Chapter 88 - Episode 4: "It's Very Saint-like, desu-wa!"
Gokigenyou. It is I, Violia Nico Fortesia.
I am about to unleash monsters upon the Settlement.
And then I'll have Carol protect it, gathering the respect and faith of the settlers for her!
This operation is extremely simple.
I'll inflict appropriate wounds on the monsters I've unleashed, and then Carol will pour Holy Water into them along with words of prayer.
Since the Holy Water is my blood diluted 1,000 times, if the monster isn't too large, the amount that enters through the wounds will be a certain kill.
In this way, we will demonstrate Carol's strength and holy power, gathering the votes of this Settlement for her.
...And one more thing.
The settlers here have an important mission: 'to nominate Carol for the Saint election.'
The script is that Carol does not nominate herself for Saint, but is nominated due to the push from those around her.
Being nominated by others rather than self-nomination has great significance.
First, it creates the impression that Carol is good-natured and modest, yet 'an excellent person who is pushed to be a Saint candidate because her abilities are recognized even without self-nomination.'
Furthermore, it will instill a strong sense of goodwill in the people who worked to nominate Carol. After all, the feeling of 'the Saint I discovered and raised' is quite strong, isn't it?
...The goal of these little tricks is to increase the number of people who will support Carol and work of their own accord to gather votes for her.
Therefore, I won't be cutting any corners with this monster attack commotion!
First, I prepared the monster.
I wanted to go with a dragon for visual impact, but the risk if it failed would be astronomical, so I caught a slow-moving Cyclops.
A Cyclops is reasonably large, so while it's not a dragon, it still has visual impact.
Additionally, it's a monster that can easily crush a house with a single swing of its fist or club, so it's easy to demonstrate its strength. After all, having houses blown away or set on fire really adds to the spectacle...
Once the monster is ready, I'll start 'creating a reason why Carol must protect the Settlement.'
...It can't be helped, but our combat power has been somewhat exposed because we encountered monsters on the journey (meaning, on the way here with the settlers).
I've kept it hidden that Doran is a werewolf, but it's obvious he's a muscle-head with monstrous strength.
I've kept it hidden that Keeb is a lightning user, but it's known that he uses reasonably strong water magic, even if he's still practicing.
It's long been obvious that Onii-sama uses magic.
By the way, I've made sure to emphasize that Giovan cannot fight. This is the truth, so there's no problem. ...Actually, he seems to have a decent aptitude for guns. Well, I'll keep that hidden.
Ah, as for Chesta, he's the antagonist in the first place, so he's not originally at the Settlement. No problem there.
...So, if these combatants are at the Settlement, people will just say 'you guys fight,' and that'll be the end of it. So I'll have them go out on their respective missions. Like going to find new settlers, or guarding them. There are plenty of excuses.
Thus, the only combatants left at the Settlement are me and the girl who uses a bow.
...For this day, from the time we started gathering settlers until today, I've been careful 'not to kill enemies in one blow.' Yes. In short, I've forbidden the use of my blood, and when I had the leeway, I purposely missed vital spots when finishing off monsters.
Now then.
Since the preparations are complete... let's begin at once!
This grand farce of the Settlement being attacked by a monster!
And as night fell.
The settlers were gathered around simple tables set up outside, rewarding each other for the day's labor, eating, and drinking alcohol.
Yes, we've prepared plenty of alcohol for this Settlement, even if it's just cheap stuff. It's heaven, isn't it?
While glancing at the happy settlers shouting and enjoying themselves, I once left the Settlement... and took the Cyclops out of the Spatial Bag at an appropriate spot.
In the twilight, the Cyclops shouldn't be visible from the Settlement. However, the laughter of the happy settlers and the sounds of someone singing or playing an instrument can be heard, and above all, light is leaking from the newly built houses, and there are bonfires, so it's plenty bright.
The Cyclops began to stomp toward the direction where it sensed humans.
As the Cyclops approached the Settlement, a few settlers finally began to notice.
"A-ah, that..."
"Look! A monster!"
"It's huge! That's... a Cyclops!"
