After Shea-san promises to help me, she quickly turned around.

  [……Let’s hurry up. We probably only have a limited amount of time left.]

  [Eh? W- What do you mean?]

  [……You are taking the words of the First Hero at face value too much. Have you wondered why the First Hero interfered at this time? Even if she were to stop you, I doubt she would stay at that place all night and day just to stop you, right? Then, what do you think her real purpose is?]

  [……To buy time?]

  Following after her as she walked, I asked in return.

  [It’s just a guess but…… I think the Demon Lord is going to disappear from the city.]

  [……I see.]

  [The reason she didn’t disappear right away was most probably because she’s finding people to take over looking after her patients…… Anyway, it’s a race against time. If she disappears, you wouldn’t have any choice but to rely on the Phantasmal King…… Relying on the Six Kings would be some kind of defeat for you, right?]

  [Yes……]

  [……Well, don’t get that worked up. At least, now that we know that First Hero is still there guarding the front, the Demon Lord is definitely also still over there.]

  Slipping through the back streets where there was no pedestrian traffic at all, Shea-san continued speaking.

  [Before we go any further, let me just say that the question I asked you earlier to test you…… the God Realm and Gods wouldn’t get involved in this matter in the first place. That’s why, don’t expect any help from the Supreme Gods.]

  [Eh? I- Is that so?]

  [……It’s kind of an unspoken agreement. This issue you’re about to get involved with is kind of a taboo in this world…… Well, not many people know about it in the first place, but both the Supreme Gods and the Six Kings have maintained their non-interference in this matter.]

  [……E- Errr…… but, ummm, I asked Shea-san to help me in this matter…… Will it be alright?]

  It seems that the Demon Lord—– Dr. Vier’s situation is really a delicate matter.

  When I asked Shea-san if it was okay for her to lend me a hand, she looked at me and smiled.

  [I told you, didn’t I? It was just an “unspoken agreement”…… It isn’t like Shallow Vernal ordered me to keep my hand off this matter. Besides, I was considered an “oddball” in the God Realm right from the start, so it doesn’t really matter if I add another problem to my plate now.]

  [……Shea-san.

  [Now then, let’s end the useless talking…… Let’s go.]

  With the words that tell me to brace myself, I walked out onto the wide road….. opposite the church/clinic.

  As expected, there were no people in sight other than Neun-san who stood in front of the clinic.

  When Neun-san saw us, she immediately stood up with the Japanese katana in hand, and spoke to us.

  [……Why have you come back?]

  [I’m sorry, Neun-san…… As I thought, I just can’t give up on this.]

  [Kuhhh…… Why don’t you understand!? Please don’t make Vier suffer any longer!]

  [However……]

  [I’m not saying that what you’re doing is wrong in any way! It’s not that I don’t see the possibility either…… No, I’m even thinking that if it’s you, it might be possible…… However, the possibility of such a thing happening is still unlikely…… And if you fail, Vier will be even more devastated than she already is……]

  [……Neun-san.]

  It’s true that there is no guarantee that what I’m trying to do will succeed. There is no such thing as absolute certainty in this world, but Neun-san says that she can’t accept such a risk.

  But even if that’s so, that doesn’t mean I’m going to back down now either……but as I was about to refute Neun-san, I heard an amused laugh.

  [F- Fufufu…… Hahahaha!]

  [……Shea-san?]

  [……Who are you?]

  Unnn? Neun-san doesn’t know who Shea-san is? Come to think of it, she did say she rarely appeared in public, so there’s a possibility that she knows that the God of Disasters exist, but she has never met her in person.

  As I was thinking about this, Shea-san laughed for a moment before turning towards me with a smile.

  [……Rejoice, Kaito. I’ll retract my previous statement…… You might be an idiot, but that woman over there is an irredeemable idiot.]

  [What…… are you suddenly saying……]

  [I was wondering what kind of mindset you had for standing guard over there…… but if you want to play house, do it somewhere else.]

  [……What do you mean?]

  Hearing Shea-san’s provoking words, Neun-san asked back, her anger visibly increasing.

  However, Shea-san didn’t seem to mind at all, and continued to speak with a smile on her face.

