Why did our airheaded Goddess specifically tell us to bring the Ice Cross Knights? Rather than broadly suggesting hiring mercenaries or temporarily recruiting knight orders, she had pointed to Olek Sibedev, who completely ruined his first impression. There must have been a reason.


    Now I finally understood why.


    [No]


    [What is thaat]


    [Why are they taking that out]


    Being negative about it, Olek Sibedev was easily swayed, acted impulsively, and had quite a temper. Yet despite these obvious flaws, he maintained his childhood friend''s unwavering love and earned the trust of 19 comrades.


    Even our party members saw Olek as just an unusual person rather than someone unpleasant, and viewers accepted him as a funny extra character like they did Manaashi as "Ham". Some gnashed their teeth in hatred because he had a cute childhood friend, but even that was just affectionate teasing.


    "Every time he talks it''s perfection this, efficiency that, art whatever - let''s teach him a lesson, talking like some young master who only learned war from books with no real experience."


    "Ah..."


    So Olek''s strengths must be his initiative in taking action and the leadership that inspires others through it. Rather than charisma born from perfection and genius, Olek''s ability was making others naturally follow through effort and action.


    Irene''s anger-filled eyes wavered briefly in confusion at Olek''s sincere words.


    Until now, dealing with mid-bosses and boss monsters had been my role. Irene was the supporter who helped with this, but suddenly being asked to take the lead seemed to make her hesitate slightly. It looked more like lacking confidence than reluctance.


    This was where Alisa stepped in to help Olek.


    "Don''t worry, Irene."


    "Hey, are these two some kind of couple scam team? They''re totally in sync-"


    The moment she confirmed the mages weren''t paying attention, Alisa slipped her arm through Irene''s and dropped honorifics. No wonder she''d been so formal with "Sister this, Sister that" earlier - it was because of others watching like the mages and Imperial commanders.


    If Olek Sibedev was the type to lead from the front and make others follow, Alisa Friedrich was the type to gently push from behind. As the Ice Cross Knights'' externally mounted brain, she''d grab the neck of those who went too far and push those who hesitated.


    Whispered softly, unlike Olek''s powerful voice, her sweet words flowed into Irene''s ear like a snake. The vice commander who''d led twenty immature knights for nearly a decade worked her persuasion.


    "You''re wondering if you can do it, right? And feeling pressured that you have to succeed. Or maybe regretting getting caught up in emotions and going too far."


    "Well, that''s..."


    "I''m not blaming you. It''s natural for a Goddess Faith nun to get upset seeing a dark mage. It would be more shameful to hold back and stay cautious without getting angry."


    Watching this made my heart pound strangely. Olek charging forward without hesitation, Alisa supporting him, and the knights standing at attention without a word, ready to follow their commander pulling out a bomb vest.


    Feeling something odd, I wrapped myself in mana to heighten my senses and felt unfamiliar mana waves radiating from Olek and Alisa, enveloping us like a force field. ...I''d jokingly called out to the Goddess seeing the bomb vest, but this must be why she gave us the quest.


    It was like they''d awakened a coupling skill sometimes seen in character collection mobile games.


    Coupling skills had effects that applied to everyone, plus occasional effects targeting specific characters. These appeared sometimes in Heroes Chronicle and often in other mobile games.


    Like when a tights-wearing saint character''s shield gave tons of extra buffs to a bikini armor paladin released at the same time, or how the bikini armor paladin''s healing aura restored not just HP but also MP for the tights saint-


    "That''s true..."


    Her golden eyes, wavering with anger and determination, turned gentle as a lamb''s at my whispers, wide and attentive. Like a good student, and as if sharing secrets, she lowered her voice too, worried the distant dark mage might hear us.


    Though her cuteness almost made me laugh, I held it back and continued.


    "Don''t think too big. We''re a party. Me, Grace, Katie and Hanna are all ready to help you. Olek and Alisa, and the Ice Cross Knights will jump in too."


    "That''s... thank you, really..."


    "Of course."


    Her face flushed red at my reassuring words, probably thinking she''d stepped forward ignoring the party leader and senior adventurer. Like staining pure white paper, I whispered the basics of K-gaming to her.


    That games aren''t about enjoying yourself, but making others mad-


    "So let''s think about it slowly. When you said life was precious, he sacrificed people''s souls for dark magic."


    "Yes. He deliberately... did what I hate?"


    "Then you should do what he hates too."


    Though it sounded obvious - exploit their weakness relentlessly - it wasn''t wrong. Even if it had been Han Se-ah, or Olek or Alisa instead of me, they could have given the same advice.


    But hearing my obvious words, Irene''s eyes squeezed shut before suddenly sparkling with determination as she glared at the fortress.


    Her divine energy surged fiercely at the same time. Watching her power beautifully align with Olek and Alisa''s mana waves like receiving support, her born 5★ nature showed clearly. With archer-like reflexes even in sudden ambushes, she must have thought of some new ability.


    Her holy power moved furiously as if willing to deplete it all. The knights, Han Se-ah, the viewers, the Imperial forces rampaging in the fortress, and the dark mage all stared blankly at us.


    "What the... hell?"


    "Ah, the Goddess blesses this war...!"


    While people who didn''t know Irene was a Saint Candidate and thought she was just the hero party''s nun watched her with awe, she silently completed her power. The gathered divine energy, enough to make high-rank magic look trivial, slowly took form.


    What emerged was massive armor, a shield, and a warhammer.


    Clearly enormous holy artifacts created with me, Roland, in mind.


    ...The unique point was their size - impossibly huge for human use. Befitting the tremendous mass of holy power, the armor flew to the battlefield ignoring the dark mage''s resistance and enveloped a dying ogre on the ground.


    "Y-you Goddess Faith nun-!!"


    "Rise once more to fight evil!"


    A 10-meter ogre rose unsteadily, armed with holy armor and warhammer.


    Fully healed, and buffed by a 5★ Saint Candidate.