Chapter 576 - Chapter 2: To West Liber
After the Harvest Festival in September finished, I was called to the Royal Palace. Apparently, a letter came from Theresia-sama, who successfully became the Duchess of Germania. It's because I was chosen as a member of the grand alliance for plague countermeasures proposed by Anri-sama. Schedule-wise, after performing the second investigation of the secret books in Regnentes, we'll go to Primordia and from there go by ship. As for the escort, the Henry Party... though it seems it's only the initial members, Henry-sama, Eleanor-sama, and Wilson-san... will send us as far as Primordia. It's quite an awe-inspiring story. Hughes-sama, Bishop Phillips, and Harris-sama are the companions, and Mary, who has already started activities as a trade window, is also with us. So, I was allowed to stay on the second floor of the Third Shop at night.
「Theresia-sama suggested that we open a Class of 175 shop in the Duchy of Germania.」
「Isn't that amazing? That means, the Fifth Shop?」
「Yes. Um, it's mainly a brokerage specializing in herbs, but she wants to know if we can do order-based sales of magic water.」
「Order-based sales?」
Apparently, she wants us to sell the magic water made in the wetlands.
「But, for that, it's the Wetlands Priestess, so it's Sianya, right?」
「The thing is, there are religious issues, and it seems the church here and the local church cannot conduct direct buying and selling. So, she wants us to be the broker.」
Umu, it's difficult. Magic water is something brought about by the miracle of the Goddess. That apparently corresponds to a doctrinal contradiction for other monotheistic religions. It's because in their doctrine, the Goddess herself does not exist.
In other words, is it that? Will magic water be treated like herbs prepared by the Class of 175 Shop?
「On the surface, yes. Until now, the occupying King Seldic apparently gave the scrolls to the local church for free. King Seldic bought the scrolls from us. Theresia-sama will do that. In reality, our shop will act as a broker for the magic water made in the wetlands and sell it to the Duchy of Germania.」
It's complicated. What does it matter which priest following which doctrine sells it? Can a grand alliance be achieved with such things?
「Anri-sama says that, in short, the relief of patients is the top priority, and the logic doesn't matter. The local church has its own position. It can't be helped, I guess.」
Well, that's true.
Apparently, they've already contacted the Sertoria Royal Palace and are applying. Opening a shop in another country should be fine since we have the track record of the Second Shop.
The next day, while I was cleaning the front of the shop with Mary and the girls from the shop, Harris-sama came by with a priest.
「Hey, Jeanne, Mary, you're admirable for being out so early in the morning.」
「Ah, good morning. Harris-sama, and also...」
Mary chuckled.
「Could you tell me your name? Mr. Priest.」
The priest must be Hughes-sama. I heard from the King that he would be going with us. I believe he was in his late thirties, but he looks like a fifty-year-old with a stoop. Assuming his hair mixed with white was dyed, how did he make those wrinkles on his face? Mary must have noticed too and is asking.
「I have no name worth mentioning, but if you like, please call me Hermit.」
Eh? His voice is completely different. Was I mistaken about the person?
「Then, Hermit-sama, it's a pleasure to meet you. I felt like I had met you somewhere before, but it must be my imagination.」
Mary gave a nice-to-meet-you greeting. Everyone followed suit.
「Priest Hermit is well-traveled, you see, and speaks the local language fluently. He should be perfect as Jeanne's interpreter. He will also accompany us on this trip to the Duchy of Germania.」
「Pardon my intrusion. I look forward to working with you.」
Saying so, he winked so the girls from the shop wouldn't see. I recognize that gesture. It really is Hughes-sama.
I see. He disguised himself well. Moreover, an escort-cum-interpreter is perfect, isn't it?
In the end, Hughes-sama himself revealed the truth after we boarded the saucer with Bishop Phillips, who joined us at the Royal Palace.
「I've become too famous on this island. I changed my appearance to escort you without being alerted on the continent.」
Saying so, while his appearance remained that of the stooped Priest Hermit, only his voice returned to normal.
