Satou here. There"s this term, ‘Calm before storm", but I kind of like the suffocating stillness before disaster.

“Geez! I really thought you were gone there, I was soo worried!”

I got back because I felt like Arisa was calling for me, she was fuming for some reason.

“More importantly, is anyone hurt?”

Judging from the sorry state of the capital, Demon G.o.d or his familiars had definitely raided the place.

No, from the weird formation of gla.s.s at the impact crater–.

“Did my duplicate body blow itself up in the capital?”
“It did! We thought it was the real thing, do you have any idea how panicked we were!”

While apologizing for making them worry, I confirmed that the king and the capital people had safely taken shelter and sighed in relief.

Good grief, I can"t believe they would make it blow up right in the center of the capital, I"ve got to file a complaint about this to G.o.ds.

“For the time being, let"s restore it back into a habitable state–”

While using Storage and magic in unison to collect debris in the capital, I relocated the duplicate buildings I had put in the sub-s.p.a.ce to replace the ruined city.
Since furnitures and stuff inside these buildings aren"t reproduced, it"s probably a good idea to also offer minimum wares necessary to sustain lives for a while.

“…As cheat-like as ever.”
“Ahaha, so long as it"s a good thing.”

Arisa and Hikaru murmured something cheeky with astonished looks on their faces when they saw the reconstruction I did.

“Mia, please lend me a hand.”
“Nn, my best.”
“Intriguing so I report.”

On my sides, Aze-san and Mia used spirit magic to make all kinds of trees I put here to take root. Nana was fascinated to see the tree roots moving around amusingly.

I haven"t got much chance to witness Aze-san"s magic, but she really does seem to be better than me with magic that controls nature.

“Master, is there anything we can help with?”
“Well then, I"ll put some beddings and food here, could you carry them to the places I point you to?”
“Aye aye sir~?”
“Pochi will show off her exquisite transport performance nodesuyo!”
“I-I"ll help to desuwa!”

As I took the supply for disaster relief out of Storage, the beastkin girls and Lady Karina immediately began transporting them.

“I will give a hand too!”
“Let me get the trolley ready.”

Zensan and Lulu were also eager to help, but I need them to do something else.

“Please wait. Zensan, please go with her highness to inform those who have taken refuge about the pa.s.sing of threat.”
“Yes, I understand!”
“Do you mind if we take the golem units along?”
“Not at all, feel free to make use of your highness"s golems to escort the people back here.”

It may be unnecessary since the knights and soldiers should be with the people, but these golems should prove useful for manual work and stuff.

“Lulu and Sersan, if you could please prepare for emergency food distribution.”
“Yes, I"ll give it my all!”
“Satou-san, it won"t be enough with just us two, do you mind if we bring the brownies from Solitary Island Palace here to help?”

I readily gave my consent to Sera"s suggestion since that was my intention.

“Arisa and Hikaru, you two are in charge of replenis.h.i.+ng supply from the neighboring cities.”
“OK!”
“Un, we"ll be off.”

I hand over the cash needed for the purchasing from my Storage to their bags.

“Master, I shall come along as an escort for the transportation so I inform.”

Nana who was watch Aze-san and Mia"s tree-planting had come back before I knew it.
Nice timing, let"s ask her something.

◇

“–So, guided by the nymphs, I was brought to one of G.o.d Tenion"s Sanctuaries together with Aze-san.”

Once we were done with the relief work to a degree, I talked about what happened after G.o.d Tenion"s nymphs took me away while having some light meal Lulu and the brownies prepared.

“How was it like?”
“It was soo mystical, there"s so much lights and green everywhere you see!”

Aze-san replied to Arisa.
Her charming smile blew away all fatigue from the relief work.

“Spirit World?”
“Nn, I don"t believe so. There"s a lot of spirits too, but if I had to say, it was more full of prayers and divinity instead.”

Aze-san shook her head left and right to answer Mia back.

…So Spirit World exists.
Let"s pay it a visit with everyone next time.

“After pa.s.sing through a pa.s.sage furnished with light rings that looked like some sort of CT Scan, I was told to wait there with Aze-san.”

That CT Scan like thing was probably a sacred treasure for making a copy of my body.

“Then I enjoyed the beautiful spectacles there together with Aze-san for a while–”
“Was it really just spectacles?”

–Sharp.

I was enjoying Aze-san"s face from the side as she was getting fascinated by the scenery.
The impregnable fortress pair would scramble if I said that though, so I replied back with, “Of course”, while relying on Poker Face skill sensei.

“–So yeah, and right when I felt like I was hearing Arisa"s voice, we immediately made our way back here.”

The place where we had to wait was shut out by a barrier to protect us from Demon G.o.d, and since the nymphs never responded no matter how many times I called out to them, I used Unit Arrangement to get back instead of the path I used to get there.

The barrier apparently also blocked Familiar Link, I couldn"t hear most of Arisa"s calls, but since her last contact sounded really desperate, I hurriedly made my way back here.

“Oh my, he really holds you dear.”
“Nn.”
“W-well yeah.”

Mia quickly nodded to Aze-san"s word, Arisa affirmed shyly.
Noticing my gaze, she averted her face to hide her embarra.s.sment.

“Hikaru, could you fill me in the situation here in detail?”
“Un, so after Ichirou-nii was taken away by the nymphs–”

I got a rough understanding of what transpired, but in order to know more in detail, I confirmed to Hikaru who seemed like she would be in the know most.
As her narration reached the finale, Sera suddenly stood up.

“Satou-san! I have received an oracle from Tenion-sama!”

Right after she said that, Sera"s expression turned blank, then a pale green light blinked over her body.

『Demon G.o.d Suppression』『Failure』『Unforeseen』

Multiple words flew off Sera"s mouth all at once.
Apparently, even the G.o.ds did not foresee demon G.o.d surviving through the duplicate body"s explosion.

