66. The Hero Party Needs Training (4)
Saten's lessons progressed more smoothly than expected.
BlackMeow's role was helpful, and Saten's comprehension was also excellent.
"Hmm, so... people feel sad when they lose something, right? Like BlackMeow right now."
"Meow... meow..."
"That's correct, but... give BlackMeow the treat now. BlackMeow might get angry."
Saten dangled the treat in front of BlackMeow, checking her reactions like fishing.
BlackMeow went "meow- meow-" seeming to be sad, begging for the treat.
Saten handed over the treat before BlackMeow got angrier.
"This pig cat. You've already eaten three today and you're being greedy again. You're no different from a pig."
"Meow-! Meow-!!"
Munch munch-
BlackMeow accepted the treat and happily inhaled the dried jerky.
She certainly felt plumper compared to when I first saw her.
"Saten, people also feel happy eating delicious food like BlackMeow. Food can also be a reason for happiness."
"Hmm, is that so? I can't agree."
There are people who don't find pleasure in eating.
However, that didn't seem to be Saten's reason.
"The time spent eating is wasteful. It would be most efficient to eat for nutrients rather than taste. It's really unfortunate that pills containing essential nutrients don't exist."
"...I see."
For a moment, I could understand how Saten's mental world was connected.
An extreme efficiency advocate.
Wasn't this the mindset of the office workers I saw in Korea?
With such trivial thoughts, the lesson ended, so I decided to get up.
"Well then, Saten. I'll be going now."
"Yes, mister. But before you go, please answer one question."
A question?
A question outside the lesson?
I nodded at Saten as if giving permission.
Saten asked me expressionlessly.
"I'm curious—with the Non-elemental Magic you have, could it generate and maintain a human body?"
"Generate... and maintain...?"
Was she talking about body parts to send to the Cecilia family?
Saten didn't know properly, but her heart dreamed of revenge on her family, so she probably meant something like that.
I answered Saten's question without hesitation.
"Ordinary Blood Magic doesn't last long. However, if you generate it once with Non-elemental Magic, you can maintain it for a long time. In other words, it's not infinite. Do you understand?"
"...Yes, I understand. Thank you, mister. My research will make progress. I should study emotions more diligently."
Saten bowed her head in gratitude.
It wasn't bowing because she felt grateful, but closer to imitation.
But doing such actions might help her suddenly realize emotions.
After the Hero Party defeats the Demon King, I hoped Saten could survive alone after I die.
I closed the door and left Saten's room.
"...Right, Estia. I wonder if she's praying properly."
I almost forgot.
I was supposed to check after the lesson ended.
With the thought suddenly coming to mind, I immediately opened the next room.
"Estia, are you praying well-"
"Aaaah-!! Why won't you accept my prayers-!! You filthy Goddess-!! Give me Divine Power-!!"
Boom- boom-
When I opened the door, Estia was screaming at the top of her lungs.
*From the atmosphere, it seems she failed to obtain Divine Power...*
A Saint praying but no Divine Power coming out.
What an absurd situation.
I approached Estia, who was raging on the bed.
"...Estia."
"Divine Power-!! Why isn't it coming out when I pray-!!"
"Estia, calm down. You're too loud."
"O-Oppa-!! Why isn't Divine Power coming out even when I pray-!? It came out fine when I prayed at the Church-!! Why-!?"
Did she really not know?
The fact that the scripture she read was spreading false doctrine, and that she had been brainwashed with false information.
Did she still not understand?
After trying many times, Divine Power continued not to appear, and Estia seemed to have fallen into a panic state.
Religion held great meaning for Estia, so this was a natural result.
*Of course she'd be anxious when the Goddess she believes in doesn't respond.*
Come to think of it, it was the only thing Estia had left.
"D-Did the Goddess turn her back on me-?! I-I'm a Saint-!! This can't be-!!"
"...Calm down, Estia."
Smack-
I roughly grabbed both her shoulders to calm Estia down.
"I told you before, you can't reach the Goddess with the doctrine you know."
"H-Holy Water! The Goddesses sprinkled Holy Water to bring happiness to the world!! H-How is that wrong!! O-Oppa is wrong!! The cult leader and Holy Knights definitely said-"
"Then why can other people with religion obtain Divine Power outside the Church? That doesn't make sense, Estia."
"Eh...uh...? Wh-What do you uh...eh?"
Estia began uttering incomprehensible language.
Did she break down?
Or was her mind unable to accept the information?
