"It is my honor to continue safeguarding the peace of Orario." Having said this, Shakti glanced sidelong for a moment at Aruru and the several other Xenos who followed along beside Rei.
Now that Haimer held power, Ganesha had already told Shakti about the matter of the Xenos. To think that the weapon-wielding monsters she'd encountered in the Dungeon all these years were in fact a group of rational Xenos.
And that they were now under the protection of Lord Haimer.
Seeing them again now, Shakti's feelings were exceptionally complicated. But in the end, she merely pressed her lips together lightly, tactfully swallowing her words and not asking so much as a single question further. She quickened her steps at once and swiftly withdrew through the entrance door.
Watching Shakti's capable figure recede.
The main door was gently latched from outside and closed once more.
Only then did the women come crowding over, surrounding the sofa in the middle.
After all, thanks to the physical abilities that came with ascending to Lv.2, they had clearly caught—if only faintly—a small portion of the conversation the two had just had.
"Kami-sama."
"By the sound of it, those brazen Familias have already started making up excuses to stir up trouble so soon."
"Isn't it obvious they're deliberately provoking us?"
"What do you plan to do about it this time?"
Kikakujou Mary arched her pretty brows slightly as she asked.
Hanasaka Warabi and the others were likewise especially concerned.
Haimer merely shrugged.
"Since they're deliberately provoking us, then as Constables,"
"we can hardly just sit around as decoration."
"Since we've taken on this tough assignment from the Guild,"
"they do say a new official has to light three fires when he takes office."
"If we don't make them bleed a little, don't break the legs of a few fools who don't know what's good for them,"
"these people will never learn to remember exactly where the boundaries of the rules are drawn."
Upon hearing murderous phrases like "make them bleed" and "break a few legs," Tendou Kisara—who had been calm-faced a moment ago—immediately spoke up.
"Kami-sama! Do you need my help?"
Beside her, Kohina Hiruko, twin ponytails whipping about, wasn't about to be outdone, waving her hands.
"Little Hiruko can go help too!"
"Those annoying fellows who dare to provoke Kami-sama—just let Little Hiruko take care of them directly."
"Little Hiruko guarantees she can pluck out every last bit of their intestines nice and easy, and let them get a good clear look!"
After all, whether it was Tendou Kisara or Kohina Hiruko, both were sharp blades well accustomed to the sight of blood.
Killing, for them, no longer carried even the slightest psychological burden.
Only, upon hearing Kohina Hiruko—a little girl—say something about plucking out people's intestines, Lili and Rei and the others were rather startled, eyes going wide, staring somewhat incredulously at Kohina Hiruko, whose expression had turned exceptionally excited.
Although Tendou Kisara and Kohina Hiruko both had heavy killing intent and could fight, the two of them were simply too artless in the end; let loose, they'd be hard to rein in, truly not well suited to this task of establishing authority while keeping a proper sense of measure.
Haimer had other arrangements in mind for Tendou Kisara and Kohina Hiruko.
Thinking this, Haimer simply shook his head.
"No need."
"For those of you who have only recently received God's Grace,"
"what I'm counting on you to do right now isn't to go picking fights and brawling with people."
"It's to honestly keep going over to the Loki Familia's side and receive your special training."
"Get your respective foundations solidly built up first."
"That way it'll be easier to handle the later missions of delving deep into the Dungeon."
Hearing herself decisively refused, Kohina Hiruko's face fell at once.
Her little mouth pouting high, she turned her head away and gave a very displeased "hmph."
Although Tendou Kisara also felt somewhat regretful in her heart at not being able to have a satisfying fight, this was an arrangement Kami-sama had personally handed down. She still, without the slightest hesitation, lowered her hands and bowed her head to signal absolute obedience.
And it was at this very juncture that a series of heavy "thump thump thump" footsteps came again from the second-floor staircase.
There was Hestia, barefoot on those two chubby little feet.
The signature little tuft of ahoge atop her head still swaying wildly, nonstop.
Rubbing hard at the corners of her eyes with both hands, she came thundering down the stairs.
"Haimer! First thing in the morning and you, you scoundrel, have gone and secretly gathered everyone behind my back for a little meeting again!"
Having finished rubbing her eyes, Hestia swept her gaze around and spotted the crowd of people standing packed throughout the hall.
Recalling that Haimer once again hadn't been at her bedside this morning, Hestia promptly puffed out her lips in a pout.
Haimer looked at Hestia and let out a rather helpless long sigh.
"We're not holding a little meeting here. And you're up just in time."
