Adopted Soldier

While Alex was having his dilemma Lyner was at the place where Anita proposed marriage to him. The place was a top a small mountain overlooking the great forest of the Southern Union. On top of this mountain was a single tree where cherry blossoms bloom.

Lyner remembered the day Anita proposed to him. It was quite a funny event, Lyner was hired as a bodyguard for Anita. At that time the Southern Union was having trouble with her, since she wanted to go to different war zones to help those in need.

She didn't care about what the Government thought and just wanted to go and save as much people as she could. At that time she was a person that has the strength equivalent to an A rank merc and when in a dire situation she could strengthen her abilities to the utmost limit to match the best S rank merc, but only for a short burst.

With this ability of hers she was confident that she could go anywhere and leave the place safely. Of course the Higher-ups of the Southern Union didn't feel comfortable sending their most beloved female saint to such dangerous places, so they proposed that she needed bodyguards.

At the time, Anita was very stubborn and didn't like the idea of people babysitting her, so she didn't like the idea that she needed bodyguards. Also she didn't want people weaker than her to be her bodyguards, since they might get hurt and in the end she would be the one protecting them.

Giving that counterargument the higher-ups agreed with her, she indeed needed a bodyguard who was stronger than her. That was when they started recruiting the best they could find, but no matter who they sent Anita would beat them up, and send them packing.

At this point the only ones who could actually win against Anita in the Southern Union were the other two Saints, but the government couldn't ask the other two to be bodyguards for Anita. So they had no choice but to look outside the country. Since they were a neutral country, asking help from either side was hard, but among the other two super powers they were closer to Berdonia. So they decided to search there.

After a few days of searching they finally found Lyner. He was the strongest S rank merc not only in Berdonia but in all countries, he was just missing one more criterium to enter the SS ranks. So learning of Lyner, they got him to do the bodyguard job.

Of course once Lyner appeared before Anita, the first thing she did was attacked, but to her surprise Lyner was able to quickly restrain her. She even used her limit breaking ability but it did nothing. It was a like a fight between a ten year old and a fully grown man.

It was at that point Lyner said the line that Anita would never forget. "You're pretty good for a little girl." It was the first thing Lyner said to her and it was an insult.

After this even Anita was forced to accept Lyner as her bodyguard, all throughout their time together Anita hated Lyner for that one line he said, since it was both sexist and insulting. So all throughout their humanitarian journey to save lives, she tried to find any chance she got to get back at him, but no matter what she did Lyner simply found it cute or funny.

Then one fateful day the two were tricked into thinking someone was in need of help, but in turns out it was all a trap to capture Anita. Seeing the situation Lyner had no choice but to stall the enemy forces so that Anita could escape.

Anita not wanting to leave Lyner begged him to think of another way, but Lyner simply smiled and told Anita that everything will be ok. He reassured her before pushing her away.

...

Anita had successfully escaped the enemy base, and reported about what happened to Lyner. Of course the higher-ups decided to show that they were doing everything they could to save Lyner, but behind the scenes they weren't really doing much. Lyner was not from the Southern Union so wasting resources for him was not something they wanted to see.

Even if the Berdonian Government does something aggressive, the Southern Union could just say that they are trying everything in their power to help, even though it was Lyner's decision to take the job and sacrifice himself.

Anita learning of what was happening behind the scenes was furious but in the end she couldn't do anything. She hated herself for being so weak, she then remembered when she said she could easily escape any situation if need be, but if Lyner wasn't there she would already be dead.

Anita couldn't concentrate in anything and all she could think of was Lyner. She waited and waited until finally one day he returned. He came back to her with that smug smile of his. The moment she saw him again something within her blossomed. That is how her feelings for Lyner began.

Lyner continued being her bodyguard for a few more months, and as they stayed together Anita's feelings just grew stronger and stronger. Then one day Lyner said to her that he found a beautiful spot that he wanted to show her. They went up a small mountain, and when they finally reached the top Anita saw a beautiful view of the forest.

It was an amazing sight which Lyner happily bragged about. Overwhelmed by the sight and the bursting of her emotions, Anita couldn't help herself and confessed her love for Lyner. Immediately after she proposed marriage. Lyner who was shocked by the sudden turn of events, rejected her and fled.

...

In the present time Lyner who finished his recollection of that day turned around and saw the beautiful Saintess he left behind. She was there looking at him, like she was looking at a ghost. She was trying hard to stop her tears from falling.

"Hey it's been a long time Anita. Is that offer of yours still up for grabs?"

"What a lousy proposal, from an old man. So what changed your mind?" Anita smiled while the tears she was holding in flowed down her face.

"Well you know, it's because you're pretty good for a little girl."