The Brave Society Capitol is a facility located in the center of the Central World, the town where the Brave Society's headquarters is located, and a multi-purpose hall built outside of it that is exposed to the sun.
　The two roads that intersect like a cross mark make up a total of four corridors, and each corridor has a doorway at the end.
　There are four seats in total, with stairs between the two crossed paths.
　In the central space at the intersection is a round table surrounded by fine, back-backed chairs.

　An important discussion between the Society of the Brave and the churches was about to begin.
　There were six chairs provided.
　The three seats on the left are on the church side.
　Someone is already there.

　I'm not going to be able to get to the top.
　Two seats are vacant.

It's time to start, hmm?　What is this, some kind of stalling?

　The head of the Adventurer's Guild Church Master, Acting--Scratch Damanscanner.
　He was dressed like a portrait of a musician held up in the music room.
　He looked like a French nobleman.
　Sitting on the left side of the church side of the room, Scratch, with his cheekbones on the armrest of his chair, looked from him to the woman facing him and asked the woman seated to his left.

　It was the Society of the Brave--two seats.
　It's the executive--Holly (Hiiragi) Akane.

　But instead of her, the man who placed himself in the center seat - Kenshiro Sonoda opened his mouth.

''It was you who proposed the discussion, we are not worried about the situation of this era at all. We're not worried about the situation at all. Please wait until our three seats are available. If not, the meeting must be called off.

　Sonoda has a seat in the Brave Society.
　His title is the highest authority in the organization.

　Behind Sonoda, Raid Black was waiting behind Sonoda as an escort.
　Kato Shiori is waiting behind Hiiragi.
　As Shiori poured the tea into her teacup, Hiiragi said in a small voice, "Thank you.

　Elsewhere on the staircase seats were the former Greberg's brave men and women.
　The four of them were Emi Kamii, Chiharu Mitarai, Haruhiko Chosokabe, and Jessica Yamanaka.
　They sat tightly in one of the stairwell seats, which had been turned into a listening room.

　Someone sitting in the center seat on the church side replied to Sonoda's words in a calm voice, "Excuse me, sir.

　When Sonoda asked for his name during his first physical encounter, he said, "I don't have a name. After all, I am standing here with the consensus of the Mage Church," he said in the same tone of voice as now.
　Sonoda didn't show the slightest bit of agitation, "I see. Then come this way," she beckoned him into the assembly hall.

"You should be aware that you're representing him, Mister Scratch.

　The man sitting on the right side of the church side answered.
　The head of the Merchant's Guild Church - it was William Vector.
　He was that man who had first taken care of Masamune when he came to this world.
　Behind him was his bodyguard, Kays.

''What?''

　Scratch glanced sideways at Butler.
　The mage churchman between them was unmoved.
　Nor did Butler look at him.

'As far as deputies go, who usually serves in this capacity?

　Hiiragi Akane asked.
　To which Butler replied.

'No, he's been acting for a long time. He usually serves as well.'
I see.

　Holly took a sip of her tea.

'Six years ago, the man who was the head master disappeared.
Disappeared?
'Yes, sir. The Master Chief's seat has been vacant ever since.
Well, what did he look like?
Oh, you don't know him?
Yes, sir.

　Holly laughed bitterly.

''That's right, you are all from another world, from another world. It's not unreasonable.''

　Butler proceeded to speak, "Excuse me.

''His name was Brahms Hermit, and he was one of the few people in all of the Vanome Continent to hold the title of SSS (Triple S) rank adventurer.
...I see.

　Holly broke out in a cold sweat.

　What passed through his mind was when he was still a student at Fischanatica, when the Demon King's army had attacked him during his first battle against the school.
　Brahms was there.
　And he stood up to the demon invasion right in front of them.

''I met him once. I didn't know you were missing...
'He had a wanderlust, though, and perhaps he's going for a walk somewhere else again. So that's why it's empty.
What's the story?
'Oh, I'm sorry. I inadvertently missed the story. It's how no one wants to recognize anyone but him as the Master Chief.
Yeah, I see.

　Sonoda, who was listening to the conversation by the side, including Hiiragi, also had an impressed expression on his face.
　But inwardly, they both doubted and made fun of Butler's story.

　It's a good thing that the man who couldn't stand up to the demon tribe, didn't think that they would support him so much.

　Then they heard the sound of sneaking shoes.
　They all turned their attention to the sound passage.

　Sonoda smiled thinly and introduced him, "He's here, he's our third seat.
　He then stopped in front of the round table.

