Chapter 519: Chapter 514: 「Isn’t it Just Because Hiro-dono is Shameless?」

「Haah, phew… It looks like we’ve finally arrived, huh?」

After climbing the stone steps, we reached a place that resembled the spacious grounds of a large shrine. Just how big is this area? It’s absurdly wide. However, Dr. Shouko looks completely out of breath… well, she almost never visits the training room. Maybe I should start dragging her there by force and make her exercise. Not being able to move when it counts could be a matter of life and death.

「It’s only been a few months, yet it feels so nostalgic…」

Kugi gazed around the shrine grounds, her fluffy tails wagging gently.

「Does that mean you used to train here, Kugi?」

「Yes, my Lord. I spent many days training at this Grand Shrine.」

As she said that and turned to look at me, the sight was strikingly picturesque, with a flurry of cherry blossoms dancing around her. In the background, a majestic-looking worship hall—or something resembling one—stood proudly. Everything about the scene just clicked. So, this is what people mean when they say something is ‘Instagrammable’ or ‘aesthetic.’

「It’s mesmerizing, isn’t it?」

「It’s really beautiful, isn’t it…」

「Recording complete.」

It seemed that Mimi and Elma were just as captivated by Kugi as I was. Even Mei, who rarely shows any emotion, felt something from the scene, as she adjusted the red frames of her glasses slightly and muttered something I didn’t quite catch under her breath.

「Hmm, we can’t quite pull off that mysterious or mystical vibe, can we?」

「Well, we can only really focus on a more… healthy kind of appeal, right?」

「Wouldn’t just going all out, bare and bold, be the best?」

「Doctor, I think that’s a bit too lacking in subtlety…」

I agree. Dr. Shoko, please reflect on that. Still, I have to admit, with Dr. Shoko hmm… assets she doesn’t need to search for complicated appealing methods. There is also the saying ‘simple is best’, so I guess using that approach is fine for her.

Without letting any of these thoughts show on my face, I just smiled and followed Kugi, who seemed in a good mood, as she instructed us on the proper ritual for prayer. Following her lead, we purified our hands at what seemed like a sacred water basin and prayed at the shrine. Though my memory of similar rituals was vague, this one felt quite different from what I knew. But hey, it’s a different universe, a different civilization, so it’s not weird things are different here.

「Still, this group is something else, isn’t it? Aside from Hiro-dono, everyone is female.」

「Not all ‘visitors’ are the same, but it seems there’s been a trend among male ‘visitors’ to end up surrounded by female companions for a long time. Even so, I think Hiro-dono’s situation is pretty extraordinary.」

「Isn’t it just because Hiro-dono is shameless?」

Behind me, Moegi, Inaba, and Konoha are saying quite rude things, but I’m going to let it slide like the adult I am, not because I don’t have any comebacks, of course, but because avoiding conflict is the wise, mature thing to do.

As we were engaged in this conversation, a group of people, apparently our guides, appeared. There were people dressed in what looked like priest outfits and others in shrine maiden-like attire. There were quite a few of them… though with Moegi and the others included, we outnumbered them. After all, there were twelve of us in this large group! I’m the only guy in my group though.

「Welcome, and thank you for coming.」

「Thanks for having us, I guess?」

We came here mostly out of courtesy to the Holy Vuelzarus Empire, so it feels a bit off to thank them for their hospitality, really.

「We are deeply honored to welcome you and your companions to our Grand Shrine, Hiro-dono. Now, please, follow me. Let us begin preparations for the ceremony.」

「Got it.」

I gave a slight nod to signal the others to follow as we trailed behind our guides. These people, work at the heart of the Holy Vuelzarus Empire, so they might possess psionic powers equal to or greater than Kugi’s. I don’t feel anything special but it’s hard to gauge that kind of thing sometimes.

「Hiro-sama.」

「What’s up?」

Mimi tugged on my sleeve and called my name. When I turned to her, she cupped her hands around her mouth, as if sharing a secret, so I leaned in closer to listen.

「You’re usually more cautious in situations like this, but this time, you seem… a little too relaxed?」

「Ah, that. Well, think about it, if someone like Kugi, an expert practitioner of telepathy fully prepared and with the help of some kind of amplification facility, tried to control us or do anything against us, we’d have almost no chance to resist. The only ones who might be able to counteract something like that would be me with my mental barriers up, and Mei who is immune to telepathy due to her being a machine intelligence.」

「…That might be true.」

「If everyone except for Mei and I ended up controlled by telepathy, we’d already be done for. And even if Mei and I managed to escape aboard the Krishna, there’s no way we could outrun the Holy Empire fleet equipped with the Soul Crusher and psionic jump drive. That’s why, in a way, I’m more resigned now than I was when we were under pseudo house arrest deep inside the Imperial Palace.」

At this point, with no viable options left, it’s fair to say we have no choice but to dance in the palm of their hand. Dealing with an entity as overwhelmingly powerful as the Holy Vuelzarus Empire means accepting that reality.

「However, there is one thing, just one, that makes us a potential threat to them.」

「Ah, you mean the bomb.」

「Exactly, the bomb. If anything irreversible happens to you guys, I’ll blow myself up, while making sure to take this star system and everything around it with me. I came here prepared for at least that much.」

「Uh, my Lord? We’d never do anything like that, and we can hear you, by the way…」

「I said it intending to be heard. Your country is too powerful, and I can’t trust something just like that. Trust is something that is built by two parties, bit by bit.」

After all, we don’t fully understand the stance the Holy Vuelzarus Empire is taking with us, and they likely don’t fully grasp how I might respond either.

「As long as they don’t mess with my crew, I’ll be content. As long as the safety of my crew is guaranteed, I’m willing to endure some hardship.」

Whether the guides heard my words or not, they continued leading us without saying anything. The silence was a bit unnerving, but on closer inspection—or rather, based on my psionic sense—it seemed like they were communicating telepathically quite frequently. It’s possible that in the Holy Vuelzarus Empire, communication via telepathy is the norm, more so than verbal conversation.

「First, we will conduct a Purification Ritual. Hiro-sama please come this way. The ladies should go over there.」

With that, the guides split us up by gender, intending to lead us to separate locations.

「Alright, we’ll meet up again later, right? Make sure to handle things on your end.」

「You too. Don’t cause any trouble, okay?」

「How rude! I’m always well-behaved and impeccably polite.」

When I said that, the crew gave me a collective flat stare or responded with amused smiles.

Why!?