Answer Me.
Answer Me.
"What are you doing?"
Elisia, who was about to leave the office alone, turned her head.
The blue eyes revealed beneath her black veil were already filled with irritation.
She looked as though she was asking what I was doing instead of following her right away as she stepped out.
At that, I replied, pretending to be unfazed.
"I'm gathering the documents."
"You can just order someone else to do stuff like that."
"It's my job."
I passed by Elisia's side while clutching all the necessary documents in my arms.
Still, seeing her quietly follow along behind me, it was just as expected.
Even if she throws a fucking fit saying she hates it or won't go, if you push ahead, she follows on her own.
In the game as well, the most foolproof way to make Elisia attend a schedule was neither persuasion nor pleading, but brute force.
This woman treats anyone who obeys her like a bug, yet feels interested in someone who tries to suppress her.
...At least, that's my theory.
Whether this is truly her preference, or if she's just going along with it because she finds my antics entertaining, I don't really know.
If it's the latter, her personality is fucking rotten.
"Wait a moment."
As I walked down the hallway, I stopped in my tracks because something suddenly came to mind.
Come to think of it, I had left out the most important thing since meeting Elisia.
"Why are you stopping?"
Elisia stepped up so close behind me that she almost bumped into my back.
Her voluminous chest lightly brushed against my back before pulling away.
When I turned around, her fair face was looking down at me right in front of my nose.
Looking at her from up close, she seemed unreal all over again.
Smooth skin white as snow, and long, fluttering silver eyelashes.
Even though we were so close to such a beautiful body that our lips would touch if I leaned forward just a little, Elisia showed no intention of pulling back at all.
That was only natural.
Because until now, no one had ever dared to approach her recklessly.
She believed I would back down too.
So I didn't back down.
As a result, we ended up conversing at a distance where anyone looking would think we were about to kiss.
Thanks to that, I was fucking suffering.
No matter how much I can endure with Player's Authority, there's a limit of three times a day.
It means that after being saved by the Authority three times, I really have to lay low.
Standing on such thin ice, I opened my big mouth.
"I haven't introduced myself yet."
"It's not necessary."
"It is necessary."
"Why bother memorizing the name of someone who's going to die soon?"
Spouting such bad-luck bullshit so nonchalantly right in front of an aide she's meeting for the first time.
It hasn't even been a day since I sat in this seat.
I shifted the documents in my arms to one arm and casually held out my right hand.
"I am Rhea Valentia. Starting today, I will be serving as Saint-nim's aide."
Elisia checked the hand I held out by merely casting her gaze slightly downward.
Even I thought this distance between us was truly awkward.
I stretched out my hand for a handshake, but given the distance between us, I ended up holding my hand right in front of Elisia's belly button.
"Are you asking to shake hands?"
"That is correct."
"I don't want to."
"I don't particularly want to hold Saint-nim's hand either."
I reached straight out and grasped Elisia's unmoving hand.
It was less of a handshake and more of a unilateral hand-grabbing, but what choice did I have when she wouldn't cooperate?
The hand wrapped in a black silk glove was slender and soft.
Knowing that she could crumple steel plates and snap human neck bones like twigs with those slender fingers, my neck felt chillingly cold for no reason.
Would Elisia get angry here and try to crush my hand?
Praying to God it wasn't the case while waiting, Elisia's eyes narrowed.
However, they only narrowed; she didn't apply force to her hand.
"I didn't give you permission."
"Do I need permission just to shake hands?"
I casually shook her hand lightly.
Though Elisia let out an incredulous chuckle, she didn't pull her hand back.
"I look forward to working with you."
"I don't want to look forward to working with you at all."
"You will soon enough."
"Where is this confidence coming from?"
"The confidence that I am the person who can handle Saint-nim best."
I let go of her hand and resumed walking.
There's no one in this world who knows you better than I do.
Even if I don't know what you want to do, I know who your enemies are.
'What should I do...?'
