## Chapter 81 – Zombie Parade
The Order of the Radiant Cross was an extremely violent religious group that worshipped the god Aizermart, the god of order. They were fanatical crusaders with a grand mission to purify the world and bring about paradise by killing evil monsters and sending their souls to their god.
It was only natural that such psychopaths would participate in this kind of frenzied festival. Elise, who had arrived, placed her luggage on the ground and greeted us.
“It seems we meet so often; I feel a great connection.”
Judging by the weapons sticking out from between the bundles, it seemed these were the festival support supplies sent by the Order of the Radiant Cross. As expected of religious thugs, they looked like extremely brutal weapons. Quite tempting.
“But who is that behind you?”
Elise gave Claudia a questioning look.
“Ah, this is my girlfriend, Claudia. Claudia, this is Elise, a friend of mine.”
I simply introduced Claudia as my girlfriend. Elise, with her characteristic expressionless face, shook Claudia’s hand.
“I sense a very strong power. Pleased to meet you. I am Elise, a junior nun of the Order of the Radiant Cross.”
“Oh, really? Nice to meet you, I’m Claudia. Can I just call you Elise?”
“You can call me anything you like. But… I sense the power of another god. Excuse me, but do you have a separate religion you believe in?”
“Hel-Kan. Know it?”
“I see. I have heard of the religion that worships the Night Sky Fighting God. Anyway, since you are the Saint’s girlfriend, you must be a good person. I look forward to working with you.”
“Saint?”
A Saint refers to someone who walks the sacred path, a term usually used to elevate followers of any religion.
Frankly, I didn’t believe in the religions of this world, so it wasn’t a term I was familiar with, but I had helped Elise with her work twice, so that’s why I was being called that. I explained it to Claudia.
“Ah, I happened to help Elise with her church mission once. That’s why I’m being called that.”
“I see. Hmm… well, I guess it doesn’t matter. I thought you were hiding a religion or something.”
“As if. I’m a man with no secrets.”
The only thing I was hiding from Claudia was the amazing fact that I wasn’t an ethnic barbarian, but an ordinary drifter from another dimension.
Besides that, my true identity is actually a Siljangi… just kidding.
Claudia was also hiding her age from me, so it was a fair trade. Frankly, I was about to turn inside out with worry about her age. I didn’t care how old she was, I just wanted her to tell me.
I was confident I wouldn’t care even if she was over 100 years old.
Since she was a half-elf anyway, I could generously overlook that much.
“Saint Katt, are you planning to go purify the undead now?”
Elise asked with a very interested tone. It was an intonation that betrayed a higher tension than usual for her. She was still Elise.
“That’s right. Gotta earn Talents.”
I guessed that the dreamlike situation of exterminating a large number of undead had stimulated her destructive desires.
But seeing her carrying bundles, it seemed she had come to promote her religion by sponsoring religious goods rather than directly exterminating them. I wondered if she would be able to enjoy this festival. She might end up just guarding a stall.
That would be very harsh for her.
“Then please come to us. We’ve brought a lot of good support items. I’m sure you’ll be interested.”
“I will.”
Having finished our greetings, we were about to head outside.
Then Elise’s gaze was fixed on the gate. It was a gaze like that of a girl with a serious illness who couldn’t leave her house, sadly longing for the children playing outside the window, and I felt extreme fear.
The moment that little religious thug entered the zombie zone, it would be hell.
Even ordinary people get sick of the rotten blood and guts after fighting zombies, but Elise would enjoy it with a smile to spare.
“Elise? Do you know them?”
—Clang, clang.
At that moment, a very tall blonde nun approached from behind Elise. I was instantly very flustered. It was the first time I had ever seen such a tall woman.
Considering that I was 178cm tall, she looked to be about the same height as me, or maybe 5cm taller.
Judging by the emblem on her armor, she also seemed to be a member of the Order of the Radiant Cross. But was she really a nun? Judging by the heavy armor she was wearing over her nun’s habit, was she a paladin? I wasn’t sure.
“Ah, Sister Blaret. This is Saint Katt, whom I mentioned. He has helped us with our mission twice.”
“Is that so?”
The nun called Blaret looked at me.
She was a typical blonde, blue-eyed beauty. She wore heavy armor over a nun’s habit. She had a sword that looked sacred at her waist, which was in contrast to Elise, who used a mace.
There’s a prejudice that religious people usually use blunt weapons, but it doesn’t always seem to be the case. Judging by the scabbard, it seemed to be a very high-end sword. It probably symbolized her status.
“Oh, you’re tall. Nice to meet you. I am Sera Blaret Akserun, a Paladin of the Order of the Radiant Cross.”
“Excuse me?”
What was that name?
I was stunned by the incredibly long name.
“Sera is my name, Blaret is my baptismal name, and Akserun is my title. You can simply call me Sera.”
She offered me a handshake.
“Ah, my name is Kim Katt, no, Katt. Nice to meet you. But are you Elise’s superior?”
“Something like that. My position is higher.”
When I shook her hand, I could tell that her grip was quite strong. Her handshake was full of strength. It was unmistakably the hand of a warrior. Since she was a paladin, I suspected she was a very strong person.
