Taming the Evil Saintess

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The next day, there was a visitor in my tent.

Ice Warrior Cecilia Ethelgarand sat in her usual scruffy attire, reporting the situation.

“We filled three relay wagons with the spoils we captured from Linen Guard Stronghold. It was national budget level.”

“That’s a lot.”

“Yes. It means the Plague Lord accumulated quite the wealth. Of course, it’s also the fault of the Ice Palace for allowing the Plague Lord to hoard such riches.”

It seemed that while I was fainting, Cecilia had thoroughly searched the Plague Lord’s fortress, sorting through treasures.

It was quite the challenging task for someone directionally challenged like her, and in reality, Cecilia endlessly exaggerated how difficult and dangerous that task was.

“As soon as I entered the entrance, the path split into three! The corridor was packed with rooms. Knight Elliot, can you believe it?”

“Well… I don’t want to be that guy, but most people don’t get lost at a three-way junction.”

“Three paths is devilish.”

“No, that’s normal.”

“….”

Realizing the conversation was going in circles, Cecilia deftly shifted the topic.

She began to elaborate on how Blackie, forcibly conscripted to pull the wagons filled with the plunder, had caused quite the ruckus.

Eventually, when I made it clear that I was uncomfortable listening to her ramblings, Cecilia cleared her throat and sat up straight.

“So what’s your business here?”

“First, I plan to equally distribute the gold and treasures found in the fortress among the resistance army here at the forward base. I believe the Rulier Siblings will distribute it well, so I’ve entrusted them with it.”

“That makes sense.”

I nodded in agreement with her reasoning.

Then, Cecilia’s eyes widened.

“That’s unexpected.”

“What exactly is unexpected?”

“If we’re talking about the Knight Elliot I know, I thought you’d say something like, ‘How dare someone of such low status dine with me!'”

“…That sounds nothing like me.”

“Just an example.”

What kind of image do I project to Cecilia, I wondered.

Putting that aside, it’s obviously essential to share the spoils with the resistance army.

“I’m not that shameless of a guy.”

Regardless of the process, the resistance army had helped us. Without this forward base, we would have had to head straight to Vermina’s fortress. To cross the Erosion Zone, Ophelia wouldn’t have been able to conserve her divine power, which would have been critical in the battle against the Plague Lord.

Moreover, since I effectively forced the resistance army into the Erosion Zone, I definitely needed to give them a suitable reward.

Cecilia nodded as if she agreed, and then pulled out a purple bundle from her cloak.

“What’s that?”

“These are artifacts collected from the corpse of the Plague Lord. They are entrusted to me by the Saint Lady….”

Cecilia handed me the bundle and continued.

“I believe these artifacts rightfully belong to Knight Elliot and the Saint Lady, who defeated the Plague Lord. Please accept them.”

“Hmm.”

I took the bundle and looked inside at the brilliantly shining artifacts.

They were undoubtedly valuable, but I wouldn’t have much use for them—maybe one or two at best.

There might be some items to give to the other companions, including Ophelia, so it would be better to take them all and distribute them as needed.

“Ugh.”

As I began to gather the items, Cecilia cleared her throat, giving me a hint.

“What’s wrong?”

“Uh, how should I put it… um.”

Cecilia flicked her lips and glanced at me, then sighed deeply.

I could roughly guess what kind of conversation she wanted to have.

It must be about Ophelia.

By now, an unbearable misunderstanding had spread within the campsite, and even the resistance army and my companions looked at me awkwardly every time we met.

It was thanks to Emily Barried’s devilish jabbering.

I had fainted for ten days, and as soon as I came to, I was labeled a lecherous man seeking the Saint Lady.

That’s the image I was projecting now.

“Cecilia, I’d like to say it’s a misunderstanding, but… I suppose you don’t believe me.”

“No, I do believe you.”

Of course, Cecilia’s eyes wavered as she said this.

What a shame; she really couldn’t tell a lie.

Anyway, I was equally perplexed about Ophelia.

I could hardly believe she would do something like that while I was sleeping.

