Chapter 320 Not Someone’s Responsibility
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”We’ve gotten a bit sidetracked. Let’s get back to the matter at hand,” Espera said.
”Ah, sorry. Right…” I replied.
”The point is, I personally have no intention of doing anything regarding Betty.”
”Right. But when you say ‘personally,’ does that mean the Theocracy¹ still considers her someone they can’t just ignore?”
”Yes,” Espera said. “Should the Theocracy learn of her existence, many voices would immediately call for her capture.”
”So you haven’t reported her yet?” I asked.
”It would be unacceptable to lose the funding necessary to save lives just for the sake of petty bickering between nations.”
Calling it ‘funding’ instead of sugarcoating it with talk of ‘building a good relationship with the frontier settlement’ – she really was an honest person.
”I understand your personal stance,” Sia said. “But you didn’t bring Lord Neil or Betty here just to tell us that, did you?”
”Exactly. If everything could be resolved quietly by my silence alone, I wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of arranging this meeting.”
”Is there a priest among you trying to report Betty to the Theocracy?” I asked.
”No, there is no need for concern on that front,” Espera replied. “High Priests, by nature of their role, have no direct means of communication with the outside. This minimizes their contact with others. All correspondence must go through a supervisor – in this case, me.”
”Isn’t Lady Reinele a supervisor?”
”Lady Reinele is… well, she is in a somewhat unique position. You could say she has endured her fair share of hardships…”
Wow. I could tell that even the blunt Espera was choosing her words with extreme care out of pure pity.
”In the first place, why isn’t that High Priest hiding her face?” Sia asked. “I mean, I guess there’s no point in hiding her face with a build like that, but still.”
At Sia’s words, everyone pictured Lady Reinele’s oversized chest. With a figure like that, she could never fulfill the role of a decoy² meant to hide the true High Priests capable of healing magic.
”Anyway, I heard that those who can no longer work as High Priests have their rank stripped. Why is she still a High Priest?” Sia asked.
”It is a well-known fact by now, so I will not hide it,” Espera said. “Most High Priests are nothing more than decoys to protect the real healers.”
”Is it really okay for an Inquisitor³ to just blurt that out?” I asked.
”In a public setting, it would be a scandalous slip, but here it is no issue. To return to the topic: every real High Priest is assigned at least four decoys. That means we must select a large number of candidates from the Middle Priests, but…”
”Every time another healer is found, I bet it’s a struggle to find the right people to match them,” I said.
”Yes. Because a ‘similar physical build’ is a requirement for selection, we are often forced to appoint people who lack both knowledge and experience.”
”Since they’re decoys, I suppose the physical build being the standard can’t be helped,” I muttered. “But it must be a nightmare for someone to be told they’re suddenly a High Priest without any experience. Wait… is that what happened to Reinele?”
”Precisely,” Espera replied. “Lady Reinele’s body matured much faster than her peers. Since no other suitable candidates could be found at the time, she was chosen. However, about a year after she became a High Priest, a difference emerged that simply could not be disguised. She became unable to fulfill her role as a decoy.”
Espera was being vague, but it was undoubtedly that out-of-spec chest size.
”Customarily, those who can no longer serve as High Priests are given the rank of Holy Priest and retired from the front lines. However, granting the rank of Holy Priest to someone with less than a year of experience would cause significant issues.”
”Holy Priest? I’m guessing that’s a rank above High Priest?” I asked. “If that’s the case, I can see why promoting Reinele after only a year would cause a backlash.”
”Ah, Lewya, actually… a Holy Priest isn’t exactly ‘above’ a High Priest,” I said.
”It’s not?”
”No,” Lady Estesia interjected. “The title sounds grand, but it is actually an honorary post with no rights or duties. On the surface, it is a ‘graceful retirement,’ but in reality, it is simply being fired.”
”It is exactly as Lady Estesia says,” Espera confirmed. “Normally, those who become Holy Priests make a living as private doctors or educators. However, in Lady Reinele’s case, her knowledge and experience are quite insufficient, you see…”
”And since Holy Priests don’t receive a salary, that would be a disaster,” I said.
”Yes. Since we forced her into the role for our own convenience, Bishop Macleam felt it was too much to effectively fire her when she was not at fault. As a special exception, he has kept her at the rank of High Priest.”
