Chapter 656 - Fourth Story: The Second Great Unity Conference ④
Following the knight, Sianya and Mary entered.
"Jeanne, you're awake."
"Good morning."
Wasn't there an attack?
"There was an attack. After we moved to the inn," Mary said. Sianya was nodding.
"Inn? Is this an inn?"
"This is a fortress. A fortress of the Germanian Navy."
"What do you mean?"
If you don't explain it to me, I won't understand at all.
The knight left the room, and after I was urged to eat, it was Sianya who explained it to me.
Actually, I was apparently being targeted. Targeted by whom? A monotheistic exclusionist. To be precise, a money-grubber who incited the exclusionists.
The whole thing started when a church worshipping the same Goddess as the White Island was built in the Duchy of Germania during the conference the previous year.
Originally, this region of the Duchy of Germania was a place where polytheistic worship, as worshipped by the Engrio royal family and nobles, was flourishing. That changed when the king and nobles became monotheistic during the expansion of the Kingdom of Liber. Of course, just because the royal family converted doesn't mean the common people convert easily. They preached earnestly and somehow managed to achieve conversion. That accelerated after the Kingdom of Liber split and the current territory of the Duchy of Germania became West Liber. In that process, there was also support from major merchants around the West Liber Capital who had gained commercial privileges against the backdrop of their dealings with the church.
However, the entire region defected from West Liber and became the territory of the Duchy of Germania because of the magic water of the pagans on the White Island. Since the effect of the magic water was enormous, the common people began to miss their original polytheism. Even though they had converted, traces of their original religion remained in various events. Furthermore, it even reached the point where a pagan church was built in the capital of the Duchy. The merchants felt a sense of crisis. And they thought to kidnap the source of the problem, incite the exclusionists, and put her through an impeachment trial presided over by a bishop. If found guilty, she could be legally killed. Fortunately, that pagan was coming to a land where magic couldn't be used. On the final day, she wouldn't be at Theresia-sama's fortress, but would apparently stay at an inn in town. If they devised a plan, it would be fine.
So, I was apparently targeted. I can't believe they'd think of something so stupid. For starters, kidnapping me, who is treated almost like a state guest, would be a challenge to Theresia-sama. At worst, it would be easily exposed and lead to war... wait, for the corrupt merchants, would it be better if it did?
"We spread a false rumor that you were staying at the inn. We even booked a room. And on the day of the stay, saying it would be late, this person here handled the procedures. Also, the Green Marble. We said that you usually wear Green Marble instead of priest robes except at official venues."
While I was sleeping... to be precise, put to sleep by a sleeping drug in the alcohol... I was apparently moved. Sianya, being a princess, went to this fortress from the beginning, and Mary and the Jeanne here went to the inn in a carriage.
"And then, you know, Jeanne was there, right?"
"Jeanne of Germania, right?"
"Yes. She became the body-double."
"Eh? Why?"
The Jeanne here is a monotheist, and she deals with herbs, not magic water. She has nothing to do with it at all.
"That girl is a scout for Germania."
"Eh?"
"She's directly under Theresia-sama."
Mary nodded repeatedly.
So that was it. I was the only one who didn't know...
"I'm sorry for keeping it from you until now. We didn't know if something would actually happen. That's why we kept it a secret from Jeanne. If nothing had happened, we didn't intend to let Jeanne hear about it either."
It's certainly a story I wouldn't want to hear. And if I had heard it, I would have been on high alert and made everyone suspicious.
"In other words, the Jeanne here acted as a decoy for me."
The name, hair color, eye color, Green Marble, and even her facial features are somewhat similar. And she speaks the language of the White Island fluently. She's also knowledgeable about herbs. Thinking about it now, I feel like her movements were light too. She could sufficiently serve as a body-double for me, a monster exterminator.
"I wonder about her movements. Her bearing was much lighter than Jeanne's. I even requested her to walk with a more clumsy feel when I interviewed her."
Hey, Mary. I have the Cat Stone, you know. If it comes down to it, I'm faster than you.
"Hey, what happened to the Jeanne here?"
She acted as a decoy and was even attacked. If the date and place were limited, they should have been able to lie in wait.
"She was kidnapped," Mary said matter-of-factly.
That's the worst. Is this any time to be calm?
