第１６９２堀：先輩女神に話を聞く (Part2)
"…It really throws me off, you know. I mean, it’s true that the reason I was defeated by Weed was because of my berserk state, and I did cooperate with the countermeasures for that. But to call me an ally? That’s definitely not the case."
"Fair point. Anyway, putting that aside, here’s the main issue..."
Yuki proceeded to explain the kidnapping incident to Holy, as nonchalant as ever, as if there were no problems at all. To any outside observer, the content of his proposal sounded like he was either setting Holy up to be the scapegoat or preparing to dispose of her...
"So, as long as you don't have any issues with it, I’d like your cooperation."
"…Normally, that sounds like you’re talking about getting rid of me. But considering you’re offering a core and all that, Yuki, is your brain alright? Did it never occur to you that I might use the core for something malicious?"
It seems Holy has started to doubt Yuki’s sanity. Well, the situation is certainly dangerous for her, but handing over a core like that is definitely reckless. Even the people behind us, like Prol, were nodding in agreement with her sentiment.
"I’ll apply safeguards to prevent misuse before I hand it over. Even if you manage to bypass those, the DP I’m putting into the core is the bare minimum. If you manage to get around that and turn hostile, I’ll just welcome it as new data. If you don't turn hostile, then it’s a pretty good deal for everyone."
"…*Sigh*, I’m starting to get a headache. Saying you’d be 'grateful' if I bypassed your safeguards without turning hostile? You’re truly insane, you know that?"
"Nothing is absolute. Having those kinds of troubles keeps us from getting complacent—it adds a bit of… tension, which makes things interesting. Besides, I’m asking you to do something dangerous. I’ll make sure to provide proper compensation."
He said 'interesting,' didn't he? Well, compensation is important, after all. Since he’s asking for a favor.
"When you say compensation, I can't really think of anything I’d want."
"Well, it’s not like it has to be right this second. Just think of it as a good opportunity to earn some favor with Weed. I can’t help you wipe out humanity, but I might be able to set aside a plot of land just for monsters."
"…It’s a bit late for me to be given land like that. I’ve spent time in Weed, and I’ve come to understand that I don’t actually hate humans."
"I figured. I’ve heard you’ve been spending your time at the school and the church without any issues. It was just a case of being dealt a bad hand with the people you met before."
"I suppose so. It’s a mystery even to me why I ended up meeting such scum."
Holy’s misfortune was simply encountering fools in positions of power who prioritized their own desires above all else. If she had met someone like Yuki, she probably could have lived a peaceful life. That’s just how things go, I suppose.
"Anyway, that’s what I wanted to say. If it were just a simple disappearance, that’s one thing, but since people are being summoned—and randomly at that—we have to stop the summoner. If a powerful figure or a high-ranking official gets snatched, it’ll trigger a war. We can’t just sit by and watch."
"…I see. If nothing happens, then that’s fine, but if it comes to that, we’ll have no choice but to settle it."
Right. So far, it’s mostly been villagers—well, not exclusively, but people without much influence on the world at large. But if someone important gets taken, it’s going to turn into a war.
"And since the higher-ups here in Weed being snatched would be tantamount to declaring war on the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance, we really can’t afford to spare much personnel."
"So that’s why you came to me, someone who is practically unaffiliated."
"Exactly. Looking at your current situation, Holy, you have no one to consult, and you possess enough individual combat prowess that your survival rate is higher than that of my own subordinates."
That’s true. As Yuki says, considering her lack of affiliation and her survival rate, Holy is the most logical choice. Wait, hold on a second.
"Hey, Yuki. In that case, what if I went to investigate…"
"You? You couldn't handle an investigation. There’s no telling what kind of trouble you’d cause if you went over there, so no."
"Hairen is the goddess of Kagura and Enor and the others, right? If you do something careless, the consequences could be even worse than they would be in Weed."
"…"
For some reason, not only Yuki but even Holy told me 'no.' Why? Hairen is actually quite serious. It’s just that her actions are always so outlandish that she doesn't *look* serious. It seems that when Yuki’s way of thinking becomes too extreme, I end up looking like the sane one. To the point where even Holy is questioning his sanity.