Chapter 426: You Have to Prove It

"I... I’m doing squats..."

From the remote transmission stone came Liya’s slightly muffled voice.

"Squats?"

Ariel stroked her chin with exaggerated seriousness and nodded.

"I see. That really is a good exercise for losing weight. No need for any special space, you can do it anytime. Most ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) importantly, it’s great for slimming the legs and shaping the thighs."

"Y-yeah... recently my thighs... hmm... have gotten a bit thick."

"But I think what you, you damn cow, really ought to slim down isn’t your thighs at all."

Her resentful gaze flicked toward a certain part of her own open chest; Ariel clenched the air with her five fingers and snarled viciously:

"You shouldn’t be doing squats. What you should be doing is—"

"...Ee-ya!"

Liya’s voice suddenly rose, carrying a strange, involuntary lilt that cut Ariel off mid-sentence.

"W-what happened? Did something happen?" Ariel asked anxiously without thinking.

"N-no, nothing. I just... accidentally stubbed my little toe on the table leg—yeah, hit the table corner. I’m fine now. Ariel, go on, I... I’m listening."

From the other end came a creaking sound, followed by the thud of something being smacked hard—it sounded just like someone accidentally bumping into their own mischievous child and then angrily taking it out on the table leg, the true culprit.

Heh, Liya can be such a kid sometimes, Ariel thought with amusement.

"Honestly, getting yourself hurt while exercising—how dumb can you be?"

Ariel teased,

"If you ask me, you shouldn’t be doing squats. You should be doing push-ups instead."

"Push-ups?"

"That’s right—so you can slim down the part that a big cow like you most needs to slim down."

"I told you... I’m not... a... a big... cow... mmph... not!"

Liya denied it twice in a row, and then Ariel heard that same indignant slapping sound again.

Yeah, she still hated being called that.

A faintly sweet smile curved Ariel’s lips. She could almost see Liya right in front of her, pouting in mock anger, wanting to retaliate against her teasing.

"Liya, have you been doing well lately?" Ariel couldn’t help but ask anyway.

"Of... of course, I’m fine."

There was nothing obvious in her tone—was she forcing herself to sound okay?

"That’s good. Listen, this time in the ruins, I actually—"

"Ee-ya... bad~"

"Hm?"

"Ouch, I mean it hurts—a lot! My little toe that I hit earlier still hurts."

"But don’t you have Holy Light?" Ariel asked, her tone turning odd.

"H-Holy Light? Right, I do have it... but I can’t use it right now. If I used it now, all that exercise just now would’ve been... wasted."

"Ah... true."

Holy Light healed wounds, but it also erased fatigue.

And fatigue itself was the best kind of training for the body.

Still, Liya was really going all out this time—she was still panting even now, and it hadn’t eased at all despite them talking for a while. Was she... chatting with me while still exercising?

"Then, Liya, I—"

"Ah... no... I can’t... anymore..."

"Eh? Can’t what?"

"It’s not that, Ariel... I... I’ve got something to do right now. Can we talk later?" Liya suddenly said.

"Huh?"

"Come find me in the Holy City... I... mm... really can’t..."

Beep, beep, beep, beep...

After leaving behind that unfinished sentence—its trailing note oddly high and sweet—the transmission stone cut off.

Only Ariel’s bewildered face remained; she blinked blankly.

"She hung up that quickly? Don’t tell me... something really urgent happened?"

Ariel felt a flicker of worry.

But she soon put it away.

The night was still deep, dawn far off yet. Still, after that brief conversation with Liya, her mood had completely lifted.

Liya must be feeling the same, right?

No matter what difficulties there are, I’ll help you solve them when the time comes!

Ariel raised her head, eyes following the mountains veiled in night, and clenched her fist firmly.

There was nothing more to say.

Departure—toward the Holy City!

......

......

As Muen kept tormenting her with mischievous skill, Liya finally reached that blissful peak—every inch of her delicate body trembling in happiness.

Then she collapsed weakly into Muen’s arms, her slender body seeming to have lost all strength, boneless and soft.

"Liya, you’re such a little pervert... even in a situation like this..."

Muen, who had reached the same peak of pleasure, gently stroked Liya’s sweat-damp hair and teased her with a soft smile.

"Hmph... you’re the real pervert here..."

Liya rubbed against his chest and murmured in protest,

"It’s all your fault, you bad man. I was talking to Ariel, and you just had to mess with me!"

"But you seemed to enjoy it."

"I—I did not!"

"Heh, denying it with your mouth, but your body was very honest just now—you were just—"

"I! Did! Not!"

Liya, fuming, bit down on Muen’s shoulder, then pouted and said,

"Aren’t you afraid Ariel will find out if you keep this up?"

"Find out..."

Muen, who had been lost in that thrill just moments ago, suddenly jolted.

For some reason, a chill ran down his neck, and he inexplicably recalled Ariel’s big, thick longsword.

