Another side
Kirika’s demand was for Susanoo-god to confront the sun god of another world.
If he accepted the request without resistance, the situation would proceed smoothly.
The group held their breath, watching him, fully expecting him to accept.
“…”
Susanoo-god, whose acceptance would cover his previous blunder, remained silent.
“Haa, we don’t have time. Just say no if you can’t. That way, I can report to my superiors without any reservations,” Kirika said.
He seemed to be trying to buy time by remaining silent for a minute or two, but this was problematic for the Demon Lord’s Army entourage.
Knowing who she was dealing with, Kirika, who had thrown away all pretense of leniency, turned her gaze to Mimamori-shin standing beside her.
“Right?”
“…Well, this is a serious matter. Putting aside the threats, the fact that you covered up a clear blunder that a god shouldn’t have made cannot be denied. If left unaddressed, a great disaster would ensue, that much is obvious. I can’t just kill you and sweep this under the rug.”
“Killing me? You have terrifying thoughts for someone with your appearance.”
“I am a god, you know. While I do have my emotional side, I can also be merciless to prevent humans from getting out of hand.”
“Scary, scary.”
As Kirika grinned, Mimamori-shin, understanding her intention, informed Susanoo-god he had no choice.
A groan leaked out from somewhere, but Kirika, unfazed, turned to Keiri, the representative of the group who had maintained her silence.
“Now then, Keiri-san. What kind of god do you desire? If I wanted to, I could even summon and bring in a top god from the Amatsukami to help.”
She had thrown the crucial decision to him.
Kirika walked over with light steps, signaling that her role was complete, and casually stepped aside, placing a hand on Keiri’s shoulder to hand over the negotiation.
“E-Eek. To entrust the right to life and death to another,” Keiri stammered.
“I think it’s more impressive that I created the situation where that’s possible,” Kirika retorted.
“Hmm, but is this okay? The weakness was prepared by Kirika-san, not by us.”
“I don’t think there’s a problem. With Kirika-san watching over Keiri-san from behind, they have no choice but to listen.”
The members of Moonlit Perch, who had secretly gathered, whispered among themselves, discussing their current situation.
Minami mixed admiration and surprise at Kirika’s unyielding nature, Karen praised the smooth progress of the negotiations so far, Amelia felt uneasy about the upcoming negotiations, and Katsu dispelled her worries.
“I believe Keiri-san can handle the rest of the negotiations without any issues.”
Keiri, bearing all of their expectations, met Kirika’s gaze and nodded firmly.
“Then, from here on, the Demon Lord’s Army, with the Human King’s subordinate, Keiri Arshal, will take over.”
She took a step towards the god and bowed. It was a mere nod, but it was the minimum required courtesy.
“Mimamori-shin, I ask you. What kind of reward can we expect from Takamagahara for this matter?”
After completing the minimum courtesies, she began seeking materials to consider her demands to the god.
Keiri knew that demanding a force capable of annihilating the sun god, Isaliza, would be excessive.
Even if it was just the assistance of one god from another world, that would be good. However, Keiri noticed something.
The god lacked motivation.
Yes, Susanoo-god had no motivation. His sullen expression clearly showed his intention to grudgingly comply with their demands, only to offer minimal, or even less than minimal, assistance with excuses.
That wouldn’t do.
What was needed was a sure trump card, one strong enough to save their nation.
“…Hmm. I can’t say for certain, but perhaps the loan of a Sacred Treasure? Or perhaps sending the Yatagarasu.”
Instead of uncertain military strength, it would be wiser to seek a reliable one, Keiri calculated.
“A Sacred Treasure. Do you have any within your possession that would be effective against a god with the characteristics of the sun?”
“I can’t say. Even if I did, we wouldn’t lend it out. If a lent Sacred Treasure were turned against us, we wouldn’t fare well. We can only lend out items not meant for combat.”
However, this calculation was forced to be revised immediately. While this might be an exceptional reward for the Demon Lord’s Army’s profit, it was problematic in wartime, though it would be acceptable during post-war settlements.
“Then, how capable is the combat power of the Yatagarasu?”
“He is a respectable god. His divine power is guidance. In terms of combat, he wouldn’t lose to ordinary beasts, but against a god, it would be difficult.”
The other option, being guided by a god, would be an exceptional reward after the war, but it was not what they needed.
A reward that could be used in battle, but with no motivation. A reward that was exceptional but useless in battle.
From these two choices, Keiri needed to devise a new strategy.
Mimamori-shin hesitated, understanding what Keiri desired from her questions, but unwilling to easily deploy a god’s combat power.
“I see.”
While not convinced, Keiri understood. She pondered for a moment, then glanced at Susanoo-god.
Given the previous exchange, her trust in him was significantly shaken. Could she send him to the battlefield with confidence if she made a contract? Doubt gnawed at her.