Haimer's gaze shifted, and he pondered a moment, taking the chance to arrange this hot-potato matter.
"Hestia. In a bit, get yourself ready."
"You'll be in charge of taking Lili, Rei, and the others—everyone can go together as a group to report in at Loki's Twilight Manor."
Hearing that she had to go to that place, the Twilight Manor, again, Hestia kept pouting aggrievedly, pouting so hard you could've hung an oil bottle from her lips.
"I don't want to go!"
"If I go, I'll have to see Loki."
"The moment I get there and look at that smug petty face of hers, I get annoyed!"
Haimer had long anticipated this routine from Hestia.
"It's fine. When you get there,"
"just say I sent you—whatever tasty food you fancy, or whatever fun thing you take a liking to and want to buy,"
"go all out, and just let Loki play the sucker and foot the bill for you."
"Go eat, drink, and take her stuff—all for free."
"Do the math carefully—is this deal a loss for you or not?"
Hearing these words from Haimer, the bellyful of reluctant little feelings that had been madly swirling in Hestia's heart just moments ago—the instant she heard she could make Loki bleed money—
her aggrieved little face instantly cleared from cloudy to sunny, as if by magic.
Her eyes rolled round and round rapidly in their sockets, a full circle.
In a flash she'd switched to a delighted face and hastily, happily agreed.
"Then it's settled, all right! This is what you said yourself!"
"So once I get over there, first I'm going to eat ten of those top-grade crêpes—the ones with the daily limited supply!"
"Hey, wait, that's not right."
Right after, Hestia's mind, half a beat slow, finally rounded a big bend.
"Since I'm the one in charge of leading them all over there—but aren't you coming along with us today?"
Utterly bewildered, Hestia looked over at Haimer, sitting on the sofa.
"Haimer, leaving yourself out of it—what are you planning to go do?"
Haimer remained perfectly composed.
"I'm not going anywhere—Miss Shakti and I have other arrangements."
"Huh? Shakti?"
Because she'd been upstairs fast asleep just now, she hadn't heard a word of the serious talk between Haimer and Shakti at all.
Hestia at this moment was completely at a loss; the more she listened, the less she could make heads or tails of what was going on.
As for the girls off to the side who had caught most of it—though they knew Miss Shakti was arranged to come in the afternoon, they had by now also picked up that their god actually had other plans, and so, each with great tacit understanding, they variously helped cover for him.
And so, everything was settled. Since Ryu and the others had also been generously granted a few days' long vacation by Haimer, after eating the breakfast prepared by Lun and the others,
everyone got their gear in order and set off together toward the Loki Familia's imposingly enormous stronghold—the headquarters at the Twilight Manor.
The manor fell quiet in an instant. Only Inaba Tsukuyo remained.
She hadn't left with the main group, because Haimer had signaled her beforehand to stay behind.
And so, Inaba Tsukuyo had been quietly standing at Haimer's side all along.
Once everyone had gone off into the distance and the main door was locked, Haimer finally turned his head.
Looking at the well-behaved little white-haired rabbit at his side.
Haimer once again reached out and stroked Inaba Tsukuyo's head.
Feeling the warmth atop her head, Inaba Tsukuyo obediently nodded, lifted her face, and turned her ruby-like eyes toward Haimer.
"Kami-sama. Keeping Tsukuyo behind—is there something you need Tsukuyo to do?"
Inaba Tsukuyo asked softly.
After all, since Kami-sama's Familia had just been promoted to Constables, those large factions were unconvinced and were probing with provocations. With the Ganesha Familia stepping back to the second line, this really did require someone from Lord Haimer's own ranks to establish authority.
So she was curious—had Kami-sama kept her behind intending to have her handle this matter?
Faced with Inaba Tsukuyo's question, Haimer merely smiled faintly.
"I'm taking you to meet someone."
"Someone?"
Inaba Tsukuyo was somewhat puzzled.
Then, Haimer gave a light swipe toward the empty, open area in the center of the hall.
"Hummm—"
Along with a ripple of spatial fluctuation, an oval gate of light about two meters tall, emanating a soft white glow, slowly tore open in the middle of the broad hall.
"Let's go, Tsukuyo."
Haimer extended his hand toward Inaba Tsukuyo.
"We're going to meet... your elder sister..." Narukami Koharu.
After all, the one most suited to serve as the black glove of his newly established Constable authority—the extreme kind of fighting power needed to break the legs of restless troublemakers and draw the lines of the new rules—could be none other than Narukami Koharu.
As the elder-sister figure whom Inaba Tsukuyo had always especially revered, Narukami Koharu was strong in ability, and equally deep in scheming and calculation.
