The Tower Master's Secretary, Marie (1)
A few days before Clitia arrived in Serda.
Giph made no effort to hide how ridiculous he found the situation, staring at the elf who had just barged into his house unannounced.
"Quite a fine house you've got here."
"......"
She looked around the place as if she owned it, then sprawled out on the bed. His bewilderment had crossed some invisible line and, paradoxically, settled into a strange calm.
"How did you even find this place?"
"Don't be so cold. Didn't you tell me to come visit if I ever came to Serda?"
"Well, I did, but..."
They'd run into each other by chance on the way to the Purple Magic Tower with the Hero, and they'd talked about all sorts of things. Originally, they had been enemies. But once they sat down and spoke honestly, they'd gotten along surprisingly well. So he had told her to come hang out sometime.
Naturally, he had never given her his actual address.
"Do you really want to know how I found you? You might regret it."
"...Never mind, then."
Curiosity could be poison. Giph felt a sharp prickle of danger and dropped the question at once.
"Anyway, I have something I want to ask."
"Go ahead."
"Do you know where Clitia is?"
That one hit a nerve.
"Why would you ask me that?"
"Don't try to fool me. Her Aura was faintly clinging to you."
Had it rubbed off when she beat the hell out of him? A keen sense, befitting a mutant elf.
"What's your relationship with her? You could be an enemy, so I can't just tell you."
"I'm her master. Want me to prove it?"
A green Aura draped itself over the bed. To an ordinary person, it would have looked like nothing more than an eccentric stunt. But Giph, who had mastered Aura, saw it immediately — a form densely packed with crushing physical force. It was the spitting image of Clitia's Aura.
So she was the disciple of the mutant elf...
There was no room left for doubt. He finally understood the foundation of that monstrous strength.
"I don't know where she is right now either. But she'll come back to Serda eventually."
"And what makes you so sure?"
Giph nodded with complete confidence.
"Serda has no shortage of powerful people. Clitia is looking for someone who can beat her."
"A reasonable guess."
Her reaction was utterly calm. There was a question he couldn't help but ask.
"Are you all right with that?"
"With what?"
"I'm asking if it doesn't bother you that Clitia's built up a notorious reputation as the Banished Saintess."
"I don't understand what you mean."
Euris withdrew the Aura from the bed, her face twisting.
"You think she's gone mad and started slaughtering people? Ridiculous. That girl held herself together even after losing every last one of her companions."
"So you're not even a little worried?"
"Can you even imagine Clitia falling apart from despair?"
He had to admit she had a point. If anything, Clitia was the type to throw another punch rather than give up.
"She probably just killed people who deserved to die. All I have to do is trust her and watch. Though she does need a scolding for running around so blatantly stirring things up."
Was this the composure that came with age? Giph found himself seeing Euris in a new light — the elf he had only ever thought of as a weirdo.
"I suppose I'll just have to wait, then. Oh, and lend me some money for lodging. I haven't got a single coin."
"......"
Add that to the list of things she and Clitia had in common.
The Adventurer's Guild in Serda hadn't changed a bit since the last time I'd been here.
The lively atmosphere. Adventurers laughing and chatting with their companions. Just being here was enough to lift your spirits all on its own. Memories of my days with the Hero's party flickered through my mind.
Part of me wanted to just sit here and soak in the energy forever. But the elf sitting next to me looked thoroughly displeased.
"Disciple. I've discovered something during my few days in Serda."
"What is it?"
"The people here don't do any work. This is not why I founded the Guild."
The founding Guild Master. The elf who had started the Adventurer's Guild's history, stretching back hundreds of years.
"It pisses me off."
Master chewed on a cookie from the table, her face twisted in irritation.
"You eat some too."
"I'm wearing a mask. How am I supposed to eat?"
"Ah. Right."
A mask artifact engraved with a vision-distorting magic circle. It ran on a minuscule amount of mana, so there was little risk of being found out, and the performance was excellent besides.
"Then just sit there and enjoy the feeling of being an elf."
Thanks to the artifact, my ears had gone pointed and my hair had turned green. I looked like an elf no matter who was looking. The crisp voice modulation was a bonus. On top of that, I was wearing a martial arts uniform in the same design as Master's — a disguise so I could attend the Public Enemy conference as the founding Guild Master's disciple and secretary.
