## Chapter 587 – Is Spring Coming?

I ended up raising an Alraune, but nothing particularly special happened.

I just went to the Martial Artist Guild to see Liztina, and spent my days doing extreme training in the backyard with Karin, who now had a more flexible schedule.

Either way, it would take some time for the official letter to come from the church.

I didn’t go out far, nor did I go to the Adventurer’s Guild. I was going to go out to see Elise’s face, but somehow I was afraid to go without an official letter.

So, I just went about my daily routine, holding my wives all day as usual. Karin and Risha complained about being apart for so long, so I stayed quietly at home as they told me to.

“Haa.”

Of course, even though my schedule had become more flexible, Karin wasn’t always resting. Recently, we had been constantly sparring, but today was the day Karin went to the guild.

ㅡSwish, swish.

After finishing a vigorous workout all morning, I took a shower and came out, wiping my body with a towel. The muscles, which had grown even larger than before, felt like armor. My mana pool had also increased, and I could clearly feel that my overall combat power had improved.

“Towel…”

Then, a woman with long red hair and a voluptuous figure naturally approached me.

“Give it to me.”
“Okay.”

It was Alraune.

Since I was taking care of her anyway, there was no need to treat her coldly, so I was teaching her the basics and common sense, and helping her adapt.

Most of the education was handled by Risha and Winia, and I assisted them.

“I’ll tidy up all the other clothes too.”
“Hehehe, Alraune, you’re doing a good job.”

Alraune smiled at my praise, naturally put the clothes and towel I had taken off into the laundry basket, and then went into the bathroom.

ㅡThe reason she went into the bathroom was to do the laundry.

Then, Winia followed Alraune into the bathroom.

“Yeah. You always do the laundry and clean the house every morning like that. You’re doing well. That’s all you have to do.”
“…Yes.”

Currently, Alraune was taking on all sorts of chores that arose in our house.

Still, with a family of five, the house was quite messy and there was a lot of laundry. Since there was no washing machine in this world, doing laundry every day was quite tiring and annoying. Cleaning was also tricky because it was a two-story house.

Alraune was now taking care of all of that by herself.

“When you’re done, hang it up. And come to me for inspection.”
“I will.”

It was Winia who was giving the instructions.

Winia was uncomfortable with Alraune’s existence itself, but based on the idea that she had to be used for something since we were living together, she was teaching her housework.

Of course, Alraune didn’t disobey me. I told her to listen to Winia, so she was faithfully following her instructions.

Really, no matter what else, she seemed to try to keep her word to me no matter what.

Well, she seems to be doing a pretty good job with the housework.

I could tell because I used to do those things myself.

If you tell her how to do it, she does it. The current Alraune was like a bean sprout that absorbs everything you give it and grows quickly. She’s good at cleaning and laundry.

“I’m going to have you clean the second floor when you’re done hanging the laundry, but do that first.”
“Okay.”

Somehow, it felt like this cruel queen of flowers had become a maid, but I also agreed that she should do some housework since we were raising her.

That way, I wouldn’t have any complaints about keeping her at home.

“What are you thinking, Shorty?”

Winia, who had finished giving instructions to Alraune, came out of the bathroom.

“Huh? It’s nothing. I was just thinking that it’s nice to have a maid and be comfortable.”
“Hehe. Shorty’s thinking the same thing as me?”

Winia smiled and started rubbing her face against my chest. Still, I was glad that Winia seemed to be in a good mood.

I stroked Winia’s waist and said.

“Yeah, well. We have to make her do something like that while she’s at home. It’s more helpful than I thought.”
“I know. But don’t spoil Alraune too much.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t.”

Alraune was still calling me Papa. She tries to do everything I tell her to do. So, she’s easy to handle, but sometimes she comes to me and tries to hug me.

Honestly, I don’t know how to react in those situations, so I just tell her she did a good job and pat the back of her neck.

But she seems to like that a lot.

“Is it… a desire to be loved by her parents?”

Claudia, who had come down at some point, said while watching Alraune do the laundry.

“A parent’s love, huh.”

Parents.

Looking back, the existence of my father was just a strange man who gave me nightmares disguised as memories.

My father was an authoritarian man who, if he ordered two chickens, would first take all four drumsticks and put them on his plate. A man intoxicated with such strange power could never be normal, and his abnormal behavior was so terrible that it permeated every corner of his daily life.

Yeah, authority… authority… Perhaps the reason I’m treating Alraune like a maid now is because I’ve been unconsciously imitating my father’s authority since I was a child, I had an uneasy thought.

“That’s terrible.”
“Huh? What is?”
“No, it’s nothing. More than that, Claudia, fix my hair quickly.”
“Hehehe, come here.”

I immediately sat Claudia down on the sofa and lay down, resting my head on her lap. Winia was reading a book she had just brought.

As we were spending such a leisurely time, Alraune finished the laundry and began to hang it up. I had made the drying rack a long time ago. It looks bad to hang a line in the house.

“I’ve hung it all up.”
“Okay, good job. Then go up to the second floor and clean. Dust the blankets, clean properly under the bed. Got it?”
“I will.”

Even I could see that she had done a good job. Alraune was about to go up to the second floor as Winia had told her, but she stopped and looked at me.

What is it? Is she asking for praise?

“…Okay, Alraune, good job. You’re doing really well. But you can do even better, right?”
“Yes. I can do even better.”

Alraune smiled brightly, looking so happy about something, and went up to the second floor.

“Really, I think she wants to seduce Katt.”

Claudia said while touching my hair.
Seduce me…!

