## Chapter 948 – How Long Has It Been?

Still, if it’s Elise, she’ll do well no matter what. In the first place, she’s smart and capable. And she’s steadily building up her combat experience.

Elise becoming a Paladin?

From that day on, the heretic bastards should just prepare to die.

“But well, Elise will do well no matter what. She’ll do well even if she becomes a Paladin.”
“I don’t think she can do as well as you, Saint.”
“Don’t underestimate her! Elise, you can do anything!! Have confidence!!”
“Y-Yes, I understand! I’ll have confidence, so please be a little quieter!!”
“Oh, my. Sorry. It’s all because I’m talking to you, Elise. I just can’t contain this surging impulse when I see you.”

Whenever I see Elise, I just want to shout.

I once suspected that this might be some kind of illness, but illness means something abnormal, inhuman. But shouting when I see Elise is perfectly normal and human.

This is definitely not an illness.

No problem.

“Surging impulse…”

Elise was quiet for a moment, then asked me.

“What exactly is that impulse?”
“Huh? What?”
“I’m curious what kind of impulse it is. What kind of impulse makes you shout like that whenever you see me… as if you’re feeling good?”

Elise, who had turned her body, asked me that.

“Do you feel something special… something like that when you see me?”
“Of course, I feel something special.”
“Th-That…!”

Whenever I see Elise, I can’t contain this special impulse.

“That’s the Divine Impulse.”
“Pardon?”
“Divine Impulse…! This surging power of divinity! Also, the reverently felt power! Elise! I feel that Divine Impulse when I see you!!”
“…”

A moment of silence.

“Hoo… Heh heh. Is that so? Divine Impulse, you say. I think I feel something similar when I see you, Saint.”

Elise answered, still turned away from me, and then started walking again.

I naturally went to Elise’s side.

“Why? Do you feel like shouting?”
“It seems a little… different, but strictly speaking, it might be similar.”

Perhaps Elise wanted to confirm our friendship.

“Saint. The work is almost finished, so you’ll be returning soon, won’t you?”
“I have to go back when the work is done. It’s a shame, but I have to report this to the Saintess.”

This time, I also have to deliver the document sent directly by the commander of the Holy Exploration Team. I heard earlier that they are planning to stop by the capital once the work is done.

It’s that important of a matter.

“That can’t be helped. My personal wish is to spend more time with you, Saint, doing other things, but we have different affiliations and different personal circumstances, so we can’t. That’s very regrettable.”

Elise and I both have affiliations, so we’re not completely free.

“But still, Saint. Please be sure to send letters like last time. This time… I will also send them actively.”
“Yeah, I will.”

I should write letters more often this time.

I can’t forget Elise’s face when she was angry that I only sent one. That terrifying expression that pierced through that moment of carelessness is truly frightening, as if it will appear in my dreams.

Elise has only lived a life of faith, so she has a slightly suppressed aspect of her emotions, so that probably can’t be helped.

“I’m just as sad as Elise is, so I’ll write a lot of letters.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it. Ah, by the way. Somehow, even though you’re right in front of me, Saint, I feel happy thinking about communicating through letters.”
“Me too. Anyway, I’ll send a lot, so don’t make that scary face when we meet again next time.”
“Scary face, you say?”

Elise tilted her head as if questioning.
Does she not know?

“That… you know. The face you suddenly made when you were angry. That’s scary. You only did it that one time when I only wrote one letter.”
“That time…”

Elise ran her finger over her lips.

“Only one letter after we parted…?”

Elise, muttering that, looked at me.

“Ah.”
“Uh.”
“Are you talking about this?”

At that moment, the light completely disappeared from Elise’s pupils, narrowing as her unique murderous expression popped out.

“Teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!”

Seeing that, I couldn’t help but scream like a three-year-old!

D-Don’t look at me with those eyes!!!

“Ah, why! Stop it! It’s scary!”

I immediately grabbed Elise’s shoulders and shook her.

“Hmm… Ah, is that so?”

Is she really aware?
When I let go, Elise continued.

