Chapter 516 - 459. Only One Can Be Imagined
"Sorry that dinner isn't very varied tonight."
"Oh no, it's really delicious!"
We all nodded in agreement.
Continuing from the past two nights, there were Okinawan classics like goya champuru and rafute, along with regular home-cooked dishes, and all of them were incredibly tasty.
After eating our fill and enjoying some delicious tea, the conversation naturally turned back to IRO.
"What are your plans for tonight?"
"The church didn't have much else, so I thought we'd explore another area."
I had already reported finding the Armra (mango) grove west of the cottage, and the church carved into the hill to its north.
And that the church also had a basement, containing a life-sized Nameless Goddess Statue.
Bell had, as expected, frozen, but she 'revived' when the conversation turned to what to do with the Nameless Goddess Statue.
"Eh, aren't you going to make the Goddess Statue Mion-san~?"
"Um..."
"Ah, I'm fine either way."
Mion seemed to leave the decision to me, but then what? That was the question.
"For example, if we make it a Jade Goddess Statue, do we display it there? Or do we take it to the mainland?"
"As for me, I'd build a church in Amiera Territory's settlement, if need be..."
"The capital city church officials would definitely have something to say about that."
The two looked troubled.
Miki and Seth somehow knew the church officials in the Kingdom, and presumably, they would be told, "Hand it over."
"They wouldn't actually say 'hand it over,' but there's a possibility they'd beg for it on their hands and knees."
"Huh? To that extent!?"
"It's something they'd want that badly, you see. The existing Goddess Statues as divine artifacts were apparently divided among the Kingdom, the Empire, and the Republic after the calamity."
Ah, I vaguely remember Argenta-san mentioning something like that.
The original magic nation that caused the calamity, now called the Dragon Capital, supposedly handed over all the Goddess Statues there to humanity.
According to Bell, they were distributed almost equally among the Kingdom, the Empire, and the Republic, but then I brought a new one into the Necropolis, so...
"Wait? What about the Demon Kingdom?"
"That country doesn't seem to possess any. I've heard rumors they desire one, but it's just a rumor."
The existence of the Demon Kingdom is still a mystery in many ways.
Players usually just play normally, but for now, it's common for them to come to the Necropolis once they level up.
Apparently, areas north and east of the Demon Kingdom are treated as forbidden zones. In short, they are areas that cannot be entered yet.
"Anshia-san would probably want one."
""Eh?""
Mion and I both thought she wanted it to be the 'Blue Sky Goddess = Ice Princess Anshia,' but apparently, that wasn't it.
"She must want to place a proper Goddess Statue in the church that the Demon Kingdom controls in the Necropolis. Whether it resembles her or not doesn't matter; it's because the Dragonkin and Shou-kun have outpaced her."
"Ugh, why would that even matter..."
"Brother has completely outstripped her in the struggle for supremacy with Bell-dono and Leona-dono, so she must be troubled that things aren't unfolding as she expected."
Miki said proudly, but I didn't feel like I was outstripping anyone at all.
Currently, the church secured by the Dragonkin has the True Jade Goddess Statue I transported from my island, the church secured by the demons has a Blue Sky Goddess statue, and the church secured by players has a Scarlet Goddess bronze statue, all dispersed.
"If we take it to the Necropolis, things might get complicated again..."
"First of all, is it even possible for Shou-kun to transform it into another Goddess Statue?"
"Ah, no, it's impossible. Except for Mion."
Even now, if I try to remember the Blue Sky Goddess or the Scarlet Goddess, I can't visualize them well enough to reproduce them as a statue.
I should have seen them in the books and scriptures I found in the island's church, but I just can't remember clearly...
"I knew it~"
"Indeed."
"Alright, alright. I'm full."
Everyone was grinning at me.
Mion was smiling, so that was fine, I guess.
"It would be best to consult with Lord Azure first. Fundamentally, we, having been entrusted by Brother, and the Dragonkin, will be holding this island."
"Yes. If there are no problems at the moment, there's no need to rush into anything, I suppose."
"As for the Nameless Goddess Statue, it might be good to take it back to Shou-kun's island until it's needed~"
I found myself agreeing with Yata-sensei's suggestion.
Anyway, it was decided that they would talk to Azure-san either before or after tonight's live performance.
In any case, I'd be meeting Azure-san again tomorrow, so we could decide what to do then.
*
"Whoops. Mion, too close, too close."
"?"
In the end, Mion logged out while standing in one of the cottages where she started her Uninhabited Island adventure.
That's fine, but then I logged in and was startled to find Mion right in front of me.
"No, um. Well, uh..."
Ultimately, there wasn't enough time to make beds during the day.
I had moved the gathered wood to the next building so it wouldn't get wet in the rain, but now I felt like there was no need to make beds after all. We'd be leaving eventually.
More importantly,
"Woof."
"Lupi. Where is everyone?"
Following Lupi, who came to greet us, we found True and the others playing in the water, watched over by Roy.
And then...
"~ ~ ~ ♪"
"Ryuu~" "Nya~"
""Eh?""
Sweee arrived, accompanied by Pan and Shal. Leda seemed to have been guarding them.
That's fine, but what Pan and Shal were carrying were Armra saplings, weren't they?
"~ ~ ~?"
"Ah, yes. Of course, that's fine, but where will you plant them?"
"~ ~ ~ ♪"
According to Sweee, the plan was to plant them further south, around where the Papu Trees are.
That itself wasn't a problem, and I had intended to do it anyway, but,
"Are you going to transport them to the island now?"
"~ ~ ~ ♪"
"They said it's fine to do it on the way back. And that they want a few more."
"Hehe. Well, I'll go then, Shou-kun. You stay with True-chan and the others."
I plan to leave farming and gardening to Mion, so it would be better for me to investigate the cove with True and his group.
Lupi also finds underwater activities a bit difficult, so I'll have her go with Mion.
"Alright, Lupi. I'm counting on you to guard Mion."
"Woof!"