Chapter 588
Chapter 588
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 588
Chapter Title: Is Spring Coming?
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Alraune had moved in, but nothing particularly special happened.
I went to see Liztina at the Martial Artists' Guild, and with Karin's schedule now wide open, I spent my days in intense training in the backyard.
It would take some time for the official church document to come through anyway.
I didn't go far, and I didn't even visit the Adventurer's Guild. I thought about popping over to see Elise's face, but somehow, heading there without the document felt daunting.
So instead, I just spent the whole day as usual, holding my wives close while going about my routine. Karin and Lisha grumbled about how we'd been apart for so long, so I stayed home obediently, just as they wanted.
"Hoo."
Of course, even with a more relaxed schedule, Karin didn't lounge around every day. We'd been sparring non-stop lately, but today was one of her guild days.
Swish swish.
After finishing my intense morning training session, I showered and stepped out, drying off with a towel. My muscles, even bigger than before, felt like armor plating. My mana capacity had grown, and my overall combat prowess had clearly improved.
"Towel..."
A woman with long red hair and a voluptuous figure approached me naturally.
"Hand it over."
"Sure."
It was Alraune.
Since she was under my care anyway, there was no need to be cold to her. Call it training—I was teaching her the basics and common sense to help her adjust.
Lisha and Winia handled most of the instruction, with me just assisting.
"I'll sort out your other clothes too."
"Heh heh heh, Alraune, you're doing great at this."
At my praise, Alraune flashed a bright smile, gathered up my discarded clothes and towel into the laundry basket, and headed into the bathroom.
Her reason for entering the bathroom? Straight to the laundry, of course.
Winia followed her in.
"Yeah, do the laundry and house cleaning every morning like that. You're doing well. Just keep it up."
"...Got it."
Right now, Alraune was handling all the miscellaneous chores around the house.
A five-person household meant the place got messy enough, and laundry piled up plenty. In a world without washing machines, doing it daily was exhausting and tedious. Cleaning a two-story house was tricky too.
And Alraune was tackling it all by herself.
"Once you're done, hang it up to dry. Then come find me for sword practice."
"Will do."
Winia was the one giving the orders.
Though Winia still felt uneasy about Alraune's very presence, since they'd be living together, she figured she might as well put her to use teaching her housework.
Of course, Alraune never defied my words. Since I'd told her to listen to Winia, she followed obediently.
Anything else, maybe not, but she seemed determined to keep my commands no matter what.
Well, she was pretty good at housework.
I'd usually handled those tasks myself, so I knew.
Tell her how, and she did it exactly. Right now, Alraune was like a bean sprout, soaking up water and shooting up—great at cleaning and laundry alike.
"After hanging the laundry, I'll have her clean the second floor. Start with that."
"Understood."
It almost felt like this brutal Queen of Flowers had become a maid, but since we were raising her, having her pitch in with chores was something I agreed with.
That way, there'd be no complaints about keeping her around.
"What're you thinking, darky?"
Having finished assigning tasks to Alraune, Winia stepped out of the bathroom.
"Huh? Oh, nothing much. Just that it's nice having a maid around."
"Hee hee. Great minds, darky."
Winia laughed and rubbed her face against my chest. Good to see her in high spirits.
I stroked her waist as I replied.
"Yeah, well. With her here, we can give her stuff like that. She's more helpful than I thought."
"Right? But don't spoil her too much, darky."
"No worries there."
Alraune still called me Papa without fail. She'd do anything I asked. Made her easy to handle, but sometimes she'd come close and try to hug me.
Honestly, I had no clue how to react then, so I'd just pat her neck and say she did well.
And that alone seemed to make her thrilled.
"Craving parental love... something like that?"
Claudy, who'd come downstairs at some point, said it while watching Alraune do the laundry.
"Parental love, huh."
Parents.
Looking back, my father was just a bizarre figure who'd gifted me nightmares disguised as memories.
Dad was the kind of guy who'd order two chickens and claim all four drumsticks for his plate. A man drunk on such weird authority couldn't be normal, and his abnormal behavior seeped into every corner of daily life in the most horrific ways.
Yeah, authority... authority. Maybe, uneasily, the way I was treating Alraune like a maid stemmed from unconsciously mimicking my father's authority since childhood.
"That's horrifying."
"Huh? What is?"
"Nothing. Anyway, Claudy, pet my head quick."
"Hee hee hee, c'mere."
I lay down with my head in Claudy's lap on the sofa. Winia was reading a book she'd just fetched.
As we relaxed like that, Alraune finished the laundry and started hanging it up. I'd made the drying rack ages ago—hanging lines inside just looked sloppy.
"All done hanging."
"Good work. Now head upstairs and clean the second floor. Shake out the bedding, get under the beds properly. Got it?"
"Will do."
Even to me, it looked well done. Alraune started toward the stairs as Winia instructed but paused to look at me.
What? Craving praise?
"...Yeah, good job, Alraune. You're really nailing it. But you can do even better, right?"
