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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Could Estia’s addiction be completely cured? I doubted it.
Improvement was possible, but a complete cure? Unlikely.
Her addiction was too deep-rooted.
“So, from today onwards, you can only drink holy water with a spoon.”
“What does that have to do with anything?! No! I won’t do it!”
Estia threw the spoon on the floor.
This addict… was she defying me?
“Then you won’t get any holy water-“
“I-I’ll get the spoon!”
Good. Cooperation was crucial for treatment.
Fortunately, Estia seemed willing to participate.
I took the spoon from Estia’s hand.
“Estia, I’ll give you one spoonful of holy water. Try it.”
Open wide. Here comes the holy water.
I brought the spoon to Estia’s lips.
She blushed, then opened her mouth and drank.
Her expression instantly softened.
“H-Hehe…! That’s the stuff…! Good…! Delicious…!”
Estia’s hands trembled with pleasure as she savored the taste of holy water. It was a sight I would never get used to.
However, her happiness was short-lived.
The small amount of holy water wasn’t enough to satisfy her craving.
“…What?! Why is it over?!”
“This is probably your first time drinking such a small amount, isn’t it? You always chugged the whole bottle, didn’t you?”
“Of course! Holy water tastes better when you drink it all at once! So give me more!”
Estia reached for the bottle, but she was too short to reach it.
“Give it to me! Give me holy water! How can you drink it so slowly?! I can’t do that!”
“You won’t know until you try. Drink slowly today.”
One spoonful wasn’t enough to make her lose control. So… one more spoonful.
“Here, Estia.”
“I don’t want to! I want to drink it all at once!”
Despite her protests, Estia’s actions betrayed her true desires.
She opened her mouth for the spoon.
Nom~
“M-More…! I need more holy water…!”
“How do you feel?”
“Good! So give me more!”
“Hmm…”
Estia fidgeted like a dog about to pee. It was time for a different approach.
The first step in her treatment.
“Estia.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t drink this spoonful for one minute.”
“Are you trying to torture me?!”
“But if you wait for one minute, I’ll give you two spoonfuls.”
“…!!”
Patience training.
One of the reasons I didn’t believe Estia could be fully cured was her lack of patience.
The moment she could use divine power, she would be able to produce holy water and drink it whenever she wanted.
‘Does she have the patience to resist that temptation?’
No. That’s why she needed to develop patience.
I couldn’t manage her holy water intake forever.
I held a spoonful of holy water in front of Estia’s face.
“Try to wait for one minute.”
“Hmph, I’m not stupid! Of course I can wait!”
Estia declared confidently, staring intently at the spoon.
Drool dripped from her mouth like a waterfall.
‘…She’s surprisingly patient.’
More patient than I expected. I had initially planned for 10 seconds.
Patience and Estia didn’t belong in the same sentence.
But now…
Estia had endured for 20 seconds.
Nom
“…You lasted 20 seconds, Estia.”
“H-Huh…? What are you talking about…? I didn’t drink it…?”
“Then what’s this empty spoon?”
“Did… did you drink it…?”
Her words were slurred. Three spoonfuls and she was already losing it.
Estia, her eyes glazed over, said,
“I waited…! So…! Give me holy water…!”
“You just drank some. Have some shame, Estia.”
“Me? I didn’t drink anything…!! Give it to me!”
Had a switch flipped in her brain?
Estia lunged at me, trying to grab the bottle. She pushed me with both hands, but I didn’t budge.
She was the one who stumbled.
“W-Whoa…?”
I caught Estia’s arm before she fell.
Suddenly, she snuggled into my arms. It was completely unexpected.
“…What are you doing?”
“H-Hehe… I caught you, Brother…!”
Estia nuzzled her face against my chest, as if starved for affection.
I gently pushed her away.
“…Estia.”
“What!”
“Do you understand your current state?”
“Of course! The Saintess is good at these things!”
Estia declared confidently.
“I waaaant… to drink holy water…! And… I waaaant… a hug…!”
“A hug? From me?”
“Yes! I waaaant… to hug Brother…!”
