## Chapter 1022 – A Man of Many Questions

Even after leaving the Grand Temple, it was still early.

I had come out exceptionally early.

Maybe I should cut back on sleep and start morning meditation earlier. It would be so convenient if I could reach a point where I could replace long sleep with short meditation.

Living life at full throttle, I find myself short on time these days.

Anyway, as I was thinking about this and returning home, I ran into Risha. She had woken up relatively early, just finished washing, and was relaxing.

“Risha, you’re up?”
“Did you go to the Grand Temple?”
“Yeah, went and reported. More importantly.”

—Swish!

I ripped off my shirt violently and shouted.

“Kaaaaah!”
“A-Ah!”

—Thwack!

Then, I flung the crumpled shirt in my hand away with force. In that state, I strode towards Risha, who was looking at me with surprised eyes.

“W-What’s wrong! Surely you haven’t suddenly become horny and want to defile this lady…!”

Risha, her face flushed, was visibly flustered and didn’t know what to do. I gently grabbed her trembling chin and asked.

“Don’t you feel anything?”
“W-What are you…”

Risha closed her eyes, trying to avoid my gaze.

“Don’t you feel any kind of energy?”
“…Energy, you say?”

Then, Risha squinted and assessed the situation for a moment.

“Ah… you’re talking about the power of the demigod.”
“Yeah.”
“Really, if you act so suddenly, I can’t help but be surprised. I thought I was going to be dragged to the basement and defiled.”
“Am I some rutting male horse?”
“Aren’t you?”
“So you don’t like it?”
“T-This lady never said she didn’t like it!”

Risha shouted defensively, flustered.

“Hehehe, yeah.”

She’s so cute, I can’t stand it.
I immediately swept back Risha’s bangs and said.

“Anyway, take a closer look.”
“Understood.”

I positioned myself so that Risha could easily examine my condition. Risha stood up, placed her hand on my chest, closed her eyes, and quietly began to breathe.

“…Indeed.”

Then, she slowly opened her eyes and gazed at me.

“You seem a bit more dignified now.”
“Dignified?”
“I’ve felt it for a while, but you’ve truly become a man like a mountain. To be able to witness all these changes, this lady is overjoyed.”

Risha said with a very bright smile.

“A mountain!!!!!!”
“D-Don’t shout!”
“Okay.”

A mountain!!!

This feels so good!!!

Risha sees me like that!!!

“Hehehe, yeah. A man like a mountain, huh… Risha sees me as a mountain. That’s exactly it. I am Mountain Kim Kat. That’s how I look in Risha’s eyes.”
“If you say it like that, won’t this lady become embarrassed!”

Risha, her face flushed, shouted defensively as I teased her.

“I’ve become a man like a mountain without even realizing it!!!”

Even so, I shouted.
Yeah. There’s no denying it.

If I’m not a mountain, then who is?

“T-That’s just how it feels to this lady. So don’t tease me too much.”
“Ah. I’m not teasing. I’m just happy. Happy.”
“Ugh…”
“Anyway, if Risha feels that way, then everyone else probably feels similarly.”

A sense of pride as a man bloomed in my chest.

“Hoo… Still, seeing you so happy makes this lady happy too.”

Anyway, Risha said, changing her expression.

“…But.”
“Hmm?”

What is it?

“Do you know why Winia stayed home with this lady this time?”
“Didn’t you say you two had something to do? Like magic training or research assistance?”
“Hmph.”

Winia’s atmosphere was a bit strange, but since she was sticking close to Risha, I figured that’s what it was. But if Risha is saying this, there must be a special reason.

What is it?

“Actually, Winia said this to this lady.”
“…What did she say?”

I was starting to feel uneasy.

“…”

Risha looked around for a moment, then opened her mouth hesitantly.

“She said she felt very sorry and ashamed for not being able to help lately.”
“What.”

What did she say.

“Recently, you’ve only been facing monstrous enemies. Winia felt very sorry for not being of great help. So she’s been training her magic very hard, and the reason she stayed home with this lady this time was to receive intensive magic guidance from this lady.”

Wait a minute.

“It broke my heart to know that Winia was going through such hardship… So even though she asked me not to tell you, I’m telling you this. Please give her proper comfort.”

My heart pounded.

“This lady’s encouragement and comfort alone will not be enough.”

Something in my heart.

—Crack.

I felt something shatter.

“Damn it…!!! I didn’t know!!! I didn’t realize Winia was thinking that!!!”

Winia was worried about such a thing!
And I didn’t even notice!

What in the world has the woman-whisperer Kim Kat been doing until now! Woman-whisperer my ass! I couldn’t even understand the heart of Winia, who’s right next to me!

“Uaaaaaah…!”

I felt the strength drain from my legs. I knelt down as I pressed my trembling fist against the floor…!

This is crazy!
What have I been doing!

I can’t just stay like this!

“I can’t take it anymore!!!”

I slammed the ground and stood up.

And.

“Winiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”
“Ah! Everyone’s still asleep!”

I shouted Winia’s name and rushed up to the second floor.

—Squeak.

After going up, I opened the door as gently as possible, then slightly lifted the blanket of Winia, who was lying in bed asleep, and carried her out of the room.

“Ugh… W-What! What’s wrong! Blackie? Why, Blackie!”
“Winia…!”
“I don’t know what’s going on, but put some clothes on me first!”
“Is it true!”

—Thud!

Landing in the first-floor living room, I sat the naked Winia on the sofa and shouted.

“What is!”

Winia, her face flushed, covered her body with her hands and arms and shouted shrilly.

“Is it true that you feel sorry and regretful for not being helpful to me!!”
“W-What! Who told you that…!”
“Risha!”
“Risha unnie?!”

