第１６９４堀： 一人でだめなら二人で行けばいいじゃない (Part1)
Chapter 1694: If One Isn't Enough, Why Not Send Two?
Side: Enola
Today, as always, I am diligently fulfilling my duties at the church established in Weed as a proxy bishop for the Haire Faith.
While I am technically a diplomat with a direct line to the upper echelons of Weed, the others—Mother and the rest—have everything so well-managed that I am able to focus entirely on running the church here.
Of course, I do occasionally relay minor matters to Yuki and the others, but they are truly trivial things.
Kagura, for instance, is absolutely terrible about that.
“...Still, it’s exhausting to receive the same petition over and over again.”
I picked up a document I see all too often in my office.
The content is a consultation regarding whether Lady Hairen could transfer her affiliation to the Haire Faith... I suppose?
It’s not as if I have the authority to command her, nor do I wish to pick a fight with the Ritea Faith.
Currently, Lady Hairen, the goddess worshipped by our Haire Faith, is undergoing training as a goddess under Lady Lilishe, the goddess worshipped by the Ritea Faith.
Naturally, if they are short-handed, she will be dispatched to help, but Lady Hairen is not strictly devoted to any one set of teachings; she is simply conducting her training as a goddess under Lady Lilishe’s guidance.
Therefore, the idea of "bringing her back" or "transferring her" to the Haire Faith is fundamentally misguided.
Well, as the Haire Faith, it is a bit awkward to have our own goddess under the wing of another doctrine, but even if she were here, it’s not as if we could provide the training she needs to be a goddess.
“Well, I suppose that’s why they’re submitting these as consultations.”
Indeed, the document before me certainly implies a desire to have Lady Hairen here, but it is phrased strictly as a consultation, not a demand.
They likely don’t know if there’s anything they can do to facilitate her goddess-hood, and so they come to me for advice...
“I don’t know either. Besides, whatever Lady Hairen chooses to do *is* the teaching of the Haire Faith.”
We are moved by Lady Hairen’s actions and worship her precisely because of them; to try and stop her behavior would be putting the cart before the horse.
Even so, I understand why the members of the Haire Faith are anxious.
Lady Hairen is, after all, truly free-spirited...
Just as I was thinking this:
“Pardon the intrusion.”
I was startled to see the person herself walk in.
I am a proxy bishop, and quite high-ranking within the Haire Faith, but since Lady Hairen is my goddess, she is technically my superior.
Still, I wish she would observe basic room-entry etiquette.
I suppose I should leave that to Yuki or Lady Lilishe.
I find myself unable to help but spoil her.
“Um, Lady Hairen? Is something the matter? I heard you were performing service at the school today.”
Naturally, I keep track of Lady Hairen’s schedule.
If I didn’t, it would be a poor showing for the Haire Faith.
Though, there are times when she doesn’t strictly follow that schedule.
Which is exactly the situation now.
“Yes, well, I was working at the school when Yuki came by.”
“Yuki? That’s rare. Was he there to discuss some event?”
Yuki holds the position of principal at the school, but he rarely shows his face there.
After all, he is incredibly busy with his other duties.
He limits his appearances to major events for that reason.
Given Yuki’s personality, I think he would actually enjoy interacting with the children, but his position simply doesn't allow for it.
“No, he came to see Holly.”
“Holly? You mean the Demon Lord and Goddess?”
“Yes. Judging by that look, it seems you haven’t heard, Enola.”
“Indeed. It wasn’t just a casual visit to check on her, was it?”
For Lady Hairen to go out of her way to see me, it usually means Yuki has done something peculiar, and she has come to me wondering what to make of it.
“That’s right. Listen to this...”
What I heard next was something I had never encountered before—information gathered from the gossip sessions held by Kirue, Sasari, and the other wives and maids regarding a series of disappearances.
Or rather, for those in the know, it was clearly a case of summoning-based kidnapping.
“...I see. So that is why Yuki didn't tell us.”
“Hm? Ah, come to think of it, Kagura did pull something like that, didn’t she?”
“Yes. Um, this matter is delicate, so could you please refrain from mentioning it to Kagura? I suspect that is why Yuki kept it from us and went directly to the parties involved first.”
After all, Kagura was the one who summoned Yuki, his wives, and his daughters.
And she did it to force them to fight.
Furthermore, Yuki was already the Prince Consort of Weed at the time.
It was a blunder that could easily have been treated as an act of war.
While she has since been forgiven and is now happily married to Yuki, it doesn't change the fact that it happened.
Kagura is often teased about this incident.
Since it is a sore spot for Carrie as well, it is best not to bring up this topic carelessly.
“So, Lady Hairen, are you dissatisfied with this situation?”
“Hmm, I understand what he’s saying. Someone has to go. But to send Holly, of all people...”
“Well, considering her background, it is a painful prospect, but it isn’t forced, is it?”
“Yes, Yuki isn't doing it by force; he told her to do as she likes. Even so, Holly might feel pressured...”
“That... is not entirely impossible.”
After all, this is a dialogue between the Prince Consort of a nation and a Demon Lord Goddess who, while not having lost her power, was defeated completely.
It is difficult to call that a fair playing field.
“But when I heard Yuki talking about letting Holly use his core, I was worried he’d lost his mind.”
“Ahaha, anyone would think so, but that is exactly the kind of thing Yuki would do.”
To Yuki, it likely doesn’t matter how Holly acts.
No, he entrusts her with the core precisely because he is worried, and if she were to misuse it, he would simply defeat her.
Yuki is often seen as a good-natured person who trusts others, but he is surprisingly dry.
He draws a line, and if someone crosses it, he treats them as an enemy.
“So, what is it you want to do in the end? Do you want me to stop Holly? Do you want me to talk to Yuki and have him call it off?”
“Ah, hmm... It’s neither, really. I was just wondering if there was any way to increase the safety margin.”
“Safety, you say? However, from what I’ve heard, the summoning is random, is it not?”
Sending Holly alone is worrying for many reasons, so I assume she wants to send a companion—or rather, increase the number of people who get kidnapped. But even if we send two, it would be meaningless if only one is summoned...
“I know that. But isn't there some way to increase the number? Like, hiding in the luggage, for example?”
“Luggage...? Oh.”
Lady Hairen’s words made me realize something.