Please let go of my hand now.
Please let go of my hand now.
After the morning prayer meeting ended, I intended to head straight back to the adjutant's office to clear the backlog of work.
Since I had taken over the entire management of the Saint's Palace under the adjutant's office's authority, the workload was beyond imagination.
Starting this morning, I broke down the Saint's bedroom door, carried Elisia in her pajamas all the way to the washroom, and even fed her food in front of countless people.
Even spending all that time on work wouldn't be enough.
The problem was that starting right now was already late, yet it seemed like I wouldn't even be able to go to work in the first place.
"Saint-nim."
"What is it?"
"Please let go of my hand."
"I don't want to."
"Are you really planning on dragging me along?"
Elisia was still holding my hand.
Ever since we finished the morning prayer meeting and exited the small chapel, without stopping.
At first, she forcefully intertwined her fingers between mine, and now she had her fingers firmly interlaced with mine, showing no intention of letting go at all.
The hand wrapped in a black silk glove was soft, but the strength behind it was not gentle in the slightest.
Whenever I tried to pull my hand away even a little, my finger joints went udeudeuk.
She was letting me know more clearly than anything else not to even think about leaving.
If I braced myself for my fingers getting pulled out of their sockets and exerted force, I could escape, but....
I felt like she would just grab them again the moment they regenerated, so I wasn't doing it.
"I have to go do my work."
"Do it later."
"I'm busy because of the accidents Saint-nim caused."
"So what?"
This woman doesn't even hesitate.
I let out a deep sigh and checked the direction Elisia was heading.
It was the exact opposite of the adjutant's office.
"Where are you going?"
"I told you we're going for a walk."
"It's not on the schedule."
"That's because there is no schedule."
Elisia stopped in her tracks.
While holding my hand, she turned around and looked down at me.
"Are you going to refuse?"
Her blue eyes sank coldly.
I quickly tucked my tail between my legs.
Because consuming an Authority on something that wasn't even a crisis was a waste.
I just need to keep her company on a short walk, after all.
"Only for one hour."
"I don't want to."
"Then thirty minutes."
"All day."
"Why is it increasing?"
"Because what I want is all day."
As soon as Elisia finished answering, she tugged my hand.
She positioned me right beside her and began walking through the garden in front of the Saint's Palace.
I couldn't understand why on earth this woman was acting like this.
Just what was she so dissatisfied with to do this?
"Walk straight."
"I am walking."
"Good job, then."
"Do you think you're walking a dog or something?"
"Isn't it similar?"
"I am a human."
"Is being a human any different?"
She's treating a person like a pet.
Now openly letting out a deep sigh, I followed Elisia like an obedient little dog.
.
.
.
The garden of the Saint's Palace was a famous spot even among the nobles of the capital.
It was a beautiful place where flowers bloomed in full glory around the pure white marble paths, disregarding the seasons.
Supposedly, divine power was used to control the temperature and soil so flowers could bloom all year round, or something like that.
Despite being such a beautiful place, there was usually almost nobody here.
Because if Elisia ran into anyone during her walks, she would kill them on the spot or cripple them.
This was why this place was famous.
It was famous for being beautiful, but also a place where you could die.
However, today was a little different.
Even though it was Elisia taking a walk, other people could be seen here and there.
They were observing us while keeping a certain distance.
To be precise, they were observing me.
'Just what is so fascinating about this.'
Seeing this, I could picture a future where I would have been quite pestered had I gone to the adjutant's office alone.
In the midst of that, Elisia gripped my hand tightly.
I felt my bones dislocating, but lately I had gotten used to this as well, so I just let it pass.
"It hurts."
"Then who told you to look away?"
"I wasn't looking away."
"You're looking at what's in front of you."
"How can I not look when it comes into my field of vision?"
"Walk with your eyes closed."
"I'll fall."
"I'm holding you, aren't I?"
Saying that, Elisia pulled me toward herself.
Our shoulders touched, and with every step we took, our arms and thighs brushed lightly against each other.
A few strands of her silver-white hair flowed and mingled over my black hair.
From afar, it would probably look like we were walking affectionately arm-in-arm.
When in reality, it was no different from a beast displeased and pulling its toy into its embrace.
"Saint-nim."
"What."
"If you stick any closer, it will be uncomfortable to walk."
"I'm not uncomfortable."
"I am uncomfortable."
"Endure it. You're the adjutant, after all."
How brazen.
Just then, a noble young lady approached from the opposite side of the garden path.
She was one of the people who had kept staring at me during the morning prayer meeting.
The young woman in a pale pink dress stopped in front of us and bowed politely.
"I greet the Saint-nim."
Elisia naturally did not answer.
Rather, she tried to just walk past.
The noble young lady raised her head as if used to it and looked toward me this time.
"It is also a pleasure to meet the Adjutant-nim for the first time."
"I am Rhea Valentia."
"The sight you showed this morning was very impressive. If it wouldn't be rude, perhaps later we could share some tea separately..."
"Fuck off."
