Then I will change your clothes like this.
Then I will change your clothes like this.
"I'm not going."
"You have to go."
"I don't want to."
"I barely managed to reschedule the itinerary that Saint-nim arbitrarily canceled."
"Then just cancel it again this time."
"I have already notified the relief center of our visiting hours."
"Then you can just go instead."
"Am I the Saint?"
"Be the Saint starting today."
Elisia waved her hand dismissively while lying prone on the bed.
Her silver-white hair was spread out wide like waves across the large bed.
Extending long from her hips, her two legs bobbed lazily at the edge of the bed.
Truly, only her body had grown up; looking at just her words and actions, she was undeniably a child.
Of course, the genuinely terrifying part was that erasing an entire city from the map was child's play if that kid got annoyed.
Right now, I was in the middle of pestering such a decisive-battle-weapon-grade existence to hurry up and go to work.
It was the kind of behavior where having a million lives wouldn't be enough, yet the horror was that I only had one.
"Please get up."
"I don't want to."
"If you do not get up by the count of five, I will dress you myself."
The legs swaying on the bed came to a stop.
Elisia slowly lifted only her head.
Revealed between her silvery hair, her blue eyes gleamed coldly.
"You dare lay a hand on my body?"
"I've already touched it plenty, why make a fuss now? If you don't get up while I count to four, I will genuinely change your clothes myself."
"Did it not occur to you that what you're doing right now is the problem?"
"A Saint-nim who doesn't work is a bigger problem. One."
Kwaang!
I slightly turned my head to dodge the mass of divine power.
Fortunately, I could react to something of this level without using my Authority.
Of course, I would have to process the repair costs for the vanity table smashed just for being behind me, but not having spent an Authority charge—my literal lifeline—was a win in itself.
"Two."
"Rhea."
"Three."
"Do you really want to die?"
Whether Elisia threatened me murderously or not, I just did my job.
"Four."
The exact moment I counted four, Elisia sprang up from the bed.
Her long, trailing silver hair spread dazzlingly before my eyes like a galaxy slicing through the air.
Watching the beautiful spectacle that seemed frozen within the time of the Authority, I grabbed her wrist as it reached for my neck, then twisted my body and pinned her down onto the bed.
"Eut...!"
Elisia's body bounced lightly on top of the plush duvet.
I gathered both her wrists in one hand and pinned them above her head.
With my other hand, I firmly pressed down on her slender waist as she tried to raise her body.
Beneath her black nightwear, her soft belly was felt entirely against my palm.
'Oh.'
I stroked the Saint's soft tummy while waiting for her to say something.
"Let go of this!"
"Say that you will attend the schedule."
"I told you I don't want to!"
"Then I'll change your clothes just like this."
"Are you seriously insane?"
"Didn't you already confirm that on the first day we met?"
"I'll go, so get the fuck off me!"
Pure white divine power surged from Elisia's body.
I immediately stepped off Elisia and handed her the Saint's robes.
Then, the divine power that was on the verge of exploding dissipated as if it were a lie.
Elisia, who had looked ready to detonate whether the Saint's Palace blew up or not, gritted her teeth and glared at me.
The Saint most beloved by God.
The strongest being in the story.
The fact that such a being was pinned beneath someone younger and smaller than herself, unable to use her strength, seemed to have torn her pride to shreds, making her lose the will to even try anything further.
For my part, it was fortunate.
Because without the Authority I can use three times a day, I would be effortlessly slaughtered by the Saint.
Huffing and puffing as though her fury hadn't subsided, Elisia stormed into the dressing room.
A moment later, she revealed herself, dressed in pure white Saint's robes.
Wearing white Saint's robes instead of her usual black ones, Elisia had a refreshingly different charm.
Far from hiding the beautiful line tracing from her bust to waist and hips, the white fabric wrapping smoothly around her body accentuated it even more vividly.
Yet unlike the black Saint's robes that occasionally made her look like a witch, perhaps because it was white, she looked like a pure virgin.
