Published: September 10, 2025
Correction made on 2017/8/14.
This time, from Sera’s perspective.
――Which should I choose: faith or love?
Kind Mr. Satou refuses to allow the indiscriminate divine punishment from the gods.
He even protects the Weasel Empire, which caused the trouble, within the otherworld he created with godlike power.
If the gods and Mr. Satou were truly to come into conflict, what should I do…?
â—‡
"――To the Duke’s Capital, is it?"
"I have a little something to discuss with Shrine Maiden Lily of Tenion Temple."
Mr. Satou invited me, who had been stuck in a maze of thoughts at the Isolated Island Palace, to go to the Duke’s Capital for a change of pace.
Of course, I had no objections.
"Are we taking the airship today?"
――How unusual.
Mr. Satou could have instantly traveled to the Duke’s Capital using spatial magic or his unique skill.
"Yes, sometimes a journey through the skies is refreshing."
"Indeed."
No one else from the Isolated Island Palace joined us on this trip to the Duke’s Capital.
A journey alone with just the two of us was, though improper, a bit thrilling.
However――.
"Mr. Satou, so this is your airship?"
"Sorry to intrude, Satou."
For some reason, two uninvited guests were here.
"If you think it’s such a bother, you can just fly on the Flying Carousel."
As I peeled off my elder sister’s hand, which had casually touched Mr. Satou’s shoulder, I couldn’t help but mutter a sharp remark at her attempt to use him so freely.
I didn’t want to reveal such dark emotions in front of Mr. Satou, but I couldn’t control my feelings well around my sister.
Surely, the inferiority complex from childhood still stirred deep within my heart.
――Ah!
"Lirina, it’s unbecoming for a lady to cling to a gentleman who isn’t even her fiancé."
Honestly, no chance to relax at all.
I quickly separated Lirina from Mr. Satou’s arm.
"Oh? Sera, jealous of a child?"
"It’s not jealousy! I was just instructing her on how a proper lady should behave."
"Hmm, instruction, huh――"
As my sister teasingly tangled with me, I calmly brushed her off.
"――Hey!"
Suddenly, my sister wrapped her arms around Mr. Satou’s neck.
"Sister! That’s indecent!"
Unbelievable.
It’s one thing for a child like Lirina, but an adult woman like my sister shouldn’t behave like that.
"Oh? Grandfather said I should marry Satou, didn’t he? So we’re basically engaged, right?"
Grandfather…
Please stop such teasing; it only stirs up my sister’s childishness.
To avoid bothering Mr. Satou, I endured the ordeal of dealing with my sister until we reached the Duke’s Capital.
Yes, when I saw the spire of the Duke’s Castle through the window, I felt relief from the bottom of my heart.
â—‡
"Mr. Satou, long time no see."
"It’s been a while, Shrine Maiden Lily."
The day after arriving at the Duke’s Capital, I visited Tenion Temple with Mr. Satou.
His request was to meet with the god.
"If it’s your wish, I’d like to grant it, but――"
Lily-sama faltered in her words.
"If you want to speak with the god yourself, you’ll have to use ‘divine spirit invocation’ to summon the god into my body."
――Divine spirit invocation.
It is the ultimate holy magic that descends part of a god onto one’s soul vessel.
The Tenion Temple archives contain stories of shrine maidens and priests who used divine spirit invocation in the past to resist invasions by Demon Kings and high-rank demons.
But all of those required a great sacrifice.
Not just losing their lives, but their soul vessels would be shattered.
Inviting such a powerful being as a god into a small human vessel is just too great a strain.
"No, that magic requires too great a sacrifice."
"If it’s for you and the world, I would gladly offer my soul alone."
Lily-sama said this jokingly, but she was serious.
If Mr. Satou nodded, she would truly carry it out — which was frightening.
When Mr. Satou asked if there was another way, Lily-sama suggested a method from ancient times when a king communicated with a god.
We obtained permission from the current chief shrine maiden and searched the Restricted Library at Tenion Temple for the required book.