Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Audience with the Holy Chancellor
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The academy's cadet joint training was scheduled for early next week. Before that, I decided to meet the Holy Chancellor of the Kuravel Holy Kingdom whom Eonia had tracked down.
Since she was currently living as a slave in one of Crossing's state institutions, I had to go there in person.
I headed to Newman, located in the northeast of Crossing, accompanied by Eonia, Anton, and the Rosenberg father and daughter.
There was a minor commotion inside the carriage heading to Newman.
"Urgh... Nngh! Nnngh...!"
Lutger was groaning with a face like he desperately needed to pee.
"Shall we stop the carriage for a bit? You look pretty urgent."
"No, it's nothing. I'm just pondering something."
"What's the matter?"
Normally, I would have ignored it, but the carriage ride was boring, so I decided to ask.
Lutger fired back as if he'd been waiting for it.
"Listen here. Apparently, there's some punk at the academy sniffing around Estelle. Some fellow named Ilrain."
"I see. And?"
"It has to be with impure intentions, right? If that guy were in front of me, I'd give him a piece of my mind!"
Silence fell over the carriage for a moment. Anton, who was with us, stifled a snort with a "Pfft!" If Eonia had been here too, it would have been exposed in an instant.
Eonia had been summoned by Ymir, who was scolding her in another carriage for the nutritional imbalance in my meals.
Since Ymir outranked her and had the justification on her side, Eonia couldn't argue back and was probably sulking as she listened.
"Calm down first. It could just be a friend, right? Isn't it too soon to assume impure motives?"
"No, it's certain. I heard that guy told my daughter, 'You're sure to become a beauty once you're cured, so let's get close now!'"
"Haha..."
"From what my daughter said, he sounds like some pretty-boy gigolo type. How dare he try to sweet-talk my girl!"
Lutger was fuming, on the verge of exploding. His doting father side was on full display.
"No need to worry. If he really has impure intentions, Estelle is smart enough to keep her distance."
"I thought so too, but... yesterday, my daughter said to me, 'Please protect Mr. Ilrain.'"
"Protect him...?"
"That guy gets into something like duels. She's asking me to help make sure he doesn't get hurt. That Ilrain punk must have clung to my daughter, bawling and begging for help!"
"So what did you say?"
"No way! A man should handle his own problems! Especially if it's a duel on the line of his pride!"
"If this Ilrain guy wins that duel on his own strength, would you view him more positively?"
"Urgh... I could take back calling him a gigolo. But nothing else!"
"Good grief. You were so determined to send your daughter to the academy, and now you're making a fuss over her making one friend?"
"W-Well... Of course, I'm endlessly grateful that someone would befriend my daughter looking like that... But becoming lovers is a different story!"
As I listened to Lutger's over-the-top fussing, the outskirts of Newman came into view.
By the time we unpacked at the inn, night had fallen.
"Let's move tomorrow morning. Everyone's tired from the long trip, so get some good rest."
I'd been wearing my hood and mask the whole time, so I was pretty worn out myself and headed straight for my room. But a voice stopped me.
"Um...!"
A voice squeezed out like it hurt. It was Estelle.
"What's wrong?"
"Eek...!"
She trembled violently.
'What a world of difference from how she acts around Als.'
She feared me. Or rather, Wade.
She knew I was trying to use her to manipulate her father and was on her guard.
Plus, the modulated voice I used as Wade had a chilling eeriness to it, making her shrink every time she heard it.
"Th-That is... There's one thing... I wanted to ask..."
"I'm asking what it is."
Estelle bit her lip hard, then mustered her courage.
"There's a cadet joint training at the academy next week... Could you help... protect someone there?"
"Hah!"
"Please...!"
So Lutger refused, and now she's asking me.
I understood her feelings since she had no one else to turn to, but she'd gotten the wrong address entirely.
"What do you think, my lord?"
Anton said with a warm smile. Ymir let out a small sigh.
Eonia, unaware of the context, just tilted her head with a "Huh?"
"You handle it."
"Heh, yes. As you command."
As I turned away, Estelle collapsed to the floor with a thud, her tension releasing. Anton supported her as he said,
"Don't worry, Miss Estelle. The man you mentioned—I will protect him even if it costs me my life."
"Even your life...?"
Estelle looked baffled at Anton's intense words.
*
*
*
The Kuravel Holy Kingdom was a nation shrouded in mystery.
Its history spanned a whopping 600 years—far longer than the Pensilon Empire—but due to its closed-off governance, few knew the details.
All I knew was that it was under elven protection. That was the reason a small nation like Kuravel had endured for 600 years.
I asked Eonia, but as a mere knight, she didn't know much about the nation's history either.
One thing I learned was its governing structure. Kuravel's class system was like any other kingdom, but oddly, the Holy King was a figurehead.
The Holy King merely sat on the throne for show; the real rule was wielded by the Holy Chancellor, the prime minister.
Bisceta Clen, the former Holy Chancellor of Kuravel, narrowed her eyes at me.
"You're Wade? The mercenary who has Eonia's loyalty, making waves."
She looked over 60. She furrowed her wrinkled brow even more.
"Meeting guests with a mask on—what kind of mindset is that?"
"Haha, straight to the harsh words, huh."
"That voice... You're modulating it too."
"You noticed."
"What are you so afraid of that you skulk around like some petty coward?"
She glanced at Eonia.
"Eo, is this the master you chose? Pathetic, after singing songs from childhood about serving a splendid lord."
"Holy Chancellor! Enough!"