  [It’s as simple as that. I thought you were just an idiot who didn’t realize that you were being an idiot…… but in fact, you were just an idiot who realized that you’re being an idiot and yet continued to choose to be drunk on the sweetness of friendship.]

  [……What in the world do you……]

  [“What in the world do I even know” huh? It’s a common phrase for you idiots who stopped thinking for yourselves…… Good grief…… Stop all your useless chirping, little girl.]

  Shea-san, whose smile had already disappeared, coldly told this to a Neun-san trembling in anger.

  [Yeah, that’s right. In this situation, me and this guy here might both be outsiders…… However, you and all the other people related to this matter, what have you been doing about it? For how long in this millenium have you known your mistakes? Did you ever try to correct it? Have you even tried confronting it? If you haven’t done anything…… You should understand that what you did was the same as running away.]

  [Guhhh……]

  [If you think that a friendship is where you should go together with your friend when they’re being led astray…… Then you should quit being in such a spoiled relationship right now!]

  [!? ]

  [Such a half-baked blade filled with indecisiveness…… Don’t think such a blade would ever reach a God!]

  With those words, Shea-san took out her huge scythe and held it up, and Neun-san responded by preparing her stance with her Japanese katana in hand.

  It looked like a fight was about to begin…… but a little while later, Shea-san’s expression distorted.

  [……Tsk.]

  [Shea-san?]

  [I thought it was strange…… but there’s a “large-scale ward” made by Spatial Magic in place huh……]

  A large scale ward? I heard her mutter and looked around, but I didn’t feel anything different…… No, wait? I wondered about this a bit earlier, but why wasn’t there any sign of life around in the middle of the day?

  Even though this place is off the main street, this isn’t some back alley. At this time of the day, there should be a good amount of pedestrian traffic around but……


  No, that’s not all…… Before I knew it, “the church/clinic had disappeared”…… It’s as if that space over there has been cut off……


  [……Not only the Hero, but for even an “Earl-level” to be here…… what a miscalculation this is.]

  [Earl-level?]

  [Yeah, there’s only one person under the Underworld King’s control who can wield Spatial Magic on this scale…… Isn’t that so? “Great Sage of the Dead”.]

  [Good gracious, this was also a miscalculation on our part too…… We certainly didn’t expect that Sanctuary’s Disaster would come out…… How troublesome.]

  When Shea-san called out to the empty space, the space distorted like a vortex, and a lich clad in a gorgeous mantle draped over a fine suit…… Sechs-san appeared.

  [Sechs-san……]

  [Sechs-sama!? W- Why are you here……]

  Unnn? I thought this was an ambush, but Neun-san didn’t know that Sechs-san was here either? No, since Shea-san said that he has set up a massive ward around here, I don’t think he’s on our side.

  [You don’t have to be so stand-offish, Neun-dono…… You could have told us something…… Well, if it was just Miyama-dono, I wouldn’t have shown myself, but if it was the God of Disasters…… You would be slightly overwhelmed the way you are now.]

  [……How unexpected. I didn’t expect that a high-ranking Demon like you would end up taking their side……]

  [I guess it just depends on which I view is more important…… When I weigh the risks and rewards, I guess it depends on which one you value more…… As we get older, we become more conversative, and unfortunately, “we” tend to take risks more seriously. Thus, I will side with Neun-dono.]

  [……And that’s why you set up this ward…… Wait, we?]

  In this skin-prickling atmosphere, Shea-san and Sechs-san exchanged words.

  In the midst of their conversation, Sechs-san said that “they” were on Neun-san’s side…… Could it be that he isn’t alone?

  As if to affirm my thoughts, Demons began to appear around Sechs-san one after another.

  Among them were familiar faces…… including Acht, Eva, and Raz-san.

  [This ward is a bit special. It’s a kind of Spatial Isolation Ward, where it’s difficult to get to the outside from the inside, but easy to get in from the outside…… Well, you still had to have a minimum level of ability to get in, so the public won’t be involved.]

  [……………….]

  [Ahh, don’t worry. This ward replicates and isolates space, so destroying the buildings here won’t have any real impact on the outside world. The reason why I erased Dr. Vier’s place of residence was, well, it’s just my light-hearted mischievousness.]

