Ch.122Ill Fate (5)

The monk pointed to the horizon.

“Do you see over there? Thirty years ago, all of that was wasteland. It was even called the Empire’s barren land…”

When the soil was poor and taxes harsh, farmers became bandits. Bandits plundered other farmers, and those who were plundered joined the bandit gangs.

Frederick, the Elector of Reinhardt, now deceased, tried to solve the problem by developing the wasteland.

He believed that by digging waterways to bring in river water, creating reservoirs in stable ground to store water, and tracking underground water to dig wells everywhere, farming would become possible, people would gather, and villages or cities would emerge.

Since it was a major project, the Elector didn’t rush. With the motto “Slow but right the first time,” he prepared methodically.

Only after several years was the preparation complete. Just as the foundation work began, the Elector offered a prayer of thanks to God.

The response to his prayer was participation in the Third Crusade.

Pagans had pushed into Magdeburg in the southern Empire. The Electorate of Reinhardt was close to the second line, but in importance, it exceeded even Magdeburg on the front line.

It was because of its location.

The Electorate was situated in the central-lower part of the Empire, corresponding to the abdomen of a person. Additionally, the Black Forest was spread widely throughout the Electorate.

If the Black Forest fell into pagan hands, the Empire’s territory would instantly shrink by half. The forest was already vast, dense, and filled with bandits due to abandoned buildings. If it became a supply base for well-trained pagan scouts and cavalry…

It was natural that the Emperor, the Pope, and even other Electors demanded participation.

In other words, the price had risen considerably. If Frederick had been a cunning person, he would have delayed his departure as much as possible and extracted everything he could through negotiations.

But he was too noble for that. His belief was that “someone’s life is at stake, and a ruler should not act that way.”

Workers became soldiers. Shovels and pickaxes were replaced with swords and shields. Construction materials gathered for the project were used for building outposts and defensive walls.

The funds already invested couldn’t be recovered, and remaining resources were used as military funds.

The Third Crusade was a great success, but all Frederick gained was the glorious title of “Lord of the Crusade.” Although the Empire’s territory expanded more than before the Crusade, it had nothing to do with the Electorate of Reinhardt, which was positioned on the second line.

Overwhelmed by futility, Frederick began to lose his intelligence. He handled the Electorate’s affairs perfunctorily and stopped calculating political dynamics.

Occasionally, he would stare blankly at the excavated wasteland with melancholic eyes. But otherwise, all he did was read books, tend to his garden, and converse with old friends.

After Frederick’s death, his son Paul Reinhardt, who ascended to the position of Elector, had observed this entire process clearly.

Paul’s first declaration was that he would “continue his father’s will.” Unofficial noble councils were held consecutively, and questions circulated about “where he would draw funds from when the Electorate didn’t have much money.”

But people were even more shocked by his subsequent declaration.

“In honor of my father’s valor as a hero of the Third Crusade, I gladly donate the Crown Fortress to the Order.”

Commoners thought, “The Elector must have deep faith and love for his father.” Nobles cautiously remarked, “He can make such provocations because he’s young,” while the Order suffered from headaches.

The Order also knew well that the Crown Fortress was just a castle built on a rocky mountain, a place where passing bandits might briefly stop, with no value whatsoever.

There were no cities or villages nearby to collect more offerings, it wasn’t in a border area so they couldn’t plunder under the pretext of patrol, and it was far from trade routes, almost like a desert.

“So he wants to use us as guard dogs for this fortress. If the Order manages it, at least bandit gangs won’t raid it.”

The Order saw through Paul’s intentions and sent a reply saying, “The Elector’s faith has already been sufficiently demonstrated. We gratefully accept your intention only.”

That Sunday, Elector Paul attended mass wearing linen clothes that only commoners wore. He circled the church barefoot, prostrated himself weeping in prayer, and declared before the bishop, clergy, nobles, and commoners:

“Glory to the radiance of the Two-headed Eagle who has provided a well at Crown Fortress! What is this if not a miracle? Accept it! Accept it!”

Surprised Order officials and Holy Grail Knights officers rushed to Crown Fortress. Indeed, water was gushing up from the well in the central courtyard of the fortress.

The Knights’ engineering officers expressed the view that “this is impossible, it cannot happen,” while the clergy who loved to be moved insisted, “This is God’s revelation. Not accepting Paul the Elector’s gift would be disloyal to God.”

The Order gratefully accepted the gift and took over Crown Fortress. And exactly one week later, the well ran dry.

“It turns out they didn’t draw from groundwater but just dug a well and put water in it. No wonder I got an upset stomach after drinking it…”

Naturally, Elector Paul sent a reply saying, “Oh, that’s regrettable,” and the Order gnashed their teeth.

