The First Saintess (2)
The First Saintess had arrived.
While the professors were hurriedly trying to quiet the students and send them off to rest after their hard work, and the alchemy students were transforming into rioters and beginning their struggle, Professor Iserina followed us here.
“Reina’s usually in charge of entertaining guests, but it can’t be helped.”
“She’s in the middle of quite the brawl right now.”
Right now she was busy suppressing the rioters with a wooden club. She was probably trying to beat the gas out of them to calm them down. As I thought that far, something belatedly occurred to me.
“Gas… Why haven’t I thought about that until now…?”
The propulsion system right now was mostly relying on mana and magic, but if we could harvest and use gas, what would happen? Ideas immediately began swirling in my head. I should go right away, grab either Professor Rodelini or one of the alchemy rioters, and discuss developing a gas-based propellant…
“Eisen. It’s great that you’ve gained some inspiration, but for now, please focus on the Saintess.”
“It was just getting good, too.”
Thanks to Noel immediately catching that I’d drifted off into my own thoughts, I snapped back to reality and entered the reception room.
I’d assumed no one but Prince Rial would come here, so I hadn’t paid much attention to the reception room. But the moment I stepped inside, I saw the First Saintess leaning back in her chair, looking as if she’d finally been able to breathe again.
“Haa… It was so hard to hold it in… Are chimeras usually like that? Or does the Abatus County just have a bad sense of smell…?”
…It would be rude to interrupt, so I pretended not to notice and stayed quiet. Only then did the First Saintess belatedly realize we were there and quickly straightened her clothes. Perhaps embarrassed by her earlier muttering, she slightly avoided our eyes for a moment, but soon looked back at us.
“Ahem… My apologies. I was a bit exhausted. I’ve also been suffering from the heat, so I’m rather fatigued…”
“It’s fine.”
I could easily overlook something like that. The Saintess let out a sigh of great relief. Then, wearing a smile I’d seen somewhere before, she spoke.
“I am Iris Silbernonne, the First Saintess who serves the Goddess Saras.”
“I’m Eisen Arclight, Baron. And these are…”
I introduced everyone one by one, and finally Professor Iserina introduced herself with a smile. Once we were all seated facing each other, Noel was the first to speak.
“Normally, it would be proper for the Baron to personally serve tea as per the Academy’s rules and educational etiquette. However, given the location and the honored guest’s presence, I would like to serve in his stead. Eisen, may I have your permission?”
“Go ahead.”
Perhaps because we were in front of others, Noel was being very formal as she personally served the tea. I wasn’t sure about Professor Iserina, but since Noel brewed the best tea in this group, it was actually the most appropriate gesture.
The First Saintess widened her eyes slightly, then nodded with a smile. Meanwhile, Mina and Erika were giving Noel rather chilly looks.
“Was the tea temperature not to your liking, Mina?”
“…Speed is victory. I acknowledge my defeat.”
They were looking at each other like, What’s with them? Professor Iserina also glanced at me and Noel with quite serious eyes.
…Is there some deeper meaning to the wife serving tea in her husband’s place?
I’d thought it was fine since Noel had suggested it first, but apparently it carried some significance. Like, if the husband permits it in front of his guests, the wife may serve the tea? Something like that?
While I was internally panicking at the sudden political maneuver Noel had pulled, the Saintess Iris smiled and said,
“The aroma and temperature are both excellent. The Baron must drink tea like this every day. How fortunate you are.”
“Y-yeah. Noel always brews it for me.”
It felt like I was willingly pushing myself deeper into a swamp I couldn’t escape, but there was no helping it. There wasn’t a single lie in what I said. The fact that she brewed it every day and that I drank it every day was the truth.
When I saw strong interest spark in Iris’s eyes, I honestly felt like I was screwed, but since Noel was smiling brightly, I was too scared to correct it.
So this is politics.
To Noel it might have been an impulsive prank, but to the person on the receiving end, it was masterful political maneuvering. I was still marveling at how she’d created such a significant crisis in such a short time when Mina looked at the Saintess with a slightly displeased expression.
“First Saintess. Is the reason you’ve come the same matter we discussed in the previous meeting?”
“That’s right. I’ve come to make a serious request to a dear friend whom the Fifth Saintess cherishes so much.”
