Volume 3, 9 Countermeasure Meeting, once again

Volume 3, Chapter 9 Countermeasure Meeting, once again

A day has passed since we retreated from the fight with the Evil God statue. There are many things that need to be done, such as revising the plan but for now…

“Punishment time.”

“Aahhhhh, I am sorryyy!”

I was punishing the pope as he lost his will to fight right in front of the enemy, but it didn’t feel like it was working. I tried sitting on top of him while making him sit in ‘seiza’ position.

By the way, Tena and I had retreated with Leonara and Orlaine with us but we had completely forgotten about him.

I had finally realized when he reached and thought to myself that I had done it this time but it was too late.

Well, fortunately enough, the person concerned doesn’t seem to be that affected after being left behind but it does feel a little awkward. And as such, I couldn’t really strongly blame him for losing his will to fight at the beginning.

Well, even then, when he blurts out something like he couldn’t attack the statue because it looked like me, I couldn’t help but blush a little and couldn’t question him further.

“Stop messing around and let’s begin the meeting already.”

Leonara told me with astounded eyes while I was sitting on the pope. It’s not like I am fooling around…

Well, it doesn’t seem like the punishment is working and I can’t be doing this forever either so I stood up and sat down on the chair.

“Done with your punishment.”

“B-but…”

Why do you sound sad?

“Just hurry up and sit properly.”

As I urged him, he disappointedly sat down on the chair.

◆　　◆　　◆

“First, let’s start by reflecting on how we could have done better.”

“Right.”

“Evaluation, eh?”

“Ummm…”

“What should we reflect on?”

You should reflect on everything.

Well, leaving the pope aside for the time being, we should be reflecting most on the fact that we couldn’t comprehend beforehand that the Evil God statue has intellect. Due to that, the pithole plan went to waste.

“Never thought the Evil God would be that smart.”

“Certainly. I had completely thought it was something like a golem but it seems like I was too naive.”

“Intellect… it also seemed like it had feelings too.”

“Sure did. It kinda got depressed at the end there too…”

Remembering from Tena’s words, I unconsciously ended up turning towards Leonara, who was the cause of it. Leonara, who was sitting to my left, was also looking at the weapon with shining eyes, as it made even the Evil God depressed.

“W-what?!

“Certainly, that is–”

“A deadly weapon.”

“A-ahaha.”

Unlike Leonara and me, who were glaring at each other, Tena just wore a bitter smile.

“Also, another point is that it was way tougher than we imagined.”

That was completely unexpected. Even if we were to battle, I had thought we could at least render it unable walk but we weren’t able to do anything, even with the 4 of us.

Although the pope wasn’t in battle the whole time, I doubt it would have made a difference even if he was.

“Seriously. I didn’t think it would be that tough.” Leonara said, rubbing her hands.

The injuries she had received on her fist during the fight with the statue had already been healed by magic, but she could still remember the pain she had felt then.

“It also took my all just to divert its attention.”

“That can’t be helped.”

Orlaine was self-deprecating but Tena consoled her. And in fact, her diversions really helped so I also agree with Tena.

“I guess it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it’s befitting of a God’s statue. Amazing, as expected of Anri-sama.”

This person is really happy for some reason. Is it okay if I smacked him?

No, he might just like it so I guess I shall not.

“But the problem of deciding what we should do now. To be honest, I think it will always end like this if we challenged it at this rate.”

“That is… true. At the very least, we can’t hope to win without increasing our fighting strength.”

It is certainly as the two had stated but I don’t think it would do any good if we were to add half-hearted strength. For example, even if the knights squad were here, I can’t imagine an outcome other than them getting annihilated in a moment.

Just like we borrowed the anril armour, we could borrow the Beni or Imperial Death. However, if we were to do that, we couldn’t avoid damage to the surroundings. It is a different case inside a dungeon, but we can’t really have a monster fight on the surface.

We are blocked in every direction.

“We don’t have any means to defeat it, eh?”

“This is troubling.”

“What shall we do?”

“Hmmm.”

It seems Leonara and the others couldn’t come up with a good plan either. They were all sighing. Except the pope, who said this is troubling but doesn’t look the slightest bit troubled.

“For the time being, just tell me about the statue’s actions after that.”

“Understood.”

It wouldn’t do us any good if we just keep on worrying like this so I decided to organize the information of what the statue did after the fight that day.

After bowing respectfully, the pope started explaining by drawing symbols on the map on top of the round table.

“The pitfall trap we used is here. After that, the statue started moving towards the east.”

East… that’s the humans’ area.

“However, it seems that it’s progress is slow. Compared to the time it first started walking towards the east from this country, its speed is about one-third now.”

He said while drawing up the path the statue followed.

That is true, in contrast with its movement before, its speed is exceptionally slow now and it somewhat feels like it is going left and right for no reason.

“Is it because of the damage from the last battle?” Leonara asked.

If it is due to the damage we inflicted on its leg during that fight, then, even though we fled, we achieved something. It would even be worthwhile for her to have fought to the point of damaging her hands.

However, such hopes were cut off.

