## Chapter 1103 – Krasheim

And so, the four of us set a date and headed for the Order of the Radiant Cross.

The members were me, Cloudie, Karin, and Liztina.

The heroic party that had slain Andromalius last time.

“Oooooooooh!!!”

As soon as we entered in response to the invitation, we received a warm welcome and were treated to food in the Order’s dining hall. Even though they were clerics, they seemed to enjoy banquets as banquets, with various liquors prepared.

I couldn’t help but be happy with the enthusiastic welcome.

But Cloudie and Karin stuck close to my side and didn’t talk much, while Liztina enjoyed the banquet, chatting skillfully as if she were very familiar with the place.

Here comes another difference in personality.

“A toast to the true heroes!”
“A toast to commemorate the slaughter of demons!”
“Down with the archdemons!!”

Anyway, I also accepted and drank some alcohol while talking with them.

“Hehehe, to treat us so warmly. I am truly grateful.”
“It is a natural treatment.”

Present here were numerous Ascetic Crusaders, priests, and nuns. Of course, the Ascetic Crusaders weren’t wearing those awful equipment. In the first place, they wear normal clothes when not in combat.

“To think that the Saint of the Holy Knights would become such a hero… truly. It seems you were born with the destiny of a hero.”
“Yeah. Compared to back then, you’ve become transcendentally strong.”

Ah, when was that?
I went to a bar with these people back when I was in the Holy Knights.

Cloudie, Winia, and Elise were there at that time.

“It’s all because a righteous heart is manifested externally. An apostate Stu Rani! I’ve never even heard of such a thing in my life!”

Seriously, talking about that while eating.

“Hehehe. It’s nothing but shock and horror, Holy Knight.”

I shared drinks with the Holy Knights and continued the conversation. As we talked, it was naturally Karin’s turn.

“Sir Vestart, I heard you were originally the head of the Isvant Swordsmen’s Guild.”
“That’s right.”

Do they even know that?

“I had a bit of a connection with the Paladins, and I became a comrade through that. So, together with him, I have resolutely risen up and am slaughtering the ruthless groups that are rampant in the world.”

Karin answered calmly while drinking. As expected, her attitude completely changes when she comes to a place like this. When she’s quiet, she feels like such a composed woman.

And she’s quite the smooth talker.

“That’s truly a righteous mindset!”
“How can one possess such a brilliant heart?”

The Holy Knights were moved by those kind words and shouted.

“It’s only natural.”

Karin still maintained a calm attitude while drinking. The conversation proceeded in that way, and the nuns spoke to Cloudie as well.

“Hmph… Me too, I met him while wandering. Demons? I’m taking care of them. Because it’s a good thing. And righteous too.”

Cloudie was also trying her best to speak well.

“From the distant lands of Shurdic all the way here!”
“Ah. I remember that person also participated in the subjugation of the evil god Ejatz. I have a memory of seeing her.”
“Is that so?”

Meanwhile, Liztina was talking with other clerics.

“Hmm… Yes. Andromalius was extremely powerful. A black giant with massive muscles like armor, but it turned out he was a mage skilled in wide-area magic. Every time he cast a spell, lightning fell madly from the sky, and evil pillars of fire soared from the ground.”

It’s a story about Andromalius. I had already explained it simply, but everyone listened to her detailed explanation.

“But in the end, you could say he couldn’t be our match? As soon as our Paladin over there seized the opportunity, he separated his upper and lower body, chopped up his torso, and stabbed his head with a sword to kill him. It all happened in an instant. I guess that’s how it was.”

How gruesome.

“Ooh!”
“As expected! Truly heroic!”

But because it was a gruesome story, the reaction was really good. Anyway, this banquet continued in that atmosphere. The food was delicious too. There was a lot to talk about. And the people’s reactions were good, so it tasted good to eat.

“Because you are here, this world has become a safer place!”

If I couldn’t eat with them praising us like that, I wouldn’t be human. That’s how we were spending our time.

“Greetings, I am Intermediate Nun Elise.”

Elise approached and greeted us.

“I have a very long relationship with Saint Katt. As expected. You are as righteous and virtuous heroes as Saint Katt. I am deeply moved.”
“Ah, you said you were Katt’s benefactor and friend. I’ve heard a lot about you. You said she’s a truly righteous nun?”

Liztina, who was welcoming Elise, asked me.

“Hehehe, that’s right. She’s a very righteous and brave nun. I’ve gone through several battlefields with Elise.”
“Ugh… I’m embarrassed to hear you say that. I did almost nothing. Saint did everything.”
“What’s with the modesty. It’s okay, Elise. It was all possible because of you.”

As I praised Elise, the Holy Knights around us added a word each.

“Elise has made a very precious friendship.”
“As expected. Her evangelism is very promising.”
“Very excellent, Elise!”

It’s really good.

“T, thank you.”

Elise, her face flushed, greets us.

Even after Elise joined us, we enjoyed the banquet and talked about work-related matters. Although it was a banquet, it was an important story, so we couldn’t leave it out.

“If the Holy Knights fight against an archdemon-like existence, you may have to endure great sacrifices. It is true that demons are vulnerable to divine power, but an archdemon-level being is bound to have resistance to it.”
“Hmm… certainly.”
“Even the High Demons had a win rate of about 70% in one-on-one combat.”

I said that and drew Vugal.

“Overwhelming destructive power is the most important thing. Look.”

ㅡFwoosh.

As I created the sword flame, they were greatly impressed.

