Chapter 589
Chapter 589
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 589
Chapter Title: Is Spring Coming?
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Just what the hell happened to Elise...!
"Please, go ahead."
Elise was smiling, but for some reason, that smile felt even scarier than her usual glaring eyes. Yeah, Elise was pissed because I showed up so late.
She couldn't bring herself to snap at me directly, so she was showing it like this instead.
"Alright."
I slowly stood up from my seat as I answered.
"Good."
I calmed my trembling heart and prepared to let out a roar.
"I'll do as you wish."
"..."
The moment I stood, I started stretching to loosen up, relaxing my tensed muscles. I took a slow deep breath in, then let it out, glancing at Elise's expression.
Elise just kept smiling, showing no particular reaction.
"Doing it?"
"Saint."
"Hm?"
"When it comes to confirming our friendship, you don't need my permission. We're Divine Friends, aren't we?"
"R-Right!"
Anyway, if that's what Elise wants, it's only natural to oblige. I got into position to roar, inhaled to my limit, and shouted.
"Diiiiviiiine Frrrrieeeeend—!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
My clear voice echoed across Isvant's sky, where winter was finally drawing to a close.
A clear sky and a pure voice.
It might draw some aggro, but if this satisfied Elise, nothing could be better.
"Phew, Elise?"
Elise stared blankly at me as I yelled, then burst into laughter.
"Heh, heh heh heh..."
"What?"
"Heh heh heh... Yes. Friends, Saint."
She murmured "friend" softly, then extended her arm. I reached out mine in response and vented my complaints at her.
"Elise, what the hell! Why didn't you yell it loud?!"
She made me shout it out, but she said it quietly herself.
"You want me to yell it loud?"
"Uh... yeah, for starters?"
"Really, what am I going to do with you!"
—Frrrrieeeeend!!!!!!!
Elise yelled wildly too, then looked up at me again. She did it when I asked... but what was this weird feeling?
"...Satisfied?"
Maybe because we'd both yelled, her expression seemed a bit more relaxed.
"Extremely satisfied."
"I see. That's a relief."
Anyway, Elise's mood seemed better now.
That inexplicable fierce aura was long gone. She felt like her usual self again.
Back to normal, Elise asked me,
"Saint. Did you rest well all this time?"
"Rested like a champ. You?"
"I've rested deeply too, so I feel full of energy. Though it's an unfamiliar feeling, so it feels a bit strange."
A strange feeling?
"Strange feeling?"
"Yes."
Elise stared right at my face as she answered.
"A strange feeling."
"How strange exactly?"
"It's the first time I've rested this long, so of course it feels odd. Right outside the city, demons and heretics must be stirring, and the thought of ignoring them like this... I think that's why."
Members of the Radiant Cross Society barely rest, fighting evil every single day. Elise had ended up in Isvant against her will and rested for a long stretch.
If you're working nonstop every day and suddenly rest for ages, yeah, it'd feel weird.
"This unease... yes, that's probably it."
The kind-hearted Elise was getting anxious just from resting so long. That's why her nerves were on edge, leading to that attitude earlier.
Even as a nun, Elise was human. She couldn't be free from emotions—totally natural.
"Unease, huh... Well, don't worry too much, Elise. I checked today, and the Holy Maiden said she doesn't have any tasks for me. That means at least around here, there are no issues, so relax."
"...That's truly a relief."
"It is fortunate. Elise, try easing your mind sometimes too."
"To relax, you mean."
"Yeah."
People need some mental leeway.
"If you say so, Saint, I'll try to relax for now. But is that the official document for this incident?"
Elise shifted her gaze to the document I was holding.
Oh right, I forgot about this.
"Yeah. Take a look. It's well-organized."
I handed her the document right away.
"Understood."
Elise took it and began reading slowly, nodding as she did—seemed pretty satisfied.
"It's very well summarized. Even the aftermath is handled perfectly. As expected of the Brass Celestial Society. They're quite capable."
"Heh heh heh, right?"
"No need to worry about this case, but still, those remnants worry me."
Heretics won't give up just from losing one base. Crazy bastards like them don't know the word "quit."
They might start human trafficking again somewhere we don't know, creating more Abominations.
"But that's not something to worry about now. Can't make countermeasures yet, and fretting over unknowns just wastes energy. At least until the next job, let's take it easy."
Elise would have to head back to Krasheim soon anyway.
The moment she did, it'd be back to the usual grind.
She could rest a bit now.
"Time to head back soon, right? You can hustle then."
"Ah..."
Elise made a regretful face at that.
"Yes, time to go back... Truly regrettable."
"Me too. Maybe today is..."
"Yes. You'll become a Paladin soon and head to the capital. This might be the last time."
"Yeah."