Every part of it was perfect. Except for the part where I had to leave the Sun-bask behind. And the mask felt awkward, probably because it was my first time wearing one. It was hard to breathe, and the moisture building up inside made it uncomfortably clammy.
"Uncomfortable?"
"Did you really need to make an artifact? Couldn't you have just used an illusion?"
I grumbled for no good reason and got my hair ruffled in response.
"An illusion cast directly on the body can be detected. An artifact cannot."
Guess I just had to live with it. If my identity got out, it'd be nothing but a headache.
"Just bear with it a little longer. Once the meeting's over, I'll let you do as you please."
"Does that mean you'll cast a forbidden spell on me?"
"...Looks like I haven't hit you enough."
A fist lightly bonked the top of my head.
"Are you that eager to die?"
"It's to defeat the Demon King."
"You talk a good game."
Master rested her hand on my head, pondering, then finally let out a sigh.
"There is a forbidden spell that suits your situation. I'll make it into an artifact, like that mask."
"Really?"
I raised my voice without meaning to.
"There's a condition."
Master pressed her fist down on the crown of my head, the way she did when she was annoyed that I never listened.
"Don't come blaming me later for not stopping you."
Worry and sincerity bled through her words. She wasn't saying it for nothing.
"Is it that dangerous?"
"Ask that Tower Master friend of yours why it was forbidden in the first place."
I had a rough idea. It was magic that demanded a corresponding price in exchange for mana — power so strong it twisted common sense itself. The side effects were just as severe. It made black magic look like a safe children's game.
"I'll be fine, so please make it for me."
Of course I wasn't going to back down. Master knew that well enough not to push any further.
"I'll make it as stable as I can. It'll take some time — is that all right?"
"Of course."
I'd achieved my goal surprisingly easily. I wasn't used to problems resolving themselves this smoothly, and it made me oddly anxious, like some other variable was about to crop up.
"Lady Euris. I heard you were looking for me."
A muscular man approached our table, his timid demeanor completely at odds with his build.
"You're the vice guild master here?"
"That's correct."
The adventurer in charge of each Adventurer's Guild branch was called the Vice Guild Master. It meant he was the highest-ranking person here. And yet he was glancing around nervously, looking thoroughly cowed.
"What did you need me for?"
"Take this."
Master handed him the paper she'd been holding.
"A list of negligent adventurers I got from Giph."
The paper was packed tight with names. There were far too many adventurers who weren't doing their jobs.
"Strip every last one of them of their qualifications."
"A-all of them?"
"Yes. As for the manpower shortage, go find some talent and fill the gaps yourself."
Just hearing it sounded like a nightmare of an assignment. Well, he'd figure it out. Not my problem.
"Have it done by the time I come back."
Master said only what she needed to say and stood up. I followed her out of the Adventurer's Guild.
"You need to get to the meeting now."
"Is it already that time?"
The Public Enemy conference being held at the Purple Magic Tower's Serda branch. In truth, the scheduled time had already passed.
"Is this really okay?"
"Seizing the initiative is important. You have to overwhelm the other side with momentum if you want a stronger voice."
We walked down the street at a leisurely pace. I figured we'd just drop by like we were out for a stroll. It wasn't like anything could go wrong at a proper, well-run meeting.
A conference room with a round table. The Tower Master of the Purple Magic Tower and her secretary had arrived first and taken their seats.
"Please don't be nervous."
Eluke sent Holy Power toward the frozen Riella.
Serenity
The rigidity in Riella's expression eased somewhat.
"You just need to state the facts. Why are you so scared?"
"They're not all facts."
"They're speculation, not lies."
The work of planting a positive image of Clitia. She had caused so many incidents that it was a tricky job, but it wasn't an impossible goal.
It's more than enough for me.
She had experience shaping public opinion on a national scale. And only five organizations were participating in this meeting. She just needed to persuade the remaining eight people. It was an easy mission — practically a pastime.
On top of that, the Purple Magic Tower was serving as chair for this conference. They had the authority to table agenda items, which made it the perfect opportunity to make their move.
"I'm counting on you."
"Just give me the appropriate support, as I instructed."
Time passed, and the representatives of the other organizations began arriving one by one.
The first to enter were two people in worn clothing, bringing with them a fresh scent of grass. Their eyes met, but they didn't even offer a greeting.
The Imperial Spiritist Association. People who valued a life with nature over worldly affairs. Neutral, in other words. They didn't lean one way or the other, so persuading them wouldn't be difficult.
