Diablo changed into his clothes and went to the common room.
Rem, Rose, and the guest were waiting.
And then, Shera and Horun had also just returned.
The guest, was a person that they were very familiar with. Rather, it even felt like it would only be natural for them to still be together with them.
「Thank you very much for last night, Diablo-sama.」
It was Lumachina.
Diablo found it unexpected.
「Is it alright for you to be in this sort of place? How are things at the Church?」
「Of course, there is a huge mound of things to do but……Diablo-sama, there is no way I could invite you to the twelfth district, but having said that, I thought that everyone would go off somewhere once the day ended.」
Rem nodded.
「……We don’t have anymore business in the royal capital after all.」
「Ehー!? Even though there are so many stores we haven’t gone to yet!?」
Shera unhappily said that.
Horun made a wry smile.
The girls had bought quite a lot of things, such as clothes, trinkets, and food, within a short amount of time.
They had received a large reward in Zircon Tower City, but at this rate, it seemed like it would run out soon.
Rem slapped her with an assertion.
「……And what will you if we are discovered by the believers and they learn about Diablo!?」
「Uuuー」
Lumachina smiled.
「I believe that will be alright.」
「……You’re saying something so optimistic again.」
「It is because I have told the believers that Diablo-sama is conducting himself as an Adventurer.」
「What did you say!?」
「Everyone looked like they had consented to it very well. Even in the legends, there are many episodes where “Kami-sama becomes a person of the Races or an animal and comes to look at our state of affairs”.」
「……Is that really allowed?」
Rem held her head in her hands.
It really helped that they did not have to run from place to place away from the believers.
However, there was a different problem.
If he was discovered in town, would he be treated as God? Or as the Demon King?
──Either way would be a pain, wouldn’t it.
There is no change in the plan of quickly leaving the royal capital──is what Diablo announced to everyone.
Lumachina nodded.
「I thought, that you might say that. It isn’t much, but please add this to your travelling expenses.」
Having a leather bag handed to her, Rem checked the content.
「……This much!?」
「I am terribly sorry. As it was misappropriated by the Cardinal Institute, the Church’s financial situation is on the verge of bankruptcy. Even the money entrusted to the Church from the people was embezzled……For a while, there will be almost no budget that I can use freely.」
「……No, this is plenty.」
Shera peeked into the leather bag that Rem held and her eyes went round.
Horun extended her hand to it and, *peshi*, had it hit by Rem.
Lumachina reported her current situation.
「Although there were injured people among the believers, there were no casualties……Diablo-sama, I really must give you my thanks.」
「I, I see! Well, as I am a Demon King, the lives of people of the Races don’t really matter to me though!」
Diablo folded his arms to hide his embarrassment, and reclined into the sofa.
Since they had been together for quite a long time, he had a hunch that his Demon King role play had already been seen through but……
Since he couldn’t have a conversation without putting up this kind of character, it couldn’t be helped.
Rem and the others also patted their chests in relief. Only Rose didn’t have signs of caring about it as usual though.
Lumachina continued her report.
「The restoration work on the Inner Court has immediately begun. To the general public, it was struck by large-scale lightning──that is what was announced. With help also coming from outside of the twelfth district, and fund-raising activities being performed, I can feel the piety of the people and their feelings of mutual aid.」
「Fumu……Does it look like it can be repaired?」
As the perpetrator who flashily destroyed it, Diablo felt a considerable amount of responsibility.
Lumachina assured him.
「It will definitely be repaired.」
「Umu.」
He felt a bit relieved.
「Also, the matter about the members of the Cardinal Institute having died in the subterranean tunnel was announced to the public. However, Rem-san’s testimony will be covered up.」
「……It is because I am a demi-human and an Adventurer, isn’t it.」
「No, it is not for that sort of reason. As the Church is right now, it does not have the flexibility to confront royal authority. Although they were great sinners, for the 《Royal Palace Chivalric Order》 to kill very important people without a trial……That will surely become a problem.」
「……I see.」
「Rem-san, going by your story, it seems that Bishos had a connection with the royal authority faction. And because of that, they killed him to silence him.」
「……Yes.」
「After having misappropriated the Church, they were able to embezzle things like donations but……Where did the funds in order to misappropriate the Church come from to begin with? You can see the answer, can’t you.」
「……This is surprising. I had thought that you had a personality that wouldn’t be mindful of that sort of thing.」
Lumachina made a wry smile at Rem’s words.
「To be honest, I am still not very good with it. But, I need to get ahold of things……It’s because if something similar were to happen, the earth will definitely burn at that time after all.」
After thinking “What is up with that?” and tilting his head, Diablo remembered that it was something he blurted out in his exit performance. He only tried saying something that sounded God-like but……
As he thought, Lumachina believes him too much.
