Chapter 590 - Chapter Nine: Gathering Frogs in the Wetlands
At Eowyn-sama's request, I ended up extending my stay to help with gathering frogs until the next full moon. This is because users of Sense Living are rare, and since the majority of them are church priests, they cannot operate for many days in a row. It wouldn't have been a problem if they were organized into a monster extermination team, but they weren't. Fortunately, the Henry Party is said to be coming to pick me up, so I decided to get permission from the King and earn some money. Frogs are D-rank, so they are ten silver coins each, but since the people I'm gathering frogs with are all soldiers under Eowyn-sama, I can keep the reward all to myself. Basically, I just find them hibernating, dig them up, freeze them, and transport them to the icehouse. It doesn't matter if they're dead or alive. Because they'll be frozen anyway. In my counting of unhatched frog skins, it seems I can find five or six a day if I work hard, so fifty silver coins a day. Working hard for twenty days would be a thousand silver coins, in other words, fifty gold coins. An ultra-high-level mage who conquered a fierce battle with Eowyn-sama and the Demon Race executives is with me, so it's quite a good job. On holidays, it seems I can visit the isolation facilities in the Gram district with Aira and Saxburg, so I decided to accept.
Frogs, unlike snakes and slugs, apparently dig holes and hibernate individually. So, it's not like finding one spot means catching them all at once. While drawing a Warm magic circle at the bottom of the bowl to keep it from getting cold, I reached out from the edge of the bowl and searched for places they might be.
"I heard Jeanne-sama also participated in the Demon Lord subjugation unit."
The ultra-high-level mage spoke to me. People in Northern Gram, except for the King, the Queen, Aira, and Saxburg, all call me Jeanne-sama. It's because Eowyn-sama's disease is rampant.
"Yes. It was support. There were many people, so I don't know how much of a help I was."
Eowyn-sama interjects with "You're being too humble."
"I also participated. It was a terrible battle because my strength was insufficient."
If I recall, they should have suffered heavy losses in the fierce battle with the Demon Race executives on the second floor. Even those who survived had major injuries, so about half the members were receiving decorations.
"However, at the decoration ceremony after the Demon Lord's subjugation, due to the call from Mary-dono, who is Jeanne-bishop-sama's companion, we received a call of our country's name from the crowd. At that time, I was serving Gram. Having lost two comrades including those from other countries and half of the feints and support who rushed to help, I was regretting that I might not be worthy of a medal, but I was saved by that call."
"Isn't the fact that you challenged the difficulty worthy of praise? Besides, in an extremely difficult situation in the darkness, you successfully defeated the Demon Race executives on the second floor, didn't you?"
He opened his mouth blankly. He didn't seem to think I would know. Since I had also sent off the Demon Race executives on the second floor, I had heard the details from the Medioland feints who participated in the battle toward the end.
"Mary, who thought of that call, said that not only the heroes who successfully defeated the Demon Lord, but everyone who participated in the battles against the Demon Lord and the Demon Lord's army since the Demon Lord's resurrection is worthy of receiving a call from the crowd. Since you fought as a representative of your country, you should have been worthy of receiving a medal representing your country."
That's the kind of girl she is. Mary. She's a pacifist who hates conflict, but when it comes to protecting something, she's a girl who can fight bravely.
"Thank you. Jeanne-sama. As a knight of Old Gram, although I am under Eowyn-sama who inherits the name, I intend to provide as much assistance as possible if anything happens to Jeanne-bishop-sama, Mary-dono, and by extension, the Class of 175. Please, be aware of that."
Eowyn-sama is nodding strongly. I didn't think Eowyn-sama's disease would infect others. It might be better to cast Anti-Sepsis on him secretly.
The person infected with Eowyn's disease, being an ultra-high-level mage, performed many roles by himself. Perhaps because he had been continuing the search of the wetlands under Eowyn-sama's orders, he was good at finding places where frogs might be hibernating. Frogs, actually, don't dive that deep. They are said to be in unexpectedly shallow places. Unlike slugs, there's no need to go to the mountains; there were plenty in the vast wetlands. Aside from near the river mouth where tidal flats spread, they were on sandbanks a little away from the river mouth. Mostly in slightly elevated places where trees grow.