”Couldn’t she be moved back to a Middle Priest?” I asked.
”Demotions are almost exclusively applied as punishment for misconduct or heresy, you see,” Espera replied. “Regardless of the reason, a demotion would give Lady Reinele a bad reputation. Above all… well, the reason for the demotion is a bit…”
You couldn’t exactly demote someone for the ridiculous reason that her chest was too big to be a decoy. But I understood now. In the Theocracy, a demotion was treated like a criminal record, and they wanted to avoid that. Yet firing her after the country jerked her around was too pitiful. So she stayed a High Priest as a special exception.
”But people already know she’s a decoy who can’t use healing magic, right?” I asked. “At point, she can’t do her job at all. What is she actually doing here in the settlement?”
”Mostly chores at the clinic,” Espera said. “Normally those are the duties of a Lower Priest, but the other High Priests must avoid contact with others as much as possible. They can’t even handle their own laundry or meals, so we have Lady Reinele handle it.”
”Even if it can’t be helped, are she and those around her okay with a High Priest doing odd jobs?” I asked.
”They are not,” Espera said. “Lady Reinele understands that Bishop Macleam is doing his best for her, so she rarely complains, but I believe she is bottling up a great deal of frustration.”
”Bottling it up…?”
A mental image of Lady Reinele in the dining hall, frantically eating and drinking to vent her stress, flashed through my mind. Seeing my awkward reaction, Espera cleared her throat.
”Ahem! Well, keeping it all inside is unhealthy. An occasional release is necessary. The truly terrible ones are the other bishops. Since she isn’t under their jurisdiction, they say whatever they please. ‘A High Priest who only does chores insults the dignity of the office, fire her already,’ or ‘It is unthinkable to keep someone suspected of having outlander blood in the priesthood,’ and so on.”
”They really are just saying whatever they want…” I muttered.
”I understand that Reinele isn’t treated well in the Theocracy,” Lewya said. “And she’s not likely to report Betty to a country that treats her like that. Since the others have to go through you to send word… who exactly are you worried about?”
From the way Espera was talking, there was still a risk of the Theocracy finding out. But if she and Reinele weren’t going to talk, I didn’t see where the threat was.
”What I am wary of,” Espera said, “are the Inquisitors being sent as reinforcements.”
”What? I haven’t heard anything about more inquisitors coming. Has my father been told?”
”I doubt it,” Espera replied.
”Wait, isn’t there a mountain of paperwork needed to send inquisitors elsewhere?” I asked. “Doing it without that would be a huge problem.”
”That is true for those dispatched as Inquisitors. However, these reinforcements are not Inquisitors like me.”
”What does that mean?”
”I believe Count Atmiras negotiated directly with Bishop Macleam, but Lord Neil, you know how difficult those talks were, don’t you?”
”Yeah. My father shared the details with me… and it’s awkward to say this in front of you, Espera, but the Inquisitors were the biggest sticking point.”
”The cause of the difficulty was my specific authority within the frontier settlement,” Espera said.
An Inquisitor’s duties involved extreme measures like arrests and interrogations. While permitted within the Theocracy, doing that in another country without permission would be an act of war. But if they were bound by foreign laws, they couldn’t do their jobs. So the Theocracy fought to ensure their Inquisitors could operate just as they did at home.
Since we were the ones asking for help and specifically wanting medical officers rather than religious figures, my father had held his ground. But to get the priests, he had no choice but to cave to the Theocracy’s demands. He granted them full recognition of Inquisitor activities within our borders.
That meant if Lewya’s identity ever leaked and an Inquisitor moved in, I wouldn’t be able to help her, and I wouldn’t be allowed to interfere. That was why I’d been so stressed when I first heard an inquisitor was coming.
”The reinforcement inquisitors do not have the same authority I do,” Espera said. “Therefore, there is no need to negotiate for permission from your side.”
”Then what are they coming here for?”
”To monitor the priests and inquisitors already in the field,” Espera explained. “There is no end to those who leave the Theocracy, settle in a foreign land, and lose their sense of loyalty. They start acting for the sake of that land and its people rather than the Theocracy. These reinforcements are sent to monitor them.”
