Ultimately, I didn't need the Goddess' help because Sana had unbelievable trust in me. She just believed what I said to her and supported me with everything she got.
I knew she wasn't that naïve or wouldn't become an Archbishop. It was just that my plan would also benefit the church in the future; hence she just went along with it.
How could it benefit the church? Because if I got my hand on the Queen and the citizens had less trust in King Cassius, and the government from the Princess went missing, they would choose another pillar as their mental support.
In this world, nothing was more reassuring than getting the love of the Goddess. It would definitely increase the church's income from the donation. The number of believers coming to the morning prayer every first month would also increase.
I left the church in a good mood and went to the market because my cheeky nun was apparently there. At first, I wanted to stop by to meet Tristan, but somehow she wasn't in the training area. She was apparently in the dorm, probably still digesting the potion I gave her yesterday.
It seemed like she wanted to keep it a surprise for the duel day, and I would respect that decision.
Talking about surprise, I slowly approached the unsuspecting Milea, who was shopping for vegetables, and pounced at her from behind.
"Yaa."
"Hya!"
The blonde nun yelped cutely as her body jolted. She quickly turned around and pouted when she saw that it was me who was surprising her.
"Sir Arthur!" She raised her voice and then continued, this time with a hushed voice. "I thought I was about to get kidnapped again!"
"Hahaha, my bad." I laughed merrily at the sight of Milea pouting. She looked cute. "Do you need help to bring the bag?"
I looked at her hand, which held two bags filled with meat and some other stuff that I didn't know. They looked heavy, not to mention the extra bag that would come from buying the vegetables.
"Ah, please, Sir Arthur. It's really helping me. My frail hands are unable to hold them any longer, hehehe."
Unlike the other nuns, Milea was straightforward and never refused my help. I appreciated that because she didn't need to push herself if she truly needed help. While Sana ordered them to serve me, they were ultimately still Castitas Church's nun. So helping each other was natural.
Well, not that natural because I was their superior, but I wasn't used to someone refusing my help, which made me feel a little bit guilty.
So Milea saved my guilty feelings a bit, though she was irritating because she didn't seem to respect my position as her superior. As expected from a cheeky nun, she needed to be shown her place.
Taking the bags from Milea's hand, I waited for her to pay for the vegetables, and we walked down the market. As usual, it was busy with many pedestrians, and I thought of making her play that game.
But soon, I shook my head. I had enough fun and needed to concentrate on a few things first. I should wait until the problem that plagued me was fully resolved before doing something like that again.
When we were out of the crowd, entering the main street, Milea began to match my walking pace and put her hands behind her back, smiling cheekily.
"You don't want to play with me, Sir Arthur? I surely thought you would punish me because I acted like that earlier."
"I am not in the mood to," I replied flatly. The bags in my hands disappeared into my inventory, and I smirked as I looked down at my lovely cheeky nun. "Or did you act like that to get punished? You wanted to wear that rotor in the market again?"
"Hmm~ I wonder? What do you think, Master~"
"I think the nun in my place is so lewd." I put my left hand on her head and shuffled her hair, creating a mess out of it. Milea laughed without care, enjoying it. "Not even those Succubi who arrived in the church asked for my help to quench their desire." I continued, pulling my hand away.
"Ah, I heard about them from Garcia," Milea replied, fixing her hair with her free hand. "You have quite a big harem, Sir Paladin." She smiled playfully.
This street was devoid of people. The sun slowly descended into the faraway horizon, hiding from this world and inviting its sister, the moon, to show up and illuminate us with its gentle light.
The magic lamps across the street were turned on, and a gentle orange light cast away the darkness from the street. Following it, the lamps inside houses on the side of the road were also turned on.
I looked at the cheeky nun who just blurted out something with a smile.
"I guess so."
Denying it meant I denied my relationship with my girls. Without us declaring it, we knew that we loved each other. Otherwise, they wouldn't try to get close to me for the 2nd or 3rd time.
Milea had a surprised expression at my answer, hiding her small mouth with her hand.
"The fact you didn't deny it is amazing. Truly."
"Hmm, I wonder. What do you think, Milea?" I smirked at the cheeky nun as I threw her question back to her.
"Hahaha, what I thought?" She giggled cutely and then gave me a brilliant smile. "They all really love you, Sir Arthur. Of course, me too. So don't get bored with us and leave us, okay?"
Her words rang in my head.
'Leave them, huh?'
The only way for me to leave them was when I found a way to my home. Even now, there was still this small desire to return.
The reason was simple. I wanted to return to my peaceful home and live that boring life. That was what I thought before.
And I also wanted to make sure those I left behind were fine, mainly my body.
I didn't know my own condition. What if I die in this world and my body on Earth had already been burned to ashes?
What if more than 5 years had passed on Earth and the flow of time was different?
That terrified me. Scared me.
What about Tristan? Her situation was the same as mine. She even went missing and lived in this world for 12 Years. Didn't that mean 17 years had already passed?
Without proper food, I doubted my real body was able to hold on that long without any miracle. Maybe the person controlling the System could keep my body condition, but that was also just a possibility.
And if the flow of time between this world and Earth was the same and my body on Earth died, what would happen to me? Would I die too?
'I need to make sure of it myself. But it's not urgent.'
That was why I was searching for the way home while I still had this body. The clue lies on the edge of the world.
It would be great if I could go back and forth between that world and this while keeping my power. This was the result of my hard work, and I deserved it.
But if I couldn't, I just wanted to make sure of my question. I didn't want to die prematurely in this world because my real body died out of natural death.
So the answer to Milea's question was simple.
"I won't leave you or the others, don't worry."
'As I've begun to love and get attached to this world.'
"Hehehe, I know that. I know you love us too and won't leave without saying goodbye."
Was this her intuition as a girl that made her ask that? I couldn't help but smile wryly and shuffle her hair again. She tried to stop me this time, and we walked slowly to my mansion in a good mood.