Flying in the bowl while casting Sense Living from above, one was found in less than half an hour. Dig a hole with Clump Sand and freeze the head with Ice Cube as soon as it's found. It was easy because we didn't wash each head with soapy water like with the slugs. After resting for a while, cancel it and make them sleep soundly with Sleep. Tie ropes to the limbs, hang them from the bowl, and carry them to the icehouse built near the fortress on the north bank. Since the icehouse has holes dug the size of a frog, throw them into those holes, put on the lids, and cover them with soil. They'll hibernate just like that until the time they're used. The one who built the icehouse is also the ultra-high-level mage. To be honest, he's doing almost all the work by himself. We caught three in the morning. In the afternoon, as a result of splitting the work between finding and putting them to sleep and carrying them to the icehouse, we were able to secure double, six frogs. A wonderful result. The daily earnings became ninety silver coins... four and a half gold coins. As expected, this would be too much, so I decided to pay for the drinks for everyone during dinner, including the people working at the fortress. That became about two and a half gold coins, so the actual earnings were two gold coins. Eowyn-sama was reluctant, but I convinced him half-forcibly by saying that priests are originally supposed to work for everyone, and it's the custom of the Sertorian shops to treat everyone on days when earnings are good.
During dinner, Aira and Saxburg also came. When they heard I was paying for the drinks, after consulting with Eowyn-sama, it became a grand banquet in the nearest village. The royal family will apparently pay for the alcohol there. Eowyn-sama is the lord for the villagers. They were grateful just that the lord was exterminating monsters so they could fish in the wetlands, and he even held a banquet and invited them for free. For people who usually live modestly mainly by grazing, they seemed happy, and the village head and villagers came to say thank you.
At that time, receiving an introduction full of rhetoric from Eowyn-sama as the person who makes magic water was a bit much, but thanks to that, I got a chance to talk with the village head afterward.
The people who are currently Eowyn-sama's staff are all from Old Gram. When the war with Medioland was lost and the Royal Capital was occupied, they apparently wondered what would happen. They can fully imagine that a land occupied by another country would meet a terrible fate, knowing the misdeeds of the high nobility in the Former Septanaquila territory. Eowyn-sama used that case as material for reflection, and moreover, fully utilizing the fact that he inherits the Gram name, he decided to take over those who followed the Former Septanaquila King and govern the Old Gram territory himself. He actively introduced new farming methods, and as a result of making magic a form of labor, production volume visibly increased. He encouraged industry, promoted trade, and used the profits gained to focus on plague countermeasures and measures for the needy, and as a result, he has now become an existence looked up to as a wise ruler.
Of course, in the background, the skillful diplomatic hand of the Northern Gram King is greatly reflected. He formed strong alliances with the hostile Medioland and Finis and increased influence over Morandine. The cooperation on the east coast side collapsed, but they are demonstrating more presence on the White Island than before, and eventually, Gram and Northern Gram will unite into one large country. They seem to have great expectations for Eowyn-sama.
After the banquet ended and we returned to the fortress, I was asked about the future prospects for the investigation of the Black Stones and the Secret Books by the group including Eowyn-sama, Aira, and Saxburg. The four of us gathered in a separate room.
Of course, since there is a Vow of Silence, I cannot disclose it. I only make the official report made by the person in the position of Archbishop available for viewing by limited related parties. For now, those who can see the report are the Grand Archbishop, the Archbishops of the related churches, the heads of the Great Churches in the Royal Capitals of the related countries, and those recognized by those high-ranking priests who are the Goddess's proxies. Usually, it's only the King and his legitimate proxies, and the exception is the ten nobles who protect the Western Church. In other words, Aira and Saxburg are not in a position to know about the Secret Books, let alone the Black Stones. So, the talk was only about things outside the Vow of Silence.
(Regarding the Black Stones, I have heard that all five have been found. Has there been any change in Jeanne-sama's person?)
It's heartening that they worry about me so seriously.
(Nothing in particular for now.)
(That is good to hear. Then it depends on the future investigations.)
(Yes. Judging from the locations of the Secret Books found so far, I think investigations near the Engrio Royal Capital and in the Ruined Town will be necessary.)
(Is that so. It seems King Seldic of Engrio has also returned home, so it's finally the final stage.)
(I think so. However...)
(Did something happen?)
(I cannot speak in detail, but we humans might be misunderstanding something.)
(Misunderstanding?)
(Yes.)
As a result of the investigation of the Secret Book stored at the altar in the ruins of the eastern Silver Mine in Regnentes, several new things were discovered, but the most ambiguous among them was still about the Demon Race.
