Chapter 3. Were they such a high-ranking person? (9)
Chapter 3. Were they such a high-ranking person? (9)
The road from the Duchy's direct territory to Eisenforke is well-paved.
In fact, the roads within the Principality are generally quite well-paved. If one were to try and build roads like this in this day and age, it would cost an excessive amount of money and time.
There were grooves in the road, much like train tracks. Ah, of course, railways don't have grooves in the road, but rather on the wheels.
These grooves were formed naturally over the past few hundred years... no, perhaps over a thousand years, as carriages constantly passed through. Grooves formed naturally as carriages kept traveling over sturdy stone roads, built by stacking layers of different types of stone to ensure they wouldn't easily break.
Because of the existence of these grooves, most carriages within the Principality have standardized specifications. No, perhaps most roads within the Empire are similar. After all, they are traces of the Ancient Empire that occupied those lands for a very long time.
Those grooves serve the role of comfortably guiding carriage wheels along the path. Thanks to the sturdy, well-made flat roads and those grooves, the journey to Eisenforke didn't feel very long.
Originally, it was a distance that could be covered before dark if one left early in the morning, but due to events along the way, it was already completely dark by the time we arrived at the County.
"......Haa."
If things had gone according to plan, I had intended to just quickly find the artifact and return.
Come to think of it, I only know the 'region where the artifact is located,' not the exact position. In grand strategy games, such detailed locations are rarely depicted. They are just described as something like a 'specific tile.'
Furthermore, what was supposed to be 'a game of knights played by an immature Duke and young ladies' has gone a bit off track. I suppose the Eichenorden will stick by my side wherever I go in the County. At worst, the Silberbergorden, or the 'Silver Mountain Knights,' will tag along too.
At least until I find the reason for that army.
No, more than that, hasn't the process of searching for the artifact itself become extremely difficult? It means I've ended up in a situation where I might encounter various monsters even within the Principality.
If things go wrong, a few villages might disappear entirely, or a noble's manor might burn down. Aside from the direct territories ruled by Counts and Barons and their vicinity, quite important granaries could burn down.
That would be troublesome.
"Rosalyn-nim."
Frida called out to me as I was deep in thought.
"How about you rest comfortably for today? After everything you've been through......."
It was a voice truly filled with worry.
"That would be for the best."
I nodded.
I had changed my clothes a while ago. In fact, while riding the carriage here, the blood on my body started to feel unpleasant, so I washed up as soon as I arrived.
The moment I felt the scent was fragrant was fleeting. Well, perfume also gradually fades over time.
As I was hesitatingly getting into bed, Frida was still not leaving my room.
"......Is something the matter?"
"Um, well......."
Frida said cautiously.
"Will you be alright on your own?"
Does she think I'll have terrible nightmares?
Well, usually, that would be the case.
Because for a normal person, killing someone usually breaks their mind. Those who are fine after that are likely already broken, like a thrill-killer.
Even if the opponent wasn't human, it wouldn't be strange at all to develop PTSD after returning from a battlefield where your own life was on the line.
"I am fine."
Unfortunately, I am already on the broken side. No, rather than broken, I was born 'abnormal' from the start.
If civilization had been a bit more barbaric, my personality might have been more fitting for that era, but this world is already running on its own set of rules, isn't it? I cannot live solely as I please.
"......."
"Is there something you want to say?"
When I asked, Frida hesitated for a moment before bowing to me.
"Thank you so much."
"Thank you......?"
"Because thanks to Rosalyn-nim, we were able to be safe."
"It was the knights of the Eichenorden who saved us."
"But if Rosalyn-nim hadn't ridden with Erna-nim, we would have surely been captured before the knights even arrived."
"I merely made the best choice."
I said, pulling the blanket up to cover myself.
"Because it is always better to have fewer losses in military strength."
"Is...... that so."
Frida clasped her hands in front of her chest and fell into thought for a moment.
"However, Rosalyn-nim."
"......I know that my own life is the most important thing."
Feeling like I knew what Frida was going to say, I spoke first.