"Hmph..."
Slurp! Bisceta sipped her tea.
"I know it's rude, but bear with me. I only show my face to those I can fully trust."
"So you don't trust me?"
"I'm just cautious."
"Fine. What is it you want to ask of me?"
"Let's talk about something else first."
If I jumped straight to asking her to treat Estelle, it wouldn't go over well, so I started with small talk.
Mostly about the Kuravel Holy Kingdom.
When it turned to Eonia's story, Bisceta smiled unwittingly.
"She was a scatterbrain. Still is."
The way she looked at Eonia was truly like a mother's.
"Valkyrie was given special treatment even in the Holy Kingdom. Captain of the Royal Guard sounded impressive, but it was really just an honorary position. Eonia grew up like a princess in the palace from a young age. She saw the Holy King less as a lord to serve and more like a father who raised her."
"I see. So that's what that comment earlier was about..."
"Yes. As a child, Eonia always shouted about going out into the world to serve a new lord and make her name known across the continent. The Holy King encouraged it. He knew, after all. That this girl's true path to happiness wasn't being confined to the palace, but living freely outside."
"And now? How does she seem to you, having watched over her?"
"..."
She fell silent for a moment, then spoke.
"She looks good. At least I can tell you haven't neglected her."
Eonia fidgeted, embarrassed by stories of her childhood.
As the mood warmed up, I broached the awkward topic.
"...How's slave life in Crossing treating you?"
"It's fine."
Surprisingly, Bisceta seemed unfazed.
"I knew Crossing's slave system was well-organized, but I didn't expect this level. Even someone like me can carve out time for a secret meeting like this. Of course, there are restrictions as a slave."
"If you want, I can free you from slavery. Eonia hopes for that at least."
"I'll pass."
"Why? Being okay with it doesn't mean you like it."
"Of course not. But I'm not alone. There are 700,000 Kuravel citizens who trust and rely on me. Can you free all 700,000 of them?"
"700,000...!"
"I promised them. If they endure this hardship and shed their slave status, I'll take them back home."
"Is that... a promise you can keep?"
"It is. King Parline promised me. Once me and the Kuravel Holy Kingdom's people are freed from slavery, he'll let us live in our homeland. And he'll entrust governance of the area to me."
"Don't you feel like you've been tricked? Crossing could flip that promise on a dime."
"It could happen. But I had to cling to those words. That's what falling into slavery means."
If I had territory of my own, I could negotiate with King Parline and pull them all out right away, but I didn't.
'If I had land, I could build power much faster.'
Bisceta set down her teacup.
"So don't worry about me. Eonia, no need for that face either. Just visit sometimes and show me that smile—it's enough."
"Holy Chancellor..."
"Anyway, shall we get to the point? If you're trying to butter me up, it's worked."
She saw right through my deliberate detours. Not an easy one.
"Haha, you saw through it all. Very well, straight to it. I'd like you to look at a patient."
"A patient? I'm not a doctor."
"I know. But it's a disease only you can diagnose."
"Only I can...? No way."
"Lutger! Come in."
Lutger entered the room from outside, bringing Estelle with him.
"..."
Bisceta narrowed her eyes at Estelle, then turned to me.
"What is this?"
Her gaze was like she'd witnessed something inexplicable. I thought she might not know the disease, but that wasn't it.
"How did you know I know about this illness?"
"Pardon?"
"It's a rare disease unknown to but a few even in the Kuravel Holy Kingdom. How could you know... You even prescribed ointment. What are you?"
"I... happened to read about it in a book."
"No way. The royal library was burned by the Holy King before the capital fell. No books were taken out! Unless it was an elven book...? No, that can't be..."
"Whether you believe it or not, it was a coincidence."
"...Your true identity intrigues me more than ever."
Deciding further questions were pointless, Bisceta explained the disease.
"It's called Nature's Curse."
"Nature's Curse?"
"Humans who deforest nature are despised by elves. Half-elves, born of human-elf unions, were said to receive nature's punishment, hence the name. Though, for something like that, it doesn't always manifest under the same conditions, and it stops after a certain age, so it's not hugely threatening. But once it flares up, it's terrifying. The symptoms are brutal."
Lutger nodded vigorously in agreement.
"That one doesn't look like a half-elf. At most a quarter... no, even less elven blood. For it to manifest anyway—bad luck, nothing else."
"What's the cause?"
"Touching certain fruit. The kam fruit, elves' staple food. It grows on kam trees in the northeast continent."
"Lutger, ring any bells?"
But Lutger shook his head.
"It's been too long ago... Who'd think fruit could cause this... More importantly, can you treat it?!"
"The duration depends on progression, but yes, treatable. Ointment phase is done, so start decoction next. Roughly... ten months, to be safe."
"Oh heavens...! Thank you! Thank you so much...!"
Lutger hugged Estelle and sobbed. Estelle wore a strange mix of relief and fear toward me.
"Now, the decoction recipe, please."
"Sure, I'll have Eonia learn it."
"Me? Why...?"
"Might come in handy for Eonia someday. Right, Eo?"
Bisceta smiled meaningfully, glancing between me and Eonia.
'Doesn't it stop after a certain age? Eonia won't need it.'
Unlike my confusion, Eonia squirmed and blushed.
"Holy Chancellor! Stop it!"
"Hee hee, the late Holy King would surely be delighted too."
"Ugh...!"
Anyway, this settled Estelle's treatment.
One of the seven retainers.
Recruitment of Iron Fortress Lutger Rosenberg was, for now, complete.