Although I feel anxious about it, since she seemed to be working hard in her own way, that purity is also one of her good points, is what Diablo thought.
「Ahh, have the Holy Knights been dealt with?」
「Whether they have committed crimes, and if they have, just what kind of crimes were they? We will be investigating that from now on.」
「Certainly, there were some outrageous villains, but that does not guarantee that all of the Holy Knights were villains.」
「Yes.」
「Didn’t the believers emotionally desire to execute them?」
「That’s, well……But, it was because they were taught by Diablo-sama──When receiving a shock, people’s thoughts become extreme. They would try to give excessive punishment──That is what you are saying, correct?」
Diablo nodded.
That is probably why she had become cautious with disposing of them.
That was all for the report in regards to the Church.
However, Lumachina’s story instead became momentous from here.
「It would seem that the Greenwood King of the Elves has died.」
「What did you say!?」
Diablo reflexively half rose to his feet.
Shera’s knees trembled.
「No way……」
The suzerain state of the Elves──The Greenwood Kingdom was Shera’s homeland. And the King of that place was, in other words, her father.
Lumachina talked looking apologetic.
「I have also confirmed it several times but, coming from several routes……They say that it had happened about one week ago.」
「Th, that can’t be!?」
*Fura* Shera looked like she was about to collapse.
Rem hurriedly supported her shoulders.
「……ッ」
It seemed that even for her, with her sagaciousness, she couldn’t immediately figure how just how she should call out to her.
Horun was also speechless.
Diablo asked a question to Shera.
「It seems that the Greenwood King sired three children, correct? However, the two older brothers have died, and there are no longer any children other than you. If it is hereditary, you will either succeed the country……Or, you will accept one who will become king as your husband but……What do you think of that?」
Shera shook her head left and right.
「I don’t know! Otou-san……dying……I hadn’t thought of that at all!」
*Boro boro* She burst into tears.
Rem nodded.
「Elves do have long lives after all. Something like family dying, I am sure that it’s harder for you than all of the other races.」
Saying that, she had Shera sit down on the sofa.
Horun nestled close to her.
「I also, cried a lot -ssu. When my real Otou-san and Okaa-san disappeared, and when my Shishou died……」
「Horun-chan……」
Maybe because she remembered it all, even Horun shed tears.
Rem also cried while muffling her voice. Come to think of it, she had also lost both of her parents──She had told him before.
Diablo placed a hand on Lumachina’s shoulder.
「We made you take on a difficult duty.」
「No……」
She wiped her eyes.
「Is there any other information that you acquired?」
「Let’s see……As expected, since Princess Shera, the sole heir to the throne, is missing, it has become a problem as to who will be the successor……」
「Although they are Elves, it’s a contest for the throne huh.」
As one would expect, with Shera’s position, ignoring the situation would be way too irresponsible. Even if she has run away from home, if done poorly, there will be a war that divides the country.
That can’t be allowed to happen.
It was probably best to talk about it after the crying Shera has calmed down──is what Diablo thought.
However, his feelings became certain.
──We’ll head to the Greenwood Kingdom!
Seeing Diablo’s profile, Lumachina nodded.
「As I thought, you (anata-sama) are……」
「What is it?」
「Diablo-sama, in truth, I had intended on asking you to stay in these lands. That I would like for you to be at our side……But, I now have a firm belief that you are not an ally that should be confined in this small royal capital or in the even smaller Inner Court. For you will save the even wider world.」
「I have no intentions of that, I merely……」
──I, what?
What did he want to do?
Be a shut-in NEET?
In that case, whether it was at Lamnites’ side, or Lumachina’s side, he could probably do it.
What were his reasons for fighting against the large army of Demonic Beings or the Holy Knights? What did he want to do in this other world?
Diablo turned his eyes to Shera and the others.
His chest ached from their crying faces.
His own objective……
Something like that, to he himself who was summoned to this other world for some unknown reason, it was still unknown.
However, there was something that was clear to him.
──I don’t want Shera and the others to cry, I think.
He wanted them to smile.
Although it couldn’t be helped right now, he wanted to make it so that the sad things wouldn’t continue.
However, he did not expressly put those feelings into words. For now, not yet……
In exchange, he asked a question about something that bothered him.
「Lumachina……Do you believe in me?」
「Of course.」
「Then, if I said “I am actually not Kami-sama”, would you believe me?」
「Diablo-sama, if you are the one saying it, then you are surely not Kami-sama. However, “belief” is not a feeling that occurs towards a title. Rather, wouldn’t the feeling that I currently bear towards you be called “faith”?」
She answered without hesitation.
It were as if she had spent much time wondering that herself.
From outside the window, the Church bells that announced the changing of the hour resounded.
To be continued
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