Elena Ru
Clack.
"This is delicious."
Elena set down her cup. Her words were calm, yet inside she was truly astonished.
This drink is proof that Ru's power exists even in another world!
It was more delicious than any beverage she had tasted in her entire life. Even century-old wine could not compare.
"It's called Maxim. In this world, it's extremely common."
"(...What? It's not something only royalty drinks?)"
"No. It's so common that even commoners don't give it a second glance."
"(That...)"
Elena already knew how advanced this world's technology was. Just looking at this ten-story building she was in was enough. Having even one of these would be amazing, yet this world had hundreds or thousands of such buildings. The equipment inside was all eye-opening as well. Things like the revolutionary idea of a treadmill, the accuracy of the scale that displayed body weight, or the clear picture quality of the television went without saying. Even the comfort of sofas and beds, which she had thought would be similar, was on a level incomparable to her world.
But food was different. The ingredients were good, yet the cooking methods and seasonings did not suit her palate. A bit bland, perhaps? That was only natural. Food was a matter of taste. She had lived thirty years attuned to Keruon; she could not go wild over the flavors here. If she did, that would be strange.
Yet now she was going wild over Maxim. She had never imagined a drink could be this sweet, this smooth, this deep in flavor. It was a taste that shook her very identity to its core. And Keira said Maxim was common in this world.
Then... there's something even more delicious than this? Really? Does that even make sense?
How terrifying was this world trying to become? At first she had thought it laughable because there were no gods and no magic, but not anymore. This was a world that could be proudly shown anywhere—a world that demonstrated the greatness of humanity.
"(Then, may I take a little with me?)"
"Of course. I'll pack you a whole box. Is there anything else you need? The sanitary pads here are really good—you haven't tried them yet, right?"
"(Sanitary pads?)"
Elena's eyes widened. It was a problem she had never even considered. But she could sense how comfortable they would be, just from looking at Keira's eyes.
"It's a whole new world. Whatever you expect, it'll exceed your imagination."
"(Then those too...)"
"Possible. You're my lifesaver—I can give you anything. I could even give you Jungmin."
"(...)"
Elena looked at Keira in shock, but Keira still wore only a light smile.
"(...I didn't mishear that.)"
"Yes. I can even give you Lee Jungmin."
"(..Even the position of first wife?)"
Elena asked and then realized her mistake. The very fact that she had asked that question already meant her heart was leaning that way. Keira's smile deepened a little more.
"Of course."
"(It doesn't seem like this is something you've discussed with Jungmin.)"
"That's right. But it's not an impossible story."
"(I heard monogamy is the basic in this world. Keira, you might be fine with it, but would Jungmin accept that?)"
"I heard that Ru's followers take monogamy as the basic. Can Elena surpass that?"
Most of Ru's clergy practiced monogamy. It was the basic policy of Ru, the god of love. But not everyone did. Some followed the world's customs and practiced polygamy or polyandry. They were not specially sanctioned for it either. Ru was the god of love. In the end, he acknowledged all kinds of love. So "surpass" was the wrong word.
"(Lord Ru affirms all love. There is no wall to surpass there. There is only the whispering of people.)"
"Then it's possible for you. Let's go with that."
"(...What? No, why is the conversation going that way? I've never agreed even once. And what about Jungmin? Isn't Jungmin's will important?)"
"You don't need to worry about Jungmin. I've only known him for two months, but Jungmin is a person overflowing with love. He's very suitable for a clergy of Ru to take as a spouse."
Whoosh. Elena's face flushed red without her realizing it. She herself did not know which part made her blush. The overflowing with love? Recalling Jungmin and Keira spending the night together? Or the spouse—imagining herself as the spouse exchanging kisses with Jungmin?
But Elena decided not to fall for Keira's sweet words. She had thirty years of life behind her, and thirty years of life ahead waiting for her.
"(...Please stop. No matter what you say, I will return. I will fulfill my duty as the Thirteenth Sword of Ru. As Ru's sword, I will protect Ru's followers.)"
"What if I swear to become a follower of Ru?"
"(Don't tease me. Even if you're sincere, I will return. Lord Ru will protect you in Ru's way. For example, Jungmin will protect you. As a knight of love. That too is Ru's protection.)"
Elena spoke without hesitation. It was thanks to having prepared her answer in advance, thinking something like this might happen.
"Is the duty of Ru's sword only to protect Ru's followers? Fine. Then how about this? As a follower of Ru, there must be things you should do."
"(As a follower of Ru, one must spread Ru's name. If that's the obvious thing you're talking about, of course that's true. But Lord Ru has already said there is no need to keep the duty in places where your presence cannot be felt. It would be the same in your dimension.)"
A god's divinity does not reach other dimensions. That had already been confirmed by clergy who entered Gates. And all the gods of Keruon told their followers: Do not strive to prove me within the Gates. It is enough for me that our children return alive. So for Elena—for Elena on Earth—there was no duty.
"That's right. It's the same in Archenia. Since there's no power, there's no duty either. Since the word duty came up, let's talk about duty. Elena, what did you usually think? When you entered a Gate, did you think you shouldn't fulfill your duty?"
"(That's...)"
A clergy's power comes from the god. The important parts of holy magic cannot even be activated without the god's help, without divinity. Mechanically speaking, the gods demanded that their followers keep their duties in exchange for lending power. Conversely, the followers kept their duties to obtain power. Therefore, the gods did not demand duties in other dimensions where there was no power. Because it was not a give-and-take situation.
The usual Elena—the Elena who could not become a Keeper and could not enter Gates—found these words absurd. Because there's nothing to receive, you don't give to the god? Then what about everything received until now? No, before that, was that the level of resolve with which you said you'd believe? Are you a child who can do nothing without a god? Shouldn't you be even happier in a place without a god? It's an opportunity to make the god's existence known even there, isn't it?
