episode_0047

Upon hearing the news that the enemy general had been captured, the Count of Phylla laughed gleefully like a child and ordered his troops to push into the city with all their might.

However, amidst his soaring spirits, he did not forget to remind them not to engage in looting.

“Well then, let’s all set off!”

“But I haven’t even had a bite to eat-”

“Prepare to have dinner in Phylla! Or is that too much to ask?”

“Uh, um….”

Under the Count’s stern command, even the pitiful soldiers who were just about to take their first sip of alcohol after pounding on the city gates all morning were dragged out without exception.

Before long, the campsite, now deserted except for a minimal guard force, quieted down. After the chaos subsided a bit, Amelie spoke up.

“Adults shouldn’t meddle in worldly affairs.”

“Why is that?”

“Because the moment they get involved, they get entangled in power struggles, and then they have no choice but to take sides and fight against each other.”

Though she didn’t point fingers, the state of the world made it clear what she was talking about.

“Like the Church and the Empire.”

“Exactly. That’s why adults are destined to be lonely. Every encounter is given meaning, and they are constantly forced to justify themselves. At the same time, there are many things they must give up.”

Amelie, with a slightly sad expression, hurriedly straightened out Lycia’s disheveled clothes as she continued.

“The most frequent request I received was not for personal salvation. Instead, it was a request to punish troublesome people in the name of God.”

“Aren’t adults supposed to be the ones who save those in pain?”

“But the world doesn’t work that simply.”

“….”

“Adults are the most sacred and noble, but if they don’t want to cause unnecessary turmoil, they have to be lonely. That’s why I vowed to never step foot outside the university.”

Then who is in front of me?

Just as she was about to ask that question, Amelie smiled softly as if to indicate understanding and said,

“This is just a form that appears briefly before you, so you can think of it as an illusion.”

“An illusion? But you held my hand….”

“If you study magic professionally, you can do things like this. Hmm, I’ll have to clear my schedule for magic lessons. If you plan to come to the university, next spring would be a good time.”

The saint, confined to the university, took in the vast world she would never see in person one last time.

“Although not now, there will come a time when you will be at another crossroads of choice. Remember what I told you, and decide whether to reveal your identity as a saint carefully.”

“Carefully… I see.”

“I’ll explain in detail when we meet at the university later. Since you don’t know the ways of the world, I’ll have to teach you a lot as your senior.”

“Yes, I’ll see you in the spring then.”

“Right. Oh, and if you reveal yourself as a saint, you can’t get married. A saint is strictly a clergy member and must maintain purity.”

“…What?! Why are you suddenly talking about that…!”

“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”

The saint, momentarily enveloped in a shimmering light, transformed into a beautiful butterfly and disappeared before Lycia could even try to do anything.

The girl, who was about to fall into deep contemplation, found herself alone in the tent and nervously looked around to see if anyone was listening.

*****

Battle doesn’t have to end with everyone dead.

It was enough to break the enemy’s fighting ability and will.

The opening of the city gate meant that their resistance had faltered. And Marcus, who had left his body behind and only brought back his head, was a good means to crush their will.

The soldiers who received the spear that was stuck in me passed it around and poked it here and there.

When the door opened and the leader disappeared, the battle was considered over.

Entering the castle, all that was left to do was deal with some rebellious thieves and knights who couldn’t accept reality. This was a task better suited for the grumbling soldiers than for me, who only had one body.

As the situation was roughly coming to an end, the sun was about to set beyond the horizon.

Finally, I could return to the camp. The mountain grass brought by other soldiers was safely in front of my tent.

“Lycia.”

“…Yes? Yes!”

“Did you stay safe?”

“Uh… yes!”

Seeing that there was no particular commotion, it seemed she was indeed fine.

Furthermore, I heard that the priests were unusually effective in healing today, resulting in fewer casualties. Although everyone might have thought that way, I knew the truth, so I gently stroked the girl’s head and said, “You did well too.”

