01x12 - We Cornered Him, And Then . . .

[bunniefuu]

Seiichirou!

It's already well into the fire hour.

How many times have I told you
to take proper meal breaks?

I'm sorry. I got absorbed in my work
since I haven't done any in so long.

Let's go, Aresh-san.

Hurry up.

Yesterday, he demanded that
I change the way I speak to him.

For now, as a compromise, we've agreed
that I would use his name differently.

I never expected something so small
to improve his mood so much.

Well, then, I'll be...

You're coming with us.

Have some tsuhash soup, too.

May I join you, as well?

The same old pattern...

Nothing seems amiss with the
financial report the church submitted.

Indeed, the report itself seems fine.

I received your write-up,
as well. Good work.

It was nothing. Just doing my job.

That's right. With this,
my special assignment is over.

While I'd love to take a breather now
that we've finally contained the miasma,

we simply cannot afford to leave
this situation unaddressed.

Also, you mentioned something
about magical energy...

I assume we can put that
information to use, as well?

He wants me to help him
put a leash on the church.

However...

Please give me a break.

I'm clueless when it comes
to political maneuvering.

I will submit the results
of my cross-checking

the accounting department's
records against the list of nobles

who allegedly didn't make donations
despite being in the worship logs.

However, I'd ask the legal
department to handle the matter

of anyone whose name has been erased.

Furthermore, regarding the magical energy
specially collected by the chapel...

The sorcery department is currently
developing a tool capable of quantifying

the amount of magic necessary
for the barrier spell.

Once they confirm the
efficacy of the device

through various organizations
that use a lot of magic tools,

I should be able to provide you
with the final product.

Yes, very good.

You're truly magnificent, Seichiro.

If you ever grow weary of that black
beast over there, be sure to let me know.

Please don't joke...

I say this because I quite like
your usual composure

and ability to maintain a professional
detachment to your work,

although you seem
rather invested this time.

I suppose so.

Even I would feel compelled to see
this through to the very end

now that my own life has been targeted.

To that end, I must drag the inner
workings of the church into the light.

What are you talking about?

Tell me in detail.

Huh?

ISEKAI OFFICE WORKER: THE OTHER WORLD'S
BOOKS DEPEND ON THE BEAN COUNTER

ONE WEEK LATER

Y-You...

I thought you weren't coming anymore!

EPISODE 12: WE CORNERED HIM. AND THEN...

My inspection may be over,

but didn't I tell you we'd be
running the private school?

Don't just barge in!
Get permission first!

From whom?

If you mean the bishop, I've already
gotten his permission for this.

What the heck? You seem perfectly fine...

What do you mean?

It's nothing!

Anyway, you're not doing anything until
I check with Siegvold-sama first!

I understand.

Siegvold-sama is currently
with a visitor. Leave.

He's too important to see a mere servant

and tagalong from another
world so casually.

I-It's forbidden to discriminate based
on birth or origin within the church!

What was that?

Besides, this guy...
I mean, this gentleman here

has been working to educate orphans

and common children
to broaden their horizons!

Which one of us is truly going
against the teachings of Abran?!

You little...

What is all this commotion?

I-I'm sorry, Siegvold-sama. Commander.

You were in a meeting and these
two insisted on interrupting...

I was the one who summoned him.

Huh?

You're late.

Am I?

Selio, we will be heading to the
prayer room. Call the children.

Y-Yes.

Return to your post, Fredrik.

Yes...

Master Seiichiro, your complexion
looks a lot better.

Thanks to your help.

You mean thanks to my help.

Aresh-san, that wasn't
what I was referring to.

Hey, the way you're talking...

We aren't at the mansion right now.

Master Seiichiro, you promised
to call me by my name.

Oh, yes. That's right, Siegvold-sama.

It's strange for you to
be so formal with me

and so familiar with a
commander of a royal order.

Huh?

Hardly. I'm quite close
with Aresh-san, so...

I address him as I do
because we're friends.

Can't I be your friend, as well?

You want to be friends?
But our ranks are so different...

Our ranks? All humans
are equal before God.

Hey! Aresh-san?

Kondou-san!

Shiraishi-san?

We ran into Selio-kun right
as we were heading to pray!

You, too, Aresh-san!
Are you here to pray?

Yes.

What is it, Yurius-sama?

What is Aresh doing here?!

It's a long story.

More importantly, why is Shiraishi-san
participating in prayer again?

Aresh-san, I feel like we haven't
seen each other in a while.

Something's been bothering me.

With the purification complete,

I'm watching over her
as I keep an eye on things.

Might this concern the barrier?

How do you know about the barrier?

Oh, him.

The source of the leak is
obvious, since only members

of the royal family and the bishop
know about the magical energy

used to maintain the barrier
over the royal capital.

I had my subordinates investigate,

but there was no trace of Yua's magical
energy in the pool used for the barrier.

That's excellent information.

