## Chapter 1422 – The Approaching Darkness

Elise froze at my booming shout, her mind seemingly blank with shock. Only her trembling pupils moved.

“Th-this can’t be…!”

Yes…!

Elise!

This was the face I wanted to see! That bewildered, flustered face…!

Even in her shock, Elise managed to turn her head and look around. A lot of people had gathered around. But they weren’t just gathered. They were truly reverent, maintaining the posture of humans welcoming a genuine savior.

Hundreds of people were bowing to me.

A god should, of course, maintain composure when surrounded by people who worship them. They should present the dignified image that people want to see and reign with solemnity.

But I can say this:

Why. Should. I. Maintain such `annoying` composure? Composure is not important at all. For a transcendent being like me, whatever I do *is* composure.

The concept of `composure`…

Is defined by me.

Elise is simply trapped by existing conventions.

“Divine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

So, I raised my chin and lowered my gaze to look at Elise, shouting once more. I stretched my arms out to the sides, forcing an answer with an even louder voice.

“Th-this can’t be happening, Saint!”

Elise clutched her head in panic.

“I want to deny this reality!!! Pl-please! I beg you…! Aren’t those who see you as their hope watching! So please!!!”

To me.
You’re begging?

“The way to stop me.”

But there was only one thing to say.

“Elise, you know it best.”
“Wh-what!”

I stopped the words that were about to burst out.

“Because you are Elise.”

I looked down at the human Elise and said heavily,

“And my Divine Friend. The one who knows the only way to stop my shouting. So, Elise, will you just pray and beg in despair? Is praying without trying to solve the problem the right thing to do?”
“That is…!”
“Do what you can. So, I’ll say it again, Elise.”

ㅡSwish.

I reached out my hand.

“The only one who can stop me.”

I pointed at Elise.

“Is you.”

The only one who can stop me is Elise. So, try to stop me! If you want to show those praying people my composure, stop me yourself!

“Don’t try to sound profound in such a strange way!!! That’s just demonic rhetoric!!!”

Elise shouted, her face red as she clenched her fists!

“What will people think of you, Saint!!! They’ll think you’re a bizarre being who just shouts, not a god!!! Please realize that you are their only hope!!!”

I already realize that.

“Those screams should only be done when it’s just you and me, Saint!”

As expected of a priest, she’s trapped by existing conventions.

“Why are you doing such a bizarre thing in such a public place…!”
“Because.”

There was only one thing to say.

“I am the Heavenly Demon Kim Kat.”
“That’s absurd!”
“Elise. Look at them.”
“What!”

Following my gesture, Elise’s gaze shifted.

What was there was…

“Ugh…! Ugh! Heavenly Demon!”
“Hope of humanity!”
“Please drive away the darkness!!!”

Citizens still deeply moved, bowing and begging.

They have no power. Because they have no power, they can only hope for miracles and salvation. That desire made them worship me.

“I am the Heavenly Demon Kim Kat. Whatever I do is what the Heavenly Demon Kim Kat does. Just because I do this doesn’t mean my power, honor, or divinity will diminish. My power, and their hope…”

That’s why I say…!

“Will never be damaged by such things.”

The obvious fact!

“Now then, tell me! Elise!”
“Ah, ahh…!”

ㅡGrasp!

I grabbed Elise’s shoulders and shouted, shoving my face close to hers!

“Try to stop me!!!”
“…!”

Elise, red with embarrassment, stammered, at a loss for what to do! Her pupils were trembling! Seeing that, once again!!!

“Divine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“Fr, Friend huuuh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Finally!!!

Elise surrendered!!!

“Good!”

Seeing Elise surrender, a sense of refreshment burst forth from the depths of my heart. Ah. Yes. This is Elise. Finally, a proper greeting. My mood improved drastically. I immediately grabbed both of Elise’s wrists and spun her around.

ㅡSpin!

“It would have been nice if you had done that from the start!!!”
“A-alright! Saint! Please calm down!!! At least the greeting is over, so let’s go somewhere elseeeeee!”

Hmm.

“Should we?”

ㅡFlash.

I stopped spinning immediately, and Elise fixed her hair and got angry.

“Really…! All of this is a disgrace!”
“Hehehe, even a disgrace becomes a beautiful performance art if Kim Kat does it.”
“That absurd confidence! You need to restrain yourself a little, Saint!”
“Okay, okay. I’ll restrain myself. Then, as Elise said, shall we go somewhere quiet for a bit?”
“Y-yes?!”
“There are a lot of people here.”

The people who were bowing began to slowly raise their heads. Everyone was looking back and forth between me and Elise.

“…!”

It was only natural that Elise’s face turned as red as a persimmon.

“Let’s go quickly.”
“Th-that… Alright!”
“Then let’s take a walk for a bit.”
“…”

And so, I walked with Elise. Wherever I walked, people made way, bowing their heads. Some scattered flowers, and others wept loudly, wailing.

I walked with Elise, looking at those things.

And I said.

“Elise. Have you been doing well?”
“…”
“Elise?”
“Ah, yes? Yes?”
“What. What’s wrong.”
“No, it’s just…”

Elise looked very flustered. Her face was still red, as if the embarrassment from earlier lingered, and she couldn’t meet my eyes. Elise, you’re just getting more shy as time goes on. But a shy woman is a popular woman.

