## Chapter 1423 – The Creeping Darkness

As I continued to tease her, Elise’s eyes began to burn. It seemed she was thinking of getting seriously angry with me, now that there weren’t many people around. Typical Elise, always so concerned about what others think.

If that’s the case, I should stop here.

Any more and she might really get mad.

The most dangerous time is when there really aren’t any people nearby. Once Elise decides she doesn’t need to protect my reputation anymore, she’ll rebel against me…!

“Okay, okay! Elise! I won’t tease you anymore! I’m sorry!”
“You only say that when there are no people around!”

Wow.

How did she know right away?

Is that even possible?

Did she read the mind of the Heavenly Demon, the Heavenly Demon King, Kim Kat…?

“Don’t be so flustered as if I’ve seen through your mind! Do you think I wouldn’t know your intentions, Saint!”
“You know me too well.”
“Of course! I’ve already analyzed the logical structure of your bizarre jokes!”

About me…!

She analyzed me that thoroughly!

“You went that far to analyze me…! Elise! What do you think I am!”
“Well, obviously!!!”

Elise, who had been shouting loudly, suddenly.

“Ah!”

She cried out in surprise and avoided my gaze. What on earth…! What does Elise think of me that she’s so flustered!

Finally, Elise said quietly.

“A, a Divine Friend…”
“Divine Friend…?”

Beep beep.

“Didn’t you say you’d stop joking around?”
“Okay! Okay!”

At the cold voice that suddenly came out, I surrendered completely. She was worried that if she said Divine Friend, I would have another outburst. She really has a good sense of things. I failed to summon the broken android again this time.

Oh well.

It was fun enough.

“U, um. I’m glad you’ve calmed down.”
“Yeah. I’m calming down. I enjoyed it thoroughly.”
“I want to be angry at that statement!”
“Just let it slide this once.”
“Oh dear…!”

Elise tried to flare up, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it and took a deep breath. I walked along the street with Elise.

“Anyway… Saint. What I want to say is this.”
“Hmm?”
“I am truly, endlessly grateful. Everything is thanks to the power you have exerted. If you hadn’t been here, the world would have been destroyed. Rumors about the Dark Giant being split apart are also widespread.”
“Ah. That. It was simple.”

Since it was so huge, there must have been quite a few people who saw it.

“I see. As expected. That is you, Saint.”
“Hehehe, yeah. That’s me. Be grateful to your heart’s content. But I’m also grateful.”
“Pardon?”
“To all the beings who are using their power for the people in this chaotic time. I am grateful. I can only stop the big things. I can’t stop all the small things. So I’m very thankful for that.”

I mean it.

Those are the ones who are practicing Fusion Confucianism. Elise follows the doctrines of the Holy Light Cross Society, but in the end, that’s also Fusion Confucianism in my eyes.

I like those who practice Fusion Confucianism.

“…If you were to say those words with a bit more dignity in a public setting, everyone would be moved.”
“Is there really a need to do that? They don’t need my recognition. They are already recognized by this world. Is there a need for me to do it again? It’s a waste of time.”

From the perspective of the Heavenly Demon Kim Kat, there’s no need to do it again.

“Ah…!”

But Elise reacted as if she had gained a great realization.

“That’s how it is! That’s right! They are already recognized by everyone! You’re right, Saint!”
“Hehehe, of course I’m right. Why else would I be a god?”
“As expected, your perspective is transcendent!”

Of course.
Who do you think I am?

Anyway, as I was walking with Elise, we reached some kind of construction site. It seemed like there was a lot of construction going on around here, and many workers were repairing the walls.

“They’re doing construction?”
“Ah. Yes. Currently, civil engineering projects like that are in full swing in the city.”

Elise explained like a guide as I said it casually.

“It’s mainly about repairing the walls, which is a very essential task.”
“I suppose so.”

Shirtless laborers were carrying out the construction.

Soldiers with spears were moving around in squads everywhere, and over there, I could see a magician and a priest with documents pointing at the construction site and talking about something. Well, in times like these, it’s only natural to be enthusiastic about repairing the walls.

It’s a truly positive sight.

To create and build something.
In the end, it’s about building hope.

They’re working hard because they believe they can block the enemies with those walls. Yeah. People haven’t lost hope yet. They’re thinking very healthily about moving forward into the future.

I’m touched.

I’m the one who created this scene.
I’m really, unbearably happy.

“Saint?”
“Yeah. I’m listening.”
“As you know, most of the workers and soldiers are refugees.”
“Yeah. Right. I heard that.”

I roughly heard that from Kadia’s report.

The clergy are gathering the refugees and operating them that way.

“Since the food problem wasn’t too severe, we were able to organize these groups of workers and the army. That’s why we can defend the city. Even at this moment, the undead and unknown monsters are attacking, but we are successfully defending against those evil beings like this!”

Elise said in a voice that seemed truly overwhelmed with emotion.

It seemed very touching to see the refugees working together for the future like that.

“Hehehe, I see. They’re doing a very good job.”
“Hehe, yes. The scattered city has united as one, but there hasn’t been much conflict. Rather, everyone is dividing up their respective roles and working. It’s going smoothly.”

I’m glad to hear that.

Aria, thank you!!!
You protected the smiles of everyone here!!!

The reason they can do that is actually all thanks to the food! If there’s no food, everyone tends to fall apart. That’s what people are like.

