Chapter 282 - Chapter 20: Servetus
Hans, who had captured the priests of the Ruined Town, isolated the prisoners in two mountain huts in a certain location. Among them, only the Council Chairman, Servetus, was isolated in one hut alone.
He was fitted with a Magic-Sealing Ring, blindfolded and gagged, and his hands and feet were bound to a chair.
Not only was he unable to move, but he wasn't even given water, but as a Revenant, he had no need for water or food. Furthermore, he had almost complete resistance even to torture by sleep deprivation.
Servetus, who was left alone in the hut after being restrained, devoted himself to meditation without panic.
Suddenly, the door opened, and the sound of multiple people entering could be heard.
Henry and Eleanor entered along with Hans and the others.
Servetus, who was blindfolded, could not see them.
Hans moved behind Servetus, drew his sword, and suddenly struck Servetus on the back of the head with the hilt.
After confirming he was unconscious, he spread out a scroll and pointed it at Servetus.
"Commence the interrogation."
Those words must have been the signal. White light burst from the scroll and enveloped Servetus, who looked as if he were sleeping while leaning against the chair he was bound to.
A short while later, Servetus, who had ice water dumped over his head, regained consciousness.
Perhaps the back of his head was throbbing, as he groaned while slowly moving his neck.
Henry and Eleanor placed chairs in front of Servetus and sat down together.
Hans and another person stood behind Henry and Eleanor as guards, keeping a slight distance from the two. There was one more person standing directly behind Servetus. Because Servetus's chair had a backboard, he couldn't tell who was standing there. Judging by the way they pointedly tapped the hilt of their sword, it was likely a threat that if he took an insolent attitude, they would reach around from behind with a sword and immediately slit his throat.
One of the soldiers removed the blindfold and gag.
"First, I shall introduce myself. I am Henry of Sertoria."
"And I am Eleanor."
It was the first time they had met face-to-face.
"We are commencing the interrogation. However, before that, I apologize for doing something quite rude, including what happened just now. You are a rare wielder of magic and a Revenant. We value our lives as well. We will respond accordingly."
Henry has a silver sword at his waist. And Eleanor has a scroll of [Purification]. The three guards are likely the same.
Servetus looked around and assessed the situation. They likely intended to destroy him without mercy if he resisted.
In fact, Hans, who was present, had destroyed a priest without hesitation or warning.
"For the former heroes and the former King and Queen of Sertoria to make such a grand fuss over someone like me. Just what is it you wish to know?"
Servetus stared into Henry's eyes.
Henry hurriedly turned his right palm toward Servetus, blocking his gaze.
"Whoops, let's have no staring. If you were a beautiful woman of the right age, that would be one thing, but if I were to fall under the spell of a Revenant, my subordinates would laugh at me."
"If you fall under the spell of a beautiful woman of the right age, I'll kick you out of the royal palace myself."
At their words, the three guards instinctively looked down.
"You lot, don't look carelessly into this fellow's eyes either. Keep your eyes on his torso."
The expressions of the two guards tightened at Henry's words.
The intention of Henry and the others' interrogation was to find out why the priests of the Ruined Town were participating in the war alongside Engrio.
"Your doctrine is the same as our country's, faith in the Goddess. If you were praising a war god like in Finis, that would be one thing, but why are you aiding in the war of Engrio, which believes in a different god? Is it because King Seldic has secretly lifted the ban on Forbidden Magic?"
"King Seldic is a hero. That is why."
"The kings of other countries aren't to be dismissed like that either, you know."
(You lot don't even have the spirit to unify the island.)
"Hmm," Henry grunted, crossing his arms.
"Suppose, as you say, Seldic is a once-in-a-generation genius. How does that involve you?"
"We are correcting the foundation of the doctrine."
"Forbidden Magic? It is loathed by the people. No one wants to be worked like a slave even after they've become a corpse."
