Kays Translations

Chapter 24: The Inhuman Scheme

“Good work, Jurg. The results are quite satisfactory.”

The next morning.

During breakfast, Saran brought up the topic with me. As I savored the taste of the coffee from the capital, I placed the thin porcelain cup on the table without making a sound and responded with a sigh.

“I’m starting to wonder, Saran. Can you tell me what you’re aiming for? It’s getting a bit tiresome being led around like a pawn.”

“Fair enough. Firstly, creating the current situation was one of the objectives.”

“The current situation?”

As I couldn’t grasp the situation, Saran took out a large number of paper scraps and letters from his pocket. If those paper scraps were carrier birds for messages, there were at least ten of them.

“These are from the nobles who were here yesterday, as well as their allies and church officials.”

“Their allies?”

“In simpler terms for you, they’re backers. They oversee the lower-ranking nobles under a major noble.”

“I see.”

So, the people who were spying on us so blatantly yesterday had reported back skillfully to their masters.

“So? I understand the letters. I know I’m being watched. But what’s the point? You’re not just idly wasting time, are you?”

“Well, there might be some nobles who behave that way… But the main purpose was to confirm the appearance of the Hero chosen by the distinguished ‘Saint’ Fimia Lakera.”

“Confirming the appearance of the Hero?”

As Saran calmly sipped his tea, he continued, squinting his eyes.

“What happened in Malhas has been reported to the royal family through the Zolark family. The investigation on the ‘culling’ is also incomplete. Therefore, it was necessary to thoroughly publicize the appearance of the Hero.”

“If there’s a Hero, does that mean there’s also a ‘Culling’?”

“Yes. That’s why Fimia-san stayed at our mansion.”

— “Wouldn’t it be more convenient that way?”

I recalled Fimia’s words from a few days ago. I see, by deliberately highlighting the fact that the ‘Saint’ was not returning to the church headquarters and instead staying with us, he made it clear to everyone present at the party.

And he even relaxed the mansion’s security, allowing them to witness the ‘Saint’ relaxing in my room and even capturing the scene of her sleeping in my bed.

Isn’t that going a bit too far?

It involves Fimia’s honor as well.

I really wish he had consulted me beforehand.

“You seem dissatisfied.”

“Well, it’s your usual way of using people for your own purposes, but shouldn’t you at least give the actors a script?”

“My actors are quite good at ad-libbing. They often give better performances without a script.”

This guy…!

He said that so nonchalantly.

“Hey, Saran. You’ve stirred up quite a bit, but what’s your plan from here on?”

“Ah, yes. I forgot. I’ll need your help with the tea parties and dinners that are coming my way, Rolo Mercia.”

“Me?”

“Yes. I’m sorry to say this, but… I’d like you to take Albert’s place.”

“Really?”

“Your name has been mentioned frequently at the salons hosted by Her Majesty the Queen.”

“Why’s that?”

“Who knows? But, I’ve heard that your name often comes up in discussions. Let’s make good use of that. Our goal is to secure an invitation to the national selection party and gather support for Malhas. We need many nobles to take an interest in ‘Mercia’ and the frontier city.”

Although I nodded in agreement with Saran’s words, I still had some questions.

“Going back to our previous topic, what does this have to do with recent events?”

“It’s about preparing for the ‘culling’. Nobles are naturally suspicious creatures. Even if you say a Hero has appeared, many won’t budge until they’re in real danger. So, we needed to first make them acknowledge the existence of the Hero.”

“I see.”

“To achieve that, I had both you and Fimia-san work together… and now, this many people are probing around to confirm the truth.”

A large number of paper scraps and letters.

Among them are some on high-quality paper.

“It’s necessary for them to feel a sense of crisis. The fact that the Saint has chosen the Hero, signs resembling the ‘culling’, and the reality that these are happening in the remote eastern frontier beyond the reach of the capital.”

“To elicit support?”

“That’s part of it, but it’s also to gather information by moving the headquarters of the church. The royal family and the church headquarters may have concrete information and methods of discernment about the ‘culling.’ Especially… since they sent Fimia-san out with such an extravagant title as ‘Saint,’ they must have had some conviction.”

As Saran said that, a slightly uncomfortable sensation grazed my cheeks.

Indeed, Saran might be right.

It’s not that the Saint exists because there’s a Hero.

The Saint chooses the Hero.

In that case…

One could also interpret that the high-ranking monks, including the Pope of the Sardin Orthodox Church, knew about the crisis of the ‘culling’ from the beginning and entrusted Fimia to Saran.

The Third Seat, whom I made into a doll, seemed to know nothing about it.

No, did he try to send the Holy Knight precisely because he knew?

…I’m not sure about that now.

“So, it’s work.”

Saran said so and handed me a letter.

“Please inquire with His Holiness the Pope. Just you and Fimia-san.”

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