Are there few monsters in the boonies? Or is this just a normal reaction? The settlers began to panic at the sight of the Cyclops to a degree that was a bit much.
Since I had conveniently returned to the Settlement faster than the Cyclops, the settlers immediately began to cling to me.
"Please! You can fight, can't you!? Do something about that thing!"
"Th-that is..."
Since I've been coming here with a face that says 'I'm not that strong,' I showed a bit of a bewildered gesture... but more than that, I decided to show a strong will to protect this Settlement.
"I understand. Then everyone, please evacuate the residents. Also, please go call Sister Carol. If she has Holy Water, she might at least be able to stop that monster's movements."
"U-understood! I'll go call Sister Carol!"
Now then. After seeing off the settlers who disappeared to evacuate, flee, and call Carol... I notched an arrow in my bow.
If I put my blood on the arrowhead and blew out the Cyclops' unnecessarily large eyeball, it would be an instant kill, but of course, I won't do that this time.
I timed the Cyclops' movements and first shot an arrow at its feet.
If I can disable one leg, the risk when Carol pours the Holy Water later will be minimized. There's no reason not to aim for it.
I ruthlessly shot an arrow so it would wedge into the joint of the Cyclops' left knee. As a result, the Cyclops let out a very good scream, something like "Bwaaaaa!" This exposed the Settlement to even more terror. Good direction!
"I will not lose!"
I have no intention or plan of losing in the first place, but while saying such things for show, I aimed for its arm next.
By aiming for the left shoulder, the back of the left hand, and the area between the index and middle finger bones, the Cyclops' movements were mostly restricted.
Since its left hand is done for, the attack will definitely come from the right. Since its left knee is done for, the step-in will definitely be with the right foot. I've already told Carol the spots I plan to aim for, so as planned, she should be able to rush in and pour the Holy Water from a position where the Cyclops' attacks are unlikely to hit.
Now then.
While feeling the settlers watching from a distance, I missed a few shots, and further avoided the fist the Cyclops swung down at me, and somehow the arrows I shot grazed and wounded its right leg... and so, I played the part of someone struggling.
While acting, I made sure to graze the Cyclops' legs with arrows, creating wound after wound.
Now all that's left is for Carol to do it, but...!
The Cyclops swung its arm at me, and that arm passed over my ducking head and destroyed one of the houses.
Along with that, the settlers' screams rose, and just as the terror and tension were about to reach their peak.
"Wicked monster! Leave this place at once!"
As if suppressing her own fear, while remaining dignified, Carol stood before the Cyclops while trembling.
Firmly grasping the bottle of Holy Water in her hand.
Carol looked clearly small and frail compared to the Cyclops.
Even so, seeing her stand up to it, the settlers must have felt anxiety, expectation, and prayer in their hearts.
"I cannot let you ravage this place! ...O God! Please protect this town... this town that has just been born, from the wicked!"
Just as the Cyclops raised its arm to crush Carol and screams rose from the settlers.
I shot an arrow into the Cyclops' arm to throw off its trajectory, and then, Carol successfully splashed the contents of the Holy Water bottle onto the wounds on the Cyclops' leg.
The moment the Holy Water touched the Cyclops.
A soft, warm light enveloped the Cyclops.
...This is light magic being cast by Onii-sama, who is supposed to be away from the Settlement but is actually hiding nearby. Since it's the magic of Onii-sama, the jack of all trades, it's only enough magic to make the monster glow, but that's enough for the performance.
"...Ugh."
At first, the Cyclops looked at its own legs with a puzzled expression.
But that was only for a few seconds. Soon, the Cyclops seemed to realize that its body was being invaded by a deadly poison.
"Bwaaaaaaaaaa!"
Amidst the Cyclops' screams, Carol calmly splashed another bottle of Holy Water, then took her distance and began to spin words of prayer.
And as Onii-sama's light magic glittered at maximum output... the Cyclops finally breathed its last...
The settlers rejoiced that the Settlement was protected, rejoiced in the power of Carol's prayers... and having been released from their previous tension and fear, they fell into a state of excitement and immediately began a banquet around Carol.
