欢迎来到精灵之森

After not showing herself for a short while, Alicia came by together with a large amount of luggage just before noon.

Using servants, she had a whole cart’s worth of wooden boxes carried to the common room.

She was in her white dress appearance today as well, and was wearing her glasses.

「I have kept you waiting, Diablo-sama!」

「Going by that look of yours, it would seem you have grasped something.」

「Yes.」

First, calling one of the inn’s employees, they had a couple people’s worth of black tea prepared. White vapor rose up from the tea cups that were placed on the table.

With Diablo at the center, Rem, Shera, Lumachina and Horun sat at the sofa. Rose was standing alongside the wall.

Alicia opened up one of the wooden boxes. Inside, there was a vast amount of documents.

「I followed the flow of capital inside of the church over the past few years.」

「Hou......」

「Especially the private funds of the seven people of the Cardinal Institute who are the top brass. It seems that while they took in large amounts of donations, they made a majority of that part of their personal assets.」

「Is that even a religious crime? That’s sheer theft, isn’t it.」

「It is because it is happening within the Church.」

After hearing Diablo and Alicia’s talk, Lumachina half rose up from the sofa.

「Just how in the world did you investigate that!?」

Going *fu*, Alicia smiled.

「High Chief Priest, it is not something you should concern yourself with......」

「I beg of you, please tell me. I also tried to investigate something similar. But I couldn’t even get a hold of a clue about it.」

「Nnu......」

Alicia made a pensive look on her face.

Diablo shrugged his shoulders.

「Dirty means are also needed in order to carry out one’s ideals. This is surely a chance for her to learn that. There is also no need to worry about it leaking out if it is the people here. Go and tell her about it.」

「Understood. This was all obtained through various means but......Mainly, it was through bribery and sedition.」

「With just money, and words......?」

「Of course the people of the Cardinal Institute wouldn’t sell out their comrades for a small amount of compensation. However, what about the people around them?」

「In the church, the believers carry out their daily responsibilities. There is no way they would move for something like money.」

「It is because the believers would not do actions that would go against God after all.」

「The ones who look after the everyday necessities of me and the Cardinal Institute are only those who had been judged to have particularly deep faith. Only a limited number of believers can enter the Inner Court.」

「Thanks to that, I was able to identify the places there would be secrets, and it was very simple.」

「Simple!?」

「The believers that are able to enter the Inner Court, they are called White Masks within the church, correct? Since they have masks on when at the Inner Court.」

「Yes......To have no individuality before God, to have neither gender, variety, nor beauty or ugliness in outward appearance and be equal, that is the meaning of it.」

Horun raised up one hand.

「In that case, if we put on those masks, we’d be able to go in as much as we’d like, wouldn’t we -su ka ne!」

Alicia shook her head left and right.

「Naturally, the Church’s side is also aware of that. It seems that there is a place where the masks are put on, and they check to see whether or not they are a different person.」

「Then it’s super impossible -ssu.」

「Fufu......And with that, the ones chosen as White Masks are very devout, aren’t they?」

Lumachina nodded at Alicia’s words.

「It is just as you say. There is no way they would respond to something like bribery.」

「Like I said, I used sedition.」

──It turned into a complicated discussion.

Diablo surveyed his companions.

Rem was keeping silent, but she looked like she had slightly realized the means that Alicia had taken.

Shera had no clue......or rather, she had dropped out from the conversation early. Since she had eaten a lot at breakfast, she looked a bit sleepy.

Lumachina and Horun were seriously listening, but they didn’t get it.

Rose was expressionless as usual.

Alicia continued the conversation.

「I have no intention of putting on airs──so I shall talk about the process from step one. First, I offered a bribe to the White Mask believers. However, the one to make the offer wasn’t me, but a bargainer that I could trust. And what they did was say "Since I want to hand over a bribe to the Cardinal Institute, I want you to be the go-between" to them.」

Lumachina’s eyes went round.