“I didn’t do much…”

“I saved my life, so it’s not nothing. I survived thanks to the necklace. It was a gift for you, but it got broken, I’m sorry.”

“…It’s okay! As long as you came back safely, that’s all that matters.”

Lycia didn’t seem too surprised even when she saw the broken necklace. Despite feeling heavy-hearted, the girl reassured me that everything was fine.

As we chatted and passed some time, a messenger holding a torch came running towards us from afar.

“What’s going on?”

“Filah has been roughly dealt with. The Earl has instructed to provide the best rooms in the castle to those who played a significant role in this battle. Will you come?”

I looked back at the tent where I had been staying for the past few days.

It was better than the regular soldiers’ conditions, but still not luxurious enough to be called a good night’s sleep. I nodded and replied, “Yes, I’ll get ready.”

*****

The ambitious night after clearing out the remnants of Filah and cleaning up the messy streets.

The Earl, who had taken over the building the market used for meals, called for the knight who had fought alongside him, Lavender.

“You called for me, my lord.”

“Come and sit. Are your wounds okay?”

“I may not be able to use one eye for a while, but with continuous treatment, it will be fine.”

The knight had a bandage over one eye. It was injured during the chaotic battle.

It was a part that the helmet couldn’t cover, so unless one had an unreasonable relic that reflected all attacks, one had to be careful on their own.

“Yes, you mentioned something about a knight named Lavender?”

“That’s correct. If you appoint him, you will not regret it.”

“I heard he excelled among the other soldiers. Can you specify why you think so?”

“He wields a remarkable black relic. And his martial skills are not to be underestimated. Would you believe it if I told you he took down enemy knights in one strike?”

Most of the stories the Earl had heard were about his prowess in dealing with lightly armed thieves inside the castle.

However, for the first time, the commander who crossed the castle gate and the knight in front of him were discussing a slightly different story. It was somewhat unrealistic, so he had to ask separately to confirm the truth.

“Are you sure you didn’t see it wrong?”

“I saw it clearly with my own two eyes.”

Two eyes. The Earl, who had finally regained some of the past joy with Filah, had a moment of a brilliant joke in mind, but he held back his teasing mouth as he didn’t want to make fun of the patient.

Instead, he focused on the conversation. The incident had caused significant damage to his lips.

Money accumulates over time. Unless you were a mercenary who lived day by day, there was no need to be stingy about money.

However, the most important thing was military strength. It was all too common for external forces to take advantage of a weakened state.

Moreover, with the current intensifying conflict between the Emperor and the Pope, it was necessary to pay more attention.

So, if, really if the Emperor were to advance towards the Papal Palace.

It would be good to have someone who could effectively block that path.

“You must have seen the supplies of that rogue bandit, Markus.”

“Of course. I had to see for myself who almost fell victim to his words.”

“The Church said that the armor he wore was a relic blessed by a former high bishop. He tore it to shreds.”

As the knight entered Filah, he remembered the sight of the clergy checking the state of the church.

If it was something valuable, whether relics or statues, they were all gone, leaving only an empty building, which made them cry out in despair.

But the most memorable reaction was when they discovered relics scattered and broken on the ground in the deepest part of the grand church where the consecration ceremony had taken place.

“Where are our precious relics of the church!”

“Could it be that you are referring to this ‘scrap metal’?”

“…Oh, my goodness!”

The remaining value of the relics, once cherished and revered, was now equivalent to a piece of scrap iron.

It was a pitiful end for something that once held the same value as silver of the same weight.

If it was just a bluff, he could have easily brushed it off by offering compensation that matched the situation, but if the evidence was solid, the story was different.

The Earl’s dilemma was short-lived. After the knight withdrew, he called for a servant.

“Quietly summon Lavend, the fluorescent sword, tomorrow morning.”

“Understood.”

Being someone who had both the Pope and the Emperor as his lieges meant that both could be allies and enemies at the same time.

If he could prepare for that with a piece of land, there was nothing he couldn’t give up.