Chapter 3. Were they such a high-ranking person? (10)
Chapter 3. Were they such a high-ranking person? (10)
While I was here inspecting the Eisenforke County, I spent the whole time seriously pondering something in my head.
Is it realistic to run around the Duchy like a madwoman collecting artifacts, or should I prioritize preventing urgent problems that might explode at any moment?
In my opinion, the latter seemed more important.
Basically, the game my friend made had a pretty weak 'story'. Since it was a turn-based strategy simulation, you could argue that the short events that popped up based on player actions or the interactions between factions were the story itself.
And within that story, there were a few things that were no different from random events.
For example, notifications that computer-controlled factions had discovered artifacts.
In the game, artifacts are usually on 'specific tiles'. You either find them randomly while visiting those tiles, or you discover 'information that an artifact is there' beforehand and go to find it for a guaranteed discovery.
Generally, they were items very useful in battle—they could multiply a hero unit's stats, allow for a one-time powerful attack against an opponent, or enable the use of fixed skills.
It would obviously be great if I had them, but...
"The situation has become urgent."
That's right.
If I had the artifacts, I would be relatively safe myself, but if the process of finding them could cause serious damage to my territory, it's fine to put off the search for a bit.
After all, this world isn't made up of 'tile units' like that, is it? Without concrete evidence, I'd have to frantically search a vast area, and it's obvious that my reputation would drop and I'd waste time in the process.
If I had to choose between a 'useful item I might be able to find' and 'my own forces that will definitely protect me', wouldn't it be wiser to choose the latter?
Fortunately, there were no major problems with the knight order under my command yet. Presumably, the knight orders under the Baron's family and the Count's family wouldn't have any major issues either.
The troops are solid. Father really did run this Duchy wonderfully.
"Erna."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
I handed a letter to Erna, whose eyes had changed once again after the last battle.
"You must never open this letter."
"Understood."
"It's also problematic to have someone else deliver it on your behalf. You, Erna, must not open it either. This letter must be delivered directly to the Parish Deputy-nim. If you can't do that for any reason, just burn the letter and come back."
Holy water was a very important resource in the game. In the game, it was just displayed as an icon and a number, expressed as something like 'the amount of holy water needed to instantly heal this many troops,' but reality would be much more complex than that.
Instantly recovering troops with reduced HP, instantly draining the HP of the Demon King's army. Considering the importance of holy water depicted in the game, it's certain that holy water in reality is also a very important resource.
It would be almost impossible to get it without the Church knowing, but at least I hope other factions don't find out that I'm collecting holy water.
"Wear armor and equipment much more modest than this when you go. If you mix in with merchants leaving the Duchy and accompany them pretending to be a guard, you won't stand out much."
Besides the letter, I pressed something else into Erna's hand.
"Your Excellency, this is..."
"It is the crest of the Artena Duchy."
I said, clutching it tightly in Erna's hand.
"Show this if necessary. The Parish Deputy-nim will probably at least listen to what you have to say."
Although it wasn't intentional, I had incurred a debt to Arno, and to Arno's family, the Hagen family. And debts between nobles must be repaid without fail to avoid trouble. Just as law is a calculation formula written in text in modern society, relationships between nobles generally work in that way.
Even if I can't secure the holy water for sure, I can expect some help from the parish when a big problem arises in the Artena territory due to the Demon King's magic. Even assuming full-scale help is put off until things get really serious.
"..."
Erna stared at me for a moment after I placed the family crest in her hand.
"Is there a problem?"
"That is..."
Erna hesitated for a moment before opening her mouth.
"Your Excellency, did you perhaps foresee all of this?"
"...What are you talking about?"
"That Brother Arno became the Parish Deputy, or that you anticipated we would end up in such a situation on the way here..."
I stared at Erna's face.
Does it look like that from the perspective of someone who knows nothing?
"No."
I said, shaking my head lightly.
"If this girl could truly see the future, wouldn't I have been able to prevent Father's death?"
That's right.
Say what you will, I truly loved my father. How could I not? He was someone who treated me so well. He was also family.
All my power and wealth came from my father. He granted everything I wanted as much as possible.
One could say that my already prickly personality became completely twisted because of Father, but I thought of Father as such a special existence that I didn't really want to think of it that way.
If I could have prevented his death, I would have. And I would have punished the being that led Father to his death.
If I just wanted to survive, I would have knelt before the Demon King right away. And I would have run around here and there without taking the front stage. As long as I didn't directly encounter the Hero, I could somehow manage to keep my life, and with my experience of dealing with the Hero in the game, I might have been able to push them somehow.
However.
Right now, I didn't want to join hands with the Demon King's forces even if I died. In the game, there were strong hints that the cause of Father's death lay with the Demon King, and my friend said so too.
