episode_0035

There is no plan to charge into the city alone with the city walls.

Without further thought, that would be suicidal, even if the protection of the saint is with you.

Perhaps it might be necessary to stride through the battlefield with Lycia by your side, but it’s like rushing in knowing that blind arrows might come flying from anywhere.

The violence of numbers is not to be taken lightly. No matter how strong one is, they will eventually tire out.

So, we wait for the additional reinforcements to arrive.

The Bishop, Philah, who is trying to handle this matter in a hurry, the Marquis, and the nearby lords who have had a fire lit under them will take care of it.

The priest said he would inform me of the details later when the schedule for this matter is decided.

Now that the issue of my whereabouts is settled, the conversation has shifted elsewhere.

“So, what will you do with the child? Wouldn’t it be better to leave him in a city near the Holy See? The church there will take good care of the child, impressed by his loyalty.”

“Oh, I’ve decided to take him with me. I can’t trust leaving him elsewhere.”

“…Excuse me?”

The priest couldn’t hide the expression of ‘what is this guy really up to now?’ this time.

Indeed, it was impossible to distinguish between sincerity and falsehood in the words that had been turned upside down like a pancake since a moment ago.

“If you’re talking about my previous slip of the tongue….”

“It’s not a joke, it’s sincere.”

“Uh….”

Inside the priest, emotions clashed fiercely between the sense of where the hell he was trying to take the child and the reason that the knight who had come to help would take care of it, so he didn’t say anything more about it.

As the conversation that could be shared and the meaningful topics ran out and they continued with trivial conversations, a villager approached and told the priest that the cleaning was done.

Upon hearing that, the priest sent the villager away and told me.

“I’ve sent someone ahead to prepare a larger room. Rest there until the audience.”

“Thank you. Well then, I’ll go prepare before leaving.”

“Yes, may the Lord bless your future.”

As I left the priest after the business talk, it seemed that it was almost time for dinner, feeling a bit hungry.

Sure enough, the sun was still shining brightly, but the sky was burning red at the horizon.

After confirming that the mountain grass was still tied well next to the door, I entered the church.

Lycia, who had been told to rest in the church again after only hearing the vows, was in a room deeper inside the church, where the recently cleaned tea was still visible.

The bed looked softer, and the size of the room itself was almost doubled. So this is how space makes a person, they say.

As I entered the room with a gesture, the girl looked up and asked.

“Did you finish the business well?”

“Yeah. It seems like the church has gathered a lot of money. But for now, let’s slowly prepare for dinner. I’ll tell you about the conversation with the priest later.”

“Yes.”

It was a rare big contract, so I didn’t want to act stingy.

After finishing a satisfying meal at the city restaurant with meat included, I explained to Lycia until the sun completely set and fell asleep like a log.

The next day, after waking up early, I prepared to go to the battlefield.

There are still a few days left for people to gather. Originally, it was time to check the final preparations and find any rusted or broken parts, but with Lycia intervening, a slightly unusual procedure was added.

The windows were closed, and the room was covered with cloth so that nothing could be seen from the outside.

The door may not be locked, but at least it is firmly closed. There was no one to expect other than the bride, and since she would knock before entering, it didn’t matter.

With the room sealed like this, the secretive work began.

“I’ll try again.”

“Aren’t you tired? Shouldn’t you take a break?”

“I’m still okay.”

There was no secret between us anyway.

Sparkling light burst from the girl’s fingertips, illuminating my armor. And then it went out.

The process of making a relic was nothing special.

Just keep blessing it until the effect becomes permanent.

Of course, it wasn’t just about blessing it; usually, a form that enhances the effects of magic needed to be created.

Relic-making is a discipline taught even at universities. It’s not a simple task that can be summarized in a few words.

Based on the stories I’ve heard, it seemed to mainly teach appropriate geometric shapes, suitable metal refining techniques, and precise control of blessings.

With proficiency required in multiple areas, achieving great success didn’t seem easy. Plus, not knowing when it would become a relic, one had to endlessly try with a prayer meter.

But this is just the story of ordinary priests who research and practice.

“Yap!”

-Clang!

“Oh, it’s shining. Did it work?”

The manufacturing method taught at the university wasn’t necessary knowledge for a naive priestess who just poured blessings.

That’s why the houses and clothes where deceased adults stayed held the highest value. How many blessings had been bestowed upon them before they became relics?

I raised my sword and placed it in front of me. If it had faintly glowed like a fluorescent light before, what should I call this now?

It seemed to be flashing with brilliant iridescent light, changing colors rapidly like soap bubbles. But soap bubbles were too mundane, so there must be a more appropriate name.

“…Gaming Sword?”

“What does that mean?”

“It doesn’t mean anything.”

The sword, which had been shining brightly, disappointingly went out soon after.

Instead, the armor seemed to have received a slight protective effect during the blessing process. However, Lycia still seemed somewhat dissatisfied, expressing a slight disappointment.

“It seems like a little more would do….”

“Well, the armor is blessed, so isn’t that enough? I’m fine with just this much. Anyway, thank you.”

“If I can’t fight myself, this is the only thing I can do for you.”

Since there was nothing to do until departure, I spent time watching the girl bless and telling old stories.

And after the sun rose and set five times, the bride finally came to us.

*****

Count Filah issued a summons to his viscounts.

Some of the viscounts who had heard about the bandits acting as the masters of the city gathered dozens of hunters and soldiers on their lands and sent them out.

Clerics who could use combat or healing magic also gathered. This was due to the desperate efforts of the bishops to not turn the accusation of Count Filah being an enemy of the Pope upside down.

But what was important on the battlefield were not the foot soldiers who played the role of meat shields but the knights.

Of course, there would be a siege, but from the perspective of Count Filah, who saw the city as his stomach, completely destroying it was the last thing he wanted to do.

So, for the covert entry to open the door from the inside, break through the city gate, and turn the battle into a melee, the knights who had devoted their lives to combat were crucial.

Humans may be slaves to gold, but they cannot kill the goose that lays the golden egg. To reclaim the city-goose, Count Filah generously scattered gold.

It was obvious that those who gathered at the scent of money were there for one thing.

“War? War? War?”

“Are you a new recruit? Keep an eye on them. The smell of war still lingers.”

Nearby mercenaries who have not yet turned to banditry.

Of course, there were also those who had not yet decided on a side, wandering around with nothing left to plunder.

“Uphold the honor of your family. The Marquis and the Countess are watching, so make sure there is no shame.”

“I understand my duty and responsibility well. I will definitely grasp the most shining glory.”

The children of a Viscount who have nothing left to inherit.

For them, it was necessary to build a reputation from now on in preparation for their future independence, so every opportunity was precious.

“The recruitment is complete. The hunters of this village will guide us as we depart together. Do you need more time to prepare?”

“No, I need nothing more. Let’s go.”

Finally, fellow knights like me.

I put on my armor and mounted my horse.

Originally, wearing armor in the city was prohibited, but it was allowed under the mayor’s permission to announce our departure.

As I passed through the streets, I did some PR for myself once more, reassuring the city that it was safe and that Philah would soon be safe as well. After giving some lip service, I headed back the way I came with a girl in front of me and a dozen soldiers lined up behind me.