Chapter 30
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Holy Capital Assembly - Opening, Aselina's Re-Debut (1)
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"Let me say it one more time. Unless Lady Aselina promises to increase the number of healers dispatched to our territory after she becomes the Saintess, my husband and I will not support you."
"...L-Lady Elizabeth. Please calm down first and hear me out. As you know, this Saintess selection carries even greater significance than usual, intertwined with the issue of His Holiness the Pope's successor. For the future of the Church, please..."
"Wrong answer."
"Ah, why!"
"Take another close look at her profile."
"...I still don't get it."
Haa. I let out a sigh.
"The hint lies in the situation of the Dritmi Territory."
"The Dritmi Territory is currently in a prolonged conflict with a neighboring territory from an adjacent nation where their borders meet. It's escalated to the point of armed clashes... So the Duchess is demanding more healers be sent, right?"
"Exactly. You need to exploit that. Instead of spouting lofty ideals about the Church's future."
"Exploit how?"
"For example... you could threaten to reduce the number of healers instead."
"What?!"
"There are plenty of ways to pressure a territory at war. Secretly supporting their rival territory, or using central connections to raise taxes and squeeze their finances..."
"D-Do such things."
"Of course, openly stating it outright is third-rate tactics. You do it with a smile, subtly, circuitously—but making your intent crystal clear. That's the way of high society."
"..."
"Spreading idle rumors to recruit someone or summoning them in the dead of night? Cheap tricks like that don't work."
"Kuh."
"Moving on. Next opponent: Archbishop Reina. A devout nun who's served in the convent for over thirty years..."
Life is about real combat.
You learn fastest by doing—and making mistakes along the way.
So the quickest way to hone Aselina's political instincts was to throw her straight into the front lines to persuade voters herself.
But realistically, that was impossible. My alternative? Become her sparring partner myself.
A prickly duchess, a devout nun, a countess running a massive merchant guild, even a corrupt official skimming taxes on the sly.
Fictional characters, but modeled after real attendees of this assembly. I role-played them, and Aselina had to win them over—or break them—by any means necessary.
A two-person 'negotiation simulation game.'
"...It's the first day, so we'll stop here."
After verbal duels with five candidates, Aselina could barely muster a mental 'Yes.'
"...You're not going to do this every day, are you?"
"Five more days. Until the assembly begins. After that, you'll be in the real arena. Of course, Eline's etiquette lessons continue too."
"...My head feels like it's going to explode..."
"Don't exaggerate."
I had to roll through several times that workload starting now.
The day after Aselina's training ended, I sprang into action.
First, faction reorganization.
Out with the incompetent dead weight holding us back.
Of course, they each held a vote in the Saintess election, so outright exclusion was off the table.
Instead, I visited them personally, dangling carrots—like personnel rights for lower seats on the Saintess Council.
"I-I can't agree to this..."
"Got some nerve... daring to defy me."
For the defiant, a veiled threat leveraging my image did the trick.
With the dead weight gone, redistribute roles within the faction.
"Marquis Boel, I value your affability and social skills. External recruitment and persuasion are yours."
"Leave it to me!"
"Count Felkites, election funds previously handled by Duke Ferris fall to you."
"Understood."
"...I'm grateful for resolving the Northern Territory's debts this time. The day Lady Aselina becomes Saintess, you'll receive your due reward—I promise."
"! An honor...!"
Roles assigned, next: election strategy.
"On policy... To differentiate from Loretta's moderate faction, we need bolder progressive reforms as our banner."
"On approval ratings. Among the 200 nobles and 200 priests attending the assembly, we're slightly behind. How to sway the priests, where our support lags..."
"On campaign funds..."
"On Lady Aselina's image makeover..."
Days spent dashing about, tightening the Aselina faction and prepping the campaign.
"I-I can't do this anymore! I'd rather fight in another war! I'm quitting!"
Crackle—!
"Kyaaah!!!"
"Hm. Eltero's seal performs reliably."
Nights coaxing and drilling Aselina with Spartan intensity.
