Chapter 653 - Fourth Story: The Second Great Unity Conference
At the end of the month, we depart for Duchess Theresia's Duchy of Germania to participate in the second Great Unity Conference. This time too, I'm going with Harris-sama, Phillips-sama, and the Hermit-sama. We'll stop by Primordia on the way. The Henry Party will take us to and from Primordia, where we'll meet up with Mary. Up to here, it's almost the same as last time. There's one difference. Eleanor-sama intends to drag the Wetlands Priestess into the exploration of the Demon Lord's Cave. To be precise, she probably wants the Wetlands Priestess who can use [Dark], but she seems to have judged that Lyudmila alone would be difficult.
"Even if the number of [Dark] users increases, will we be able to break through there?"
To be honest, I think it's impossible. I think it's already quite something that we reached that far. Since we've reached it, the other side will also take countermeasures. Since we can't launch a surprise attack, we'll be ambushed. If so, beyond that, one would truly need the resolve to throw away their life.
"Of course, that is the resolve."
Seriously? It's impossible for me.
"However, we won't throw it away easily. I heard the First King also frequently said that it's only by surviving that things matter."
"Then why do you still try to go?"
"Because if possible, I want to crush that place. If the recognition that humans will invade increases on the other side, they will probably crush it. Because there are other places to be resurrected. In other words, we can, in a sense, seal the cave where the Demon Lord is resurrected."
I see. So it has that kind of meaning too. I didn't think that far.
"For example. Suppose we go to where that fake was."
"Yes."
"And if that were nothing but a large amount of gunpowder with a lit fuse, what on earth would happen?"
To be honest, Eleanor-sama's smile is scary.
She thinks of quite ruthless things. As the Vice Demon Lord said, is this what happens if one does nothing but training from a young age? I want to believe I'm different. I have to be careful. It might be too late for Beatrix, though.
Currently, they are verifying the process of going to where the fake Demon Lord was and researching how to send in gunpowder along with Harold-sama. It's a terrifying thing. The Demon Race might not know about gunpowder. Oh, but it's fine since they'll be resurrected.
"The difficult part is how to send in only the gunpowder. Or how the person who carried it will return. It would be good if [Wind Barrier] could be used, but if only [Light] or [Dark] can be used, the difficulty inevitably becomes high."
Surely, she doesn't intend to send only the Priestess, does she? If the Priestess becomes an evil spirit and curses us, I won't know anything about it.
"The reason for adding the Priestess to our comrades is because of Lyudmila's case. At present, we cannot make the previous investigation public. At this rate, we cannot share information with the country where the cave where the Demon Lord is resurrected exists."
"That is... true. We should have asked the Priestess from the start."
It becomes my mistake for recommending Lyudmila.
"Jeanne, I'm counting on you to put in a good word with the Priestess. Also, when we go next time, the reward will be the participation reward, just like last time."
I have no choice but to agree. I shouldn't have said anything.
Because there was also a need to have discussions with Sianya and the Wetlands Priestess, the departure date for participating in the Great Unity Conference was moved up. Incidentally, Phillips-sama, Harris-sama, and the Hermit-sama will come via Regnentes on a Medioland Royal Capital Grand Cathedral ship. This time, the Church is putting quite a bit of effort into the White Island, and participation for those in charge in each country has become semi-mandatory. Among the priests of the west coast, only I went ahead in the Henry Party's bowl.
As usual, we landed directly in the courtyard of the Primordia Royal Palace while still in the bowl. After greeting the King, we entered a separate room including Edward-sama and Sianya. It was an immediate request.
In response to the claim of wanting to borrow the Wetlands Priestess, he gave permission easily, saying he didn't mind as long as the Priestess herself was okay with it. However, Sianya was refused because she was busy. Probably, the King of Primordia saw through that we were plotting something bad. If it were a formal talk, a letter from the King should have arrived. As proof of that, he left it to the Priestess's judgment without asking anything. Eleanor-sama, who thanked him with great joy, immediately met with Cadogan-sama.
Cadogan-sama was in the middle of preparations for the Great Unity Conference. Even though he must be busy, he met with us easily. And, without asking for a reason, he said he would leave it to the Priestess's judgment. The King of Primordia was the same, but my putting in a good word was unnecessary.
Is it okay for things to proceed so easily?
"Jeanne will also participate anyway, right?"
