Chapter 7. Favor and Calculation (1)
Chapter 7. Favor and Calculation (1)
Chapter 7. Favor and Calculation
But just because I said I would do it didn't mean my dispatch would happen the very next day.
Strictly speaking, my visiting another civilization wasn't the same as dispatching an actual diplomat.
If the Church had simply prepared a Gate assault team on its own and sent them, it would have been far simpler than this. But I was someone "dispatched by the Church through government mediation."
On the surface, I carried no political message, but at the same time, in practical terms, I held diplomatic significance while also serving the Church's purpose of "missionary work"—a complicated position in many ways.
"Couldn't I just visit as a single nun?"
When I said that, I saw the look on many people's faces that said, "What in the world are you talking about, Sister Anna...?" So I decided to just stay quiet and wait for the situation to resolve itself.
*
The Church, apparently thinking this was a chance to hold its head high, decided to assemble a full "diplomatic delegation" to cross the Gate with me.
"...We're not going to war, are we?"
And the people who came as that so-called "diplomatic delegation" were members of a Knight Order, heavily armed in full plate armor.
A Knight Order made up of Inquisitors.
For reference, this wasn't my first time seeing them in person, but their impression was quite different from the "they seem like civil servants" assessment I'd heard.
"Sophie?"
At the very front of that Knight Order was, of all people, Sophie. Though Sophie wasn't wearing armor; she was simply accompanying me as one of the Saintess Candidates.
"Don't worry, Sister."
Sophie smiled brightly at me and said,
"These people won't be crossing the Gate armed. Of course, they'll carry minimal armament as escorts, and they'll transport their armor separately, but fundamentally they'll be a security detail in ordinary clothes."
Certainly, even if they were bulky, they were all women. I was a little surprised, since they all looked like they could step straight into a ring and beat an opponent into a crumpled mess.
Ria is taller than me, but her impression is far more delicate.
While I was flustered—
Thud.
One of the knights knelt on one knee in front of me.
I tried my best not to let out an "ugh." Though it didn't seem like I succeeded.
No matter how much I'd ultimately accepted my position, I still didn't know how to handle it when the people around me elevated me like this.
"We will do our utmost to ensure the Saintess Candidate is never wounded."
"......."
Refusing now wouldn't make them turn back.
In the end, I could only let out a small breath and nod.
*
After that, the Knight Order stayed at our church.
The church dormitory itself was quite spacious with many rooms, so there was no major problem. Orphans who lost or were abandoned by their parents did appear steadily, but not all of them came only to our cathedral.
The Knight Order lodging there was one thing, but strangely, after the Knight Order began staying, Ria's mood seemed to have sharply worsened.
"......Why?"
Ria was staring at me with a somewhat dissatisfied expression, so I stopped what I was doing and asked her.
What Ria was looking at wasn't my face. To be precise, it was my fingertips.
"That. Do you really have to do it?"
"......."
I looked back down at what Ria had pointed at with her chin.
There was a sword in my hand. A fairly large two-handed sword, the kind you'd only see in a drama set in medieval Europe.
It was a consecrated object in its own way, but not nearly as impressive as something I consecrated myself.
I had no intention of making it into a Sacred Object, but there was no harm in preparing in advance.
"They're people going to another world because of me, aren't they? It's good to prepare for the unexpected. I don't particularly want anyone getting hurt because of me."
I don't mind going to where someone else has been hurt, but I don't want anyone getting hurt because of me.
Ria, and everyone else too.
I probably would have thought that way even if it weren't me.
At least if I consecrated it like this, it should be able to cut down incoming Magic Projectiles.
"And I consecrated your sword too, Ria."
And I'd even poured in plenty of Holy Power with my own affection. Enough that I'd collapsed into bed that evening.
The Knight Order had far more than one or two members, so of course I couldn't do that much for all of them.
Besides, Ria receives my Holy Power every time she fights. I'd even made Sacred Objects out of chocolate in advance and given them to her.
"......."
But even at my words, Ria just rested her chin on her hand and pouted her lips.
I stopped my hands again and tilted my head as I looked at Ria.
And after thinking for a moment,
"Are you jealous, maybe?"
I asked.
"Huh?"
The reaction came instantly.
Ria's eyes, which had been resting on her chin and staring discontentedly at the sword, snapped up. Seeing her brow furrow, it seemed like another "What are you talking about?" but I didn't wipe the smile from my lips.
No, I smiled even wider.