Six sleepless days of grueling labor.
And at last, the morning of the Holy Capital Assembly's opening dawned.
The grand banquet hall in the Papal Palace, heart of Saintess Pelkites.
A venue of staggering scale, dwarfing all other halls in the Holy Capital.
Filled with massive golden chandeliers, ceiling frescoes depicting Lord God Juten's creation of heaven and earth, a red carpet emblazoned with the Radain Church's emblem...
Opulent, majestic interiors befitting the faith's epicenter.
And today, this hall hosted a lavish banquet to kick off the Holy Capital Assembly.
Unlike the optional pre-event gala, this opening was mandatory for all participants.
Thus, 200 nobles attended—matching the assembly's total.
But closer inspection revealed an equal number in pristine white priestly robes.
The Holy Capital's priests, also assembly delegates.
The Radain Holy Kingdom ran on a dual system: central priests handling bureaucracy, nobles governing provinces.
To prevent collusion, private contact between Holy Capital priests and provincial nobles was officially banned.
Nominally, this opening banquet marked their first encounter.
Of course, rules and reality diverged.
Nobles secretly cozying up to priests for central pull was nobility's open secret.
"'Long time' no see, Bishop Millun!"
"I trust you've been well."
"May Lord God bless our meeting, Marquis Belter—and Lady Belter."
Their chummy greetings proved it.
Soon, talk shifted to assembly agenda items.
Several topics, but two core: White Dragon subjugation and Saintess election.
Naturally, the figure entwined with both dominated conversation.
"Regarding Duke Bilheim, Bishop..."
Robertus Bilheim, Duke of the North.
Young noble succeeding his predecessor, slain in a White Dragon raid.
"You may know already, but among us nobles, it's practically acknowledged he's backing Lady Aselina."
But the bishop frowned at the marquis's words.
"...That one, is it."
"Oh my, you don't approve of Duke Bilheim?"
"Rumors say he bewitched His Holiness with his silver tongue—a real villain."
"That bad? ...But then how do you explain him being chosen by the Holy Sword?"
"Hmph. Must've been some mistake."
The bishop's attitude reflected the vague hostility central priests harbored toward Robertus.
Ill will rooted in the previous Duke of the North's tyranny, his obviously young age lacking gravitas, rumors of a prodigal past,
And above all, allying with Aselina Radain.
"Birds of a feather flock together. His choice of Aselina over Loretta proves their temperaments align."
Aselina's reputation wasn't stellar among nobles, but paled against her infamy among priests.
Her usual arrogant confidence grated especially on protocol-obsessed priests.
Plus conflicts with Cardinal Zerta, her haughty demeanor,
And scandals at official events compounded it.
Currently, her standing among central priests was rock bottom.
"And she publicly insulted Duke Ferris, didn't she? That Robertus Bilheim must be just as undisciplined..."
As the bishop geared up for baseless slander,
The marquis couple wore awkward smiles, unsure how to react—
"—Knight Commander of the Rose Knight Order, Lady Aselina Radain enters!"
The doorman's cry drew all eyes to the entrance.
"..."
Aselina appeared.
Bishop and marquis couple alike stared, dumbfounded.
No wavy long hair—instead, an elegant, neat updo.
No fiery red attire—a pale pink, prim banquet gown.
But her hair and dress weren't the only shocks.
Gone was her usual chest-thrusting, chin-high arrogance, as if owning the world.
Now, hands delicately clasped before her waist, she glided gracefully toward the hall's center.
And that warm eye-smile replacing her smug grin...
"...Like a different person."
The bishop murmured blankly, stunned by the transformation.
Visually, she embodied elegance and nobility incarnate.
As eyes locked on Aselina's anomaly, they shifted to her escort.
"...Huh?"
The marquis uttered a stupefied sound.
"That's the Duke of the North?"
No sinister black viper they knew—but a noble youth in pristine white tails.
"Oh my goodness."
The marchioness hastily fanned her face, but the marquis had already spotted her flushed cheeks.