第５５５堀：方針決定 (Part1)
### Chapter 555: Determining the Policy
**Side: Yuki**
Behind the "Assembly of Wisdom" lies the shadow of the Haire religion, the largest faith in this entire region.
Steve’s report left me clutching my head in frustration.
Religious issues.
Even on modern Earth, these are difficult problems that are rarely ever solved.
It’s human nature to seek out transcendental beings as the world becomes harsher, and I don’t necessarily think creating a spiritual anchor is a bad thing. However, religion almost always ends up involving the state.
It’s a convenient tool for unifying consciousness, and from a government’s perspective, it makes the populace easier to manage.
But—or rather, precisely because of that—religion sometimes gathers power that transcends nations.
Religion and faith have no borders; they don’t need to maintain territory like a country, nor do they have any obligation to protect their citizens.
I’m painting it in a negative light, but this can also be a positive aspect.
If you are part of the same religious community, you can potentially receive support across national boundaries.
Well, for us right now, it’s the worst-case scenario.
A mysterious organization lurking within Haiden, the Assembly of Wisdom, backed by the Haire religion.
Whether it’s fact or fiction, this is going to cause chaos...
After all, in this region, the Haire religion isn’t just the largest faith.
It is the god said to have summoned heroes from another world, worked with them to defeat the Demon Lord, and purged the monsters.
It holds absolute faith in this area.
That hasn’t changed for Findar or Haiden, even when they were at war with each other. Most of the countries in this region have designated the Haire religion as their state religion.
In other words, if I speak ill of the Haire religion carelessly, the entire surrounding area could become my enemy.
If it’s true, we have no choice but to fight. But even if it’s false, if Haiden allows it to fester, the situation will likely become even more volatile.
"Anyway, I have to pass this on."
I could just retake Haiden without saying anything, but then we, Weed, would have to keep our guard up against Haire in secret.
I really don’t want any more work piled onto my plate.
Besides, Haiden and Findar aren’t my countries; I’d prefer they handle their own problems.
Why does it have to be me who delivers such a bombshell?
It feels like I’m walking through a minefield...
*Sigh.* Just thinking about the inevitable uproar makes me want to groan.
"That’s impossible!!"
"Unbelievable!!"
"...That’s a bit much, isn't it?"
"What is the meaning of this!?"
As expected, the princes and princesses of Findar and Haiden, along with Kagura, were shocked.
I was glad I’d covered my ears.
George and Duke Kamishiro, who were standing next to me, seemed to have had their ears ringing from the four of them shouting, as they were shaking their heads.
"As I said before, please calm down. This is merely a letter that has been confirmed. It could be a ploy to throw us into disarray. It’s far too blatant, after all."
"...I see. There is a possibility they are aiming for our confusion."
"But we cannot confirm it directly."
"That’s true. As Princess Stasia said, if we ask Haire carelessly, we might be treated as heretics. It would also be akin to broadcasting the fact that an organization claiming to be Haire was operating in Haiden."
"But, Princess. If that letter is found when we denounce and capture Takram and his cohorts, chaos will be inevitable."
Fortunately, these four seem capable of understanding the situation calmly.
We cannot simply interrogate Haire.
It would be nice if we could establish a cooperative relationship, but that’s too convenient and I don’t trust them, so I wouldn’t recommend talking to them.
I mean, there’s no organization that would answer "YES!!" if you asked, "HEY!! Your people were doing bad things behind the scenes, right?"
Personally, I have a lot of prejudice against religions that claim to speak for gods.
Lilishe, Hifii, Noble, Nogosh, Nonoa...
*“““Achoo!!!”””*
The useless goddess above is also like that.
If I had a "faith" stat, it wouldn’t just be zero—it would be buried deep in the negatives.
*“Hey!! You should respect me more!!”*
As if.
At least stop eating those potato chips before you say that.
The grease is getting on the manga.
*“I wiped my hands, so it’s fine. That’s the kind of petty stuff that makes you unlikable.”*
As expected, I’ll never see eye-to-eye with a useless goddess.
Flipping through a manga with fingers covered in snack grease is tantamount to blasphemy against the gods.
*“I am that goddess, you know.”*
Apologize to the God of Manga!!
Anyway, dealing with the useless goddess can wait. What about the opinions of the two elders?
"...Regardless, the fortunate thing is that Yuki-sama secured this information first."
"Indeed. How we handle this information is what matters."
They seem to be thinking even further ahead.
Yes. The important thing is how to handle this information.
Do we pretend not to see it, make a big deal out of it, or handle it in secret?
Each option has its own pros and cons.
"...Pretending not to see it is out of the question. That’s the worst move. What do you think, Sister?"
"I agree. Whether the Haire religion is involved or not, if we pretend not to see it, the information will leak from those who saw the scene. I feel it would be very bad for this information to leave our hands and take on a life of its own. That said, since this concerns Haiden, Carrie’s judgment should take priority..."
Princess Stasia said this and turned her gaze toward Princess Carrie.
Princess Carrie, receiving the gaze, opened her mouth immediately.
"Ignoring it is not an option. If rumors spread that Haire is behind this, we cannot predict how Haire will react. However, if we make a big deal out of it and Haire is truly involved, they will likely go into hiding. Therefore, there is only one path left. We must handle it in secret."
"In secret, Princess?"
"Yes. Kagura, what do you think is the current problem?"
"Um... is it that Haire might be involved?"
"Yes, exactly. Having that known or rumored would only be a nuisance for our future movements. So, it is best if no one knows."
"Does that mean we make the letter itself disappear?"
"Yes. That would be the most certain way. We will have to rely on Yuki-sama, but Haiden, which is in a state near civil war, does not have the capacity to deal with outside interference. We should only interrogate Haire after we have stabilized Haiden."
"I understand the logic, but won't Takram and the others on this list shout about their connection to Haire?"
"Without evidence, it’s just nonsense. After all, using monsters is far removed from the legends Haire passes down. If we say we executed heretics who were impersonating Haire, there will be no further pursuit. That is, if there is no connection... If they try to pick a fight over it, we should instead view it as Haire pulling the strings behind the scenes. That, in itself, would make things clear."
"I see. That’s true."
"Even if Takram and the others say nothing, if they are involved, there will be some kind of movement. Therefore, rather than us acting, it would be best to secure the evidence, pretend we don't know, and observe whether the other side makes a move. What does everyone think?"
Princess Carrie asked for opinions from those around her.
"I see no issues. Stabilizing Haiden is the priority, after all."
"I agree with Carrie. That is the most reliable method we can take right now."