual headaches now."
One clash wrecked my hand—yet he'd dealt with that guy for days?
Miracle he's alive.
"Phew... having someone understand helps. Oh, your hand okay? I've taken hits—it packs a wallop. Or as personal Holy Knight, you're built tough?"
Perfect timing.
"Haha, needed a priest anyway. If it's no bother... could you heal my hand?"
I showed High Priest Lib my right hand.
"Gasp...! I'll heal it right away! Worse than I thought!"
Since I was new as personal Holy Knight...
Luckily, I restored it fully before Ariana emerged.