”Internal affairs, then… but if it’s about ‘loyalty,’ you guys only just got here. We should have some breathing room for a while, shouldn’t we?”
”No,” Espera said. “The Theocracy⁴ dispatches surveillance based on how much they trust the subject. If trust is lacking, they’ll send someone almost immediately.”
”I figured,” Sia said with a smirk. “You seem to put your creed before your country anyway, blabbing about the Theocracy’s inner workings like this. They don’t trust you at all, do they?”
”I don’t mean to brag, but I have a solid track record with the State,” Espera replied. “I’ve been highly vetted. An Inquisitor⁵ who isn’t trusted wouldn’t be tasked with operations on foreign soil to begin with.”
I suppose the role of an Inquisitor is vital to the Theocracy, Neil thought. It makes sense they’d send someone reliable rather than a hack they’d have to waste resources spying on.
”If Espera is trusted, then maybe we don’t need to be on high alert just yet-” I started, then stopped.
”Re-Lady Reinele, please, calm down!”
”I am calm! If I weren’t, I’d be back at the Theocracy right now, knocking some sense into those thick-skulled geezers in the high office until their brains turned to mush! Aaaaagh!!”
Spoke too soon, Neil sighed. There’s one person with zero trust from the state and not a shred of loyalty.
”Is she talking about… Reinele?” I asked.
”Yes,” Espera said. “Given Lady Reinele’s reputation, there is a strong possibility that an Inquisitor has already been dispatched to monitor us in secret.”
”Then why did the Theocracy send her to a frontier settlement at all?”
”Bishop Macleam handled the selection. Normally, foreign assignments are for the reliable, but the Bishop took pity on Lady Reinele-who truly had no place left within the Theocracy-and appointed her despite fierce opposition.”
I get that he was trying to do her a favor, Neil thought, but I really want to have a word with this Bishop Macleam. What was he thinking? I like Reinele, but bringing her here while I’m sitting on a ticking time bomb like Lycus is the last thing I needed.
”On the surface, these observers are here to watch those of us stationed abroad,” Espera continued. “But they also serve as spies, gathering intelligence. If an Inquisitor is in this settlement, they aren’t just watching the Clinic-they’re watching this mansion. For instance, look at the forest behind this estate. From the tops of those trees, it would be effortless to hide and peer over the walls.”
”…You,” Sia said, her voice dropping an octave as she glared at Espera. “Did you know?”
Neil felt a jolt of nerves. Sia only used that tone when she was genuinely angry. “Sia? What’s wrong?”
”There’s been a presence… a surge of magic power lingering in the trees outside that window ever since we started talking about Reinele,” Sia muttered.
”You mean-“
Neil started to turn toward the window, but Sia’s hand clamped onto his shoulder like a vice.
”Don’t look,” she hissed. “It only gets more complicated if they know we’ve spotted them.”
”Dammit… if you noticed, why didn’t you say something sooner?” I asked.
”If I told you, you’d have reacted exactly like that-looking over instinctively. I thought it was better if you acted natural. Besides, whoever this is… their movements are freakish. By the time I felt them, they were already in position.”
”Are you saying they bypassed your detection?” I asked.
”Not bypassed, exactly. I felt them, but they closed the distance from outside my warning zone in the blink of an eye. There wasn’t even enough time to warn the rest of you or hide Betty,” Sia replied.
”Does that mean… they know who I am?” Betty whispered.
”You’ll be fine,” Sia said. “They’re looking down from a high angle. From behind the sofa, they can probably only see us from the chest down. As long as they don’t hop the fence, we’re okay. Still, better safe than sorry-keep your ears covered.”
”Understood. But is it really an Inquisitor out there?”
”I can’t identify someone just by their mana signature,” Sia said, before turning back to Espera. “But you’re one of them. Can’t you tell?”
”I am truly sorry,” Espera said. “I only mentioned the forest because it seemed like the most logical vantage point. I honestly didn’t realize someone was actually lurking there ~desuno.”
”I hope for your sake that’s the truth,” Sia said.
”Since I’ve accurately guessed the situation by sheer coincidence, I expect to be suspected. I have no way to prove it was an accident, and anything I say now will just sound like a pathetic excuse ~desuno. I won’t bother trying to justify myself,” Espera said.