Judging by this appearance alone, she was the very definition of a benevolent and sacred Saint.
No one would ever imagine she was the woman who had gone on a rampage trying to kill me just moments ago.
Having finished changing, Elisia walked up nonchalantly in front of me and slapped my cheek.
Jjak!
"Don't look."
My head spun to the side.
The inside of my mouth burst open, and blood began to pool.
"This is the price for what just happened."
However, without showing any reaction, I nonchalantly inspected Elisia's attire.
In any case, this much would heal soon.
Having lived in Rhea's body for a few days, I found that she was far more exceptional than expected.
As if she hadn't been appointed as Elisia's aide for nothing.
Though I still had no idea who on earth appointed Rhea as Elisia's aide.
The records were completely lost, so there was no way to find out.
"I will check whether you are properly dressed."
"I'd like to gouge your eyeballs out."
"Looks like you're dressed well. Let us go."
.
.
.
Saint Anastasia Relief Center.
It was a facility where the Order sheltered children who had lost their parents to war and epidemic.
In 《Saint Maker》, it was a place used to raise the Saint's Public Sentiment stat.
However, while it was an incredible farming spot when playing with other Saints, it was a high-difficulty schedule when playing with Elisia.
According to the setting, Elisia terribly despises children.
So whenever she was sent there, it was a daily occurrence for her to return after causing Public Sentiment to plummet.
But now that I've accompanied her in person, there's no way in hell I'd let that pathetic sight happen.
Because for the true endings, both Public Sentiment and Affection must be 90 or higher.
Since I've decided to conquer the game, I should at least see a true ending.
"Saint-nim has arrived!"
At the relief center director's shout, the nuns and children standing in the rundown hallway bowed their heads in unison.
Without even looking at them, Elisia whispered to me.
Her expression clearly showed she genuinely loathed this place.
"When does it end?"
"It is only just beginning."
"Let's treat just one person and leave."
"We will leave after treating everyone."
"Two people."
"Everyone."
"Three people."
"Do not bargain. They are pitiful children."
Displeased with my answer, Elisia dug her fingernails deep into the back of my hand.
Red blood seeped out along the thin wound.
Wiping the blood with a handkerchief until it regenerated, I replied to Elisia.
"Five people."
"It is everyone."
"Obnoxious bitch."
"Thank you."
Grabbing the wrist of Elisia, who genuinely did not want to enter, I stepped into the ward.
Injured children were looking at us while lying on their beds.
Their eyes were full of expectation that they could become healthy and awe toward the being known as the Saint.
Even though that revered Saint actually had zero interest in them.
"This is the first child."
I brought Elisia in front of the first child.
Because I pushed her back to urge her to hurry, I could feel her rigid spine and slender waistline beneath my palm.
At that, Elisia turned her head irritably and glared at me.
"Don't touch me."
"Hurry and treat her."
"I know, so don't you dare order me around."
Her blue pupils flickered with murderous intent.
Not wanting to bother fighting with Elisia where the children were, I took a step back.
'Why does she hate children so much?'
In Saint Maker, it only mentioned that Elisia hated children, but never explained why.
Since she didn't seem likely to tell me herself, I felt like I should look up separate records regarding this as well.
While I was pondering what to do, Elisia eventually sat down in front of the bed.
A small girl about five or six years old was lying on the bed.
Even though one of her legs was wound tightly in bandages, pus was seeping out, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead as if she was in immense pain.
Elisia extended her hand over the leg as if it were a hassle.
Pure white light burst forth from her hand.
Unlike her rotten personality, God's divine power, warm to all, seeped into the child's body, washing away the wounds and fever in an instant.
It looked like the kind of condition where even modern technology would have to consider amputation, yet she healed it in a single breath.
"Done."
"Saint-nim is pretty...."
Once her leg became fine thanks to Elisia, the child's gaze turned to her hair.
After all, it was a sparkling silver color that a child would absolutely love.
Before I could even react, tiny fingers touched Elisia's hair.