Soon after, a well-muscled human man and woman entered — a female swordsman on guard like an escort, and a long-haired man with a spear slung across his back. The man of the two approached Riella.
"A pleasure to meet you, Tower Master."
"Likewise. You're the mercenary commander, I take it?"
"Yes. I haven't been in the position for very long, but..."
The Evergreen Mercenary Group. Similar in temperament to the Spiritist Association, but a bit more aggressive. The mercenary commander was an affable man. But for this mission, he was closer to an obstacle. A considerable number of the people Clitia had killed had been mercenaries belonging to the Evergreen Mercenary Group.
One neutral, one hostile. No problems yet.
After the greetings, silence settled over the conference room. In that quiet atmosphere, priests in pure white vestments entered.
"May the bright light shine upon the frail."
A golden-haired young man with a glowing complexion bowed his head.
That bastard...
Grand Patriarch Damon. A priest who had followed her around endlessly preaching about the mindset of a Pope. He was famous for his noble character. Persuading him would be impossible.
Strongly hostile. Even if it hadn't been Damon, turning the hearts of the Church's people wouldn't have been easy. The unprecedented excommunication by the Goddess. The theft of the holy relic, the Sun-bask. The killing of Derck, the Holy Knight of Extinguishing Evil. There was no shortage of reasons for hostility. It was actually strange that they hadn't tried to pass judgment and had simply stood by until now.
"This might be tough, huh?"
"It will not."
Her words were calm, but she was a little tense. Clitia had been remarkably consistent about handing people reasons to make her a Public Enemy. If it had been anyone else, she would have looked the other way long ago. But because it was herself, she was going to find a way.
"Almost everyone is here."
"Just two left, then?"
Once the Adventurer's Guild arrived, they could start. But quite some time passed, and they showed no sign of coming.
"Tower Master, shall we just begin?"
"I suppose we should..."
Before she could finish, the door burst open with a loud crash. The representatives of the Adventurer's Guild.
"Everyone's gathered, I see."
"You're late. Why do you look so proud of yourself?"
"Don't try to bind me with rules."
An arrogant attitude and an unusual presence. It was unmistakably Euris, the mutant elf.
"I am the founding Guild Master of the Adventurer's Guild. I'd appreciate it if you all showed some respect."
That was news to her. Eluke was surprised, but quickly recovered her composure. She was Clitia's master. That made her an ally, for all intents and purposes.
"Master, please have a seat."
"Very well."
Euris and the masked elf who appeared to be her disciple took their seats.
"Everyone is here."
The time had come. Eluke rose from her seat.
"I am Marie, secretary to the Tower Master. We shall now begin the Public Enemy conference."
Now it was time to drive her argument straight home.
As expected, murmurs rose from all around. Naturally, the Church's side reacted the most violently.
"First, please take a look at the materials we have prepared."
At times like this, you had to push forward relentlessly.
"Tower Master."
The snap of fingers. Magic circles formed in front of everyone, and thick stacks of documents dropped onto the table.
"These are the personal details of the victims killed by the Banished Saintess. Please examine them."
For a moment, everyone focused on flipping through the documents.
"This is..."
"You've noticed, haven't you? Every last one of them put on a show of righteousness while committing vile acts behind the scenes."
Clitia had never created an innocent death. That much was fact. From here on, it was imagination that she would turn into truth.
"This is the position of the Purple Magic Tower."
A brief silence to draw them in. Every gaze in the room gathered on her.
Just as expected, the negative reactions that erupted were even stronger than before. Especially from the Church's representative.
"So you're saying she should be removed from the Public Enemy list?"
"She should be protected, not hunted."
Eluke continued, looking at Damon, who harbored the strongest resistance.
"Even now, she is surely weeping pitifully somewhere. She tried so hard to save everyone in the world, and no one acknowledges her for it."
Damon's weakness. He was gentle, so an emotional appeal would bring him around quickly.
"What do you mean by that?"
His eyes were wavering. Now she just needed to land the finishing blow.
"The Banished Saintess is, in fact..."
"What an absurd argument."
Someone threw cold water on the moment. The masked elf. Euris's disciple.
"What part of it is the problem?"
"All of it."
The masked elf crossed her arms and declared.
"...Is that so?"
Eluke swallowed, tension rising in her throat. A formidable opponent had just entered the stage.