Chapter 358 - Chapter 1: Discovery in Engrio
In the land to the northwest of the Royal Capital of the Kingdom of Engrio, there had been an abundant source of hot springs since ancient times. The waters, said to be passed down from the age of the gods, were protected and developed by the lords who owned the land. Since becoming a direct territory of the King of Engrio, it flourished as a tourist destination in the continental style, and especially after King Seldic ascended the throne, he invested national funds to renovate the facilities on a large scale, and even organized the town, actively accepting tourists from foreign countries including the continent.
King Seldic, pleased with the success, abolished the taxes required to pass through the town's checkpoint, and instead gave the right of self-government based on a consultative system to dozens of local influential people, and as a result of also exempting them from military service, it came to flourish as a major resort area. Of course, the condition is that it is under the control of the Kingdom of Engrio.
In that town, there are not only bathing facilities but also restaurants, lodging facilities, and various entertainment facilities, and it has become a place where royalty, nobles, and wealthy merchants from various countries constantly come and go. Because the entry of the army was prohibited, it maintained a prosperity not much different from peacetime even during the war.
In the town, there is also a church, of course. The church, for its part, was allowed by the state to own bathing facilities as medical facilities and obtained bathing taxes from the users. In Engrio, the ancient Goddess faith of the island is different from the religion of the royalty and high nobility. Consequently, the amount of donations from nobles is small, and it's hard to say they are very well-off economically. In exchange, because full independent management was recognized, they built a large church and made the securing of bathing taxes and donations from commoners starting with merchants a precious financial resource within the Kingdom of Engrio.
The large church is about the same size as the church worshipped by the nobles of Engrio. This was an instruction from the Royal Family out of consideration for the commoners who worship the Goddess. The bathing facilities they own are also of about the same scale, both have high prestige, and both flourish by gathering their respective believers as tourists. Especially now, with the end of the war, wealthy free farmers are visiting, and it's showing considerable bustle.
It was late at night when the Archbishop, who is the head of that large church, received a certain report from the priest in charge of conducting research on the ancient ruins—or rather, the hot spring facilities currently in use—said to be passed down from ancient times.
The Archbishop was already in bed in his bedroom, and the secretary, who was also in bed in the adjacent room, responded to the sound of a knock on the door.
"Did something happen?" Lighting a candle on a candlestick and opening the door with it in hand, there is one priest. He was conducting research on ancient hot spring facilities, which would be useful for new facilities in the future. The time for lights-out has already passed. The secretary had also gone to bed, and the only ones awake should be those on the night watch. "I am terribly sorry for the late hour. Actually, regarding the matter requested by the Archbishop..."
As if to interrupt the words of the person in charge who tentatively started to speak, he leaned out from the door and checked the situation in the passage. Confirming that no one was there, he invited him into the room and closed the door.
"Did you find something?"
"Yes. Since receiving the request, I have been investigating mainly the ancient ruins near the source, but it was not going well."
"Yes."
"However, unlike the initial talk, it was said that there is a possibility they are from an even older era. Therefore, I re-investigated the ancient traditions. As a result, it was found that the location of the source has moved."
"The location of the source moved? Is there such a thing?" For the secretary, it was a story he was hearing for the first time. Hot springs can have their gushing locations change due to changes in water veins. Especially if the earth veins themselves changed due to reasons like earthquakes, such a thing can happen.
"Yes. It's extremely rare, but such a thing does happen, apparently. However, usually, it gushes out again in a place not very far away."
"I see. I was lacking in study."
"No, no, and it was found that the source of this land had also moved previously. It seems it used to be in a place a bit further into the forest. It seems it also came to gush out in this land for some reason."
"In other words, the facilities related to the ancient source were not here?" The priest in charge nodded deeply.
"However, I wondered if such facilities actually exist. I thought I wouldn't know unless I actually investigated." "Hmm, hmm," the secretary is nodding.
"And, I went to the site of the former source before it moved to the current location. As a result, I discovered ruins that could be called a wasteland. I had to enter through a narrow crack in a certain cliff, but inside there was a stone passage."
"What! That is a wonderful discovery. Then, those ruins are the undiscovered ruins that the Royal Capital Great Church requested to search for..."
"Most likely."