「What was that!?」

「Several of the White Masks went along with it. Since it would be to the Cardinal Institute’s benefit. Psychologically speaking, rather than saying it is for ’the sake of exposing evil deeds", many were their cooperative workers from the start.」

「No way......I mean, that would go against the Church’s regulations......」

「One’s status in the Church is influenced by the impression of the Cardinal Institute has of them. In order to curry favor with them, both faith and the regulations don’t matter──It seems that there are many people that feel that way.」

「Kuh......How could this be......」

「What’s important are the serious believers who refused it. The offer to obtain a large amount as a reward, as well as be highly valued by the Cardinal Institute. The straight-laced people that say "the regulations are important" and would refuse that sort of temptation.」

「Were there any?」

「They were found surprisingly easily. With those straight-laced people, this time, I sought for "cooperation to search for bribery".」

「Ah............」

「The bribes──they were not for the sake of obtaining cooperative workers, but for the sake of discovering the straight-laced people that would not go along with it. It means that I used bribes in order to discover people who could prioritize the law over realistic profits.」

「So that’s how it was!」

Lumachina greatly assented to it, and nodded her head several times.

Both Rem and Shera also looked impressed.

──I think that was a fine hand to play.

However, Diablo found that to be unconvincing.

「Those sort of straight-laced people, how many of them did you discover?」

「Fufu......So you noticed. Unfortunately, there weren’t that many of them.」

「With a few number of people, in a mere week, all while doing this stealthily, and most likely having to search through an enormous amount of data, you were able to carry up this many documents?」

Alicia expressed an evil smile.

「As expected of you, Diablo-sama. Actually, a lot more pieces under my control were prepared with a different measure. ──They are the White Masks that were "greedy for larger rewards" when they were bribed.」

「ッ!?」

Lumachina swallowed her breath. Hearing that a greedy person was recognized as being deeply pious, she surely received a shock.

Alicia continued her explanation.

「To the greedy ones, it was conveyed that "proof of bribery would be bought" with money.」

「There must have been a considerably large number of people then.」

「It wasn’t just a few.」

「So it’s something like within the organization called the Church, there is a different organization collecting evidence. You do some absurd things since you have money to make bribes.」

「If the people of the Cardinal Institute had bestowed large sums of money as a reward to the common people, this would have been impossible but......Well, lumps of selfishness that would enrich their own pockets with bribes would never do something like that.」

「Are they not paid?」

「Practices of simplicity and frugality are sought from the believers. It seems that while taking in large amounts of donations, a majority is stored into pockets, and the Church is made to go into the red for many years.」

「That’s an outrageous story.」

「Similar offenses can be seen even in the local areas. The Head Priest would commit embezzlement, and would not even go towards chapel repair expenses.」

「Fumu.」

「The problem with the Church is that they cannot be judged by a State Knight though.」

「Leave what lies beyond that to me.」

「Fufufu......」

Alicia made a delighted looking face.

He had no intention of performing the bloody punishment that she was imagining but......

──I still haven’t decided on what I would do.

In games, no matter what the story, the enemies were presented in an easy to understand way, and would lead to a happy ending if they were defeated. Reality was not that simple.

At any rate, she had skillfully made use of the believers. He decided to check the data that she gathered with her stratagem.

He took out a document from a wooden box.

The date, the sender, the amount of money──and then, what was desired were written on it.

The rights to do business at festivals, the selling of plots of land owned by the Church, favorable treatment in the priest dispatchment to other regions......

These were the better ones──There were things like having false oracles made against business competitors and having them close down, or like having a priest promoted from a disagreeable neighboring territory......Most of them were similar to curses.

Among them, there were also shitty requests saying things like "they themselves were suitable men, so they want an oracle to get the woman in their hearts".

The churches in the Lifelia Kingdom not only spread the religion, but they also perform the duties of being hospitals, schools, and banks.

To think that it would be this corrupt......

