Inside a room in the Hydra Kingdom's royal castle, King Laguna stood staring out the window, her jaw hanging so low it looked ready to drop off—an expression one would never expect from her.
The cause was the phenomenon that had just occurred: a gargantuan string of characters rising from the sea and ascending into the heavens. Yet, she was a veteran of many battles. After a moment, she snapped back to reality, her mind racing as she processed the sight... before she ultimately clutched her head in her hands.
"Wh-Wh-What am I supposed to do about this?! If they pull a stunt that flashy, there’s no way to cover it up... I mean, what even was that?! It looked like characters from Hikari’s world..."
"It is undoubtedly Shallow Vernal-sama’s doing," Lilia muttered. She had been unable to escape Laguna’s office despite her best efforts, held there by the King's desperate insistence. While she was certainly surprised by the sudden turn of events, she was far more composed than Laguna, her calm born of a long-suffering familiarity with such chaos. "According to Kaito-san, Shallow Vernal-sama is quite fond of using giant text as a form of expression. She does it frequently. I recall seeing it several times myself."
"It is a relief that Shallow Vernal-sama is in high spirits, but we cannot simply leave the citizens without an explanation. It would be a disaster if they mistook it for a terrorist attack. However, Shallow Vernal-sama is technically here incognito... regardless of whether she actually intends to hide her presence, it is an unofficial visit. I cannot use her name."
"I believe it will be fine. As I said, this is a preferred method of expression for her. Since that is the case, there is no way Chronoa-sama and the other Gods haven't anticipated it. They should move to handle it immediately. Our best bet is to commit to the claim that it was a pre-planned performance for the Founding Anniversary Festival."
"Ooh! As expected of Lady Lilia, you are so composed."
"It’s a tragic reality, but I have simply survived more of these incidents than I care to count. Also, if I may speak as a veteran of these situations... I suspect this is only the very beginning."
"Please, do not say such terrifying things..."
Lilia had navigated countless stomach-churning events in the past, giving her a certain degree of resilience. Furthermore, in this specific instance, Laguna was the one bearing the brunt of the administrative agony. Lilia, being merely a guest, faced little direct consequence, which likely contributed to her poise.
Even so, though this should have been entirely someone else’s problem, the fact that Lilia had been dragged into a role as Laguna’s advisor was truly a testament to her luck.
High above at that same moment, the three Supreme Gods had sprung into action the moment they saw the colossal characters.
"It happened sooner than expected. It appears to be purely visual; the characters have no physical substance. There is no impact on the sea... We can replicate the effect with Phantom Magic."
"It’s a relief she didn't create physical objects. Replicating that would have been a massive hassle. Chronoa!"
"Right. We can handle this using Case 47. God of Fate, I need support via your Authority."
Just as Lilia had predicted, the Gods had firmly anticipated that Shallow Vernal might use giant text and had prepared standardized responses for various scenarios.
Once the three finished their rapid assessment, Chronoa turned toward the High-ranking God waiting in the rear. This woman, with long hair and her eyes covered by a large cloth, was the God of Thoughts Omoikane, a direct subordinate of Chronoa who served as a messenger to the other deities.
"God of Thoughts, execute Case 47!"
"As you command."
Hearing Chronoa's order, Omoikane immediately clasped her hands in prayer. Through her Authority, the High-ranking and Low-ranking Gods now had their thoughts synchronized, allowing for instantaneous coordination.
(Everyone, initiate Case 47.)
(Understood. Since the location is the harbor, I will handle the site.)
(The sky is involved as well. The Great Sea God and I will manage the display, so send replacements to our posts...)
(They are already on their way. You two, proceed to the site immediately.)
Following this exchange, a new set of stereoscopic characters rose from the sea where the previous text had emerged. These characters spelled out "Hydra Kingdom Founding Anniversary Festival Begins" in the local language, ascending toward the sky in identical fashion. Simultaneously, numerous pillars of water erupted from the harbor, creating beautiful liquid arches as part of a synchronized performance.
"The display currently occurring at the harbor is a performance utilizing the latest Magic Tools. Please be assured that no actual waves or hazards will occur."
An announcement broadcast throughout the capital via Amplification Magic cemented the narrative that the previous characters were merely a surprise demonstration of new technology. Meanwhile, a team of Low-ranking Gods had already reached the royal castle to provide an official explanation to Laguna.
"It seems we’ve managed to weather the first strike... for now."
"I only hope things continue smoothly from here."
"That depends entirely on Shallow Vernal-sama. Since we can only react to her whims, we must remain vigilant and ready to move at a moment's notice."
There was no predicting what Shallow Vernal might do next. Even with Kaito by her side—the one person capable of influencing her—sudden incidents were an absolute certainty.
With grave expressions, the three Supreme Gods turned their gaze back toward the capital.
Serious-senpai: "That is the face of a Duchess who has survived stomach-pain hell more times than she can count... She truly has the look of a seasoned veteran."
???: "Even when she should have nothing to do with it, she gets dragged in and ends up acting like a primary stakeholder. She really is something else."