Basically, the higher-ups want to deal with this terrible anomaly and then act like it never happened.

If all goes well and she is sent to the afterlife, our job is done.

The final, most desperate option...

would be for me to send her back out and let her get recaptured by the hermit.

"This never happened." "No one has to know." That's all the Ministry asks for.

Where are you going?

Well... I was supposed to be working, yet I was slack in monitoring the wicked hermit, and abandoned my post.

Hmm. Right you are.

I... have a duty to carry out.