Seeing that their initial greeting didn’t reveal a haughty attitude or unreasonable demands, Falsetto and Reiko seemed to relax slightly. I was a bit relieved too, of course. Even if they had ill intentions, they weren’t going for a direct, forceful approach. Not that we couldn’t handle a head-on confrontation, but subterfuge and scheming were more our specialty.
After talking to them, I decided we didn’t have any major issues. They hadn’t tried to demand anything or force interactions, though they did ask about birds and dogs. Apparently, after Mariel had briefed them before their departure, they could only communicate with the dogs and birds using simple signals she’d taught them beforehand, like “capture without killing” and “annihilate the enemy,” and they lacked deeper rapport beyond the typical human-animal bond. They’d asked for help with reporting the current situation and effective use of the Dog Corps and Bird Corps, which was fine.
They’d secured a large residence, and I didn’t mind translating for them in the courtyard. Supposedly, these animals were the descendants of the dogs and birds that had helped way back when. In Mariel’s territory, the Raphael Earldom, there was a breeding ground for those dogs and birds, where their descendants still lived. It was a safe place for birthing, laying eggs, and raising young, and some elite offspring were able to join the Raphael Earldom’s Dog Corps or Bird Corps. They didn’t have to worry about food and were provided care in case of injury or illness. Those too old for military service took on roles like training young ones or standing watch. If something ever happened to them, their families were cared for. As a result, the competition for spots in the Dog and Bird Corps was incredibly fierce.
Oh... I should’ve hired dogs and birds for security at Little Silver too!
Instead of just using alarms, guard dogs that could physically take down intruders would’ve been so much more reassuring. Not to mention, interacting with animals would’ve been great for the kids’ emotional growth. Sure, they had Hang and Scary, but those two were a bit too big, plus they weren’t fluffy and couldn’t go inside the building. Maybe it was worth considering.
“So, we have absolutely no intention of disturbing your peace, Lady Kaoru...” the leader said.
Good, they get it...
“And the members of the Eyes of the Goddess likely share the same basic stance.”
“Huh? They’re coming too?” I asked.
“They’re already here. They’ve set up a base as well...though they seem to be refraining from contacting you. We would’ve done the same if not for the issue with the Dog and Bird Corps. The Aligot Empire’s Navy, along with their maritime merchants and traders, are here as well. Once they solidify their foothold in this country, they’ll probably be more proactive about getting involved...”
“Whaaat?!” I blurted out, stunned.
“Looks like we don’t need to prepare backup forces for emergencies anymore,” Reiko said mercilessly.
No, no, Mariel’s group and the other factions shouldn’t have known about Little Silver yet...or about Reiko and Kyoko. In fact, they probably didn’t even know Kyoko existed. Since historical records likely noted that I disliked being spoken to formally by those close to me, that tidbit was likely carried over to written biographies and religious texts. So, even if Reiko spoke casually with me, they likely assumed we were just close friends and wouldn’t suspect her of being a fellow goddess.
The only things these people knew about were my actions as the priestess Edith and that I, Kaoru, was Edith. And the only one these people were fully committed to protecting was me. Sure, they’d try to keep those around me safe—only to avoid displeasing me—but given the choice of saving me from a scratch and Reiko or Falsetto from serious injury, they’d prioritize me. So, it was questionable whether they could be used as a shield for Little Silver in a crisis.
I mean, if I asked, they’d probably agree to guard Little Silver, but if they heard I was in danger or in trouble, they might abandon the orphans and rush to my aid. Would devout followers and fanatics ignore a goddess’s orders? Yes. Obviously. Fanatics were the type to say, “If it means protecting the Goddess, I would defy her orders and burn in hell without regret. I could wish for nothing more!” That was what made them fanatics; they weren’t like ordinary believers.
Besides, I didn’t like ordering people to do those sorts of things. If someone risked their life for a job, it should be their own choice, not because they’d been told to. I hated being worshipped as a goddess and propped up like an idol by fanatics, and I despised the idea of issuing orders as either. That was why I couldn’t give the order to protect the children of Little Silver at all costs.
“I will meet with the birds and dogs,” I said. “I’ll help translate their instructions. But unless it’s absolutely necessary, humans are not to contact me directly. Send messages via dogs or birds with written instructions, worded carefully or in code to avoid issues if intercepted.”
Even if they sent a coded message, I could read it, thanks to my ability to understand all languages.
“Understood,” the man said. “Our true desire would be to serve at your side, but we know that’s not your wish... However, if you ever require our aid, please call upon us at any time. And if we ever deem it necessary, we’ll intervene without hesitation.”
Huh?
“No, that’s not—”
“We will intervene!”
“Uh...okay...”
There was no point in arguing. Emile and his group were the same—whenever they had that look in their eyes, nothing I said would get through to them.
There was only one thing I could do: make sure no situation arose that would make them think intervention was needed.
What a pain...
The meeting ended without any further issues. Mariel’s subordinates were reasonable, which was a big relief. The people working for Emile would probably be fine too. Besides Reiko and Kyoko, Emile and the original members of the Eyes of the Goddess were the ones who understood me better than anyone in the world. We hadn’t lived together for years for nothing. So, I couldn’t imagine the subordinates trained by the still-living Eyes of the Goddess members would do anything I’d dislike or disapprove of.
“The problem is the folks from the Aligot Empire...”
Even if they had no ill intent—in fact, they seemed to mean well—their sense of boundaries seemed to be a bit off from what I’d gathered from that incident in the pre-Item Box days, the research material I’d found in the Kingdom of Balmore’s capital library, and now from Mariel’s men.
Things had been complicated after the invasion. The war with the invaders had killed many Aligot soldiers, leaving countless widows and orphans. Even though the empire’s aggression was what had caused it, my actions had been the main reason for their defeat and those heavy losses. Naturally, I was hated and resented by the bereaved, but those whose families hadn’t been affected and those who understood the empire’s financial desperation had seen my leniency at the peace conference, my information about the large western island, and my support for building new oceangoing ships, and had come to believe I was the Angel, then a goddess, and thanked and worshipped me.