“No. It’s nothing. It’s just that I haven’t seen you in so long that I can’t calm down. You’ve become so great and reverent… I’m just moved.”
“Wh-what did you say?”
“Yes?”
“M-moved…?”
“Saint?”

Moved…?

“M-moved… moved… M-moved… Kim Kat… moved…”

Beep beep.

K-Kim Kat.

Moved.

“B-beep, beep beep. Beep. K-Kim Kat. M-moved… M-Maaaaah…!”

M-moved… moved…!

“Aaaah!! Please!! Please, Saint!! Don’t do that! I was wrong!!!”

As I prepared to mimic a malfunctioning android and have a fit, Elise, once again in a panic, waved her arms wildly, trying to stop me.

“Beep!”

Too bad. A completely invincible android who had just awakened to the emotion of `moved` was about to be born.

For an android, emotion is a virus! But overcoming that virus is the path to becoming human!

“Why can’t I even be free to be moved!”
“Because you are Kim Kat’s Divine Friend. Anyway, Elise, are you feeling a bit better now?”
“Yes?”
“Your face was red just a moment ago.”
“Ah! No! That was…!”

She was turning as red as a persimmon again, but it was better than before.

“I’m glad you seem energetic. You’ve been doing well, right?”
“Haa… Of course. It was a very difficult time, but I’ve been doing alright. I’ve been living a life of helping people.”

Elise said with a faint smile.

“From guiding and controlling refugees to rescuing and defeating monsters. There was really a lot to do. It was a truly fulfilling life.”

But just listening to it, it sounds like you’ve been through a lot.

“You’ve been doing well? It sounds really tough?”
“This isn’t even that tough. I’ve already seen the deaths of countless people. Compared to them, I can say I’ve been doing very well.”

The deaths of countless people.

“Death… Certainly. A lot have died.”

Elise worked on the front lines as a priest. Naturally, she would have seen the deaths of many people. The work that my wives and I do is the extermination of powerful magical beasts. Monsters from another world. Fiends of destruction that the Lich is summoning. While we are primarily targeting those, we can’t pay attention to the smaller things.

A lot have died.

“No! Saint! Don’t be depressed! All the people here are alive thanks to you!”

As I was thinking about that for a moment, Elise, visibly flustered, grabbed my hand and shouted. Elise’s hands are small.

“You have to think about the countless people you saved!”

Elise… You’re worried about me.

“Hehehe, of course. Elise. I’m not depressed. I’m a man who does other things with that time.”

Their deaths are regrettable, but…
I’m just doing what I have to do.

“So don’t worry. I won’t be discouraged.”
“As expected! You are a true strongman, Saint!”

Elise’s expression relaxed, as if she was relieved by my words.

“I am the powerful superhuman. And you are a superhuman too, Elise. Helping people isn’t easy.”

Now that the world is on the verge of collapse. It’s easy to run away and simple to ignore. But the priests are protecting people, even going so far as to punch nobles and force them to cooperate. This city was also built mainly by priests. They gather and control refugees, build defensive lines, and manage supply lines for food.

“Yes. That’s right. It’s definitely difficult.”
“Right. It’s difficult. It’s difficult even if you have power.”

The truth that the god they believe in is an alien monster doesn’t matter at all. The priests are just doing what they believe is right.

“But. Even so, the reason you do it is?”
“Because that is my duty.”

Duty!

“It’s a very difficult task, but I am originally a proud member of the Radiant Light Cross Society who can give my life for this world. Aizermart is watching over us, so what is difficult and what is there to fear!”

Elise shouted powerfully!

But I could tell.
Elise looked very tired right now.

The dark circles under her eyes…

Proved it.

“Right. There’s nothing to fear. Above all, because I’m here. Elise. Everything will be resolved with just me.”
“Ah…!”

I said that and placed my hand on Elise’s head.

“Because I’ve decided that I’ll solve everything. It’s only natural that it will be resolved.”
“…”

I stroked her red hair.

Elise, red-faced, froze. Her red face really didn’t have a chance to calm down. As I continued to stroke her head, Elise said in a small voice.

“I, I also… believe that. You are now a god descended upon this world and the hope of all humans. Personally, I wish you would maintain a little more composure and dignity… but if it’s you, I guess it can’t be helped.”
“Can’t be… helped?”

Beep.

Beep beep.

Beep beep beep.

“Beep beep. Can’t. Can’t be…”
“Aaaah! Please! Saint! Don’t do that!”

Android deployment failed.

Elise clutched her head!

“Really, sudden madness! Your sudden actions are madness!”
“No. Are you really going to be like that over a little joke?”
“Who in this world makes such jokes!!!”

Damn it!

“Anyway!”

Elise, perhaps even sulking, crossed her arms and turned her head away!

“It’s difficult now, but everyone believes that you will eventually solve everything. And if that happens, everyone will be able to live laughing again like before.”

She was speaking with her head turned away, but what was contained in those words was…

Infinite trust.

Elise was trusting me infinitely. Every time she said something about me like that, the weariness on Elise’s face faded away. My Divine Friend Elise was forgetting her fatigue in front of me now. So, well. Even just to see that face, I…

As much as necessary.

I can play these bizarre jokes as much as necessary.

Because I am…

Kim Kat, who is good at playing jokes.

“Beep.”
“Why!!! Why again!!! Why beep again!!!”