We weren't able to get very far on
our end, so your intel is very helpful.

Hold it. Did you just rope me and
Yua into some kind of scheme?

Since you're already here,
there's no harm in joining us.

Do you really know who I am?!

I've thought this for a while now,

but I've never felt a shred
of respect from you!

Oh, he noticed?

There is a saying among
the people of my country:

"When needed, make use of anyone
at hand, even your parents."

What kind of country is that?!

My and Shiraishi-san's homeland.

Then so be it.

Let's go, Yurius-sama.

It's time to uncover the truth.

It seems you've also gotten quite close
with His Highness while I was away.

So, what is it that you
would like us to do?

Just the usual prayer, Cipriano-san.

We're counting on you.

Then, everyone, please line
up before the sacred relic.

Thank you very much.

What is that?

A magic tool used to measure
magical energy levels.

The sorcery department
asked me to do a test run.

Conducting such experiments
during our sacred prayers is...

Prayer is a demonstration
of one's faith in Abran.

Acts that probe the depths of the
heart are unfitting for the church.

It's fine. I'll allow it.

Bishop!

Your Excellency!

I shall prove to you that our church
has nothing to hide, Your Excellency.

That would be most appreciated.

Cipriano.

Yes.

Now, let us begin the prayer.

So?

What is this supposed to tell us?

It shows the amount of magical
energy offered this time.

And what of it?

Our prayers are something
we offer to Abran!

Incorrect. The magical energy
offered in the name of Abran

is used to maintain the barrier
that protects the royal capital.

And this is the amount of magical
energy used by that barrier.

Indeed. If you add it up,
the monthly figures match.

Of course they do.

After all, it is our duty
as citizens of this kingdom

to offer the power of
our prayers to our nation.

What? Is there something else?

Yes.

These are the magical energy readings
from prayer over the last three days.

What is the meaning of this?!

You just did the first
reading a moment ago!

Siegvold! You...

We completed the magical
tool four days ago,

so I've had Siegvold-san start taking
measurements for the past three days.

As you can see from the numbers,
the figures from the those days

are unmistakably higher than
the reading taken today.

Well, now...

I wonder where all that extra
magical energy went.

Any idea, Bishop?

According to my investigation,

the holy maiden's magical energy
wasn't used for the barrier.

You lot... Where did Yua's
magical energy go?!

Ahem. These are the statistics
on the magical energy consumed

by domestic industries during
the current fiscal year.

Upon investigating the suppliers
responsible for this energy,

we discovered several entities whose
actual existence could not be verified.

Wha—

Still, it's strange...

Even when comparing the
magical energy purchases

from these nonexistent
vendors against the surplus,

a slight excess remains unaccounted for.

Huh?

As I thought, Bishop Mateus
seems completely unaware of it.

It's only a tiny amount each time,

but if this occurs every month,

it would accumulate to a considerable
amount of magical energy.

What in the world could you
possibly be using it for...

Cipriano-san?

Cipriano-san?

Cipriano.

Answer him.

What did you do with the magical energy
from the prayers of our holy believers?

Holy, you say?

Please don't make me laugh!

Merke is the one and only true god!

A selfish little nobody like Abran
can hardly be called a god!

You're a heretic!

Merke?

She's a deity worshipped in the East.

They say she's the goddess of harmony

who repels enemies from other
realms and the outside world.

Enemies from other realms?

The holy maiden?! Purification?!

And to top it off, the current holy
maiden is from another world?

Forging a path to other worlds

and destabilizing the balance is the
very act that defiles our land!

Abran himself is an evil deity!
The real root of the miasma!

How dare you?!

Abran blessed this kingdom
with fertile lands.

Do not speak such sacrilege!

What kind of fertility god is he?

A god who can only grant
peace and fertile lands

for a mere hundred years
or so is no god at all!

You fiend!

Seiichirou, get behind me.

You fool.

Didn't you ask me what I used
the magical energy for?

It was this.

I sense a high concentration
of magical energy...

That thing is going to explode!

Oh... Not again...

I need to be saved yet again...

Even though...

I don't want you to get hurt, either!

Huh?

Wow! I did it!

Yua?

Wh-What did you...

Yua, isn't that dangerous?

I think it's safe now.

I thought it would be bad if it exploded,

so I wrapped it in my magical
energy and contained it.

Is something like that even possible?

Huh?

Isn't that exactly what
you did, Kondou-san?

Huh?

You know, that barrier
in the demon forest.

Instead of shielding the surroundings,
you contained the source

with a barrier to prevent
the danger from getting out.

Oh.

No, I only suggested the idea.
I didn't actually perform the spell.

Huh?

But you were the one who thought it up

and took all the steps
to make it a reality.

Isn't that essentially the same
thing as you doing it yourself?

What's with that expression?

Hey, what are you doing?

As expected of the holy maiden
and disciple chosen by Abran!

To reject such noble individuals...

