Chapter 291 - Chapter Six: Rehearsal
When it gets to late autumn, the sun sets early.
The autumn colors have long passed their peak, and the already reddish-black-brown landscape is illuminated by the sinking sun, turning from reddish-black-brown to black-brown.
Riding in James-sama's bowl, we arrived at the region that had been the front line. We were also able to meet the person who had become the new lord.
The passing farmers each held several dirty swords or spears in their hands, and from the poles they carried between two people hung armor that had presumably been stripped from corpses. I believe the funeral rites for the deceased have already been completed, but when I think about how those who were stripped might come back to haunt, I find myself stopping to offer prayers.
Even the farmers are doing it as forced labor ordered by the lord. It doesn't benefit them. Perhaps because of that, when I was praying, everyone stopped walking and gathered around. Might as well. I asked Price-sama to pray, and I joined the farmers in chanting together. No one wants to be cursed.
I stopped several times to pray, but there were some farmers who were looking at me strangely and whispering. They were kneeling on one knee, but it was odd.
After all, not only the new lord but even James-sama was there. Normal farmers wouldn't be so impolite.
They might be Engrio scouts.
I went to the royals, James-sama and the others, and explained without looking at the farmers.
No sooner had I said it than Gwyn-sama strode over to the farmers and grabbed one by the collar.
He's just like Matilda.
"Jeanne. Come here for a moment."
He beckoned me over.
"What is it?"
"These guys you treated as scouts say they're acquaintances of yours."
"Eh?"
When I went over, they were Engrio soldiers I had met at the prisoner-of-war camp.
When I greeted them after a long time, Gwyn-sama's expression softened, so everyone was relieved.
"Jeanne. Treating us as scouts is too cruel. We're in the middle of fulfilling our duties as citizens of the Kingdom of Medioland."
"I'm sorry. Your attitude of looking at the Crown Prince seemed suspicious to me."
Everyone was surprised. No, they stirred.
"Is the Crown Prince here?"
"You didn't know?"
"We might expect the new lord, but we never thought the Crown Prince would be here in this darkness without even bringing soldiers."
"Then, the glancing?"
"We were looking at you. You took care of us, after all. We were talking about how if it was definitely Jeanne, we should at least say hello. Besides, there's no way a scout would glance so obviously. If they were here, they'd be hiding in the bushes."
Gwyn-sama cleared his throat while looking away.
I am truly, deeply sorry...
After that, we all gathered and talked.
The farmers were all kneeling on one knee before James-sama.
"How is your new life?"
James-sama was asking.
Beside him, the new lord was frozen. If some strange complaint were raised, he might end up having to give up the land he had finally obtained.
"Thanks to you, our land and families were safe. We are grateful for the consideration of the Kingdom's army and the new lord."
"Also, the serfs are happy. That they could become free farmers."
"That is good. Is there any hindrance to your future farming work? The handling of magic and such?"
They all fell silent at once. As expected, there are dissatisfactions, they just haven't surfaced.
When James-sama signaled with his eyes, the new lord stepped forward.
"I will issue a formal proclamation later, but since meeting here is some kind of fate, I'll tell you first. You may tell the people in the territory after this."
The new lord had readily agreed to make the use of farming magic a duty of the lord. In reality, it would be the labor of those who can use magic, but if that isn't decided, some will try to make a dishonest profit. The King also seems to have considered that and selected a relatively young person as the new lord. His way of thinking is flexible, and he doesn't voice opinions like the great nobles.
The ones who raised a stir were probably the former serfs.
"Then, just like before?"
"Yes. It is the result of Jeanne the priest conveying to the Royal Palace what she heard from you at the prisoner-of-war camp. You should be grateful to His Majesty the King and Crown Prince James."
"And also to Jeanne the priest."
James-sama, please stop. The Church will get angry at me later.
"I haven't heard anything."
"Me neither."
At the answers from Price-sama and Harris-sama, James-sama burst out laughing, and everyone joined in with a great laugh.
By the time we saw the farmers off, it had become pitch black, so I let four Fireflies drift above my head to provide light. The new lord stood with his mouth wide open, pointing at the Fireflies, but I'll have him get used to it.
