Volume 3, 4 “The Three Gods’” Hearing

Volume 3, Chapter 4 “The Three Gods’” Hearing

The hearing.

It is where the beings in the organization, who do injustice or commit big crimes, are called and interrogated.

There, the person concerned is questioned and is judged, considering everything.

However, it is of significance only inside the organization and to the beings within the organization and can be said to be unrelated to others.

And related to that, at best, I am only enlisted on the adventurer’s guild in this world and am unrelated to all the other organizations. Thus, there is no reason for me to undergo a hearing—

—But, I understood the moment I got here that the fact was that such a sensible objection was meaningless over here.

In front, on the right, sat the Light God, the blonde-haired woman, Sophia. And on the left, sat the Dark God, the long, light-green-haired man, Amber. And in the center, sat a young lady, the Evil God Anri…. they are the three Gods who manage this world.

Now that I think about it, in this world, maybe I would be the first one to experience being questioned by myself.

The girl sitting in the middle — the one appearing to be the person in charge based by her position — is the ‘Me’ I parted with the other day.

I never thought we would be reunited in this manner.

The invitation was a bit too forceful but, this place was probably the Evil God palace’s 4th or 5h layer.

It is a room I have no memory of so I assume they had it built quite recently.

The subject which I would probably be questioned about, judging from the timing, can only be one thing.

it is definitely about the Evil God Statue roaming around.

Well, even though I separated, the other party is me and I do know the remaining two.

They probably won’t do anything too harsh.

While I was having such naive thoughts in the back of my mind, the ‘me’ in front of me said in cold voice,

“Seiza.” (Seiza: The traditional way of sitting in Japan.)

“Eh?”

Being unable to comprehend the meaning of the words spoken to me, I ended up tilting my head a bit in confusion.

The divine ‘me’ kept glaring at me with disgusted eyes and said, once again,

“……….Seiza.”

“……………….”

“………Seiza.”

Feeling that the conversation would lead nowhere if I did not, and a part of me being somewhat overwhelmed, I sat down in seiza having no other choice.

The wooden platform hurt my legs.

Even still, I wonder why one just has to sit in seiza during the hearing.

To begin with, if the matter is from the present or past, they, the Gods, can use their power to look for information regarding it, so there should be no need to formally question me like this.

Therefore, having thought all that, I wondered, once again, why I was called here and realized that the situation was moving forward as if they were going to start lecturing me. The thought made me drip cold sweat.

“I am sure you are aware of why you are called, correct?”

“Seriously, making us do all the bothersome stuff.”

Sophia and Amber started talking at once, not trying to conceal their irritation at all.

Facing them, I nodded, and said,

“I am aware. It is about the Evil God Statue, right?”

“Yes, exactly.”

“The demons are filing a lot of complaints as well, you see.”

“Why did you do something like that?”

For a moment there, I had thought ‘It would be fine if you just check with Information Inspection but I soon realized.

The information they could catch from the inspection is most likely only the fact that I had bestowed my divine protection on the statue and not the intention or thought process behind it.

If that’s the case, then I shall explain to their heart’s content.

And, I want them to understand that it was not on purpose.

And so, I started narrating the whole sequence of events which led to how I granted my divine protection to it, just like I had done to Leonara.

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

After going through all the details in general, Sophia and Amber were at their wit’s end.

“My head hurts.”

“Mine too.”

It is amazing that the Gods have started to feel headaches too. It won’t be an exaggeration to say that it is a major achievement.

On the other hand, the ‘me’ had agreed and was nodding.

“You can’t help afternoon naps, after all.”

“—-There’s no way it is like that!”

“—-Don’t kid around!”

“Oohh?”

I had also agreed completely but it looked like the other two did not.

“Well, let’s leave it at this for now.”

“Right. I have quite a lot of things I still want to say but the containment of the situation comes first.”

“………Hoh.”

Sophia and Amber let it go for now, which clearly made ‘me’ make an expression of relief.

I wondered if they were meant the roaming Evil God Statue by the situation.

If they, the Gods, were to do something about the situation then it would come under control quite easily.

“You’re making a face as if you’re unrelated but you will be the one doing it.”

“Ha?”

In reaction to Amber’s words towards me, which I could not comprehend, I ended up leaking a stupid voice.

“It is your failure so it is only natural for you to clean up the mess.”

“That might be true but….”

It is true that I was the one who ended up messing up.

“But, aren’t your respective races filing complaints?”

