“Hey. What are you planning to do with that Divine Tool?”
At Zett’s words, Silvia tilted her head.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s not right for an individual to possess a Divine Tool that can grant Oracles, is it? That’s why I asked what you plan to do with it.”
Zett stated, as if Silvia wouldn’t even understand something like that.
“Why is it not allowed for an individual to possess it?”
“It’s a Divine Tool that allows direct communication with the gods!? It’s only natural that it be managed by the Temple, isn’t it?”
While Zett was the only one speaking at this moment, it was clear that the other members were thinking the same thing.
Except for Peach, of course.
“I’d like to ask why it’s natural, but… are you going to leave something unusable displayed as a precious treasure?”
“…What?”
“This Divine Tool was made for me alone. Even if someone else tried to use it, they wouldn’t be able to.”
Silvia deliberately didn’t say who made it, but whoever it was seemed to be immediately understood.
“…That person?”
It was Laurel who said that, having witnessed Kousuke making a Divine Tool directly.
“If there were anyone else who could make something like this, wouldn’t the church already know about them?”
“……”
Silvia was right.
In the first place, it was Kousuke’s attempt to do something with the Divine Tool he made in this Temple that led to Kouhi’s true identity being revealed.
At least Laurel had never heard of anyone other than Kousuke who could make such a Divine Tool.
“Besides, he said he had no plans to release any Divine Union Tools. There’s no way I would betray his intentions.”
“It would be a disaster if it fell into the wrong hands and was misused, you know~”
Peach chimed in at the perfect timing.
A Divine Tool that allows communication with gods can be used in various ways just by possessing it.
For example, one could falsely claim to have communed with the gods using the Divine Union Tool when they actually hadn’t.
Furthermore, if such a claim were made borrowing the authority of the Temple, the outcome would be as clear as day.
The situation where one could directly obtain a divine oracle through a Divine Tool had occurred, but the Central Continent group had not achieved their original goal.
They had been refused once yesterday, but negotiations would be impossible if they gave up after a single rejection.
Just as they were about to open their mouths to try and extract some concessions today, Peach unexpectedly started the conversation.
“Well then~. Since all our business is finished, we will do as you say and withdraw into the tower.”
Saying that, she made a move as if to leave her seat immediately.
“W-wait.”
“Is there something else~?”
Peach looked at Karin, who had stopped her, with a bored expression.
Of course, this attitude was intentional, but those who didn’t know Peach wouldn’t notice it.
“There’s more, we haven’t discussed the Temple in the tower yet!”
“As we discussed yesterday~. From our side, there’s no reason to accept you.”
Peach showed a clear refusal.
“B-but, if that’s the case, won’t it be embarrassing for the residents?”
“Is that so~? If the Main God himself says he wishes it, I think they’ll be convinced.”
“Of course, we intend to accept you as pilgrims, but we have no intention of accepting clergy as residents at this time.”
Pilgrims refer to those in the clergy who go on a training journey visiting temples in various towns.
This is not done much in the Central Continent, where attacks by monsters on the roads are frequent, but it is carried out on roads with relatively low monster appearances in other continents.
Staying at a temple in one town lasts for about a month at most. The townspeople treat pilgrims as pilgrims.
They are treated differently from the clergy who are in the temple of the town.
To the townspeople, pilgrims are simply “guests.”
Since the person who should be enshrined (the god?) says they don’t need resident clergy, there’s no forcing the request for acceptance.
Even if they were to forcefully get through this negotiation, it would be counterproductive to displease the very god being enshrined.
“…You have no intention of accepting them, no matter what?”
“At least, that’s what we’ve heard for now~. As I said yesterday, I don’t know about the future.”
“Well, he’s quite busy with various things right now, so the Temple will likely be a while away.”
Silvia said so with a bitter smile.
Currently, Kousuke’s focus is entirely on conquering other towers.
The Temple on the Fifth Floor has become a secondary concern.
This isn’t limited to Kousuke; Silvia and Peach, who are present, are the same.
From their perspective, their business is done, and they want to return to the tower quickly.
Perhaps sensing that atmosphere, Shuri judged that further negotiation was meaningless or would escalate the situation.
After all, it wasn’t just Silvia and Peach who were negotiating. Behind them stood the Avatar, who had only been recognized yesterday.
“Then, though I am disappointed, does this mean there will be no further progress?”
“That’s right~. Our business is concluded, so all that’s left is to leave.”
Peach said so and quickly stood up.
Seeing that, Silvia also stood up in the same way.
If Peach had decided it was over, she probably truly meant it was over.
The two of them then headed for the exit of the room, but strangely, no one tried to stop them.
The two, with their backs turned, did not notice until the end that they were being glared at.
♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦
“Well, our plan has completely backfired.”
Shuri said cheerfully after seeing them off.
Two of the other three members of the Central Continent group had dark expressions, while the remaining one glared at Shuri.
“Oh, you seem quite amused.”
It was Laurel who said that.
“Of course. Well, it’s partly sour grapes. But isn’t it fun when something fails so spectacularly?”
“…Are you giving up?”
It was Zett, who had been glaring, who said that.
“That’s hardly likely. At least we have permission to visit as pilgrims, so we’ll take our time and observe.”
At Shuri’s words, Karin and Tamar nodded, as if to say, “I see.”
Since they had been given such a precious opportunity, they intended to thoroughly observe the Temple, which had the blessings of the three great gods and was presided over by an Avatar.
After all, such a rare opportunity to see such a temple wouldn’t come around often.
“So? What about Mikusen’s Temple?”
“Let’s see… wouldn’t it be better to make him a subject of worship?”
Laurel said, half in jest and half in earnest.
Lilaamamiya, who had developed the Status-infused Crown Card, was already so powerful that it was known to almost every adventurer in the Central Continent.
Their influence was even spreading to other continents.
Currently, since Crown Cards can only be made at the Tower Headquarters, their growth wasn’t explosive, but their influence was not waning, and the number of members continued to increase.
Laurel was unaware that Kousuke was the one who created the foundation of the Crown Card, but she thought it wouldn’t be strange for Avatars to be worshipped by adventurers.
After all, they had achieved results in Amamiya Tower, and there was information that they had already conquered two other towers.
There were already rumors that the remaining four towers would be conquered in time.
Considering that, it was possible for Avatars to gain many believers, especially in the Central Continent, where the proportion of adventurers was high.
Naturally, the focus of that faith would likely be the Temple in Amamiya Tower.
With all that in mind, Laurel let out a bitter smile, thinking she might be thinking a bit too far ahead.
It feels a bit unfinished, but this is the end of the main story for “Interlude: The Gathered Clergy.” I’ll add a few more small stories to continue it a little longer.
I planned for it to end in about two episodes, but it’s ended up being longer than that.
I wonder why? lol
*Around 10:30 PM on 7/2, I had written that “Interlude: The Gathered Clergy” was over, but that was my mistake. It will continue a little longer.