"Yes. That's how it will be."
"Then, there should be no problem."
Is that how it works? It's gratifying that he trusts me, but what we're doing is a bit 'that', you know.
"Setting aside the Wetlands Knight Order, the Priestess is in a different position. She is unofficially affiliated with the Western Church, but she is a ghost. Since the Church treats ghosts that do not ascend as undesirable, she is not formally registered. In other words, she is wild, just like Jeanne. There is nothing I can force upon a wild priestess."
It was quite a relaxed way of saying it, but given the Priestess's personality, this would be better. For one thing, when the Priestess was alive, the Church itself must have been completely different from now.
"Besides, the fact that you came all the way here means it's something only the Priestess can do, right? If so, all the more reason."
He looks at me meaningfully. He must have realized that dark magic is necessary.
"We appreciate your understanding."
Eleanor-sama, who thanked him with a full smile, donated without fail.
With this, there was no one to block Eleanor-sama, and she flew off toward the wetlands in great joy. I was left behind, but that was gratifying in its own way.
After seeing off the Henry Party, what I visited with Sianya was the isolation facility where Anri-sama is.
Anri-sama regularly holds reading lectures of the Encyclopedia of Herbs via [Thought Communication]. Because of that, he was given a private room in a corner of a newly built building dedicated to lectures and lived there. From Sertoria, the priest in charge of the medical research institute should be coming to attend.
Sianya knocked on the door and announced herself. After obtaining permission to enter, the guest enters without announcing their name. This is apparently the etiquette for those visiting Anri-sama.
"Oh, I hear footsteps I'm not very familiar with. From the way of walking, a priest. Sianya-dono is accompanying, and those footsteps... Could it be Bishop Jeanne?"
Even though he shouldn't have been able to hear at one point, he has become able to distinguish my footsteps before I knew it. He's at an age where it should be hard to hear. What's the point of becoming able to hear so well? There are nothing but monsters around me.
"Wahahaha. Bishop Jeanne, please praise my insight rather than my hearing."
"Insight, is it?"
"That's right. Thanks to the efforts of the King of Primordia, I am now treated like a person of note. Thanks to that, various guests come here. However, those whom Sianya-dono accompanies are, as far as I know, the Liberation King of Primordia, Grand Archbishop Cadogan, and Lloyd and Jeanne. Excluding the King of Primordia, who is busy with the next cultivation plan after the tax payment period, and Cadogan-sama and Lloyd, who are busy with preparations for the Great Unity Conference, only one person comes to mind."
What was that about footsteps and such?
"Those footsteps, you're wearing leather boots, right? Nevertheless, there's almost no sound. Priests basically walk quietly, but Jeanne is the extreme. You walk like that because you're doing monster extermination."
Is that so?
When I looked at Sianya, she nodded emphatically. And with a full smile too.
"I want to learn from you too. But given my position, I can't exactly..."
It seems I've developed a habit of walking while erasing my presence normally, as Anri-sama says. I had never cared about it until now, but an elegant princess wouldn't walk with hushed footsteps. It seems I am not elegant. I'll have Mary teach me next time.
By the way, the reason I came to see Anri-sama was not to talk about how I walk. I came to hear about the state of the continent before the Great Unity Conference.
"It seems things have calmed down considerably."
"Really?"
That's good. The money for purchasing magic water is no joke, and if it continues forever, people who plot to make money might appear again. At present, the influence of King Seldic and his sons, and after the establishment of the Duchy of Germania, Theresia-sama, providing magic water for free to everyone regardless of social standing as part of the occupation policy for the regions that became the Duchy of Germania or the Duchy of Roland is very large, and if they tried to make it paid now, a rebellion might break out.
"However, because of that, there are concerns about the future."
The future... I can roughly guess.
"Is it [Anti-Sepsis]?"
Currently, only I can use it. There are also those put into spheres with the cooperation of the Priestess of Finis, but there is such a thing as a contract period with the ghosts in the spheres. Even if it were extended, it's impossible permanently. According to the Priestess, it's normally one year. At most about three years. Even if it's a secret technique, it's limited because it's something humans make.
"You understand, don't you? In short, Jeanne. It's your life."
Yes, it's a bit 'that' to be told so clearly, but it's a fact. As discussed in the previous Great Unity Conference, we must find treatments and prevention methods that do not rely on magic, including folk traditions from various places. Before I die.