The teachings of Merke are truly
exclusionary and misguided, Cipriano.

No, every person should have the freedom
to choose what they believe in.

Disciple, what are you saying?

Exactly.

Isn't it normal for there
to be lots of gods?

Your Holiness?!

Abran is the one and only true god!

Surely, as the holy maiden,
you know this best!

Why would that be?

True, I was summoned to this world and
blessed with the power of purification,

but what does that have to do with
the existence of other gods?

Besides, while Abranism
is its official religion,

the Romany Kingdom doesn't
prohibit other religions.

Isn't that right, Your Excellency?

Yes.

You're willing to believe in Merke?

Japan is a nation that believes
in the concept of countless gods.

We believe in nothing,
but we also believe in everything.

That's why we don't deny anything.

Well, I suppose she exists.

That's the extent of my feelings.

So you're willing to forgive me...

That's an entirely different matter.

Huh?

Embezzlement of donations
and magical energy.

Attempted m*rder and
destruction of property.

On top of that, you committed
these acts in the presence

of the royal family, prime
minister, and holy maiden.

You're surely facing
high treason, as well.

I'm certain posing as a follower of
Abran will also add charges of fraud.

Apart from high treason, you're also
looking at blasphemy and lèse-majesté.

With that, my work at the
church truly came to an end.

Mateus was exiled to the borderlands,

and Cipriano was sentenced to spend
the rest of his life in prison.

ONE MONTH LATER

Oh! Big Brother Kondu!

Sigma-kun. Are you visiting
the sorcery department again?

Yes. Ist-san invited me over.

I thought of a new magic tool!

Sigma-kun has received permission to
frequent the royal sorcery department,

Huh?

What do you think?

and he's also attending
the new private school.

That's awesome!

Due to an overwhelming
influx of applicants,

the school has expanded its classes
beyond our original plans.

Prince Yurius and Shiraishi-san are
getting along surprisingly well.

Kondu! Have you thought about becoming a
civil servant directly under His Highness?

Please don't joke.

Aren't you supposed
to be busy or something?

Yes. That's exactly why I delegated my
mathematics classes to my subordinates.

Huh?

Looking forward to teaching you!

Did you do something?

This is my first time meeting him!

Does that mean you won't
come here anymore?

I will. The private school
is only just getting started.

I-I see.

Sei-san, you're really
popular wherever you go.

Huh?

Even on our way here...

Seichiro!

Why don't you leave the
accounting department and serve as

the legal department's accountant
or start your own unit?

I must politely decline...

Seiichiro-san.

Siegvold-san?

Due to the recent incident,
my family has asked me to return home.

That crest is of the Aelvaar marquisate,
the family that donated to the church

magnitudes more than anyone else.

In the end, I still wish to serve
the god I've placed my faith in.

However, I've also realized that
I need to broaden my horizons.

So please come to see me
whenever you visit the church.

I understand.

Seiichirou, let's go home.

As for me...

I plan to return to Japan eventually.

I heard you received offers from both the
prime minister and His Highness today.

You're certainly quick with the news.

However, I should inform you
that I turned them both down.

Hey, the way you're talking...

We haven't reached the house yet.

Is he a little kid?

I don't know if reciprocating Aresh-san's
feelings is the right thing to do,

but...

Once it gets a little warmer, why don't
we take a trip to a seaside town?

Why are you suddenly bringing that up?

There's a sea?

Yes. That is where my
family's main estate lies.

There's a villa on the grounds,

so we can relax away from prying eyes.

You work too much, so it would be best
to physically separate you from work.

There you go again...

I know.

Not until you reach a certain
milestone in your work.

I wouldn't make you abandon
your work halfway through.

What's wrong, Seiichirou?!
Are you in pain somewhere?!

There he goes again!

How is he the Ice Nobleman?
A black beast?

Fine. I admit it.

I want to stop always being on the
receiving end of affection and protection.

Aresh-san.

What is it? Do you want
to go back to the infirmary?

The two of us should discuss
the future together.

What's this?

Kararapui. It's a dish from my homeland.
We eat it during celebrations.

Seiichirou, what's wrong?

Do you have a fever?

No, I'm not sick.

I'm just a little embarrassed.

Embarrassed? Why?

In my country, we don't talk about
matters of romance so openly...

That's not what it seemed
like from your letter.

Fine, I'll inform Valtom.

What letter?

Your reply to me.

Reply? Wait... No way!

D-Did you read it?!

It was a letter addressed to me.

What's wrong with me
opening and reading it?

E-Even as a landlord,
you shouldn't rummage

through my desk without permission!

It wasn't me.

Valtom was the one who gave it to me.

Was this while I was hospitalized?

No wonder Aresh-san didn't seem to be
in a bad mood when I was discharged!

Please give it back.

It was a letter to me, so it's mine.

I didn't send it to you,
so it's still mine!

I've already received it, so it's mine.