Thinking about how to clear Elisia's route, I started walking again.
But after taking just a few steps, a cool sensation wrapped around my wrist.
This time, Elisia had grabbed my hand.
Even when I gestured to subtly shake her off, her long, fair fingers remained wrapped around my wrist, refusing to let go.
Is she seriously trying to crush it right now...?
"Saint-nim?"
"I never said you could be the one to let go first."
"The handshake is over."
"That's not for you to decide. Since you dared to touch my body first, I will touch yours as well."
What the hell.
Scared.
Save my wrist.
Looking back and forth between my wrist and Elisia, I decided to just leave it be for now.
If I tried something else here and it actually broke, I'd be in deep shit.
As a result, we headed to the Grand Temple awkwardly holding hands while walking.
The reason for going to the Grand Temple was the first schedule.
The event where the Saint visits the capital's Grand Temple during the first week of every month to bestow blessings upon the citizens.
...Or so I saw in the game.
In the game, it was a schedule like a daily quest that ended with a single click on the screen, but seeing it in person, the scale was enormous.
Hundreds of believers were gathered inside the pure white Grand Temple, and as the Saint revealed herself, they all dropped to their knees in unison.
"We greet Saint Elisia-nim!"
The grand shouts of the believers shook the Grand Temple.
Even in this situation, Elisia maintained a rotten, annoyed expression as if it were a hassle.
Yet, as if intending to do what needed to be done, she straightened her back and headed toward the altar with steps that were relaxed yet elegant.
Beneath her form-fitting saintess robes, the lines of her slender waist and voluptuous hips flowed smoothly with her movements.
The white, smooth thighs revealed between the black fabric briefly emerged with every step she took before being hidden once more.
It was a beauty closer to a witch who bewitches and ruins people than a holy saint.
Although her actions were pretty witch-like as well.
I mustn't be fooled by that face.
Because she is a truly dangerous person.
'Please let this pass quietly...!'
I prayed that the blessing at the Grand Temple, where so many accidents had occurred, would pass without incident.
"May God's grace be with you all."
As Elisia piously clasped her hands together, a pure white light blanketed the Grand Temple.
Pillars of light pouring from beyond the ceiling.
Pure white feathers decorating the air.
Warm divine power enveloped people's bodies, washing away old wounds and fatigue.
Oddly enough, however, the feathers and light steered clear of me.
It seems Elisia already dislikes me quite a bit.
'I'm remarkably still alive.'
Since she performs miracles like breathing, it's no wonder she's arrogant.
To think she's not only casting it, but controlling it this well.
So no one would dare scold her.
Until I appeared, that is.
My mission is way too heavy.
"Saint-nim."
Near the end of the blessing ceremony, an old archbishop approached Elisia.
"Believers still remain in the outer sector. Could you please bestow just a little more divine power upon them?"
His tone was polite, but his face practically demanded it as if it were a matter of course.
Elisia, who couldn't possibly miss that, had her smile stiffen subtly.
"I just did it all."
"There are many believers waiting outside the Grand Temple as well."
"You guys should take care of that yourselves. I only do the inside of the Grand Temple."
"However, these are people who have traveled from afar to receive Saint-nim's blessing."
The archbishop continued speaking without any tact whatsoever.
Completely oblivious to the fact that Elisia's hand was gradually rising.
How on earth could someone so lacking in tact toward Elisia sit in the position of archbishop?
'Well, there are quite a lot.'
Come to think of it, more incompetent and corrupt clergymen appeared in the game than one would think.
Thinking about dealing with those bastards while clearing Elisia's route made my mind go dizzy.
"As Saint-nim is the one chosen by God, it is only right for the sake of the pitiful—"
"Shut up."
The smile completely vanished from Elisia's lips.
Meaning: shit is fucked.
A faint white light bloomed within her pupils.
Slender divine power extended from her fingertips like threads.
Though it looked beautiful enough to weave clothes for God, the moment that touched the archbishop, his body would burn to ashes.
