After parting ways with Sylvia, Elise returned to her dormitory at Saint Galahadworth Academy as usual. However, the Saintess herself had no idea what awaited her.
Though she lived in the dormitory reserved for Page One, Elise had never participated in any ranking battles. Technically, the dorm wasn't even hers—it belonged to Laetitia, who had invited Elise to live there with her.
But now...
Just as Elise used her keycard to open the door, she saw a certain blonde girl standing at the entrance waiting for her.
"Is there something you need from me, Laetitia?"
There was no doubt—standing there was the room's original owner and Saint Galahadworth's rank #2, the "Witch of Thunder."
Seeing Elise's usual calm tone, Laetitia seemed to realize something. She took a deep breath and assumed the elegant posture of a noble lady.
"Yes, I do have something to talk about. But it's nothing serious—let's eat first and discuss it afterward."
Turning around, Laetitia led Elise into the living room.
At some point, the table had already been filled with steaming dishes, which made Elise's pupils shrink slightly.
Up until now, since this was technically Laetitia's room, Elise had always taken on some of the household chores. Normally, she was the one who did the cooking.
But today, Laetitia had taken the initiative to cook.
That could only mean—something was up!
Could it be...
Elise thought back to the affectionate moment she shared with Sylvia earlier and glanced at Laetitia's expression. A possibility dawned on her.
Is she jealous? Or afraid her status as a close friend is at risk?
Yare yare.
That's just how it is, isn't it?
After all, the Saintess was like a light that shone equally on everyone. She didn't show favoritism. If someone wanted to get close to the Saintess, it all depended on their own choices.
Sylvia had chosen to stand closest to that light, and naturally, some of it would be blocked for others.
Laetitia, however, had never made that move. She maintained a delicate distance from Elise—always wanting to get closer, but never quite crossing that line.
How contradictory.
But never fear—the Saintess would help untangle your inner turmoil!
After all, that was something a saintess should do. Elise would help her friend step out from the shadows in her heart.
"The food looks amazing today. Thank you, Laetitia!"
Elise hugged her from behind, and Laetitia's forced smile instantly shattered, replaced by a deep blush.
Oh?
Didn't expect her defenses to be this weak?
"I-it's nothing. Normally you always cook, right? I figured you must be tired by now, so I thought you could take a break and try my cooking for once!"
"Although... it probably doesn't taste as good as yours."
"Then how about I teach you how to cook next time?"
"Eh!?" Laetitia froze, and a joyful expression instantly blossomed on her face. "That would be wonderful!"
At the dining table—
"It tastes really good!"
Elise took a bite. The flavor was average, but considering Laetitia's status as a noble lady, it was already impressive that she managed to maintain this level of culinary skill alongside her rigorous training.
Compared to Elise's "cheating" abilities that made cooking easy, Laetitia's dishes weren't as tasty—but one could clearly taste the trial and error, the gradual improvement of a young girl learning with each attempt.
"You really went through a lot for this meal. Thank you, Laetitia."
"Then I won't hold back!"
For the first time in Laetitia's memory, Elise began eating freely before her—which left her stunned.
Even though Elise was eating with gusto, she still followed basic table manners. So while she ate quickly, her dining etiquette wasn't particularly uncouth.
Before long, all the dishes on the table were completely devoured. Meanwhile, Laetitia herself sat in a daze, as if she couldn't believe what she'd just witnessed from Elise.
"Thank you for the meal, Laetitia."
Finishing her food, Elise picked up a napkin and wiped her mouth elegantly, even quietly swallowing a small burp from her throat.
"Y-you… how did you…?"
Laetitia was stunned speechless. She had originally planned to ask Elise about Sylvia, but all those thoughts had now been blown completely out of her mind.
"It's rare for you to cook, and I finally got the chance to enjoy it properly. Of course I had to finish it all, right?"
At those words, Laetitia's fair cheeks turned visibly red, like Jerry from Tom and Jerry sitting on a hot spoon.
"Mm… as long as you're happy…" she muttered softly.
"Also, let's take a bath together tonight!" Elise said cheerfully. "Come to think of it, we've never bathed together before. You'll help scrub my back, won't you?"
"O-of course!"
Elise wasn't a lesbian, but that didn't stop her from getting close with other girls. That's what best friends were for, right?
Sometimes, sharing secrets could bring people closer together. And Elise's divine body—her Saint Body—was her secret.
She had done this with Sylvia before, and now Laetitia was next.
As expected of you, Saintess!
In the end, Elise radiated her saintly brilliance and pulled the beet-red Laetitia into her arms, cuddling with her as they fell asleep.
...
In the blink of an eye, a day had passed. It felt like she had only just finished chatting with Sylvia and Laetitia before suddenly being back inside the Sirius Dome.
It's like I've activated some kind of paradise cheat mode.
And so, amid the bustling excitement of the crowd, the time for the final match had arrived.
This match was nothing short of a global spectacle!
The moment Elise and Orphelia had won yesterday, the Festa Committee launched an overwhelming wave of publicity. People all over the world were now seeing news about the Festa in one form or another.
At the venue, the legendary Fourth-Generation Sword Saint, Tracy Harnett—former Lindvolus champion—had been invited as a special commentator. This showed just how seriously the committee was taking this final.
The match had even been branded the "Strongest Lindvolus Final in History," sparking anticipation across the globe.
Elise wasn't entirely convinced—after all, they said that every year.
Walking through the dark contestant tunnel, Elise made her way to the final stage. She could already feel the overwhelming pressure radiating from her opponent.
White and gold silhouettes stood tall, facing off on the grand stage of Lindvolus.
The audience, who had moments earlier been cheering and shouting, had now completely quieted down. Every pair of eyes was focused intently on the arena, afraid to miss even a second.
Even the host at the top of the stadium began to grow tense, until Tracy finally stepped forward and took the mic with a solemn expression.
"I hereby declare—the final match of the Lindvolus Festa… officially begins!"