"It's okay. The strongest scout is following her."
Hermit-sama, huh. Then I can rest easy.
"And one more person. Jeanne, look at your chest."
"My chest?"
I saw that the pendant with several stones gathered together was gone.
"I'm returning this."
Mary took out the one she had hanging around her own neck from her chest. Fiona's stone is missing.
"Is Fiona with her too?"
"Yes, sorry, but I took the liberty of using her."
"It's fine. Fiona will come out if it's a companion's voice, but she won't come out even if someone other than a companion calls to her."
"Thank you. It would have been perfect if the Wetlands Priestess were here, but she's in the middle of doing various things right now, isn't she?"
The denizens of darkness are certainly in the middle of plotting something. But with Fiona and Hermit-sama watching, it'll be more than enough.
Having been reassured, I ate breakfast, and after the knight took away the tray with the empty dishes, Theresia-sama appeared as if taking his place.
"I'm sorry for the trouble. Thank you for moving in various ways for my sake."
The three of us stood up from the chairs we were sitting in. When I stepped forward and thanked her, the tall Theresia-sama approached and hugged me.
"I am sorry for keeping it from you."
"No, not at all. Please don't apologize."
She's the ruler of a country. I'm beyond humbled; I'm awestruck.
"Besides, I never thought that judgment at that time would lead to such a result. Even so, those exclusionists. To think they've forgotten the debt of having Jeanne prevent the spread of the plague. I feel like converting myself."
The church priests in charge of that area might be happy to hear that, but I'm a stray.
"No, the ones who are bad are the corrupt merchants who ran after money-making and deluded the devout believers. I've heard before that the scriptures of any religion are overflowing with the spirit of coexistence and co-prosperity. The ones who are bad are the humans who interpret them as they please, and the money-grubbers who exploit that. Theresia-sama is not at all to blame, so please don't talk about converting over something of this level."
"I-I am sorry. I should have deepened my faith more. I am ashamed of myself."
It had the opposite effect. What should I do? This is bad.
"At any rate, we are in the middle of cornering the bandits, including my country's scouts. Once we find them, we will round them all up, and after interrogation, we will publicly execute everyone involved so there are no future concerns, so please wait here in peace."
"No, that's a bit... It was an attempted crime, so I don't think you need to go that far."
"There is no need to hesitate. Currently, for anyone who harms Jeanne, the only user of Anti-Sepsis necessary for making magic water, the common people will desire a public execution. I will simply be executing them by taking in the will of my country's citizens."
She was completely unyielding. I'm really at a disadvantage here. Theresia-sama must be losing her composure because such a thing happened in her own country. At any rate, getting her to calm down is the most important thing.
Having no choice, I signaled Sianya and Mary to support me.
"Theresia-sama, may I take the liberty of speaking from my side?"
"What is it, Mary? You may speak without hesitation."
"Then, first, please sit down."
"A-Ah, sorry."
Mary pulled out a chair and had Theresia-sama sit. She herself remained standing straight by her side.
This part is very Mary-like. However, in my experience, Mary takes a similar attitude when she's trying to persuade someone. She looks at the seated person while standing. It's a top-down perspective.
"Regarding this matter, if we had the mind to, we could have prevented such a situation beforehand. As the ruler of the host country, when I informed the King of Sertoria of the circumstances, I should have strongly requested that Jeanne be absent from the conference."
No, it was prevented properly.
"Indeed, that is true."
It's Mary's move. She agrees for now.
"Then, please think about why Anri-sama did something so elaborate this time."
Did Anri-sama know too? No, he's Theresia-sama's advisor, so it's natural.
"Even if nothing had happened this time, the possibility of similar things happening in various places would remain. In other words, Jeanne wouldn't be able to go anywhere, let alone the Duchy of Germania. That is, so to speak, synonymous with losing to the bandits."
Is it going to be a story about winning and losing?
"Mary, I don't mind. I can just make scrolls or imbue magic into orbs in Sertoria, right?"
"Jeanne, I'm sorry, but could you listen to me for just a little while?"
"Yes. I'm sorry."
I knew it. She's in serious mode.
"That is not all. If Jeanne were to be abducted by someone, the Kingdom of Sertoria would deal with it accordingly. Moreover, if she were to be killed, they would retaliate with the whole country. It would be annihilation. Even if the opponent were a church priest of another religion."