Above all, Narukami Koharu's swordsmanship had likewise reached the level of Cloud Radiance.
——[Cloud Radiance]. What is Cloud Radiance?
As for Cloud Radiance—within the Jigen-ryū, there has been, since ancient times, the settled maxim that there is no need to swing a second stroke. It is a killing art that emphasizes seizing the first move for certain victory, felling the enemy in a single blow.
The time it takes for the pulse to beat four and a half times is counted as a "minute."
An eighth of a minute is a "second";
a tenth of a second is called a "thread";
a tenth of a thread, that is a "flicker";
a tenth of a flicker is called a "hair."
And a tenth of a hair reaches the speed limit of Cloud Radiance.
Cloud Radiance is lightning. To draw the blade is to cut—straight to death.
The kill is completed in the very instant of the strike; bystanders cannot even see the trajectory of the blade leaving its sheath.
Because once the blade leaves the scabbard, even against a top-tier master, more often than not their throat is simply severed on the spot.
The manifestation of Inaba Tsukuyo's talent—capable of unleashing the Cloud Radiance [Flash of Light]—Haimer had already witnessed, and it was frightening enough.
Narukami Koharu's talent was even above Inaba Tsukuyo's.
And so, the scene shifted. In the blink of an eye, the view changed. The two figures stepped directly into the principal's office of the Aichi Symbiosis Academy.
At this moment, Fujibayashi Yukino, wearing an iceberg-cold face, was sorting through letters at a hardwood desk.
Seeing Haimer suddenly appear, Fujibayashi Yukino was startled, then immediately set down the quill pen in her hand.
She had meant to lower her head and pull open the tea cabinet beside her to brew some fine black tea for her guests. But there was no need for that.
"No need to pour tea; kindly dispense with these empty formalities."
"I want to see her."
While Fujibayashi Yukino was still taken aback, Haimer raised his hand. The scene abruptly switched again.
As soon as the light and shadow settled, this turned out to be some secluded patch of open ground.
The gravel covering the ground was stained all over with dark-red blood that had spurted out not long ago.
Right in the middle of those disorderly broken stones was a girl with short golden hair—none other than Narukami Koharu.
She was half-crouched on the ground, having just used the blood-stained sharp blade in her hand to shove aside the headless corpse of an enemy commander.
"Long time no see. Elder sister."
Before Narukami Koharu could even turn her head, Inaba Tsukuyo had already sensed her presence amid the surrounding bloodiness.
It was just that, facing once more the elder sister she had always looked up to, Inaba Tsukuyo felt quite a bit of emotion in her heart.
After all, she hadn't imagined that her untamed, unruly elder sister would one day actually be chosen by Kami-sama.
Of course, for Inaba Tsukuyo, this could not have been better.
After all, now Tsukuyo could once again settle a contest of victory and defeat together with her elder sister.
"Tonight is a new moon—it has become entirely my exclusive domain. Now, in this space, even the thunderstorm has fallen silent, and the night deepens. Sister... rather than worrying about me, it would be more fitting to first worry about yourself—you, who are about to become a shut-in!"
As for hearing that all-too-familiar form of address,
Narukami Koharu turned her head and looked closely. After making out the identities of these few people, her eyebrows rose slightly.
Hadn't her own little sister already been taken away by a god?
Thinking this, Narukami Koharu's mind turned a bit, and she realized that the man in the middle—the one who had been sizing her up all along with a placid gaze—was precisely the god who had taken away her sister from that gu-breeding school of cutthroat rivalry!
However, when she saw her little sister appear again, Narukami Koharu no longer held her feelings of former days. On the contrary,
Narukami Koharu, looking at Inaba Tsukuyo, suddenly split her lovely face into a grin, flicking the residual blood off her blade with a swing.
And as her smile kept widening, she even bared shark-like teeth.
The hollow, empty eyes distinctive to the Narukami clan revealed an unparalleled, battle-craving excitement.
A warmonger through and through.
"Is this you looking to draw your blade against me?"
Haimer looked at Narukami Koharu's expression, already sensing the fighting spirit radiating directly off her, and shook his head helplessly.
At the same time, seeing this, Inaba Tsukuyo took a step forward to block in front of Narukami Koharu.
"Although Tsukuyo really doesn't want to say this,"
"even if it's you, elder sister,"
"if you intend to raise a hand against Kami-sama..."
"then even though Tsukuyo and elder sister haven't seen each other in so long..."
"Tsukuyo still will not go easy on you, elder sister!"
____
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