## Chapter 565 – A Good Friend to Meet

Elise’s identity was her red bob that reached her neck and the light armor worn over her blue-toned nun’s habit.

The nun’s hat she wore on her head added to her individuality, and the murderous flail and thick scripture strapped to her waist proved that she was a battle nun of the Radiant Cross Society.

—Elise.

“El!!!!”

Was Elise also trying to enter the Adventurer’s Guild? I ran into her right in front of the guild building.

“Lee!!!!”

The moment I recognized her, a feeling of joy burst forth from the deepest part of my heart. How long has it been since I last saw her…!

“Ze!!!!”

An irresistible impulse, a sensation surging from within, seized my mind. The thought that I should release this feeling right now was right, so I tried to shout the promised code.

“Deeeeeiiiiiiibaaaaaaㅡ!!!!”
“Saint.”

ㅡ?

But something was strange.

Elise wasn’t showing her usual reaction. A joyful and flustered expression. That was the appropriate reaction Elise should have shown.

“…Uh, uh? Elise?”

But she was utterly expressionless.

No.

Beyond expressionless—

“That armor.”

—Elise, with completely dead eyes, stared at me and said coldly.

“What on earth is it?”

I was momentarily taken aback.

“…”

Her eyes were wide, but her pupils were small. There was no light in those pupils, and they seemed to be filled with an eerie and ferocious energy.

“It has the emblem of the Brass Celestial Angel Society.”

Elise continued in a low voice, staring at me with that chilling gaze.

“The greaves are the same as the Salvation Paradise Society’s, but all the other equipment has been changed to the Brass Celestial Angel Society’s standard equipment.”
“Ah.”

I had never seen Elise like this before.

“Saint. Don’t tell me you’ve converted to the Brass Celestial Angel Society. When I tried to proselytize you, you refused, saying you couldn’t abandon your folk religion…”

I was intimidated by her terrifyingly cold gaze and tone.

“It’s your freedom to convert, Saint, but as your Divine Friend… this hurts my heart.”

That’s what it was…!

My mind, which had been in a state of confusion, returned to normal. This was a misunderstanding. Elise was having a fatal misunderstanding right now.

“No, no! Elise! It’s a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding!”

I immediately tore at my hair and made excuses.

“It’s not what you think! I didn’t convert!”
“…?”

As I shouted as if pleading, light slowly began to return to Elise’s pupils. She must think that I, her Divine Friend, had betrayed her and run off to another religion.

I hadn’t converted to anything.

The only religion I believe in is Fusion Confucianism, and the only things I worship are my own strength and steadfast spirit.

“You didn’t convert… Th-then what is that armor? No matter the religion, you can’t take church equipment outside. Saint. What’s going on?”
“Well, Elise. Look at this first.”

I immediately took out my quasi-priest certificate from my pocket and handed it to Elise. My hands seemed to be damp from nervousness.

Elise from just now was seriously, no joke, terrifying.

It was the first time I had ever seen Elise with that look in her eyes. When she was killing heretics and demons, she would burst into a battle frenzy and roar, but she had never glared at me with such quiet, dead eyes and contracted pupils as she had just now.

“This is… a quasi-priest certificate?”

Elise slowly examined the certificate and looked up at my face. Fortunately, she had returned to her usual expression.

“Yeah, Elise. After doing this and that in the city, the Brass Celestial Angel Society said they would give me a reward and gave me the position of quasi-priest. This armor is the prize. It’s an honorary position, so they said I don’t need to convert.”
“…”

As I told her the truth, Elise’s face slowly began to heat up for some reason.

“Th-that…”

What is it?

“…I misunderstood.”

Elise lowered her head. Fortunately, the misunderstanding seemed to be resolved. Her face was red because she was embarrassed by her mistake.

“Hehehe, yeah, you misunderstood. Oh, Elise. Did you really think I would abandon you, my Divine Friend, and go to the Brass Celestial Angel Society?”
“U-uh…”

Of course, there’s no way Elise would give me such a fierce look.

I must have seen something wrong.

“I’m ashamed to say I thought that for a moment. I’m sorry, Saint. I know better than anyone that you wouldn’t do that, but I still misunderstood.”

Elise returned to her usual expressionless face and apologized to me. But her face was already quite flushed.

This is unacceptable…!

“Elise. You know this is unforgivable, right?”
“Wh-what?! Please forgive me, Saint!”

When I said that jokingly with a sly smile, Elise shouted as if she was having a seizure.

“No, you have to pay the price…! Gal!!!!!! How dare you doubt your Divine Friend!!!”
“A price! What price are you talking about!”

Elise widened her eyes and protested. Of course, it was a joke. I don’t want any such price. I just want one thing.

“Shout it loudly.”

I spread my legs shoulder-width apart, pointed at Elise, and declared.

“Yes?”
“Divine, say it.”

This is the price for doubting your Divine Friend.

“Shout it loud enough to shatter the whole world.”
“Th-that’s…! Saint, you’re too harsh! You can’t do this to me!”

When I demanded that she shout “Divine” loudly, Elise clenched both fists as if she were a criminal receiving an impossible punishment and protested.

“Then.”
“…!”
“I will, in this place.”

I maintained my solemnity and continued to speak one by one.

“Have a fit of pique.”
“Wh-what!”
“Kneel down. And wail.”

Of course, I’m a man who can do such things with ease.

“I’m going to cry because Elise misunderstood me.”

When I revealed my intentions, Elise was completely confused and shocked.

