Dukedom of Ankaji's Is Saved

However, Hajime did not seem surprised. He shrugged his shoulders as if he had expected this to happen and didn't care that much if Eleonora regarded as one since it's like a Godsend that she was caught up with him.

"What will you do?"

Hajime's eyes said as he looked at Lanzwi.

Lanzwi received Hajime's gaze and then looked at Eleonora who giving him a look when Bishop Forbin, in his stride, opened his mouth.

"Now, I will subjugate God's enemies from here on after. He is a dangerous man, but surely he cannot stand against one-hundred temple knights... Now, Lord Zengen, please step aside. You could not possibly be thinking of standing against the Saint Church, could you?"

Lanzwi closed his eyes. He recalled Hajime's character and power.

"And that woman, she is far dangerous than that man. She will bring a disaster and calamity upon this world if she's not treated rightly. If you against us, the Saint Church, then you also would branded as heretics."

Bishop Forbin said that as he threaten Lanzwi, with smug smile as if he already won the fight and argument against the Lord of Ankaji right now.

He was also thinking about the new information he received.

He could imagine why the Saint Church would not allow such a huge power they themselves could not manage. However, considering Hajime's power, this was no different from suicide. He doubted the thoughts of those in power, seeing as they would try to confront Eleonora and Hajime despite the impending war with the Devils. He thought about what was most important to him.

Eleonora, Hajime and the girls had saved Ankaji and were now purifying the poisoned lands. They had prepared an emergency water supply and defeated the monster lurking in the depths of the oasis. They had even returned to purify the symbol of the Dukedom.

He had an enormous debt he needed to repay. Lanzwi opened his eyes and smiled. He fell silent, filled with the dignity of the Lord of the Dukedom, which irritated Bishop Forbin. He had a sharp gaze and gave his response.

"I refuse."

"... What did you just say?"

Bishop Forbin was confused by the unexpected words.

Seeing this, Lanzwi smiled wryly, since he had just taken the impossible action of acting against the Saint Church. Lanzwi shook his head and repeated his words.

"I said I refuse. They are the saviors of my lands. As such, I will not allow any enemies to stand here, even if it is the Saint Church."

"Wh-Wha…! B-bastard! Are you serious!? You know what it means to stand against the Saint Church! Do you, too, wish to be branded a heretic!"

Bishop Forbin was angry, having difficulty speaking. The surrounding temple knights were also confused.

"Bishop Forbin. Do you wish to know what they did? My lands were attacked by a deadly poison and suffered in poverty. Did you not know? She and him saved us from that. According to the reports, I heard he also saved the Hero Party as well as the town of Ul... I can only find the decision to brand such a man a heretic to be the height of foolishness. I cannot think their decision sane. Lanzwi Forward Zengen requests they reconsider his status as the savior of Ankaji."

"S-Silence! The decision is the will of Heaven! This will not be forgiven! If you say this any further, you, too, no, all of Ankaji will be branded as heretics!"

Bishop Forbin yelled with a fervor unbecoming of his status. One would not think him a member of the clergy. Lanzwi simply looked at him with a calm gaze. Before anyone was aware, Hajime stood to his side with an expression that said he was surprised.

"Lord Lanzwi, are you serious about this? It will affect your whole kingdom if you refuse it. I'm okay with branded as heretics but I'm pretty sure won't let it affects Hajime-san and the girls. Please think carefully about the best decision you made as the Lord of this Dukedom."

Lanzwi did not answer Eleonora and gazed at his subordinates. He then looked at Eleonora. His subordinates, seeing the two, steeled their resolution.

"There's no way we could let you kill them!"

That was their eyes were saying.

Bishop Forbin also read the atmosphere and gave his final warning.

"Is that so? Fine, you will end here. No, not just you, your subordinates as well. All people will die here. You will receive Heaven's judgment here and now."

"Ankaji is not so shameless that it would sell out its saviors. Heaven's judgment? The god I believe in is a kind existence who would never say such shameless words. Perhaps the god we believe in is different?"

Bishop Forbin surpassed anger and had an expressionless face. He raised a hand to order the temple knights to attack.

The sound of something flying could be heard as they hit the temple knights in the helmet. Many sounds of knocking could be heard. They looked down to see small stones. Though the temple knights were not injured, they were still confused by what was happening. However, their doubts were cleared as stones came flying, one after another.

The residents of Ankaji had gathered around them and were now throwing stones. They had the temple knights surrounded.

After seeing the mysterious light, the residents rushed to the oasis after the temple knights. They surrounded the Lord who loved them, Eleonora, the "Goddess" who was their new God that they will worship, Kaori, the "Apostle" who treated them, and Hajime and the others who challenged the Great Labyrinth and gathered [Seiyou Stone] for them.

"Did the Church lose its mind!"

Many people shouted. They were openly hostile.

