The two sat down on the opposite side of us.
These two have been tailing us since we left school. Though they were completely suppressing their mana, I could tell. I'm used to this kind of stuff.
"So, I have a question for you two."
I said.
"Fire away,"
The black-haired woman replied with a smile.
"Why didn't you stop us at the school entrance instead?"
"..."
"!"
The woman lost her smile while the girl seemed to be hostile toward me.
She chuckled slightly.
"You noticed us since then, did you?"
"Yeah, but I just wasn't sure if you were enemies or not. I was wondering this whole time if you would reveal yourself or not."
"Wait, what do you mean, Kazuya, I'm confused."
Isla said.
"If they were tailing us, even I would notice."
Isla is the most hypersensitive to suppressed mana in the group.
"That's because they're not suppressing their mana. They're wearing artifacts that block their mana signature completely."
The black-haired girl's artifact seemed to be her eyepatch while the violet-haired girl's one seemed to be a long finger ring.
"You're not half bad, yourself. Why don't you—"
"Not interested."
I cut her off.
The Divine Church was a large worldwide organisation which destroy Imperi and classify them as 'impurities.'
I can't argue with that there.
However, 50 years ago, they used to kill people too and they still do.
Currently, The Divine Church would do anything for their mission. They wouldn't care about public opinion or backlash from the government.
It's crazy how they're even an official power in the world.
I've thought about it sometimes but I think they're a world power because if they weren't, their actions wouldn't have justification.
"Well, uh, what're your names?"
Yuichi asked them, sensing the tense air between me and the apostles of the Divine Church.
"I'm Aisaka Airi, a first-apostle."
We all stared at the emotionless girl. Airi smiled a little.
"She's a shy girl. Her name is Ruby Diamond. She's American, originally. She's a third-apostle."
Apostles.
They were disciples of bishops or priests.
Positions went like this in the Divine Church:
Fifth-apostle
Fourth-apostle
Third-apostle
Second-apostle
First-apostle
Major-apostle
Priest
Bishop
Archbishop
Pope
My sister taught me that the closer to the top of the positions in the Divine Church someone was, the more rotten they would be, despite how they acted on the outside.
That Ruby Diamond girl doesn't seem to be any trouble at all. However... this Airi woman is dangerous. That's what my senses are telling me.
"So, what was this about me joining the Divine Church? Heck, I don't even know what it is."
There it is.
Most of the people that are recruited to the Divine Church don't know of their misguided misconduct. They recruit ignorant people on purpose. When they realise that they're doing bad things, it's already too late to leave.
"I've been on a recruiting trip for these past two months and the most promising candidate was you."
Usually, I would believe that this was a line that they told everyone, but in this case, Yuichi may just be the most promising candidate.
He's a powerhouse, when it comes down to strength and magic power.
"You sure those aren't just words to incite Yuichi into joining?"
I asked her.
Her smiling face tensed slightly. She seemed to notice what I was doing.
Airi glared at me and Diamond peered at me. I kept a calm expression as they observed me.
Yup.
I'm trying to stop Yuichi from joining the Divine Church. If he does, he'll be controlled by others and be limited. They'll make him do things he'd never want to.
From there, it seemed like they wanted to limit the amount of information given to Yuichi as long as I was around.
The reason I want to stop Yuichi from joining is due to my sister's hate for the Divine Church. Her friend got entangled with the Church and was worked to the bone. She eventually died from being one of their test subjects.
"Hey, hey, calm down."
Yuichi said.
I backed off and Airi began smiling once more.
"Sorry about my friend. Here's slightly shy when it comes to new people."
I pretended as if I never heard his comment.
"Shy, huh..."
The woman peeked over at me before resuming her explanation.
"Anyway, since you don't know the Divine Church, let me explain. We're an organisation who band together capable Streia so that the world has a better future against the Imperi."
She isn't technically when she says that. This woman is just not saying anything that I would be able to pounce on instantly.
She's good.
"Well, then wouldn't Yuichi have to be Christian?"
Isla asked, pointing at the cross around Airi's neck.
"Yeah, I'm not religious, I'm... Uh... What is it called? A..."
As Yuichi struggled to say a word, I helped him.
"Agnostic."
"Yeah, agnostic."
"Ah, this? It is given to members but you aren't forced to wear it. Believe it or not, the Pope is agnostic himself."
That's news to me.
From what my sister taught me, the Pope was one Angelo Sacara. He was extremely religious and opposed the existence of Gods and claimed that they were 'imposters' and 'fakers.'
"So, what happened to the old Pope?"
"Huh?"
She seemed surprised at the fact that I asked that.
"I heard that the Pope was very religious and he often said on the news that he thought of other Gods as fakes."
"O-oh..."
Got you.
"Pope Sacara had to step down after hitting the age of 72. He was not fit for the position anymore."
The one who answered was not Airi but her partner, Ruby Diamond.
The way she stared at me was slightly unsettling. Her cerulean eyes gazed at me. It was like she was looking into my soul.
"Airi. This kid."
How old is she to be calling me, 'kid?'
"He's dangerous."
"Eh?"
"Huh?"
"What?"
"Ruby, what do you mean?"
Everyone stared at me.
Uh, is it that of a surprise? I mean, I'm trying to expose them.