Having accepted the gift in front of the whole world, returning it would damage their prestige, and they feared criticism like “Why did water flow when the Elector ruled it, but not after the Order received it?”

But the decisive blow came separately.

“Water is vitally important for human survival. Our Electorate will help in every way possible. However, since it’s unreasonable for secular people to tread on Order territory, we will only go as far as we can.”

It meant “dig your own well if you’re thirsty.” And no matter how much they dug, groundwater couldn’t be found. Eventually, the Order and the Holy Grail Knights had to participate semi-forcibly in Paul the Elector’s grand project.

As a result, the Holy Grail Knights were able to bring river water closer, and the Electorate of Reinhardt gained fertile land and water purification facilities enough to establish six villages and the small city of Pfalzburg. It was clearly Paul’s victory. The cunning son thus avenged his noble father.

In comparison, the Order’s revenge was utterly petty. They merely used a place that originally had only training facilities as an intermediate base to imprison heresy suspects, witches, and wizards from the south and central regions, and transport them to Magdeburg, just because it had prisons and administrative offices.

“That’s what being deceived meant. That’s why people here carry water buckets when going uphill. To engrave the lesson that if your head is stupid, your body suffers.”

The well-built monk laughed heartily.

“Well, that’s just a saying. In reality, we can’t bring water up to such a high place. So we have no choice but to carry water manually.”

The two chatted for quite some time. But Kain’s mind was complicated.

The reason he had come up to the main building was to meet Belisarius, the Abbot and Training Commander, to make a request.

He wanted to say something like, “Maria entrusted me with a task in preparation for such a situation…” and ask for help in sending a letter to Magdeburg or a nearby Inquisition branch to dispatch an inquisitor.

And to help ensure they would personally interrogate the heretics imprisoned in that jail or order them to be transported to Magdeburg.

This monastery is roughly nothing more than an intermediate stop. Here, they only imprison heretics; the authority to decide where to transport them lies with the inquisitors. In other words, they cannot do anything independently without an inquisitor’s order.

But as it turned out, the situation here was more complicated than Kain had anticipated.

St. Georgios Monastery and the Electorate of Reinhardt are entangled in a generational feud.

And coincidentally, Count Bördem, who was practically the Elector’s secret purse, was brought in all battered. On charges of heresy, along with two priests.

A major conflict might arise between the already uncomfortable relationship between the Elector and the Order. And the Empire’s hero Roberta was also involved.

If this incident becomes public or leaks out, the Elector of Reinhardt will suffer considerable damage.

If it’s revealed that his most favored adjutant and virtual secret purse was a worshipper of wizards and witches, Reinhardt’s political life becomes precarious.

And Kain knows from past cases how far an “Elector in political trouble” can go. The means available to someone who could potentially become Emperor are countless.

Moreover, this would also deal a heavy blow to the Pope, who is desperately trying to cover up what happened to the Heroes. Unlike other incidents, this one is too closely related to heresy. Even if other matters can be covered up as accidents or conspiracies, this one cannot.

No one benefits from this becoming public knowledge. Many would suffer losses. And those who would suffer are the world’s power holders.

“Is this why Belisarius is taking no action?”

Kain vaguely guessed. Even what has been revealed so far will have major repercussions. It was not something that could be decided at the Training Commander level.

Perhaps he is in secret discussions with the Order or the Knights. If so, Kain needs to find out what the Order’s intentions are.

“Well, anyway… what brings you up here? Are the monks below insisting that even outsiders should carry water?”

“No, not at all. I did it because I wanted to.” Kain replied politely.

In a situation where he didn’t know how long he would have to stay, it was to gain favor by acting similarly to the people here. When in Rome, do as the Romans do—a saying that Imperial Security Bureau agents hear until their ears hurt.

“I came up to meet Abbot Belisarius. After all, I wanted to express my gratitude for allowing my employer and me to stay here, and for providing treatment and care.”

“Heh heh. You’re too kind.”

As expected. This man was Belisarius.

Kain wasn’t too surprised. While everyone else was sweating profusely and carrying water buckets, this man was leisurely sitting and chatting with an outsider.

Above all, this man never greeted passing monks first. Rather, those who came a little closer would give him eye greetings first before leaving.

“And if possible, I would like to make a small request.”

“A request… Let’s get up first. There are many listening ears here.”

Like a good-natured person, Belisarius patted his thighs and stood up. As Kain followed him, he gauged just how big his “small proposal” actually was.

When he reached the conclusion that “it’s too big to be granted, he won’t accept this condition,” his steps finally lightened.