"Stop! People of Ankaji! They are enemies of God who are heretics! It is the will of God that they be killed here!"

Forbin cried out to clear up the misunderstanding; Forbin thought they were attacking because they did not know this fact. In truth, many looked at each other in confusion and stopped throwing stones.

At that time, Lanzwi spoke, full of dignity.

"My beloved citizens. Hear me! They have purified our oasis! It has returned to its former state by their effort! They will also purify our lands, our crops, all our lands! We will have our nation restored! I can say no more here. Judge for yourself. Will you kill the heroes who saved our country? Or will you defend them...? I have chosen to defend them!"

Bishop Forbin said with smile on his disgusting face.

"There is no way your words will convince them to fight against the Saint Church."

The next moment, his expression froze.

They were showered with stones.

"Wh-wha..."

The residents began throwing their words out, stopping Bishop Forbin from speaking any further.

"Don't screw with us! How dare you try to kill our benefactor!"

"The church did nothing! It was the Apostle who helped us!"

"What heretic! You're the heretics here!"

"I'm sure there was a mistake!"

"Defend our Goddess Eleonora-sama!"

"Defend Kaori-sama!"

"Defend our Lord!"

"Kaori-sama, we dedicate our bodies to you!"

"We also dedicate our bodies to you, Eleonora-sama!"

"Hey, someone call Chairman Bize! Get the "Eleonora-sama Church Follower" and "Kaori-sama ServiceCorps" out!"

Apparently, the citizens held quite the esteem for Lanzwi, Eleonora and Kaori.

They thrust their faith aside. While defending Lanzwi, Eleonora and Kaori, they had boosted their morale. No, surely their faith had changed, but they believed their new god, Eleonora, had sent Kaori, "God's Apostle" to save them. They also believe that Eleonora is a god in human disguise or human avatar that came to observe her faithful followers down there.

In short, their faith was beyond their trust in Bishop Forbin, though they were unsure who to trust first...

The residents who understood the situation gathered. Though they were hardly as strong as a temple knight, they, as well as Bishop Forbin, retreated from the overwhelming aggression.

"Bishop, this is the will of Ankaji. Your statement a while ago... what was it again?"

"Nu, guu... This is not the end, you will not get away with this."

He grit his teeth while staring at Hajime and the girls. Bishop Forbin turned around and went to the temple knights in a panic. He disappeared into the church.

"... Is that really okay? It's too late now, but is that really fine? Your kingdom would be the enemies of Saint Church now since you against them. Even throwing some stones."

Though he was obviously involved, Eleonora looked at Lanzwi as if she was troubled by a nearby mosquito. Kaori, too, was worried about Ankaji which was facing a crisis from the Kingdom and the Saint Church now.

However, Lanzwi calmly responded.

"What, this is "the will of Ankaji." There are no people here who do not wish to show their gratitude to you. If we let them murder you for such a one-sided reason... that would be the same as killing our will. No one in my beloved country would think any other way."

"It's not like something I cannot handle though..."

Eleonora scratched her cheek and laughed awkwardly. Lanzwi simply laughed in response.

"I suppose so. In other words, your existence is more frightening than the Saint Church. But you're our hero as well. Half our reason is so we do not antagonize you. You have used many unbelievable magics, easily killed a powerful, unknown enemy, and you have conquered a Great Labyrinth and returned. Warding away the Saint Church and one-hundred temple knights would be a breeze in comparison. In all the time since I inherited my seat from my father, I have never been more proud or resolute as I was when I made this decision."

Even if Lanzwi decided to hand her over to the church, he had no intent on doing anything. Still, Lanzwi thought about an emergency situation. He balanced Eleonora, Hajime and the Saint Church. Certainly, for the country to revolt against the Saint Church, it was a wise decision.

Eleonora had a vague smile as she realized she had been recognized as a heretic, even if she don't know what causing that to her, but she may can know any further about it when she arrived at Royal Palace again. She looked as the people of Ankaji, anxious, approached Kaori who was happily smiling in embarrassment. Yue suddenly wrapped Eleonora's right arm while Shea took the left arm, leaving Tio, Shizuku, Remia which carrying Myuu on her arms who stand beside her as she happily smiling at that.

3 days after the disturbance.

They had purified the crops and the soil, and the oasis had regained its previous brightness.

Many people had gathered, their smiles blooming, as they lay in the meadows by the lake. Married couples watched their children play in the water, boys were jumping in from the pier, and lovers spoke sweet nothings as they floated in a boat on the surface. There were many different people visiting, but they all had the same smile.

Eleonora, Hajime and the girls would be leaving Ankaji today. At first, they were going to buy the specialty fruit after the land was purified and leave, but the Lord's family and the citizens of Ankaji detained them in one way or another, so they spent an extra 2 days here.