Though I had my suspicions…

“….”

I absentmindedly played with my lips.

The sensation I felt just before dozing off last night still lingered raw around my lips.

“Shit….”

As I buried my face in my hands, Cecilia’s eyes widened in surprise.

“…Are you alright?”

“I’m not alright….”

“Um, yeah. You must be having a hard time.”

Cecilia observed my distress quietly for a moment and then gave a slight bow.

“Since it’s almost mealtime, I should take my leave now.”

After Cecilia left, I sighed deeply and turned to stare at the ceiling. As I continued to gaze at the flickering lamp, what came to mind was…

“Am I really losing it?”

Honestly, my capacity for such situations wasn’t absent at all. Back when I was on Earth, during my carefree days, I had hugged a woman, and since being reincarnated, I’ve seen all sorts of things.

But Ophelia had been around for over five years, since before she was of age. The fact that I might have feelings for her, or that she was pursuing me fervently…

No matter how I thought about it, it seemed impossible.

However…

“Hey.”

A voice broke through my thoughts, unmistakably Ophelia’s.

I slowly sat up and looked at the entrance of the tent where Ophelia appeared. She was yawning lazily, wearing short pants and a sleeveless top after tossing off her holy garment.

“Eat, you food monster.”

Her usual rough tone. But I could no longer regard Ophelia as simply that.

Ophelia placed a pot down and ladled soup into a bowl, and I awkwardly accepted it, but…

“Ophelia?”

“What?”

“Um…”

I stared at the bowl she handed me.

“This is a stone bowl.”

“And so?”

“Wasn’t there something lighter?”

“Lighter? Should I serve it in a chamber pot instead?”

I shook my head, and Ophelia frowned, raising the ladle in annoyance.

“There’s no way to find a breakable bowl in a place like this. Just eat it. You need to eat well to recover quickly.”

What Ophelia had brought was a stone bowl the size of a millstone.

In my current state, I couldn’t lift even this gigantic bowl, let alone a black one.

Then Ophelia sighed, pulled her chin up, and raised her nose.

“Alright, I guess I’ll have to feed you then?”

“….”

“So, are you going to starve?”

Was this her plan all along?

Or was it simply me being overly paranoid?

Regardless, whether she knew my inner turmoil or not, Ophelia unceremoniously sat beside my bed and patted her thigh.

“Here.”

“…Why?”

“Just lie here. Open your mouth, and I’ll feed you.”

The infamous knee pillow.

And on top of that, Ophelia was in shorts.

“No way. I’d rather lie in a coffin.”

“Shut up and lie down.”

Despite my desperate attempts to refuse, I was in such a weak state that I couldn’t shake off Ophelia’s grip as she tugged on my clothes.

With my head helplessly resting on her lap, the soft touch against my neck, and Ophelia’s small face staring down at me came into view.

“Okay, ahh.”

“….”

“Ahh.”

“….”

“Open wide, or you’ll die.”

As I glared at her with death in my eyes, I had no choice.

“Alright, fine. I’ll do it.”

“Good, my baby is eating so cutely.”

At my age, being fed like a baby by someone younger than me, especially by Ophelia, was definitely humiliating.

If anyone saw me, I might as well just kill myself.

Of course, Ophelia looked quite pleased.

“If anyone saw this, who’d believe it? Hey, want to cry like a baby?”

“…Hey, stop….”

Even though Ophelia shoved the soup into my mouth with a blunt demeanor, I couldn’t help but notice the slight smile on her face.

Without a doubt, Ophelia was thoroughly enjoying this situation.

“…So, Ophelia.”

While chewing the soup she served, I asked her.

“What?”

“Are you coming tonight?”

“What do you mean?”

“For tonight.”

Night.

Which clearly referred to her healing duties, but for both of us, the word ‘night’ had different interpretations.

“….”

Ophelia stared at me, her face slightly flushed as she said…

“Yeah.”

“….”

“I’ll come find you.”

As I saw that look on her face, I instinctively knew.

This can’t continue like this.

I needed to find a solution.