(You lot, who are at the beck and call of the Northern Church, cannot understand the foundation of the doctrine.)
It was something Servetus could not have imagined, but the mockery within his heart was reaching Henry and Eleanor.
"For example, the laws of our country do not prohibit Forbidden Magic. The church simply prohibits it on its own. If Forbidden Magic were used in a friendly manner, the populace would accept it. Why do you turn people into Revenants and use them in battle?"
"You yourselves use elemental magic, which was originally meant for agriculture, in war. Where is the difference?"
"There is some truth in what you say. However, elemental magic is accepted by the populace. On the other hand, Forbidden Magic—especially [Charm], [Doll], and [Necromancy], which manipulate others—is rejected by the populace."
(Hmph! You prattle on while knowing nothing.)
Servetus, who had been expressionless until then, smirked.
"That is because you are being danced about by those who twisted the foundation of the doctrine and arbitrarily created the current interpretation."
Eleanor let out a pointed sigh, as if to say, "Don't make a fool of me."
"Wasn't it because the populace loathed it that the Great Northern Church called for the prohibition of Forbidden Magic? Petitions from various places to prohibit its use still remain."
Eleanor had once read many documents regarding the controversy that involved the churches of the entire island. Among them were items strictly managed at the Great Church in the Medioland capital.
(This woman... just what does she know?)
Servetus's expression changed.
"Both elemental magic and so-called Forbidden Magic were originally meant to save the people. That is precisely why the Goddess bestowed them. It was the sin of humans to research them arbitrarily and turn them into tools of war. If that is the case, then whether magic is a blessing or an evil should be decided by whether the populace desires it or not. If that populace opposes its use, isn't it the natural form for the church to designate it as Forbidden Magic?"
"Hohoh, you say strange things. Priests were supposed to be those who lead the populace."
"Priests are not gods. As long as they are mere humans, they make mistakes. Besides, in the myths, we of the island—no, those who have lived on this island since ancient times—are the descendants of the gods. As you know, those who call themselves kings, nobles, and archbishops on this island are almost all descendants of those who came from the continent. The true descendants of the Goddess should be the general populace."
(Impossible! Does she mean to say she knows everything...)
Servetus was aghast at Eleanor's words.
"It was precisely because that general populace opposed it that the church also moved. Wasn't it the Great Southern Church that disregarded the will of the populace, the descendants of the gods? It is only natural that you bear the blame."
(T-This woman... B-But even so, to attack the Great Southern Church... the church that is my very essence, and kill so many priests! Is it acceptable to slaughter the royal family that is my own kin!)
Servetus's bound body and his lips were already trembling uncontrollably.
"I believe it was a great mistake to crush the Great Northern Church and the royal family you served with force. However, that is precisely why we must never repeat that mistake. That should be our duty. And yet you..."
Eleanor trailed off, raising her chin diagonally as if looking down on Servetus, then frowned as if she had seen something filthy and turned away with a "Hmph."
Servetus should have realized that his inner thoughts were being seen through by Eleanor's words. However, he completely lost himself in rage at Eleanor's words and attitude. Having spent a long time—long enough to be called history for a living human—being addressed as "His Eminence," he felt that he hadn't been covered in such humiliation since the time the Great Southern Church was destroyed.
He had completely fallen for Eleanor's provocation.
"What do you know! You keep saying 'Forbidden Magic, Forbidden Magic,' but do you know its original purpose! Even Forbidden Magic was originally meant to save the people! To unilaterally deny it and take us by surprise! Do you think such resentment will ever vanish!"
(I shall curse you for all eternity!)
He bared his teeth while writhing.
"Will. Give Servetus-dono some wine to drink."
Will, who was designated by Henry, knelt on one knee and offered the canteen with both hands to Servetus, who was breathing heavily.
Servetus had been glaring at Eleanor while huffing and puffing, but since his opponent wouldn't even look at his face, he gave up and put his mouth to the tip of the canteen, drinking the wine with a gulping sound.