This is bad, Neil thought. The air is thick enough to cut with a knife. What do I do-
”-Betty?”
In the middle of the standoff, Betty grabbed Neil’s sleeve. Her hand was trembling violently, her eyes swimming with terror.
She’s the one most at risk here, Neil realized. He forced himself to stand tall. If I lose my cool, it’ll only make her more afraid.
”Espera, you have the authority to arrest Betty right now, but you chose to sit down and talk to us instead. Because of that, I’m going to trust you,” I said.
”Thank you,” Espera replied.
”Sia, I know you’re worried, but please. Can we just trust Espera for coming to the table?”
”There’s a chance she set this whole thing up,” Sia countered. “Letting us know there’s a threat so we feel desperate, making herself look like an ally just to force us into a deal.”
”If she wanted to force my hand, it would be a lot easier to just take Betty hostage,” I said.
”Well, when you put it that way… Sigh. Fine. I’ll let it go for your sake, Neil.”
Sia finally backed off, though she didn’t look happy about it. Neil turned back to Espera.
”Tell us. What do we have to do to save Betty?” I asked.
”First, we must work under an assumption: that the observer in the settlement already knows she exists,” Espera said.
”Why assume the worst?”
”Because if we assume she’s safe and she’s actually been compromised, the fallout will be catastrophic. For example, if we try to smuggle her out thinking no one knows, and the Theocracy catches us, they will hold me responsible for allowing the escape. I would be relieved of my post immediately.”
”And what happens to you then?” I asked.
”Don’t worry about me. The real problem is my replacement. The next Inquisitor sent here would likely be a zealot-someone sent to ensure such mistakes never happen again. They would offer zero concessions.”
”That would be a nightmare,” Sia muttered. “If one of those hardliners shows up, we’ll be having heresy trials every other day.”
”Few are that extreme, but… yes, the outcome would be similar. That is why we must act as if the secret is already out. Even so, there is still a move we can make,” Espera said.
Neil stared at her. He had assumed that once the Theocracy knew, it was game over. He couldn’t imagine a way to win from that position.
”There is a way. And that brings us to the core of my proposal… but before I continue, I must warn you all. Everything I am about to say-and everything you are about to see-must never leave this room.”
”Sounds heavy,” Sia said. “I’d usually say I’ll decide after I hear it, but… since Neil is involved, fine. I promise.”
”I give my word as well,” Lewya added.
”I won’t tell anyone,” I said. “Betty?”
”Yes,” Betty whispered.
”Thank you,” Espera said.
Espera reached into her coat and pulled out two objects.
”No way-“
Neil’s heart skipped a beat. He knew those objects. One was a small, spiral-bound memo pad, the kind you’d find in the stationery aisle of any Japanese convenience store. It was faded and worn, but the material was unmistakable. This wasn’t some local imitation-this was an authentic item brought from another world⁶.
”I had a suspicion,” Espera said, watching his face, “but it seems you recognize this, Neil.”
”A suspicion…? Wait, does that mean-“
”Itadakimasu⁷.”
Neil froze.
”The way you reacted to that word… you know about ‘Japan,’ don’t you?” Espera asked.
”Did you… did you say that just to test me?” I asked.
”I apologize for the deception. I feared you wouldn’t give me a straight answer if I simply asked,” Espera replied.
”Hey,” Sia interrupted. “Quit staring at each other and fill us in. We’re completely lost over here.”
”Uh, well…”
What do I do? Neil panicked. She’s already caught me, but should I tell Lewya and the others the truth? If I tell them I’m an Otherworlder now, with everything else going on, it’ll just break their brains.
”Neil,” Espera said gently, “I understand your position is complicated. Rest assured, I have no intention of exposing the Otherworlder you are harboring. In exchange, I need the help of someone who understands Japan.”
”Huh?”
Wait… she thinks I’m harboring someone? Neil realized. Right! She knows about people teleporting here, but she has no idea about reincarnation. She thinks I only know Japanese because I’ve been talking to a secret Otherworlder friend. That was close. I almost outed myself for no reason… I’ll tell them the truth if I have to, but now isn’t the time.
”An Otherworlder?” Sia asked, her eyes narrowing. “What do you want with them?”
