Chapter 680 - Chapter Three: Fourth Investigation of Engrio's Secret Tome
It's now April. The monster hunting in Medioland is temporarily on break.
After the banquet while watching the bees fly around the cherry blossoms to collect honey ended, we departed for the fourth investigation of the fifth secret book. The members are basically six people: Price-sama, the Engrio Royal Capital Great Church Head, Harris-san, Bishop Harris, Sianya, and me, with King Seldic joining.
As for the policy, as King Seldic and Price-sama first discussed, we will investigate even the contents of the wooden boxes that were presumably brought from the Ruined Town—the Great Southern Church—before summarizing the report. However, the investigation of the secret book itself will probably end this time. We should find out about the Testament. Honestly, a discussion-like talk came up that we should investigate from the back and prioritize the Testament. Certainly, the first starting point was the search for a way to seal the Demon Lord. However, according to Price-sama, magic is not something where it's enough to just know that part; if you don't build it up from the basics, the image won't form, so there are many cases where it can't be activated. Especially if it's a type of magic never seen before. Aside from the talk of magic control, it seems better to check from the basic level in order. Otherwise, even if you know it, you might not be able to activate it if you don't understand it. That would be meaningless. So, especially Bishop Harris might have been quite impatient, but we've been doing the reading aloud from the beginning in order.
When we crossed the border in the church's special carriage, we were met by the trio of Falstaff-san, Carla, and Annabella as usual.
"It's been a while. Have you been well?"
After greeting Falstaff-san, I spoke to the two of them.
"Well, very well. Especially Annabella."
"Hey, Carla, stop saying it in a loud voice."
Then, shall we talk secretly?
I called Miana and went behind the guardhouse.
"This girl, you see. She's getting married in May."
"Really? Congratulations!"
"Congratulations."
"Thank you!"
The fortress where she's assigned should have single soldiers too. I mean, since there are overwhelmingly fewer women, she must have her pick. However, I thought Carla would be first rather than the quiet Annabella.
"This girl makes boyfriends, but after that..."
"Waah! Wait, wait. Don't say it!"
What, what? What happened? It's okay, confess to your big sister... I mean, the priest. You'll feel better.
When we went to the fortress, King Seldic and the Engrio Royal Capital Great Church Head were there.
"It has been a long time."
"Umu. Archbishop Price is also more robust than ever."
"Are you going to the continent this year too?"
"No. At this point, I have no plans to go. This year, I will prioritize the conquest of the Demon Realm."
"That is better than anything."
"It will be convenient for both of us."
"Yes. Countermeasures against the Demon Lord are the church's great mission."
"Fufufu, that's right."
King Seldic said, "I have no plans to go," but he didn't say, "Our country has no plans to go." As expected, even if the Engrio army goes on an expedition, the commander will probably be the Duke of Germania.
It wasn't just the Engrio people we reunited with at the fortress. The female demon is also here. Since she brought a bear as usual, it became a banquet that night.
"In December, you see, a new bath boiler was completed."
"Really? Then, can I stay over again?"
"Sure. I made the bathtub a bit larger."
The fact that she purposely made it larger means she's assuming we'll go. Isn't that cute?
When I spoke up, Miana, Carla, and Annabella also said they would go. Carla and Annabella have apparently stayed over several times already and say it's a splendid bath.
"The bathtub here is bigger, but the time is fixed, right? But if we stay over, we can get in together slowly."
"Yeah. And the fruit wine she serves after the bath is really delicious."
"Right, right?"
"Drinking with the guys is fun too. Like a princess. But, after all, my shoulders get stiff, so I have to have a girls' night out."
"Yeah. When we stay over, we bring the Highway Cookies we've stocked up on."
"Totally!"
They've become quite close.
"It's a good thing. I brought sweets from the continent. They're for the girls' night out."
It's Sianya. She's doing quite well.
"I also brought sweets made at our shop. Because the girl making them learned advanced magic, the result has become better. Eat them together and let me know what you think."
I can't lose either.
"What's this? Everyone was planning to stay over, huh."
