"Let Hinata hold on for now and prioritize her own safety."
"Once I deal with the Heretic God here in Egypt, I'll head to Japan to support you all."
Rin hadn't forgotten that four retainers were waiting to be summoned in Japan.
Luminous, Ogerpon, Shuna, and Shion.
Just the divine Authorities they had taken were enough for Rin to acquire the Root Power of two mythological systems.
Moreover, Japan was the central stage of the Campione story.
The Last King, Rama, also lay dormant there.
Unless something unexpected occurred, The Last King should be the final boss Rin would face on his journey through the Campione World.
"Delay things as much as possible?"
"I understand..."
After receiving instructions from the Demon Lord's Council, Hinata's attitude toward Amakasu Touma shifted slightly.
"Until now, I had been secluded in the mountains, training in mystic arts and swordsmanship."
"I only recently descended into the world with my elder brother."
Hinata discreetly stored the Prometheus Compendium into her magic storage. "Please forgive my abrupt return to the country."
"Ah, not at all. It is a fortunate event for Japan's mysterious side to have such an outstanding witch like Miss Sakaguchi return."
Of course, these were just words. The Historical Compilation Committee was taking Hinata's appearance very seriously.
Not long ago, they had completed a thorough investigation on Hinata.
The results showed that Hinata was born in Japan, and her parents were ordinary citizens.
However, around ten years ago, while still in junior high, she had disappeared. It was suspected she had been spirited away by a god.
She reappeared at a harbor in China, then took a flight back to Japan.
If that were all, the Historical Compilation Committee might have dismissed it as a classic "adventure" story like those often told in the East.
But the real issue was...
No concrete traces of Hinata's past could be found.
None.
Her parents, her previous school, her social circles—all seemed to have been fabricated out of thin air.
When the Committee went to investigate...
People and events related to Hinata only existed in memory.
In other words, if you asked Hinata's former classmates, they would say she indeed existed.
Even neighbors from the area where the Sakaguchi family supposedly lived could recall stories about them.
But if you asked them for proof...
Such as the location of the Sakaguchi residence, enrollment records from school, or physical items like photographs...
There was nothing.
A memory alteration enveloping all of Japan.
That was the conclusion the Historical Compilation Committee came to.
Someone—or something—had deceived the entire world and forcibly inserted a girl named Hinata Sakaguchi into history.
It was difficult to imagine who or what could pull this off.
Because of that, Susanoo had become extremely cautious and didn't dare to take direct action against Hinata.
The Historical Compilation Committee's stance was to make initial contact and mainly monitor her, avoiding conflict as much as possible.
"Elder brother..."
Amakasu had clearly noticed the other person Hinata referred to.
But regarding this so-called elder brother, the Committee had found nothing.
After all, the two had split up at the harbor.
And in terms of background, Violet hadn't created an overly detailed profile for Rin either.
Was this a hint?
Hinata saying she had an elder brother—was that meant to signal the presence of a powerful sect or organization behind her?
If the Committee took action against her, would this mysterious force become hostile toward the Japanese government?
Amakasu considered countless possibilities.
Whether it was the large-scale memory-altering mystic arts or the background of a completely untraceable faction, both made him extremely wary.
"Excuse me. If I wish to settle down in Japan, what procedures must I follow, and what should I be aware of?"
"Or..." Hinata narrowed her eyes slightly. "Are you not welcoming my return to Japan?"
"Not at all!"
Hearing that Hinata intended to stay, Amakasu snapped back to reality and quickly forced a smile. "It is an honor for us to have Miss Sakaguchi return to the country."
"As for the necessary procedures, please leave everything to us."
"If you have any issues in daily life, feel free to reach out to us," he added. "We can't promise to fulfill every request, but for most affairs, the Historical Compilation Committee has some influence."
"Is that so?"
"In that case, I require a place to reside."
She asked for a place to reside—not just a temporary stay.
If it were the latter, she could have simply booked a luxury hotel.
But that was clearly not her intention.
"A suitable residence for a witch..."
"May I ask what kind of environment you prefer?"
Amakasu's intent was simple: keep Hinata within reach of the Committee to prevent any unexpected actions.
After all, she was a Supreme Witch.
There were few of her kind in all of Japan.
If they could bring her under the official banner, it would be a huge gain for the Committee.
"I have no special requirements."
"As long as it's clean and secluded, that's enough."
"Also, I wish to take this opportunity to make contact and communicate with Japan's occult community, so it would be best if I could live somewhere related to them."
She claimed that after spending years in seclusion, she wished to meet others from the Hidden World.
Whether that meant living nearby or staying directly within an established home, Hinata didn't care.
She was using this gesture to lull the Japanese government into a sense of security.
You're planning to monitor me?
Fine. I'll live somewhere you can monitor me openly.
This way, the government would let its guard down.
On the surface, it seemed she was proving her harmlessness. But in truth, Hinata was buying time for Rin's arrival.
Since Japan was his next destination, all she had to do was wait.
In the meantime, she would help gather information on Japan's occult scene and see if there were any talents worth recruiting for the Monster Nation.
"I understand."
"I'll report your request to my superiors right away. Please wait a moment, Miss Sakaguchi."
With that, Amakasu immediately submitted Hinata's request to his superior—Sayanomiya Kaoru, head of the Sayanomiya Family, one of Japan's Four Great Families.
(To be continued.)