”Have you ever heard of an Otherworlder named ‘Masa’?” Espera asked.
”Can’t say I have,” Sia replied. “I’m not exactly up to date on world news, let alone ‘Otherworlder’ gossip.”
”To put it simply, Masa was an ihomono⁸-an Outsider-who came from a place called Japan,” Espera said. “He is known as the worst criminal in history, a man who advanced the criminal arts of this world by centuries. You’ve heard of him, Neil-sama?”
”I have,” I replied. “He’s the one the critics always point to when they talk about how much of a rot Outsiders bring to our world.”
Many Outsiders had made a name for themselves in this world, but Masa was particularly infamous-and for all the wrong reasons. He had spread the complex criminal knowledge of his former world, causing the local crime rate to skyrocket. He was branded the “King of Criminals,” the “Root of All Evil.” Masa had arrived ages ago, however; he was long dead.
”These two items are what Masa brought from his original world,” Espera continued. “One is likely a form of identification, and the other is a diary. It’s written in his native tongue. Many scholars have tried to decode it, but the complexity of the characters made it impossible.”
Neil figured a Japanese diary would be a nightmare of hiragana, katakana, and kanji-maybe even some romaji. It was no wonder they were stumped.
”So, you want me to translate it?” I asked. “How does that help Betty?”
”As it stands, few will listen if I simply plead to maintain our relationship with the frontier settlement⁹,” Espera said. “This contract was made with Count Atmiras, not you, Neil-sama. The High Council of the Theocracy¹⁰ has a habit of looking down on your very existence.”
”I see. The council wants to know what’s in that book. If the word gets out that only the frontier settlement can decode it, the council might actually listen to you and look the other way regarding Betty.”
”Precisely,” Espera replied. “Furthermore, the Theocracy holds other artifacts related to the Outsiders. If you succeed with this diary, they will likely request your help with the rest.”
Espera’s plan was clear: make it more profitable for the High Council to stay on good terms with Neil. If the plan worked, the Theocracy might stop trying to interfere, even knowing Betty was there. But just as Neil began to process this, Sia cut in.
”Is it really going to be that easy?” Sia asked. “Once they find out there’s an Outsider who can translate, won’t they just order us to hand him over next?”
”There is absolutely no chance of that,” Espera said firmly. “In the past, the Theocracy forcibly detained an Outsider for cooperation, but it led to a catastrophic security breach. Since then, forcing an Outsider into service has been strictly forbidden.”
”What happened?” I asked.
”They escaped,” Espera said. “Outsiders appear with powers and knowledge unknown to this world. We concluded that it’s impossible to truly silence or restrain them indefinitely. Besides, many on the council are biased against relying on your kind anyway.”
”Wait a second,” Sia interrupted. “That makes no sense. If the council hates relying on Outsiders, why would they let Betty go just because an Outsider did some translating?”
”It’s fine,” Espera assured her. “In this case, we will present it as cooperating with Neil-sama, not an Outsider. That distinction is enough.”
”Are you kidding?” Sia snapped. “It’s okay as long as there’s a middleman?”
”Yes. As long as it appears the Theocracy is requesting aid from Neil-sama, the optics are satisfied. In truth, no one on the High Council actually harbors a personal vendetta against Outsiders.”
”Is that true?” Sia asked, sounding skeptical.
Lewya and Sia looked stunned, but Neil, having researched the Theocracy, found the explanation plausible.
”It’s the difference between the state and the individual,” I muttered. “The Theocracy uses the ‘Outsider’ threat because it’s politically convenient, not because the council members actually have a grudge.”
”Exactly,” Espera said. “Most people who cling to our faith do so because they are desperate, and usually, their own choices led them there. But you can’t tell a broken person that their misery is their own fault. They won’t accept it. So, we provide a convenient cause for their suffering.”
”So you use Outsiders as scapegoats,” Lewya said. “I see your point, but blaming them for everything seems like a low blow.”
”Even if it is a false accusation, it saves their hearts,” Espera replied. “Truth alone cannot save people. If it takes a lie to bring them peace, then I will lie gladly.”
”I can’t stand that,” Sia growled. “You’re fine with someone else suffering for your lies as long as the person in front of you is happy?”
