第１０５４堀：女神への対応 (Part2)
"Indeed. And above all, she has raised the banner of rebellion against Lady Luna. We must see that she is punished."
I’m still not sure if Hiren is just being her usual airheaded self, or if Lilishe is saying that on purpose. Meanwhile, Hifi and Nonoa seem firmly convinced that any goddess of the Intermediate God faction must be dealt with severely.
Well, it looks like I need to persuade Hifi and Nonoa.
"This one is 'spirited' enough as she is. She’s far better than that one goddess who despaired of everything, developed firearms, and tried to pick a fight with every nation, or that other goddess who ignored people asking for dialogue and blindly followed the words of some idiot princess and a Sword God to become an enemy."
"Gah!?"
"Let's leave those two aside for a moment... What about the fact that she might be doing things behind the scenes? Are you okay with that? It’s not entirely clear, but it’s obvious that the Dungeon Master is involved."
"If we’re going to the execution block just because someone was killed, then everyone here would be heading there, wouldn't they? We weren't involved, and it didn't cause us any trouble, so I don't hold any particular grudge. If anything, it was lucky that she dragged those idiots from the Haine Empire into it. Now we can dispose of them openly."
Both Emperor Eupia and Emperor Hans are relieved that they can finally arrest those fools for treason. Now, they can move on to the topic of governance without any lingering concerns. Furthermore, those who had been cozying up to those fools are feeling the heat now that the goddess has summoned monsters and caused such a ruckus. It seems they are scrambling to curry favor with either Emperor Eupia or Emperor Hans, now that the idol they were propping up is gone. Since both emperors share information, those fools are finished regardless.
...And, separate from that, Emperor Hans and his subordinates are prepared for their own "end." Well, that’s a story for another time. Right now, it’s about disposing of that goddess.
"What? Do you intend to forgive her and make her an ally? I don't think she has the personality to be persuaded like that."
"I’m well aware of that. She defied Luna, who is higher in power, so she must have been prepared for the consequences. That’s exactly what I’m going to exploit."
"Exploit?"
The goddesses all tilt their heads in confusion. However, my wives seem to have caught on, looking at me with a 'here we go again' expression.
"This incident made me realize—or rather, reminded me—that the Intermediate God faction is a nuisance. Sure, there are gods who hate me and oppose me no matter what, but minimizing these kinds of headaches is the secret to living well in this world."
That’s right. Unlike teasing Hiren, you can't survive if you only make enemies. That’s just how it is. Once I said that much, Luna finally seemed to understand...
"Yuki. Don't tell me..."
"That's right. Let's pretend we are Intermediate Gods who are 'pretending' to be part of the Superior God faction under Luna."
"Haaah!?"
The goddesses all let out a cry of surprise in unison.
"Don't be so surprised. Every faction gathers information by infiltrating the enemy, right? It's the same thing. You don't tell enemies your secrets, but you do tell your allies. Isn't that right?"
I call this the 'We Are Your Allies' operation. It’s a simple concept: you don't share information with enemies, but you do share it with friends.
"Um... Yuki, were you actually an idiot? Do you really think she'll believe that so easily? This goddess named Senal?"
"How rude. I’d like to think I’m better than Hiren. Besides, you’re not much different from Senal, are you? She just did what she believed was 'right.' Just like you."
"Hm? Is that how it is?"
"Hiren-chan, don't be fooled! And Yuki-san, what if this 'Grandma Senal' decides to attack us instead?"
"No, no, Lilishe. You’re the one who’s been picking the biggest fight with Senal."
Calling a woman who looks young 'Grandma' is definitely picking a fight.
"But she's the oldest one here, isn't she? We have to show proper respect, right?"
"That is correct. One must respect their elders... No, never mind that! As Lilishe said, what will you do if she attacks?"
"Exactly. Even if she hasn't regained her full power, her level is still higher than ours, isn't it? If someone like that goes on a rampage in Weed or the surrounding countries, it would be a disaster."
"No inciting panic. And I’ll make sure to put enough shackles on this 'Senal' so she doesn't go on a rampage. I'll need Luna's help with that."
"Me?"
"Yeah. I can't take any risks in Weed, so I'll put multiple layers of countermeasures in place. But before that, you goddesses need to cooperate with my plan."
They seem surprisingly loyal to Luna, so they don't seem to like the idea of calling themselves 'Intermediate Gods.' I’ll have to persuade them properly. If pushing doesn't work, try pulling. It’s the North Wind and the Sun strategy. If you can't beat the enemy, why not just become their friend?