The Saint Protests! Give Me Holy Water! (3)
Can Estia's addiction be completely cured?
Regarding that question, I think the answer is 'no.'
I can improve her condition, but I can't cure it.
Estia's addiction runs long and deep.
"So from today on, you have to eat Holy Water only with a spoon."
"What does that have to do with anything!! No! I won't do it!"
Estia threw the spoon to the floor.
This little addict.
Is she rebelling now?
"Then I suppose there will be no Holy Water—"
"I-I'll get the spoon back!"
Good.
The cooperation of the person involved is important in addiction treatment.
Fortunately, Estia seemed willing to participate in the treatment.
I snatched the spoon from Estia's hand.
"Estia. I'll give you one spoonful of Holy Water. Try eating it once."
Open your mouth.
Here comes the Holy Water.
I brought the spoon to Estia's mouth.
Estia's face turned red, then she drank one spoonful of Holy Water with a "waah."
Her expression instantly melted into bliss.
"Hehe, hehe...! This is it...!! I love it...! It's delicious...!"
Estia began trembling with happiness at the Holy Water she'd tasted after so long.
A sight I could never get used to no matter how many times I saw it.
However, Estia's happiness didn't last very long.
Since she'd only drunk a little Holy Water, the high wore off just as quickly.
"...What, what—!! Why is it ending—!!"
"Looks like this is your first time having such a small amount? Did you always gulp it all down at once?"
"Of course! Holy Water tastes better when you drink it all at once! So, give me the Holy Water—!!"
Swoosh swoosh—
Estia reached out to snatch the Holy Water.
Of course, being short, she couldn't reach it.
"Give it—! Give me Holy Water—! How can you drink it so slowly—!! I can't drink it like that—!!"
"You'll have to try to find out. Today, you're going to drink it slowly."
One spoonful doesn't make her eyes roll back and lose consciousness.
So.
One more spoonful.
"Here, eat. Estia."
"I don't want to! I want to drink it all at once!"
But contrary to her words, Estia's actions were honest.
She immediately moved her mouth to the spoon.
Nom—
"More, give me more...!! I need more Holy Water...!!"
"How do you feel right now?"
"I feel good—! So give me more Holy Water—!"
"Hmm..."
Estia was fidgeting like a dog about to pee itself.
I instinctively knew it was time to change methods.
The first training for treatment.
"Estia."
"Yeah?"
"Don't eat this spoonful for 1 minute."
"Are you trying to torture me!?"
"Instead, if you endure for 1 minute, I'll give you two spoonfuls."
"...!!"
Patience training.
One reason I think Estia can't be completely cured is her lack of patience.
The moment she becomes able to use Divine Power.
She'll be able to produce Holy Water and drink it whenever she wants, like a water purifier.
*'Does Estia have the patience to overcome that temptation?'*
No.
So I need to build up the patience to overcome that temptation.
I can't always manage Estia's Holy Water.
I held a spoonful of Holy Water in front of Estia's face.
"Try to endure for 1 minute."
"Hmph, I'm not stupid! You think I can't endure that!?"
Estia shouted confidently and stared at the spoon intently.
Drool was already flowing from her mouth.
It looked almost like a waterfall.
*'...Still, she's enduring surprisingly well.'*
She's lasting longer than I expected?
I'd originally been thinking 10 seconds.
Considering Estia's usual behavior, the word 'patience' didn't suit her at all.
But now.
Estia had endured for a whole 20 seconds.
Nom—
"...You lasted 20 seconds, Estia."
"Uh, huh...? What are you talking about...? I didn't eat it..."
"Then what's this empty spoon?"
"Didn't you eat it...?"
Her tongue's slurring but she's still talking well.
Estia's tongue had loosened after just three spoonfuls.
Slightly out of it, Estia said to me with hazy eyes.
"I endured...! So...! Give me Holy Water...!"
"You just ate it and you have no conscience, Estia."
"Me? I didn't eat it...!! Give it—!!"
Did a switch flip?
Estia began rushing at me, using force.
She pushed me with both hands to get the Holy Water.
However, I absolutely wouldn't be pushed, and it wasn't me who ended up falling back.
"Uh, uwaah...?"
She's going to fall.
Tap—
I grabbed Estia's arm as she was about to fall.
Then Estia suddenly burrowed into my arms.
It was completely unexpected behavior.
"...What on earth are you doing?"
"Hehe, hehe... I caught you...!"
Squeeze—
Estia suddenly burrowed into my arms and rubbed her face against me.
Like someone starved for affection.
I gently pushed Estia away and asked.
"...Estia."
"What!"
"Can you understand your current state yourself?"