In such a crucial situation, she couldn’t deploy an unknown force.
She understood Kirika’s intention in orchestrating this entire meeting.
Whether to use Susanoo-god or to leverage the negotiation to find another path was up to her. Kirika, even as a relative of a high-ranking member of the Demon Lord’s Army, lacked the detailed knowledge of the Demon Lord’s Army’s inner workings to make fine judgments.
Therefore, she had created an environment where Keiri could extract what was necessary.
Keiri didn’t know how much time it would have taken her to reach this point if she had been the one negotiating initially. Without the use of Sacred Treasures and the opening of Takamagahara’s gate, they likely wouldn’t have been able to negotiate so proactively.
Understanding that process, she knew she had to make the most of this golden opportunity with all her might. Her expression remained unchanged, but her mind was constantly evaluating options, growing heated.
“Then, conversely, what would it take for you to lend us that combat power?”
This was a poor strategy; she shouldn’t be leaving the decision to the other party. At worst, she might be presented with an unfulfillable demand.
However, time was of the essence this time, and she had to proceed, even if it meant taking on some risk.
“Hmm, that male god doesn’t dislike fighting. He just doesn’t like being told what to do. If the condition is that he can rampage as he pleases, then you can take him. However, gods who can listen properly and be incorporated into a plan are rare even for us. Such gods have their roles. Bishamonten of the Seven Gods of Fortune, Take Mikari—those would be ideal gods for you. They are honorable and repay debts. But precisely because of their nature, it’s understandable that we are reluctant to let them go, isn’t it?”
However, even with the advantage of the Dragon Veins, the price would not be trivial. Gods’ demands were typically unreasonable.
“Yes, I am fully aware.”
“Hmm, something you could prepare, something our god would immediately agree to, and a reason for him to willingly participate in the battle…” Mimamori-shin pondered, considering what might be offered.
“The first thing that comes to mind is the management rights of your world.”
“…”
The existence of a god surpassed such considerations.
“The authority your gods are quarreling over is incredibly valuable to a god. Governing a world directly correlates to a god’s power. It’s a bit different in worlds with many gods like ours, but for a monotheistic god, the benefits are immense. Even a portion of that authority is equivalent to receiving a part of the world. If you can offer that… hmm, even that male god would be highly motivated.”
Keiri stated plainly that she was offering the world, prompting Susanoo-god, who had been unmotivated until then, to question her with his eyes. Of course, Keiri ignored his gaze and shook her head regretfully.
“I see. If that were possible, we could call Amaterasu. Well, it would be troublesome if you said yes immediately.”
Even with the Demon Lord’s Army’s authority, they did not have the right to cede a world. It was a demand that surpassed precious treasures or monetary value. Keiri, realizing her plan was too naive, began to consider another approach when a thought struck her.
“While ceding a world might be impossible… perhaps we could provide a space where gods can freely exist and are not troubled by Dragon Veins.”
It was a possibility. And she held the authority for it, barely.
“Huh? You have such a space?”
“Yes.”
It was inferior to a world, but in terms of space, it was undoubtedly an exceptional provision.
“And it’s a space connected to Japan, allowing for exchange with other worlds.”
Hearing Keiri describe the nature of this space, Minami and the others were taken aback, momentarily questioning if she was serious.
“Within that space, I have the authority to provide you with an ideal environment.”
Keiri presented this offer without hesitation and with confidence, as if brushing aside their hesitation.
“Dungeon…”
“Although it is inferior to a world, it is possible to provide a vast land, a space that can be freely transformed, and most importantly, an energy supply similar to Dragon Veins.”
Keiri knew that gods required certain conditions to gain power. Broadly speaking, three elements were necessary: recognition, faith, and land. Gods could not be born without being known. They could not gain power without being believed in. They could not maintain their existence without land to root themselves. A dungeon could fulfill all three conditions.
“Currently, we are recognized in this world as mysterious beings from another world. If we achieve significant results in this war, interaction will further increase in the future, and our managed dungeon will undoubtedly become the forefront of that. My superior, the Human King, has been granted that authority by the Demon Lord and is actively involved in negotiations.”
If the world of mystery were to expand to Earth in the future, the Amatsukami would also desire a foothold. Keiri, focusing on this point, rapidly listed the benefits.
“If we could establish a temple for your gods there, it would attract further attention, serve as publicity for the gods, and I believe it would increase believers and their power in this world.”
A space where gods could exist, act, and perform miracles.
“What do you say?”
“Hmm.”
Keiri’s spontaneous thought that a dungeon would be the optimal free space succeeded in making Mimamori-shin pause and ponder upon hearing her suggestion.
Today’s word: An inspiration on the spur of the moment speaks of diligence.
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