## Chapter 1104 – Krasheim

“Ah, by the way. Sister Elise, was it? She seems like a good kid. Seems normal.”
“Elise? Of course, she’s a good kid.”

There are few as good as Elise.

“Didn’t get a bad vibe from her. Since she’s your benefactor and friend, I can only see her in a good light. How old did you say she was? Twenty?”
“Twenty this year.”
“Young.”
“She is.”

Twenty is young, that’s right.

“Hehehe, but I’m not exactly someone your sister would call a hero. I wonder how she can look at me with such eyes.”
“Hehehe, if you kill demons well, you’re a hero. Don’t you think?”
“I guess?”

Karin seemed to have been thinking about that word, hero, that she kept hearing.

“Ah, by the way, Katt. Where did you say you were going to work with her again?”
“Huh? Will it take long?”

It won’t take long.

“It’s nothing big. Just getting information around here. It won’t take too long.”
“Then that’s good. Let’s go back to Isvant after that.”
“Let’s do that.”

And so, we returned to our lodgings.

* * *

Two days later.

I woke up about an hour before dawn, finished preparing to go out, and headed towards the Radiant Cross Society, lightly armed for a field investigation.

But when I arrived, Elise was standing there waiting.

Did she wake up earlier than me and come out!

“Elise!!!”

I called her name and ran towards her, and Elise, seeing me, smiled and greeted me.

“Ah, you’ve arrived. Good morning.”

Elise was fully armed. She was wearing light armor over her usual nun’s habit. Breastplate and pauldrons. And equipped with gauntlets and greaves, and a flail attached to her belt, along with a bible, canteen, and multi-purpose pouch.

“Why are you out so early? I was going to call you when I got here.”
“I knew you would arrive at this time, Saint. And I haven’t been out for long.”
“That’s good then. I was worried you might have been waiting.”
“Not at all, so it’s fine. Then, from now on, the field investigation…”
“Let’s eat first before we start.”

If you come out in the morning, you have to eat before you do anything.

“Ah, yes.”

I walked down the street with Elise, who answered like that.

“Is there a good place around here?”
“Hmm… I always eat at the refectory in the Order’s building. Although I live in Krasheim, I don’t know which places are good.”
“Then let’s just go in somewhere.”

Anyway, I had been eating out for every meal while staying in Krasheim. I already knew where the good places were, so I immediately went into a suitable place with Elise and ordered food.

After quickly finishing our meal, we headed towards the city gates, guided by Elise.

I’m quite busy today.
Because there are many places to look around.

“There are several places. The Order has given me permission to guide you through all of them. So I will tell you everything.”
“Good, Elise. Then.”

I immediately knelt on one knee, bent my left arm into a right angle, and made a chair.

“Get on.”
“Yes, yes?”
“Get on my shoulder here.”
“What on earth…?”
“We have to go quickly. It’ll be fast if you get on here.”

If I sprint with Elise on my shoulders like this, we will be able to reach our destination quickly. I, Half-Noble Baron Transcendent Demon Kim Katt, am very fast and powerful.

“Th-that means… you want me to… get on your shoulder?”
“I just said that.”
“Th-that is…”

Suddenly, Elise blushed and hesitated.

This is embarrassing, I see.

“What is it? Are you perhaps embarrassed?”
“That too, but… no matter what, I can’t do something that would be rude to you…”

It seemed she was hesitating because she thought it would be rude to me. As if this is a big deal. It’s not rude at all.

“What’s rude about it? I’m faster than most monsters. It’s faster and more comfortable to ride here since you’re not heavy. We’re busy today.”
“Still…”
“It’s not like I’m giving you a ride for the first time. I do this often.”
“If that’s the case…”

After saying that much, Elise, who was convinced, came over and gently sat on my shoulder, holding my forearm and neck with her hands. As expected, she’s incredibly light. My strength already exceeds tons.

“Is it okay to sit like this?”

Elise said that, still hesitant and sounding embarrassed.

“Oh. Our Elise is quite experienced in riding people? You’re quite the expert?”
“That’s not true! Not at all! You’re the first person I’ve ever ridden on like this!”
“Hehehe, I was just saying.”
“Don’t tease me, it’s embarrassing!”

Once I teased her, she reacted strongly.
As expected, Elise is fun to tease.

That’s why I can’t stop acting up.

“No, but what’s so embarrassing about it? It’s the same as riding a horse.”
“You’re not a horse!”

