When I Maxed Out the Zero-Star Saintess, a Yandere Confinement Life with Overwhelming Love Began - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“Have you ever thought about the decisive difference between a houseplant and a prisoner?”

I lie on a huge canopied bed, staring up at the painting of angels on the ceiling, and ask Sizzle the question.
This is the room at the deepest part of the grand cathedral. My new address. My prison. My breeding pen.

“…Whether or not it performs photosynthesis, perhaps.”

The answer comes from the “shadow” at my feet.
The black shadow ripples like a swamp, and Sizzle’s upper body slides out with a wet sound.

“Correct. More importantly, where the hell did you come from…?”

“This is one of my new powers.”

Sizzle answers as if it is nothing.
I am not overly surprised because I already know how ridiculous her abilities are.
Thanks to the protagonist correction raising her level cap and then leveling up, the skill to hide in shadows has been unlocked.
The Sizzle in front of me is level 70 out of 80. If I opposed her, she could crush me without breaking a sweat.

“So, Lyle. Basically, your earlier question meant ‘I’m stuck in this room all day with my roots planted, so I’m basically a houseplant, zee~’?”

“Everything except the weird ending is correct. And one more thing.”

“Yes?”

“I’m thirsty…”

“Your water intake is being managed. Your current level is within the proper range, so please endure for another thirty minutes.”

“Am I a patient or something?”

“No. You are a state-certified freeloader with the splendid title of ‘Saintess Manager.’
Besides, this is not my personal decision; it is the doctor’s orders.
If you absolutely must have liquid… the only moisture in this room is my bodily fluids.”

“I’m fine with that now… saliva?”

“No, urine.”

“I’ll pass!”

Sizzle crawls onto the bed with a suspicious smile and straddles me.

“If it’s saliva… would you drink it?”

She asks with drowsy, melted eyes.
If I nod here, we will probably start swapping spit right away.

“I-It was obviously a joke…”

“Jokes don’t work on me.”

“You tell them yourself.”

“Ufufu. That’s how it is.”

Sizzle laughs to cover it up, closes her eyes, leans her body against mine, and brings her face closer.

Our lips are about to touch.
At that exact moment, the heavy door opens with a loud clack.

The person who enters is Celesfia, dressed in pure white vestments.
She has probably just finished official duties; her expression is perfectly shaped into that of the “loving saintess.”

“Muh…”

Sizzle swiftly dives back into my shadow with a whoosh.

“…I’m back, Lord Lyle. Was someone here just now?”

“N-No! It was just your imagination!”

“Hmm… well, fine.”

Sizzle walks from shadow to shadow, emerges casually from behind cover, and bows to Celesfia.
What a convenient ability…

The instant Celesfia closes the door and locks it, all traces of holiness drain from her face, replaced by a thick, syrupy look of dependence.

“…Haaa… I’m exhausted… I’ve reached my limit.”

“Good work today. You were popular again.”

“Everyone just keeps worshipping me… when my god is right here.”

Celesfia stumbles over, picks up the shirt I wore yesterday that had been tossed aside, and buries her face deep into it.

“…suu… haa…”

Deep breath—no, inhalation.
She keeps sniffing my lingering scent with suction strong enough to make a cyclone vacuum flee in shame.

“…n… it calms me… Lord Lyle’s smell… ah, the real one is here.”

Celesfia collapses beside me and naturally clings to me.
The only job of the saintess manager is this: to be the healer of the saintess’s fatigue from work.
The only thing I have to do is sleep beside her.

“…By the way, Lord Lyle. I have something to discuss.”

Celesfia speaks while pressing her ear to my stomach and listening to my heartbeat.

“We need more detailed data on your ability… the ‘strengthening through contact.’”

“Yeah…”

Sizzle nods too.

“As expected, right now there seems to be no one besides us whose level cap exceeds 50.
We need to verify who it works on, what exactly triggers it, and how much it raises.
If we don’t, we’ll be kicked out of here. They’re demanding results for the budget.”

“The saintess world is surprisingly cutthroat…”

“Ahaha… it can’t be helped.”

“But I can’t use any level-down magic.”

“Of course. So there is only one conclusion.”

Celesfia and Sizzle look at each other and smile bewitchingly.

“…We need new ‘test subjects.’”

A bad feeling hits me, and I instinctively look away.

“…Hey. You’re not planning to drag random townspeople in here, are you?”

“I don’t mind trying everyone, but I’d prefer to start with people who have a higher chance of success.”

“Chance?”

When I tilt my head, Sizzle suddenly says “thanks!” to something, hikes up her skirt, and shows me the inside of her thigh.

“W-What are you doing!?”

“This mark, Lyle. I have a scorpion-tail-like birthmark on my thigh. Lady Celesfia has a similar one.”

“Mine is here.”

Celesfia sits up on the bed, loosens her vestments, and exposes her breasts.

She points to the soft, curving mark just above her left breast.

“That’s… quite a place…”

Come to think of it, there was that setting.

The developers absolutely placed them in erotic spots on purpose.

“Well… anyway, by looking for skilled people who also have such marks, we can narrow it down somewhat.”

“That still sounds like a lot… but there is one person I have in mind. I even know where she is. An elf archer.”

“Oh, what a coincidence. The same person is on my list.”

Sizzle grins.

Seeing that grin, Celesfia frowns and immediately asks, “A woman?”