Having seen it countless times, there was no way I couldn't know.
If I fail to block it, it will simultaneously trigger my death event.
If the archbishop dies during the first Grand Temple blessing, the faction within the Order that finds Elisia bothersome will send assassins like crazy.
To those assassins, Rhea—meaning me—will die.
I have to stop it.
"Saint-nim."
"Don't interfere."
"You cannot."
"Rhea."
Elisia called my name for the first time.
Her voice was clear to the point of sweetness, but the killing intent contained within was thick.
"If you don't step back, I will kill you first."
As expected, she's fucking strong and has a fucking terrible personality.
Anyone ordinary hearing those words would have had their heart stop on the spot.
That was how immense the pressure was.
But I've experienced this situation countless times.
And above all, right now, I have the means to stop it.
'Player's Authority.'
A power akin to divine authority that I instinctively knew how to use upon possessing this body.
The moment I activated the Authority, the world slowed down.
The divine power of Elisia reaching toward the archbishop, the priests turning their heads in shock at the sudden behavior, and Elisia trying to kill the archbishop with her silver hair fluttering.
Everything slowed down as if submerged in water.
Amidst it all, only my body moved normally.
I snatched Elisia's wrist, twisted her arm behind her back, and wrapped my other arm tightly around her slender waist.
"...!"
Right after, the Authority ended, and time began to move again.
Elisia's body leaned straight into me as she was embraced.
Her soft back pressed tightly against my chest, and her voluminous silver hair tickled my face and nape.
Beneath the arm wrapped around her slender waist, I could vividly feel the smooth fabric of the saintess robes and her warm body heat.
Contrary to her tough appearance, her waist was thin enough to be held in one hand.
When Elisia squirmed to break free, the curves of her voluptuous body flattened against my arm.
"Let go of me."
"I refuse."
"Let go."
"I will let go if you promise not to kill people."
"You dare threaten me?"
Whether because she was thoroughly enraged, divine power flared, ready to explode from Elisia's body.
Without backing down, I pulled her waist in even tighter and pushed her twisted wrist upward.
"Eut...!"
A faint groan escaped from between Elisia's lips.
It must have been a long time since she felt physical pain like this.
At my actions, the Grand Temple fell silent.
Hundreds of people, including the archbishop and priests, could not believe the scene unfolding before their eyes.
The Saint, hailed as the strongest, was being restrained and suppressed by a mere aide.
"I clearly told you."
However, as the person responsible, I didn't care about any of that and brought my lips close to Elisia's ear.
The ear revealed between her silver hair was faintly flushed red with rage.
I whispered right into that ear.
"Don't go killing people just because you're in a bad mood."
"You...."
"Answer me."
Elisia's body trembled violently.
Whether out of anger or humiliation, I couldn't be sure, but it was definitely a negative emotion.
That's why I must not back down even more.
If I retreat, I'll be bitten to death.
"...I won't kill him."
"I can't hear you well."
"I said I won't kill him!"
"Good."
Only then did I release Elisia's wrist and waist.
She quickly spun around and glared at me.
Her eyes were filled with rage and killing intent.
"What was that just now?"
"An aide's essential qualification."
"Don't lie."
"If it can fix Saint-nim's rotten temper, anything is an aide's qualification."
"Do it again."
"I refuse."
"Why?"
"Because it's my trump card."
"...."
When I resolutely refused to tell her, Elisia's lips pressed tightly together.
I turned my head toward the stunned archbishop.
"We will be taking our leave now."
"A-Understood!"
Realizing he had almost died, the archbishop hurriedly scrambled away.
I also turned around to prepare for the next schedule.
At that moment, Elisia grabbed my wrist.
It was with far stronger force than before.
I wondered if she was really going to crush it this time, but instead of pain, her voice reached me.
"You. You're arrogant."
"I know."
"You're annoying."
"Not as much as Saint-nim."
Truly.