Without knowing what kind of disaster that would bring.
"...!"
The moment I noticed, I dashed over, but it was already too late.
Because of Elisia's divine power that had unfurled in the blink of an eye, the ward froze over.
However, the innocent child didn't notice at all, simply fidgeting with the silver hair caught in her hand in fascination while smiling brightly.
In contrast, emotion completely vanished from Elisia's blue eyes.
Compressed divine power gathered at her fingertips.
The moment that light touched the child, not even bones would remain.
"How dare your filthy hand...."
"Saint-nim."
I immediately scooped up the child and widened the distance.
A spear of divine power, formed out of nowhere, stopped right in front of my face.
Elisia had genuinely intended to kill the child who touched her hair.
Even for someone who hated children, it was far too excessive a measure.
"Move."
"You cannot. She is a child."
"So what if she's a child?"
Elisia rose from her seat and gradually approached.
"It was an action done without knowing."
"Do you think saying she didn't know excuses it?"
"Saint-nim must have had many things you didn't know when you were young as well."
"I have never made such a mistake."
"Because you weren't even given the time to make mistakes."
Right?
Until now, I hadn't made it obvious that I knew about Elisia's past, but I brought it up to create an opening.
Without missing that opening, I put the child back down on the bed and used today's second Authority.
Time stretched out.
Since there were children present this time, I didn't intend to subdue her violently.
I simply wrapped my arms around her waist from behind so Elisia couldn't move forward.
As the Authority ended, her soft back pressed closely against my chest.
"Eut...! This bizarre trick again...!"
Did Elisia know?
That if she crossed the line just two more times, she could kill me.
I desperately hoped she would never find out for the rest of her life.
"I told you to let go!"
"Promise that you will not attack the child."
"I don't want to!"
"Then I will walk around in this position all day today."
"Rhea!"
"If you harm a child, bad rumors will circulate about Saint-nim."
Being behind her, I couldn't see her face, but I could see Elisia's ear flushed red, whether from anger or something else.
So I could only pray that she wouldn't hit me in an attempt to kill me again.
Even so, I had to keep flapping my gums to maintain this "I'm strong" concept.
"Promise me."
"I won't kill her! Happy now?"
"You must also see the treatments through to the end."
"She's already completely healed!"
"There are eleven more left besides that child."
"I got it, so let go!"
As soon as I received her confirmation, I let her go.
Elisia immediately spun around and kicked my shin.
Kwajik!
My shin bone fractured, and I barely endured swaying and almost collapsing.
'That was close.'
Rather than almost falling over, holding back a pain-filled groan from the sudden assault was much harder.
Because if a scream had escaped my mouth, she might have seen through my persona.
"This is punishment for what just happened."
"That is relatively cheap."
"Next time I'll kick your face, so look forward to it."
Elisia roughly tidied her disheveled hair and headed to the next child's bed.
Her expression was still brimming with displeasure.
There was no sign of pitying the children, nor any remorse for her actions just now.
Even so, she faithfully performed all the treatments themselves.
Treating them one by one like that, before long, all twelve children were healed.
As soon as the last treatment finished, Elisia immediately grabbed my wrist hard enough to crush it.
Her look made it clear she wanted to get out of here right this instant.
"Let's go now."
"You must say goodbye to the children first."
"I didn't kill them and even healed them. Don't ask for more."
She wasn't wrong.
For Elisia, who hated children with a passion, it was amazing that she hadn't stormed out long ago.
Besides, today's goal wasn't to turn Elisia into a good person.
It was to prevent her from killing innocent children so that Public Sentiment wouldn't drop.
After bowing to the relief center staff on her behalf, I came outside with Elisia.
"Saint-nim."
"What?"
"Do you happen to have a comb?"
"Why would you think I have that?"
"Your hair is tangled. I will comb it for you."
"Piss off."
"Figuring as much, I brought one along."
I should at least provide this much service.
I ripped off the carriage door that Elisia had shut once again and climbed into the carriage.
It was comb time.