Chapter 654 - Fourth Story: The Second Great Unity Conference ②
The next day, the Henry Party returned to Sertoria, taking the Wetlands Priestess with them. They plan to come pick me up when it's time for me to return home. Along with Sianya and Mary, I saw them off as they departed from behind the inn. The priest delegation is scheduled to arrive at the port this afternoon.
"Well then, everyone, please do your best."
"Jeanne, see you later. Bye-bye."
The Priestess, who had merged with Eleanor-sama, gave her farewell greetings in turn. Since the face and voice were the same, it was a complicated sight to behold. Henry-sama seems unusually delighted. Wouldn't it be better if the Priestess just did all the talking from now on?
The following day, the priestly forces from the West Coast arrived. There were about three or four people from each country. I heard the leader was Bishop Phillips. There were some people I recognized. I changed out of my usual autumn/winter Green Marble into my white priest robes, threw on an outdoor winter cloak, and went to greet them at the port. Sianya had told me that it's better to wear priest robes when welcoming a church-exclusive vessel. I had worn Green Marble the few times I'd been on one before, but since this time it was in the capacity of an envoy from various nations, she said appropriate etiquette was necessary. I didn't think much of it, but I did as I was told.
However, when I went to the port, there was a girl wearing autumn/winter Green Marble. She was clearly waiting for a ship at the port, so when I talked to her, I found out she wasn't a priest. She was a researcher of medicinal herbs from the Duchy of Germania and was a pagan. Apparently, she had come recently to attend lectures on the Encyclopedia of Herbs. Being a pagan, she naturally knew no priests on the White Island. She had petitioned her local church to participate in the lectures and was granted permission. She even seemed to have a recommendation letter from the head of her church. However, Anri-sama doesn't care about the presence or absence of such recommendation letters. This is Anri-sama's policy: if he judges someone to be motivated, they can participate in the lectures. If he judges they aren't, no one's letter of introduction will help. Of course, since she's a foreigner, her entry procedures were handled properly. After that, she has to go to the isolation facility, apply for an interview with Anri-sama, and if she passes, she can take the course. However, since there's a limit on the number of people, motivation alone isn't enough. She had come for that interview, but was left waiting because of the conference. Instead, she was granted permission to observe the conference. She showed me her invitation.
She liked the Green Marble because it was convenient for gathering herbs deep in the forest, and she had bought both the regular and autumn/winter versions at the shop managed by Sianya. She spoke the local language fluently, with no mumbling at all. According to her, she's technically a noble. Well, that makes sense. I've heard that in countries like Germania where magic can't be used at all, women marry early and devote themselves to childbirth and childcare. Researching herbs is a kind of hobby that only people of leisurely status, like Yorg-sama of Sertogne, can afford to do. However, she said she was technically a noble but practically a commoner, which felt complicated.
Her name is Jeanne. Her hair and eye color are the same as mine. I feel like our facial features are somewhat similar too, but that's probably just my imagination. She's eighteen this year, so she's five years younger than me.
I've never met anyone with the same name before. That's because my ancestors from several generations back were serfs from Sertogne, making me different from those who have lived on the White Island for generations. Come to think of it, it's apparently a common name on the continent, so it's natural for there to be others with the same name. Jeanne of Germania was surprised when she first learned my name, saying she didn't think there would be someone with the same name on the White Island.
The priests who arrived by ship were mostly young priests, though the leader of each country was a bishop. We took a welcoming carriage to the Great Church where Grand Archbishop Cadogan was waiting, and he entertained us grandly in the detached guest house. Of course, since they were priests, the quantities were appropriate. The King and Queen of Primordia and Edward-sama also came as guests. All the priests changed into their vestments. Me too. The herb researcher from Germania stayed in her autumn/winter Green Marble since she wasn't a priest.
I actually entered the detached guest house for the first time, and to be honest, it was on par with the guest rooms in the Sertoria Royal Palace. I heard it has been that way since ancient times. In the past, it called itself the Western Church against the Northern and Southern Churches. The Southern Church was crushed, and the Northern Church gained power, but formally they are apparently on the same level. The priests from each country were all greeting Cadogan-sama with a very humble attitude. I had heard he was a prestigious person renowned for his plague countermeasures, but his formal status was actually incredible too.
"Ah, Priest Jeanne. It's been two days."
He was smiling brightly. Just like usual. I think this kind of thing is what makes him great.