"To this conference, just like last time, an acquaintance of mine from East Liber is coming. It would be good if they could tell us some method we don't know."
East Liber. Further east or southeast of East Liber is the birthplace of Count Vectis and Lyudmila's mother. Somehow, I end up expecting something.
"There's one more thing."
"Is it war?"
"Umu. You understand, don't you?"
In the previous war, it was considered one of the factors for the spread of the epidemic. This time, King Seldic is leading troops on an expedition to East Liber. However, the epidemic currently in question doesn't spread in winter originally, and it's announced that he will go and return via the Duchy of Roland, so infection to the White Island is not very likely.
"There are few examples of winter wars. Nevertheless, this time East Liber requested reinforcements from Engrio at this time. Do you know what that means?"
"Umm, it's probably disease countermeasures. Since the epidemic currently in question causes more damage in summer. East Liber probably intends to suppress the rebellion by the southern nobles early even if they have to push themselves a bit before the severe cold season, and send troops to the West Liber front as early as next spring."
This part is what I heard from Eleanor-sama and the bandits. Previously, Price-sama also made a similar prediction, and it's probably correct. In fact, the rebellion in eastern East Liber was almost suppressed after the main army headed there. It didn't last until winter.
"Umu. To think you understand that much. That's impressive."
"No, it's because there are people who teach me various things."
To be honest, I can't make any predictions.
"Then, what is the influence that will have on disease countermeasures?"
No one has taught me that far. I don't know.
"I'm sorry. I don't know."
"I suppose so. I don't know either."
I see. It wasn't just me. That's a relief.
"Therefore, in this conference, we must discuss things up to that point."
"Yes."
"Of course, we won't talk about the pros and cons of the war. We will only discuss methodologies so that things will be fine whichever way it goes, regardless of the presence or absence of war. There's a high possibility that the representatives of the east and west will fight over policy theories, but make sure you don't get caught up in it."
"Yes."
Anri-sama is facing not only me but also Sianya. Most of the Church priests on the White Island show a stance of opposing the war. That in itself is correct, but he's probably advising us not to get dragged into political talk because of that. A wild person like me aside, Sianya's statements will be regarded as the view of the Primordia Royal Family. Since Primordia is a member of the Northwest Coast Treaty, participation in the war is also possible depending on the situation. It would be troublesome later if she loudly said she was against the war and then participated in it.
"I will keep that in mind."
Probably she's been nailed down by the King of Primordia about that too. Nevertheless, Sianya replied with a solemn face. She must have a resolve as royalty and as a royal advisor that I don't understand. It was the same during that naval battle. Being royalty is not something one should become.
"Jeanne, it's been a while! You seem to be working hard."
In the evening, when we reached the usual inn, the Wetlands Priestess was in the back room. She's already having a drink with the Henry Party. Just as I thought. There's no way the Priestess wouldn't show interest in the battle with the Demon Race... though I don't know if there will be one. She seems to have easily agreed when talked to.
"I've become a non-permanent member of the Henry Party this time. Nice to meet you."
Finally, even a ghost has joined? They're increasing their power more and more. I wonder if the spirits who gather at our farm will eventually join too. I'm worried.
"Is it okay over there?"
The Priestess is the spiritual pillar of the Wetlands Knight Order. Is it okay for her to come alone?
"The Knight Order is there. Besides, the King of Engrio has gone to the continent, right? Then, there's no war in winter, right?"
As expected. She understands everything.
"Besides, I want to see it beforehand."
"See what?"
"You're going to use a new weapon called gunpowder, right? I'm just so looking forward to it, so looking forward to it."
Eleanor-sama has a full smile.
"By the time Jeanne returns, I will have a concrete operation plan ready."
"Hey, hey, let's make it next month. Jeanne is on the continent this month, right? If we prepare from now, we can go together next month, right?"
She completely intends to go with me. Well, I'm the only [Light] user...
"Next month, then. I'll ask for adjustments for the support."
Support? Is another victim going to appear?
"I plan to call out to Roberts and Gladys. After that, it's Hughes."
"Could it be. Active heroes?"
"That's right."
"Isn't that great, isn't that great. I'm looking forward to it. Let's defeat the Demon Race together."
The Priestess has been completely won over. No, she was that kind of person from the start.