“It can be said to be a truly beautiful sight. In these difficult times, people are cooperating and planning for the future. Isn’t it such a bright sight? A terrible darkness has fallen upon the world, but these brilliant people are gathered together.”

I listened to Elise’s words as she spoke with a smile.

“While you, Saint, brighten the sky and scatter light, it is those people who gather the light on the ground and illuminate it anew. Really… it’s so overwhelming. We will overcome everything.”

Elise, who was speaking like this now, seemed very happy. She was genuinely happy. As she said this with a smile unique to good people, even the surroundings seemed to brighten.

“You look happy, Elise.”
“How can I not be happy when faced with such beauty.”
“Beauty, huh.”
“Yes. Beautiful… Ah.”

Then.

Elise looked at me as if she had realized something.

“Saint!”
“Hmm? Why.”
“It just occurred to me… there’s a place I want to show you.”
“A place you want to show me?”
“Yes.”

What does she want to show me?
Just as I was about to ask again, intrigued.

—Grab.

“Let’s go!”

Elise started pulling my wrist with a bright smile.

“What is it? Where are we going?”
“I’ll tell you when we get there!”
“Hehehe, okay.”

And so, I followed Elise, who was pulling my wrist. She really is strong. Seeing her smile so brightly and say she’s going to show me something made me very excited.

Surely.

Elise.

She’s thinking of showing me her spoils of war. The skulls and hearts of the undead and monsters, carefully collected and treasured in a treasure chest. Elise is trying to show me that. My heart is swelling for no reason.

It reminds me of when the cat I raised as a child ran out of the house. I was depressed because I thought it had run away, but two days later, the cat came back. With a sewer rat in its mouth. The cat that gifted it to me seemed so admirable.

Of course, when my father, who had barged in, waved a broom and went wild, saying, “How dare you curse our house!” I felt nothing but despair. After that, the cat never came back. And my father told me to clean up the sewer rat’s corpse.

Anyway, as I was following Elise.

—Thud.

Elise stopped.

“Saint. This is the place.”

What was spread out before my eyes was.
A mountain made of the corpses of evil beings.

“The city’s only flower garden.”

No, it was.

It was a roadside garden full of blooming flowers.

“Flowers?”

What?

Not an Eden of spoils of war piled up with slaughter and soaked in blood, but a bright flower garden? I washed my eyes and looked ahead. It was a garden where bright flowers of various kinds bloomed. And it was quite well maintained.

How can flowers be cultivated like this in such a difficult situation?

I was very curious.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

Elise smiled and looked back at me. Looking at Elise, who was facing me with the flower garden behind her, I thought that the flowers and Elise suited each other very well.

“Yeah. It’s beautiful… But what are all these? How did this flower garden come about?”
“It’s certainly a flower garden that doesn’t fit in these days. But even so, it seems there were people who cultivated it like this. Because flowers are… the best items for celebrating and commemorating something, aren’t they?”

Elise, who had turned back again, reached out and stroked a petal.

“Perhaps the people who cultivated the garden wanted to do such celebrations and commemorations. They haven’t lost hope.”

Hope, huh.

—Step.

I approached Elise and looked at the flowers from a closer distance. Thanks to Aria, I also have some knowledge of flowers. These flowers were very well maintained.

“It’s beautiful. The flower garden too. And Elise’s heart too.”

My heart is swelling.

Beep beep.

“M, my heart, you say?”
“Yeah. Your heart is as beautiful as this flower garden.”
“…Is that so.”

At those words, Elise blushed again.

“It smells good. The flower garden.”
“…!”

It actually smelled good.
It’s healing.

“…”

Elise also seemed engrossed in looking at the flowers, and she closed her mouth with her head bowed. As I was looking at the flowers like that.

—Swish.

Elise raised her head.

“Elise?”
“E, even now… that darkness is still hanging in the sky.”

I looked at the sky.

The darkness that can be seen anytime, anywhere.

The Lich’s darkness that covers half of the midday sky. It can be seen. An ominous sign that frightens everyone.

“Everyone believes that you, Saint, will surely resolve that. You are hope, Saint. Everyone’s hope.”

Elise, who had turned bright red, said that in a serious tone.

“Hehehe, I’ve heard that story too many times, haven’t I?”
“Keep listening. It’s a praise that’s not enough even if you say it a thousand times. Anyway… if you resolve this matter, Saint…”
“If I resolve it?”
“…”

Elise, who had trailed off, lowered her head again.

She’s really shy no matter when I see her. She’s a child who’s a bit clumsy at expressing her feelings. Well, that’s what’s cute about Elise. I smiled as I prepared to listen to Elise’s intense praise.

“S, s… s…”

Hmm?

“S, s… th, that is… s, s, s, s…”
“Pardon?”

Suddenly, Elise lowered her head deeply and started chanting an unintelligible spell.

“S, actually… th… Saint…”
“Elise?”
“W, with Saint… a, again… if we… me, meet… th, there’s something I wanted to say…”

What?

Did she glitch?

Elise, who was extremely nervous, was stammering and trying to create a sentence…!

“Elise? Calm down. In. Out. In. Out. Breathe in and out. Now, follow me. In.”
“In, in.”
“Out.”
“Out, out…”
“In. Out. In. Out.”
“In, in… Out… No! Saint! Don’t interrupt me!!!”

Elise, who had been practicing Lamaze breathing according to my instructions, suddenly shouted and scolded me!

“What? Elise? What interruption did I do?”
“What you’re doing now is an interruption!!!”

What on earth!