“Saint…! Don’t say such ridiculous things! You can’t do that!”
“Then do as I say.”
“I-I can’t believe this…! Then at least let me go to a quiet place!”
“No.”

That wouldn’t be a price.

“This is the place.”

I pointed firmly at the ground.

“Here, in this place, do it.”
“Wh-what is going on…! Saint! Didn’t I say I was sorry! I was wrong! Please forgive me! Or at least I beg you to lower your voice!”

ㅡThud.

Elise pleaded, and I immediately knelt down as a warning.

“Elise.”
“I-I can’t believe it…! Saint, please! Please stop! I’ll do as you say!”

When I was about to really wail, Elise grabbed her head. I smiled and stood up.

Elise looked around with a red face and cleared her throat.

“Hmm, hmm… D-Divine…!”

Your voice is too quiet!

“Elise! Was our friendship only worth that much!”
“N-no, it’s not that… Divine!!!”
“No, it’s not enough!”
“D-Diviiiine…!!!!”
“Kuaaaaaaack!!!”

In front of Elise, who was about to go crazy with embarrassment, I shouted endlessly.

Eventually, Elise, who had reached her limit, burst out her voice.

ㅡDivine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then icicles and snow fell from the eaves. It was a truly tremendous voice, but only then did I realize that I had reunited with Elise.

ㅡFriend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I, too, was filled with joy and burst out my voice. And so, the cross was completed. After all that commotion, Elise’s face was as red as her hair.

“Haa… haa… S-Saint… At least let me leave this place right now.”
“Of course.”

I immediately grabbed Elise’s wrist.

“Let’s go get something to eat.”

Anyway, I hadn’t eaten breakfast, and Elise certainly hadn’t either. I immediately grabbed Elise’s wrist and headed to the restaurant.

Well, after ordering this and that as usual, the real story of what’s been going on began.

“A quasi-priest… That’s an amazing story. But at the same time, it’s only natural. With your character and abilities, Saint, the church certainly couldn’t just leave you alone. Congratulations.”

Elise, who had calmed down for the moment, gave me her sincere congratulations.

“Hehehe, aren’t you praising me too much? Thanks.”
“It’s only natural.”
“Oh, but Elise.”
“What?”
“I’m a quasi-priest, but I think I’ll be a paladin soon too.”
“!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Elise, who was surprised for the second time, was completely excited and demanded an explanation from me. I mentioned Saint Kadia and told her the truth as it was.

After receiving the position of quasi-priest and carrying out requests related to demons and heretics, I caught the eye of the saint and was scouted as a paladin. Of course, I didn’t convert.

“Hoo… So that’s what happened… But I feel relieved after hearing everything. You haven’t changed, Saint.”

Elise listened to my story while constantly calming her excitement.

“Still, it’s a shame. If it were you, Saint, our Radiant Cross Society would certainly…”

Was she regretting it?

“Hehehe, don’t even think about it. That kind of life must be very difficult.”

ㅡAscetic Crusader.

The crusaders of the Radiant Cross Society worship personal asceticism along with God. Achieving paradise with human power is extremely difficult and harsh. That’s why they willingly practice asceticism to a bizarre extent.

With such an ideology underlying it, the Radiant Cross Society was a truly harsh place. They were truly the guardians on the front lines who dedicated themselves to this world.

You could say they were people who went to extremes.

I can’t endure that kind of life.

If the military is just coffee, that crazy place is a T.O.P. I would never join the Radiant Cross Society, even if I died and came back to life.

“The only reason I accepted the paladin offer was because they didn’t require me to convert. Honestly, I wouldn’t have done it if they had asked me to convert.”

The moment I convert, the church can control all my actions. I have to live only according to the real doctrine.

Worshiping the god Verde and working for the church means that. This is something I can never compromise on.

That’s why Saint Kadia used a bit of a trick to scout me.

“Hehe, that’s a reasonable choice. I understand. The Radiant Cross Society doesn’t have such a system. You would have had to convert.”

Only then did Elise smile.

“Right? It’s impossible to convert for religious reasons. And even if I could, the Radiant Cross Society would be too difficult. I can’t live a hard life.”
“Such humility… You’re still the same, Saint.”

It’s not humility…!

“Hehehe, anyway, you were really scary earlier. I thought I was going to die.”
“Pl-please forget about that. For a moment, my mind went blank. And you made me do that to you, Saint. That topic is now forbidden.”
“That was a joke. But, Elise.”

It’s time to get to the point.

“What brings you here this time?”

Elise coming here means something has happened.

“No, before that, what about the demon-related stuff? This place has been quite noisy with demons and heretics. So I thought you might come at least once, but since the demons are spread throughout the whole area, you must have been busy too. Is that all over?”

This whole area was damaged by the Demon Gate. I don’t know for sure, but the religious people in Krasheim must have been working day and night.

“That’s right. I’ve been having fun without realizing how time was passing, carrying out continuous demon extermination operations. It was truly like a dream.”
“Ah.”

You were having fun.

“It was certainly a feat that Lord Eisermarte would have been pleased with, but in the end, the snow fell, so we had no choice but to end the operation.”
“So you were hunting until it snowed?”
“That’s right.”

When it snows, it’s hard for everyone to move around.

“So, as things have calmed down for a while, there’s something I need to take care of before the evil beings start to stir again in the spring, so I requested it from the church and came here.”
“What is it?”
“Didn’t you give me evidence about the heretics in the Misty Plains last time, Saint?”

Oh, could it be?

“I did, didn’t I?”
“We couldn’t spare any troops because of the operation. So now that we have some time, I’m going to investigate it.”