"Jeanne. You are quite something. You offer prayers not only for the dead and ghosts but even for the weapons and armor stripped from the dead. Did you see? The expressions of the farmers after the prayer was finished. Everyone had a bright face."
That's because the famous Price-sama offered the prayer. There's absolutely no way they'll be cursed.
"Of course, that's right."
Oh, so you're not denying it.
Harris-sama nudged me in the shoulder. It was a bit painful.
"But it was possible because Jeanne spoke up to me. It's thanks to you."
"No, that's an exaggeration."
If even Price-sama becomes like the ghosts of Finis or the Crown Prince of Northern Gram, the future is in jeopardy.
"Jeanne. The Church has a policy of anti-war and does not involve itself in war at all. Including prayers to mourn the war dead. In other words, we priests belonging to the Church do not offer prayers like the one just now unless specifically requested. Especially for someone like the Archbishop of the Medioland Capital Great Church, only royals or famous great nobles can make such a request. Such customs exist."
I was stunned by Harris-sama's explanation.
Until I spoke up, not a single one of the farmers... the free farmers and serfs of former Engrio, had requested it of the three priests who were there. And those who became ghosts on the battlefield are exterminated as evil spirits that harm the living after the war ends. I clearly understood the reason why.
Restoring peace of mind to those who are dying and delivering the souls of the deceased to the Goddess. I was taught by the Headmistress that this is one of the most important roles of a priest. And I believe that is correct.
The Headmistress was dead set against it, but I'm glad I pushed through and became a stray.
"There are exceptions. Catherine is one. She became a bishop at an age that could be called the youngest in history, but as a result of ignoring the Church's anti-war policy several times to mourn the war dead, she was on the verge of excommunication. Eventually, she left the Church of her own accord to become an unaffiliated priest and made a living as a monster hunter for a time."
According to Price-sama, the reason she started being called by the two names 'Apostasy' and 'Healing' was because of such actions.
The story about sleeping outdoors that she told when I was ordained as a priest must have been from that time.
Knowing the Headmistress, she probably mourned the war dead without receiving any reward. Maybe even after becoming a monster hunter, she went into the forest on her own to exterminate them without even receiving a request.
After that, she met Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama and they hit it off. They became comrades and defeated the Demon Lord. In an instant, her name became known throughout the island and she became the person of the hour. The Church probably couldn't ignore her. On the pretext of requesting her to be the tutor for the royal children, which a stray couldn't do, those around her apparently had her return to the Church.
Now that she is the head of an orphanage, which is a Church-affiliated facility, she has to remain a priest belonging to the Church.
"This time, because I was requested by Jeanne, a famous stray priest who was knighted in Medioland and Finis, I was able to offer the prayer."
That's also a pretty forced excuse, isn't it?
"It doesn't matter if it's a forced excuse or anything. Because the way a priest should be, as Catherine... and probably Jeanne, thinks, is correct. Fortunately, I defeated the Demon Lord, am called a hero, and am the vice-head of the Medioland Capital Great Church. If there's something that needs to be changed, I'll use that position, right?"
After that, he gave a light wink.
"It was also thanks to Price-sama's mediation that the Medioland Capital Great Church permitted the dispatch of priests to the prisoner-of-war camp during this war."
Harris-sama also managed to avoid becoming a stray.
I see. Someone has to be on the inside to change things. Is Price-sama the person who exists for that purpose?
He is a magnificent person.
According to the former prisoners we met, ghosts are indeed appearing at night. It seems the locals are already being told not to approach the area at night. Normally, the local church priests or the holy mages employed by the lord would exterminate them, but they probably don't have the luxury of time yet. In a sense, our coming out this time is just right for the lord.
A simple shrine has been built to appease the ghosts.
Since it was large enough for everyone to fit inside, we decided to wait there while drinking wine until the late-night hours when ghosts frequently appear.
When it became late at night, there were indeed about a dozen ghosts. Since they were all soldiers who died in battle, their appearance was terrible.
