The story begins with Luke and Lili, childhood friends from the impoverished border village of Lorona, successfully hunting a White Rabbit. Their village struggles to survive due to its proximity to a monster den, which frequently damages their crops. Their primary food source comes from hunting and gathering, a dangerous endeavor due to the presence of monsters. Luke and Lili, having grown up together, work seamlessly as a hunting pair. Lili, a kind and beautiful girl, dispatches the rabbit swiftly and with a prayer, showcasing her gentle nature. Luke admires her beauty and notes that she has many suitors, though she rejects them all.
Returning to Lorona Village, they are greeted enthusiastically by the village children, especially Lili, who proudly presents the rabbit, promising a stew. Anita, a shy girl, asks Luke what he gathered, and he shows her his basket of wild vegetables. Their interaction is interrupted by teasing boys who mock Anita for liking Luke, and then try to take the rabbit, further upsetting Anita. Lili scolds the boys, and they leave, chanting about Anita and Luke. Lili observes that girls, regardless of age, are complex.
The narrative then shifts to Lili's perspective, detailing the monotonous but cherished daily life in Lorona Village. She highlights Luke's quiet kindness, recalling how he once carried her for miles when she had blisters. She confesses her long-held love for Luke, stemming from his protection during her shy and bullied childhood.
A village elder, Alma, convenes a meeting of village leaders. They receive grim news: a neighboring village has been annihilated by monsters emerging from a nearby Resti-cave. The leaders fear an imminent "Great Invasion" and discuss their inability to defend against such an onslaught. Lorona Village is sparsely populated with men, mostly consisting of children and the elderly, due to a previous invasion. They consider their limited options, realizing that only heavily fortified cities can withstand such attacks. The elders decide to send the children and young couples to safety in a cave, while the remaining villagers will fight to the end. Luke and Lili, being young and capable, are deemed to have a bright future. The elders devise a plan to send them to the capital under the pretense of selling village crafts, hoping they can receive a "Blessing Ceremony" to gain professions and skills, which are essential for survival in this world.
Luke and Lili are summoned by Elder Alma, who informs them they will receive the Blessing Ceremony. They are surprised, knowing the ceremony is expensive and typically reserved for the wealthy. Alma lies about the village's prosperity, and despite Lili's hesitation to accept such a gift, Alma insists it is a command. She advises Luke to consider what is truly important and encourages Lili to work with him. They are told to depart for the capital immediately. As they leave, the villagers' unusually kind farewells and tearful goodbyes feel like a final parting.
Two days into their journey to the capital by carriage, Luke overhears other travelers discussing the near-total destruction of villages in the Castona region due to a monster invasion. Realizing this is their home region, Luke rushes to find Lili. Lili reveals she suspected something was amiss with the elders' urgency and had guessed the truth. They argue about staying to fight, but Lili tearfully explains that the elders sent them away with their hopes for the future, urging Luke to understand their sacrifice. She slaps Luke in frustration, and they reconcile, agreeing to move forward.
Upon arriving in the capital, Welria, Luke and Lili sell their village crafts at the Commercial Guild, earning a surprisingly high price due to the tragedy in Castona. They then prepare for the Blessing Ceremony. The ceremony is held in a grand cathedral, where they are purified and dressed in white robes. They are given crystals to hold during the ritual. Luke receives the profession of "Low-Rank Mage" with mediocre stats and basic skills, while Lili is bestowed the "God-Class Knight" profession with exceptionally high stats and powerful skills, including divine sword techniques and magic. The priest recognizes Lili's potential and informs her she is eligible for immediate entry into the Holy Cross Knights, a prestigious and privileged organization.
Lili is hesitant to leave Luke, but he encourages her to accept the opportunity for her future and promises to follow her. She agrees to speak with the King. At the royal audience, Lili's divine talent is confirmed, and she is offered a position in the Holy Cross Knights. The King orders the captain, Reject, to spar with her. Despite her initial fear, Lili demonstrates remarkable combat prowess, impressing Reject and the King. She is accepted into the Holy Cross Knights.
