Power...
Ashley, recalling the terrifying strength of the "Mr. Shinigami" before her, gave a slight nod. True enough, if the girl had genuinely revealed that power of hers, being chosen as "Cantor" wasn't beyond belief.
Unlike the Inquisition or the Officiants' Society, the Cantor belonged to an exceedingly independent institution: the Choir.
The name sounded unremarkable enough, but the Choir's standing within the War Church was astonishingly high. Neither the Privy Council nor even the Pope held any authority to question it.
Because the leader of the Choir was the "Holy Maiden," equal in rank to the Pope herself. And every Cantor of the Choir possessed the potential to become the Holy Maiden. In other words, every Cantor was a Holy Maiden candidate.
If Eriri really could become the Holy Maiden, that would indeed be a far greater prize than joining the Privy Council as a war bishop.
But what struck both her and Ashley as unreasonable was this: the War Church had gone more than forty years without producing a Holy Maiden.
Not only that, the Choir as an institution hadn't opened its doors in decades. Their original plan had therefore ruled out the Cantor and Holy Maiden routes entirely, yet now this wrinkle had appeared.
Still, was it truly just the power she had displayed?
Though she had used that line to reassure Ashley, Eriri privately felt something was off. During the test just now, those two clergymen had seemed to pay no particular attention to the power she had revealed in precisely calibrated measure.
If it wasn't her power, then why had they chosen her for the Choir?
Eriri mulled it over until her head ached, then finally decided to seek the group's help.
Curly-haired Guy: Hmph. Going by your story, that so-called War Dumpling Society must be running some kind of scheme.
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: War Dumpling Society? What on earth is that? You mean the War Church, right?
Curly-haired Guy: Ahem. Typo.
Machete Girl: A typo, or are you hungry? Do clarify.
Doujin Artist: You moron Gintoki, what a uselessly obvious thing to say. You think I don't know they're scheming?
Curly-haired Guy: Watch your tone, you brat! Get this straight, you're asking a favor here! In which case, you'll speak to me with proper respect!
Doujin Artist: Very well, moron Gintoki.
Lin Fengjiao: What scheme could it be? Might they covet some object on your person, Miss Eriri?
Lazy Kitten: Very possible! That object might be your **!
Pretty Boy from Skull Island: ? What? What do the asterisks mean? What are you actually trying to say?
Lazy Kitten: Your **!
Doujin Artist: ?
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: Riddler much?
Lazy Kitten: A riddler, my foot, damn it! Fine, I won't say it, screw this! Unbelievable!
This is an Actor: You mean her body?
Lazy Kitten: Cough. Close enough.
Curly-haired Guy: No way, no way? You're joking, right? Is the War Church really that low-class? They'd take even flat-as-a-board ones?! You're joking, right? This absolutely cannot be real!
Doujin Artist: What the hell is that supposed to mean?
Machete Girl: Hahahahaha, "flat as a board" is really...
Soul Society's Villain: ...an apt description?
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: Hard to say. Maybe that's just her type?
Doujin Artist: Why don't you say what you mean plainly? What do you mean, "her type"?
Machete Girl: Ahem. Ruiko-chan means the War Church lot might all be flat-lovers?
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: And I'll stop right there, Kotonoha-chan. We ought to leave Eriri-chan a shred of dignity, after all.
Reading this, Eriri exploded outright: A shred of dignity, my ass! How do you have the nerve to say that out loud?! It's already been said in the group, so much for stopping anywhere!
Machete Girl: Ah, sorry. (emoji: nose-pick)
Doujin Artist: You bastards are discriminating, aren't you? Discriminating against me, right? Discriminating because I'm not as big as you? Fine. Just fine!
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: N-no, that's not it! Eriri-chan, how could you say that? We're not those kinds of people!
Doujin Artist: Silence! I refuse to listen to another word from any of you. This sisterhood ends here! From this day on, we are strangers!
Amegakure Village's Angel: Eriri-chan, don't be so angry. Business first, remember? Besides, you're still young, you'll always grow. Probably?
Doujin Artist: ?
Lazy Kitten: Hahahaha, "probably"...?
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: Yes, yes, exactly! You can still grow! Eriri-chan is only seventeen, after all. There's so much growing room left!
Soul Society's Villain: The way you said that, I'd call it mockery. Compared to you, you're much younger than Eriri, aren't you? And yet, mm-hm. The places that matter are still bigger than hers, aren't they?
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: O-only three years younger!
This is an Actor: Keep this up and Eriri will take a ship-sinking critical hit. Take my advice and leave the girl an escape route.
Doujin Artist: It doesn't matter anymore. That sort of thing is no longer needed. Farewell. *goes anonymous*
Amegakure Village's Angel: Ahem. Since Eriri-chan is so worried about their scheme... why not use the surveillance bacteria? With that stuff, any demon or monster will show its true form.
Machete Girl: Yes, yes! Right! Surveillance bacteria is a great idea!
Sensing that a certain blonde girl's tone had begun to turn dangerous, Katsura Kotonoha hurriedly followed Konan's lead and changed the subject.
Doujin Artist: No need! I'll just start swinging when the time comes. Kill them all and every problem solves itself!
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: Hsss, Eriri-chan, don't give up on yourself like this! You worked so hard to get the Cantor position, it's a genuinely wonderful opportunity!
Doujin Artist: Heh. Who cares about "Cantor"? I only need to walk in and cut down the entire War Church, and I'd win the god's attention just the same.
Though she kept up the bravado on the surface, Eriri had still bought the surveillance bacteria kit from the group. The truth was she simply hadn't remembered such a divine tool existed, otherwise she'd never have had to lose face asking for help.
Scarlet Lotus Fairy: Still, be careful. That kind of attention might make you the enemy of the whole world. violently destroying a god's church would surely draw the god's malice. When that happened, Eriri might escape thanks to the group's warning system, but her girlfriends would have no such escape.
That was Li Mochou's thinking. She clearly hadn't picked up on Eriri's tsundere act, and was still lecturing away with all the patience of a doting elder.
Just as her message went out, Wang Yuyan spoke up suddenly: "Grandmother may have done wrong, but she is still my grandmother. If it were me, I wouldn't kill her. But that cur Ding Chunqiu must die!"
"Very good." Li Mochou nodded solemnly. "Since you have made your choice, I will see that wish fulfilled."
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