"I won't force an answer. Right now, rather than talking about duty, I want to talk about you. What do you want to do? As a follower of Ru? And as Elena?"
"(I...)"
There is no Ru on Earth. But there are humans. Where there are humans, there is love that is as good as Ru itself. It is different from ordinary Gates where no other intelligent life can be found. In this place, Ru can be spread. People who believe in Ru might appear. Perhaps Lord Ru might even come this far.
What should I do? Can I do it? Alone? Lonely... No. I'm not lonely.
The word lonely was not allowed by Elena's faith. Love exists in this world, and as long as love exists, she must not be lonely. Moreover, she is already in love. It may not be eternal, but that does not mean it is not love. From that love, she is also enjoying sufficient stability.
"(...Can you answer just one thing for me?)"
"As much as you like."
Elena asked in a trembling voice. As the questions continued, Elena's face grew redder. Keira's smile deepened accordingly.
After you wash up, go to Elena's room.
That was what Keira said after finishing the last set of exercise. What is she plotting? Why Elena's room? And normally she would have said to come to her own room after finishing, right? Such questions flashed through briefly, but I did not think deeply about it. This charge would be the last, after all.
Knock knock.
"(C-come in.)"
I had not even said who I was, but Elena seemed to know it was me. Nothing strange about that. She was an S-rank Keeper, after all.
When I first saw her stats, I was shocked. A full level 50. She met all the criteria for an S-rank Keeper. Elena said it was nothing. Originally, as the Thirteenth Sword, she had a correction that put her Divinity at +4, making her level 55. So from her perspective, level 51 was nothing. That much, the sense of loss Elena felt would be greater. From 55 to 51. And the hardest to raise—Divinity—had dropped by 4. Thanks to that, things she could do as easily as breathing became impossible, she said.
Elena's room seemed to be my first time. There was nothing special. Bed, desk, chair... just as the crew first provided. To put it nicely, one could feel the humility of a clergy. Still, one thing was different. There was a large stand in this room. It was the stand for hanging Elena's armor. Ah, come to think of it, I had come to this room once before to look at the stand. Nayeon had used her strength to make it.
It's nonsense for a work of art like that to be rolling on the floor!
As Nayeon said, Elena's armor was close to a work of art. Armor with a pure white surface accented by golden patterns, the patterns intricate and beautiful, and even the joints had Ru's unique decorations. It was armor worth examining carefully. Even if only that armor was displayed in some exhibition hall, many people would willingly pay to view it. Generally, opportunities to see full plate mail like that are rare, and armor with a visual that looks like it came out of a comic or game is even rarer. That was truly only possible in a world with magic.
But there was no armor on the stand. Instead, the armor was hanging on a stand more excellent than any other. Elena. She had been standing with her back turned, wearing the armor, then turned her body toward me. She was not wearing the helmet, so her bright golden hair followed the rotation of her body, spreading out in a circle with a whoosh before settling calmly again. Her golden hair really suited the armor.
Why the armor? She was also holding sword and shield? Ah, is she already preparing because she's going home? I guess so. I did not know she wanted to go home that quickly. Still, we had built some affection in the meantime. Well... I'm not one to talk, having summoned her as I pleased. If she wants, I have no choice but to send her quickly. So let's start the final charge.
"Alright, your left hand..."
Clack. Elena knelt on one knee and held out not her left hand, but her right. In her right hand was a sword, and the sword's hilt was pointed toward me. As if telling me to take it. What is this? A new charging method... no way. Still, overwhelmed by the momentum, I took that sword. Then Elena placed the tip of that sword against the place where her heart was.
Elena looked straight up into my eyes and said. If I had not misheard, it was perfect Korean.
"...What?"
Faced with a situation I had never even imagined, I unconsciously asked back. And that dazed question did not seem to be what she wanted.
"...Aaaah!"
Clack, clack. Elena quickly stowed the sword and shield, then hid behind the curtain. It was not armor that could be hidden by hiding behind a curtain, so her feet and the shield and sword were all visible. What on earth is this. My throbbing head slowly started working again as time passed. After about a minute, I roughly got the idea. This... is my fault, alright.
I approached Elena and tapped the feet sticking out under the curtain with my hand as I asked.
"...Shall we do it again?"
"(...It's fine. It's already past.)"
"I think I can do it well this time."
"(It's okay. It's my fault for doing it without saying anything.)"
Correct words. If she had given even a little hint, I would have matched her. Still, as people, everyone has that kind of thing—the desire for someone to understand without being told. So I understand. But...
"Then shall we go now?"
"(...What?)"
"Since you don't want to do it again, we should go."
"(Th-that's not it! Right now...!)"
"Then is there some other business?"
Whoosh. I pulled the curtain aside and turned Elena's face toward me. Our eyes met for about 0.001 seconds, and she lowered her head to avoid them. Her face was red as if about to explode.
"(Th-th... th...)"
"If there's no business, I'm really going?"
Elena slowly raised her head and looked at my face again. She had an expression as if about to cry.
"(I-I want you. Please hold me!)"
Elena spoke as if shouting, then plopped down right there. I stroked her head and sat down beside her.
"Well done."
"(...You're quite the tease.)"
"Tease? If you don't say it, I won't know. From now on, make sure to say it in words, okay?"
"(...And you? What about you?)"
Blue eyes looking straight at me. It would be a lie to say I did not think of someone else from those blue eyes craving me. But besides the mysterious blue eyes, I also like these upright blue eyes. This too is not a lie.
"I also want to hold you."
"Kya... mmph."
I caught Elena who was trying to run away like before and sealed her mouth with mine. Her red lips were very sweet.