The secretary let out a long sigh. The search request from the Royal Capital is finally coming to an end. The place thought to be the facility is underground ruins. It was fully conceivable that monsters had settled there. The priest in charge insisted that further exploration would be impossible without the protection of soldiers, without overdoing it and only reporting the discovery. Since the town is a direct territory of the Royal Family, the soldiers belong to the direct army. In other words, the commanders are knights selected for the Kingsguard, and the god they serve is different. Formal requests to the army for this investigation were hesitated. The large churches within the Kingdom of Engrio occasionally conduct such investigations and research independently. Especially regarding historical sites. These investigation results are all reported to the Medioland Royal Capital Great Church and are never brought to the Engrio Royal Family. Of course, it's a religious investigation and research, and there's no reason to provide it to those who worship other gods. However, cooperation with Medioland was, after all, done while always being mindful of the eyes of the King and nobles.
"So that's why you came at this hour?"
"Yes. I thought it might be a nuisance, but there are also eyes of those dispatched from the Royal Family to this church..."
"That was a wise judgment. Is there anyone else who knows about this?"
"Yes. One person. A hunter whom the Archbishop introduced to me as my guard. No one else knows."
"Then there should be no problem at all. Leave the rest to me. I will convey it to the Archbishop myself."
"Then, I shall leave with this?"
"Yes. It's fine if you temporarily return to the research you were continuing from before. If something is understood, you will receive words directly from the Archbishop." The priest who came to report while avoiding people's eyes said his thanks with a relaxed face, both because his judgment was correct and because he wouldn't have to be involved in a dangerous mission, and returned to his room.
The secretary put the candle he held into a lantern and placed it by the window. He opened the curtain a little and looked outside. During the day, the cityscape can be seen from the window, but since it's late at night and everyone is sleeping, it's nothing but darkness. The secretary stared at one corner of that darkness. A small light can be seen, as if someone is awake. That light flickered and swayed. The secretary closed the curtain, and then opened it again just a little. The light beyond the darkness disappeared once and could be seen again. Confirming that, the secretary lay down in bed again.
The next morning, the secretary conveyed the content of the report he received last night to the Archbishop. "Hmm. Then we must inform the Royal Capital. I shall send a letter to the Royal Capital Great Church."
"Please wait. I am thinking of meeting the hunter who was present at the discovery of the ruins today."
"Understood. Then let's decide to report after waiting for that result."
Just like that, the secretary went out and went to offer sacrifices to the shrine in the forest behind the church. There is a person there before him. Ostensibly, he is one of the hunters employed by the church, subjugating monsters that appear in the forest owned by the church, and normally he never leaves the forest. The reality is a scout dispatched by Medioland.
"Good work yesterday."
"No, you too, Bishop."
"How was it?"
"I think they are quite old ruins. I think there is a possibility."
"I see. Then, most likely, an investigation team will come later. Please guide them. By the way, when will the timing be?"
"I don't know. It seems the schedules of several key figures are packed."
In April, the ancient language exam and Ordination. In May, the Princess of Finis will marry into Northern Gram. At the beginning of June, there is the Council of Lords. Most likely, the guests except for Engrio will go through Medioland from Morandine via sea and land routes to the southwestern part of the mountains, which will be the venue. After that, in Finis, the Queens and Princesses of Sertoria, Northern Gram, and Primordia will have a meeting for plague measures. After those events are over... in other words, after mid-June... The secretary quickly turned his head and remembered the movements of various countries that have been made public.
"How should I handle the report to that side?"
"It doesn't matter. It's fine if we are just informed of the result later. It's better not to get too deeply involved."
"Understood." The hunter who heard that nodded at the secretary's words, then left the shrine and entered the forest just like that.
After parting with the hunter, the secretary left the forest. Just like that, he entered a storage shed behind the church that is normally not used. There was a person there before him, after all. "Give this letter to His Majesty."
"Understood." The secretary obtained a leather bag containing gold coins in exchange for the letter.
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By March, the cold softens in the Medioland Royal Capital. That said, it's hard to say it's warm even during the day, and Archbishop Price, one of the vice-heads of the Medioland Royal Capital Great Church, wore a hooded dark brown robe over his priest's clothing and headed to the palace. Looking from the window of the carriage, the buds of the trees are gradually becoming soft. Some are even blooming here and there. The grass by the roadside is also budding. The expressions of the commoners who have safely finished wintering are also bright.