Two months later, Lili has become a Baroness and a respected member of the Holy Cross Knights, living in a mansion. Luke works as a clerical staff member in the Knights' headquarters, handling paperwork. Lili's duties are demanding, involving intense training and patrols. She confides in Luke about her exhaustion and longing for their village life. Luke continues to support her, listening to her complaints and maintaining her armor.
Meanwhile, Yuse, a Count's son and a member of the Knights, who had previously been rejected by Lili, is furious. He plots to eliminate Luke, whom he sees as an obstacle to winning Lili over. He hires Sidley, a butler, to carry out the task.
Luke's routine is shattered when soldiers accuse him of embezzlement. Despite his protests and the support of his colleagues, he is arrested and imprisoned. The soldiers claim he stole gold from the Knights' reserve and was seen celebrating in a tavern. Luke suspects Yuse is behind the false accusation, remembering Yuse's threat. He realizes his only hope is for Lili to defend him in court, but he fears this will tarnish her reputation. Yuse visits Luke in prison, revealing the trial is rigged and that Luke will be executed. He offers Luke a deal: renounce Lili, and Yuse will ensure Luke's survival and take care of Lili, even marrying her. Luke, realizing his fate is sealed and wanting to protect Lili's future, agrees to the terms.
Luke is brought to trial. Lili, as expected, stands as his defense attorney, determined to prove his innocence. However, the prosecution presents witnesses from the tavern who identify Luke as the man they saw. Lili vehemently denies this, stating Luke was with her. The judge, having been bribed, dismisses Lili's claims. Luke, remembering Yuse's words, chooses to sacrifice himself to protect Lili. He cruelly declares his hatred for her and admits to framing her for his supposed crimes, causing her immense pain and anger. Lili flees the courtroom in tears. Luke is sentenced to death by being thrown into a Resti-cave.
As Luke is being taken to the Resti-cave, a soldier, who seems to understand Luke's sacrifice, offers him a final cigarette. Just as Luke is about to be pushed into the chasm, Lili arrives on horseback, silently watching. Luke tells the soldier he wishes to be killed as a villain so Lili will eventually forget him. The soldier expresses admiration for Luke's actions. Luke is then pushed into the Resti-cave.
Luke awakens at the bottom of the Resti-cave, miraculously alive and injured. He is found by a man named Roy, who provides him with basic medical care and food. Roy reveals that there are safe zones within the Resti-cave. Luke explains his situation, and Roy, a former noble who dislikes the aristocracy, offers to help Luke learn to survive. Roy is searching for a skilled adventurer who disappeared in the Resti-cave. Luke, having received the "Low-Rank Mage" profession, decides to head to Edinburgh to register as an adventurer and earn money.
The narrative then shifts to Lili's perspective. She is deeply distressed by Luke's accusation and disappearance. She learns from Luke's colleagues that he has been accused of embezzlement and imprisoned. Lili, convinced of Luke's innocence, vows to investigate and clear his name, using her status as a Knight and minor noble to navigate the political complexities, particularly the animosity between the Knights and the Ministry of Military Affairs. She suspects Yuse is behind the plot.
Luke, imprisoned, contemplates his situation. He believes the trial is rigged and that Yuse has bribed the officials. He hopes Lili will defend him, but fears it will harm her future. Yuse visits him, confirming the rigged trial and offering Luke a deal: renounce Lili, and Yuse will spare his life and take care of Lili, even marrying her. Luke, torn between his love for Lili and the desire to protect her, asks for time to think.
The story concludes with Luke being taken to the Resti-cave for execution. He is pushed into the chasm, but miraculously survives and is found by Roy. Roy, a former noble living in the Resti-cave, helps Luke and reveals he is searching for a missing adventurer. Luke, having lost everything, decides to learn to survive in the Resti-cave with Roy's guidance, while Lili, determined to prove Luke's innocence, begins her own investigation.