I hear that I’m like a horse all the time.

“And you’re not a mount either!”

Mount.

“Hmm? If that’s the case, shouldn’t I be the one who’s embarrassed?”
“Yes?”
“That’s right. I’m carrying someone when I’m neither a horse nor a mount. Isn’t this a very embarrassing thing?”
“Saint! Th-that’s not what I meant!”

When I threw out some appropriate nonsense, Elise visibly panicked and waved her hands. She’s vehemently denying it.

“Embarrassed!!!!”

So I roared.

“Ah! Saint!”
“I can’t stand the embarrassment!!! Uwaaa! I’m so embarrassed!!! My face is turning red and I’m about to cry! What should I do!!! Damn it…! I’m deeply embarrassed!!!”
“Stop! Saint, stop! It’s my fault!”

When I started acting up like that, Elise started begging me.

“I’m not embarrassed at all, so please calm your anger! I will ride on your shoulder without any shame!”

Good.

This should be enough.

“Hehehe, so you’re getting on?”

I immediately stopped acting up.

“Ugh… To embarrass me with such sudden overreactions! That’s not something you should do to a Divine Friend!”
“No. Elise. That’s a wrong way of thinking.”
“What other illogical and bizarre words are you going to use to confuse me!”

You’re quick to catch on.

“It’s not something you shouldn’t do to a Divine Friend, it’s something you do because you’re a Divine Friend.”
“What do you mean?”
“The only people who can play pranks like this on someone who isn’t a friend.”

It’s something you can do because you’re a friend.

“Are lunatics.”
“Ah-nit!”
“Elise. Are you saying I’m a lunatic?”
“N-never!”
“Do you understand now?”
“I don’t know because it’s such a bizarre logic.”
“Oh dear.”

Anyway, this is enough.

“I think you really are someone with an unstoppable impulse.”
“That is a good impulse.”
“Be quiet!”
“Okay.”

Oh dear.

“Haa. I just couldn’t accept myself using you as a mount. Isn’t it too strange to ride you in the first place.”

It’s strange, but there’s nothing wrong with it.

“Don’t worry about things like that between us. Just get on. Divine Friends are okay.”
“Then… I understand.”
“Good. Shall we go then?”
“Yes. I’ll tell you the directions. And it seems to be a more comfortable ride than I thought. It’s better than a carriage.”
“Tell me if it’s uncomfortable.”

Let’s start.

“Heavenly Demon’s Descent.”

ㅡKwaang!

And so, I kicked off the ground and sprinted at high speed.
The city gates? I just casually jumped over them.

I traverse the road in an instant.

“Ah! Saint! You’re too fast!”
“Hold on tight! Are you about to fall?”
“No… I’m okay!”

Elise held on tight to my body and endured. Anyway, I’m holding her with my hands, so there’s no way she’ll fly away.

And so, I sprinted endlessly, following Elise’s directions.

In fact, for someone like me, it’s better to just run on my own two feet than to use any kind of vehicle, unless it’s an airplane.

It’s faster and not particularly restricted by terrain.

Whether it’s bumpy, there’s a cliff, or there’s a swamp. Transcendent beings can run at full speed without being restricted by such terrain.

How long have I been running?

“It’s here!”
“Okay.”

ㅡKwaang!
ㅡKwaang!
ㅡKuuung!

I slowly applied the brakes and stopped, then immediately let Elise down.

“Ooh.”
“You’re really… fast. Saint. Are you okay?”
“Except for being a little hungry. I’ll just hunt a monster later and chew on it.”
“As expected. You really do have a body like steel.”

That is.

A wrong statement.

“It’s not that I’m like steel.”

I grabbed Elise’s shoulders and said.

“It’s that steel is like Kim Katt. Elise.”
“That can’t be!”
“Remember it clearly. Don’t compare me to steel, compare steel to me.”
“I understand!”

Anyway, what’s in front of me is the entrance to somewhere.

An arch-shaped entrance made of stone.
A passage leading down to a dungeon hidden in the forest.

It seemed that this was where Elise’s priests had found it.

ㅡStep step.

I went inside with Elise.

“Ah, Elise. We went to catch kobolds a long time ago, right.”

I said to Elise as I went inside.

I have to let her know this.

“Yes. I remember.”
“I investigated that place again, you see.”
“Ah! Come to think of it, we also investigated that place again, but we couldn’t find any clues! I had completely forgotten about it!”
“What. That’s what it was?”

