Chapter 659 - Fifth Story: To the West Liber Capital
When we went to the port, a ship that had already finished preparations for departure was waiting, and Yorg-sama's subordinates came to greet us.
Yorg-sama introduced Jeanne to the sailors as his fiancée. He was looking triumphant. He was smiling even more than when he had accomplished the wolf extermination together.
Just when I thought the sailors on the ship who heard the news had come down in a swarm, they were giving him rough blessings, saying things like "You bastard!" Of course, they weren't hitting him seriously, and both sides were smiling, but commoner sailors were hitting an established noble. For the people of Germania... I don't think it's limited to Germania... it must have been an astounding incident, as Theresia-sama's accompanying knights became agitated, thinking it was a rebellion.
In the meantime, seeing them embracing each other while offering congratulations one after another, the knights sheathed their drawn swords and the matter was settled. In a country with a class system, the popularity of commoners might have surprisingly dangerous aspects.
Seeing off Theresia-sama and the Jeanne here, we departed on Yorg-sama's ship.
Yorg-sama's ship had the rowers divided into three groups, and they rowed the ship incessantly day and night, taking turns. As a result of sliding across the ocean with the Germanian coastline on our right, by the next morning we arrived near the mouth of the river that leads to the West Liber Capital.
"Jeanne, please wake up. Breakfast is ready."
When I opened my eyes, Eleanor-sama was there. It's common knowledge that old people wake up early, but I never thought I, a priest, would be woken up by a former queen. Even though it was still dawn, I failed.
"You're early. I'm sorry for having you go out of your way to wake me up."
"There's no need to apologize. We are the night watch. Our shift is until dawn, so we're about to sleep now."
"Eh?"
Apparently, as Yorg-sama's subordinates, they took on the night watch and the confirmation of the direction. They fly around in the bowl day and night. They must be good at determining the direction by looking at the stars. Harold-sama and Bonnie are there too, and the watch is their specialty. Since they've been at sea for the Great Shark Festival, they know about reefs and such. On top of that, Eleanor-sama is merged with the Wetlands Priestess, and Sianya has brought five ghosts from the Wetlands Knight Order. I hear ghosts appear in the night sea, but it's no problem at all. Incidentally, Will is rowing the oars. She's not as strong as Beowulf, but she's stronger than an average man. Somehow, I feel bad for being in the cabin all the time as a guest.
"You don't have to worry about it. We have to work, or our identities will be suspected."
Well, certainly, no noble would use the royalty of another country for menial labor.
Perhaps because the night watch was solid, the river mouth came into view by the time I finished breakfast. It was a very wide river mouth, almost like a bay. It's the first time in my life I've seen such a wide river mouth.
As we advanced while being tossed by the waves unique to river mouths, I could see many trading ships coming and going in the same way. Near the shore, there were also small boats that looked like fishing boats. A little further into the river mouth, on the east bank, there was a fairly large port town with many buildings. There must be a wharf. Many ships were moored there as well. I'm sure this town is also part of the Duchy of Germania. However, if you go a little up the river, the east side should be West Liber. The port town would be outside the river's defense line. If West Liber were to invade, wouldn't it be targeted first?
"That's right. Perhaps because of that, many of Germania's warships seem to use that port as their home port. Of course, they would also be moored on the opposite bank. Recently, since the relationship with Sertogne is good, they probably have the leeway to move them here. Since the Duke of Germania is from the navy, I think he's not lacking in that regard."
When I asked Harris-sama, surprisingly, Yorg-sama, who was next to him, told me. I thought he was just in charge of support, but as expected of a noble. He's knowledgeable about such things too.
"You are very knowledgeable."
"The land on the opposite side of the territory I manage is already Germania, after all. I have to grasp things properly, or I'll be scolded by my father and brother."
Grasping things properly means that saying he'll be scolded is probably humility.
As we went up the river toward the inland, the bay narrowed and finally became like a river. Perhaps because the land is flat, the flow is also gentle. It's winding quite a bit.
What surprised me was the vast plain spreading out on the West Liber side as far as the eye could see. There are no mountains that look like mountains in all directions. Fields and pastures stretch out endlessly. When I first went to Engrio, I was surprised by the width of the plain, but the scale is different. The population must be large.
However, there's something strange about the scenery.