Originally, only their nature in the present... although it's quite a long time ago in human terms since it's been written in the Secret Books for three thousand years... was recorded, and it was not known at all how they were born. However, the mention of dying and being resurrected was only for high-ranking Demon Race.
"Personally, I was very surprised that the Demon Race and humans are treated on the same level."
That was Price-sama's impression when the final investigation was completed.
That's certainly true. At least until I became a monster exterminator, I thought the Demon Lord and the Goddess were opposing beings and existences that faced each other. I also vaguely thought the Goddess was superior. In human legends, it is said that several descendants of many gods, including the Goddess, are the ancestors of humans. The Goddess and the Demon Race are existences that have been in conflict since ancient times and are mortal enemies. In other words, the Demon Lord is of a higher rank than humans. In fact, in the doctrine books, it is said that the War God received a silver sword from the Goddess to defeat monsters and subjugated the Demon Race together with humans. The Church also clearly regards the Demon Race as enemies, and everyone, including me, thought so. I started to feel doubt about such ways of thinking after talking with the spirits and the Demon Lord. The spirits and the Demon Lord did not affirm the existence of the Goddess. And in the legends passed down among beastmen, the ancestors of beastmen and humans are the same. In the Secret Books, the Demon Lord and humans are of the same rank, although there are differences in individual strength. Since it's clear the Goddess is of a higher rank than humans, the Demon Lord would be of a lower rank than the Goddess.
"Jeanne, what did you think?"
For some reason, he asks me. Personally, I'm just plain surprised.
"I don't know how to put it, but the spirits and the Demon Lord made statements as if they don't recognize the existence of the Goddess. And among humans, the people on the mainland worship gods other than the Goddess."
If anything, everyone except for the White Island and Sertogne might be like that.
"In other words, the existence of the Goddess is not a universal existence?"
"At least, it is a fact that there are people who interpret it that way. After that, it's whether one believes or not, in other words, faith, I think."
I think it's a safe answer. There is no basis to deny other people's claims.
"I think so too. At least, I think the fact that humans who use magic like us exist only among those who actually believe in the Goddess is proof of that."
Price-sama also showed agreement. However, there are those who cannot be explained by that alone. The Demon Race and spirits who do not affirm the existence of the Goddess. They use magic even though their faith in the Goddess is non-existent.
"Isn't it the same? We call the object of worship the Goddess, and they call it by another concept. They are beings born and raised on this island just like us, but it wouldn't be strange if their legends and ways of thinking are different. Our human-only legends and interpretations aren't necessarily correct, right?"
Price-sama had derived a conclusion in his own way. What is right and what is wrong, that kind of idea itself might be different.
We are looking for a means to seal the Demon Lord so he doesn't resurrect, but the things we find might not be that kind of thing.
(We might just be harboring some kind of expectation for future investigation results based on human legends. And I don't think that expectation is necessarily correct.)
If the wrong person heard this, it's a statement that could lead to being labeled an apostate. Because human legends mean the doctrine books. I thought I failed by saying it.
(Of course, what I just said is the personal way of thinking of me, a stray... a priest unaffiliated with the Church. It differs from the Church's official view, so please be careful.)
Eowyn-sama stared straight into my eyes.
(Jeanne-sama, the three of us were given a future by Jeanne-sama. It will likely be announced officially soon, but Aira is showing signs of pregnancy, and Saxburg will officially get engaged to Duke Hexham again. Jeanne-sama's assistance was in all of that.)
That's amazing!
Looking at the two, they are both blushing and looking down. When I said "Congratulations," they replied with a small "Thank you."
(Jeanne-sama associates with various races and listens to their words. Our country is also striving to be like Jeanne-sama, centered around Aira and Saxburg. And we are often bewildered by the differences in ways of thinking depending on the race. Even more so for Jeanne-sama, there must be many such things. However, we believe that Jeanne-sama will find the correct answer. Jeanne-sama, please do not forget that no matter what kind of thoughts Jeanne-sama may have in the future, we, and our country, will support Jeanne-sama.)
The two who were blushing and looking down both nodded strongly.
I see. It seems they are experiencing various things since they started living with spirits and monsters. Moreover, they are royalty of a country that values the power of spirits. They must have many worries. Perhaps I was invited to gather frogs in order to have this talk.