“No, as the speed it’s going at itself hasn’t changed, that probably isn’t the case.”

“If the speed hasn’t decreased, how is its progress slow?”

“That is… because it is sometimes lying around, sometimes going offroad after being distracted… the time it’s spending walking itself has decreased.”

I see, if that’s the case, then it explains how the progression speed is slow even though its walking speed hasn’t decreased. In short, it has started procrastinating.

“It somehow feels like its actions have become very human-like compared to what we heard at first.”

That is true. Compared to before, when it kept progressing without paying heed to its surroundings, its actions now have turned very human-like.

“Rather than human-like…”

“Tena?” I asked as Tena looked like she had realized something. I have no idea where we might find a breakthrough so I just want more info now.

“No, just that, it is more like Anri-sama now.”

Whaaaat?!

To think Tena thought of me like that…

That is upsetting. I am not that lazy… or so I would like to speak out but as Tena and the others know I had stayed indoors for close to a year, I shouldn’t try to refute carelessly. I might bring unnecessary trouble to myself that way.

“…I see, it does seem exactly like her.”

“…A-ahaha.”

For some reason, Leonara looked at me with scornful eyes. Tena gave a strained laugh, hearing her mutter.

“I see!”

And here, for some reason, Orlaine was really accepting the fact while looking at my breasts. I can mostly guess what she is thinking but let me just say this.

I don’t want to hear that from you.

“Hmm, Anri-sama’s statue and Anri-sama… there might be some kind of a connection.”

Connection, eh?

Although I don’t really want to admit, I couldn’t help but think that the evil god statue’s actions were being influenced by me. It looks exactly like me and since I had also bestowed my divine protection upon it so… ah.

“What is it? Did you realize something?”

“Wait a bit.”

Leonara came asking me but I need to sort things out in my head first. It seemed as if they were able to guess, as they were silently waiting for me to speak up.

I remembered this one thing from the word- ‘connection’. The retainer symbol which came up on the statue’s forehead. Could it be that that’s affecting it in some way?

“Tena.”

“Y-yes?”

I told Tena about my speculations and asked her if she knew something about the symbol.

“Umm, I can’t really say anything clearly but… I think I know what you mean.”

Either way, it seems like we do have a connection through the symbol somehow. If so, then the fact that the statue’s actions are now becoming really close to mine must also be its effect.

Although it seems like the statue is being far more influenced by it than Tena, it is also true that the statue doesn’t have a ‘self’, while Tena does. In fact, it would be weird if there was no difference in the influence.

As I explain my deduction to them, Leonara and the others nodded solemnly.

“I see, it certainly seems plausible.”

“Right. It would be difficult to get positive proof, though.”

“So this symbol had such an effect, huh?”

“Hmm, hmm, I wonder if it’s like this…”

For the time being, there’s definitely no point in drawing the same shape on your forehead so you can stop, pope.

“Well, if that is actually the case, will it be a breakthrough or something?”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to come up with counter measures if we can understand its action pattern?”

“But, even if you say action pattern, that’s not its fighting action pattern. Even if that statue is lazy like Anri-sama, will that be of any use while fighting it?”

Wait, I feel like I was criticized quite casually just now.

“That is true, it might not be that helpful in fights.”

“Ah, but…”

“Tena, did you get something?”

“If there was something Anri-sama likes, we might be able to lead the statue with it?”

“That’s it!”

Eh?

Leonara shouted the moment she heard Tena speak. I wonder if they thought up of a good plan or something.

“We will bait it with Anri’s favourite things.”

“Trap, eh. Again a pitfall… No, we have already tried it once so it might be able to escape it.”

“Yeah. There’s no way it will get caught in that obvious pitfall. We need a pitfall with more stealth and ability to seal off that statue.”

“If we were to seal it, it would be best to use a sealing barrier. It falls in the light magic territory so I will try asking the holy goddess through the holy bow.”

“Counting on you.”

The talk kept progressing between Orlaine and Leonara but Tena, the pope and I were left behind.

“I understand why you plan on chasing it to the sealing barrier but what do you plan on using to bait it?”

As I asked, Leonara answered full of confidence.

However, I was kinda worried about the plan. Will that thing really be able to draw the statue in?

“Will that thing really work?”

“It will be fine, it will definitely work.”

I would feel kinda complicated even if it did, though.

“….I understand, thank you very much!”

Orlaine said while talking to someone with the holy bow. She probably received revelation from Sofia.

“Did you understand anything?”

“Yes. She gave me a sealing magic which would even work on that statue. However, if we are expecting to seal it completely, it would be better to gather the holy sword and the holy spear, as well.”

If Sofia said it would work then it probably will. She is the light god, for what it’s worth.

“All the holy weapons are here so that’s fine.”

“Alright, then that’s fine for the trap. All that’s left is the thing to draw the statue in.”

“I shall take care of that. It would be quite difficult to replicate it materialistically, but I think I can do it if it’s just the outward appearance.”

“That will be enough. Then I will leave that to you.”

And like this, the second plan against the evil god statue had begun.

…… It doesn’t really matter but it seems like Leonara completely took hold of the operation, even though I was the leader.