"There are few forests, right?" Yorg-sama said. It was just as he said; the forests in the scenery were far fewer than on the White Island, Sertogne, or Germania.
"Is it due to land reclamation and felling for charcoal?"
Since magic can't be used, charcoal is needed to stay warm in winter. I heard a large amount of charcoal is also needed when making iron and such. As the population increases, a lot of grain is also needed. I don't know whether the population increase or the increase in grain production was faster, though.
"You know well. That's right."
However, with this few forests, the scenery is still strange. Grain might be harvested in abundance, but what about the blessings of the forest?
"I've been to the West Liber Capital several times, and this kind of scenery continues all the way. As you know, when there are few forests, the variety of herbs... no, of plants themselves is extremely small. Probably animals too."
"Yes. I think so too."
"It's said that this area was also covered with forests in the past."
It's what the spirits are always saying. Serena is particularly concerned about it.
"It's said that the First King of Sertoria, Guillaume-sama, interacted with various spirits. It's the same in Sertogne, but there are no people in the current continent who can see the forms of spirits. It's just a legend. But they are on the White Island, right? I wonder what thoughts the spirits who saw this state would have?"
I think it's better not to know. They wouldn't look happy about it.
"Could it be related to the fact that magic was lost from the continent?"
That's... I had never thought about it until now.
I wonder. The source of the magic power that the elves dug up was deep underground. However, Gnome didn't say that the accident was the cause of the decrease in magic power on the White Island. Even if it were, the outflow of magic power has stopped now, so it shouldn't be a reason for it to decrease further in the future.
"The Cycle of Life..."
When the balance of the ecosystem collapses, the Cycle of Life doesn't function well. As a result, living things find it hard to live and are eventually lost.
"What is the Cycle of Life?"
Yorg-sama didn't know? Did I talk to Anri-sama about it?
I explain the story I heard from Dune.
"That is a wonderful way of thinking. It might be a truth concerning the living things of this world."
"Yes. I think so too. But if that's related to magic power..."
"In a world where the balance of the ecosystem has collapsed, does magic power become depleted?"
"I don't know. I just know that as a result of magic power being lost, monsters disappear. At the same time, spirits disappear too."
Even those strong Dragonewts are on the verge of extinction.
"Monsters are in deep forests. The wolves that Bishop Jeanne helped me with also only appear in what could be called the only canyon in Sertogne. They are just scattered."
"So it seems."
"Yes. That's why I thought there might be some relationship between the loss of forests, the disappearance of monsters and spirits, and the thinning of magic power."
"Was that abrupt?" Yorg-sama said and laughed.
In the afternoon, I called out to Eleanor-sama, who had woken up, and talked with Yorg-sama about the exchange during the day. The merged Priestess was there too, so it was just right. Three... well, there's one more... lined up and looked at the scenery spreading out beyond the riverbank from the side of the ship. As expected, there are few forests.
"When I came before, it was already like this. It's not like it became this way in the last ten or twenty years."
In Eleanor-sama's case, isn't it a mistake for forty or fifty years?
A pale blue flame came out of Eleanor-sama's right hand, which she thrust at me. I felt like my forehead was pushed, and I staggered.
"W-What was that just now? M-Magic?"
Look, Yorg-sama found out there's one more person.
Even if it was found out, it's not something that could be hidden until the end. Besides, there are still five more. Eleanor-sama was probably aiming for a timing to make it somewhat dramatic when introducing the Priestess. The aim was hit, and the fact that she produced a ghostly flame like magic became a point of great excitement for Yorg-sama, and seeing that, the two battle-maniacs were greatly delighted.
"The Priestess from a thousand years ago?"
"That's right, please round down the fractions."
"Wonderful! To be able to meet you, this Yorg, I haven't been this happy since my engagement was decided."
That was just two or three days ago. There's no weight to it.
"Man, thanks for letting me come to the continent. I'm grateful."
"If only time permitted, I could have guided you as much as you liked. I apologize for being a bit in a hurry."
"It's fine, it's fine, I've heard the story from Eleanor. If we don't hurry, a strange reputation will stand, and the White Island might stop selling magic water to West Liber, right?"
Is that so? I thought that since I was safe, the matter had been settled.
"In some countries, the head of the church to which those priests belonged is demanding a formal apology to Bishop Jeanne. If there's no apology, they'll stop the supply of magic water."
