Because the White Whale's body was so massive, Crusch decided to make transport easier by having its head cut off. As for the rest, she ordered her men to burn it to ash with fire magic—
so the corpse wouldn't rot and foul the air.
Then the group began the return trip to the royal capital.
Sharing the same carriage with Crusch, Aqua, Beatrice, and Felix, Hayashi Maki held Beatrice in his arms and quietly enjoyed the scenery outside.
Then his brows suddenly knit.
"Crusch-sama, I just received word that the Witch Cult has shown up in Roswaal's domain. I'll have to excuse myself."
Crusch's expression sharpened. "Witch Cult lunatics… That's urgent—no time to waste. Go. And take Wilhelm with you as well."
Hayashi Maki refused.
"No. It's better if Wilhelm-san stays here. Don't forget what I said: the Witch Cult may come to confirm the White Whale's status. You'll likely clash with them."
He then added a firm warning:
"Crusch-sama—tell everyone this: if you see a white-haired man, or a long-haired short man with short swords bound to his hands, stop moving immediately. Don't rush to attack. Stall them until I return."
"Understood. I'll notify my troops," Crusch said, but she still frowned. "However… will you make it back in time? And we can't just sit still forever. The Witch Cult won't stand around doing nothing."
Her worry wasn't unreasonable.
The Witch Cult were madmen—especially the Archbishops. Most of them were outright deranged. The Archbishop of Gluttony even came as a trio, capable of devouring memories and stealing skills—methods as cruel as they were horrific.
But Roswaal's domain still had to be saved. And if Hayashi Maki's intel was right, the one headed there was the Sin Archbishop of Sloth.
He was pitiable, in a way—an elf by origin, once among those who cared for Emilia. But when Pandora forced him into using a Witch Factor to repel her and the Archbishop of Greed, he was tricked into killing the person he loved—Emilia's adoptive mother.
From that moment, he snapped.
Pandora rewrote "facts," and thus the most "diligent" Sloth Archbishop was born—a villain who bit his fingers until they bled, eyes bulging, face ashen, cackling about diligence.
Perfect. Hayashi Maki could resolve this, and collect the Authority while he was at it.
The Unseen Hands were practically divine.
They even echoed the Witch of Envy's shadowy hands—and, more importantly, could expose Greed's Authority manifestation: the "heart" hidden inside Regulus Corneas's wives.
While thinking through all that, Hayashi Maki said to Crusch, "Don't worry. I have a special way of traveling. I'll leave Aqua-sama here to reinforce defenses. With her here, I can return to you instantly if needed."
Then he turned to Aqua.
"I'm counting on you, Aqua-sama. Beatrice and I will go first!"
Aqua slapped a hand against her ample chest with confidence. "No problem! Leave it to this goddess!"
If nothing else, her body was divine—normal magic and physical attacks couldn't break through. And she was a top-tier support caster; setting up barriers was easy.
Crusch hadn't even processed it when Hayashi Maki took Beatrice's hand and vanished on the spot.
Her eyes widened. "What kind of magic was that?"
"Space transfer," Aqua waved it off. "He's probably already at Roswaal's mansion."
Aqua then pulled out a magic staff Hayashi Maki had made for her and said to Crusch, "Since he specifically warned us, we should stop here. I'm going to cast a defensive barrier in place. Safer that way."
Crusch nodded. Hayashi Maki not being here left an odd emptiness in her chest. For the sake of her troops—and her own safety—Aqua's suggestion was solid.
Crusch raised her voice. "All units, defensive posture! Halt and regroup—everyone gather in!"
…
While Crusch and Aqua regrouped, Hayashi Maki had already arrived at Roswaal's mansion.
Ram and Emilia had returned, so with Ram as his contracted companion, Hayashi Maki instantly jumped to her location.
He didn't waste time. He told Emilia everything.
Roswaal was nowhere to be found. When Emilia heard civilians were in danger, she couldn't sit still—she immediately went with Ram to persuade villagers to evacuate.
