After promising her cooperation, Shia-san immediately turned on her heel.
"Make it quick. Our time is likely limited."
"Wait, what do you mean?"
"You're taking the First Hero's words a bit too literally. Why would she choose this specific moment to interfere? Even if she intends to stop you, she can't stand guard there forever without rest. So, what is her real goal?"
"To stall for time?" I asked, struggling to keep up with her brisk pace.
"It’s just a hunch, but the Demon King likely plans to vanish from this city."
"I see..."
"She probably only stayed this long to hand over her patients to a successor. Regardless, this is a race against time. If she disappears, you’ll have no choice but to rely on the Phantasm King... and having to rely on the power of the Six Kings would be a form of defeat for you, wouldn't it?"
"Yes..."
"Well, don't look so grim. At the very least, as long as the First Hero is still standing in your way, we know the Demon King hasn't left yet."
Shia-san continued her explanation as we wove through back alleys completely devoid of people.
"I should warn you now. I only asked those questions earlier to test your resolve. The God Realm and the Gods generally don't get involved in these affairs. Do not expect any help from the Supreme Gods-sama."
"What? Really?"
"It’s a tacit agreement. The problem you're sticking your nose into is a taboo of sorts in this world. Very few even know the truth, but both the Supreme Gods-sama and the Six Kings maintain a strict policy of non-interference regarding her."
"Um... Shia-san? Since I'm the one who asked for your help, I feel bad asking this, but... are you going to be okay?"
The matter of Fia-sensei, the Former Demon King, was clearly a delicate subject. I worried if it was truly alright for Shia-san, a member of the Gods, to lend me her strength. She glanced back at me and smirked.
"I told you, didn't I? It's a tacit agreement. Shallow Vernal-sama didn't give me any orders to stay away. Besides, I've always been considered an 'eccentric' in the God Realm. Adding one more mark to my record isn't going to change anything."
"Shia-san..."
"Enough small talk. We're here."
With those words to steady our nerves, we stepped onto the wide road across from the Church and the Clinic. Just as before, the street was deserted, save for Noin-san.
Seeing us, she immediately stood up and drew her Japanese sword.
"Why have you come back?"
"I'm sorry, Noin-san. I just can't give up."
"Why won't you understand!? Please, don't make Fia suffer any more than she already has!"
"But..."
"I'm not saying you're wrong! I don't think it's impossible for you to help her... In fact, I think if anyone could do it, it might be you. But the chances are slim. If you fail, Fia will be wounded more deeply than ever before!"
"Noin-san..."
It was true. I had no absolute guarantee that I would succeed. There are no certainties in this world, but Noin-san was saying that she simply couldn't stomach the risk.
Even so, I had no intention of backing down. Just as I prepared to argue my point, a burst of mocking laughter rang out.
"Hah... Hahaha! Hahahaha!"
"Shia-san?"
"Who are you?" Noin-san demanded.
I realized then that Noin-san might not know who Shia-san was. Shia-san had mentioned she rarely appeared in public; even if the Hero knew of the Goddess of Calamity, she likely hadn't met her in person.
Shia-san laughed for a few more moments before turning to me with a sharp grin.
"Be happy, Kaito. I'm taking back what I said earlier. You're an idiot, but this woman is a hopeless, legendary fool."
"What? What are you saying all of a sudden..."
"I was wondering what kind of grand resolve you were standing there with," Shia-san sneered at Noin-san. "But this is just pathetic. If you want to play house, do it somewhere else."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Noin-san’s anger flared.
Shia-san didn't miss a beat, her smile widening.
"It’s simple. I thought you were just an idiot who didn't realize her own mistakes. But you're actually a massive fool who realized them long ago and chose to get drunk on a naive, pathetic little game of 'friendship' instead."
"Just what do you know about—"
"'What could you possibly know?' The classic line of a fool who’s stopped thinking. Good grief... Stop your chirping, little girl."
The laughter vanished from Shia-san's face as she looked down at the trembling Hero with cold eyes.
"Yes, that's right. In this matter, both this guy and I are outsiders. But what have you, the parties involved, been doing for the last thousand years? You've known you were wrong this whole time, haven't you? Did you try to fix it? Did you confront her? If you've done nothing, then understand that you've spent ten centuries running away."
"Guh..."
"If you think friendship means following a friend down a path to ruin, then you should end that codependent relationship right now!"
"How dare you!"
"Compared to you, who lacks the courage to look a friend in the eye and tell them they're wrong, this guy—who's willing to stir up trouble for his own selfish desires—is ten times the friend you are."
"..."
"Don't think a blade as half-hearted and filled with hesitation as yours could ever reach a God like me!"
With that declaration, Shia-san summoned a massive scythe and fell into a fighting stance. Noin-san instinctively braced her sword in response.
It felt like the battle was about to erupt, but a moment later, Shia-san’s expression soured.
"Tch."
"Shia-san?"
"I thought something was off... A large-scale barrier using Space Magic, huh?"
A large-scale barrier? I looked around, but I didn't see anything unusual—wait. I'd felt it earlier, but why was there absolutely no one else around in the middle of the day? We were off the main road, but this wasn't some hidden alley. There should have been plenty of people.
And then I saw it. The Church and the Clinic had vanished. It was as if that specific section of reality had been surgically removed from space.
"So there wasn't just a Hero, but a Count-class too... I miscalculated."
"A Count-class?"
