When Anyi woke, he noticed a strange, unfamiliar scent lingering in the room. It was faint, but distinct, and he knew it was something he'd never encountered before. In his previous life, if someone had entered his room undetected, he would’ve sprung from his bed immediately. Yet, he had slept peacefully until dawn, unaware of the presence beside him.

As he opened his eyes, he found himself face to face with a breathtakingly beautiful girl, sleeping only an inch away. Her features were delicate, her expression serene, and her youth was evident—she appeared to be around 15 or 16. Despite her innocence, her beauty was remarkable, almost ethereal. Anyi's attention quickly shifted when he noticed a notification in his system:

[Status: Holy Maiden

Description:

You are in the presence of the Holy Maiden, automatically entering sage mode. No matter what kind of creature you are, all impure thoughts toward her are nullified.]

"So she was always like that, even when she was young..." Anyi thought, recalling his brief encounter with Holy Hero Ariana Aldrich from his past life. Though their meeting had been fleeting, it had left an impression. The vast monster territory meant that thousands of Heroes marched toward the Demon Lord’s Palace, each following their own path. It wasn’t unusual for some Heroes to never meet during their lifetimes. Ariana, however, held the weighty responsibility of leading them all during the Holy War.

Anyi’s memory of their first meeting came back to him. Before the Holy War, Ariana had been appointed as the general commander, tasked with understanding the unique abilities of each Hero under her command. He had been one of the last to arrive, giving him a chance to report his skills directly to her. In return, Ariana had shared her own: [Can resurrect a dead person once every month.]

Anyi considered the terrifying potential of Ariana’s ability: the power to resurrect anyone she remembered, no matter how long they'd been dead. It was a gift that defied time, a resurrection bound only by memory. Yet, if someone didn’t know Ariana personally, her ability wouldn’t affect them, no matter how well-documented they were. The thought of such an overpowered ability made Anyi reflect—if he were to take it from her, it would be unfair, especially since she was still so young. He knew how the system worked; a simple accusation—"Your Hero's ability is [Can revive a dead person once every month]"—would transfer it to him instantly.

As he stared at Ariana, now lying peacefully in his bed, he contemplated her innocence. Ten years from now, she would be a matured leader, hardened by countless battles. It was strange to think that this radiant girl would one day carry the weight of the Holy War on her shoulders. Yet, Anyi couldn’t understand why she had appeared beside him so suddenly, sleeping so peacefully. The contrast between her future self and the girl before him was baffling.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Luckily, his new body, strengthened by the system, allowed him to handle the awkwardness of the moment with calm composure. After brushing back his hair and adjusting his clothes at the dressing table, Anyi cleared his throat and gently tapped Ariana's shoulder. "Hey, get up."

She stirred, stretching like a cat before releasing a soft, sleepy sound. Rubbing her eyes, she glanced up at him with a yawn. "Ahh... good morning."

Anyi couldn’t help but smile slightly, struck by how adorably innocent she looked in this moment.

It took Ariana a few moments to fully process the situation. Glancing down at her nightgown, Anyi assumed she was verifying that nothing inappropriate had occurred. However, she was merely checking that her attire remained neat and proper for the circumstances. Ariana always believed in maintaining an appearance that upheld her position, even in unexpected moments like this.

Bowing her head slightly, she greeted him formally, “Welcome to the Holy City, Sword Hero, Anyi Carl. I am the Holy Maiden of the Aldrich Theocracy, and the Holy Hero, Ariana Aldrich. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

Anyi was taken aback by her composed politeness. When he inquired about why she had ended up in his room, Ariana hesitated, looking thoughtful as she clasped her hands over her stomach. She bowed her head and closed her eyes, clearly searching for an answer or perhaps stalling for time.

Then, she seemed to recall something and responded, "Because the distance was very close." She raised her hand, pointing to the right, but Anyi, unable to see her system interface, assumed she was simply gesturing towards the ceiling. Catching on quickly, Anyi asked, "Last night, you mentioned something about a mission target distance?"

Ariana nodded. "Yes. I had been monitoring your location. Once the distance between us fell under 100 meters, I tried to locate you."

Anyi noticed that he had completed his quest, likely because the main condition was simply being in contact with Ariana. Curious, he asked, "So, why were you sleeping here?"

Ariana answered frankly, "Do not have." It seemed she might have just been exhausted from her journey and decided to take a nap.

Anyi let out a sigh. "Little girl, it's fine to make mistakes while eating, but you can't just sleep so carelessly." He was aware that Ariana's [Holy Maiden] buff prevented him from having any inappropriate thoughts, even if he were inclined toward such behavior.

"Today’s our first meeting. Next time, try not to sleep in a stranger’s bed," Anyi advised.

"Why?" Ariana asked, tilting her head in confusion.

Anyi explained gently, "Because you don’t know what kind of person I am or if I'm trustworthy."

Ariana nodded thoughtfully, while in her quest bar, the locations of two other Heroes she needed to invite were displayed:

[Go to Brana city, invite Thorn Hero: Miruku · Sinsa to join the Hero squad (Leftover: 1.4 km)]

[Go to Navan town, invite Shield Hero: Layton · Shiklai to join the Hero squad (Leftover: 5.2 km]