Meanwhile, Hayashi Maki finally dusted off his "red name system."
The most terrifying part of his demon panel was that, within a certain range, it would mark enemies in red.
So he started lighting hellfire in midair—one target after another.
Deep in a cave, the Sloth Archbishop was still busy, following the Gospel's script, preparing to strike and "test" Emilia.
He didn't even understand what was happening when his "Fingers" started igniting—one after another—turning to ash in an instant.
"Eh? What? Why are my Fingers burning? Aaaah! This unforeseen development—how slothful!"
With deep green, straight-cut hair, a gaunt frame, and eerie, emotionless eyes, Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti bit his fingers like a madman, then slammed his head into the rock wall.
He didn't care that blood ran down his face.
"So this is love…! Even with my Fingers annihilated, I must continue the trial—how diligent!"
"No. You won't be participating in any trials anymore, Geuse."
Hayashi Maki arrived with Emilia and calmly looked at the raving man.
Petelgeuse lurched back, eyes bulging theatrically. When he saw Emilia's face, his gaze ignited with fanatic worship.
"The Witch…! It's you! Ah—at last, you respond to my love! I've been so diligent—never once slacking! But… who are you?"
"The Gospel holds no record of you… and yet you appear here without the trial—Witch, what an unexpected turn of events!"
Emilia tensed, frost spreading along her fingertips.
Hayashi Maki shook his head and stepped in front of her. "Let me handle this, Emilia. You don't have your memories back yet, so you don't know who he is… but I'd like to give him release, if I can."
Emilia hesitated, then nodded softly.
She trusted Hayashi Maki.
Puck appeared too, staring at the crazed man with complicated eyes. "Geuse… How tragic."
He closed his eyes, unwilling to watch.
"Geuse? No, no, no—I am a Sin Archbishop of the Witch Cult, the embodiment of Sloth—Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti!" He cackled. "Hahahahaha! Such sloth!"
"I'm even flustered by your arrival—how slothful! I must be more diligent!"
"And…" His bulging eyes swung to Hayashi Maki. "You erased my Fingers in an instant. The Gospel holds no record of you. I see—you are Pride!"
"You don't put anyone in your eyes—calling me by a name you decided on your own… and that unimaginably 'loving' fragrance… You are Pride! Hahahahaha! Witch, at last you answer my love!"
As he ranted, he continued smashing his head into the rock until blood streamed down.
Hayashi Maki sighed. "Enough. Maybe I truly am 'prideful'—but you should be freed, Geuse."
He walked forward, ignoring the sudden eruption of the Unseen Hands.
"Wh—what?! Impossible! My divine hands—love bestowed by the Witch—can't touch you?!"
In truth, Hayashi Maki simply coated his body in hellfire. It looked like he did nothing, but the moment an Unseen Hand touched him, it burned away.
The Unseen Hands were a manifestation of soul power—spiritual offense.
That was a level beyond Greed's time-freeze tricks, which only affected physical matter.
Soul attacks struck at life's essence.
"Aaaagh! No—my love—cannot lose to you, even if you're the more favored Pride!"
Petelgeuse attacked wildly.
Hayashi Maki placed a hand on his head.
"Purification."
"GAAAH! Hot—hot—HOT! What did you do?! How… slothful…!"
Petelgeuse's body twisted and convulsed. Under Hayashi Maki's purification, the chaos in his soul was repaired and restored.
Soon, a transparent figure rose from the warped body.
A green-haired man—gentle, refined—appeared before Emilia and Puck.
He opened his hands, staring at himself as tears spilled down his face.
"So that's how it is… Emilia… I'll leave her to you."
He gave Emilia one warm look, then turned into glittering motes and dispersed.
He didn't truly "die"—he returned to a spirit's most basic form and fell into slumber.
A violet Witch Factor flowed into Hayashi Maki's body, and with it, he naturally acquired Geuse's power.
Unseen Hands.