episode_0092

I didn’t even have time to think about what this was.

Following my instinct, I quickly closed the cover of the compass and prepared to throw it.

The number of times I observed the relics and magic nearby was more than enough. Of course, this is what happens when you act as a knight.

The sparkling light is commonly seen when treating injured soldiers, but its meaning is quite different on the battlefield.

It is a place where a wizard does not have the spirit to calmly treat people. Most of the wizards around are wizards who have learned attack magic.

So, if you see something glowing in the corner of your vision, there are many instances where the head of a soldier standing nearby is pierced or a pine cone explodes.

Nevertheless, the reason I did not throw away the compass was because of my reason, which came back even though it was late.

The first thing that came to mind was the repair costs involved. As my purse became lighter, my arm became heavier.

Next, I saw the light fade away, so I was able to exert strength at the last moment of swinging my arm to keep it from flying away.

When I lowered my arm back, Lisia, who seemed more surprised than me, asked.

“… Did someone see it?”

“I don’t think so.”

There are no tourist attractions nearby, so it is a sparsely populated place.

It was a road that was only sparsely traveled by people who were interested in holy relics like me and a few priests who stayed at the church.

Even the response was quick, so I didn’t think others would have paid attention.

Still, I waited to see if anyone would approach me, but still nothing special happened around me.

“What did you say the function of that relic is?”

“They say it’s about detecting other holy relics. From what I checked at church a while ago, it was working properly. Oh, I also added that the structure is unnecessarily complicated.”

“I don’t have any relics right now?”

“That’s right.”

Licia searched her pockets to see if she had anything, but of course, nothing came out.

At least I destroyed the necklace relic that I used to wear, and I didn’t carry it with me after that.

“Raven. So, this is just my hypothesis.”

“Okay.”

“… Could this not be a relic, but something that detected me?”

A girl who didn’t have enough knowledge to call herself an expert, but was familiar with magic, explained it to me, providing several reasons.

If you listen closely, it makes sense.

Isn’t the function of this compass to find magical objects?

In some ways, it may not be impossible to detect the greatest magic, a miracle, and the saint that is created as a result.

In fact, were saints also treated as sacred relics? Since I am unfamiliar with this field, I cannot say for certain.

After thinking about it for a while with Lisia, I thought that might be the case and decided to leave it as a strong hypothesis.

You can’t generalize from just one sample. If you want to be sure, you should go to college and try it to be more sure.

It’s only a hypothesis, but from this perspective, that holy relic becomes impossible to dispose of.

I didn’t know where it would go and the same thing would happen again, so I think I would feel at ease if I carried it with me.

Nevertheless, out of concern that it might explode, I entrusted it to another church that handles holy relics, but I received similar answers from all of them.

A relic detector or appraiser. And the evaluation is that it functions well and will last for a long time.

At that time, I wondered if it had actually malfunctioned, so I checked it in my dorm with the windows closed to prevent light from escaping.

That’s the result, whatever.

“Raven. Come inside the blanket.”

“Why?”

“It’s a luminescent relic.”

The compass needle, which shined so brightly that it would be a shame to call it luminous, followed the moving Lisia.

*****

After sightseeing and repairing relics, the place I headed to was the blacksmith shop.

To be exact, the destination was the church built next to it, but since it was just a decent building, it wasn’t very meaningful to differentiate between them.

“Ah, sir. What brought you here?”

“I came to see a set of armor.”

“If that’s the case… Just follow the kid over there. Gren! Please guide the guests.”

Given the situation, it was inevitable that the price of armor would rise.

Nevertheless, I could not be stingy with something that was directly related to my life. Moreover, since the compensation he received after the siege was gold coins used in the Vatican, he was in a better situation than others as he did not have to pay fees while exchanging money.

“No, is this price right?”

“Yes. Well, you know why. Still, our craftsmen guarantee quality that is not a waste of money.”

“Anyway, this price is a bit… … .”

Inside the store, several people who looked like mercenaries were arguing.

It was also common to feel discouraged by the price tag after having come such a long way. Nevertheless, many knights and mercenaries visited the Holy See.

Well, if you want to find holy relics, it’s best to come to the Vatican.

It is said that the imperial court was superior in the past, when the emperor actively exercised his right to appoint clergy.

But that too became a thing of the past as the right to investiture emerged as a key issue in the Vatican and the balance of power gradually tilted.

Originally, supply followed demand, so high-quality weapons naturally flowed here.

And this blacksmith shop was the place where my specialty could shine.

