episode_0015

One way to preserve food for a long time is through drying. That’s how bread turned into hardtack.

But if it doesn’t dry out, it gets pickled. Jerky was like that, and fish was treated the same way.

And the people of the Empire, who were experts in pickling, began to bless their weapons and jewelry.

As they continued to pickle, the power that remained permanently was called a relic.

However, relics that could be quickly produced had weak effects. To truly see remarkable effects, one would have to cast spells for several months.

Anyway, relics with enough power to be effective in battle were not cheap. And the masters who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship did not rely on such sorcery. So, most of today’s expenses were for Lycia.

I looked down at Lycia, who was following me. She had been asking to see other things since earlier.

Looking back, the girl had been carefully observing the blessings since she arrived here to inspect the relics. No, she had even shown interest in the blessings that the Pifin priests performed in Volle.

I don’t know if it was just a childlike curiosity or if there was another reason.

But since she wanted to see it, there was no reason not to indulge her. After all, it was a place we had to visit at some point.

After walking for a while longer, we arrived at a place that dealt with protective spells.

I held Lycia’s hand, who was still looking around, and entered.

“I heard that protective spells are cast here.”

“If that’s the case, you’ve come to the right place. With a history of a hundred years, this place is undoubtedly the best choice.”

“I would like to request the blessing of a protective spell here.”

I reached into my pocket. The necklace I had bought from the merchant in Volle was touched.

At first, it was bought as a substitute for information fees, but I had planned to give it to Lycia as a gift. However, since it was going to be the first gift, it seemed not a bad idea to give it more meaning.

There were no special patterns or jewels embedded in it, but the craftsmanship seemed to have been carefully done in some places, so it wasn’t cheap. It could even be sold for emergency funds.

I handed the necklace to the child who seemed to be working at the church.

The child ran to the priest who was busy blessing behind and handed him the necklace, and soon after, the result came back to my hand.

After receiving some silver coins as change for the gold I gave, I put the necklace on Lycia. Lycia, who had been glancing at the priest beyond the counter, finally looked up at me.

“What is this…?”

“The road is dangerous. I can protect myself, but there’s always the risk of a stray arrow, so it’s better to have something like this for peace of mind.”

“Oh, thank you.”

This way, I can feel a little more at ease. I didn’t expect thieves to request a fair fight when they hide in the bushes and ambush. Hasn’t history proven how effective surprise attacks can be, even for thieves who are ignorant of the world’s ways?

Lycia adjusted the necklace slightly. Seeing that she didn’t look displeased, I felt relieved.

Seeing her smile slightly, a sense of pride that she had regained something she had lost for a long time also rose.

Is this why elders give pocket money to their grandchildren while watching their antics?

I had completed enough preparations that could be done here.

Since we had to leave early tomorrow, it was necessary to rest early.

*****

As I returned from the church and solved dinner at the inn, the sun had already set beyond the horizon.

As darkness began to fall, it was time to end another day. I went up to the room with Lycia.

“You worked hard today. Rest well because we’ll be leaving tomorrow.”

“Yes. But that sword, there really isn’t anything wrong with it, right?”

“Pipin Priest had bestowed a blessing, but by now, the effect must have worn off.”

“Besides that, does it affect your mind in any way… something like that?”

“It probably gives you a bit of confidence, right?”

“…if that’s all, then it’s good, so I’m relieved.”

What the heck.

Since returning to the inn, Lycia had been asking questions whenever there was no one around, like whether it was okay to hold the sword, if there was anything strange about it, and so on.

The power that only gives beneficial effects like a blessing, could it not corrupt the mind? I didn’t quite understand where Lycia’s worries were coming from, but after comforting the girl, I lay down on the bed. My mind was indeed strong.

But to maintain this strength, I needed to lead a disciplined life of going to bed early and waking up early like a good child.

After watching Lycia find a comfortable position under the covers, I turned off the candle.

The street outside, occasionally lit only by passing guards’ torches, was dark. The sky was filled with a beautiful starlight that modern eyes rarely see, and despite the moon being waning, it cast a gentle light that could create shadows on the bed. I slowly closed my eyes in the tranquility it created.

And suddenly, just before falling asleep, I thought I saw something shining white in the corner of my vision.

*****

The world was divided and on the brink of conflict. While there was no open warfare yet, everyone predicted it would happen soon.

There were the Pope, the Emperor, and those who stood on neither side.

But even those who claimed neutrality would soon have to choose a side. Therefore, it was important to recruit those who professed neutrality to bolster one’s own power.

Responding to the Emperor’s call and renouncing support for the Pope, Bishop Gilberto, who had sworn loyalty to the Emperor, was well aware of this importance.

Thus, he set out for the Empire’s border to aid those who belonged to the Emperor’s faction.

Of course, when the Pope excommunicated the bishops who withdrew their support for him in favor of the Emperor, Bishop Gilberto, who had renounced his support for the Pope, disguised himself under the title of a priest. Being called a priest rather than a bishop felt more familiar.

Those in the know could immediately see through this disguise, but it was of no concern to ordinary people.

This was true for Lavender, who knew nothing about high-ranking clergy except for the Pope’s name and lived in ignorance of the world’s affairs.

“Hey, you there.”

That’s why Gilberto could easily ask Lavender, who seemed like a rural knight, out of half curiosity.

It was a rare trace of a blessing in this remote corner.

It seemed to possess a power akin to that of a blessing from an adult. But it seemed more likely to be the result of a very skilled magician’s efforts.

Currently, there were only three adults living in this land: one was away at university, another was on the battlefield fighting against the heretics, and the last had sailed westward to see the end of the world.

The thought crossed Gilberto’s mind that perhaps a new adult had been born, but since there were no reports of miracles happening, he dismissed the possibility.

Instead, he asked with pure admiration and curiosity, “That sword, huh? It seems to be imbued with a powerful blessing. If it’s okay, could you tell me who bestowed the blessing upon you?”

“This? I received the blessing from a priest I know in Volle.”

“I never knew there was such a skilled priest in Volle. With a blessing of that caliber, they must be someone well-known in the area.”

As expected, it must be the blessing of the priest. Gilberto quietly abandoned the hypothesis he had somewhat anticipated.

If it’s Volera, according to what she knows, there should be a city a bit further north from here.

Of course, in a city of that size, there would likely be a priest, but she had never heard of a priest with such abilities.

However, the world is wide, filled with people who want to hide. It wasn’t strange at all. There was no law stating that ability and ambition were proportional.

“Um, I want to see other things too.”

“Huh? Just a moment, let’s finish our conversation first.”

“Oh, is she your daughter? Seems like I’ve interrupted a rare moment between mother and daughter.”

Just as he was considering learning more about the priest, a child who seemed to be his daughter approached and stared at him curiously.

Although her hair color was different, it seemed to be influenced by her mother. Seeing her trying to talk to someone else and spend time together, it seemed like a mother-daughter relationship.

Feeling a bit out of place, Gilberto exchanged pleasantries and decided to leave the place.

He decided to stop thinking about this matter here. There were more important tasks ahead of him. He needed to persuade the Emperor to stand by his side in other cities, and keep an eye on what the Pope would do.

But it was strange. Somehow, traces of the blessing from the sword seemed to linger on the girl as well.

Not that the young girl could use magic herself. Of course, there was only one way she could use magic, but it was unlikely.

After glancing at the girl, Gilberto decided to dismiss it as a misconception.

He decided to leave the story of the knight with the powerful blessing on his sword in a corner of his mind for now.

For the time being.