This has happened before.

She is a native of Stonebuge, her family runs a bakery, and she is not wealthy but she does not worry about food and clothing. However, it wasn't until she left home and became a paladin that she learned that her parents had the money to open a shop because when she was very young, she always liked a small wooden doll in the palm of her hand, which somehow turned into a whole piece of gold.

Now she can't remember what she did or what happened to her. Her family had always kept it a secret and never asked her to "try again"—a miracle they saw as a gift and never greedily asked for more.

But she also grew up in pampering because of this, and was even more favored than her brother. She is free to do what she wants, and has the opportunity to learn the sword from a former adventurer on the street corner.

Before she was twelve years old, she entered the Temple of Dawn, for the mild-smiling old priest, after watching her knock down a able-bodied street thug with a broom she had picked up, put his hand on top of her head and asked her, "Will you come to me?"

Her surprise and confusion were far greater than her excitement, but she didn't seem to have any thoughts of refusal. Becoming a priest is naturally a better way out than finding someone to marry or inherit the bakery. Her parents, full of pride, took the miracles she had performed as a child as proof that she had been chosen by God, but because of the admonition of her teacher, the adventurer, they still did not publicize it.

She didn't have a habit of showing off, so the matter has been kept a secret. When she received teachings and learned spells in the temple, she gradually realized that the "miracle" that her family thought was might have another possibility.

Her strength may not be a godsend.

She unconsciously looked for more stories—more about the ones the elves called "whisperers." What she saw was a tragedy with fearful suspicion and tears of blood...... She saw the banished, hurted, and destroyed, "children of the devil."

Filled with unspeakable fear, she could not resist telling her secret to someone she could trust—York Tracy, who had entered the temple before her, and who was about her age, the beloved disciple of the old priest Aurora Lee.

"Can you still do the same thing now?" York asked her, "or have you ever done it again?"

Aria shook her head vigorously.

"Then there's nothing to worry about. York told her with a serious face, "You are under the protection of the goddess, and if you have enough devout faith and a strong enough soul, even a little demonic blood in your veins will be completely purified." ”

Ed's face darkened as he listened.

“...... How old was he then?" he asked.

"XVI. Ariyah replied, a little confused, wondering why he was asking this.

Ed breathed a sigh of relief, and a little wanted to laugh again. That pretentious teenager is obviously much more mature now.

"So now......" the paladin looked down at his hand, a little relaxed, but still uneasy, "Is my blood more eroded by demons? because I'm not loyal enough......"

It was this that she feared the most—she didn't feel how religious her faith was. The day-to-day prayers did not wear away the free nature she had cultivated as she ran through the streets of Tonbuch, and she probably trusted her sword more than the goddess on high and the old priest who never went out all day and did not see her a few times a year.

"First of all, it's not 'demon's blood'. "See, I am called the Holy One, and many say that I have the blood of God in me, but I am just like you—unless you think that gods and demons are the same." ”

Ariyah was taken aback, glaring at him almost in horror. She had turned away from them in fear when she heard that the dragon could smell demons, and then she had come to Ed because she felt something similar to her, but even if she wasn't very religious...... It was also difficult for her to accept the juxtaposition of gods and demons.

Ed paused, realizing that he was a little too eager. But he found one of his kind! one like him—well, maybe not exactly...... Overall, it assured him that his plan had a chance of success, and that it wasn't just the mages and whisperers who would benefit...... It couldn't have been better!

He pressed his joy and calmed the restless paladin in a gentler way: "As I said before, this world has given birth to us, and its power is in our blood, which we did not know before, and those who master it usually do not know how to control it, and it is inevitable that it will accidentally hurt others, so it is frightening, and even named a demon." But now—"

He pointed to the full moon: "Now, more people will feel their power...... More people will be willing to understand it, accept it, master the means to control it, and one day—maybe it won't be long before people will be able to accept another spellcaster in the same way that priests and mages are accepted. And you, with your identity and strength, may be able to help many people save from struggle and pain. This is definitely a good thing, and I think that even the goddess you worship will never question your loyalty because of it. 'Protect the weak and the innocent, keep honor and duty,' that's the paladin's oath, isn't it?

His voice is neither deep nor magnetic, the only advantage is that it is clear and clean, and it sounds kind and harmless, like a long-known friend, which makes people calm down unconsciously.

Aria calmed down, but still had concerns. She wrung her fingers and hesitated for a moment before stumbling and asking, "So, you ...... What do you think, York...... Would you think so?"

As the flush spread across her face, it dawned on Ed why the paladin, who dared to admit that his faith was "not religious," was so upset. She cares more than just her goddess...... And the people she likes.

“...... Well, I guess you'll have to ask him. He replied.

The paladin bowed her head in frustration - if she could ask, she wouldn't be so embarrassed.

"Or ...... Forget it. "He has a lot more important things to do," she whispered. ”

Ed stopped talking. This fact is not his turn...... He also doesn't have the ability of Tess to talk about love and unlove without a red face and a big heart.

"I don't know what the hell he's going to think. In the end, he could only reply, "But he saw very clearly what I could do...... He knew that I might have mastered another power a long time ago, but he was not my enemy...... There was no accusation that I had betrayed my beliefs, nor did I question whether my blood was pure...... Isn't it?"