Eleanor's Merits

"Wh-why?" the number twelve threw itself onto its skull throne. "They're all Mushroom Transformers. These skulls are symbols of their devotion, and I only used them after getting their permission!"

Julia blinked. "Lord Mushroom Envoy, that's true, but outsiders will probably have a hard time understanding it. It'll scare them."

"What's so scary about a few heads—" the number twelve muttered, but still let Julia carry it away and direct the other believers to move its personal throne to the back and hide it.

The number twelve felt a little down. It had originally wanted Number Five to see its masterpiece.

Still, it had to entertain Number Five's friends. After being set down again, the number twelve gululu-ed into the large pot filled with water and called for Julia to start the fire and bring over some seasonings.

Gazing at the Mushroom Worship Cult's camp from afar, Vera tightened the reins.

The camp sat on a gentle slope, its Mushroom Houses arranged in an orderly pattern, giving off a soft gray-white sheen in the afternoon light. It was much tidier than he had expected. There were no piles of garbage, no shacks thrown together every which way, and he could even see someone holding a broom, cleaning the open space in front of a house.

As they drew closer, he saw quite a few people gathered in the open space at the center of the camp.

A believer in a plain robe was standing between several Mushroom Houses, holding a brush as he explained something to the refugees watching around him.

As he spoke, he gestured, occasionally reaching out to pat the Fungal Pillar beside him, as though demonstrating something.

Vera tilted his head and listened.

"These gray spots are normal. You don't need to scrape them off. But if