It was a terrific welcoming. Though the people wanted to have a parade to see the group off, they managed to have Lanzwi control it. In the end, Lanzwi saw them off at the gate.

"Umm, girls… should we change on something else first? I don't think we should wear this."

Eleonora said that to Yue and the other girls as she looked at her own clothing right now.

"... Mm? Are you tired of it?"

"Oh my, is that true, "Mama"?"

Once again, Remia teased Eleonora with sweet and lovingly tone when she said that, causing the other girls except Kaori fuming with jealously on their heads right now, but Tio trying to be calm as possible in front of her love interest.

"No, Yue-sama, Remia-san. Eleonora-san's eyes clearly say that is not the case. She just does not want us to wear this when we back to get Master and Kaori's classmate at Royal Palace. I believe it will be impolite to wears clothes like this."

"Well, it's a shame if we changed it when it's looks good~"

Shea turned around on the spot in what could only be called "belly dancer's clothing." Her navel was exposed, and she had large harem pants beneath. It was quite a sensational appearance as she danced about, guaranteed to catch any eye.

"Just do what she said, Shea. Although I don't mind to showing this to Eleonora too, I think we can do it later."

Yue said that as if she clearly forget about her affection towards him.

"Um… alright then, Yue-san. I'll do that and let Eleonora-san to see me wear it again! And after that—"

"—not going to happen. I will do that first."

"Fufu, seem you forgot that Eleonora-san is Myuu's another Mama. So I think it's my right to shows her that."

"Ooh, but don't forget about me. I am dragon and thus far stronger than you, so it's my right to earn that chance."

Yue, Shea, Remia, and Tioe then started bickering and went into an argument, leaving the rest of the group sweatdrops and their antics right now. But Hajime just went into deep thinking when heard what Yue said earlier. Hajime isn't surprised to sees that, but it still leave him a pain and hurt his feeling. But it soon healed as he felt Kaori's hand on him, she smiled at him and he became relieved for a moment.

'Yeah, I know this is the truth. There's still Kaori who care about me and comfort me when I have trouble or problem. I'm really such a fool to ignore someone so kind like her. Guess my old self didn't choose wrong girl to like.'

He thought of that as he smiled slightly. But what Hajime, Eleonora, Shizuku, and Kaori sees about the clothes that the girls worn is something that remind them of Arabian's clothes. It's weird yet not weird for them since Ankaji seemed based on Egypt or Arab in their homeworld.

They were clothes from Ankaji. When the girls dressed in such clothes, Eleonora tried to ignore it, even trying to prevent Myuu to wear such clothes when they tried to put it on the little girl. Since it would be too much for Myuu to wear such clothes. Apparently Hajime was very weak to such clothing, his eyes turned to a beast's for a moment. In the end, his eyes were riveted to Kaori.

Until now, Hajime never had a satisfying reaction to anyone except Yue. The reason was because Hajime thought that Yue is his "lover" since they share the same past and betrayed as well by people around them, but it became different and changed completely when he witness the confession from Kaori as she decided to follows him.

Although Hajime became mistrusting because his whole class except Kaori, was never kind to him and thought of him as trash and garbage. Well, it's not like that's false since he sometimes act like that before fall to the Abyss and changed completely from harmless and kind-looking boy to badass and scary-looking young man just in a few months.

But there's still a trace about his denseness, and die hard otaku on him. He can't remove them since it's like one of things that made him an individual named Nagumo Hajime. Even though he already got laid few times with Yue, he still the Nagumo Hajime that his classmate knew.

Just more edgier and badass. Rather than cool and awesome, people in the modern world may consider him as cringy and weird person with the get up he worn. Eleonora already knew that but she just ignore that fact since she don't want to deal with Hajime when her business with him done.

'He's really stubborn after all.'

She sighed mentally when knowing that.

In the end, until they departed, everyone changed their clothes and will use the clothes from Ankaji again to satisfy Eleonora and Hajime for Kaori. They had clarified Eleonora and Hajime's unexpected tastes. Eleonora just happy when seeing that, although she not going to lie that clothes really bring more charm from them. She faced the gate, worrying about whether or not they would face problem when they has arrived at Royal Palace again.

She just hope they will not, it's bothersome to fight someone, especially someone stronger since the threaten level would be high compared to the danger she faced up until now. She also noticed that Hajime didn't care about anyone except Kaori, of course Hajime still care for Myuu since that girl still calling him Papa and call Eleonora her new Mama.

But it will be awkward if when Myuu older, she still calling her Mama and… develop a certain feeling than familial. Not like she will know about that since it will be happened in the future and if that's really happened, she would have an affair with her 'own' daughter.

It's not like that's her fault to begin with though.

As Eleonora casting her teleportation spell, the magic circle appears below the group, the people of Ankaji waving their hands towards them; there's also some people who raising a banner and flag with Eleonora's face and name in it since she became a goddess they worshipped right now and she has a religion out of nowhere.