"Why? Is this pretty friend getting jealous because I'm giving other people attention?"
"No, I'm not."
Ria grumbled.
And once again, unable to meet my eyes properly, she whipped her gaze to the side.
Oh?
That's kind of cute. Annoyingly so.
I did wonder whether it was right to make that assessment about someone taller than me, but well, I had no intention of saying it out loud anyway. If Ria got hold of a weakness of mine, she'd immediately use it to bite me again.
"......."
A brief silence settled over the room as a faint light lingered. The last sword from the Knight Order passed through my hands and was consecrated. The blade gave off a very faint, soft glow.
"Phew."
I let out a light breath.
Fatigue washed over me dully. It wasn't like when I poured out Holy Power all at once and collapsed, but still, I felt like I'd sleep really deeply tonight.
"Or."
As I picked up the sword and rose from my seat, Ria spoke.
"Did you receive some kind of revelation again this time?"
At those words, I turned back to Ria.
"What?"
"Are you preparing in advance like that because you think something's going to happen again this time?"
Does it look that way?
...Maybe it did.
If I hadn't gone on about Prophecy, she wouldn't have even suspected such a thing, but after I'd already gotten it right once, she couldn't ignore that possibility.
"......."
Will something happen?
Of course something will happen.
But it wasn't something that happened at this point in time. In the first place, I hadn't even known I'd be going to meet the Gnomes this soon.
"It's possible."
So I carefully opened my mouth. As cautiously as possible.
Ria's gaze turned to me.
"How much can you tell me?"
"......."
That, I'm not sure.
Would it be good to tell her everything? But the knowledge I had still had many limits. Ria wasn't the type to go around blabbing other people's secrets, but there was no harm in being cautious.
Because with Prophecy, the less others know, the better you can control the variables.
When I said nothing, Ria let out a light sigh.
"If it's a really dangerous Prophecy, tell me in advance. So I can protect you."
"That's—"
"Why? You're not trying to say that by the numbers, it's better for you to sacrifice yourself alone while everyone else survives, are you?"
"......."
I pressed my lips shut.
Ria let out a baffled, hollow laugh, then sprang up from her seat.
And she walked over to me and looked down at me.
With her head raised and only her gaze lowered, there was an intimidating pressure in that posture.
A superhuman who, if I just gave her Holy Power, could cut down even bullets flying at her with a sword. Beings called "Hunters" or "Heroes" were already people who far surpassed human ability in the world I'd known.
"Hey."
"Yes?"
"I mean, I've been a Hero's daughter since I was little."
"That's right."
"So I know. I've seen people who think like that a lot."
"......."
Ria took one more step closer. My head tilted up that much more, and Ria looked down at me that much more.
"Do I look like that to you?"
"...If that kind of situation came, you'd be the type to do it willingly. You're a rational, reasonable person, aren't you?"
Ria's face came a little closer.
As if trying to intimidate me.
"But you know, if that kind of moment comes, I'd end up caught in the danger with you anyway. If something dangerous is going to happen, I'd like you to tell me in advance."
"Ria."
I smiled slightly.
Ria blinked at my expression. The look that had seemed like she was trying to scare me crumbled a little.
I gently raised my hand to one of Ria's cheeks.
"Ria. Even if you say it like that, it's not scary at all."
"Huh?"
"We've shared the same room for this long and stuck together like this. Do you think I can't tell the difference between your really angry face and your deliberately angry face?"
...It's only because I saw it in the original that I know Ria knows how to worry about other people.
But still, because of that, I was a little happy.
Ria's face flushed a little.
Ah, damn.
That's cute.
Annoyingly so.
"So don't worry. If something like that happens, I'll tell you first."
"Ah, uh, yeah. Is that so..."
It wasn't a lie.
At the very least, I won't let Ria die because of me.
But.
Still, if I had to choose between subtracting ten thousand from a hundred thousand and subtracting one from a hundred thousand, I would choose the latter.
And that one is, of course, the position the person who chose it has to step into.
And that one has no particular intention of dying even in that situation.
Turning a hundred thousand minus ten thousand into a hundred thousand minus zero—how rational and reasonable is that?
"And."
I brought my face close to Ria, who was staring at me blankly, and said,
"Your face is completely red. Are you that embarrassed?"
"......!?"
Ria quickly pulled her body back.
I laughed out loud at the sight of her and turned away.
.......
The texture that had touched my hand was soft and squishy.
Who on earth was calling who a glutinous rice cake hamster?