“It seems my feelings came out on my face. Actually, that was a very regrettable thing. That’s why I did that.”
“You only sent one too.”
“Heh heh, that’s true.”

It’s a good thing Elise only sent one letter, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to escape at that time.

“But there are hardly any times when I would show you these feelings, Saint, right?”
“That’s true.”
“And… above all, because I trust you, Saint, I’m expressing my honest feelings, so I hope you don’t think badly of it. Aren’t we Divine Friends?”
“That’s right.”
“Friends can do that.”

That’s right.

Anyway, I took a walk with Elise through the night streets, getting some fresh air. We talked about this and that, but it was all about religion, demons, undead, and the recent events of catching and killing them.

Since our jobs are what they are, we never run out of things to talk about.

“Then Elise. Let’s go back now.”
“I understand.”

Elise nodded, and we went back inside to enjoy the dinner party. Well, it wasn’t a dinner party that particularly suited our tastes, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

* * *

After that, I spent my time leisurely helping the Holy Exploration Team. Now that there wasn’t anything left for me to do, it was quite a relaxing time.

Originally, the work here was done by the members of the Exploration Team. It’s something that requires a certain level of expertise, so even if I, a newbie, joined in, it wouldn’t be much help. All I could do was simple labor, so it was relaxing.

So, since I had some free time, I went downtown with Elise to have a meal and enjoyed some leisure time.

Actually, I could slowly take the report on this situation and return, but I didn’t feel comfortable leaving right away after my fellow colleagues had accomplished such a difficult task together.

And I was also sad to part with Elise.

But I have to go soon.
I’ll probably go back tomorrow.

“Come to think of it, is Winia doing well?”

Anyway, while I was having breakfast, Elise asked me that.

“She’s doing well. But this time, she couldn’t come with me because she’s selling the spoils we got from that Otherworld Palace.”
“Is that so? I’m glad to hear she’s doing well.”

When you think about it, Winia and Elise have met before.

“And… it seemed like Cloudee was doing well too.”
“That’s right. She’s doing very well. You saw it, right? Cloudee blew Dor’s hand away.”
“It was a speed that was really hard to follow with my eyes. Such a perfect surprise attack…”
“That’s Cloudee’s specialty.”
“But, what about the others…”
“Risha?”

I didn’t really have any contact with Risha.
I’ve never been inside the black magic shop.

“She’s a researcher. She came with me to help. She knows a lot about dungeons.”
“I see.”

It was still early in the morning.

The mornings of religious people are very early, so I took some time out to have a meal with Elise.

Of course, the two of them are still sleeping.

“Really… the more I think about it, the more I wonder. Besides the three people I know, you have two more wives, don’t you?”

Actually, there are five more.

But this is really a similar reaction to our Kadia.

I wonder if there are people in the Bronze Celestial Society or the Radiant Holy Cross who have formed polygamous or polyandrous families. It must be unfamiliar to Elise.

“That’s right. But Elise, I’m proud. I never think that having many wives is a flaw or something to be ashamed of. Of course, my hometown is like that, so I grew up with this kind of thinking. But now that it’s already happened, it doesn’t make sense to be ashamed.”
“Then, is it still… expected to increase in the future?”
“Hehehe, I don’t know. But I have Elise’s advice. I’m restraining myself more than before.”

That’s a lie…!
I’m sorry!!!

“If that’s the case…”
“Hmm?”
“Ah, it’s nothing.”

Elise drank a glass of water.

“By the way, marriage, marriage… Marriage is not forbidden to the followers of our Radiant Holy Cross, but those who have formed families are quite rare, so it seems like a very distant matter.”

That’s what I heard last time.

“But since you said that you are not ashamed of it yourself, Saint, I realized that it was wrong for me to worry about that and give you advice.”
“No, it’s not like that. What’s wrong? You’re a Divine Friend, so it’s natural to worry.”

That’s natural.

“I also know that polygamy is not socially preferred. Of course, you can worry and be concerned about it. I was grateful for it.”
“Haa… I feel more at ease when you say that. Thank you.”
“No need to thank me.”