Diablo wrinkled his brow.

「This sure is terrible.」

「What is more serious than all else is──that the Cardinal Institute leaves these sorts of documents behind. Even if their evil deeds are exposed, they surely have confidence that they can crush any opposition.」

「The 《Inquisition Right》, huh.」

Alicia nodded.

Rem tightly clenched her fists and stood up.

「......Unforgivable.」

「That’s right!」

Shera also got angry, unlike how she usually is.

Horun also raised her voice.

「This! Since there weren’t any donations from Zircon Tower City, they wouldn’t dispatch any priests──that’s what’s written here -ssu. That’s terrible -ssu!」

Only Rose acted like it had nothing to do with her.

Lumachina held down her eyes with both hands.

「Uu......Kuh......」

Could it be, was she crying?

Even if Diablo and the others thought that it was upsetting, they didn’t feel sad about it.

It was either a difference in awareness of those related, or a difference in personality.

Lumachina groaned.

「It’s so......frustrating.」

「Eh?」

「I......Even though these sorts of things were happening......I was unable to stop them, at all.」

Within her hand, a single document was being crushed.

She was squeezing out a voice that sounded like she was going to vomit blood.

「So frustrating, so frustrating, so frustrating, so frustrating, so frustrating, so frustrating, so frustrating, so frustrating, so frustrating......」

Diablo placed his hands on the trembling Lumachina’s shoulders.

「Calm down.」

「Uuu............」

As she looked his way, tears came spilling out from Lumachina’s eyes. This was his first time seeing such a fierce expression from this young girl.

She asked with a tearful voice.

「Diablo-sama......why do people......? Even though, there is bread to eat, in the morning, when they wake up, why, do they desire more than that?」

A silence spread out.

Shera muttered.

「That’s so true......Even though it would be enough if we just had fruits and berries.」

「......To desire more than just to live, that is what they call greed.」

Rem breathed a sigh.

Maybe because she was overawed by the serious tears, Horun kept silent.

Alicia kneeled in front of Lumachina.

She addressed her with a gentle expression.

「Don’t you get it already? The Races are unsightly existences. At this point, they have no other path to salvation other than the destruction of them.」

「......Destruction.」

「A purification by the Demon King is required.」

「......Purification.」

Lumachina muttered.

Diablo made a chop at the back of Alicia’s head.

「Stop that.」

「Au!?」

Listen──is what he said to Lumachina.

「People are creatures that aim high. Even now, they do not stop and strive for areas that no one has reached. But that does not go for all of them, you know? Rather, there are exceedingly few that are like that but......not knowing satisfaction, and overflowing with things like ambition, longing, and perseverance, people that always seek improvement do exist. That is the potential of people, as well as their development, and their defiance. However, there are also times where that spirit goes off in the wrong direction. They would abuse vested interests, look down on others, steal, or make others suffer. Both the villains of the Cardinal Institute and the Heroes that stand up against the Demon King, in a certain sense, they are people that possess "infinite ambition".」

「I don’t understand......In that case, Diablo-sama, are you saying that the Cardinal Institute’s deeds are not evil?」

「No, they are evil. They make me sick to my stomach. But they are evil because they "committed a crime". Not because they were not satisfied with having their morning bread. Aspirations are not a sin. What should be punished is their crimes of accepting bribes and misappropriating the Church──That is where you should not mistake one thing for another.」

「......Yes, that is true......There, was something wrong with me.」

「After receiving a shock, a person’s thoughts become extreme. It is something that tries to give excessive punishment.」

「I shall keep that in my heart. I, am ashamed of myself.」

「Hmph......There is a need to change, but there is no need to feel ashamed. That is also something born from your burning desire of wanting to correct the Church. It is the result of your aspiration. It is because of those feelings that everyone is trying to cooperate with you.」

Lumachina wiped the corner of her eyes, and let out a smile.