Before I could even answer, Elisia cut in sharply.
The noble young lady blinked with a flustered expression.
"Pardon?"
"I said, fuck off."
Elisia gave that notice and began walking through the garden again.
Having no intention of defying Elisia either, I quietly walked past the noble young lady.
"Please let go now."
"I don't want to."
"No one would dare approach after seeing that just now."
"Yeah, right."
There was conviction in Elisia's words.
At that, I scanned our surroundings.
Would there really be anyone who would approach after seeing that noble young lady get harshly rejected like that?
The clergymen and nobles who had witnessed the recent situation were all averting their gazes without exception.
However, that didn't mean they weren't looking at all.
I could see them glancing at me from angles where Elisia couldn't see.
Thinking that these people were truly persistent, I decided to obediently stay with Elisia.
"Saint-nim."
"What."
"Did you ask to go for a walk to protect me?"
"No."
The reply was excessively fast.
"Because dragging me around in front of everyone makes it known that I'm Saint-nim's person?"
"I said no."
"Really not?"
"Ask one more time and I'll pull out your tongue."
It's true, then.
She has a cuter side than I thought.
Even if it was just because she hated having her things taken away, thinking that I was protected by Elisia, who liked me this much, made me feel good.
So I decided to just skip today's work.
What does it matter.
Since the adjutant's office staff was just me alone, nobody would complain even if I slacked off.
Meanwhile, Elisia picked up her pace as if displeased that her inner thoughts had been found out.
I had to quicken my steps to keep up with Elisia, whose stride was longer than mine.
"Please walk slowly."
"I don't want to."
"I'll fall."
"Chit...."
Elisia clicked her tongue and genuinely slowed down her speed.
I evaluated her as a truly childlike person.
And I resolved to somehow guide this childlike person to the True Ending.
.
.
.
Even after that, Elisia kept walking while holding my hand, and before I knew it, we had arrived at the Holy City's central plaza.
Because the distance between the Saint's Palace and the Holy City was not that far.
And besides, we weren't ordinary people who would get exhausted from just a few hours of walking.
However, now it really seemed like I needed to work.
"Let's head back now."
"I don't want to."
"Two hours have already passed."
"I told you it's all day."
"I didn't agree to that."
"Agree to it right now."
"I refuse."
Elisia stopped and looked at me.
"Is work that important to you?"
"It's important if I am to feed Saint-nim, put you to sleep, and clean up your messes."
"More than me?"
"It's work for Saint-nim's sake."
Her eyebrows twitched slightly.
For a brief moment, she wore a face that didn't know what to say.
However, the familiar arrogance soon covered her expression.
"Then do it here."
"How can I do it in the middle of the street?"
"Tell them to bring a desk."
"Does that make any sense?"
"Yes."
Freaked out, I was the one to resume the walk first.
Elisia is the Saint, so she is someone who could actually do what she said, which makes it even scarier.
As I began moving, Elisia stepped ahead again and took back the lead.
As a possessor who didn't know what was where, it was a welcome situation for me.
Still, I was curious, so I asked.
"Where are you going?"
"A walk."
"Is there no destination?"
"Does a walk have a destination?"
That day, I was dragged all around the capital until sunset.
As a result, I was able to safely return to the Saint's Palace without using a single Authority.
Of course, even though one of my hands was crushed dozens of times and my waist was hugged tight enough to crush it several times, I had already fully recovered.
However, I also have something called physical stamina, so by the time we returned to the Saint's Palace, I was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion.
On the other hand, Elisia had a very satisfied look on her face.
It made me realize anew just how incredible it was to be the being most beloved by God.
"Saint-nim."
"What is it?"
"Please let go of my hand now."
"I don't want to."
"The walk is over."
"So what?"
Elisia said that and raised my hand to examine it.
Red handprints remained on the fingers and the back of my hand that had been held for so long.
She stared at the traces she had left behind for a while.
Then, as if satisfied, she slowly stroked the back of my hand with her index finger.
"It seems like it's mine now."
"It's bruised because of Saint-nim."
"That's the mark."
"Not at all."
"Anyway, I'll let you go for today."
Elisia finally unclasped her hand.
Cool air seeped between the fingers that had been trapped all day long.
I rotated my wrist lightly and felt relieved.
Yet the moment I took a few steps away to go to work.
Elisia's hand snatched mine again.
"Where are you going?"
"To the adjutant's office."
"Without my permission?"
"Saint-nim just let me go, didn't you?"
"I only let go of your hand; I didn't say you could leave."
I looked back and forth between the hand holding me and Elisia.
What kind of antics is this?
What is she trying to do if she won't even let me go now?
"Let's go eat dinner."
Elisia said that and walked toward the bedroom without letting go of my hand.
"Come quickly."
"The dining hall is in the opposite direction."
"We're eating in my room."
"Why?"
Elisia answered as if it were obvious.
"Because I hate it when other things look at what's mine as they please."
This mad dog is gradually dragging me deeper inside the cage.
Please, just spare my life.