"Evil spirits will attack suddenly. They lose themselves, wander, and attack the living. It's pitiful, but let's forcibly lay them to rest."
Price-sama, who can use [Skill: Ascension], is the spectator... I mean, the trump card.
"Jeanne. Please hold your Fireflies high. Bishop Harris, please shoot through those Fireflies with [Skill: Holy]. Narrow the output to the level of a basic spell. Everyone else, please guard Jeanne with silver weapons so she doesn't get possessed by evil spirits."
There's no shortage of front-line personnel. James-sama, Roberts-sama, Gladys-sama, Gwyn-sama, and the new lord took their positions to form a pentagonal barrier around me.
Without really knowing what was going on, I raised eight Fireflies, illuminating every corner without exception.
"[Skill: Holy Lance]!"
Harris-sama shot through a Firefly. It's the [Skill: Holy] of a high-level holy mage.
A bit of warmth was added to the light.
In the case of Revenants, the [Skill: Holy] of a super-high-level holy mage was necessary. I wonder if just combining it with a basic-level [Skill: Holy] will work?
"Jeanne. Raise the output to the maximum!"
I've rarely used all eight at full power. I only did it a tiny bit against the Demon Race when I participated in the Demon Lord subjugation unit.
With both hands up and my chin raised, I turned the light on full blast.
The powerful light was so dazzling that I couldn't see anything.
I could hear groans that made my spine freeze.
Are they angry, or in pain... I heard the cry of an evil spirit for the first time.
"Jeanne. Stay like that. Keep illuminating them to the limit."
Price-sama says something outrageous. His manner is soft, but he really is Eleanor-sama's comrade.
Sweat beaded on my forehead. No, it started to flow down my temples.
Since it's mid-level, I probably won't fall into darkness, but I might collapse.
"That's it. Just like that. Let's do our best until you collapse."
Are you serious?
Was it an hour? Or more?
I started to feel dizzy. I'm probably at my limit already. My fingertips... my arms... have started to tremble.
No good, my knees are giving out... I can't support my body...
Even though I should be looking at the light... it's getting dark in front of my eyes...
I-I can't breathe....................
Price-sama's voice, which should have been shouting "Not yet, keep going!", became nothing more than a mumble...
At this rate....................
It's no use... My consciousness is............................
............................
When I woke up, the pale faces of James-sama and Gwyn-sama were right in front of me.
For some reason, there were various other people in my room as well.
"Good morning."
Gladys-sama wiped my mouth with a wet cloth. It seems I had been drooling.
"Er, everyone. What's wrong? Why are you in Nakanohara?"
James-sama and Gwyn-sama's complexions turned pale.
"Jeanne! Are you okay? Did you hit your head when you fell?"
I see. I remembered. I was illuminating the graveyard and collapsed, right?
So, this isn't my room in the Ghost Mansion.
"It wasn't a graveyard, it was the battlefield ruins. You were illuminating the ghosts of those who died in the war. Since they were in a state close to evil spirits, we were testing whether we could drive them away by combining [Skill: Light] with [Skill: Holy]."
Was that it... I don't remember it very well...
"Price-sama. We haven't told Jeanne that story."
"Was that so?"
Harris-sama and Price-sama were saying something.
I don't really understand. It might be better to sleep a little longer.
When I tried to pull the sheet over me, Gladys-sama told me it was already morning.
I had the men go outside, and with Gladys-sama's help, I washed my face.
Since it seemed I had slept in my priest's clothes, I changed my undergarments and then cleaned them with [Skill: Clean Up].
I felt somewhat sluggish, so I cast [Skill: Recovery], and I started to wake up.
"Gwyn-sama and my brother were quite worried. They said if anything happened to Jeanne, the Royal Family would have to apologize as a whole."
She was giggling. Price-sama must have had a composed face, for sure.
"That's too much of an exaggeration."
"Is it? Considering the positions of the Crown Princes of both Medioland and Finis, first, there's concern about the worsening of relations with Northern Gram. If your fan ghosts or the Priestess were to start a rebellion, relations with Finis would also worsen, and the northern situation, which was expected to be stable, would become extremely unstable. What would happen if Engrio got involved there?"