From the situation, it seemed like both.
I decided to stop talking to Estia.
Estia's defense mechanism against trauma seemed stronger than I thought.
*She's refusing to understand... I'll have to touch on it more carefully next time...*
This was my mistake.
I touched on it too directly.
For Saint Estia to pull her weight, treatment for her trauma was absolutely necessary.
"Well then, Estia."
"Eh...uh...uh? What did you say, Oppa?"
"...I didn't say anything. Anyway, since you couldn't create Divine Power, I won't give you Holy Water."
"Th-That's ridiculous! What are you saying! I-I made this much Holy Water-!!"
Ptooey-
Estia spat out saliva as proof of Divine Power.
...Of course, there would be a faint trace of Holy Water's effect there, but the world doesn't call that Holy Water.
"Estia, I wouldn't take your saliva even if you paid me. That's not Holy Water."
"I-It is-!! There are lots of people who'd pay for it-!! Ah, ah!! D-Don't go!! G-Give me Holy Water-!!"
Thud-
How noisy.
Leaving Estia shouting at me to give her Holy Water, I closed the door.
It would be better to create some justification before bed and give her Holy Water.
*The justification... she breathed well? She didn't escape?*
Well, I could give it for reasons like that.
If I was going to give Holy Water anyway, it would be good to give it with praise.
I left Estia's room, promising her Holy Water.
And that evening, after giving Estia Holy Water...
"D-Don't go... S-Stay with me..."
"...Damn it."
I couldn't ignore and leave Estia, who was addicted to Holy Water and expressing her loneliness.
I really didn't understand why the Goddesses except Minerva were watching this abuse.
"Heh, hehe... I-I'm happy... H-Holy Water is good... We're together..."
"...Does drinking Holy Water make you feel that good?"
I could tell that Holy Water's effects were quite severe.
Holy Water that brought back happy memories and made you stay in those moments.
Thinking of the children suffering in the Church's underground.
I stroked Estia's head.
"...I hope someday your friends can be moved to a good place."
If that happened, you could also let those children go.
In the future, you'd be able to maintain your sanity without using Holy Water.
"Heh, hehe..."
"Next time, I'll reduce the dosage so you can stay conscious."
I did reduce it this time, but reducing it this much wasn't enough.
If she could just stay conscious, she wouldn't cling to me like a cicada like this.
Looking at Estia drooling in my arms like a newborn baby.
I checked the slightly open door.
There, black eyes were staring directly at me.
"...Saten, what are you looking at?"
"Observing. What you want is for me to realize emotions, right?"
"That's correct, but..."
Your gaze is too blatant.
Saten's intense stare without any emotion.
Hearing that gaze and Luna's voice shouting while training downstairs.
"Heh, hehe... Heh, hehe..."
I just had to wait until Estia fell asleep.
Though quite some time had passed living with the children.
*I'm still not used to it...*
Since this was my first time raising children too.
It was still difficult to adapt.
Morning.
As if nothing had happened yesterday, bright sunlight entered through the window.
The accumulated dust scattered in the air, welcoming my awakening.
"It's about time."
The last time was when I cleaned everything with Non-elemental Magic...
Now could be considered the right time.
Thinking so, I got up from bed and repeated the same daily routine.
Preparing breakfast and waking the children.
"We'll eat breakfast at the dining room today, so wake the children and come, Hare."
"Y-Yes...!"
Patter patter-
Of course, Hare helped me today too.
Only Hare, who remembered my wake-up time and got up a step earlier than me, helped me.
After calling all the children to the dining room.
Toward the children who were drowsy and barely holding their spoons.
I decided to explain today's activities.
"I think you've all been comfortable in your rooms since coming to this house."
"The space is fine even when swinging a wooden sword! Mister!"
"R-Right...! Though I'm far from mister... it's spacious, so it's good...!"
"Yes, the room got bigger so it's comfortable."
"Haah... mmm..."
Only the drowsy Estia didn't answer.
Since Estia's participation was already confirmed anyway, I boldly declared to the children.
"Normally, when I deploy Non-elemental Magic, cleaning ends immediately. However, I want you to know too. How hard cleaning is."
So...
"Today is a deep clean. Everyone finish breakfast and clean this mansion."
"...That's kind of annoying."
Even if it's annoying, it must be done.
It's part of mental education.
The Hero Party needed to have the habit of cleaning up messes.
So they could live well in the world even without me.
There should be no such thing as my empty spot in the Hero Party.