Carol is already doing well. While the thread of tension snapped and she went limp, she still worried about the safety of the settlers more than herself or her achievements, and she wore a beautiful smile of relief upon learning everyone was safe.
She is a Saint. Is there any action more Saint-like than this? No, there isn't!
"You put on quite a performance too."
I whispered softly to the Cyclops' corpse. Thanks to this guy shouting "Bwaa Bwaa" in such a good voice, it felt very powerful. The choice of monster was a huge success!
...Thus, the Settlement was saved by Sister Carol's miraculous power, and Carol's reputation shot up instantly.
Since Carol's power repelled a powerful monster, the feelings the settlers directed toward her became faith as much as friendliness... and Carol became a complete celebrity.
Once things reached that point, one of the settlers in charge of transporting goods back and forth from Elsemarin began to say it.
'Isn't Sister Carol the most suitable person to be the Saint?'
This bit actually wasn't a setup. I was surprised that the settlers reached this conclusion spontaneously. Originally, I had planned to borrow some adventurers from the Elsemarin Guild to set this up.
...Apparently, that settler had seen the Saint candidates who had come to Elsemarin to campaign. Seeing them, he thought, 'Sister Carol is more neat, pure, clearly has greater power, and is friendlier and cuter.' Yes. He is absolutely right.
So, the settler who returned from Elsemarin recommended that Carol run for Saint.
"Hey, Sister Carol! You're the real Saint! Please run for it."
"No, someone like me being the Saint... it's too much to ask."
"That's not true! I saw two or three girls who said they were Saint candidates, but none of them were as pure and beautiful as you!"
"Besides, those Saint candidates are noble daughters, aren't they? Then I'd prefer you!"
"Please, think about it, Carol-chan! if you become the Saint, maybe more people will come to this town!"
"If a Saint is chosen from a newly born town, we'll be so proud!"
...Since they originally have few entertainments in their lives, the settlers get very enthusiastic when it comes to this kind of festive commotion.
In the blink of an eye, Carol was urged to run for Saint... and then.
"I heard at the Elsemarin Guild that nominations by others are also allowed. I went ahead and applied for you."
By the hand of one of the settlers who acted ahead of time, Carol successfully became a candidate for the Saint vote.
At first, Carol strongly showed a gesture of not being keen on it. She said things like 'someone like me being the Saint is too much to ask' and 'I don't have the confidence to fulfill the duties of a Saint.'
However, she was moved by the opinion that 'if Carol becomes the Saint, more people will gather in the Settlement,' and Carol resolved to do her best for the settlers of this town and for the town's future.
Carol's candidacy became a bit of a topic in the Royal Capital and major cities as well.
After all, she is a Saint candidate who arrived late, with only a little over a month left until the Saint vote. The buzz was perfect.
Furthermore, as rumors of the Settlement began to spread, Carol's exploits also became a topic of conversation.
Here, Carol entered the fray with the buzz-worthy titles of 'The Late-Coming Saint Candidate' and 'The Saint of Banishing Evil, Who Possesses True Power and Is Not Just for Show'!
There are many eyes fixed on Carol, who is a cut above the riffraff aiming for power. And if we keep pushing her abilities, it will even resonate with the pseudo-intellectuals who act cynical and say things like 'Saint? How ridiculous'!
...In short, the citizens were waiting for a 'Saint who is not traditional' and a 'Saint who is different from before.'
This was unexpected... but it must mean the country's current situation is bad enough to make the citizens think that way.
And so, with less than a month left until the Saint vote.
Carol began her campaign in Elsemarin along with several settlers and the maidens.
Unlike the thin, hollow manifestos of others, she has powerful words like 'rebuilding the hometown that vanished after being attacked by monsters' and 'I want to save many people suffering from monster damage just like my hometown.' She is strong.
Unlike the riffraff who become Saints for themselves or their houses, Carol is trying to become a Saint solely to repay the people of the Settlement who support her. While her reception among nobles is so-so, her reputation among the commoners is excellent.
The appearance of the buzz-worthy Carol sent a definite shockwave through the other Saint candidates.
...And then, finally, it begins.
The attacks against Carol.