'I apologize for the delay. Brave Society, three seats--I am Hidaka Masamune.

　Masamune looked at each of them with a gentle smile, not a shadow of a smile.

　The meeting began as soon as Masamune took his seat, and then the mage churchman announced the agenda.

''We would very much like the members of the Brave Society to belong to the church,''
An alliance, you mean.

　Sonoda asked.

'It's not like the Alliance. 'The Church is one,'
...I see.
The Church of the Mages, the Adventurers Guild Church, the Merchants Guild Church...
'The Slaver's Church,' Masamune added.

　His gaze was fixed on the tabletop, giving silent pressure to those in the Mage Church.

'Yes, the Slavers' Church is one of them.

　The man from the Church of the Mage readily acknowledged Masamune's words.
　Masamune did not react to their words.

　Sonoda said.
''So you are saying that I should become a member of the organization?
"How.
It's a joke.

　A voice came from behind Sonoda.
　It's Raid.

　The church's gaze focuses on the raid.
　The mage churchman asks Sonoda with his gaze if his remarks should be heard or not.
　I mean, is the statement of someone who is not seated allowed to speak?

　When Sonoda nodded with his gaze, he turned his attention to the raid again.

'I mean, it's like being bribed, aren't you guys mistaken?　We in the Society of the Brave are doing well, we're happy. And the adventurers are happy with the rewards they are being paid. You know why?

　All three members of the church waited for the words, not answering the raid's question.

The Adventurer's Guild will take most of the rewards because they are paying us well. We, on the other hand, pay them well. I honestly don't see the point of having the Merchant's Guild and the Mage Church here today. We could do with an Adventurer's Guild, I mean, that's the point. They took the adventurers with us, so I guess they're just meeting to solve that.

　Holly chided, "Raid-san, your language is rough.
　Lade kicked him off, "I ain't got no respect for a licked opponent.

'Was it, Raid-san of the Mad Flame?'

　The mage churchman asked.
　The raider glanced at him for a moment, "Oh, yes, but? He replied in a quarrelsome manner.

'Mr. Lade. Certainly, that is not a mistake. We fear for the future of the Adventurer's Guild. As I said earlier, the Scratch who is here is a substitute. So I'm not comfortable with being alone. That's why Vector and I are sitting together. Normally, Brahms would be the one to do it.
So?
Can we continue for a moment?

　The one from the Mage Church interrupted Reid's words, not answering the question, but continuing his own story.
　After a moment of silence, the Mage Churcher opened his mouth.

''Have you misunderstood something?''

　The mood of the place changed, and it was close to being slightly frozen.
　Another silence passed.

　The expression of the one from the Church of the Mage is hard to read.
　It's because of their skin that looks like it was coated with white powder.
　It's hard to detect the emotions on their expressions because they are so white.
　It was hard to read.
　Her hair and ears are covered with a cloth like a nun's, and most of her head is obscured.
　Only the open eyes on the white canvas were staring at the three members of the Church of the Brave.

''Mistake?''

　Sonoda gave him a curious look.

''Could you please explain?''
'I told you, the Church is one. The Merchant's Guild here, the Adventurer's Guild, and the Mage's Church are all one. In other words, it's not a conversation between the Adventurer's Guild and the Heroic Society. Do you understand what I'm saying?

　Sonoda replied calmly, "Yes, I understand.

'Let's take a page out of Raid-san's book and be more direct. I'm sure you guys would like to get this kind of talk over with as soon as possible.

　After telling him to preface it, the mage churchman announced.

''The power of the church is farther away than yours........ It's not something to be compared to.''

　The air in the room was tense at those words.
　It's a room, but it's a free space.
　It was outdoors, the sun was shining, but it was like a cloudy sky, and the cool breeze was cold.

You are in charge of this whole area of the land. Or you are in the process of doing so. Or you want to, and eventually you plan to expand your reach to the whole country. It's too good to be true, but it's easy. It's a short-sighted plan. I'm not trying to tell you what to do, because that's your problem. It's not our problem. But if that were the case, you would understand the relationship between you and us, the church.

　Sonoda opened his mouth and said in an agitated manner.

''Excuse me, but could you please take a page out of Lade's book and speak up?''
'The Church already controls the whole country. It is radically different from you who are just starting out. It is incomparable.
Control?　Oh come on, what a joke.

　Lade smiled stupidly.
　Sonoda also said, "The Church has the whole country?　I can't believe my ears, isn't it the King of the Eightfold and the Demon King who rules over Banome? I was half fooled.