"Servetus-dono. I believe you likely know this, but the first King of our Kingdom of Sertoria was a man who drew the blood of the ancients. And in truth, he had considered the revival of Forbidden Magic. However, he could not persuade the church. He had no choice but to at least not prohibit it under kingdom law. But there was a deathbed instruction. That was to clarify the original purpose of Forbidden Magic. As the fourth generation, I have the duty to inherit that instruction. If you are willing, could you tell me the original purpose of Forbidden Magic? I cannot make a promise, but the day may come when it is reinstated in our country."
Henry spoke after waiting for Servetus to calm down. He was staring firmly into his eyes.
Servetus turned away sullenly, perhaps regretting that he had let his emotions explode despite being a person addressed as "His Eminence," even if only within the Ruined Town.
"Beatrix. What do you think about the exchange so far?"
Since Servetus had fallen silent, Eleanor asked Beatrix, who was standing behind the chair, struggling with a heavy sword.
"I don't really get it. But you know, what happened in the past is unfortunate, but if you're talking about magic to save the populace, you should save the poor. No one is happy when there's a war."
Servetus was surprised by the unexpectedly young girl's voice. Furthermore, her way of speaking was that of a mere town girl. Including the girl who gave him wine earlier, the only one who could truly be called a soldier was Hans, who had restrained him.
"Are you of commoner birth?"
Servetus turned his head back and asked Beatrix, who should have been standing behind him. Of course, he knew that Sertoria had no nobles.
"I was born the daughter of a serf in Regnentes. Various things happened when I was little, and I became a citizen of the Kingdom of Sertoria."
"A serf? Did you flee with your parents?"
"My dad, mom, and little sister died in a famine. The whole village was wiped out. I didn't so much flee as I was made to flee. I almost died in the forest near the border, but fortunately, I was rescued by people from Sertoria and grew up in an orphanage. I was given a family register, so I'm a citizen of the Kingdom of Sertoria now."
"...I see."
Helping the daughter of another country's serf, raising her in an orphanage, and then spending time together with royalty like this. She spoke without hesitation. Only in Sertoria would such a thing happen.
(My wish was originally like this as well...)
Servetus confirmed that Beatrix's voice could no longer be heard, then returned his head to its original position and raised his gaze.
(When I was a young child, I just wanted to hold hands with the slave child I became friends with in the royal palace and walk down the main street of the capital. Because I only played with slave children, I was finally cast out of the royal palace as if disowned and sent to a monastery in the countryside far away. And when I returned as an adult, my father, mother, brothers, and sisters—and even the slave children who were my friends and tried to protect my siblings when they should have fled—had all been killed...)
The three who could read his thoughts looked down. The three of them knew what had happened in the land called the Lost Capital.
A short while later, Servetus twisted his neck and spoke to Beatrix, who should have been directly behind him.
"Did you say Beatrix? Very well. What the origin of Forbidden Magic was... I shall tell you."
At those words, Eleanor, whose eyes widened in surprise, stood up and gave a silent, formal bow.
Servetus himself requested wine from Will, and after taking two sips, he turned his head back.
"The Forbidden Magic you first imagine is likely the magic that turns people into Revenants, is it not?"
Beatrix said, "That's right," and Eleanor nodded.
"Originally, it was something the Goddess devised to take pity on the feelings of a woman who was dying and leaving behind a young child. The woman's wish was to at least remain in this world until her child grew to a certain size. That said, even the Goddess cannot bring the dead back to life."
"No way, the origin of Revenants was..."
Beatrix instinctively came out from behind the chair. However, she didn't forget to keep her distance so her mind wouldn't be read. She didn't have the confidence to maintain her composure after hearing the rest of the story.
"Indeed. Forbidden Magic, [Undead], is a method to keep a dying woman in this world. Of course, as a Revenant. She cannot give milk, but she can hold the child. Her body temperature is lower than that of the living, but she can let the child taste the warmth of a mother's breast."
