Perhaps it is because of the Holy Eye, the queen used to think. Perhaps that is why, even with Alion as top dog, Yonato is allowed a degree of freedom and peace.
One day, however, Alma received a magical war pigeon from Mira. That message changed everything. The Miran bird was carrying an ancient device named a smartphone—and through it, Alma was able to listen to a recording of the Goddess’s voice. The machine was rectangular, operated through a…small pane of glass? From within, the Goddess’s ecstatic voice emerged.
The Goddess sometimes lacked manners, or could behave oddly… But I never thought she would try to destroy the people of this continent. It cannot be… She is an evil god, then. The Wildly Beautiful Emperor’s rebellion was not begun as a result of some crazed rage after all. Now Neah and the Black Dragon Knights of Bakoss are on the emperor’s side. Part of the Alionese army has joined them, and even some Ulzan troops… To say nothing of their strongest new addition, the Lord of the Flies Brigade.
Have the Heroes from Another World truly turned on Vicius too?
A memory floated into Alma’s mind—a bitter one. She caught herself thinking of someone she found quite difficult to deal with.
That unsettling young girl…Asagi Ikusaba has turned on the Goddess as well?
No… I do not want to think of that—to think of her.
Alma read over the message from Mira once more, trying to clear her head. The White Wolf King of Magnar had turned against the Goddess upon learning the truth, it said. The Emperor had sent magical war pigeons to the people of his nation, trying to gather forces to Yonato for the defense of the Holy Eye.
Luheit Mira was also on his way north, at the head of the army that had been defending the imperial capital of Mira. They were gathering most of the forces that remained in northern Mira for the fight.
According to the message from Mira, the Sabre-toothed Tigers were riding with them. They had fought in Yonato against the Demon King’s great invasion and were truly reliable allies. There were also reports that a nation of demi-humans known as the Country at the End of the World would be lending forces to the fight. Zect, a man claiming to be their country’s leader, had offered his aid…
Vicius’s army…? Are they really coming to destroy it? This capital city of ours, Azziz… Will they break our Holy Eye?
Alma considered the Holy Eye to be an extension of herself, a part of her. Shutting down or destroying the eye would be tantamount to stopping her own heart.
“…”
Yonato suffered considerable casualties during the great invasion. We’re doing our best to rapidly reinforce our defenses, but they’re not at full capacity. We can no longer rely on our Four Holy Elders. Our Holy Priest Curia is miraculously on the road to recovery, but she will be not able to fight…
Alma started to feel dizzy but stayed on her feet, trying to hold on.
Who do I believe? That’s obvious. Those who have given me proof. This might be an ancient magical device, but I heard its evidence with my own ears and seen it with my own eyes. I saw that evil. If the White Wolf King opposes the Goddess, then I can place my faith in him too. He is a man worthy of my trust.
No… Most importantly of all, I cannot allow the Holy Eye’s operation to be halted. I could never do that. I will not let it happen.
Alma was not aware of the extent to which her ancestors, the Saintnokia of past generations, shared her beliefs. But Vicius had underestimated the present Queen of Yonato’s devotion. Her absolute loyalty was to the Holy Eye—not to the Goddess.
She felt like she had been betrayed. It was an unpleasant feeling.
White light streamed into the queen’s audience chambers. Alma leaned forward in her throne.
“Viciusss…” She crumpled the letter the Goddess had sent her in her hands, hatred in her every movement. “Just who do you think you are?!”
Yasu Tomohiro
YASU TOMOHIRO entered Yonato territory with Rinji and his party. He began to take notice of more of the people they passed on the road—many loaded with heavy bags and packed carriages. Their presence allowed Rinji’s large group to blend naturally into the crowd.
Oulu looked back from his seat at the head of the carriage. His eyes were fixed on a vehicle they had just passed, which was heading in the direction of Mira.
“So Rinji…which way do we go? Turning back to Mira from here feels a bit…”
Rinji had also been looking back but turned to face the road.
“From what I’ve heard, there are more people goin’ to western Yonato than down into Mira. There’s those golden-eyes to worry about in northern Mira, after all…the ones that got us.”
Rinji had warned the party that was heading south, but the strangers pressed on regardless.
What are they heading to Mira for, anyway? To get away from something?
Rinji and his men had asked them, but in truth, they already knew the answer. There was a great battle brewing in Yonato. An evil army led by the guardian deity of their world was on its way to destroy the Holy Eye of Yonato, or so they said.
That was what was driving many of the people of Yonato to evacuate to the west—though there were apparently some who fled to the Yonato capital of Azziz for refuge instead.
Rinji sighed, roughly scratching at the back of his head. “I don’t know if she’s gone mad or what, but it turns out the Goddess of Alion is trying to destroy everyone on the continent. Not to mention they’re sayin’ that whole White Army business was her doing too, right? Got the proof and everything—tch, what’s the world coming to? I don’t get a damn thing.”
Rinji looked up at the sky.
“Sounds like the Holy Eye’s some kinda problem for the Goddess. Means she can’t destroy us… Y’think it’s got something to do with that holy beam of light in the sky?” he mumbled.