# 44. The Old Man is Sensitive (4)
Luna is taking swordsmanship lessons.
Hare is taking knowledge lessons.
Saten is taking emotion lessons.
The Hero Party is proceeding with their classes, except for Estia.
Everyone is showing decent results, and Hare has already finished her curriculum and is ready to move on to the next lesson.
Right now, she's not coming out of her room due to a certain incident.
*Anyway...*
Estia, who is currently not attending any lessons.
Now it's time to teach her.
I can't delay any longer.
The most behind party member is undoubtedly the Saint.
I opened her door and entered.
Estia, who had been lying in bed all day, saw me and shouted with a flustered look.
"Wh-what!! Oppa, what!! Without even knocking!!"
"Estia, come out. Your lessons start today."
"So suddenly? Isn't this too sudden?"
Incidents always happen suddenly.
I led Estia, who had been lying in bed, toward an empty room.
The lesson with her required 'soundproofing.'
As I was dragging Estia along, Luna appeared.
"W-wait a minute! Where are you going, Ajeossi! I'm hearing things! D-don't go! Stay by my side!"
"No."
"Huh?"
"If you're hearing things, then you follow me."
"Uh..."
*Dejected—*
In the end, Luna decided to wait at the door.
Since I used the non-elemental magic Silence on Estia's lesson, no sound would be heard from outside.
So...
*Now Estia can scream as much as she wants without any problem.*
Meaning I can conduct the lesson without worry.
An empty room.
In this place with nothing.
I called the name of the trembling Estia.
"Estia."
"Y-yes, why are you calling me...!"
"Don't tremble. I'm not scolding you."
"Really...?"
Perhaps because she saw Hare getting scolded before.
Estia was completely intimidated.
Was I that scary?
She seemed to be instinctively trembling even though she knew I wouldn't hurt her.
"Really. I didn't bring you here to scold you."
"I-is that so...? Ahem. A-actually, I knew that...!"
Did she really know?
Estia brushed off the situation with an awkward laugh.
Then, she thrust her golden eyes at me and asked threateningly.
Those golden eyes that I found fascinating every time I saw them.
"S-so! Oppa! Why did you bring me here! To this place with no one! O-oppa, d-don't tell me...! You're going to do something weird...?!"
"I won't."
"Y-you're trying to reassure me! Y-you're going to st-stick a needle in my body...? I-I know everything... Adults are all liars...!"
"...That's not it, Estia. Calm down and look at this."
"Eek...!! D-don't put your hand in your pocket! D-don't take it out...! P-please!"
Estia hid in the corner and shouted desperately.
Probably her trauma was triggered.
However, I ignored her words and put my hand inside my pocket.
When I took out the item from my pocket, Estia's anxious expression was dyed with happiness.
"H-Holy Water! It's Holy Water! You were going to give it to me!? Oppa, you're the best!"
"..."
As soon as she saw the Holy Water, her trauma instantly disappeared and she began praising me.
That's how important Holy Water is to her.
I shook the Holy Water in my hand, alternating between right and left.
"Hehe... Holy Water..."
"..."
When it went right, Estia's gaze followed.
When it went left, Estia's gaze followed.
Like a cat with a treat in front of it.
Estia moved her gaze following the Holy Water.
"You really are like a white cat."
"Hehe... Cats like Holy Water too... So give me Holy Water..."
"...If you want it, I'll give it to you."
"R-really!? Y-you're giving it to me?! I'm so happy!"
Yay—!
Even after drinking so much Holy Water last time, she's this excited.
Estia jumped up and down in place, showing how happy she was.
To such an Estia, I held out the Holy Water without any conditions.
"Here, drink it. Estia."
"Wow—! Holy Water—! It's Holy Water... huh...?"
"Is there a problem?"
"..."
I handed over the Holy Water without any conditions.
However, Estia froze as if petrified upon seeing the Holy Water.
She didn't move as if time had stopped for a moment.
Did she dislike drinking Holy Water that much?
I pulled back the Holy Water I had offered.
"If you don't want to drink it, then never mind."
At those words, Estia snapped back to her senses and reached out her hand, shouting.
"N-no! Give me the Holy Water! N-no! More than that, why is there only half the Holy Water! You're not supposed to drink Holy Water like that!"
"I'll take that as you don't want it."
"N-no! I'm sorry! I was wrong! Please, just give me the Holy Water!"
*Whine—*
Estia grabbed my pant leg and pleaded.
Just what kind of taste does Holy Water have to make her this obsessed?
I was curious, but I didn't particularly want to try it.
"S-sorry! Oppa, I'm sorry! I was wrong! Give me the Holy Water! Please! This is Lady Estia's request!"
"...Alright, drink it."
"Wow—!!"
Estia accepted the Holy Water without any suspicion.
She smiled with a "hehe—" and opened the cap of the Holy Water.
Then—*gulp—*
She immediately dove toward it with her mouth.
Estia transformed into a happy person in an instant.
"Hehe... Holy Water is good... But why is there only this much...?"
*Shake shake—*
As if not wanting to miss even a single drop, she shook the bottle, but no Holy Water came out.
Unlike when she drank a whole bottle last time, Estia's mind seemed relatively sound.
*If I compare it to alcohol...*
She has her memories and consciousness remains, but
she can't make rational judgments.
"Why... no Holy Water...? Estia is sad..."
*Shake shake—*
Estia kept shaking the bottle.
I called her name to get her attention.
From now on, proper education had to begin.
"Estia."
"Huh...? Why, oppa...?"
"The remaining half bottle. Do you want to drink more?"
"...!!"
Estia rushed over at those words.