”Saving everyone is an act of arrogance,” Espera said calmly. “As humans, our hands can only reach so many. It is only natural to prioritize those whose suffering we can actually see.”
”That’s exactly what pisses me off!” Sia yelled. “Acting like you’ve got it all figured out, playing god by deciding who’s worth saving!”
”Sia-san, please, calm down!” I said.
The discussion was devolving into a shouting match again. Neil felt that Espera’s honesty-perhaps triggered by his own promise of transparency-was making things worse. He was trying to figure out how to settle Sia down when a tiny voice broke through.
”…I’m sorry.”
The voice was so thin it was almost a ghost, yet it silenced the room.
”Betty?” I asked.
”If I… if I hadn’t come here, you wouldn’t be fighting like this.”
”No-Betty, this isn’t about you!” Sia shouted. “I’m just mad at this woman’s twisted values!”
”But you wouldn’t even be talking to her if it weren’t for me,” Betty whispered. “It’s my fault. If I hadn’t been selfish and asked to stay…”
”That’s not true!” Lewya interjected. “Sia snaps at people every day of the week!”
”Exactly!” Sia added. “So this isn’t your fault… Ugh, Neil-sama, say something!”
Lewya and Sia scrambled to comfort the girl, but the shadow didn’t leave Betty’s face. Neil knew why. No matter how they phrased it, the reality was that this mess existed because Betty was at the settlement. Sugarcoating it was useless.
”You’re right, Betty,” I said. “There’s no denying this problem exists because you’re here.”
”…!”
”Neil-sama?!” Sia gasped.
They looked at him with pure shock-Lewya, Sia, Betty, and even Espera.
”But you’re wrong about one thing,” I continued. “Do you remember when I gave you that prosthetic arm? Back then, you didn’t have the slightest intention of staying here. I was the one who pushed you. I was the one who insisted you stay at the settlement. So if we’re looking for who started this, the responsibility is mine.”
”But…!”
”It’s the truth, Betty. This isn’t a lie to make you feel better. That said, I won’t tell you not to worry. You chose to stay knowing it would cause trouble, so you carry some of that weight. And I carry mine for keeping you. This isn’t one person’s problem. It’s ours. All of us. Lewya and Sia included.”
Neil looked back at the two women. They stared at him blankly for a moment before their shoulders slumped and they shared a soft smile.
”Heh. I suppose Neil is right,” Lewya said. “It’s a bit late to start pointing fingers.”
”Right,” Sia agreed. “We all knew what we were getting into when we took you in.”
Hollow kindness wouldn’t have reached Betty; she had been pitied her whole life. She needed the blunt, unfalsified truth that she wasn’t alone in her guilt. Betty looked at Neil, her eyes searching for an answer.
”Why… when things are getting this bad, why do you still want me here?”
”Because we’ve already come this far,” I said. “We’ve all taken on the responsibility together. We’re not about to dump it all on you and pretend it never happened.”
”Exactly,” Sia said. “And besides, Betty-did you really think you could cause this much trouble and just walk away? You’re staying right here until you’ve paid us back in full.”
”……”
The message hit home. Betty bit her lip, trying to hold back the flood, but tears escaped anyway. She wiped them away and looked up with a radiant, beaming smile.
”I… I want to stay with everyone, too!”
That was all Neil needed to hear. Partings were inevitable, but he wanted them to happen with smiles, not regrets. He wanted to be able to meet again and-
”Neil-sama!!”
-CRASH!!
The world fragmented. Betty’s scream was followed by the violent sound of shattering glass. Before Neil could react, Betty had slammed into him, pinning him to the sofa. His brain stalled, unable to process the sequence of events. He looked up past Betty’s shoulder, his gaze catching a shock of ash-gray hair-the same color as Betty’s.
”Ah…”
Neil froze. He was staring directly into a pair of eyes burning with a terrifying, murderous fury.
—
Summary:
Espera confides that she will not report Betty but warns Neil that the Theocracy has dispatched “monitoring” Inquisitors to observe staff for any wavering loyalty, revealing the grim truth behind Reinele’s demotion—her supposedly “unsuitable” figure had made her a failed decoy, relegating her to clinic work. The political trap leaves Neil powerless to act if his companions are targeted, and as tensions mount, Sia detects a hidden watcher in the forest.