The next day, under Cadogan-sama's guidance, we toured the isolation facility and wetland facility where Anri-sama was, and then moved directly to the Duchy of Germania. On the ship, I spent time talking with Sianya, Hermit-sama, Mary, and Jeanne of Germania. Incidentally, Jeanne of Germania had shown her conference invitation to the sailors to get a ride. On the other hand, Mary got through on her face alone. Not only that, she was being thanked for a modest gift from the Class of 175 Shop... apparently Finis liquor and dried meat. As expected of her.
At the Duchy's port, following the last time, we received a grand welcome again. Theresia-sama, as usual, arrived in a carriage leading her ladies-in-waiting. Unlike last time, they weren't distributing bread. Only sweets. I mean, there were no obviously poor-looking children.
"It's been a year."
"It has been a long time, Theresia-sama. Have you been well?"
I thought Theresia-sama looked a bit thinner. She shouldn't have had any military service. She must be mentally exhausted.
"I'm doing well. Or so I'd like to say, but I've finally just gotten used to the position of ruler," she said.
She was laughing, but it must be incredibly difficult.
"Anri-sama was praising you."
This was true. Apparently, she's handling tasks so demanding that even the advisor Anri-sama himself, who makes the requests, thinks they're harsh. He said she's quite a hard worker.
"Is that so? That makes me happy."
That Anri-sama, along with Bishop Lloyd, came off the ship carried on the back of an accompanying priest. Theresia-sama guided Anri-sama to the carriage while holding his hand as he descended. Anri-sama was saying it was too much of an honor, but both were smiling. The relationship between the two seems to be going well.
The conference venue was the same as last time. The difference was the number of participants, which had nearly doubled. New participants joined from the various nations of the White Island that didn't participate last year, the duchies within Sertogne, those recommended by the nobles of West Liber, and the Duchy of Roland.
"Bishop Jeanne. It's been a long time. How have you been?"
It was the Bishop from the isolation ward in the Duchy of Naonent. The head of the border church who was involved in the treatment with me back then also came, along with a pagan church head.
"I've been well, thank you. I'm glad to see you all looking healthy too."
"There's someone I'd like to introduce to Bishop Jeanne."
"Who would that be?"
The people introduced were priests from the territories of the nobles I had met in the Duchy of Naonent. They all had recommendation letters from the nobles I met back then.
"How is the plague situation?"
"Thanks to you, we've managed to prevent it from spreading."
That's good to hear. The temperature has already dropped considerably. As long as we aren't careless, it should be fine.
The three nobles from that time are apparently working together to influence the high nobility in southwestern West Liber and are conducting palace maneuvers to stop the useless war. I don't know to what extent it's not useless, but I hope they do their best. West Liber, which has already had territory taken in three regions, likely doesn't intend to let it slide. However, regarding the two places that became duchies, the local sentiment against West Liber is strong, and partly because they were originally autonomous territories of powerful nobles, the royal family's reaction is said to be sluggish. As it stands, even if they could take them back, the seeds of rebellion would remain, and they would likely become lands owned by nobles, so they wouldn't generate income for the royal family. The plague is also scary. If they could just judge that it's useless to send troops... that would be ideal.
Lloyd-sama and Yorg-sama were also there. I thought about introducing Jeanne of Germania to Yorg-sama, but the Jeanne in question was nowhere to be found. She might have gone to the restroom.
Yorg-sama himself, taking a cue from last year's wolf extermination using chicken carcasses as bait, had gone around his own and his family's lands, and even various places in Sertogne, leading his subordinates from that time to exterminate wolves, and was apparently rewarded by the King.
"My father and older brother praised me quite a bit. After all, I, who was completely hopeless at martial arts, managed to exterminate wolves in seven locations. In all seven locations where we did the extermination, those big ones... Fenrir, was it? They were there too. Our only casualty was me falling off my horse and breaking my arm once while traveling. To think that until now, people died every time there was an extermination."
If it weren't for that one fall from the horse, it would have been an unscathed, complete victory, but I suppose I shouldn't point that out. He can use intermediate Heal himself, so there's no problem if he fixes it on his own.
The conference itself began with a calm banquet, similar to last time.
Unlike last time, this banquet had many observers who weren't priests. At Anri-sama's suggestion, in the continent where magic is unusable or insufficient, the scope was expanded to include herbalists. However, it was apparently limited to those recommended by the church. Of course, in this world, the power of money talks. There's a possibility that merchants far removed from being scholars would also gather.