The female demon was overjoyed, and we toasted again.
The next day, we had the Engrio bowl unit provide transportation and went to the cave of the secret book. As planned, King Seldic is also with us.
Regarding the combination of magic and magic circles, I knew almost nothing. Most of what I found out was the result of investigating here. The basic idea is that the combination amplifies the effect or duration of the magic, but for example, there are things like Alarm that are difficult to activate without a magic circle. Such magic usually has a longer duration. Others are: cases where the power of the magic is amplified, cases where the power of the magic circle is amplified, cases where different magic effects are activated simultaneously, and cases where one effect is activated by multiple spells. Generally, they become more advanced in this order.
Basically, what is written in the secret book is magic that humans used roughly three thousand years ago, so for example, there was no mention of magic like Heaven's Roar that was lost before then. Presumably, the same goes for the combined techniques of magic and magic circles. However, the Testament was mentioned at the very end.
"F-Finally, it's time."
Bishop Harris's voice is trembling.
"Calm down. You've come this far with this as your goal. Calm down and judge with a cool eye."
"Yes. I understand."
Cautioned by King Seldic, he is taking deep breaths.
"Then, Jeanne. Please."
"Yes."
Price-sama's tone became formal.
Finally. Honestly, my hands are shaking.
There are also Cadogan-sama's words. If the Demon Lord can be sealed with this, the people of the White Island can sleep soundly. Moreover, a path to coexistence and co-prosperity will open with the Demon Lord's army executive class, with whom we currently have contracts on both front and back sides.
If it can be reproduced by the method I did with the Wetlands Priestess above the Demon Lord's cave, it can be manifested. Please, let the content be okay with that method.
"Testament: Magic that brings harmony and fusion to both in the Interstice between the two poles of Light and Dark, and simultaneously interferes with all those who possess the characteristics of the three. Those hit by this magic lose the ability to cross from the world they originally belong to into other worlds. Also, the caster, as one who brings harmony and fusion to the three, gains the power to cross into any of the worlds."
The explanation is already difficult.
"How is this to be interpreted?"
King Seldic also didn't understand and is asking Price-sama. Even for me, who heard the Priestess's story, it's difficult. It would be impossible for a non-believer.
"It is extremely difficult to interpret this explanation correctly. I would have to explain from the very foundation, the concept of this world, so to speak."
"I don't mind. Tell me, including the origin of this world told in your religion."
"I understand. Then, let's step away from the secret book for a moment."
Price-sama said that and began to talk about the origin of this world, which is passed down only by tradition and not written in the doctrine books.
Price-sama's story was actually not much different from the stories I've heard at church and such. The Goddess who made this world first planted an acorn tree. When the tree grew, she placed various plants and animals around that tree. Seeing that the various living things placed there began to prosper, she felt relieved and moved to the world where she lives.
Meanwhile, in this world, various kinds of living things were born, and simultaneously divided into various races. One of those races is humans. However, humans were not very strong. Especially against monsters, they were no match at all. They were on the verge of extinction. The Goddess gave a sword to her eldest son and instructed him to help humans. And she bestowed magic upon humans. The Goddess's sons and daughters interacted with humans in various ways and married humans to have children. Their descendants became the ancient people.
That is the so-called myth. What is written in the doctrine books is only a very small part of the many events that occurred, like episodes, but if you go to church on the Goddess's feast day, the Archbishop will tell you such stories.
After that, it leaves the doctrine books and becomes human history. While carrying out battles with monsters, they increased their population, and eventually, humans began to fight each other. And through the circumstances written in the secret books of the mountain, it leads to the present day.
"In other words, the world of Light is the world where the Goddess you believe in lives, right?"
King Seldic, having finished listening to the story, says to Price-sama.
"Regarding that, it is actually not clear. It is not linked with what is written in the secret book. However, I don't want to think that the place where the Goddess lives is the world of Dark."
"That's true. But if that's the case, I don't understand the relationship with the world of Dark."
"Within the scope of what the church tells the believers, the existence of the world of Dark does not come up."
"In other words, there are things you don't tell the believers."