「Thank you very much......Having you say that, my feelings have been saved.」

Putting her hands together in front of her chest, she held her holy symbol close.

Come to think of it, it seemed that she still believed that Diablo was God.

──Although I said that sounding all self-important, someone like me is just a big liar.

He had talked so long on the spur of the moment, but now he suddenly felt embarrassed. He became worried about whether or not everyone around him would sneer at him.

Rem nodded.

「......As expected of Diablo. His opinions are quite deep.」

「Although I don’t really get it, in any case, we just have to take out the bad guys!」

Shera was simple as always.

Horun as well, maybe because the air of the room had relaxed, she energetically pushed a fist out.

「Me too, I’ll be useful in something -ssu!」

「Fufu......That is certainly true, crimes must be punished......」

He couldn’t tell how much she listened in to, but Alicia was still expressing a dark smile.

She brought out a rough sketch.

Being thoroughly prepared, it was a blueprint of the Grand Chapel.

「Diablo-sama, like this, the evidence has been gathered, but they cannot be judged with the law──From here on, we will have to rely on your great strength.」

「Good grief, so it comes to that......It might become a bit violent though.」

Next to him, Lumachina raised her hand.

「Please wait. Won’t you please give me just one more chance?」

「Fumu?」

「What do you intend on doing?」

Lumachina revealed her firm resolution and answered.

「With this evidence──I shall excommunicate the people of the Cardinal Institute!」

Part 2

They ended up deciding to depart after lunch but──

Documents weren’t the only thing that Alicia brought with her.

「Please try using this.」

It was robes that were dark brown and had green bordering. Putting on the hood, it would conceal as far as the ankles. It was a garment that would make them look like teru teru bouzus.

They seemed to be what the believers of the Church used.

Rem nodded.

「......I see, those will certainly be needed.」

「Why?」

Shera tilted her head.

Horun seemed to understand.

「If we’re going to go together with Lumachina-san, it would be bad with everyone’s appearance -ssu. It’s indecent -ssu.」

Ahh, I see──saying that, Shera hit her hands together.

「For Rem, she has an appearance that looks like she’s naked after all!」

「......What stupid thing are you saying. What I have is something called “easy-to-move-in equipment”. Shera, your useless meat is much more obscene.」

「It isn’t useless! And it can’t be helped, that’s just how they grew, right!? And what about Lumachina-chan, she’s just as big, isn’t she!?」

「Hie!?」

Having been unexpectedly pointed out, Lumachina covered her chest with both of her arms.

Rem turned a cold gaze towards her.

「......I do believe that it is a body unbecoming of one of the clergy though.」

「Is, is it really......that much?」

「Well, Lumachina should be fine since she is known by the believers as well as the High Chief Priest. However, if the people accompanying her were to hold bows and swords in their hands, and wear armor, they would give off an intimidating air when idle. So there is a fear that as a result of that, the words to the believers would be transmitted to them in a warped fashion.」

Alicia nodded.

「That is how it is. Horun-sama is a child, and since Rose-sama does not have the appropriate garments for the Church......」

「Are you saying, that this Rose has made some sort of mistake?」

Your back is completely exposed, and even the sides of your breasts can be seen──surely Diablo wasn’t the only one to make that retort in their mind.

Alicia persuaded the displeased-looking Rose.

「I am sure that Diablo-sama desires it as well.」

「! Is this true, Master?」

Having the discussion suddenly turned towards him, he was bewildered.

However, if Alicia was the one saying it, then there was surely no mistake about it. That it was something that was needed.

「Well, having something like equipment that is a good match with the enemy’s attribute certainly is correct.」

「As you command. If it is you, Master, that tells me, then I shall take on any sort of appearance! If you tell me to strip, then I shall strip! Haa, haa......」

「We are going to the Church, you know?」

She was a Magimatic Maid whose head and clothes buttons were occasionally loose.

Alicia grinned.