"Alright, let's go and get your friends again, Hajime-san, Kaori-san."

"Sure, sure. Let's get this over so I can go home and watch some anime I've missed."

"Yes! Let's go, Eleonora-san!"

Eleonora just laugh awkwardly when heard the reason of Hajime as he prioritize the anime he have missed when transported to this another world rather than his classmates. He really an otaku, or precisely die hard otaku who prioritize his hobby first rather than everything else since that's seemed important for them.

She just sighed and nods her head to them as she using her [Teleportation] to brought them from their current location to another, which is Royal Palace.

------

Ehit, the God that was worshipped by the majority of Tortus, right now became annoyed. His eyebrows twitched when knowing something going into a direction that shouldn't go. All of his preparation seemed being destroyed by someone, although he sensed that the person who goes in his way isn't intentionally do that.

But this still affect his plan. The plan of his 'chessboard of life and death' that he already prepared for a long time and will last for all eternity; it was supposed to be like that, but his plan seem disturbed by the presence of that Irregular called Nagumo Hajime and… a human who has divinity aura unlike him.

Sure he has divinity but it's nothing compared to that person. He sees a woman who seemed in her twenties, a young beautiful woman who surrounded by many girls and that Nagumo Hajime. The woman has planned to transport back the Heroes he summoned or the pawn he chooses as his chessboard, to their homeworld; thus it will disturb his plan.

He gritted, although he don't posses physical body, but that what he would do when he has one. He just a being of light in humanoid shape, like a soul. Kind of similar to 'Truth' in Fullmetal Alchemist or Hitogami from Jobless Reincarnation. He don't want another person goes on his way and he already lose patience, that's why he call someone, one of his apostle and the strongest amongs them. She is the most loyal and strongest apostle of Ehit, someone who disguises herself and infiltrate the Human Kingdom to spreads the religion of Ehit and his teaching.

She is a beautiful woman with long silver hair with blue eyes and a monotonic expression. She wears a combat outfit which consists of a white sleeveless dress which has metal plates covering both sides of her waist as well as a winged helmet on her head, gauntlets on her arms and greaves over her legs.

"Ehit-sama, what I can do to help you?"

She said as she kneeling in front of Ehit. The God she worshipped amused and nods his head and give his order to her.

"Noint, I sensed two individual who will interfere with my plan. One of them is what I called Irregular, he seemed already conquers some dungeon that the Liberators make and the other is someone that possess divinity."

Noint a bit surprised but politely asked to the lord and God she worshipped.

"If I am allowed to ask, what kind of divinity this person possess, Ehit-sama? Is she one of the gods?"

"I don't know the exact words to describe it, but I am afraid she's someone from another world like those pawn. She isn't god or demigod, she is just a human with divinity. I want you to eliminate them as soon as possible. They currently about to retrieve back the Heroes and send them back to their home."

"Then, their current destination would be…"

"Yes. It's the Royal Palace of Heiligh Kingdom. Where the Heroes gather and the kingdom where human resides, a lot of human are my followers and some of the heroes are have potential to be my Apostles. It's an order—eliminate the Irregular and that Abnormal. They must die so they won't disturb my grand plan for this world. Do you understand that, Noint my strongest Apostle?"

Noint nods her head obediently after knowing what she should do.

"Acknowledged. I will fulfill the order you've gave me without fail, Ehit-sama."

"Good. Then, do it now and wait for them when they arrived at the Heiligh Kingdom. I don't want to waste my time."

She once again nods her head and headed out, leaving the place where Ehit resides right now. As she leave, Ehit expression went serious as he thinking about something again and maybe another plan if the plan he has right now failed.

"If she's failed, I have no choice but to eliminate them myself. Although it's earlier than the schedule, I have to do it and make sure no one make my plan failed after I built it for a long time."

Ehit surely pissed and annoyed if the plan he already planned from a long time is failed just because of two individual, which one of them is the one he called Irregular and the one who he finally called Abnormal.

He didn't care about the people view of him as long his plan succeeded. There is no way human would hate him since his religion is spreads widely and he was known as kind and forgiving God; his words alone is absolute and people musn't doubt or breaking it.

If there are someone like that, they would be branded as heretic.

He just has to wait of the news from Noint and observing the Apostles or Heroes again from afar while searching the potential body to be his vessel so he can descend into mortal world since he didn't possess any physical body right now.

His eyes caught something and his smile widened in creepy way when he sees something. His eyes fixed on a young girl with wavy golden blonde hair, crimson eyes, and a porcelain complexion as she wears a frilly white dress shirt and a black mini skirt with frills. She also wears a white coat with a blue lining as well as a short pair of boots and knee-high socks.

"That's a good vessel for me. But I must wait for Noint finished her task first before decided to do that."

He laughed as his laughter echoing through the place he resides right now.