"That's right. However, since there are various stories in different places, it is not very accurate."
"Hasn't the Medioland Royal Capital Great Church issued a unified view?"
"The Medioland Royal Capital Great Church does not have such authority."
Is that so? That's unexpected. I thought they could issue it as King Seldic said.
According to Price-sama, there were apparently four places formerly called Great Churches. East, West, South, and North. Although the Medioland Royal Capital Great Church now plays a leading role, when it comes to old matters, as the West Great Church is making various suggestions, it originally seems to be a council system of those four Great Churches.
Of the East, West, South, and North, the North is the current Medioland Royal Capital Great Church, the West is the Primordia Royal Capital Great Church, and the South was in the Ruined Town, so it can be said it doesn't exist now. The East... I don't know the details, but it was apparently destroyed in a great war long ago. Speaking of long ago, it might have been destroyed by the Medioland royal lineage of that time. In other words, the era when the ancient people's territory was first encroached upon. This involves politics, so he probably can't talk about the details.
"Then, among those various theories, are there stories related to the world of Dark?"
"Yes. There are several stories that seem to be so. Thinking reasonably, the world of Dark can be said to be the world ruled by the Demon Lord."
"Hmm. Well, that's appropriate. The god my royal family believes in has a similar myth. About the conflict between the forces of Light and Dark."
"Yes. As far as I know, every religion seems to have roughly that kind of interpretation."
"It seems so. Then, in this place, the world of Dark can be equated to the Demon Lord's world, right?"
"It is a temporary interpretation, but as a convenience for understanding the Testament, it should be fine."
Personally, I also think it's a bit different. Because I've seen something like the world of Dark with my own eyes. In short, it must be that place.
I took a break to organize my thoughts. Since there are many priests, there's no shortage of Refresh. We all drank the wine King Seldic brought as a gift and took a breath.
"Suppose one of the other worlds mentioned in that explanation was the world ruled by the Demon Lord. The Demon Lord has crossed from that world into this world, right?"
"Presumably, yes."
Even while taking a breath, the question-and-answer session between King Seldic and Price-sama continues. It's not a problem where an answer comes by thinking alone. Everyone must feel the same. We are listening silently to the question-and-answer session of the two.
"But it's strange. If the Goddess made this world, then who on earth made the Demon Lord and the world ruled by the Demon Lord?"
The doubt King Seldic presented is probably something anyone would hit like a wall. However, they don't usually put it into words.
"There is no accurate tradition. There are various theories, but they must all be things thought of by people of later generations. An answer will not come."
Price-sama answered very sincerely, one could say. Usually, they explain one way or another. Otherwise, the believers would doubt the priest. However, since it's something the god did, humans don't know everything. They say that and settle it. As a result, various theories must have been born.
"In the myth related to the god King Seldic follows, how is it explained?"
Price-sama launched a counterattack. When stuck for an answer, it's a good move to let the opponent speak.
"There is no explanation. It has been there from the beginning. It's not that I doubt the gods, but where they came from has been a question since my childhood."
"The truth is, only the Goddess knows, one could say."
"Is it the same for other religions?"
"I think so. The Goddess simply existed. And she continues to exist now. The interpretation differs depending on how humans perceive it. That is how I think."
"In other words, is the god the same in every religion?"
"It might be so, or it might not be so. Since she is not someone who can be measured by human intellect, there is no choice but to say that we humans don't know."
"Just believing, then."
"Exactly as you say."
"I see, I understand what you're saying."
King Seldic's "I understand" must mean he understands that he doesn't know. As proof, he asked for my opinion.
"Around the time of the Waiting Festival, I asked the Headmistress... Bishop Catherine the same thing."
"Ho, what did Bishop Catherine say?"
"She said she didn't know. However, the Goddess stays close to the souls of the living things on this White Island from before they are born into this world until after they die. She said it's enough to be grateful for that and to understand that human power is tiny compared to a Goddess who can do such things. Therefore, I think so too."
In short, it's a waste of time to think about things you won't understand even if you think about them.
King Seldic also seemed to understand. He just said, "I see."