"Elise, take off your clothes. Since we have some time now, let me check how your status has changed. I wonder if there will be another surprise?"
The moment they returned to the Familia's residence, Astraea eagerly clung to Elise.
"After all, you just fought a Level 6— the Fierce Warrior— and won."
"From Freya's tone earlier, Ottar seems to have gained an astonishing improvement. Otherwise, she wouldn't have offered such terms."
Freya had shown no intention of concealing Ottar's growth. Anyone present could see how highly she valued him.
If a Level 6 like Ottar had improved, then if Elise—a Level 1—showed no progress at all, wouldn't that be strange?
And Elise was already a Level 1 with all abilities at SSS. If she experienced another leap, just how far would she reach?
"Someone who can defeat the Fierce Warrior must have gained tremendous growth."
"So... be a good girl and take it off. Let me see."
Faced with Astraea's expectant gaze, Elise felt a little helpless. Her goddess truly treated her differently.
But that was fine.
If the Goddess of Justice was this affectionate, then even doing something excessive would surely be forgiven, right?
In the end, she would simply leave everything to justice.
I am justice!
"Lady Astraea, you're always so enthusiastic when updating my status. Could it be... that even a goddess can't resist my beautiful body?"
"If this continues, will you end up completely captivated by me, Lady Astraea?"
Astraea, who had originally intended to tease Elise, burst into laughter at those words.
"Not at all."
Was she about to deny Elise?
Of course not.
"There's no need for it to continue. I'm already deeply captivated by you, Elise."
The goddess gently placed her hands on Elise's shoulders, a faint smile on her lips.
"A child as lovely as you—sleeping together every night, bare and under the same covers—even a god might lose themselves if they're not careful."
Astraea seemed ready to take things further, because she had already figured out Elise's personality.
In public, Elise was serious and dignified—the saintess everyone spoke of.
But when alone with someone close, a mischievous side would surface. Sometimes, she would even tease others like this.
If one wished to see Elise's cute side, one had to do something slightly excessive.
And that person had to hold a special position—someone Elise would be reluctant to strike.
If a stranger dared to act that way toward her, Elise would dodge or firmly refuse. If it were someone worse, she might even smash their head into the ground.
But Astraea perfectly fulfilled those conditions.
Thus, perhaps only this goddess could enjoy this side of Elise.
Just like now, Astraea reached out again, her target unmistakably Elise herself.
However...
"Hmph! How dare you make a move on my sister!"
A small hand blocked Astraea, glaring at her with displeasure.
"You shameless vixen!"
"A vixen...? That's a bit harsh, Est..."
Putting on a wounded expression, Astraea's interest only grew stronger.
Watching Elise present her saintly facade before others was rather entertaining.
She had never exposed Elise's interruption earlier, because strictly speaking, Elise playing the role of a saintess wasn't a lie. At least none of the other gods had seen through her inner nature.
They believed that saintly demeanor was truly Elise herself.
If Astraea were to act the same way, it would probably feel something like this.
"Since it's the first nickname Est has given me, I'll gladly accept it. After all, I quite like Est."
"Surely you call me that because you like me too. Close people sometimes use teasing insults like that, don't they?"
For example...
Baka, hentai, urusai...
"Isn't that right, little cutie?"
For a moment, Est's mind seemed on the verge of smoking.
She suddenly remembered.
Wasn't she herself exactly that kind of sword spirit?
Then the insult she had just used meant...?
While Est's little head struggled to process the thought, Astraea seized the opportunity. She scooped Est up and pressed her against her chest.
"Hehe! From this angle, Est looks just like my child!"
Since Est had blocked Astraea's demonic—no, divine—claws from reaching Elise, someone had to suffer in exchange.
And that someone would be...
Est!
The petite white-haired girl wore a disgusted expression. Yet for some reason, she did not immediately push Astraea away. Instead, she remained quietly in her embrace, enduring the attention.
After a long while, Est finally reacted.
"You really are a vixen!"
"Hm?"
Watching the interaction between goddess and spirit, Elise felt genuinely happy. Their relationship seemed to be improving.
But jokes were only jokes. It was time to handle proper business.
Elise revealed her back, allowing Astraea's fingers to trace across it.
Is it just my imagination?
As she felt the touch against her back, Elise couldn't help but wonder...
Her senses seemed sharper.
Could this be the effect of increased abilities?
But why? I haven't leveled up yet.
Countless questions surfaced in Elise's mind, but before long, she stopped dwelling on them.
Since her status was being updated now, everything would become clear soon enough.
Seconds passed one by one. As Astraea's fingers moved, the emblem of sword and wings emerged once more. Elise's status revealed itself before the goddess.
Previously, just in case, Astraea had placed a lock upon Elise's status to prevent others from viewing it.
But thinking about it carefully...
Wasn't that lock essentially the same principle as a chastity lock?
Only the Familia's patron deity could view it freely.
Yet there were still those who could open it with unlocking potions...
When she thought about it that way, the lock sounded rather troublesome.
Returning her focus to Elise's status, Astraea found herself once again staring at her back only two days later.
"..."
This time, the goddess fell silent.
Then she sighed helplessly.
"Forget it. I'm already used to this."
"I'll copy it onto parchment. You can see for yourself."
Elise accepted the parchment from Astraea.
Her updated status came into view.