“Sis? Don’t say things like that. She’s not a flower.”
“Hehehe, I’m just kidding. But… you’re always giving her food in that way, right?”
“…”

I had no choice but to supply her with flower nectar every morning, just like I had been doing.

This is really a strange picture.

And I think Claudia might be right that she’s trying to seduce me. Anyway, when I look at Alraune, I just get confused about this and that.

In that way, winter was passing with a strange new member in our house.

* * *

One day, while I was spending my time leisurely. I thought that the official letter would have come out by now, so I put on all my equipment for the first time in a while and headed to the church.

“You’re a little late, Paladin.”

As usual, Saintess Kadia was working in her room.

“Oh my gosh. I’m sorry. I thought it would be around this time, but I was late. Please forgive me just this once.”
“It doesn’t really matter. There’s nothing for you to do right now. Here, take a look.”

Inside the money pouch she handed me was 80 silver.

“Oh! 80 silver! That’s amazing!”
“This time, too, the work produced quite meaningful results. And this is the official document for this case. I’ll give you two copies, so give one to Sister Elise.”

Ah. Elise.

ㅡEsteemed One.

Somehow, Elise’s cold voice and terrifying gaze seemed to come to mind. Yeah, now that I have the official letter, I have to bring it to her. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Why would I be afraid of my Divine Friend? I just got scolded once.

“…”

I took the document and slowly read it.

There was content added that I didn’t know about. They sent a second search team to investigate in more detail. In addition, they re-examined all the surrounding villages, and even made a map of the Misty Plains, which had been almost abandoned until now.

Various countermeasures and progress reports were neatly organized.

Elise will be satisfied with this much.

“Anyway, it was a really terrible incident. I don’t know how much I tore at my hair.”
“But you solved it well, didn’t you? I’ll say it again, you really worked hard.”
“Saintess, you also suffered a lot. But when are you planning to go to the capital?”
“Well… I thought I would be returning after winter, but I don’t know exactly because things keep happening. Well, don’t worry too much.”
“Hehehe, I’m not worried.”

Anyway, it seems like it will take some time.

“Anyway, if you don’t have anything else for me to do, I’ll go back for now. I have to take this to Elise. I’ll come back again soon.”
“Sister Elise… If there’s ever a need to hold a meeting with the Radiant Holy Cross, I think I can trust only the Paladin.”

If Elise rises to a certain position, that might happen.

“Well, this Saintess is very busy today. I’ll deal with you when you come back next time.”
“Hehehe, I understand. Then.”

I immediately left the church and headed to the lodging where Elise was staying.

But it took me a while to come to receive the official letter.

She wouldn’t be upset that I came so late, would she? If she’s thinking that, I’m going to feel sorry as hell. In fact, there was nothing Elise could do alone in Isvant.

The moment I felt sorry, I called out to Elise in a weak voice in front of the lodging.

“Eliㅡse!!!!”

My usual loud voice didn’t come out. I kept thinking about Elise’s terrifying gaze.

Still, I had to call her, so I called her out somewhat loudly.

“…”

I waited for a while in that state, and soon Elise walked out of the entrance. Slowly. Very leisurely. Dressed in a neat nun’s habit, she walked out with a blank face.

“Hey, Elise!”

Still, seeing Elise’s face made me feel happy.

“How have you been? Did you get plenty of rest?”

I quickly approached Elise and greeted her, and Elise looked up at me with the same blank face and said.

“…Esteemed One.”
“Hmm?”
“Weren’t you a little late in coming?”

ㅡFlitch.

What… what did you say?

Her voice seemed to have become colder, so I quickly looked at Elise’s face. But it wasn’t a terrifying gaze like when she scolded me last time.

Just expressionless.
Is she… angry that I’m late?

“Uh… sorry. The official letter came out late. Actually, it came out a little while ago, but I went to get it too late. So, I was late. I’m sorry, Elise.”
“Is that so.”

Elise, after hearing my answer, tilted her head slightly and said quietly.

“Then it couldn’t be helped. If the official letter came out late, it’s natural to be late.”
“…Elise?”

Is she… understanding?

“Don’t tell me you’re angry that I’m too late… or something?”
“Angry? How could I be angry with the Esteemed One, who is my most precious Divine Friend? Me being angry with the Esteemed One, that will never happen.”

Elise said that and made a questioning expression.

“But, you seem to be in a bad mood today for some reason. Usually, you would have been happily shouting from the start and trying to make me feel embarrassed… Did something happen?”

E, Elise?

“Could it be marital discord?”

I feel like sweat is pouring out of my back right now.

Did I install a sous vide machine on my back?

“Ah, no, it’s not like that… Hehehe! I just didn’t feel like shouting loudly like usual because I was too late! But I thought you would be too embarrassed!”
“That won’t do, Esteemed One.”

Elise tilted her head in the opposite direction with the same blank face.

“You shouldn’t do that. You have to do it like usual. Your strength is that you are always bright.”
“W-what?”
“Now, shout it out loudly. Divine, you say.”

Elise said that, put her hands behind her back, and slowly began to circle around me.

It felt like I was being interrogated…!

Elise, why are you doing this!

“Elise…? What’s wrong with you today! You’ve been scary since you scolded me last time! You’re angry, aren’t you! I’m sorry!”

Afraid, I immediately knelt down and grabbed Elise’s hands.

“Esteemed One? Are you perhaps afraid of your Divine Friend right now?”
“No! It’s not like that! Please! Come back to your usual Elise!”
“My usual self, you say.”

Elise bent down to match my eye level, who was kneeling.

“Esteemed One. Then please shout ‘Divine’ quickly.”
“What…!”
“Like usual, loudly. You have to shout it out very loudly.”

Elise was smiling as she said that.