Even as a Paladin in the capital, we'd probably find ways to meet.
"Even if I come to Isvant now, I won't get to see you anymore."
"We can at least keep in touch. Paladin privileges should allow that."
"Heh heh, good to hear."
Still, it was regrettable no matter what.
"...Saint. Aren't you hungry? Let's eat first. My treat today."
"Thanks a ton!"
Anyway, I headed straight to a restaurant with Elise. We ordered, chatted about work and the Paladin stuff.
As we talked about Holy Knights losing their minds at the sight of heretics, Elise said,
"Hmm... Indeed. Most believers tend to lose their reason the moment they witness the horrific scenes caused by evil beings. Probably due to the extreme training and faith education."
In this world, priests don't just tolerate injustice—they lose their minds over it as a daily occurrence.
They have to, or they can't win against evil.
"I try my best to stay rational too, but there are more times I can't hold back. In that sense, it's no wonder you're becoming a Paladin, Saint. You know how to gather information most rationally."
Elise understood the importance of interrogation perfectly. She could hold back to a degree, but real horrors made her snap.
"Still feels like an odd role. Dispatched here and there on the Holy Maiden's orders to solve problems... Pretty free, and you can go far places. Appeals to me. If I become a Paladin someday, I'll request similar privileges."
"Heh heh heh, definitely do it. Feels a bit like being an adventurer, which is nice."
"It does."
Anyway, we kept chatting over the meal.
Elise eating looked utterly serene.
That bizarre attitude from earlier was completely gone. Honestly, it had been a bit scary, but back to normal was a relief.
"By the way, Saint."
"Hm?"
Suddenly, Elise set down her utensils and asked,
"Any hard times lately?"
"Hard times?"
"About your family. You said you have five wives, right?"
—I flinched.
What?
I tensed up for a second, but Elise's eyes were calm.
"As I told you before, Saint, indulging too much in women isn't good. This is sincere advice from your Divine Friend. Even natural things become unnatural if excessive."
Elise's lecture was perfectly sound.
Her eyes showed nothing odd.
Just genuine concern. That scary attitude earlier was surely because she worried I'd fall to depravity.
"I'm worried you'll suffer because of women."
"Yeah... fair enough. Others would think so too. Thanks for worrying, Elise. But no real issues."
"...I see? If there's no problem, that's great. Still, I can't shake the worry."
Seeing her so concerned was touching. But no problems here—we're doing fine.
"Could you explain what happened? As far as I knew, your only wives were Cloudy and Winia."
"That was then."
Ancient history now.
"As your Divine Friend, I'm dying to know. I know it's rude, but that's how much I worry about you."
"Nah, not rude at all. Natural question. Since you're worried, I'll tell you what happened."
To ease her mind, I gave a simplified rundown of events so far.
Main points: ended up with Karin, Lisha, and Liztina somehow. No sexual details for Elise—that'd be blasphemy, so skipped entirely.
"Hmm... I see."
Elise nodded.
"Hard for me to imagine."
"Same here. Far from ordinary."
Even I could barely believe it. Beyond triple or quadruple—penta-wife? Unthinkable. Nobles have multiple concubines as routine, but I'm not in that league.
"Saint. My one piece of advice to you."
Elise said with a blank face.
"Humans naturally have desires, and fulfilling them is natural too."
"Right...?"
"But."
She paused, staring into my eyes.
"Restrain yourself now. As I've said many times, excessive desire is a straight path to corruption. I know you... like women a lot, but still."
I'm not that into women. This was mostly unavoidable accidents and coincidences piling up—fusion Confucianism, basically.
"No, it's not like I chase them obsessively."
She tilted her head at my response.
"Not?"
"W-Well..."
From a certain angle, she had a point.
As I pondered how to reply, Elise grabbed both my hands.
"Elise?"
Warmth flowed from her grip.
"Saint. I'm not scolding or punishing you. Just advice as your Divine Friend."
She spoke with that trademark religious kindness.
"If you take my words as scolding, isn't it because deep down you think you're too into women?"
"..."
Yeah.
Spot on.
"...I do think it's a bit much."
Five is a lot.
Cloudy always thinks so, but I have no plans to add more.
Though if Cloudy insists, I'd have to... Her words are fusion Confucianism's foundation.
"Exactly."
"Too much of anything is bad..."
"Yes. Overcome your desires. You can do it, Saint. With faith stronger than steel and unyielding conviction. You must resist women's temptations."
Resist and I'd get beaten to death.
"Heh heh heh, Elise. I get it, no worries. Don't you trust me?"
"I'm not doing this because I don't trust you."
"Yeah, you're genuinely worried. Thanks."
"It's just obvious advice—no need for thanks."
Elise released my hands.
"Then, Saint. How about training to restrain your desires?"
What's that training?