Chapter 751 - Backyard of the Stray Priest ㉙
The building formerly known as the Church of the Ruined Town regained the name of the Southern Church after the conquest of Testament. Of course, since Testament has not been made public, it was officially announced as the result of the formal decision on its treatment and ranking, which had been under consideration until now.
Unlike a thousand years ago, it is not a Great Church. This is because the church organization's way of thinking is different from back then.
In the current White Island, settlements are generally divided into villages, towns, and capitals based on population, key industries, and their position within the country. Most capitals are royal capitals. Over the past few decades, several nations have perished. Most of the former royal capitals of those nations were downgraded to towns, but some, such as the Old Gram Capital, remain capitals. This is due to the historical background where the Kingdom of Northern Gram treated the Kingdom of Gram as the head family. This is because it has been decided that when Eowyn, the current Crown Prince of Northern Gram, inherits the throne of Northern Gram, he will inherit the name of Gram and become the King of Gram, and at the same time, the national name of Northern Gram will be abolished and it will become a single nation of Gram. It was judged that it would be inconvenient to upgrade it back to a capital after downgrading it to a town.
And the criterion for distinguishing between a church and a Great Church is the population of the jurisdiction. A village has a church, and a Bishop becomes the church head. A town or larger has a Great Church, and an Archbishop becomes the church head. And the Great Church of a capital has a wide jurisdiction, with several village or town churches under its command. The church head is an Archbishop, but they are considered to have a higher rank than the church head of a town.
The Southern Church's jurisdiction includes a village-sized settlement and a vast forest, which is extensive for the management of a single church. It is also the church territory of the Medioland Royal Capital Great Church, and it was decided that a Bishop would serve as the church head.
"Once the current construction work is finished, we will move Erikson-sama's tombstone here. Until then, please use the mobile stone you are currently using and take charge of the protection of the magic circle."
The Bishop, whose affiliation had changed from being attached to the Church of the Ruined Town to newly becoming the Southern Church Head—though the place of assignment remained the same—bowed respectfully to Erikson.
The three of them, including Germana, were in the waiting room attached to the Southern Church Head's office.
The Church Head had organized a drinking party to deepen their friendship and improve future cooperation with Erikson and Germana, who had returned from Sertoria. Bowls of fruit wine made by the farmers of the village in the jurisdiction and plates of wild boar meat brought by hunters were lined up for three people on the table.
Instructions had been issued by the current Grand Archbishop to treat Erikson as if he were of Grand Archbishop rank. Of course, this was purely ceremonial. He had no authority in practical matters. The current church organization could not be operated with the sensibilities of a thousand years ago. The Bishop merely showed respect. However, since he was one of the few who knew of the existence of Testament, which would normally remain unknown, the Bishop's role was significant. He was given a great mission and responsibility for its preservation. Naturally, he knew he needed Erikson's cooperation. Most of all, since Erikson himself had become a ghost to protect Testament, he could simply be left to it.
"Umu. Leave it to me!"
When Erikson gave a powerful reply, white flames erupted from his form.
"Oh! Splendid!"
The Church Head marveled. The Church Head, having been dispatched to such a place, was a former member of the monster extermination squad and had experience in exorcising evil spirits. He knew the extent of Erikson's power. And he knew that if they were to fight with full strength, he would be no match for him. He was such a powerful ally.
"Is there anything you find inconvenient?"
He asked Erikson, who was pleased at being praised.
"No, nothing in particular for now. It is enough if you occasionally inform me of the affairs of the outside world."
"Please leave that to me. Ah, come to think of it, King Seldic of Engrio has donated some fine wine through his country's Great Church. Let us add it to our time of dialogue as a daily afternoon pleasure."
"That is good. Germana, you will drink too, will you not?"
When he looked at the female priest attending beside him, she was nodding with a smile. It was Germana.
Germana is explained as the spirit in the Cave of Testament to everyone except those who were actually present at the exploration and the Grand Archbishop.
"Umu. From now on, the three of us shall protect Testament. Tonight is a celebratory toast!"
"Spirit, human, and ghost. Let us join forces and do our best together."
"Umu!"
"Yes!"
"He collapsed sooner than I thought."
"You made him drink too much. He is a human, after all."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
Beside the Bishop, who was slumped over the table and snoring, two barrels of fruit wine were empty.
"I am not drunk at all."
"That is because you are a ghost. You were told by Jeanne to be careful, were you not?"
"Is that so? I simply got carried away. And you?"
"I have not drunk that much."
"I see. I cannot let a lady drink herself into a stupor, and I did not encourage you much either."
"Thanks to that."
Even during the two's conversation, the Bishop continued to snore.
Seeing that sleeping face, Germana placed her hand on the Bishop's forehead and cast the Sleep spell. With this, the Bishop would sleep soundly until morning.
The two of them lifted the Bishop and laid him on the bed.
The bed the Bishop slept in was in the waiting room. It is a function not found in normal churches, but since it was originally a Great Church, it had such features.
"Now, the Bishop is asleep, shall we talk a bit about the future?"
"Yes."
Germana chuckled. Although she hadn't been told, she might have intended to get the Bishop drunk from the start.
"So, Germana. You intend to go to Jeanne as soon as the preservation work here is finished, do you not?"
"Yes. That is my intention."
"Do you have some purpose?"
"No, I will simply spend time with Jeanne."
"Will you not teach her magic? You intend to teach the Wetlands Priestess, do you not?"
"There is nothing I can teach Jeanne."
Erikson took a sip of wine with a "hum."
"Is Jeanne that far along?"