Servetus looked at Beatrix, who was dressed in Black-Purple. Her white, slender arms showed that she was not a soldier.
"Beatrix. Do you know? What is the greatest cause of death for the women of old on this island, who are protected from various obstacles by the Goddess's blessing?"
"I don't know. Disease?"
"Puerperal fever. It was life-threatening for a mother to give birth to a baby. Sometimes they died just as they were giving birth. Sometimes they exhausted their strength and died along with the baby. They were giving birth at the risk of their lives. However, when the mother's body faced a life-threatening crisis, if there was [Undead], the child could be saved, and the mother's feelings could also be saved."
Beatrix remembered Wilson. His appearance made it seem like he was nothing but alive.
I wonder what the children at the orphanage would think if they heard this.
In particular, Jeanne doesn't know the faces of her parents. If there were Forbidden Magic, [Undead], she would have been held by her mother and known her mother's face. Jeanne doesn't say anything, but Beatrix, who is good at drawing portraits, had many times thought, If only I had come to the orphanage a few years earlier than Jeanne.
[Necromancy] was for securing more food and fighting off external enemies by using the dead as a labor force. That was easy to understand. Then, what about the other magics?
[Charm] and [Doll], which manipulate the mind and body, were for safely apprehending criminals or those who mindlessly loved battle. [Memorize] was a magic for those who couldn't use magic to forcibly learn it... these were magics that were too dangerous for the mental strength of the living to endure while learning, and were magics exclusively for those who had become Revenants through [Undead] magic. And such Revenants, who had become in a sense too powerful by learning those magics, would easily return to the earth with the basic holy magic [Purification] used by a priest, who should be a leader and a person of good sense.
"Magic is all in how it is used. As life became more prosperous, before we knew it, it became a tool of war, a tool to make people submit."
Eleanor nodded deeply at those words.
Servetus was looking into Beatrix's eyes. The burning anger was already gone from those eyes.
"If you understand that much, why are you aiding in the war?"
"Humans hunt. And those who catch good prey are praised. In other words, they possess the instinct to snatch and fight in order to live. To control that instinct, one should start a great war, unify the island, and create a single nation. Then, they can be suppressed with that mighty power. The same goes for the use of magic, including Forbidden Magic. Besides, if there is only one country, conflicts between countries will not occur. The Way of Hegemony, suppressing with force, is the shortcut to coexistence and co-prosperity."
Beatrix crossed her arms in response to Servetus, who spoke as if teaching a lesson.
"Sorry. I don't really get it. But you know, I think a king who kills a lot of people to make a country will be hated by a lot of people and killed."
After she finished speaking, she nodded with an "un," as if convincing herself.
"I do not care if I am killed. However, the systems necessary to unify the island will be born."
"Systems?"
"Indeed. Systems may also be called laws. Fortunately, these systems, once the framework is created, can be handled even by a multitude of ordinary people. A genius who can unify the entire island is not necessary. They only need to do as is written. If it is not written, they only need to add it. Those systems will eventually dwell in the hearts of those who live on the island as a spirit. They will correct the mistakes of the systems made in the past, and something more refined will be created. Finally, based on the Goddess's teachings, they will destroy class distinctions and the resulting gap between rich and poor, and consider living together. And those who oppose it will be subjugated in the name of the system."
"Then, it sounds like the person who makes that first country does those things just to be killed. That's sad in its own way."
When Beatrix said that, Servetus laughed as if it were amusing. Beatrix's argument was completely logically flawed, but that was likely a natural human emotion. For Servetus, such a reaction was strangely pleasant. It was an opinion that would not come out of a council of only Revenants.
"That may be so. However, what does an individual's life or the lineage of a single royal family matter? What is essential is to keep the populace alive. Besides, if there were a genius who could overcome such a situation and be recognized by the populace without being killed, don't you think the world would be stable?"
