I am one day late. (sweat)
Another side
The revival of the Sacred Treasure.
It was like witnessing a miracle. The demons and fallen angels, whipping their exhausted bodies, approached and exchanged high-fives with silent smiles.
“I’m so tired.”
“Yeah, truly.”
In their exhausted state, they showered each other with cheers and shared smiles.
“There’s no time, seal it immediately. And call Keiri.”
Himik’s role was now over.
Even as a Seraph, she seemed to be struggling, her breathing ragged from expending nearly all her magic power at once. Guided by the rescue team, she lay on a stretcher and was taken to the infirmary.
“Evia-sama too.”
“Not yet.”
“But, in that state, it will harm your body.”
And the same applied to Evia, who had continued to manipulate the torrent of magic power to complete the Sacred Treasure. A Lizardman female doctor, who supported her as she swayed and almost collapsed, shook her head, telling herself she couldn’t fall yet.
As Evia watched her subordinates carefully perform the sealing procedure for the Sacred Treasure, someone rushed towards her.
“Evia-sama!”
“You’re here.”
It was Keiri, whom Jiro had entrusted with the Dungeon’s management.
“I’m going to Japan from now. You take command of the logistics on the front lines.”
“In that condition, it’s impossible! For the fetus too!”
“I know!!”
Although the female doctor immediately tried to stop her, protesting Evia’s calm and rational instructions, she knew the danger. Both her own body and the fetus were under strain. In normal circumstances, she should be resting now. But she couldn’t afford to stop here. Someone had to go, and Evia understood that her position demanded it, thus deciding this was the time to push herself.
“No! You don’t understand!!”
However, her judgment was challenged. Keiri turned directly to Evia and boldly declared that her decision was wrong.
“Evia-sama’s physical condition is not perfect. To attempt negotiations with a god from another world in that state would be utter foolishness. Even if Evia-sama believes she is alright, I maintain that it is impossible.”
Even to an outsider, Evia looked utterly exhausted. However, considering her status, responsibilities, and talent, she was indispensable for negotiations with a god from another world. Most of the main responsible individuals were at the battlefield, leaving Evia as the highest-ranking authority on site. The fact that the opponent was a god made the burden even heavier, and there was no one else in a position to handle it.
“Therefore!! I will go!!”
Or so it was supposed to be.
Keiri stepping forward as Evia’s proxy would normally have been dismissed as insufficient. But the current situation was too extraordinary. The Demon Lord’s Army’s military regulations included a wartime exemption. This was an exception that occurred when a general, whose most crucial role was to fight on the battlefield, could not return to the rear. Proxy authority to a general. Keiri had been delegated the management of the Dungeon by Jiro. This was an emergency measure due to the dire situation, but currently, Keiri held authority equivalent to that of a general in administrative matters. If she wanted to, Keiri currently had the authority to even change the Dungeon’s form. However, this could not be changed without the Dungeon Core’s Divine Beast’s permission, meaning if she wanted to do it, she would need Feri’s approval.
“In my current capacity, I hold authority equivalent to a general. Therefore, I judge myself sufficient as a negotiator.”
That was irrelevant for now. The crucial question was whether Keiri could act as a negotiator on equal or superior terms with the Japanese Government, the Japanese Shiju Jutsu Association, and the gods of Japan, who were from another world.
“…”
The decision to make was Evia’s, who held authority beyond that of a proxy. Yet, despite her fatigue, a rational thought crossed her mind: that it was indeed appropriate. Keiri’s abilities were something Evia knew intimately, having observed her extensively. While her combat power was far from that of a general, she had stepped into the realm of superhuman abilities, surpassing the average. In terms of administration and negotiation skills, considering her achievement of establishing the Dungeon, she was undoubtedly capable. Overall, if one were to consider a suitable and reliable person other than Evia to be immediately available, there was virtually no one else but Keiri.
“…Understood. I’ll leave it to you.”
Her body, strained by the excessive effort, seemed more fatigued than she had anticipated. Being able to entrust it to someone, Evia let out a sigh of relief and her strength suddenly left her, causing the Lizardman female doctor to support her.
“Yes! Leave it to me!!”
With that decided, Evia, still lying on the stretcher, calmly explained the necessary information verbally for the handover to Keiri. In terms of memory, Keiri, who had been trained by the Death March, possessed exceptional abilities. After all, if she took the time to jot down every detail, the work would never get done. Her experience of honing her concentration to an extreme degree to engrave accurate information in her mind served her well here. Keiri, memorizing every word without a single mistake, completed the handover.
“I will take command from here on!!”
After seeing Evia off to the infirmary, Keiri straightened her posture and, while overseeing the completion of the Sacred Treasure’s sealing procedure, began another task.
“Hello!! Mother-in-law!?”
This was a task that required leveraging her connections to the fullest. She couldn’t afford to be picky at this point. With almost no preparation time to negotiate with a god from another world, Keiri thought she had no choice but to employ tactics outside the usual scope and took out her smartphone, not a telepathic call, and dialed a certain number. With her other hand, she quickly typed an email on another smartphone.
“What is it, what is it? What’s wrong, daughter-in-law? You sound so frantic. Is this about some troublesome matter? My premonitions are usually right.”
