Dory’s face twitched unnaturally for a moment.
“Miss Celes, this matter and your work…”
“It’s of great importance.”
The girl didn’t hesitate.
“The Human Kingdom has entrusted us with full responsibility. Only after a careful assessment can we decide on a strategy for establishing diplomatic relations, so I must understand all the details.”
“So that’s how it is. Well, about priests and such, there shouldn’t be any. The Sea Demon Tribe’s annual ritual is a traditional festival they organize themselves. No one has ever seen any clergy.”
“Then what about the shrine?”
“If there are no clergy, naturally there’s no shrine either.”
Celes watched him calmly for a moment.
Dory forced a smile, a few beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead.
“All right, I understand. It’s getting late, please head back.”
“Um, about what happened at the market today…”
“The matter at the market falls under our regular religious activities.”
Celes turned her head and said coolly, “According to Joint Agreement Article 3 between the Kingdom and the Church of Light, the Church of Light is permitted to carry out missionary work at any location within the Kingdom, and is authorized to deal with anyone who tries to interfere.”
With that, she walked straight back to the Inn.
“Miss Celes! Miss Celes!”
Pa-ta. The door closed.
In the first floor lobby of the Inn, there was a listless Vina, an absent-minded Zero, a nervous Leah, and Ella comforting her, “Don’t panic, panicking won’t help.”
Everyone was busy with their own things, until the ice-blue-haired girl returned.
“Celes, about this afternoon, I—”
“It’s fine, Miss Leah, I’ve already sent him away.”
After speaking, Celes walked straight to the side, looked at the pink-haired Big Thunder girl, and said seriously, “Ella, about your suggestion, I formally accept and adopt it now.”
“Eh? What suggestion?”
“We need to wage a Religious War against the Sea Demon Tribe!”
Strange rituals, bizarre nightmares, inexplicable shrines—every source of unease had finally made her resolve.
Hearing this, Leah and Vina’s eyes lit up in unison.
Instead, Ella remained calm and collected.
“I see, what a pity. If there were a choice, I’d rather resolve things peacefully.”
Don’t rush, take it slow.
Those who achieve great things must be patient.
“Ella, this plan was first suggested by you, and you’re the most resourceful among us.”
Celes asked seriously, “Do you have any plans?”
Of course.
Once the time is right, at my command, thousands of demon troops will swarm down from the mountains and beat those ugly Sirens to a pulp.
But obviously, such things are not easy to say out loud.
Ella thought for a moment.
“We’re short on manpower, so we should focus our strength and target the enemy’s upper echelon. We don’t have to aim for the most efficient decapitation; cutting off their upper structure is also enough.”
Hearing the girl’s tone grow serious, the other girls unconsciously sat up straighter.
Here it comes, here it comes—no more playful Ella (little Ai).
Celes had a small question: “But we can’t find any priests, or even a single clergy member.”
If you say the Naga count as the Sirens’ upper echelon, well, they certainly do, since there are so few of them.
But if you say they’re that high up, maybe not.
If they really were that high, they wouldn’t be so greedy for a few Pearl Oysters.
“Mm-hmm~ The Sirens’ upper echelon really can’t be found, but those involved with the ritual aren’t limited to just them.”
Ella leisurely twirled the spoon in her hand.
“I have at least two suspects here, both very likely to have deep ties to the Sea Demon Tribe’s clergy.”
So elegant—not sure who she picked that up from, or how.
Celes quickly asked, “Who are they?”
“The first is the Workshop Owner—he’s the producer of Pearl Oysters and most of the ritual supplies.”
Vina tilted her head.
“And the second?”
“Let’s deal with the first one before we talk about the second.”
Ella picked up her black tea and took a light sip.
“No rush.”
Celes truly wasn’t in a rush. Her usual calm and steady demeanor was in perfect agreement with the girl’s view.
“Then it’s settled. Tomorrow morning, we’ll set out together for the Harbor City Workshop.”
At that moment, Zero raised her hand and said softly, “Tomorrow, I’d still like to act alone.”
“Eh,” Vina turned to her, “You’re not coming for something this important?”
The others were also a bit puzzled.
Zero quietly glanced at the pink-haired Big Thunder girl, her gaze growing resolute.
“Mm, I’ve found something too. I want to confirm it further and will share the results with you all.”
To protect Ella, and everyone else, she was determined to find that place.
Celes agreed to Zero’s request.
A free agent in the team applying for solo action was perfectly reasonable—otherwise, why call her a free agent?
“All right, everyone head back and get some rest. Gather early tomorrow morning.”
With the meeting over, the girls left the lobby and went upstairs to sleep.
Zzzz
“Governor, I’ve already gone to see them, but that Miss Celes refused to cooperate and even questioned me about the ritual. In the end, she shut me out.”
After leaving the Inn, Dory rushed straight to the Governor’s mansion to report the matter to Governor Kelu.
He felt wronged—he hadn’t said anything wrong, yet was inexplicably turned away.
“I understand.”
That was all the reply he got, and then he was shut out again.
***
A new day dawned—the fourth day of the Seven-Day Ritual of the Sirens.
“Ah—mnn~”
Early-rising Ella stretched with a satisfied yawn.
Last night was a peaceful one.
No Celes, no Vina, no Zero, no Leah—just herself on the little bed, sleeping soundly all night.
What a rare treat.
She took a stroll outside, only to find that Zero had already set out alone—who knows where.
The rest were in the lobby eating breakfast.
Seeing Ella come down, Vina waved her little hand.
“Come on, we saved two pancakes for you—still hot~”
Leah placed a freshly fried sunny-side-up egg into her bowl.
“You need a little sunshine in the morning.”
To prove she was just promoting doctrine, she deliberately gave one to the other two as well.
A smooth little combo—surely they wouldn’t notice anything.
“A sunny-side-up egg~”
Vina speared the egg with her little fork, her peach blossom eyes glancing at the Saintess, then at the pink-haired Big Thunder girl, a playful smile tugging at her lips.
Ten minutes later, Celes finished clearing the dishes and stood up.
“I’m going to change. Let’s meet at the Inn entrance.”
Elsewhere, deep in that secret alley, Zero had come here once again.
Led by that familiar Miss Sister, she once more met the other’s great-grandmother—the First Generation Sanctuary of Silence, Kagasha.
The assassin girl had tied her long black hair into a ponytail, donned a dark, tight-fitting outfit, and stepped forward with solemn determination.
“I’m ready, Senior. I want to find the shrine.”