"Holy Water! Give it! I-I'm not satisfied! Give it now!"
"W-wait. Step back and talk."
It's a bit annoying when she clings.
The smell of Holy Water was sweet, but it reminded me of my future self that I saw before.
Like a nightmare contained in a scent.
Even though I told her to step back, Estia kept clinging to me.
I had no choice but to take drastic measures.
"Estia."
"Holy Water! Holy Water! Give me Holy Water!"
"If you keep clinging. I'll throw the Holy Water on the floor."
"..."
Estia backed away without a word.
Even though she lost self-control, does she still realize what's precious?
Estia, with her tongue twisted, shrank back and ran far away.
"...Holy Water. I stepped back. So, give me Holy Water."
I'll give it to you.
If you behave properly.
Currently, Estia can't produce Divine Power even when she prays.
Why?
Because she has wrong faith and distorted knowledge.
I saw that fact in her past, but I decided to ask questions to confirm a few things.
"Estia. Why do the Goddesses exist in this world?"
"For happiness... The Goddesses exist to give us Holy Water..."
"Then, what is the reason for the Church's existence?"
"T-to make money... To give happiness to people... Holy Water is the best..."
I'm speechless.
If Minerva were here, wouldn't she seriously beat up Estia?
Minerva is the only Goddess who doesn't work in the Church.
All the other Goddesses are living comfortably in the Church, and Minerva is the only one who takes risks and works outside.
When I asked her why in the past...
*I don't know, they all lived for thousands of years and got tired. They dump all the work on me since I have no followers... Those bad bitches...*
I only got an answer cursing the Goddesses.
Perhaps the reason the Church became so corrupt is also because those Goddesses got tired.
Anyway.
Estia, who can't obtain Divine Power anywhere but the Church.
So that she can properly obtain Divine Power.
I had to completely reform the Saint's doctrine.
"...Is this right? Me teaching a Saint?"
"Hehe... Holy Water is good... Give it quickly..."
"You're not giving me an answer, Estia."
"Huh...?"
"From now on, we'll study the scriptures."
From now on, when we start studying the scriptures, I'll give her half a bottle of Holy Water.
After finishing today's assigned progress, we'll have a simple test at the end.
If she passes that test...
"I'll give you the remaining half bottle of Holy Water. Now, here are the scriptures. Study up to page 50."
"...!! Holy Water..!!"
Estia sat on the floor and immediately began reciting the scriptures.
"Chapter 1. The Goddesses for the safety of believers...? That's a lie! It's for the happiness of believers!"
"..."
She has wrong knowledge, so it will take some time, but.
The Saint began
studying the scriptures again, step by step.
In between, she grabbed my pant leg and pleaded for Holy Water.
But my will was firm.
And then...
"Scripture Chapter 2. Why do the Goddesses look down upon people?"
"Ha-happiness! To be happy by drinking Holy Water!"
"Wrong. It's to let them live a human life. This test is a failure. Aim for the next opportunity."
"Ah, ahhh—!! That's a lie—!! It's a lie—!!"
Estia failed the test and let out a voice filled with grief.
Today's study is over.
However, Estia, who couldn't give up on Holy Water, followed me around all day.
And she grabbed my pant leg, pleading for Holy Water.
"P-please... Holy Water... Give me Holy Water..."
"...Go inside and sleep."
Of course, I didn't grant Estia's pleas.
*Slam—!*
*Make her endure her obsession with Holy Water. And make her focus her attention elsewhere.*
Patience.
The keyword for Estia's lesson is patience.
If she overcomes it, she'll be able to obtain what she wants.
*Hoot— Hoot—*
Meowng carried a freshly made book and headed to Minerva.
The book's title was 'Lee Jun-woo's Future (New Edition)'
'Lee Jun-woo's Future (Old Edition)' was a book containing his future before kidnapping the Hero Party.
After meeting the Hero Party, his future changed dramatically.
So it was published under the name "New Edition" to classify it accurately.
"Hoot—! Hoot—!"
"Hmm, really? A new work came out? Hmm, let's see."
What will our Jun-woo's future be like!
I'm excited!
I hope it only contains happy content!
Minerva turned the pages with a lively smile.
"Hmm... Mm..."
Recently, nothing happened so I didn't need to give him any problems.
But in this future, I might need to give quite a few problems.
"Why are there so many dangerous things...? Saten, Hare... These two are doing strange things."
But well.
Since it helps with growth, there's no need to tell Jun-woo, right?
The emotion called love is a very good emotion for making someone grow.
Even if Saten can't empathize with emotions, she can understand them.
For the sake of the future, there's no need to stop it.
Until now.
"...But."
This might be a bit dangerous.
Dungeon City Henencia.
Of all places, those guys are there...
Pages burned with black flames.
"Traces of the Demon King here too?"
Jun-woo's future continued, but the last page of the burned pages.
Like a flower on a cliff, the last sentence survived among the black flames.
Minerva was very suspicious of those remaining words.
"The Demon King of Lust exists in Dungeon City Henencia. And..."
The children will face a trial of desire.
The children will witness Ajeossi's 'affair'...?
"What on earth does this mean...? An a-affair? J-Jun-woo...?!"
Are you crazy?!
What on earth are you doing in front of the children, future Lee Jun-woo?!
Even if they're your apostles.
Minerva absolutely could not understand Lee Jun-woo committing an 'affair' in front of the children.
"Y-you pervert—!! Ex-excommunication from apostleship, excommunication—!!"
Minerva's grief-stricken voice echoed through the library.
Meowng quickly covered its ears and ran away.
It was familiar.
This wasn't the first or second time this had happened.