It’s all because our Elise is so kind.

“Elise. Is there anything difficult for you usually?”
“There is nothing difficult for me. I know very well that everything I do is a service for this world. You don’t have to worry about that.”

Elise said that and smiled.
It’s a genuine smile without any lies.

“No matter how far apart we are, just like you are diligently striving, Saint, I am also happily striving.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m glad to hear that.”

—Swish, swish.

“Anyway.”

I said, cutting the meat.

“I think I’ll be going back around tomorrow.”
“I thought that it would be about time.”
“This is probably the last time we’ll be eating like this. I feel very sad to say it.”

I don’t know when we’ll be able to meet again after we part.

“I have no idea when we’ll be able to meet again after we part this time.”
“We can contact each other, but… I feel very sad when I think about that.”
“But we’ll definitely be able to see each other again someday.”

Just like we have been until now.

“I suppose so.”

Elise’s expression looked very easy to read, as if she was depressed.
I’m probably similar.

“Ah, Saint.”

Then Elise changed her expression and said.

“This is… I’m asking to use it as a reference.”

Reference?

“What is it?”
“You said that my longer hair suits me.”
“Damn, no. It suits you very well. It’s good to have long hair.”

Elise with short hair was also cute, but now that she’s grown her hair out a bit more, it’s definitely better.

“Thank you. But I want to hear a cold opinion. I’m embarrassed, but I’m a little interested.”
“In what?”
“Should I… keep growing my hair?”

Elise, slightly avoiding my gaze, asked that while fiddling with her hair.

She’s quite embarrassed.

“It’s a little difficult for me to decide, so I think it would be better to follow your opinion, Saint… I think.”

Ah.
Is that so?

If that’s the case.

“…”

But I’m worried.
Still, I answered right away.

“I think it would be good to grow it out.”
“Y-You really think so?”

The corners of Elise’s mouth went up.

“Yeah, if it’s long, you can always change it to short. That’s the practical reason, and it looks like long hair suits you really well? Then it would be good to try growing it out. It’s very good.”
“Heh heh, it’s decided then.”

The next time I see her, her hair will be longer.

“Then I’ll look forward to the day we meet again.”
“I’m leaving tomorrow, so it’s not like I’m leaving today. Let’s finish eating. You have to go up to work soon, right?”
“Yes. I have a lot of work to do today too.”

So we ate and sent Elise off.
She’ll have other things to do to help the Ascetic Crusaders.

* * *

“Then Paladin! Thank you for your hard work!!! Thank you so much!!!”
“Thank you for helping us!!!”
“Thanks to you, the work was solved very easily!!!”
“Leviathan Slayer, hooray!!!”
“You’re really overwhelmingly young!!!!”

The next day, when it was time to return, the paladins came out as a group to hold a farewell ceremony. They were all emitting a glow in their eyes and shouting powerfully, so I felt like I was filled with courage.

“Thank you!!! Paladins!!!!! We are blessing each other!!!”

—Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

I feel a little sad to leave.

After all, the paladins are a bit violent and rough, but they are all fundamentally good people, so I feel good when I’m with them.

“Saint!!!”
“E-Elise!!!”

Right then, Elise ran towards me.

“I’m embarrassed, but…! D-Divine!!!!!”

And then, with her face flushed red, she stretched out her arms and shouted as if she was screaming.

“No way!!! Elise, you’re applying for Divine first in a place like this…!!!”

Enduring her embarrassment for me…!
I’m touched!!!

“D-Don’t just be surprised, please do it quickly! I’m embarrassed!!! I’m reaching my limit!!”
“Okay!!!”

I also immediately stretched out my arms and made a cross with Elise.

“Friend, Elise!!!!!!”
“Yes! Saint! Then I’ll see you next time!! Take care!!!”
“You too, Elise!!!”
“Then!!”

After saying goodbye like that, I set off.

The regret doesn’t disappear easily.

But I won’t cry anymore.
Because I’ve become that much stronger.

More than anything, because I know I’ll meet her again, I decided to save my tears.

Elise…!

Take care!