Just in case, he quickly cupped Liya’s delicate, dewy face and said with exaggerated seriousness,

"My dear Liya, if Ariel ever tries to cut me down, you have to help me, okay?"

"Hm? Why would Ariel want to cut you?" Liya tilted her head.

Why? Because you’re in my arms right now!

If I were Ariel, I’d already be sharpening my sword!

Of course, she probably didn’t know anything yet.

"Anyway... you’ll help me, right? We already agreed before."

"Before... ah..."

Liya recalled the promises she and Muen had made on their way to the Holy City, and her lips curved unconsciously.

She remembered that, at first, she had really thought he was a bad person.

And now...

Hmph, he was a bad person after all.

"Hmph, let’s see how you behave then."

"Then I’ll have to behave very well."

Muen suddenly rolled over, pinning Liya beneath him.

"Y-you... what are you trying to do?"

Liya blinked up at him with an innocent expression.

"What do you think I’m doing?"

Muen chuckled wickedly.

"Little Liya’s finished her squats—so now it’s my turn to do push-ups."

......

......

The Holy City — city gates.

After refusing her family’s offer of help, Ariel rented the fastest carriage she could find in a border city of the Empire and traveled nonstop until she finally arrived before the gates of the Holy City.

But the moment she got there, she sensed something unusual in the air.

The gates, once freely open to believers from all lands, now had strict checkpoints in place. Lines of knights in gleaming armor patrolled back and forth, their expressions solemn.

A faint radiance drifted above the city, exuding a sacred aura.

Dozens of ornate carriages, each flying different noble banners, had lined up in a long queue before the gate. Just by glancing at the insignias, Ariel could recognize several famous factions and houses.

"So lively..."

She tugged at the sleeve of a nearby believer who was bowing repeatedly toward the Holy City and asked,

"Did something happen in the Holy City? Why are there so many people?"

"Huh? You don’t know?"

The believer gave her a disdainful look as though at some clueless bumpkin and said coldly,

"Tomorrow is Her Holiness the Saintess’s succession ceremony!"

"...I see."

Ariel immediately understood. She had been in such a rush to reach the Holy City and see Liya that she had forgotten all about it.

After the consecration ceremony she herself had missed, the next event was naturally the enthronement of the new Saintess.

For such an important occasion, all the countries and factions that had already sent observers to the consecration would surely send additional representatives to show their respect.

Thinking that far, Ariel couldn’t help but gaze once more at the Holy City looming so near.

At a time like this, Liya must be even sadder, right?

I’m sorry, Liya—it’s all my fault. But don’t be afraid. I’m here now!

"Identification."

"Eh?"

At the gate, Ariel froze, staring blankly at the knight before her.

"Wh-what identification? To enter the Holy City, isn’t a regular travel pass enough?"

"That was before. These are special times now."

The knight explained,

"For the safety of Her Holiness the Saintess’s succession ceremony, and to prevent dangerous elements from infiltrating the city, anyone who can’t prove which country, family, or faction they belong to—anyone without an officially registered identity—will not be allowed entry. Didn’t you notice how many believers can only worship from outside the city?"

"Wait, wait, wait! I’m from the Empire of Leopold, the first heir of the prestigious Bugaard family—Ariel Bugaard!"

Ariel said quickly,

"There aren’t many who would dare to forge that kind of noble identity, right?"

"Proof."

The knight didn’t waste words, simply held out his hand.

"..."

Ariel blinked, then patted herself down dazedly before shaking her head.

How could she possibly have such a thing?

She had originally been supposed to enter the city with the academy delegation, which meant she hadn’t needed any identification at all. Since she rarely relied on her family and had even refused to use their carriage, she hadn’t brought so much as a single family crest.

And really, who would’ve expected the Holy City to suddenly start checking this strictly?

"If you don’t have it, please move aside. There are others waiting behind you."

The knight waved her off impatiently.

"Wait!"

After a moment of thought, a spark flashed across Ariel’s mind.

"The Leopold Empire’s embassy! And the academy! They can both vouch for me! If you just let me in, I can get my identification!"

"If you want to enter, show me your identification first."

"But to get my identification, I need to go inside first!"

"Then give me your identification!"

"I told you, I can only get it after I go inside!"

"Show me your identification, then you can go in!"

"I need to go in first!" Ariel shouted.

"No! Identification required!"

Clang! The knight, eyes blazing, drew his sword halfway from its sheath.

"Damn it!"

Ariel grit her teeth, despairing at how utterly rigid these Holy City knights were.

But she couldn’t just force her way in either. This city was the gathering place of humanity’s highest combat power. Even with her strength recently improved, barging in would be suicide.

"Looks like I’ll have to think of another way."

Her eyes glimmered with resolve.

The path may be blocked, but people are not.

The road to her reunion with Liya—how could it end over a mere setback like this?