Chapter 359 - Chapter 2: The Ancient Language Exam
A few days after returning from the sea serpent extermination, Beatrix, Bonnie, and I went to Renata's forest. Since it's the day of the full moon, we have to do the forest regeneration.
As usual, we were allowed into Renata's tree, and we made a toast with mead and honey water. I also called Dune and Mel. The Black Dragon Child on my lap is drinking goat's milk kept by the elves. It was always just water, but I asked the Wyverns and they told me. Since it's fine to eat the whole animal including the milk, it's fine to drink it—that was their rough answer, but it's drinking it happily if it's fresh. Lyudmila had one sold to her from a farm she normally keeps in touch with, and she's entrusted it to the elves. The elves also know that goat droppings become fertilizer for the soil, so they didn't particularly mind one animal.
Alex is drinking Finis alcohol. Recently, because he's been working hard in various ways, his profits are good. It seems he keeps two or three barrels in Renata's tree. Note that the Elf Prince is still not allowed inside the tree.
"Next week is the exam, right?" Finally, the day of the ancient language exam has come. After about three years of curriculum, it's finally imminent.
"Yeah. I wonder if I'll be okay."
"I'm the one teaching you. You'll be fine." According to Price-sama, dwarves use more correct ancient language. However, the ancient language humans use has changed since they were taught by dwarves long ago. If I don't adapt to those changes, it might become a mistake.
"You'll probably be fine. You were taught by humans too, right?"
"Yeah. Kevin-sama of the Nakanohara Great Church. I managed to pass Kevin-sama's exam, though."
"Hey, what's the exam like?" Beatrix asked.
"Writing, reading, listening, speaking." It's half an hour per subject. Starting from the morning, with one break in between, it finishes by noon.
"It takes that much time?"
"Well, yeah. So, I'm planning to stay at Mary's place." Normally one would stay at the Royal Capital Great Church, but since I'm a stray, I decided to refrain from that. Besides, I can't do side jobs.
"Are you going to the palace?"
"Henry-sama said to come because they'll celebrate if I pass." To be precise, they'll apparently have a consolation party if I fail, so I'll be going either way. Dune, Mel, and this time Alex will also participate, so it's better to have it.
"Good luck. If Jeanne passes, the salary of my buddy who's a lecturer in Medioland will go up."
"Eh? Is that so?" I instinctively blurted out.
Alex's friend is the dwarf we met during the investigation of the mountains. They are gathering promising young people of Medioland at Sir Stephens's mansion, and he's a lecturer of ancient language there. "Of course. In Medioland, rumors are rife that a stray priest might become a Bishop. Apparently, there hasn't been such an example for decades."
This is bad. Even if I fail, I'll leave my name in a certain sense. "My brothers and I might also become lecturers kept by the Sertorian Royal Family. Recently there are various opportunities to drink alcohol, but if things go well, we might not have any trouble for the rest of our lives. Jeanne, do your best!"
"You guys are spirits of the mine, aren't you?" Renata chimed in as Alex put pressure on me. "The mine is the mine, we're doing it properly even now. The Silver Mine in the Western Plains and this forest are the lifeblood of this country."
"For that, you're wandering around like this even now."
"It can't be helped. The water and wind sisters told me to look after the Black Dragon Child. When the guardian Jeanne comes, I have to be present like this. It's fine. My brothers will work hard for that part."
"Honestly, is it really okay?" Since Dune and Mel aren't saying anything, it's probably okay.
"If she passes, will Jeanne's title change too?" This time it's Bonnie. While I'm grateful for her working hard as my guard, I want her to stop bringing up mysterious titles whenever something happens.
"Now, it's [Medium (xx) Knight Successor Summoning Guardian Priest]. So, if I pass, it'll be [Medium (xx) Knight Successor Summoning Guardian Stray Bishop]." It's not my imagination that the impression gets worse if I pass.
"Show us," Beatrix and Bonnie said, so I decided to have a simple conversation in ancient language with Alex as practice. What we're talking about is an explanation of holy magic. I've heard from Kevin-sama that it's a staple of past exams. Beatrix knows enough ancient language to draw magic circles, so she seems to understand to some extent, but Bonnie doesn't understand at all, and she's blinking her eyes every time I or Alex say something in turn.
"Do the spirits understand both?" Bonnie, unable to bear it, asks Dune and the others. "We understand. Even the continental language Will occasionally uses didn't feel particularly out of place." It's Mel. As expected of a spirit.
"Beatrix, do you understand?"
