Outside the tent, Sonia, Diya, Vesir, and Felix were all gathered around the wooden table, silently drinking hot tea. Only Daedalus had gone to rest.
They looked at the brightly lit large tent, and the atmosphere grew heavier and heavier.
"Fifteen minutes."
"Demolition Art?"
"Drag them out for judgment. Not one of them gets to be spared."
"It definitely isn't Ash's fault!" Diya cried. "Vishy must have secretly brainwashed Ash during the ascension ritual. This is all the Phantom Prophet's conspiracy!"
"I don't think there's any need to be nervous. We should trust Ash," Vesir advised. "We're all right here."
Sonia glanced at her. "I once asked Ash whether he might fall for Silver Lamp."
"You weren't by his side back then," Vesir shot back. "You can't blame someone for grabbing the only life buoy when they're drowning, can you?"
Just as Felix was also thinking of slipping away to avoid getting caught in the crossfire, the tent flap was lifted, and Vishy strode out from inside. He glanced at the people waiting there, the corner of his mouth slanting upward, his eyes smiling as he swept a look over them. Even though he was wearing a Maid Outfit, his expression was absurdly smug, and he walked briskly back to his own tent.
Seeing this, everyone instead let out a breath. If Vishy had really made any progress, he should have come out looking gloomy to avoid arousing their suspicion. That triumphant, as-if-he'd-scored-some-huge-bargain look clearly meant he hadn't gotten anywhere.
After all, he was the thousand-year Demigod Phantom Prophet. No matter what Ash did, it couldn't possibly shake his mind. Normally, he could casually tease Ash into repeated retreat, and in dreams, he was in the same chaotic-evil sequence as Diya. A Demon of absolute rationality like that would never