"Of course! The Saint is good at that!"
Estia shouted confidently.
"Right now! I want to drink Holy Water...! And I want to hug...!"
"Who? Me?"
"Yeah—!! I want to hug you...!"
Estia clung to me again, pushing away the hand that had pushed her off.
She felt like a cicada.
*'This much from three spoonfuls... But it's different from before.'*
Acting on instinct is the same, but...
This time.
Even if her mind isn't clear, it exists.
In other words, the current Estia will remember today's events tomorrow too.
*'Estia. I'm sorry, but...'*
Since she's already entered the realm of instinct, I can't proceed with patience training.
So today.
I need to hear your true feelings.
When she drinks Holy Water, Estia loses her reason and becomes faithful to her instincts.
I asked to hear her honesty.
"Estia."
"Mm...? Why are you calling me...!"
"You just said you wanted to hug me. Why did you say that?"
"...Just because."
Just because?
Estia trailed off.
"Just because, I wanted to hug you... Is that bad...?"
"...I'm a bit flustered."
The kid who at first only wanted Holy Water.
Now wants a hug from me.
*'When she drank Holy Water until she lost consciousness. Is it because I kept holding her then?'*
Her dependence on Holy Water has decreased.
However, it feels like that dependence has transferred to me.
That wasn't particularly welcome, but in the current situation, I didn't really have a choice.
"Hehe, hug me...! Give me Holy Water too...!"
"...You'll remember this situation tomorrow, is that okay?"
"It's fine...!!"
...Tomorrow's you will be screaming that it's absolutely not fine.
But what was in front of me now was today's Estia.
I decided not to bother stopping her.
Estia in my arms murmured in a hazy, languid voice.
"This is nice... Hehe... This is nice..."
"I'm curious about what kind of 'nice' you mean."
"Just, nice... When I'm with you... it feels like I have a family."
"...I see."
Family.
Calling me brother.
Was that also for that reason?
Estia, who grew up in an orphanage, seemed to want familial affection.
*'Unlike the cheerful appearance she usually shows, there's a pitiful side to her.'*
I silently stroked Estia's head.
Estia stayed still in my arms and closed her eyes.
Though she'd drunk Holy Water, she wasn't trembling or anything, and looked stable.
*'Estia wants Holy Water, but...'*
Maybe what she actually wants is family she can lean on emotionally.
And maybe that feeling could reduce her addiction symptoms.
I speculated as such while watching Estia sleeping in my arms.
Morning.
Hare was helping the mister as usual.
"Hare, take the meal to Estia's room."
"Yes, mister...!!"
"Good, thank you."
Hehe, the mister praised me!
Hare started another day refreshed.
She headed toward Estia's room in high spirits.
Knock knock—
"Estia...! I'm coming in...!"
"..."
"Estia...?"
Why isn't she answering...?
Did something happen...?
Sensing something strange, Hare entered Estia's room without a response.
Creeeak—
"E-Estia...? Where are you...!?"
Th-this is an emergency...!
Estia's gone...!
Normally Estia would be sleeping in bed.
But on the bed was only a blanket rolled up in a ball.
There was no human form visible anywhere in Estia's room.
*'...Still, that's one less person competing for the mister's attention! G-good...!'*
N-no...!
I shouldn't think like that...!
Hare desperately hid her smile.
Then she tried to leave the room to inform the mister of this situation.
"Hare, just leave the food there and go..."
"E-Estia...? Where are you...?!"
"I'm here, Hare..."
Peek—
Estia poked her face out from the blanket.
Her face was flushed red as if she'd die of embarrassment.
Hare tilted her head and asked.
"Estia, are you sick...? What's wrong with your face...?"
"...I don't know! I don't know! I don't know anything! Don't ask me—!!"
"Wh-why is she acting like that?"
Kyaaaa—!!
Estia began kicking the blanket wildly and freaking out.
"Why! Why! Why did I do that yesterday—!! U-uwaah—!! Kill me—!! I want to die—!! Uwaah—!!"
Bang bang—
Estia recalled what happened yesterday.
*'Why on earth did I act like that yesterday—!! U-uwaah—!!'*
No matter how she thought about it, it was mortifying.
*'How could I cling to him...! And, and act all cute...!!'*
Bang bang—
Estia couldn't bear the embarrassment and attacked the blanket.
Did Hare realize something from seeing Estia like that?
"..."
Without saying anything, she put the food on the desk and left the room.
To Hare, who didn't understand the situation, Estia's appearance was...
*'M-mister...! Estia's gone crazy...!'*
Very scary.
Scary enough to be frightened.
To Hare, people who went crazy for no reason were the scariest thing.