"And I have no desire to die. I simply thought that preserving military strength was far more advantageous for my own survival."
That is correct.
I do not want to die. If possible, I want to live a long, well-fed life and die of natural causes.
But tell me, what would happen if I sided with the Demon King, or started depleting this territory's military strength already?
If I have nothing to show for myself by the time the main story of the game begins, I will eventually die. And I would probably be murdered in a quite miserable state.
In that case, whether I last 5 years, 1 year, or half a year, it means nothing. Because it would be far removed from the 'final goal' I have set.
Today, I simply made that choice.
"Then, could you please leave? I cannot sleep if there is someone else in the room."
"......Understood. Please have a peaceful night."
Frida bowed politely and then stepped out of the room as if backing away.
Ah, for some reason, I don't want to think about anything.
I wasn't originally this deep of a thinker. I just wanted to be born as a Duke's daughter, live my whole life as a villainess who moderately bullies commoners, and then die.
Since I realized the world wouldn't let me do that, I'm just trying to adapt somehow.
Yes, a lot has happened. Let's just sleep for today. Let's decide to think after waking up.
The next day.
As soon as I got up, the first thing I did was summon the key figures of the local knight order.
And the Vice Count who rules this place as well.
The Von Artena family simultaneously holds the title of Count for both the Von Goldfeldt and Von Eisenforke regions. So, it means that here in Eisenforke, I am the 'Count.' Just like in the Duchy's direct territory, my authority here is no different from being the king of this region.
Of course, whether the people here pledge their loyalty to me or not is a separate issue.
"I assume you have heard the report regarding the Goblin army."
I said, looking around at the influential figures gathered in the conference room.
"Is there anyone here who has seen such an army before?"
Everyone looked at each other and then back at me. There was no answer. I decided to take that as meaning they hadn't seen it.
Unexpectedly, there was no one among them looking at me with eyes that seemed to disregard me.
There might be some who are distrustful but hiding their emotions, but at the very least, among those who saw what I did to the Goblin army yesterday, there would be no one who would just ignore me.
However, there was an atmosphere of evaluating me a little.
"From now on, I will investigate whether such incidents have occurred elsewhere within this Principality. Not just such incidents, but also whether there have been any unusual phenomena, even slightly. I am not one who wields a sword, but I do know a little about magic."
And knowledge of magic leads to knowledge of monsters to some extent.
"Monsters are beings that cannot be born without magic power, are they not? I do not suspect that the knight order of this land has been slacking off. Therefore, I am certain there must be a reason why such monsters have appeared."
I looked around the conference room once more.
They don't seem overwhelmed by the atmosphere. But they don't seem to be completely ignoring my words either.
"I will now explain in as much detail as possible the circumstances under which monsters appear. If it seems like such things are happening in the vicinity in the future, it would be best to deploy troops in advance to prepare."
And only after hearing the story up to that point did the Vice Count raise a hand.
"Vice Count Von Stein."
"There is no problem with the number of troops, but I have heard that the best way to resolve such a situation is to use Holy Water."
"That is correct."
"In that case, wouldn't it be good to request the Church to secure Holy Water in advance?"
"......."
Requesting the Church to secure Holy Water.
Ah, of course, it is the most efficient method.
The most efficient method for my head to fly off!
Honestly, I also think it's impossible to keep the Principality as a perfectly neutral zone. But if it leans too far to one side, that's also troublesome.
The Demon King hasn't even taken over the world yet, and there's someone already diligently purifying the land that the Demon King is supposed to take?
Wouldn't the first thing the Demon King does upon becoming Emperor be to cut off that person's head—
"......Ah."
No, wait, that's not it.
There is 'not' no way.
Come to think of it, I have an acquaintance in a quite high position in the Church.
Arno.
He was originally 'Brother' Arno, but now he is a Parish Deputy, no less.
If I contact him as secretly as possible and secure the Holy Water secretly, wouldn't that work out somehow?
"......I will consider it."
I said to the Vice Count.
Well, I'll at least try it, and if it doesn't work, I can choose another method.
......It'll be fine, right?
I want to think so.