  [……You’ve gathered quite a lot of people with you huh. 5 Earl-levels…… Viscount-levels, Baron-levels…… If you include the high-ranking Demons who aren’t peerage holders, you’ve brought quite the absurd amount of allies.]

  It is as Shea-san said, just from looking at it, he brought quite the amount of reinforcements…… just the high-ranking Demons seemed to exceed a hundred.

  After the surprised me gaze around, Sechs-san indifferently spoke.

  [We have always regretted it…… A thousand years ago, I made Vier-dono worry about this alone…… Thus, this time, as her family, I will support Vier-dono.]

  [But well, you’ve gathered quite a lot…… Is this human that terrifying?]

  [……Yes, he’s terrifying. Miyama-dono, I’m afraid of you……]

  [……Eh?]

  [I knew you would make a move in this matter. That’s why I even asked Ein-dono’s help. If she had come, everything would have been easily taken care of but……]

  Listening to Sechs-san’s words, I looked at the horde of Demons…… and didn’t spotEin-san anywhere.

  [Ein-dono told me this: “If a fight were to occur, I would side with Kaito-sama without hesitation. The biggest concession I can make as her family member…… is to pretend that I didn’t hear what you just said, but there won’t be a second time.”…… Good grief, what frightening ability you have.]

  [……I see. So you went with quantity over quality then…… It seems like you’re making light of me. Did you really think that you can beat me with just this much?]

  [No, “I don’t think so though”?]

  [……What?]

  In response to Shea-san’s provocative words, Sechs-san admitted that they couldn’t win against her.

  Even Shea-san turned puzzled when she heard his response, but Sechs-san didn’t seem to mind as he continued speaking.

  [You may not be widely known, but I heard that your abilities are comparable to the Six Kings. It stands to reason that no matter how many of us we gather, we wouldn’t be able to win…… But even the powerful you have a “weakness”. And for that reason, we’re making use of quantity.]

  [……Tsk.]

  After saying that Shea-san’s ability is at the level of the Six Kings, Sechs-san told her that she had a weakness.

  I could understand from Shea-san’s annoyed clicking of her tongue that what he said wasn’t wrong.

  [……You are the kindest and most compassionate of all the Gods I know. She reaches out to those who seek help, and gives advice to those who are troubled…… And above all, you pride yourself on your ability to neutralize opponents without killing or seriously injuring them.]

  [……………….]

  [It’s difficult for us to beat you with force. However, with your strength so dispersed……. It would even take you a while to incapacitate them without killing them, right?]

  [Kuh…… Quite the detestable personality you have there.]

  [The plan is to make use of your kindness……. I will accept all insults you say. I know that I’m powerless against you, so I won’t care about appearances and I’ll make use of anything to stop you.]

  Even if Shea-san is strong, because she’s a kind person…… It would be difficult for her to neutralize this large of a number of people while making sure that she holds back.

  In the first place, Sechs-san’s goal isn’t to beat Shea-san, but to buy time…… The longer the battle goes on, the worse it will be for us.

  [Now, what will you do? Miyama-dono…… Will you still fight even though there’ll only be the two of you?]

  […………………..]

  What should I do? Should I use my “trump card”? No, if I use it here, it will be difficult for me to talk to Dr. Vier.

  The situation was bad, and as I was desperately thinking of a way out of this deadlock…… a quiet, yet powerful voice rang out.

  [……It doesn’t seem like they’re the only two here though?]

  [Nhnn……]

  [No, I just happened to be on an errand to the royal palace…… but I just happened to see Kaito-san on the way back. He looked serious, so I followed him…… Well, he did end up in quite an amazing situation.]

  As a large sword disproportionate to her slender body appeared from the magic box in her palm, a very reliable person appeared.

  [……To be honest, I don’t understand the situation at all. But I don’t even need to think about whose side I would take.]

  [L- Lilia-san!?]

  [……I’ll lend you a hand, Kaito-san. After all…… I am your lover.]

  Dear Mom, Dad———— Shea-san and I confronted Neun-san, but Sechs-san and Kuro’s family showed up, and we were at a disadvantage. But luck doesn’t seem to have given up on me————– as a reassuring reinforcement came to our aid.

  **********