I don’t know if it’s a relic, but the insight to estimate the value of weapons and armor is a matter directly related to income for a knight who has to select loot from the battlefield.

It would be better to check the refining status by directly striking it with the sword, but it is natural that such a blatant method can only be used on the battlefield.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t alternatives. Since it is difficult for everyone to agree to commit fraud, reputation through rumor is sufficient.

“From what I found out, I heard that there is an exceptionally skilled craftsman here.”

“Of course it is! If you are looking for the best quality, you have come to the right place.”

I soon received a piece of armor with the name of the blacksmith and the name of the craftsman engraved in a small corner in one corner. I touched it with my hand to check its condition.

If a craftsman engraves his name and proudly displays it, it can be considered a good thing.

This was a sign of pride in my skills, and when a defective product occurred, there was no way the knights, who were the bosses of royalties, would leave it alone.

Surviving meant being strong, which meant that the craftsman had excellent skills.

Equipment failure does not necessarily lead to death on the battlefield. You can’t gamble when it comes to your life or even your life.

Even if your skills are so poor that you can’t come back, that too will become a notoriety and follow you like a label.

Since the price is the price, it was something that had to be judged carefully. After taking a long look at the armor, I left the church.

When I went to get the armor, I said I could go alone, but Lisia, who had followed me saying she wanted to walk with me, came to my side and asked.

“Have you made up your mind?”

“After visiting a few places, I can get a rough idea. Whether it’s the state of refining or reputation, the place I went to yesterday seems the best.”

“Then, the armor you used before was… What do you want to do?”

“I keep that as a souvenir, well.”

Relics that were difficult to recycle were donated to churches or sold to be used as totems in every home.

Originally, the armor I wore was a kind of sacred relic, so it would have been common to sell it, but I decided to keep it just in case.

It was an item that Licia had been blessed with when she was a little inexperienced, so you might not know it. There was also a precedent called Guiberto.

I’m not willing to risk revealing the secret I was trying so hard to keep just to save a few bucks.

I just said I wouldn’t sell it, but Licia was smart enough to know what it meant.

Since we’ve known each other for a long time, I knew what would come next at times like that.

“… Yeah.”

“That’s not something to apologize for. Rather, because I have been indebted to you all this time.”

I couldn’t have done it without Lisia anyway.

Nevertheless, the girl opened her mouth again.

“Still, I want to say this.”

“Huh?”

“Thank you, Raven.”

Lisia smiled and squeezed my hand.

I returned to the lodgings with the girl. My fruitful consumption life at the Vatican was over.

I had invested a lot of my money, but the day when that investment would pay off was approaching.

*****

Not long after, we were on our way home.

It was the Count’s own consideration to gain a little time in a matter that should not be delayed even for a moment.

On the way back, there was an awkward silence compared to the previous trip.

This was partly because there were few topics to talk about amicably, but more than anything, it was because the count himself, the leader of the party, rarely opened his mouth.

Before heading to Alpine, I followed the count into the castle to stay the night and spent a moment alone with him.

The first words he said to me when he finally opened his mouth were these.

“Which side do you think I should side with?”

“Will my opinion, as a mere knight, be helpful to you? ”

The responsibility for investing lies with you. And war is also a type of investment.

Both sides always assume victory and use the other party’s assets as collateral to issue empty checks. And when the war is over, the winner collects it and distributes it to the loser.

Just as there are people who lose everything, there are also people at the opposite end of the spectrum who achieve their dreams of making a fortune.

It is dangerous to leave such judgment to others, and of course one has to be cautious in answering.

“However, from what I have heard, there is a rumor going around that His Holiness will soon recruit mercenaries from northern barbarians.”

“Well. They are good at plundering, but they are also good at fighting.”

The Count of Canossa is a cautious person.

Humans inherently hate losing and like winning, but he is the type of person who dislikes situations where he has to decide whether to win or lose.

“Then who do you think will win?”

“This is a war that has already been going on for a long time. As of the beginning of this year, it seems that His Majesty has won, but due to this incident, I cannot give a definite answer.”

The Count continued to worry. It was probably like that constantly until he finished his private meeting with the Pope and stood here now.

But every performance has an end. It’s not like a person can stay on the line forever.

He had been excellent at walking the tightrope between the Pope and the Emperor, but the times forced him to step down from the tightrope.

After a long, long thought, the Count asked me.

“Then, Kyeong-eun, if I ask you to fight for me, would you be willing to fight?”