Espera acknowledges that her own visit likely triggered surveillance and, to Neil’s shock, displays knowledge of “Japan,” ending their uneasy meeting by asking for his help locating another Otherworlder named Masa, mistakenly assuming Neil is hiding him. Seeking to shield Betty, Neil counters by using Masa’s old diary as leverage in a tense discussion over the Theocracy’s exploitation of Outsiders as political scapegoats. As Betty breaks down in guilt, Neil accepts full responsibility for her presence—but before the confrontation can resolve, a crash shatters the air as a gray-haired intruder bursts through the window, tackling Neil to the floor.
—
Trivia:
- The ‘Holy Priest’ rank is actually a form of unemployment/firing, not a promotion.
- Demotion in the Theocracy is synonymous with a criminal record/heresy.
- High Priests are kept in isolation by design; only the supervisor (Espera) has outside contact.
- Neil’s father (Count Atmiras) was forced to grant the Theocracy full legal jurisdiction for Inquisitor activities as a condition for getting medical help.
- The incoming Inquisitors aren’t there to investigate the settlement, but to spy on the priests themselves.
- Espera is actually highly trusted despite her willingness to negotiate.
- The forest behind the mansion provides a perfect vantage point for spies.
- Bishop Macleam appointed Reinele out of pity, not competence.
- Neil is worried about an individual named Lycus.
- Espera uses the term ‘Itadakimasu’ specifically as a shibboleth test.
- There is a fundamental misunderstanding: Espera thinks Neil is ‘harboring’ an Otherworlder, not that he IS one.
- Masa is a ‘long-dead’ character, implying his influence is historical rather than active.
- The Theocracy’s High Council doesn’t hate Outsiders personally; it’s a political stance for optics.
- The Theocracy previously tried to force an Outsider to cooperate and failed miserably due to an escape.
- Neil was the one who initially convinced Betty to stay at the settlement, which he uses to deflect her guilt
—
Character Insight:
Espera shows a surprising amount of empathy for Reinele despite her blunt persona. Neil experiences a moment of realization regarding the long-term political ‘poison pill’ his father had to swallow for the sake of the settlement’s development.
Neil shows growth in his leadership by stepping in to diffuse the tension for Betty’s sake. Espera shows a complex morality, prioritizing a pragmatic ‘better outcome’ over blind religious duty. Sia remains the pragmatic, combat-oriented shield of the group.
Neil shows leadership by prioritizing truth over comfort, realizing that Betty rejects pity. Espera reveals her utilitarian morality, willing to lie to maintain social order.
—
Behind the Scenes:
The author notes that this conversation has been lengthy (sitting on a sofa for two chapters) but felt it was necessary to establish the stakes before moving the plot forward.
The author uses the spiral notebook as a tactile bridge to reality, emphasizing the ‘Isekai’ element amidst the fantasy tension.
The use of Japanese characters as an ‘unbreakable code’ is a common trope in Isekai where the native language of the protagonist is rare or legendary.
—
TL Notes:
Notes:
• Espera – An Inquisitor (middle clergy rank) of the Pentis faith from the Theocracy, serving as the official point of contact. She is characterized by her crisp tone and brutal honesty, defending the necessity of charging high fees (‘fair compensation’) to maintain their resources and aid the suffering. She possesses a cool, assessing gaze and is highly perceptive, noticing Bearty and closely examining her distinctive features before choosing to leave without incident.
• Betty – A member of the Lycus tribe born with a disability (missing left arm). Described as a ‘malformed child’ by her society. She is currently ignorant of sexual education due to her tribe’s eugenics-based exclusion.
• Sia – A guard with unparalleled mana-sensing abilities. She wears a sheer negligee and displays exhibitionist tendencies. She is obsessed with Neil and enjoys the risk of being caught during intimate acts.
• Reinele – A High Priestess (higher clergy rank than Espera) of the Pentis faith. She is highly nervous, timid, and fidgety, nearly knocking something over in her stress in Lord Neil’s presence. She is visually distinct among the clergy as her robes strain under ‘gravity-defying architecture,’ suggesting a very large figure. She is uncomfortable with Espera’s open discussion of money and compensation for healing services. Have long blonde hair.
• Count Atmiras – MC’s family
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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