"Could it be that that's King Seldic?"
"I will not know that until things actually happen. However, I gambled on the possibility. And think about it. There is a country that has realized what I have just said to some extent, but that country does not try to unify the island. It is a country without the Way of Hegemony. In that case, I have no choice but to expect it from a genius with the Way of Hegemony from another great nation."
Everyone understood that the country that did not try to unify the island referred to Sertoria.
"Why must it be unified? Just how many people do you think will die in a war for that purpose?"
Servetus's conversation partner was supposed to be Beatrix, but Eleanor asked, unable to contain herself. Sertoria was being embroiled in a war for the sake of the ideals of a specific few... in other words, to satisfy their egos.
"If the situation where multiple countries fight each other continues forever, isn't it possible that more people will continue to die than if unification were achieved? It is the same thing. The current state of this island is one where the equilibrium of the human world has collapsed. Therefore, there are multiple kings on a single island. The collapsed equilibrium must be restored through the Way of Hegemony."
"First, a drink," Henry called out. He signaled to Will and recommended the wine in the canteen.
Servetus, having cooled down from his excited state, swished the sip of wine in his mouth, swallowed it with a "Delicious," drained it, and took another sip.
"Servetus-dono. I can understand your way of thinking to some extent. However, our country cannot agree with your thinking that regards war as acceptable. That is because the populace does not desire war. And I cannot believe at all that Seldic is a once-in-a-generation hero. In fact, Engrio is currently completely isolated."
Henry told him about the movements in the north, the breaking of the alliance with Engrio by Morandine, the participation of the Medioland army and the Sertorian Central Army, and the annihilation of the invasion force to Primordia and the political change that occurred in Primordia.
"This is the result of various exchanges of opinions between Medioland, Finis, Regnentes, Primordia, and our country. Seldic is a good king who has unified a powerful country with multiple religions and cultures. However, that is all. Perhaps Crown Prince James of Medioland, who can unify multiple countries, is superior as a person. Were you not unable to see that as a result of being possessed by the grudge of having your loved ones killed by the Great Northern Church... the current Great Church in the Medioland capital?"
(Impossible...)
Servetus lost his expression upon learning that the plans he had made with Seldic had been thwarted at every turn. His intention to use the difference in military power to destroy them individually had failed at every local point. It wasn't a lie. He could see through that much...
"This war is not over yet. Of course, we have no intention of losing. Besides, a person of your caliber should be able to see that Engrio has no chance of winning now. If Seldic is a true hero, he will first survive. His value will be questioned after that."
Stared down by Henry, he instinctively looked down.
"Destroy me..."
He muttered softly, then looked at Henry.
"Now that things have come to this, there is no point in being in this world. Please destroy me."
He had pleading eyes.
"I cannot. At the very least, you have the duty to see this war through to its end."
"Do you mean to say I should remain in this world and expose my shame?"
He spoke as if groaning.
"Your person will be kept in our country. As I said before, our country does not prohibit Forbidden Magic. There is also the first king's deathbed instruction. From now on, you will be cooperating with us to consider the reinstatement of Forbidden Magic in our country... the reinstatement of the foundation of the doctrine you speak of. However, you will spend your time as a captive while wearing the Magic-Sealing Ring."
(The reinstatement of Forbidden Magic and the foundation of the doctrine... Are they serious...)
"I am indeed serious. After all, there is the first king's deathbed instruction."
Henry laughed loudly, and Eleanor bowed, saying, "We look forward to working with you."
"You lot. Please keep this a secret. We'll get scolded by the church."
"Phew," Beatrix sighed, crossing her arms.
"Fine, but I don't care what happens!"
Beatrix said dismissively and turned away, and Henry and Eleanor apologized, saying, "Sorry." Hans and Will chuckled at the exchange.
Servetus could only watch the scene in amazement.