“Hoo… as expected, it’s a high level. It seems more powerful than Holy Enchant.”
“To cut down an archdemon with this…”
“You are a born warrior.”

It’s not that Holy Knights aren’t interested in this kind of aura.

“But that jet-black sword… is it a rare metal sword?”
“Huh?”

No, it’s a magic sword.

“Ah, yes. I don’t know the material well, but it’s a good sword.”
“May I touch it?”

What?

I paused for a moment, but, well.
It’ll be okay.

“Of course.”

I immediately handed Vugal to them.

“It’s quite heavy. It seems to be several times heavier than a normal sword. The length is also long, and the width of the blade is quite wide, so… it seems difficult to handle.”

The Holy Knight who evaluated it handed Vugal back to me.
As expected, nothing happened.

“Hehehe, I am increasing my skill by combining actual combat and training. Only that is the only way to annihilate the ruthless beings.”
“That’s a truly admirable way of thinking!”

I think so too.

It was then.

“Saint.”
“Hmm? Elise, why?”
“Wait. I have something to say about the information I told you about last time.”
“Oh, okay. Then I’ll get up for a moment.”

I got up from my seat and followed Elise.

The hallway outside the banquet hall.
It was quite deserted.

“Saint, how was the banquet?”

As we walked down the hallway, Elise, who was standing next to me, looked at my face and said.

“It was very good. The food is delicious. What about you, Elise?”
“I was also very happy to see the heroes.”

Elise smiled like a picture and covered her mouth with her hand as she laughed.

“As expected, they seem to be truly righteous and virtuous people.”
“Hehehe, right?”

They are really good women.

“But.”
“Hmm?”
“Hmm… how should I say it.”

Elise paused for a moment.

“At the same time, they are also beautiful people. I could even feel their elegance.”

She praised their beauty.

“No, such praise…!”

My mouth is about to reach my ears!

“They are really beautiful.”
“As expected, attractive people are naturally drawn to heroes.”

Whether male or female, if you have heroic power, attractive people are bound to be drawn to you.

“Seeing you surrounded by beautiful women, Saint, the word hero just naturally came to mind.”

For a moment, Elise’s voice seemed to sink.

“Elise?”
“What’s wrong?”
“No. Just. You seemed a little down.”
“…”
“Is there any reason?”
“…It’s nothing.”

Elise continued.

“I wasn’t very interested in grooming myself, but seeing those heroes with such beautiful looks makes me want to be like that too.”

Well, yeah.

They are not only powerful, but also have breathtaking beauty. In other words, they have all the conditions of a hero who can win the favor of everyone. Anyone can admire them.

“But that will be a very difficult task. I am now keenly aware of that. The demons are powerful, but I am still just an insignificant being.”

So that’s what she was thinking.

“Hehehe, Elise. What are you saying so weakly? You can become like that too.”
“Saint?”

Objectively speaking, Elise is quite cute.

She’s a fanatic, but she’s a great beauty.

“You’re still young, but if you get a little older, you can become an inhuman beauty. And does time only pass? Then Elise, you will be able to have enough power.”

In other words, she will become a person with both beauty and power.

The world calls such a being an inhuman beauty.

“Then that’s the completion of the beautiful heroine Elise…! The powerful beautiful nun Elise who follows the god Aizermart…! That’s already a confirmed future!”
“Ugh… I’m very embarrassed to hear you say that. But it seems to be a very high evaluation.”
“A high evaluation! I don’t lie about things like this! It’s a very accurate perspective!”
“Ah!”

Elise was flustered when I shouted.

“Ah, I understand! Saint! So please be a little quieter…!”
“Okay, okay.”

Good.

“Elise. You called us heroes. But you are also a hero. So be proud.”
“Hehe, I understand.”

ㅡStop.

Suddenly, Elise stopped.

“But…”
“Hmm?”
“It seems that I am still young.”

Young.

Certainly, Elise’s age was 20 this year. That’s quite an adult by the standards of this other world, but, well. From my perspective, she’s still young.

“It’s good to be young.”
“I understand. Then I will tell you that story now. Saint. The banquet will end today, but you said you were thinking of staying in Krasheim a little longer.”
“Yeah. For a while.”

There’s still some time left.

“So please make time two days from now. We will guide you to the sites we discovered during the investigation in order.”
“Ooh, are you going to show me the actual sites?”
“That’s right.”
“Then I have to go. You said two days from now? I’ll come then.”

Elise nodded, and we immediately returned to the banquet hall together.

The banquet continued after that.

But we only continued the banquet until a late hour, and when it was an appropriate time, we broke up and came out while receiving greetings.

* * *

“Well, everyone seems to be good people. Should I say they are more energetic than I thought?”

Liztina said that as we came out.

“They are a little abnormal, but they are all good people.”
“That’s right. If they are just in that state, I think they would think so. But when they actually fight.”
“They go completely crazy. Uooooooooh!!! Like that.”
“Kyaa.”

I exaggeratedly shouted and imitated a Holy Knight.

“No, isn’t that your story?”

Then Karin said that.

“Hehehe, what are you talking about? You’re making me sound like a strange person.”
“You are.”
“Hey. Sis, do you want to?”

I can’t forgive that.

“It’s okay, Katt. You’re not strange at all. Rather, Katt’s roaring appearance is really cool.”
“So you admit that I’m eccentric, hehe.”
“Hmm, should I call that eccentric?”
“Oh dear.”

Anyway, when we get back, I’ll do a site visit with Elise in two days and then return to Isvant. After that, I’ll turn to the capital unless there’s some incident.