As Winia shouted shrilly again, Risha went down to the basement.

“T-This lady has gone down to the basement!!”
“Winia!”

—Flutter!

I unfolded the blanket that was folded next to the sofa and wrapped it around Winia, then shouted again.

“Answer me!”
“Ugh…!”

Winia, her face flushed, avoided my gaze.

“Haa… I told her not to say anything… It’s so embarrassing, really.”

She sighed and answered.

“Winia, I’m sorry! For not realizing your feelings!”
“No… I hid it because I was embarrassed.”
“Even so!”
“It’s okay. I did it on purpose. Well… Risha unnie is right. I was a little bit.”
“Damn it!”

I couldn’t help but hug Winia.

“…”

Then, Winia, who had been quiet for a moment, hugged my back.

“Aww, Blackie, you’re so worried because I’m thinking like that? Blackie, you’re the best.”

She says it like it’s nothing…!

“Winia. I’m a man who doesn’t care about that at all. Why would you think you’re not helping me? No. And you’re helping me all the time. It’s not like mages like you are common. Considering your age, how capable are you right now.”
“…I don’t know.”

Winia said in a slightly subdued voice.

“Lately, I’ve been thinking that my only reason for existence is my boobs.”
“What nonsense are you saying…!”

To say such a thing in such a heavy voice!

That’s absurd!

“I know you love me, Blackie. But I’m sorry because I haven’t been able to help lately. So I asked Risha unnie to help me.”
“To be so weak-hearted!! Where did the old steel-hearted villain Winia go!!”
“T-That! I don’t know that either!!!”

Winia shouted as if she was embarrassed.

“Winia. At first, I thought your nasty personality, that viciousness, all came from those big boob pockets.”
“What the hell are you talking about!!!”
“The Winia back then wouldn’t have said such weak words! Winia! Remember that mindset! Don’t have weak thoughts!”
“You’re going to say crazy things!”
“So don’t feel sorry for me! You are gratitude itself to me just by existing!”
“Blackie, I’m so embarrassed, I feel like I’m going crazy!”

I deliberately poured out words that would embarrass Winia, shaking her heart from the root. There’s no other way to ease Winia’s unstable heart!

How long did I pour out words like that?

“Okay! I won’t be sorry!”

Winia shouted, raising both hands.

“Hoo.”

A sigh of relief.

“Well… I want to be helpful, so I’m going to learn things from Risha unnie from now on. Originally, I only studied on my own because of my pride, but I don’t think there’s a need to do that. Risha unnie is so kind.”

Winia said hesitantly, still with an embarrassed voice.

“That’s it, Winia!! Then shall we wake up a little earlier and train from now on!!”
“If we’re going to do that, we might have to reduce sex at night…”
“That’s not allowed!”
“You’re really something.”

I’ll have to take care of her heart with intensive pounding tonight. Anyway, one job is done, so until I get the next job, I’ll train the power of Fusion Confucianism and admire Winia’s efforts.

* * *

Two days later.

As Kadia had said the other day, I went to work at her house. My job when I come to work here is to relieve our Saintess’s stress.

These days, it’s become a routine to do it once every time I come back from finishing a job, but this can’t be helped because of Kadia’s circumstances. Both the time and the job.

It’s a very unfortunate thing, but what can I do.
A position is a position.

Anyway, as I was relieving her stress by indulging in her body all morning as usual, it became noon. As I lay down on the bed, intending to take a break.

“Haa… Haa…”

She exhaled and raised her upper body, took out a cigarette from the shelf by the head of the bed, and started smoking it.

“…”

I like the way she smokes like that too.

“Haa… You’re always full of energy. Really, Paladin, you’re a natural male.”

She looked down at me lying down and reached out her white hand to stroke my face.

“How does it feel to use this Saintess’s beautiful body to your heart’s content?”
“It was very good. How about you, Saintess?”
“I think I’ll fall even more for Paladin. I’ve been reminded of who this Saintess belongs to.”
“Hehehe, you say cute things.”
“Anyway. Did you rest well?”
“I rested well at home.”
“Then it’s okay to tell you.”

Did she say she had something to say?

I waited for her words, lying down with my hands clasped behind my head. Kadia closed her mouth as if trying to choose her words and was just looking down at me.

“The borderlands.”

Soon, her mouth opened.

“The eastern border of the kingdom. Isvant and Krassheim. And near the Dodens barony.”
“What.”
“Demons have appeared in large numbers.”
“Huh? Kadia? Explain in detail.”

What am I hearing right now.

“I received a report while Paladin was out. Abnormally generated demons are advancing, devastating villages and small cities. I don’t know why, but the devastated land is blackened and emits an aura of evil, sprouting unknown, impure plants. According to the report of the Holy Knights, it’s like it’s turned into hell.”
“…”
“At the same time, there are also reports that groups of demon worshipers have revolted in several minor cities and are carrying out large-scale summoning rituals.”

I thought of the faces of my acquaintances in that area.

“We’ve already dispatched troops to that area. No. The Order was already aware of the vulnerability of the border areas. Reinforcements and support have been ongoing. There’s also the Andromalius case.”
“Kadia.”

I can’t calm down.

“…I allow questions.”
“Isvant and Krassheim?”
“Fortunately, those large cities are said to be properly blocking the demons. Refugees are also fleeing there and supporting the army.”

Ah, damn, I almost aged ten years.

“Even so, this is a very serious matter.”

It’s obvious, but.

“This Saintess thinks.”

I’m also damn serious right now.

“A gate has opened. A proper Demon Gate, at that.”
“Those demon bastards dare.”