Estia pushed my hand away and clung to me again, like a cicada.
‘This much after only three spoonfuls… but it’s different this time.’
She was acting on instinct, but… this time…
Even though her mind wasn’t clear, she was still conscious. This meant she would remember this tomorrow.
‘Estia, I’m sorry, but…’
Since she was already acting on instinct, patience training was out of the question.
So today…
‘I’ll listen to your honest thoughts.’
Estia, who lost her reason and acted on instinct when she drank holy water… I decided to take advantage of her honesty.
“Estia.”
“Hmm…? Why…?”
“You just said you wanted a hug. Why?”
“…Just because.”
Just because?
Estia’s voice trailed off.
“Just because… I want to hug Brother… Is that bad…?”
“…It’s a little surprising.”
She had only wanted holy water before. Now she wanted a hug.
‘Maybe it’s because I held her when she drank holy water until she lost consciousness?’
Her dependence on holy water had decreased… but it seemed to have transferred to me. It wasn’t ideal, but I didn’t have much choice in this situation.
“Hehe, hug me…! And give me holy water…!”
“…You’ll remember this tomorrow. Are you sure?”
“I’m sure…!!”
…Tomorrow’s her would be mortified. But the Estia before me was today’s Estia, so I didn’t stop her.
Estia, nestled in my arms, murmured in a drowsy voice,
“This is nice… Hehe… Brother, this is nice…”
“I’m curious what you mean by ‘nice.’”
“Just… nice… Being with Brother… it feels like… I have a family.”
“…I see.”
Family.
Calling me Brother…
Was that why?
Estia, who grew up in an orphanage, seemed to be yearning for familial affection.
‘She has a surprisingly vulnerable side, despite her usual cheerful demeanor.’
I stroked Estia’s hair without a word.
She closed her eyes, nestled in my arms. She wasn’t trembling, despite having drunk holy water.
She looked peaceful.
‘Estia wants holy water, but…’
…perhaps she truly wanted a family to rely on. And perhaps that feeling could lessen her addiction.
I looked at Estia, sleeping peacefully in my arms, and wondered.
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Morning.
Hare was helping Mister, as usual.
“Hare, take breakfast to Estia’s room.”
“Okay, Mister…!!”
“Thank you.”
Hehe, Mister praised me!
Hare started her day with a cheerful heart. She happily made her way to Estia’s room.
Knock, knock
“Estia…! I’m coming in…!”
“…”
“Estia…?”
Why isn’t she answering…? Did something happen…?
Feeling uneasy, Hare entered Estia’s room.
Creak-!
“E-Estia…? Where are you…?!”
E-Emergency…!
Estia is gone…!
Normally, Estia would be sleeping in her bed, but there was only a neatly rolled-up blanket.
There was no sign of Estia.
‘…At least… Mister has one less person to worry about! G-Good…!’
N-No…!
I shouldn’t think like that…!
Hare desperately hid her smile.
She was about to leave and inform Mister of the situation when…
“Hare, leave the food on the desk…”
“E-Estia…? Where are you…?!”
“I’m here, Hare…”
Estia peeked out from under the blanket, her face bright red.
Hare tilted her head and asked,
“Estia, are you sick…? Why is your face so red…?”
“…I don’t know! I don’t know! I don’t know anything! Don’t ask!”
“W-What’s wrong with her?”
Thrash-!
Estia started thrashing around under the blanket.
“Why! Why! Why did I do that yesterday?! Ugh! Kill me! I want to die! Ugh!”
Thump, thump-!
Estia remembered what happened yesterday.
‘Why did I do that?! Ugh!’
It was mortifying.
‘How could I cling to Brother…! And… and act all cute…!!’
Thump, thump-!
Estia, unable to bear the embarrassment, continued to attack the blanket. Hare seemed to realize something.
“…”
She quietly placed the food on the desk and left the room.
To Hare, who didn’t know what had happened, Estia’s behavior…
‘M-Mister…! Estia has gone crazy…!’
…was terrifying.
The most terrifying thing for Hare was someone going crazy for no reason.
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Estia is my fav