Iris spoke quietly. I already knew some of the details because Mina had told me.
“You want to hire me to subjugate the Desert King, correct?”
“So you’ve already heard. Yes, that’s correct.”
“Wait. What does that mean?”
Professor Iserina immediately spoke up. Come to think of it, we had learned about it through Mina, so it was possible the professors hadn’t been properly informed. The approaching monsters were quite a significant event, after all. Even if they’d heard rumors about the appearance of a legendary super-giant monster, they might have simply brushed it off.
The Saintess, who seemed to have assumed everything had already been discussed, looked momentarily surprised, but quickly composed herself and continued.
“From the Academy’s perspective, it must be unfair to suddenly be dragged into a fight. And since you wish to hire a student who also happens to be a Baron, it’s understandable that you would be taken aback.”
“Please correct yourself. It is not ‘taken aback.’ It is ‘offended.’”
Professor Iserina’s eyes turned cold. She was usually the most easygoing and relaxed of the professors, so I hadn’t expected her to change like this.
“The Baron is a noble of Vespia. He is not a mercenary working for a foreign nation. Even if he were to receive an official order from the royal palace while working in his own territory, that would be one thing. But to arbitrarily hire him while he is here for travel and educational purposes is unacceptable. If you wish to do so, you should have first discussed it with the Marquis who serves as the Academy President or with a professor of Viscount rank or higher. As a Viscount myself, I must point out that this constitutes a diplomatic discourtesy.”
“A fair point, Viscount Iserina.”
It seemed the real reason Professor Iserina had followed us was because her rank was higher than mine. That made sense. It was only natural for someone of higher status than Baron Reina or Baron Rodelini to handle supervision and accompaniment. It also prevented any unnecessary complications.
The Saintess quietly continued.
“However, the Order had an urgent matter that needed to be resolved as quickly as possible, which is why we took such forceful action. If you’ll allow me a poor excuse, the reason I came to see the Baron today was simply that the timing happened to align perfectly, so I wished to speak with him first while I had the chance. Originally, I had planned to follow proper procedures.”
“I will overlook it this time. However, if the reason is not sufficiently valid, I will reject it even if you follow official channels. No matter how powerful the Order may be, the nobles of this kingdom have no reason to concern themselves with the Order’s opinion.”
From the looks of it, the Saintess’s visit today had been an impulsive decision. She hadn’t originally planned to come, but since she was passing nearby and I happened to be here, she decided to use my name to secure some time. That was probably it. Thanks to Professor Iserina’s presence, she was immediately criticized, but in reality she had simply moved up a later meeting.
“Allow me to return to the main topic. Baron, the request is the same as before.”
“Subjugating the Desert King.”
“Allow me to correct that precisely, as it is an important distinction. It is about resolving the Great Monster Migration phenomenon in the desert.”
The First Saintess added that this was to prevent any leaks to the public that might cause panic. I asked her, since she seemed wary of even potential chaos.
“I’ve checked the sighting records in the literature, but…”
“We believe there is a very high probability, but unfortunately it is not something we can publicly announce. On the surface, we claim that we do not know and that it has not been confirmed, however…”
The First Saintess formed a hand seal. Nothing particularly special happened, and she continued speaking.
“The upper echelons of the Order have concluded that the monsters near the Gandharva Kingdom have fallen into chaos due to some cause. For example, the Horned Lizards that appeared this time are common in the desert, but groups led by a dominant individual usually live near oases. They are not monsters that would swarm into populated areas in such large numbers.”
It was common for monsters to approach human settlements, but even monsters that normally wouldn’t be spotted had been discovered. The Saintess continued.
“Similar appearances of these rare monsters have been observed throughout Gandharva. And…”
After a brief moment of hesitation, the Saintess formed another hand seal. This time, something silver rose into the air, and I immediately recognized what it was.
“Is that a map of Gandharva?”
“Yes. It’s like a second homeland to me, so I remember it well.”
The First Saintess smiled as she spoke. The silver map then changed slightly. A large circle appeared on it.
“These incidents are forming circles like this, gradually expanding outward. This is the conclusion drawn by the Order’s pilgrims and holy knights who risked their lives to scout the area.”
