Hinata returned from her attack on Tempest–which would later be called the “Templar Captain’s revolt”–having suffered a crushing defeat.
Without a single apology or excuse, Hinata resigned as the head of the imperial guard and cut all ties with the Holy Empire Ruberion.
As such, even the Empire’s representatives, the Seven Celestial Sages could not punish her. Therefore, they simply decided to continue observing the situation.
The Western Saint’s Church, however, could not stay silent.
She selfishly went off on her own and even lost. Losing to monsters is a problem in itself, but she even dared to return alive. And even confirmed that those remaining in Tempest were alive and well.
In other worlds, they came as assassins but were defeated fair and square. That’s not a mistake one can easily recover from.
In fact, had they all died, the Church could have attributed it to monsters’ wicked and cruel nature, rile up all of humanity, and….
For the Church, this is by far the worst outcome.
Even then, Nicholas was happy that Hinata returned.
But that’s a different matter. The problem remains.
And then, to Nicholas, who was holding his head, Hinata so said:
「Just say that I acted on my own. Fooled the knights and acted without the Church’s approval.
Though it will contradict the Church’s dogma that all monsters are evil, but at least it won’t subvert all of it.
After all, the weak need the Church.
We can’t go around losing an organization that is willing to extend the weak a hand, now can we?」
Without any hesitation she proposed to Nicholas.
Just as before, as if looking down upon the world she presented the most logical conclusion.
If necessary, cut away one to save the whole–perfectly pragmatic.
Even if the one to be cut away is she herself, she would not hesitate.
But still, she seems to have changed a bit: no longer are her eyes filled with blind devotion to the creed.
Her face instead carries a smile of nearly divine kindness.
And this was a proposal Nicholas could not refuse.
Though her face now expresses heartfelt kindness, it did not change her nature. Her proposal is well thought out and the Church would suffer minimal damage as the result. Nicholas understood that too well.
「Hinata, did you change a bit…?」
「Have I? Can’t know yourself, now can you? But I do think that I was in too much of a hurry. To save people with my own hands, so I thought. I don’t think I was wrong to sacrifice the few to save the many. I can proudly say that I fought for what I believed in. But… I also don’t think it’s wrong to try to save everyone. I think I was too focused on the big picture and lost something important. I don’t want to save just the majority–I want to save everyone. Feel free to laugh if you think it impossible. I just want to see the world, judge it with my own eyes, and pick the path I truly believe in」
「Is that what the Demon Lord taught you?」
「No, not really. A beloved teacher admonished me, and I recognized the existence of a demon lord」
「Recognized… a demon lord?」
「Yeah. It was not pure evil. Just another soul living quite selfishly」