"The words I know the pronunciation of. But because I'm translating the words in my head, I can't keep up at all." Hearing Beatrix's words, Alex interrupted the conversation with me.
"Practice is necessary. It's no good if you're translating words in your head one by one. Generally, humans jump straight to reading and writing. After that, grammar and such. Such things are basically fine to leave for later. First is conversation."
"Is that so?"
"Did you guys learn the language you're speaking now starting from reading and writing?"
"That's not the case, is it." Beatrix was a serf in Regnentes, so she learned reading, writing, and grammar after coming to the orphanage. Of course, she had no trouble with conversation as long as it was simple everyday language. The children in the village where Beatrix is the landlord were all like that. The people currently living in the Flatlands who fled from Engrio are also like that. Lewis-san dispatched bandits to teach them reading, writing, and grammar.
"See, the order is reversed. First, listen, then speak. And then, read and write. Grammar is something you learn little by little in that process." Ho ho, as expected of my lecturer. He has something to say. However, there is a problem with that method. Unless I go to a mountain village in Finis, there is no one in Nakanohara who speaks ancient language on a daily basis. The conversation using ancient language itself doesn't happen.
"For that, look, the excellent ancient language lecturer, Alexander the Great-sama, is right in front of you." I don't think a person called the Great was ever a language teacher.
"Isn't Bonnie going to the continent as Jeanne's guard? And she's a scout, right? I think it would be better if she could at least speak various languages like Will."
"Ah!" Bonnie reacted. Indeed, that's true. She can collect information from people who speak ancient language or people who came from the continent.
"How about it? Why don't you try learning from me? Let's see, for the tuition fee, mead will be fine as before." What, so that's the goal.
"Too bad. I'm the only one who can make mead." If someone other than a priest or a former priest makes it, the Church will glare at them. Bonnie pulls my sleeve. For this, it's a no!
Until the exam, Alex accompanied me in studying every day. After all, stable alcohol costs are at stake. We checked the exam questions given by Kevin-sama many times together until there were no more mistakes. All conversations during that time were in ancient language.
"Alright, this should be enough. After that, what will be, will be." Gulp down the mead. "Alex. Thank you so much."
"If I slack off, the water and wind sisters will get angry. I'll work hard to pass, for the sake of stable alcohol costs for Alex and your brothers."
"Oh, I'm counting on you." Just like that, I was sent off.
On the day of the exam, I was guided to the exam venue by Harris-sama and Phillips-sama. The exam venue is apparently a place where research on ancient language and magic is conducted, separate from the Great Cathedral. I thought Harris-sama or Phillips-sama would be the examiners, but I was being too naive. A Bishop I didn't know at all was the examiner, and he apparently conducts research on ancient language daily. There was a simple explanation about the exam, and after that, I was to be asked how I learned ancient language.
"I heard from Bishop Harris that you were taught by Bishop Kevin of Nakanohara and a dwarf."
"Yes. That's right."
"Did the dwarf keep the time?"
"Ah, no, it was while having a drink after dinner, so the time was mostly okay."
"A drink..." I messed up. He's exasperated...
I felt like I failed from the start, but the result of the exam was a pass. "You did it, Jeanne. It was worth recommending you." Harris-sama was quite happy.
"Thank you very much. It's thanks to everyone who taught me, starting with Kevin-sama." Especially Alex. After all, I was praised by the examiner for having wonderful pronunciation.
"I heard from Bishop Harris that in Medioland they are inviting dwarves as lecturers of ancient language." It's Phillips-sama. Even though he's not an examiner, he came to see how things were along with Harris-sama. "Yes. Price-sama also said he learned ancient language from a dwarf."
"Jeanne also learned from Alex, didn't she? The examiner said your pronunciation was wonderful."
"Yes. Thank you very much." This might turn out exactly as Alex intended.
"What do you think, Bishop Harris? How about our country also working on the palace to hire dwarves as lecturers of ancient language?"
"No, actually. I've already talked to His Majesty."
"Ho ho. Then, what did His Majesty say?"
"He said he would decide after seeing the result of this exam and hearing Jeanne's opinion."
"I see." The two of them look at me. In my case, I think it's special. After all, the examiner was exasperated. The lectures while having a drink were only possible because it was the Boar Club. When I talked about the situation when I was taught this and that, as expected, Phillips-sama held his head.
"It's absolutely impossible to do it within the Church." Well, it's probably impossible. Medioland, perhaps anticipating such things, is using Sir Stephens's mansion. There are also human lecturers, and during the times when the dwarf lecturer is not there, the human lecturers teach. That kind of flexibility is necessary.