They already investigated it.

“Yes. There was something that looked like an altar, but… it seemed that they had already cleaned up and left.”
“That’s what I saw too.”

It seemed that they had also investigated the Necropolis again. Well, if there was something like that, Elise would report it and they would conduct a full investigation. It seemed that they had the same idea as us.

“Now, Saint. Look at this small dungeon. This was a facility used as a base by heretics.”
“Ooh.”
“There were quite a few undead around here, and we raided the heretics while they were artificially experimenting on corpses at a place like this altar.”
“I see.”

I listened to Elise’s explanation, took in the scene, and organized the situation. This was the place that the Radiant Cross Society had discovered through its own investigation.

There are more places like this.

“You mean those white guys with the black tattoos on their faces, right?”
“That’s right. Now we know that they are the servants of the Lich.”
“Perfect.”

ㅡClick.

Elise took out a report from her pouch and handed it to me. I read it and put the knowledge into my head… As expected, they quickly executed everyone without interrogation or anything.

In that way, I looked at one site and came back outside.

“Huu. It’s really a hateful memory.”
“I know, right.”

Elise took a breath and said.

“But since I’m acting together with you like this, I feel like I’m reminded of the old days and I naturally feel good.”
“Hehehe, is that so? Me too.”

It’s been a while since I’ve worked with Elise.

“It’s been a while since it’s just the two of us.”
“…”
“Hmm? Elise?”
“Ah, no… It’s been a while since it’s just the two of us… that’s for sure.”
“Yeah. Let’s sit down for a bit.”

I sat down with Elise in a suitable place.

I’ve looked at one place, so I should rest for a bit, hunt some monsters, roast them whole, and replenish my energy.

I was taking out my canteen and drinking water.

“Ah, by the way, the source of your righteousness… you said that you do it because it’s natural to do it.”

Suddenly, Elise asked a fusion-Confucian question.

“I did.”
“What is at the end of that?”
“The end.”
“Yes. Do you do it because doing righteousness itself is the purpose and the end?”

A question about justice.

“No. It’s not like that, Elise. I have an ultimate goal that transcends those things.”
“Ultimate goal.”
“Elise. I’m going to become incredibly strong.”
“You mean becoming strong?”
“I’m going to become the strongest in the world.”
“Th-the strongest…!”

I am a Heavenly Demon.

Of course, I’m someone who has to become the strongest.

“An infinite being stronger than anyone else. I’m moving towards that. What about killing Greater Demons? What about killing heretics? Those aren’t my ultimate goals. They’re just things I have to do on the way to becoming the strongest. I will execute justice and become the strongest.”
“Ooh…!”

ㅡSparkle sparkle.

Elise, who had her clasped hands near her chest, looked at me with shining eyes.

“I’m going to become something like a king someday.”
“King! You don’t mean!”

It’s not a rebellion.

“No, well, it’s not like I’m going to take land from innocent people. If I get stronger, I’ll naturally get some territory. And I’ll become the ruler of that place. I’ll become something like a king.”
“I see!”
“When I become that kind of king, I will preach my righteous ideology to everyone.”

That’s the completion of the fusion-Confucian state.

The people of that country must uphold my teachings and live by practicing fusion-Confucianism.

For example, like this.

Kill all the murderers and robbers. Kill all the rapists. Kill all the bandits. Kill all the monsters and heretics. Slaughter all the swindlers and arsonists. By doing that, you can gain mental cultivation and live a happier life.

“And thus, I will save the world from misery. I’m thinking about things like that too.”

That is the spirit of benefiting all mankind.

“To think you had such a grand goal…!”

Elise said in an emotional tone.

But that’s just something on the way to the ultimate.

It’s not the ultimate itself.

“I’m moved! To be honest, I’m serving Aizermart and working to bring paradise to this world, but although that’s a concrete goal, it’s difficult to easily guess the degree of achievement in the process, so there are times when I waver!”
“…”
“But to think that you have such a firm ideal! I’m moved and moved again! As expected, you’re respectable!”

This is.

“Hehehe, come visit me later when I’m a lord or a king. I’ll treat you with the utmost respect.”
“I will definitely do that!”
“You remember Copson from a long time ago? I’ve decided to make him something like a commander. If you come to my land, I’ll give you something to do too.”
“As expected, you are the guardian of friendship! Ah! I’m so happy to hear your thoughts and think that I’ve learned more about you!”

Me too!