"The ghosts and the Crown Prince of Northern Gram are the ones being dramatic."
She laughed and evaded the question.
By the time I left the room, I had remembered various things.
I mistook it for my own room, but this was the mansion of the lord of this land.
"What happened after that?"
I must have lost consciousness as a result of continuing to chant magic.
According to Gladys-sama, just as it seemed my condition had become quite strange, Price-sama chanted [Skill: Ascension] and laid to rest the gathered ghosts in one shot.
And then, I fell.
What exactly was it that I did?
"As Archbishop Price said earlier, Jeanne's light became like a soft barrier, blocking the ghosts from approaching."
"A soft barrier?"
"Yes. The simple barrier Catherine-sama uses is like a wall that blocks monsters and ghosts, right? Compared to that, Jeanne's light is... let's see... it's like walking against a strong wind; it doesn't completely repel them, but it's like they can't move forward..."
Is it like the difference between [Skill: Wind Barrier] and [Skill: Favorable Wind]?
"Yes. There was that kind of difference."
Judging from Gladys-sama's expression, I seem to have hit the mark.
Wait? Hold on a second.
[Skill: Wind Barrier] and [Skill: Favorable Wind] are both wind magic.
Which means.
"[Skill: Light]!"
I chanted [Skill: Light], and instead of emitting light, I tried to harden it into a single board.
Beatrix said that [Skill: Wind Barrier] is the image of hardening the surrounding air, and [Skill: Favorable Wind] is the image of releasing the air around oneself.
Until now, I only thought about emitting light in a specific direction, but I can make orbs like Fireflies. If I create an image of hardening the light, I should be able to make a wall too.
When I tried it, I was able to make something like that.
It's a single board that emits white light. Since I made it about the size of a full-length mirror, my body was completely hidden.
Gladys-sama put her hand on the board. Even when she touched it with her fingertips, it didn't seem to be hot or painful.
Next, when she knocked on it like a door, it made a tap-tap sound.
"This is a wall of light... Jeanne! I'll go call Price-sama!"
Gladys-sama ran out of the room, and after a while, everyone came rushing in.
"Jeanne. You did well. It's a magnificent spell."
Price-sama praised me while tapping the board to check it.
"It's not that I learned a new spell, though..."
"Being able to use it in a new way is what's wonderful. By the way, how is your physical condition?"
"Ah, yes. I'm fine in that regard."
James-sama and Gwyn-sama let out exaggeratedly deep sighs.
"[Skill: Holy Lance]!"
When Price-sama pierced the board with a log-sized [Skill: Holy], the temperature of the board clearly rose.
"Let's think about how to use it through various experiments later."
After having everyone look at it for a while, I deactivated the board and decided to listen to Price-sama's story.
We moved to the drawing room and were given drinks. They served baked sweets instead of breakfast.
"It was as I thought. What I heard from Jeanne and what I actually saw at the mountain. From these two things, I thought that perhaps evil spirits could be driven away with [Skill: Light]. However, just driving them away won't lay them to rest. We make it seem like they can break through, and when they gather, we wipe them out in one go."
I didn't know because I was desperately chanting [Skill: Light], but apparently, the ghosts gathered, perhaps mistaking it for being attacked. Price-sama wiped them out with [Skill: Ascension] just as they were working hard to try and break through.
It's the 'ghosts flying into the fire' strategy.
"While Jeanne was working hard to maintain the [Skill: Light], the evil spirits were also working hard, struggling to break through. Do you understand what this means?"
That an opening is created in the evil spirits?
"Yes. That's exactly right. You understood well."
He's praising me quite a bit.
"While Jeanne was doing her best, everyone else added attacks to the evil spirits with silver weapons, and they were able to hit them easily."
In other words, a way to fight evil spirits has become visible...
I can fight on equal terms with the evil spirits of Northern Gram!
"Powerful evil spirits won't be bothered by just one or two blows from a silver weapon. In other words, the rest is endurance. Let's do our best."
That's the problem. I wonder if there's a spirit somewhere with a stone that has the effect of increasing endurance...