"I-I see."
"If that happens, there is a possibility it will develop into a religious war."
Would it really turn into such a grand story? It feels a bit exaggerated.
"And one more thing, if the bandits are captured, and if one of the bandits is truly a priest and is publicly executed, the church that person belongs to will be placed in an extremely dishonorable situation."
"T-That is true."
"That said, if they are killed secretly, it will cause inconveniences for Theresia-sama. For example, rumors. That she killed an innocent church priest."
Even if it's done secretly, it will definitely be exposed. If they are given alcohol, piled with money, and even their own safety is guaranteed, there are people who will talk. Everyone is troubled somewhere in their daily lives. Paul-san said that before.
"Then, what should I do?"
Mary looked at Sianya. When Sianya answers, it becomes a conversation between royals.
"Regarding this matter, once the bandits are captured, would you hand them over to us?"
Princess! Are you serious?
"What do you intend to do?"
"We will conduct an inquiry here."
"That is... Of course, I don't mind. From the beginning, I intended to have you present if you wished. It means the roles will change, right?"
"Please let us conduct the inquiry as the primary party. Of course, if you could be present, then in that way. However, please do not interact with the bandits. Also, the location will change. Since taking them to the White Island would be a bit awkward, how about Sertogne?"
I see. Thought Communication. Even if the grade drops by two levels, if I cast it directly, it's intermediate. Multiple people can respond without touching the opponent. That said, since it would have the opposite effect on people from Germania who aren't used to magic, we'll do it. And if it's intermediate, we don't need to touch the opponent, but it won't affect the whole room. In other words, this person can also be present. As for the interrogation... it'll be fine if Harris-sama is there.
I gave a simple explanation to Theresia-sama, who didn't quite get the point. In short, if we use Thought Communication, we'll know immediately even if the opponent decides to stay silent.
"Is it perhaps magic that enables dialogue with the deaf and mute? I have heard of it from Anri-sama."
"Yes. I think it's magic that's originally meant to be used that way, but it can also be used for interrogation. No torture is necessary. If we ask questions that make the opponent associate with the background of the incident or the mastermind, they will imagine it on their own. We can pretend not to know, or pretend to read their mind. However, unless handled by someone used to it, our thoughts will leak out too, so as Sianya said, it's better if we, the people from the White Island, do it."
"...I understand. I leave it to you."
Torture isn't something you should do. If the opponent is a priest, they likely won't talk until they die. We would just end up torturing them to death without knowing anything. I don't know how much of the content heard in such a situation would be true. With Thought Communication, we'll know everything they thought, including completely unrelated things. There's no way a continental priest would have resistance to it.
"Also, if the opponent is truly a priest, please do not execute them. Even if they aren't a priest, for the time being, keep them in imprisonment."
Sianya started talking about what happens after the investigation. She really has no intention of killing them.
"B-But..."
"They were deluded by a money-grubber. The important thing is to smoke out that money-grubber."
If the priest dies, dead men tell no tales. If they're alive, there will be some kind of response.
"Theresia-sama, would you formally announce that Jeanne was attacked?"
"Doesn't that contradict Mary's statement from earlier?"
"If the opponent is a priest, yes. But what if it's a thug hired by someone? A thug who insolently disguised himself as a priest. He promised to confess everything, unable to endure the torture. Currently, he is recuperating because he cannot speak satisfactorily due to the rough torture. Once everything is eventually brought to light, all those involved will be killed. Please spread such... rumors. They are strictly rumors. The only existence who can create magic water was attacked. It will spread as much as you want. Let's see, limited to the underworld, it might be good to add that the attacked Jeanne was seriously injured and her life is uncertain. You could also say that to suppress the people's unrest, Germania set up someone with a similar appearance as a body-double. And the formal punishment will be after everything has come to light."
Sianya smiled. Being a princess, she's quite cute, but the content of what she said was what it was. As expected, a royal's smile can't be trusted.
Theresia-sama also smiled.
"Sianya-sama, that is wonderful."
"No, it's all only possible because of Jeanne's magic."
If I drew a portrait of the two of them exchanging smiles, it would surely sell like hotcakes to the old men. Since they wouldn't know the content of the conversation.