As a result of having more people than last time and several non-priests participating, political matters were brought up as topics of conversation, just as had been feared beforehand. I was near the guest of honor, Anri-sama, along with Theresia-sama, Sianya, Lloyd-sama, and Mary, but Anri-sama repelled everyone who brought up political topics. He said things like, "What is a scholar doing talking about politics! Regardless of the state of politics or the presence of war, we must devise countermeasures for each occasion!" Thanks to that, I, who am not a scholar, just had to silently watch the people being scolded.
"This time is an experiment. From this conference, infection prevention measures from various countries, including folklore, will be introduced and verified. Priests are noble. However, sometimes they are too noble. Therefore, our research results don't easily reach the common people. But infection prevention is precisely what the common people need. Even if it's little by little, we must spread infection prevention methods that don't rely on prayer to the world. For that, merchants are also necessary."
Anri-sama only said "noble," but in reality, he was probably referring to the interference from the elders. Apparently, there are still those who insist that it can be cured by prayer. This time, the Medioland Royal Capital Great Church did send a church-exclusive vessel, but the people on board were said to be those whose status within the church wasn't very high. I can sympathize with Price-sama's hardships.
I thought it would continue endlessly from the banquet, but once the declaration to adjourn was made, Theresia-sama left the room. She probably learned her lesson since last year's situation was what it was. Along with that, most of the observers disappeared. Of course, the scholars remained. For them, this is where the real work begins.
Me? A good girl has to leave the room and rest.
When I went to the prepared room with Sianya and Mary, Jeanne of Germania was also there. Come to think of it, I heard we were in the same room.
"Where were you?"
"In the back."
We were in the very front. That's because we were with Theresia-sama and Anri-sama.
"Were you able to greet Anri-sama?"
"That's impossible. The other observers are all established nobles and their entourages, right? Someone like me can't just approach Theresia-sama's table. Who knows what would be said later."
And there's even a princess of Primordia. However, at Sianya's request, nothing more than her being a single priest has been said. Of course, those who know, know.
"It might be okay now. Anyway, the scholars will be drinking until tomorrow afternoon."
"It's the same now. All the non-priests have left the room, right? Most of the other people are staying at inns in town, but I'm being allowed to stay here specially because I have a recommendation letter from the church. If I used that to go see him, it would definitely be said that I stole a march on them."
Hmm. Things are quite harsh, aren't they?
"More importantly, why don't we have a light drink together here? We couldn't over there. I brought various things."
She lined up the spoils on the table. Before I knew it, she had brought a fair amount of alcohol and snacks. It was still too early to sleep. Since I had the chance, I decided to join her.
This Jeanne, as expected of someone trying to take Anri-sama's lectures, was really knowledgeable about continental herbs. Sianya and Mary were even being taught by her. In exchange, though, she didn't have much knowledge of herbs unique to the White Island.
"In Germania, are commoners allowed to collect herbs?"
I tried asking. Depending on the country, collecting herbs itself requires permission from the lord. Regnentes is like that. Even in the village where Beatrix is the landowner, they pay a hunting/gathering tax to the lord on a per-village basis for hunting and gathering in the forest. Though, the sales of dried meat are so great that they make it back in no time.
"If an ordinary commoner enters the forest or picks herbs on their own, it's a fine."
"...Is it okay for you, Jeanne?"
It's a bit awkward using my own name toward someone else. It's apparently a fairly common name, so I'll have to get used to it.
"Well, yeah. If it's the forest in my father's territory or the herbs in the local church lands, it's fine. Though, for the church lands, I go because I'm requested to. I'm more knowledgeable about herbs, so I'm the guide."
According to her, since magic water has been prized lately, sales of herbs have apparently gone up. Magic water has a high unit price, so I think it's better to use it in combination with herbs, though.
"Magic water is brought to the church, right? So all the patients go to the church. But I heard that for some diseases, herbs are better. My father and the church head told me to go learn about that. But, somehow, everyone was talking about various things in turns, so I didn't really understand."
"There will be a presentation on the final day. I think it'll be fine if you listen to that."
I don't even know how scholars, who look like they're just drinking, can put together a final conclusion. But it's certain that it will come together.
"Is that so? It seemed like other people thought it was halfway a place for business negotiations."
That's a royal palace banquet for you. Shouldn't they change the name from "banquet"? No matter how you look at it, people will misunderstand.