The person who answered on the first ring was Jiro’s mother, Tanaka Kirika. A somewhat reluctant but seemingly willing voice, as if saying she answered for Keiri’s sake, reached Keiri’s ears.
“Mother-in-law, do you know of any way to negotiate with Japanese gods on equal footing?”
Among her allies, she suspected either her mother-in-law Kirika or her sister Kirie would possess the means to negotiate with gods on equal terms. Keiri had called Kirika, believing she was more likely than Kirie.
“…Negotiating with gods? You’re asking for something incredible all of a sudden. Honestly, the wives Jiro brings home are always unusual.”
Normally, one would simply say they don’t know anything about that. At the very least, they might be told they were out of their minds. From a Japanese perspective, the existence of gods is questionable. If one claimed to have met them, they’d be labeled a liar, part of a strange religious group, or a devout believer, at best. In any case, the Japanese temperament dictates that one would hesitate to get close to such beings or become deeply involved. However, even for such beings, did they possess the means to negotiate with gods? A liar would say they had no such right. A strange religious group would demand more donations. A devout believer would consider negotiating with a god blasphemous. So, what about Kirika, who was none of the above?
“Yes, I have a very special weakness of theirs.”
After a deep sigh, audible even over the phone, Kirika’s tone completely shifted as she definitively stated, “Yes.”
“Knowing this is what allowed me to make them stop pursuing me — it’s my trump card.”
Was it knowledge? Or some kind of proof?
“May I know what it is?”
“No, I’m coming too. Frankly, it wouldn’t be very effective if I just told you. It won’t work unless I go myself.”
With that, Keiri glanced at the smartphone in her hand, the one she was typing on.
“Understood. May I accompany you once I’ve finished preparing to depart?”
“As my daughter-in-law’s request, I can’t just sit idle. I’ll contact Kirie myself, so you can make an appointment with her afterward… Hey!! Ichiro!! Let’s get ready to go!”
“Eh!?”
Muil-san had been contacted, and they were able to temporarily entrust him with the command of rear support. Ignoring the surprised voice of her father-in-law from the phone, Keiri ended the call and grabbed a nearby worker.
“How much longer until the sealing procedure is complete?”
“Approximately two hours.”
“Understood. I’ll complete the transfer preparations in that time.”
She confirmed the time they had. In this time, she needed to secure transportation for the Sacred Treasure, arrange for guards, and obtain permission to travel with escorts. This involved notifying the Japanese Government and making an appointment with the Japan Shiju Jutsu Association. Thanks to Kirika’s arrangements, the contact with the Association could be postponed. So, what Keiri needed to do next was…
Once again, she began operating her smartphone at high speed, this time to secure security personnel within the company. Specifically, skilled individuals familiar with Earth.
“Heeey, what is it, Keiri-san?”
There were several subordinates who were combat personnel, but Keiri felt uneasy about relying solely on them to guard the Sacred Treasure, so she called a person she could count on. A distinctive languid voice and a samurai-like speech pattern.
“Minami, I have a high-priority job. Can you interrupt your administrative work and come over here?”
Shiretoko Minami. As far as Keiri knew, she was a sharp-witted woman whose combat style was also suited for support.
“Eeeh, I don’t take jobs outside my duties, you know?”
She was now the Section Chief of the Tester First Division. Therefore, sensing trouble, Minami’s statement was correct; guarding a Sacred Treasure was outside her duties. Keiri, who had anticipated her premonition even before explaining the situation, managed a wry smile and said, “Please don’t say that. You can owe me one.”
“Uuuuhm, an opportunity to owe Keiri-san a favor, huh…? I’m getting an even worse premonition.”
While her motivation for work was low, she wasn’t the type to refuse Keiri’s requests. She weighed the bad premonition against her relationship with Keiri.
“Haa, I’ll ask Katsu and Karen, and Amy-chan to help out.”
“I appreciate it.”
With a deep sigh, she promised to secure the personnel Keiri desired.
“I’m counting on you to ask Jiro for a proper bonus.”
“If you’re telling the leader, that’s fine.”
As for compensation, it was certain it would be paid, but the fact that she accepted was likely thanks to Jiro’s efforts in building their past trust.
“By when should we gather?”
“Prepare for outdoor equipment, Class S special grade, and gather in the lobby in two hours.”
“Outdoor equipment…? Could it be…”
Relying on that credit, she decided on her next move. Thanks to Evia, the paperwork was already done. While hearing Minami’s stunned voice, Keiri sent a notification to the department that stored special equipment.
“Yes, we’re heading outside. And to a rather extraordinary place.”
When she told Minami where they were going.
“Haa, so this is what being a corporate slave is like. Jobs I can’t refuse really make my stomach ache.”
Minami’s words, a mixture of exasperation and regret, came back.
“Welcome to our side of the world. Welcome!”
“There are welcomes I never wanted to receive in my life.”
A wide smile spread across Keiri’s face.
Today’s word:
Run at full speed.
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Pandora Pandemic Panic – Pandora’s Box Has Been Opened Again, but We’re Fighting Back with Various Activities in a Secret Base and More!!
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