　Holly was confused, not knowing what he meant, and tried to find an answer in each of their reactions.

'It's true that there are always church-related branches in large towns. But what does that mean for controlling them? It seems to me that you are just trying to show off.

　Sonoda asked a pure question.
　Even the brave men in the audience chuckled.
　Everyone scoffed at the church's side of the argument as the nonsense of a small person.

　But one person, Masamune, was the only one who didn't laugh or change his expression.
　He just rested his back snugly on his chair, rested his arms on the armrest, and watched the meeting with those sneers included.
　Noticing the situation, he asked the mage church.

'Hidaka it was you, Masamune, you seem to know the meaning of my words.

　When asked, Masamune slowly turned his gaze to him.

'If you want to use a metaphor, a continent and a small country. This is the relationship between the Church and the Brave Society.''

　Masamune said quietly.

　All but three on the church side gradually twisted their expressions.

''........Masamune, what are you saying?''

　The raid was upsetting.
　It was a story that even Raid, who was in a small country in the countryside called Razhuisen, had no way of knowing.

　The man from the Church of the Mage tells Lade in the same indifferent tone of voice as before: 'There are two sides to things,' he says.

'It means that things are two sides of the same coin.
What do you mean by that?

　The air was already on the church's side.
　It was Masamune who made it so.
　This atmosphere was a sign of trust in Masamune.
　Not one person made a mockery of Masamune's mysterious state of mind.
　They don't doubt Masamune's thoughts and decisions.

''He is indifferent to anything other than the demon race. Did you really think that the Demon King, who is in hiding, could rule Banome?

This time, the one from the Mage Church took a half foolish attitude.

''Of course, that whole area, including the Great Forest, belongs to them, and there's nothing we can do about it. If we challenge them, they will only return us. We won't deny that. And the Eightfold King, to be honest, I find them to be a bit of a disappointment. We are at the mercy of some religious organization...''

　Sonoda's eyes narrowed.

'Why don't you guys learn before you let me say things outright?

　The one from the Church of the Mage said with an intensified tone.
　Sonoda didn't open his mouth, but stared at him.

''How could a king of that kind of decoration rule this vast continent?

　The mage churchmen bent forward and stared at each of them.
　Their mouths chuckled.
　The deputy Scratch shrugged his shoulders and swallowed his spit at the creepy profile.

'Adventurers have long been controlled by the Church. The Society of the Brave has taken it lying down. The only reason we went out of our way this time to such a place is because we appreciated your prospects in the long run. You are doing well, you guys. You have only been established for a few years. In the last few years, half of the adventurers have been in your possession. It's a phenomenon that even seems to be a change of era. So we greatly appreciate it.
"An adventurer is not a thing.

　The raider gave him a glare.
　The mage churchman turned his gaze to Lade for a moment.

'Possession, control, frivolous...'
But I've seen your kind many times before.

　The words were interrupted, and I heard Lade's tongue cluck.
　Ignoring the raid, he continued to speak.

'I have seen many imitators of the Guild in my time. But none have continued. Because it's wrong. And that's true for all of you.
What are we doing wrong?

　Sonoda is as calm as ever.

I can only compliment you on your taut and calm expression. But you have no idea what an adventurer is. Running an organization is not a charity, you reward them too much. The amount of rewards set by the guild is a reasonable figure derived from hundreds and thousands of years of experience.

They are happy. The Adventurer's Guild, on the other hand, is full of dissatisfaction. That's why the adventurers turn to the Brave Society.

'You talk as if you were on the side of justice. You're not, are you?　What they want is simply money. And you do not understand what a fulfilled human being is. It is we, the church, who manage the economy of this continent, and it is we who created the foundation that was once the system. The most laboring jobs on this continent are adventurers, which is why the economy of Banorm is run by adventurers. They will do anything they are paid to do. But the simple fact is, if you get a high reward for a trivial request, they will learn, and as a result they will stop working. As a result, they stop working. You have done a terrible thing. You are violating the order and disrupting it. You don't see the whole picture of things. So you don't know what your own actions affect and cause. It's good to have power, but if you want to use it, you have to deal with your infancy first. Please don't take the liberty of messing with the culture of this world.

　The heroic society's side was silent at the Mage Church's determined attitude.
　The Raid also stopped speaking for a moment.
　It was because he understood the intent of this meeting.
　It was easy for Raid, who was accustomed to living in this world and had once held the position of White King Knight in Rashausen, to imagine the adventurer's way of being, that is, the words of the Mage Church, as something realistic.