"There is that, but more than that, it is the difference in systems. Since I am a dark mage, I am fundamentally different from Jeanne, who is a priest. It is the same as why the Four Great Spirits cannot teach Jeanne magic."
"Then, why go to Jeanne?"
"Because we are friends. I heard that if you are friends, it is fine to stay at the other's house."
Hearing Germana's words, Erikson grinned.
"Compared to when we first met and your interaction with Gnome-sama, you have become quite soft."
"That may be so."
She laughed merrily. He hadn't thought she would laugh like this.
"Because a successor far more reassuring than I was when I was alive has appeared."
"Is Jeanne stronger than you?"
"Yes. After all, she has such companions with her."
"I see."
"Yes. Spirits, ghosts, monsters, animals, humans. Among the humans, there are royalty from various nations, and from what I have heard, even former serfs."
"Well, I too have never known anyone with such wide connections. Moreover, her own ancestors were apparently serfs from the continent."
"Yes. It is not just status and occupation. Regarding abilities, there are ultra-high-level mages, divine mages of equal rank, and scouts and warriors who are quite skilled. And... pfft! Ufufufufu."
She must have remembered something, as she suddenly burst out laughing.
Erikson was surprised that Germana suddenly started laughing, but he had an idea.
"It is that large warrior, is it not?"
"Yes! He had a wonderful voice!"
A wonderful voice... If I recall, I heard he had a voice so loud it could be called a roar that would make monsters and evil spirits flinch? I can understand the reminiscent laughter, but is 'wonderful' the right word? Do ghosts and spirits hear things differently?
"It is wonderful to subdue monsters with one's voice."
"Is that how it is?"
"Yes, originally, the subduing of evil spirits was something priests and priestesses performing prayers did with their spirit."
"Well, I suppose so."
"He is exactly that. He is wonderful."
She clasped her hands between her breasts, wearing an entranced expression.
What kind of education did this girl receive? No matter how I look at it, isn't this the expression of a maiden in love?
"Listen, Germana. I believe you know this, but that gentleman is the Crown Prince of a nation, and moreover, he seems to have a fiancée."
"Yes, I know. It is Beowulf, Jeanne's companion."
"That is right. Well, as long as you know."
Even if she is a spirit, she was originally a human woman. It is not impossible for it to turn into a romance. When he was in the position of Grand Archbishop, such stories often came his way, and he would handle them by having them return to secular life or other means.
"Grand Archbishop? Are you perhaps misunderstanding something?"
"Eh? No, am I?"
"Yes. It seems so. For example, that I hold emotions for Edward-sama like those of a human woman?"
Her mouth was smiling, but her eyes were not. There was a dreadfulness to her, as expected of a spirit on par with the Four Great Spirits.
"N-No, I would not say that..."
"Grand Archbishop. Do you think you can deceive my eyes?"
"No, it is not that... but still, were you not the one holding back when Edward-dono was present?"
"Oh? You noticed?"
"Was it out of consideration? I heard that Edward-dono's subduing with his voice is the chanting of the Chant of Exorcism. While it works on monsters and evil spirits, it should not work on golems. Yet, it apparently worked. To me, it can only seem that you held back."
She put her hand to her mouth and laughed, "Ho ho ho."
"It is not 'ho ho ho.' You may be able to deceive the eyes of humans, but you cannot deceive mine. Especially during the Trial of Fire. Even if only for an instant, the Stone Golem apparently stopped moving. That was clearly going too far. Are you not being too soft, considering we must judge whether Jeanne is worthy of liberating Testament?"
Thinking he had hit the mark, Erikson made his gaze intentionally stern to make up for flinching earlier. Of course, he wasn't truly angry.
"One becomes soft. To me, as a spirit, his chant sounds like an incredibly pleasant melody. I simply found myself listening intently, and my hand controlling the golem stopped."
Pleasant? Jeanne and the others treated it as a roar...
"It would not resonate unless it were that powerful. Not to a being like me."
"Then, is it the same for the other Four Great Spirits?"
"No, it is likely only me, who was originally human. Since the other Four are spirits of the elements, prayers to the Goddess would have no effect."
"Are you different? I thought you were of the light or dark attribute."
"No. I am one who has affinity for all four elements that create matter. I do not fall within the conflict of the four elements."
"Affinity for all four elements..."
"Yes. Therefore, I can bring harmony to the four elements."
Now that he mentioned it, there was somehow a difference in the compatibility between the female spirits and the male spirits due to their attributes. The same was true for their positions when they gathered. However, Germana and Jeanne did not keep any distance from each of the four elements.
"Could it be... from the start, you thought you could leave it to Jeanne... and that is why you held back in the most difficult Trial of the Cockatrice and the Fire attribute trial?"
"Holding back? Not at all. I was simply impressed by Jeanne, who could unite so many different powers. To even have a warrior with such exorcising power as a companion. They did not exist when I was human."
She laughed again, "Ufufu."
Seeing that, Erikson instinctively clenched both fists.
"Germana. Is there truly nothing you can teach Jeanne? If there is, without stinting..."
If Jeanne could be strengthened, he definitely wanted it done. Erikson thought so. If she could unite light and dark and seal the Demon Lord as one with a true spirit of coexistence and co-prosperity, an era like the one of old would surely arrive. It would make his having protected the tradition of Testament even after death worthwhile.
"Erikson-sama, I too was once a lowly priest. I shall not lie."
"I see, my apologies."
"No. However, if I stay at Jeanne's house and the time we spend together grows longer, she might acquire much more powerful magic control under the influence of my mana."
"I-Is that so! Then, I ask it of you!"
"Please leave it to me."
Germana nodded slowly toward Erikson and then laughed merrily as if it were amusing.