"Yeah. Among the Underworld King's subordinates, there's only one who can pull off Space Magic on this scale. Isn't that right, Great Sage of the Undead?"
"My, my. The miscalculation was on our part as well. To think the Goddess of Calamity-dono herself would step onto the stage... This is going to be quite a chore."
As Shia-san called out to the empty air, space distorted like a whirlpool. A Lich wearing a luxurious cloak and a formal suit stepped out—it was Zex-san.
"Zex-san..."
"Zex-sama!? Why are you here?"
Noin-san seemed just as shocked. If he was working with her, she certainly hadn't been told about it.
"Forgive the intrusion, Noin-dono. You really should have said something. I intended to stay hidden if it was only Miyama-dono, but against the Goddess of Calamity-sama... I'm afraid the burden is a bit too heavy for you alone."
"How surprising," Shia-san said. "A high-ranking demon of your caliber choosing to take that side."
"It is a matter of priority. When weighing the risks against the potential rewards, everyone makes a different choice. As I grow older, I find myself becoming more conservative. Unfortunately, 'we' place a great deal of importance on the risks. Therefore, I shall support Noin-dono."
"And so the barrier... wait, 'we'?"
In the heavy, prickling atmosphere, Zex-san’s use of the plural caught my attention. Almost as if to confirm my fear, demons began manifesting around him one after another.
Acht, Eva, Raz-san... faces I knew well were standing among them.
"This barrier is quite specialized. It's a Space Isolation Barrier; while it is nearly impossible to leave from the inside, it is designed so those of sufficient strength can enter from the outside quite easily. Of course, since it requires a certain level of power, ordinary people will not be caught up in this."
"..."
"Ah, please do not worry. This barrier replicates and isolates the local space. Even if you were to level the buildings here, the actual city will remain unharmed. Erasing Fia-dono's clinic was just a bit of lighthearted mischief on my part."
"You've certainly gathered a crowd," Shia-san observed coldly. "Five Count-classes. Viscount-classes, Barons... and so many unranked high-ranking demons that it's a waste of time to count them all."
It was an incredible force. Well over a hundred high-ranking demons stood before us. Zex-san turned his gaze toward me and spoke calmly.
"We have lived with regret for a very long time. Regret that we left Fia-dono to suffer in solitude a thousand years ago. Therefore, this time, we shall support her as her family."
"You've brought quite the army," Shia-san noted. "Is this human really that terrifying to you?"
"Yes, he is. Miyama-dono... I am afraid of you."
"What?" I gasped.
"I predicted that you would act. That is why I asked Ein-dono for her assistance. Had she come, this matter would have been resolved instantly."
I looked through the ranks of demons, but Ein-san was nowhere to be found.
"Ein-dono told me this: 'If it comes to a battle in that alignment, I will side with Kaito-sama without a moment's hesitation. The greatest concession I can make for my family is to pretend I never heard this request. There will be no second time.' You truly are a remarkable man, Miyama-dono."
"I see," Shia-san said. "So you've chosen quantity over quality? You must be mocking me if you think this many ants can actually defeat me."
"No, I do not think that at all."
"What?"
To everyone's surprise, Zex-san immediately conceded. Even Shia-san looked suspicious as he continued.
"While your name is not widely known, your strength rivals that of the Six Kings-sama. No matter how many of us gather, we cannot hope to win a direct confrontation. However, even a being as powerful as you has a weakness. That is why I brought numbers."
"Tch." Shia-san clicked her tongue. She knew exactly what he was talking about.
"As far as I am aware, you are the most merciful among the Gods. You aid those who seek help, you advise the lost... and above all, you take pride in the fact that you never kill or even seriously maim your opponents. You only neutralize them."
"..."
"Defeating you with this force is impossible. But with so many of us, and with such varied levels of strength... even for you, neutralizing every single one of us without causing lasting harm will take a considerable amount of time, will it not?"
"You have a truly rotten personality," Shia-san spat.
"I shall accept the insult. My plan exploits your kindness, but as a frail old man, I cannot afford to be picky when trying to stop a God."
Because Shia-san was so powerful and so kind, she had to hold back. Restraining over a hundred powerful demons without hurting them was an agonizingly slow process. Zex-san didn't need to win; he just needed to stall. The longer this took, the more likely Fia-sensei would escape.
"Now, what will you do, Miyama-dono? Will the two of you still try to challenge us?"
"..."
What could I do? Should I use my trump card? No, if I used it now, I might lose the chance to talk to Fia-sensei entirely. My mind raced, searching for a way out, when a calm, authoritative voice cut through the tension.
"It doesn't look like they're just two people to me."
"Who?!" Zex-san turned sharply.
"I happened to be at the royal castle for business, and on my way back, I saw Kaito-san. He had such a troubled look on his face that I decided to follow him... but honestly, this is quite the situation."
An incredibly reliable woman stepped forward. She reached into a magic box and drew a massive greatsword that looked far too heavy for her slender frame.
"I don't know the full story yet, but I don't need to think twice about whose side I'm on."
"L-Lilia-san!?"
"I'm lending you a hand, Kaito-san," she said, giving me a reassuring look. "After all... I am your lover, aren't I?"
Dear Mother, Father—Noin-san was standing in our way, and now Zex-san and Kuro’s family have turned the situation against us. But it seems my luck hasn't run out yet. A powerful reinforcement has rushed to my side.