「It truly is great that you understand. Diablo-sama, I had thought that you would say that you would not want to change your own appearance.」

「What......? Me too?」

Isn’t that only natural, is the face that Rem expressed which implied that..

「......Rather, I believe that is the biggest problem.」

「Yup, yup. If Diablo were to go with that appearance, it would look like Lumachina-chan came back bringing along the Demon King after all.」

On a rare occasion, Shera was in agreement with Rem.

Horun also nodded.

「Yeah, that’s how it would feel -ssu ne! She would feel like a vengeful High Chief Priest -ssu! That she fell to darkness -ssu!」

──Would it be the Black Lumachina (SSR (Double Super Rare)) Attribute 《Darkness》 Skill, 『Demon King Summon』? That in itself sounds like something a gacha would have in it, is what Diablo thought.

Bringing back his derailed thoughts, he once again looked down on his own equipment.

Devilish armor, and a jet black mantle huh.

And above all, horns.

Even for Diablo who had a considerable communication disorder, he had known long before any troubles happened that the place called the Church would have a bad affinity with his Demon King role play.

In order to avoid any problems before they happen, it was probably best to conceal the horns that grew on his head.

──In truth, I can take them off, but that’s a secret even to Rem and Shera.

He had completely missed the timing to tell them about it.

Diablo was wearing equipment called the 《Distorted Crown》. Not only did this have and Automatic HP Recovery effect, it had an extra characteristic of “making it look like he was growing horns”.

「Hmph......It can’t be helped. I shall put on the cloth. Only because at a time where the Holy Knights come with brute force, having only all of you there would be insufficient.」

Lumachina possessed evidence, and also had power. The Cardinal Institute should be trying to eliminate her with force. Protecting her from that threat was the duty of Diablo’s group.

「Everyone, thank you very much.」

And so, everyone except Lumachina ended up putting on the robes.

However, Alicia was different.

「I, shall step down here.」

「Ehー!?」

Shera was surprised, and Rem asked her a question.

「......Was there some sort of problem?」

「If it was known that a State Knight in the middle of their absence from work had intervened in a problem of the Church, my situation would be in danger. Besides, if interference to the Church by means of royal authority were to be taken, I am sure that it would be undesirable for Lumachina-sama as well.」

「......That certainly is true.」

It was a reason they could agree to.

Lumachina stood in front of Alicia.

「I am truly grateful to have received your great amount of assistance for the sake of the Church.」

「I only wished to be helpful to Diablo-sama and Rem-sama. For I have that much of an obligation to them.」

「So that is how it was. But, that does not change my feelings of gratitude.」

After a small hesitation, Alicia opened her mouth.

「Finally──May I ask one question?」

「Yes.」

「Putting it bluntly, the believers in the Grand Chapel, the people of the town, as well as the king, the nobles, and the commoners......All of those people, it is questionable as to whether they truly possess “piety”. Isn’t their praying merely selfishness in wanting a peace of mind? Why is it that, you believe──that there is value in saving them?」

「Love thy neighbor──That is what God said. There is no prerequisite to love them. No matter who the person is, if I believe that there is something I can do, then I will extend my hand to them.」

Without any signs of being troubled, Lumachina answered.

「Your saving of the believers, wouldn’t that be called self-satisfaction?」

「It could be called that as well. If the people can live feeling “I am being saved”, then that makes me happy.」

「Even if you yourself die for the sake of the their salvation?」

「If possible, I believe that I want to stay around for many years to come for the sake of the people though......」

Lumachina, without being bashful nor boastful, smoothly replied with that.

Alicia smiled. It was not her villainess smile, rather, it was a feeble expression that had an air of fleeting to it.

「As I thought, you are different from me......」

「I wonder if that is true? Alicia-san, I thought that you and I were quite similar though. We truly are similar.」

「............Is that, so.」

Without adding any more to the conversation, Alicia place her right hand on the left side of her chest, and bowed very deeply.

She retired to her estate.