“I’ve heard a lot about you. I appreciate your contribution to the development of our Order of the Radiant Cross and your help to Elise.”
“No, well, I did it to make money.”
“By the way, you’re a tall man. Judging by your hair color, are you from Mirkesha? Excuse me, but your religion…”
The atmosphere was gradually becoming ominous. Sera looked at me with shining eyes, as if she were seeing something interesting, and tried to ask me about my religion.
“Sister Blaret. He has no religion.”
Elise interjected, as if defending me.
“Is that so? Then this is an opportunity to join our Order of the Radiant Cross…”
Despite Elise’s efforts, Sera began to try to convert me. I felt like I was going to be screwed if I stayed any longer, so I grabbed Claudia’s hand and pulled her away.
“Haha, I’ll think about that later. Right now, I need to purify some zombies. I’m worried that the undead’s evil hands are reaching out to the city even as we speak.”
“I see. I’m sorry. It seems I unintentionally got in the way.”
“Hey, it’s not like that. I was glad to meet you.”
I don’t know why these guys are so eager to talk about religion whenever they see me. When I think about it, even when I was back home, all sorts of religious people would talk to me whenever I went to the main street.
Could it be that such a pushover aura is emanating from my body?
I had no intention of joining a religion, even if I died and came back to life.
“Hmm, a paladin. She seems pretty strong. The Order of the Radiant Cross? They’re high-level.”
When I grabbed Claudia’s hand and pulled her, she stopped and looked at Sera. The two women’s eyes met. It would be troublesome if a religious war broke out here.
“The follower of Hel-Kan also has a strong divine aura. It’s been a long time since I’ve met a cultivator of this level.”
They also exchanged greetings, praising each other’s martial arts and sublimating it into small talk on the subject of religious views. It seemed that a consensus had been formed as they were both powerful warriors.
I, who had been suddenly robbed of Claudia, stuck next to Elise.
Elise said plaintively.
“I would like to purify the undead, but this mission is not that… I was happy to be dispatched, but I didn’t know it would be this kind of dispatch.”
“No, why do you look so disappointed?”
“I am very disappointed. Of course, it’s a good thing to give the public this kind of opportunity, but I can’t help but feel personally disappointed.”
“Well… hang in there. There will be another chance.”
“I hope so.”
Elise seemed very discouraged because she couldn’t beat up the undead. I don’t understand women’s emotions. Like the people who live in this world, they must also have violent tendencies inherent in them.
“By the way, the conclusion is that the mastermind behind this mass outbreak of undead is the necromancer who escaped from the dungeon. He seems to be a pretty strong necromancer. The Order is chasing him. I think that’s why they’re short on manpower.”
“Ah, that one from back then?”
I had tried to chase a necromancer in the Necropolis Orkota Catacombs, the dungeon I went to last time. Hearing the story, I was really glad I didn’t chase him. The Skeleton Mage was a pushover, but that didn’t mean the caster who created it was also a pushover.
Anyway, it took too much time. I should get going soon…
It looked like Claudia and Sera’s conversation was over.
Claudia looked happy. She smiled and called me.
“Katt, shall we go then?”
“Let’s get going.”
Sera waved at me. I also waved back once and said to Elise.
“Elise, I’ll come find you when you’re done.”
“…”
Elise looked regretful and disappointed. If I was with her, I wouldn’t have to worry about the undead, but she had work to do. It was a shame, but there would be another chance.
Then Elise said to Sera.
“Um, Sister Blaret.”
“Elise? Is there something you want to say?”
“Well, that is…”
It was the first time I had seen Elise hesitating, so I was captivated. It felt fresh to see her, who was almost always expressionless, showing such a side. After all, kids that age had to have that kind of flavor.
“You want to go purify the undead after all?”
“That’s…”
“Hehehe, you don’t have to say it. I see, I understand.”
Sera, who had cleared her throat, continued.
“Sister Elise. Then you can go for today.”
“Really, Sister Blaret!”
Elise, who had suddenly become radiant, shouted with great joy. It was the first time I had seen her express her emotions in such a way.
“Of course. It’s the first day anyway. Take it easy on the first day, that’s the best. I want to relieve some of my fatigue too. It’s okay. But you have to do me a favor later.”
“Thank you! Sister Blaret!”
“Hehehe, aren’t you calling me ‘Sister’ anymore?”
“…”
“Well, what can’t I do for cute Elise? Go ahead.”
Looking at them like this, they seemed to have a very good relationship. The difference in height was so great that it felt like watching a mother and her child.
“…Thank you, Sister Sera.”
Elise, who said that, hugged Sera.
“Then go and smash the heads of the evil undead. Feel free to enjoy yourself. Well, I want to taste the brains of the undead too, but I’m going to rest a bit today. I’m getting old, so it’s hard.”
Sera patted Elise on the back and spat out such a crazy remark. I was right. She wasn’t in her right mind. My body trembled.
“Saint Katt! I request your company!”
Elise, with a smile on her face, turned to me and shouted.
“Okay, let’s go together.”
And so, we formed a party of three, including me, Claudia, and Elise, and went outside the city.
Claudia looked calm, as if she were going for a walk. Elise, who was so excited, started to look around with her mace drawn from the beginning.
Today’s harvest should be good.