Just like Amber had said that the demons are filing complaints, I am sure the humans are also probably doing that same. Surely they won’t ignore that.

“Well, yes. And so, we will lend you some personnel.”

“Right. I should also arrange for that.”

Well, it sure feels like they really do not plan on interfering directly themselves.

They will lend me some help but it seems like I will have to do something about the core of the problem.

I guess they don’t really have to go so far for situations like this.

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

“That reminds me, I wanted to ask something…”

“?”

“Nn?”

“What is it?”

After having finished the hearing, we changed places and had idle talk, encircling a table while having tea.

Amongst that, I remembered that I had something I wanted to ask them.

“This might be a bit late but, do you guys know anything about the mark on Tena’s forehead?”

As I was asking, I drew the symbol with my finger on the table.

It was like an ‘S’ but horizontal.

“Ah, the kin mark.”

“Kin mark?”

Feeling not used to the words coming out from Amber’s mouth, I asked another question.

“Just like normal letters, they are given to the ones in a kin. The shape differs as the protection of the masters differ.”

Sophia explained it but I still did not quite understand properly.

If that’s the case then it would not be weird of Imperial Death to have a symbol too but I do not recall him having one.

As I asked them that, they agreed and said,

“I did say it is a symbol given to a kin but not all the members are given one.”

“Mostly the ones who are the first member or the ones who have a strong bond.

If I were to explain it briefly, I’d say it is something like a chief or head of the kin.”

I see, so Tena is one of my head retainers then.

In terms of strength, Imperial Death is overwhelmingly higher but in terms of closeness, I guess it would not be weird for Tena to be the head.

But, if that’s the case then I wonder why it is also attached to the Evil God Statue.

“The same mark was on the Evil God Statue, though…”

“What?!”

“What did you say?!”

“Oho?”

Sophia and Amber reacted quite fervently to what I said but it looked like the divine me wasn’t really interested.

“That thing– so it was your retainer.”

“It isn’t even a living thing so how is it a retainer in the first place?”

That, I do not know. I can’t do anything about something which has already happened.

“From what you just said earlier, isn’t it something which only gets attached to one person?”

“Is it because you separated from me?”

“Probably. As she went from being a God to a human, maybe it got reset?”

Certainly, if there was something happening which winds back race, it would not be odd for the ‘First retainer’ to be winded back too.

If that is so, then that Evil God Statue is the current ‘me’s first retainer.

“Well, if that is so, then you should be the one to do something about it even more.”

“That’s right. If it’s your retainer, you should take the responsibility.”

“…….I understand.”

The conversation ended sort of in my defeat but it is true that I do have faults so I can’t really say anything.

After having conversed about that, I suddenly realized and muttered,

“Status.”

Name: Anri

Race: Human Race

Sex: Female

Age: 18

Job: Mage

Level: 1

Title: Evil Person of Fearful Trembling, Dungeon Master, Weirdo

Mana: 3031504

Skills:

– Evil God Aura (Lv.5)

– Mystic Eyes of Wicked Authority (Lv.5)

– Divine Enchantment (Lv.7)

– Abnormal Status Resistance (Lv.6)

– Darkness Magic (Lv.6)

– Item Box (Lv.4)

– Dungeon Create (Lv.7)

Equipment:

– Fan of Calamity

– Dress of the Black Death Rose

– Babydoll of Depravity

– Scanties of the Succubus

– Pumps of Darkness

Kin:

– Evil God Statue of Fearful Trembling [NEW]

– Tena

Ah, as I thought.

Evil God Statue has been added as a kin.

I had predicted this from the conversation we just had but this just supports that.

I further concentrated on the Kin: – Evil God Statue of Fearful Trembling.

Evil God Statue of Fearful Trembling

An enormous statue which imitates the Evil God Anri’s appearance.

As it was made so delicately and elaborately, a soul formed in it and it started moving.

It does not have any unique abilities but has the enormous body and the absurd strength which comes along with it. Furthermore, it possesses intellect which would seem very unlikely, judging from its non-living structure.

Once the Evil God Statue is activated, it can not be stopped by the hands of men and can lead to a national crisis.

In Tena’s case, her status was displayed but as the Evil God Statue is not a living thing, the explanation note was displayed instead.

However, what I wanted to know was if it had any special skills or abilities, so knowing this much would be enough.

I do feel that ‘As it was made so delicately and elaborately, a soul formed in it and it started moving.’ is just too vague but, nobody really cares at this point.

Being a little dumbfounded myself, I excused myself from the three Gods’ tea party.