『Insurance』『Fragment』『Disintegration Factor』

Are they saying that they have slipped in a Disintegration Factor inside the [Duplicate Body] in case it didn"t destroy Demon G.o.d outright?
I don"t really get what they"re trying to say, but using mind magic to connect to Sera once she"s connected to Oracle will overload her, so I hold myself back.

『Demon G.o.d』『Surmised』『Disintegrated』

Demon G.o.d will eventually realize the Disintegration Factor planted in him.

『Demon G.o.d』『Desperate』『Vigilant』

Demon G.o.d would act with reckless abandon, so be vigilant huh.
Well, normally you"d think he"d go after the seven pillar G.o.ds though.

『Apologies』『Capital』『Ground Zero』

Once she said that, G.o.d Tenion stopped the Oracle.

Nana, as instructed by Mia, caught Sera in her arms before I could. I don"t get why Mia is looking triumphant as she looks at me here.

“Never would have thought the G.o.d would apologize.”
“Un, unexpected.”

Hikaru agreed to Arisa"s murmur.

“Well since we got a warning from G.o.ds and all, I suppose we"re gonna have to continue thinking up ways to deal with Demon G.o.d.”

The girls gave their consents in chorus.

Half a year has pa.s.sed since then–.

Every day has been peaceful.

The beastkin girls are spending their days training with Lady Karina.
After losing Dragon Spear Heiron in the fight against Demon G.o.d, I made a new Dragon Spear from a fang of Heavenly Dragon for Liza, but since she had expressed her intents to improve herself with her magic spear Douma, I"m keeping that in the Storage for now.
During the training on Primeval Magic initiated by Liza, they grasped the knacks from the old Ancient Dragon at the Ancient Dragon Continent, and even managed to cast the magic a few times.
The fact that it was Pochi, Liza, and Tama that succeeded in order left quite an impression.
Lady Karina still hast"t managed to cast it even once.

The mage group–Hikaru, Arisa, Mia, Princess Sistina, and Zensan are researching anti-G.o.d magic Minor Down and Augment magic, with some good results.
They require the a.s.sistance of the Wars.h.i.+p Wands to use the new anti-G.o.d magic [G.o.d Slayer], also Arisa and Hikaru have to work together to even cast it though.
However, the power was tremendous, a greater demon that was used in experiment got cut in two like b.u.t.ter, as if it was cut by the Divine Sword itself.
I myself am currently developing the lesser versions of it in the form of advanced and forbidden magic, it"s almost complete.
Apparently Princess Maryest and Lady Ringrande have offered their cooperation in the development too.

Sera who couldn"t bear the thought of anti-G.o.d magic went to the main temple of G.o.d Tenion along with the former head miko now miko apprentice Lily to study the ritual of evil crus.h.i.+ng.
Since she"s still got the Authority loaned to her by G.o.d Tenion, I"m sure they can escape anything alive with the [Hermit Hide].

All members of Echigoya Firm led by Elterina and Chef Secretary Tifaliza are helping us behind the scene.
With core members of Bridal Knights being practically unavailable, other members have been mostly busy leveling up in dungeons with Nana as their escort and guarding Echigoya Firm.
Also, Miss Rina who"s working as a representative governor-general of Brighton City in my place, has gone back to the city early to manage the mansion there and [Bridal Knights, Brighton Branch].

And lastly, Lulu–.

“Gamma Ray Laser Cannon, Galvanized–Aim, and Shoot!”

Lulu in her skin-tight SF-like outfit shot the main armament of a large s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+p.

“I did it! I hit in the center!”
“Congratulations, Lulu.”

Even with the aiming sight support, shooting through a rock 100KM away is still quite a feat.

“But I missed five shots before even though the target wasn"t moving. I"ve got to practice on it more.”
“And I have to research on ways to raise accuracy of the gun barrel.”

Since we"re mostly done with the countermeasures for Demon G.o.d, we"ve begun exploring ways to fight the void sky creatures, but we"re hitting an unexpected roadblock here.

『Master, energy reserve has fallen to under 30 percent. Advising to ride on an Ether Stream and deploy Magic Wings to resupply magic essence.』
“Got it, permission granted.”
『Aye aye sir.』

The large s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+p is operated by AIs–a type of golem instead of human crews.
Arisa and Hikaru insisted that it would be dangerous if the AI revolted, but since the same also applies to maned crews, in the end, I"ve decided to use a network of multiple AIs and put other countermeasures like anti-mind magic equipment, the same ones I put on the girls" equipment, in place.
Of course the s.h.i.+p can also be operated by human crews.

It boasts some crazy defensive power when combined with Nana"s [Paladin s.h.i.+eld], the Unique Skill G.o.d Karion loaned to her.

“Lulu, wanna go back to the surface?”
“I"d love to practice in the 『Simulator』 for a little while more.”

Leaving the enthusiastic Sniper Lulu on the s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+p, I went back to Solitary Island Palace where Aze-san waited.
Aze-san has mastered [Mythology Eater] and [Creat Lesser Fenrir] that Mia employs.
Aze-san isn"t doing leveling up since she has an aversion to injuring living beings.

“Monsters overflowing out of the Purple Towers around the capital?”
“Same with the Purple Towers around the Duchy Capital!”
“We have received reports from Rinsama of Brighton City, they"re currently engaged with monsters flowing out of Purple Towers. She earnestly hopes for reinforcements.”

The brownies were scurrying about everywhere in panic when I got back to Solitary Island Palace.

“Master, it must be a stampede from Purple Towers all over the world!”
“Looks like it.”

Looks like our vacation is only for half a year.

“All hands, prepare for battle!”
“””YES!””” “Nanodesu!”

※ Next update is planned for 9/8