「This time, there will be a meeting of plague countermeasures for various countries, including the continent, and I will be the official envoy. If Lord Roberts, or even Lady Gladys, were to participate, the political scent would be too strong; so it was His Majesty's intention to add Lord Hughes as our escort.」
Bishop Phillips said that this time they want to keep politics out of it. However, will it go that well?
「Priests have a large say in politics in any country, after all. But this time, it's only plague countermeasures. Even if a high-ranking priest over there says something, just say you'll show it to the Archbishop and take only the letter.」
It would be best to do as Harris-sama says.
「However, as you know, the Duchy of Germania we've been invited to is a dependency of the Kingdom of East Liber, and it's currently at war with West Liber, only in a temporary truce. Whether our country sides with the East or the West, or maintains neutrality, is a major diplomatic issue. So, we want to settle things with trade at a private level. Mary, I'm counting on you.」
「Yes. I've been asking the major merchants I'm in regular contact with what kind of transactions they desire. This time, if we can hear the other party's requests, I think it will go well.」
Mary answered Harris-sama's words. Since when did this girl start doing such things? After returning home, she apparently plans to hold meetings with Evans-sama, Wilson-san, and large and small merchants to report.
「Actually, I'm having the same talk with customers from Regnentes. It would be a hassle if Sertoria's merchandise and Regnentes's merchandise competed. If possible, I want everyone to make money happily.」
She was laughing. Umu, shouldn't she already become Magdalena-sama's advisor?
In Primordia, we received a warm welcome at the Royal Palace. Mary, with her outstanding attractiveness, created a circle of men, and I took that opportunity to move to a separate room early and got a chance to talk with Sianya and the Wetlands Priestess. Just so you know, I didn't run away.
By the way, the Henry Party, who acted as the transport, retreated to Mary's regular inn.
「How have things been lately?」
The wetlands should already be in the final stages of constructing the isolation facilities. The knights who can use high-level magic should also be mobilized.
「No, the thing is, it's unbearable. Listen.」
The Priestess suddenly started complaining.
「Did something happen?」
「It's Engrio, Engrio.」
Apparently, King Seldic is doing something.
「That King over there, he apparently said that once the truce started, all the soldiers on the expedition should be able to bathe. And Cadogan-sama went and approved it. He said to make lots of magic water too, and they're making huge water tanks and large barrels. I couldn't tell anymore if it was a facility to house patients or a facility to make magic water.」
King Seldic said that, anyway, preventing the infection of the White Island is the top priority, and he apparently told them to let all the soldiers on the expedition to the Duchy of Germania bathe in the wetlands for a certain period. Of course, the patients inside the duchy, which Theresia-sama is leading, are currently being bathed in magic water. Since the duchy itself is a large peninsula, the spread has almost ended.
「Isn't that fine? I think it's an effective method.」
If it's done in the wetlands, which can be almost completely isolated, it won't spread to the White Island.
「It's not fine. The enemy army in a state of combat readiness is coming to the coast of the wetlands in droves. What if they land on the west of the wetlands while we're unguarded and invade? A road runs through there.」
「I-I see.」
As expected. I hadn't thought that far. Most of the Priestess and the knights were on the Ice Island. It seems there was no one to stop it.
「Right now, Edward is commanding three hospital ships to transport magic water to the port of Germania. The Engrio soldiers on the expedition are scheduled to bathe at the port. After that, we'll watch the situation within Engrio.」
Sianya said it was settled after she returned.
「Then, what about the magic water you made in large quantities?」
「It's for the prisoners. After that, since the Engrio ships came, we sent it for the Duchy of Roland.」
Isn't that being cleverly trapped by King Seldic?
「Probably. King Seldic might have used a bluff from the start with that intention. But, it might be a good method to prevent infected people from entering the White Island.」
The Wetlands Priestess was glaring at Sianya, who was giggling.
「Honestly, Cadogan-sama should also study a bit more about war.」
No, it's probably impossible to ask a priest for that.
That Cadogan-sama was apparently scolded quite a bit by the Wetlands Priestess. He joined us partway through, but he was completely repentant.
