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A few days passed since the refugees were safely escorted.

Luneville opened up its arena and the city became even livelier.

As the second annex, which served as the second cafeteria of the branch, was built, the branch’s hall stopped being so abnormally crowded.

Thus, I could take normal breaks now, and even had time to meet people during those breaks.

The problem was the person I was meeting.

“…Let’s hear what you have to say.”

I should have spoken that quite calmly, but the target of that question… York, had sweat trickling down his cheek.

Me, the elder, and York were in a room of the inn where the elves were staying, and before us was a spear with a grip thicker than a fist, both sides of which had cone protrusions… If you had to compare it to something, it would be closer to pilum muralis.

Lo and behold, it was the divine tool that tormented(?) the Divine Beast.

He seemed to have gotten used to my gaze somewhat, he looked down for a moment, but then raised his face up as if coming to a decision and spoke.

“Since you left the processing to us, I discussed it with the fairy and the ogre boy and decided on this.”

Seeing him sweating buckets, even the elder started to grow pale.

Looks like we can’t have a normal conversation with him being in that state.

I thought and sighed, and York also followed with a deep sigh of his own.

“…I said not to forget about the influence divine tools hold, right?”
“…Yes.”

His strong affirmation surprised me so I waited for his next words.

“B-Burying the divine tool and letting it sleep there until it’s time for it to come out to the front stage of history… I thought that was the normal way of handling divine tools. However, there is no guarantee that it wouldn’t fall in the hands of those who wish to bring ruin.”

That’s why I told you to bury it though.

Well, I doubt he acted without thoughts, so let’s not interrupt him.

“I decided that the only place where the divine tool can wait its turn and also have no chance of falling into evil hands… would be at your side.”
“Are you telling me to safeguard a divine tool?”
“I-Indeed…”

I moved my gaze to the divine tool. My Eyes of God displayed it as the Divine Spear Vishva.

How many does this make? I don’t even want to get into any more situations where I have to wield divine tools…

That said, I did understand York’s point too.

“…Understood.”

As I squeezed out a voice, York sighed in relief and then prostrated with his head on the ground. Or rather, he tried to but I stopped him.

“But I have a condition.”
“O-Of course.”

Hehe. Did you think I would do bothersome things as charity work? Too bad!

“Take the elder to the village.”

The two stiffened at my condition. The elder tried to act right away, but a water ball materialized and wrapped him to restrict his movements.

“Understood!”
“Yowh, yugh bhahwah, bwah!” (York, you b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲, bwah!)

York then took the water ball and departed Luneville as if he was running before I changed my mind. It was quite a surreal sight to see the other elves forcibly pushing the elder back to the water ball as he tried to crawl out once they noticed what was going on.

At any rate, troublesome matters evened out with this.

I thought it was quite a good deal and returned to the branch.

“Ah, Illya, welcome back.”
“I’m back, Ria.”
“Pii!”
“I’m back, Haku!”

I patted Haku as it leaped into my embrace. The branch really calms me down, after all.

…I was too naive to think that.

“There’s a guest in the reception.”
“A guest?”

Ria nodded.

I felt it weird that she didn’t look particularly troubled despite having them waiting, but she guessed that and explained.

“They were actually Frank’s guest, but also told me they would love to meet you once you were back.”
“…I see. Thanks.”

I only had a little free time left, but it would be rude to keep them waiting so I headed to the reception room.

“Excuse me.”
“Princess!”

And I was hugged.

I forced my agitation down with my strong force of will and confirmed who it was, and it turned out to be a blue-haired girl I remembered seeing.

Her name was Sofia. The first time I met her was at the sacrificial altar. Back when she used to wear the Shrine Maiden’s Fetters that I currently wore, she had been a shrine maiden selected as an evil god’s sacrifice.

“It’s been a while, Sofia.”
“It has been! I have moved here as an adherent of the new church!”

She said it with a shy blush, then took a step back and showed me what she was wearing. The blackish brown habit with green collar and sleeves that she wore was certainly the one Lathovester Religion used.

“Sofia, it’s rude to act like that before the branch head.”
“Oh, e-excuse me!”
“I don’t mind.”

Frank answered casually as she started bowing over and over.

The one who admonished her was a man sitting across Frank and wore a slightly extravagant version of what Sofia was wearing.

Noticing my gaze he stood up and bowed.

“It has been some time, miss Illya. I am happy we got to meet again like this.”
“Yes it has, pastor. It makes me happy too.”

Though I’m more surprised, if anything.

Thanks to my acting as if nothing happened, they continued exchanging peaceful greetings.

This human male was Bernard Gartman.

He was someone who worked as a pastor in the town affiliated with the village where the sacrificial rituals were performed. Once the evil god was gone he started visiting the village to propagate his religion.

He didn’t seem to have changed much other than having aged since. Except one.

My Eyes of God showed his occupation written as someone possessed by an evil god.