It must be Eowyn-sama. No doubt about it. Those three have been excommunicated, so isn't it enough? I don't want magic water to be used in that way. At least, I want it to be used for anti-war.
"Regarding that, there's something I'd like to talk about privately."
Yorg-sama said to Eleanor-sama with a solemn face.
"Shall we call Sianya-dono, and Henry and Harold too?"
"If possible."
This is a bit serious.
The three came after preparing to drink alcohol. It was a state of having a drink with the view of the beautiful sunset falling beyond the plain as a snack, as the sun was about to set. Sianya brought a piece of fur. When she secretly covered the Priestess, who had unmerged, from the head, she handed her a bowl and poured alcohol. What a kind princess.
After a toast to the sunset, it became a whispered conversation. On the other hand, Henry-sama was singing a song to Harold-sama's clapping. When camouflage comes this far, it's impressive.
Now, Yorg-sama's story was about why the actions of the three fanatics became known to other countries. Initially, it was said to be a leak from within the West Liber Capital Great Church. The three, who clearly denied the magic water, were apparently being secretly monitored. Their various secret consultations among the three were also targets of eavesdropping. Also, they had connections with multiple merchants outside. They had stepped in, suspecting them beforehand. In fact, as soon as the three disappeared, the West Liber Capital Great Church issued a warning to the Duchy of Germania through the church. Theresia-sama conveyed that to Sertogne, Primordia, and the Sertoria royal family.
"I talked about that to my uncle. Then, you see. He said the attitude of the West Liber Capital Great Church is strange."
Henry-sama looked over here while singing. Harold-sama also stopped clapping.
"What's strange?"
"It's their roles within the church, apparently."
"Roles?"
"Yes. Ordinary priests don't have dealings with related businesses. If they do, it's precisely those in charge of transactions for items obtained from church lands, starting with the sale of herbs. However, such people are basically favorable toward magic water."
Hard-core fanatics apparently don't like merchants. To put it extremely, they say making money is evil. And usually, their main duty is to assist the bishop who offers prayers and performs rituals within the church every day.
"In other words, they have no connections with merchants, right?"
"Yes. Even if a merchant tried to get involved, they would refuse."
"Not a merchant..."
"It's my uncle's view that it might be someone who called themselves a merchant."
The feeling I read with Thought Communication was that they were merchants. However, since they weren't clearly conscious of it, it's not certain.
"Scouts, eh?"
"Probably."
He's nodding to Harold-sama's question.
"My fiancée became Bishop Jeanne's body-double..."
"Oh, I heard. To take a scout as a bride, you have quite an eye."
Harold-sama, of the same kind, is delighted. I'm sure his own wife is also light infantry.
"Thank you. That fiancée, while she was being held, heard the exchange between the two guards and the three priests. The bishop said they would hold an impeachment trial once they crossed the border, and the two guards didn't particularly object. Hearing that, she thought the two guards might not have much involvement with the underworld. In fact, they are originally mercenaries. They said they were recently hired as rough-work personnel to pay back gambling debts, right?"
"I see," Harold-sama said and drained the alcohol in his bowl. Yorg-sama immediately poured more.
"Harold, what do you think?"
It was Eleanor-sama. Henry-sama also stopped singing.
"There's no doubt that a skilled scout is involved."
"Why do you think so?"
"Because it's amateurish."
Hmm? Isn't it the opposite?
According to Harold-sama, they lacked seriousness.
"It's not for ransom, right? If so, it's faster to hold a trial and kill her quickly. It's easier to cross the border that way too. Just display the corpse and put up a poster with appropriate charges."
Apparently, a professional would do that.
He says terrifying things. Though, since Hermit-sama and Fiona were there, she probably wasn't killed.
"They were probably advised by someone to cross the border. Once they cross the border, the people of Germania can't chase them. Just saying that one thing."
"Why would that be?"
"In short, it's on the premise of being caught. At least for the one pulling the strings behind the scenes."
In Harold-sama's speculation, the one who incited the priests and the one who prompted the report to Germania are the same, or they are connected. And that person is likely connected to the inside of the West Liber church.
"I don't know which country is involved, but it's a warning, a threat, or a probe for something. Does it have that kind of meaning?"
It seems like there's a background, which is scary, but I was relieved that they had no intention of killing me from the beginning.