第１５２４堀：他国に行くのは本当に問題が色々 (Part2)
In other words, Lilishe had been in much closer contact with the Hinsua Church than even Rurua or Alstaire—in fact, she had been the one employing them. Thinking about the fallout, Yuki realized the Hinsua officials' stomachs were as good as dead. Actually, it would probably be worse than that.
"Right. We need to explain the situation to the Hinsua Church headquarters properly," Yuki said. "We'll frame it as Lilishe being promoted to priestess based on her record here in Hinsua. Sound good, Rurua?"
"Yes, I believe that is best," Rurua replied. "It allows us to maintain natural contact with those who served with Lady Lilishe in Hinsua. Furthermore, we need to stop by the headquarters to hear their official account of the events in Vinosia."
Visiting the headquarters was non-negotiable. And Lilishe’s true identity had to remain a secret. Revealing she was a goddess would trigger absolute chaos, a headache Yuki wanted to avoid at all costs.
"I'll leave it to Litea to decide Lilishe's exact standing," Yuki continued. "Back to the previous point—securing the Hinsua capital, where the headquarters is located, is our priority, right?"
"Yes, please~," Lilishe chirped. "As for ensuring our safety until we reach the capital... I assume I don't even need to ask?"
"Of course. Once we get the intel in the capital, we'll move from there. But before that, are there any places we should specifically avoid?" Yuki knew it was best to be wary of any locations Lilishe might warn them away from.
"Hmm, let's see..." Lilishe looked a bit wistful as she spoke. "I'd say we should avoid approaching any towns or villages other than our destination."
Yuki understood her sentiment immediately, but not everyone was on the same page.
"Um, why must we stay away?" Yayui asked, her voice filled with genuine curiosity.
Lilishe gave a wry smile and answered without hesitation. "If we stop by, we'll end up wanting to save everyone. That would create problems for Litea. It’s not that we *can't* help, but it would make things very awkward when explaining ourselves to Hinsua~."
"Oh..." Yayui seemed to grasp the weight of the explanation.
Their objective was to verify Canalia's information and track down the Dark Guild, not to act as a relief force for the ruins of Vinosia. If they started playing heroes in every village, Litea’s diplomatic standing would suffer. Weed's would, too.
Saving people was a noble act, but doing so for those Hinsua had failed to protect—especially within Hinsua's own borders—was a political statement. It was effectively telling Hinsua they were incompetent. Even if they used Gates to evacuate people in secret, without Hinsua's permission, it would be viewed as kidnapping.
Besides, the people who stayed had chosen to do so. Taking them back would be difficult. Most importantly, they couldn't let humanitarian work distract them from the Dark Guild; otherwise, they would never achieve their goal.
"Understood," Yuki said. "As Lilishe says, the main force will bypass the towns and villages. We prioritize the mission."
The group nodded in unison. They understood the cold necessity of the decision.
"However, we still need information on the former Vinosia territory. I'll have the advance scouts investigate. Is that acceptable, Lilishe?"
"Yes, that’s perfect~. We can review the data later and send formal aid~."
Lilishe’s smile was genuine this time. Whether Weed, Litea, or Hinsua eventually provided the relief, having the information beforehand would speed up the process and allow them to coordinate who received the credit.
"Alright. Next, we need to secure Lord Bamai's cooperation. Regardless of how those negotiations go, we *are* moving out, so everyone start your preparations."
"Yes, sir!"
And so, the preparations for the journey to the former Vinosia territory began in earnest.
In times like these, Yuki thought, those solo or small-party protagonists you see in stories are quite convenient. Then again, from an outsider's perspective, a group like theirs was basically a pack of walking weapons of mass destruction moving wherever they pleased.