"Then, let's do it that way in our country too. Let's talk to His Majesty so that it's not just for church priests, but also for magic researchers and those belonging to the Magic Corps." When Harris-sama said that, Phillips-sama nodded while laughing.
"The lecturer is Alex, right?"
"No, he says to use his brothers. He himself is involved in various things in that Northeastern Forest, and he's busy, apparently. Above all, he wants to keep hanging out at Jeanne and the others' farm as before." Again, the two of them look at me. Phillips-sama is laughing loudly. In the end, it was settled by Bonnie buying my mead. However, at the beginning, I ended up teaching together with them. Because there's no way conversation would be possible all of a sudden.
"I see. Understood. Harris-sama probably understands Alex's feelings well too. Then, let's have him introduce his brothers."
"Right." Somehow, it was solved on its own.
"And, Jeanne."
"Yes, Harris-sama. What is it?"
"I once said that if you complete ancient language and have the recommendation of three Archbishops, you can become a Bishop, didn't I?"
"Yes. I heard that."
"The recommendation letters have already arrived."
"T-That's fast." It's quite a premature start. What were they planning to do if I failed?
"The Nakanohara Great Church Head, the Sertorian Royal Capital Great Church Head, and a Vice-Head of the Medioland Royal Capital Great Church. We have received recommendation letters from these three." I see. The third person was the Archbishop of the Royal Capital. I'm sure Harris-sama or Phillips-sama worked on them. It's a grateful thing.
"Jeanne. Tomorrow is the Ordination. You brought your vestments, right?"
"Yes."
"Then, shall we go to greet the Archbishop to report the passing of the exam and for a meeting?"
"Yes. Please." It seems Phillips-sama has plans, so we part here, and I'm guided by Harris-sama to the Archbishop's office. It seems the word had already been passed, as the secretary was waiting in front of the door. I met the Archbishop once before going to Northern Gram at the palace. The behind-the-scenes stories about the King and especially the Queen that I heard at that time were quite interesting. Since it was a complaint and not a confession, it was even more so. It was very useful when I became friends with Miana.
The Archbishop, for some reason, was in a good mood and held a luncheon with special food for guests. Those present are the secretary, Harris-sama, and the Bishop who was the examiner. After the prayer before the meal, we make a toast.
"Priest Jeanne. Good work. It seems you passed safely."
"Yes. Thank you very much."
"You worked hard. Truly."
"No, it's thanks to everyone who taught me despite being during the war." When I was in the prisoner-of-war camp, I was also taught by the Priestesses and ghosts who came as support. Like Alex, they are all proficient in ancient language. Though, according to Alex, they have strong quirks.
"Actually, I had a wager of one barrel of wine with the Grand Archbishop on whether the stray Jeanne could pass in the usual three years. Of course, I bet on passing." Grand Archbishop? Er, what is this person saying?
"Jeanne is still twenty, right? There's no example of such a young stray priest passing the exam. Jeanne's passing shows that the level of education for priests in our country is high." The nodding Archbishop is looking diagonally upward with a look of pure pride. He's truly boastful.
"We've always been told that Medioland is culturally superior, after all. I've shown them, haven't I?"
"Archbishop. Jeanne's ancient language is truly at a high level. Especially the pronunciation is wonderful. I, the examiner, guarantee it."
"Ho ho. That is wonderful." I don't know why, but the Archbishop is getting excited.
"I heard from Bishop Harris that you were taught not only by the person in charge, Bishop Kevin, but also by a dwarf?"
"Yes."
"And about that dwarf, the tuition fee Jeanne paid was the mead she made, apparently. She studied while letting him have a drink after dinner." Even though it would have been better to leave it alone, Harris-sama exposed it, perhaps getting carried away. I thought I'd be scolded, but contrary to my expectations, the Archbishop clapped his hands and laughed loudly.
"We've always been told that our country's sense of gratitude toward spirits is thin, after all. To learn ancient language while having a drink with a dwarf. Honestly, she's truly the pupil of the rule-breaking Catherine." Harris-sama is smirking at me. Since the Archbishop was happy, well, I guess it's fine.
After that, the plan to hire dwarves as lecturers was proposed by Harris-sama. The study method in Medioland was also explained at the same time. As a result, the Bishop who was the examiner also said he wanted to learn together, and it was decided that it would be proposed to the palace.
"Jeanne. In every place you go, the path of coexistence and co-prosperity is shown. I am truly happy about that. I will never tell you to work hard or anything, and I won't tell you to belong to the Church. Just like that Catherine, just act according to your own beliefs." This word I received from the Archbishop was what made me the happiest.