For my revenge, the Hero must defeat the Demon King. And I must not be killed by the Demon King. To balance those two, it means I shouldn't lean completely towards the Church right now.
"Understood."
Erna bowed her head as if she understood my explanation. To Erna, it must be sincere that I truly loved Father.
"I will stake my life on it."
"I would prefer you not stake your life. In such a situation, you should definitely burn the letter, though."
She's one of the few humans I can fully trust, so it would be troublesome if she died.
If she's going to die anyway, I'd want her to die on a much more useful battlefield. Like taking a sword blow for me right before I die.
...
No, that's a waste in its own way. It's not easy to find a face as pretty as this anywhere.
"...Thank you, Your Excellency."
Erna said, looking somewhat moved, unaware of my thoughts. Thank goodness. The fact that she hasn't become completely sick of my existence since that battlefield means she can still be used in the future.
Erna bowed deeply to me and mounted her horse.
And she quickly rode away.
"Ah."
Only belatedly did I recall that I had forgotten to take back Erna's sword.
...
Well, I can get it next time. Should I make a suitable sword to give to Erna in the meantime?
Somehow, I have a lot of work to do.
Well, since only a few years are left, it's unavoidable that there's a lot to do.
Isn't this a bit too much?
*
Erna arrived about a week later.
The distance to the parish is quite far. She probably separated from the merchant caravan on the way and rode ahead.
Is it fortunate that there aren't many people who would recognize Erna once she left the Duchy anyway?
"More than that, who is the person next to you?"
"Nice to meet you, Your Excellency."
The person who quickly bowed at my words belonged to the Church Knight Order, and said they came with Erna because they happened to be leaving to deliver something urgent to the Kingdom side.
They said they didn't know the contents of the letters they were holding.
I forcibly held back my eyes from narrowing on their own. I pondered whether it would help me if I found out what the Church was discussing with the Kingdom, but for some reason, I felt like it would just give me a headache if I found out for no reason, so I just nodded.
"You've had a hard journey, why not rest for a while?"
"I am grateful for your words, but the Parish Deputy-nim told me to deliver it as quickly as possible."
"That is a pity."
Come to think of it, it might be troublesome to have the Church's troops stay too long.
As I nodded, the knight bowed deeply again and retreated.
Erna came to me and handed me the letter. There were some crumpled parts from how many times she must have gripped it tightly while moving hurriedly, but the condition was decent enough.
Wax was used for the seal, but there was no crest on it. It was fortunate that Parish Deputy Arno also understood that I had sent it secretly.
"Ah, by the way."
I said, looking at Erna.
"You still have the sword I gave you, right?"
"That is..."
Huh?
Why?
"That is, Parish Deputy Arno asked to see it once... and then he took it with him."
"..................Eh?"
Was that person someone with greed for material things?
No, more than that. What is he going to do with just a sword?
"He said the magic dwelling in the sword was unusual... and after asking if that sword was the one Your Excellency gave me, he borrowed it after hearing the answer."
"..."
Magic dwelling in the sword? What does that mean?
"Instead, he gave me this sword."
The sword Erna drew as she said that was—a brilliantly shining sword.
Unlike the sword I used, it had no decorations. At a glance, it was just an ordinary sword.
But that light, shining so flawlessly that it was unpleasant, was clearly—
"...Holy power?"
No-no-no-no.
Wait.
Wait a second.
So, is that a Holy Sword right now? The Holy Sword that they said there were only a few of in the Empire even in the game? Isn't it similar to the one the Hero carries around?
Why is he giving that to me? If he saw the magic dwelling in the sword I used, doesn't he know that I also fight with magic? What is this? Is it like a gag? A bad joke? Did he send that sword to diss me?
...
That can't be.
Arno is not the type of person to joke about things like this.
Unless, just maybe, he thinks the sword I handed over... has that much value.
That can't be, though.
Coming to my senses belatedly, I quickly opened the envelope and unfolded the letter. Erna was watching in front of me, but I didn't have time to worry about that.
And,
"Hieeeeeeeek!?"
"Y-Your Excellency, Duke!?"
I jumped up from my seat in a panic.
The content of the letter was, in general, meaning every single line was content that would make me astonished—but the most important sentence was written on the very last line of the letter.
[...Therefore, having judged that the Duchy to which my hometown, the Barony of Hagen, belongs is in great danger. I have sent the most trustworthy knight to request relief from the Saintess of the Kingdom...]
"Erna, run! Run, quickly!"
"Your Excellency...?"
"That knight from just now! Catch that knight! Quickly!"
"Yes? But that person is from the Church—"
"I don't care about that, so catch them no matter what it takes! I have something to talk about!"
I roared.
Catch them! Catch them no matter what! By any means necessary!
No, people are going to die, for heaven's sake!?