「No, it's because I've only ever done plague countermeasures. I'm ignorant of politics and diplomacy.」
「Consult Edward or Sianya. The King is also ignorant because he only does farming and fishing.」
「I am sorry.」
Apparently, the King also approved easily. After the Wetlands Priestess returned, she finally started saying it was strange. After that, she consulted with Sianya, contacted Edward-sama, and they hurriedly brought it to the current system. The narrowness of the wetlands was a blessing. Since the overflowing soldiers were on ships, it would be disastrous if there were infected people, so they apparently renegotiated to have it done on hospital ships and within Engrio.
「His Majesty is also reflecting on this matter and says he wants to hand over the throne to Edward-sama soon.」
That's been the case for a while.
In any case, the crisis? seems to have passed, and it seems to be operating well now. After the Priestess finished complaining for a while, the topic turned to Theresia-sama.
「King Seldic had started plague countermeasures even before the occupation. He won over not just the occupied port towns but even the surrounding residents.」
The King of West Liber, who did nothing... or rather, could do nothing, was apparently abandoned. Conversely, if they don't like Theresia-sama's rule, they'll surely switch sides immediately.
The next day, when I went to the isolation ward, I met Anri-sama. Bishop Phillips and Harris-sama were also with him. It was Bishop Phillips's first time meeting him. They were giving nice-to-meet-you greetings.
「It could be called a difficult land to govern. It's because the Kingdom of Liber was originally formed by a single generation flattening the surrounding small tribes. Since then, it was divided into three by inheritance. Since then, each country has lacked unity.」
Anri-sama said there are many great nobles who don't listen and small tribes that have lived there since long ago. The territory of the Duchy of Germania was also a collection of such small tribes, and it was a land where it wouldn't be strange for a rebellion to occur at any time.
「Then, Theresia-sama is...」
Harris-sama, who is in charge of politics in this mission, trailed off. It's probably better not to say too much from our side.
「Umu. If she were to exercise strong power, a rebellion would occur, and it would allow the intervention of West Liber. Since it's far from the home country, reinforcements would also be difficult.」
Wouldn't she just be killed?
「I don't think she'll let that happen, though.」
He sounds a bit unreliable.
「Well, if she keeps taxes light for a year or two and does plague countermeasures properly, it should be fine. After that, it's a matter of which country she can form a military alliance with.」
Currently, the home country and Engrio are solid. Sertogne and Morandine are also apparently mostly fine. It seems it depends on what happens with Primordia. Depending on that, there's a possibility that the movements of the various White Island countries will be influenced, it seems.
「Well, for the White Island, I think trade alone is fine except for Engrio and Morandine. The current challenge is plague countermeasures. In that respect, I want to cooperate with West Liber too.」
「Will this meeting summarize such talks?」
「Umu. Plague countermeasures have no borders. There's no politics, diplomacy, or difference in religion. I plan to talk about such things. Please rest assured.」
「I appreciate your consideration.」
Harris-sama was half-smiling wryly.
The next day, we went to the coast of the wetlands early in the morning by saucer and were allowed to board the ship carrying magic water. Unusually, the Henry Party returned to the wetlands just like that.
「They're really not coming.」
To be honest, I thought they would follow us on their own.
「This time, those three are carrying out a mission far more difficult than ours.」
「And what would that be?」
「Gathering information from prisoners.」
I see. West Liber nobles. There must be great nobles mixed in too.
「The ghosts are doing their best, so no problems should occur, but they probably won't know the inner thoughts of West Liber.」
During the journey, they were silent almost the entire time. Those three must surely have scrolls of Thought Communication. Moreover, Eleanor-sama and Wilson-san are super-high-level mages, and as for Henry-sama, despite not being able to use magic, he seems likely to read the opponent's true intentions.
「They will also send us back. Listen, Jeanne. During that time, it's fine for us alone to talk about West Liber matters. However, do not speak to those three about that matter from our side. If asked, answer only what you are asked. Bishop Phillips and Jeanne are super-high-level mages. In other words, you can see through lies. Regarding diplomacy and war, we have nothing to do with them.」
「Yes. I understand.」
Bishop Phillips was also nodding. The West Liber issue must be a top secret. No wonder there were many opportunities to talk with only Price-sama and the four of us in Regnentes. Surely James-sama is behind it. Heaven preserve us.