"Yes. I can do better."
She beamed—who knows why—and headed upstairs.
"Seriously, it feels like she's trying to seduce you, Katt."
Claudy said while stroking my hair.
Seduce... me?
"Sis? Don't say that. She's not a flower."
"Hee hee hee, just teasing. Still... you always feed her like that?"
"..."
I had no choice but to keep feeding her the usual way—morning flower cuttings.
The mental image was just too weird.
And yeah, like Claudy said, maybe she was trying to seduce me. Watching Alraune just stirred up all sorts of unease.
And so, with this odd new housemate in our home, winter passed by.
* * * One lazy day, figuring the official document must be ready, I geared up fully for the first time in a while and headed to the church.
"You're a bit late, Paladin."
As usual, Saintess Cardia was handling paperwork in her room.
"Oh man. Sorry. I figured it'd be around now, but I got delayed. Forgive me this once."
"No big deal. Nothing for you to do right now anyway. Here, take a look."
The pouch she handed over jingled with 80 silver coins.
"Whoa! 80 silver! Amazing!"
"This job yielded some major results. And this is the official document for the incident. Two copies—one for you, one for Sister Elise."
Ah. Elise.
Saint.
For some reason, Elise's icy voice and terrifying gaze flashed in my mind. Right, now I had the document, so I could deliver it. Nothing to fear. Why would I dread my Divine Friend? It was just that one scolding.
"..."
I took the document and read it slowly.
New details I didn't know: They'd sent a second search team for a deeper investigation. They'd rechecked all nearby villages and even mapped the long-neglected Mist Plains.
Countermeasures and progress reports were neatly summarized.
This should satisfy Elise.
"Anyway, what a gruesome incident. I must've torn my hair out over it."
"But you resolved it well. Once more, great job."
"You've had your share of headaches too, Saintess. So, when do you think you'll head to the capital?"
"Hmm... I figured after winter, but with things piling up, who knows. Don't worry too much."
"Heh heh heh, no worries here."
Takes time, as expected.
"Anyway, if there's nothing else, I'll head out. Gotta deliver this to Elise. I'll drop by again soon."
"Sister Elise, huh... If talks with the Radiant Cross Society come up later, I can count on you, Paladin."
If Elise rose in the ranks, that might happen.
"Well, this Saintess has a packed day too. I'll chat next time you visit."
"Heh heh heh, got it. See ya."
I left the church straightaway and headed to Elise's lodging.
But it'd taken a while just to pick up the document.
She wouldn't be sulking about me being late, right? If she was, I'd feel awful. Truth was, Elise had nothing much to do alone in Isvant.
A surge of guilt hit me as I called out weakly at her door.
"E—lise!!!!"
My usual bellow wouldn't come. That terrifying gaze kept haunting me.
Still, I had to call, so I raised my voice decently.
"..."
Waiting like that, Elise soon emerged from the entrance. Slowly. Very leisurely. In her neat nun's habit, face expressionless.
"Hey, Elise!"
Seeing her face still sparked joy.
"Been good? Got plenty of rest?"
I hurried over to greet her, and Elise looked up at me, face still blank.
"...Saint."
"Hm?"
"Weren't you awfully late in coming?"
Flinch.
Wha... what'd she say?
Her voice sounded chillier, so I quickly checked her expression. But not like that scolding glare from before.
Just blank.
Was she mad about the delay?
"Uh... sorry. The document came late. It just came out a bit ago, and I went too late to get it. My bad, Elise."
"I see."
She tilted her head slightly and murmured softly.
"Then it couldn't be helped. If the document was late, so were you—as expected."
"...Elise?"
Was she... understanding?
"You weren't mad I was too late or... anything?"
"Mad? Why would I get mad at my most precious Divine Friend, the Saint? Me, angry at you? Unthinkable."
She gave a puzzled look.
"That said, you seem down today. Normally, you'd be yelling joyfully by now, embarrassing me... Something happen?"
Eh, Elise?
"Don't tell me... family trouble?"
I swear, sweat's pouring down my back.
Did I strap a steam machine back there or what?
"N-no, it's not that... Heh heh heh! I just felt bad for being so late, couldn't shout like usual! Didn't want to trouble you too much!"
"No, Saint."
Elise tilted her head the other way, still blank-faced.
"You mustn't. Be yourself. Your brightness is your charm."
"Wh-what?"
"Come on, shout it loud. 'Divine'."
She clasped her hands behind her back and began circling me slowly.
It felt like an interrogation...!
Elise, what's with you today!
"Elise...? Why're you like this! You've been scary since that scolding! You're mad, right! Sorry!"
Panicking, I dropped to my knees and grabbed her hands.
"Saint? Are you... afraid of your Divine Friend right now?"
"No! It's not that! Please! Be your usual self!"
"My usual self."
Elise bent at the waist to meet my kneeling eyes.
"Saint. Then shout it now. 'Divine'."
"Wha...!"
"Like always. Loud. Very loud."
And as she said it, Elise was smiling.