She pointed to a single point on the circle—the center of it all—and spoke quietly.
“This region originally had no trade routes and is far from any oases, so it is rarely used. We believe the cause lies somewhere in this area.”
The Saintess looked at me.
“We have only guesses regarding the cause, and it has not been definitively confirmed, but the phenomenon itself is real. We have succeeded in tracking it and pinpointing the location. There is only one problem.”
“You lack the military strength?”
The Saintess nodded at my words.
“We are, after all, a religious organization. While we cannot say we have no expertise in combat… we do not possess a proper combat organization. If we did, it would have been impossible to spread our faith in so many places to begin with.”
She looked at me.
“But a few months ago, the situation changed. Yes, since you were all abroad, you probably weren’t aware of the exact circumstances, but there was an incident where monsters attacked villages far too frequently, and we barely managed to repel them. I immediately asked people to conduct the same kind of investigation I mentioned earlier. At the time, Prince Rial was in the middle of a political struggle to seize real power.”
“…So something on the scale of a civil war happened…”
Both inside and outside the royal palace must have been in complete chaos. The Saintess spoke softly.
“There was no one we could rely on. Prince Rial’s wives are all outstanding individuals, but they only follow Prince Rial. Most of them are commoners or fallen nobles, so they genuinely admire the prince who supported them and gave them the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities.”
A faint trace of anger flickered in the Saintess’s eyes before it quickly subsided.
“…They must have had their own difficulties, so I cannot blame them. That’s why I looked for an alternative. That was when news reached my ears.”
“What news?”
“The news that Vespia’s great genius had created a power capable of turning anyone into a hero.”
So building a golem could be expressed in such a grandiose way. The Saintess spoke carefully.
“To be completely honest, there was a proposal within the Order to purchase golems. There were impure elements within the Order who wanted to gradually build up military strength, and others who were jealous of the Fifth Saintess… But by nature, the Order prohibits pursuing power beyond what is necessary for protection. The opposition was fierce. My hasty decision caused a brief disturbance within the Order, and by the time it finally calmed down, the matter was indefinitely postponed.”
“I’ve never heard about this from Mina.”
“Why would I bother paying attention to something like that?”
Mina replied curtly. Well, from her position, she could simply say she’d buy if she wanted to and ignore it if she didn’t.
“So while I was anxiously worrying, I heard that Prince Rial had received some intelligence and traveled to Vespia. And that he had succeeded in resuming the Academy’s pilgrimage… and that he was bringing back the Abatus family and the great genius.”
This is my chance, the Saintess had thought at the time, speaking quietly.
“Our Order is wary of gaining power. However, Prince Rial does not seem inclined to actively resolve the problem. More precisely, it appears he intends to leave it alone until it reaches a critical point. If things go even slightly wrong, there will be casualties. Before that happens, I believed there was only one way to resolve it quickly.”
“By treating Eisen like a mercenary?”
Mina spoke with clear sarcasm. At the same time, I felt a faint surge of electricity and heard the sound of hands gripping sword hilts. Noel and Erika were quietly preparing alongside her.
The Saintess hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
“Yes.”
“If you weren’t the First Saintess, I would’ve punched you. Do you remember how many times you’ve messed with my mood?”
“You can hit me if you want. I am fully aware that I’ve done something deserving of it. And… to be completely honest, there was something I wanted to accomplish even if it meant doing this.”
Despite Mina’s blatant displeasure, the Saintess remained calm. A chilly atmosphere lingered for a moment.
“Hah.”
Mina let out an exasperated sigh and took a step back. Thanks to that, the air finally lightened just a little. The First Saintess also let out a small sigh, drew a holy sign, and continued.
“…One more thing. I have absolutely no intention of exploiting you cheaply or anything of the sort. If you wish, I am willing to invest every last coin of my personal wealth. I will give you anything and everything possible to achieve what I desire.”
“Are you speaking of honor?”
Noel asked calmly. The Saintess clasped her hands together once and answered steadily.
“I swear before God. No.”
The Saintess looked at me.
“I want to save the people here.”
She took a breath.
“I simply want to protect those who accepted and sheltered me when I barely escaped with my life after nearly being killed by the Argent Empire, my former homeland.”
The Saintess spoke with genuine sincerity.