The place he is visiting is James, the Crown Prince. Price, as a priest and also as a hero who actually faced the Demon Lord and achieved subjugation once, felt he must achieve the prevention of the Demon Lord's resurrection no matter what. Because of that, he was burning with passion for the investigation to explore the possibility of preventing the Demon Lord's resurrection, which originated from the proposal from Sertoria, and because of that, he was actively having meetings with James. Because of that, the new information brought by the investigation in Primordia brought great progress and at the same time a certain amount of retreat toward the realization of the possibility.
The progress is, needless to say, the discovery of the fourth Black Stone and the two pieces of information regarding the surprising effect of the magic Testament, which was not understood in the investigation of the mountains. On the other hand, a certain amount of retreat is the suggestion regarding the handling of Forbidden Magic sent from the head of the Primordian Royal Capital Great Church—the Western Church—which could develop into a power struggle inside and outside the Church. That suggestion was, so to speak, something that overturned the claims of the former Northern Great Church... the Medioland Royal Capital Great Church, and at the same time, for the priests who blindly believe that prayer to the Goddess is the greatest method for plague measures, it was a thought that could be called hostile.
The factional struggle inside the Medioland Royal Capital Great Church affects the large churches of each country, and furthermore, the churches in various places. How deep the roots of religious conflict are is proven not only in the history of the island but also in the history of the continent. Price feared that the rift would be exploited by Engrio or the pagans of the continent. As a result, the investigation report in Primordia was still placed in his hands and had not been handed over to the Grand Archbishop.
To that Price, new information about the ruins remaining on the island was brought from Engrio. To consult with James about that matter, he set foot in the palace. In the palace, he was shown to James's room. While drinking the wine that was served, the King and the Crown Prince came. It's a usual thing. When he says he wants to see the King, he is shown to the Audience Chamber, and when he says he wants to see the Crown Prince, he is shown to the Crown Prince's private room and can meet both the King and the Crown Prince. This was the case not only for Price but also for others.
"Archbishop Price. It's good to see you in good health. Is the Grand Archbishop well?" First, the King called out, and then greetings were exchanged with the Crown Prince. This is also a usual thing. "Now, Archbishop Price. What kind of business do you have today?" When the three of them sat at the table, James spoke first this time.
"Actually, a letter came from the Royal Capital Great Church of Engrio. It seems new ruins were discovered near the hot spring area. They seem to be quite old and there is a possibility. Shall we explore?" At Price's question, James shook his head. "It would be difficult for us royalty, wouldn't it?"
The problem was there. The relationship with the Engrio Royal Family is not yet friendly. Of course, the exchange of commoners has returned. However, at the national level, they haven't reached the point of keeping pace. On top of that, the religion of the Royal Family is fundamentally different. "I want to do something on the Church side, but if I move, the pagan churches won't stay quiet. Depending on the case, we must also consider the possibility that King Seldic will intervene."
"In other words, it's necessary to choose someone whose rank is not high, isn't it?"
"Yes. It's just as James-sama says. Jeanne is a must, and I can think of as far as Bishop Harris..."
"As well as the selection of people, what will you do about the timing?"
"How about the period from April to June?"
I see, James nodded. In the May Festival, the wedding of Crown Prince Eowyn of Northern Gram and Princess Aira of Finis is scheduled. And at the beginning of June, there is the Council of Lords. Regardless of whether King Seldic of Engrio participates, the eyes and ears of each country will be away from Engrio. Besides, nobles of each country will also cross borders. Last year, there were even those who went on sightseeing trips, taking advantage of the absence of the King or the Prime Minister class. "Then, how about this? Let's have Sir Stephens cooperate. The destination is a hot spring area, so under the pretext of recuperation."
This time, it was Price's turn to nod at James's proposal. "And how about leaving the selection of other people to Sertoria? In other words, ostensibly we won't be involved at all."
"Infiltration, then. In that case, there are two people in Sertoria who won't stay quiet. In a way, it might be just right." Price laughed as he recalled the faces of the old couple who once fought the Demon Lord together.