Chapter 15: Civil War Era - Saint Eris (2)
As Eris decided to accept my support, things progressed rapidly.
I went to the lord of this domain, Count Anjou, revealed my identity, and introduced Eris as my protégé. Once we rented a house, people from the domain began to flock to us like clouds, saving Eris the trouble of visiting each house individually.
Thus, we moved from village to village, treating the sick, and two weeks passed.
“I thought I was going to die of hunger…”
I chuckled at Eris, who lay exhausted and whining.
Eris’ divine power is tremendous, but it seems to drain a lot of her energy.
Her voracious appetite is surprising, given her appearance, likely for that reason.
“Ah, why can’t my power satiate my hunger? If this is really ‘divine power’, perhaps the gods are less capable than we thought.”
“Should you be saying that while using divine power?”
“It seems like it's okay since it doesn’t diminish. After all, the term 'divine power' was coined by the Church of Light, right? I think of it more as a wish. A strong desire for others not to suffer.”
“I don’t possess divine power, so I wouldn’t know…”
As I trailed off, Eris went a step further.
“If a god is so petty as to hold a grudge over a child’s complaints, isn’t that odd for a deity?”
“...That’s all fine, but please be more careful when you meet the priests later.”
Ironically, this princess, hailed as a saint, seems to have no faith at all.
Honestly, watching her perform miracles by healing the hordes of sick people flocking to her, while saying such things, makes me feel like I’m losing my scant faith.
I sighed softly, took a skewer of pheasant meat from the hearth, checked it, and handed the properly cooked ones to Eris.
“Be careful, it’s hot.”
“Wow, thank you!”
Eris happily blew on the hot pheasant meat, took a bite, and smiled contentedly.
As I handed over skewers of cooked meat, Eris, who had been eagerly eating, swallowed her bite and spoke up.
"Really, you never insisted on going to the Duke's territory until the end."
Honestly, it's not like I wasn't anxious.
The plague was spreading, and although I was dealing with it, I had a greater desire to help my people in the Duke's territory than the locals here.
I was also concerned about Baron Dumont, who must be panicking in anxiety.
But my opponent is a princess.
Currently, she's hiding it, and even before my regression, she never admitted it herself, but it's inevitable that she will eventually interact with other nobles, given her connection with me.
I've secured Eris' acceptance, but for now, I'm just a sponsor with favorable terms.
In the event of a revolution, when chaos reigns, she must come to trust me completely to become a true ally.
"If I don't keep promises from the start, there's no point in seeing what comes next."
I replied and took a bite of the pheasant.
Delicious.
Savoring the taste and aroma spreading in my mouth, I swallowed and turned to Eris to continue.
"Besides, you've also done your part. Count Anjou's favor will surely be beneficial later."
Eris made it clear that she was under the patronage of the Lafayette Ducal House and healed Count Anjou's youngest son, who was afflicted with the plague.
Count Anjou promised compensation for healing his son and the people, and Eris decided to use it to buy food and distribute it to the people in the Duke's name.
At least in this region, the names of Eris and Lafayette would be deeply engraved in the minds of the locals.
Moreover, Count Anjou seemed pleased to see his subjects happy and praising him, and he promised me one-time assistance when I needed it.
Honestly, I hadn't had a high opinion of Count Anjou, who had left his domain half-neglected during the plague, but it seems he wasn't all bad.
Or maybe, by the standards of the Kingdom of Francia, he's a perfectly average noble, but he might have been unwittingly influenced by Eris.
"If you hadn't volunteered to be my sponsor, my efforts would have been much harder. I couldn't have just approached a noble house on my own and gained their trust."
Despite being hailed as a saint for saving a region from the plague and even influencing the Count, Eris responded lightly, focusing on enjoying her pheasant.
Perhaps she doesn't particularly enjoy the title of 'saint.'
Just then, the door opened and Gaston and Frank returned.
They had left for a duel, driven by a knight's pride.
I would have gone to watch, but Eris, complaining of hunger and the strong sunlight, had held me back.
“I lost. I was confident in my skills, but Sir Gaston's abilities are impressive.”
“Wow…”
Eris expressed her light admiration at the usually reticent Frank’s admission, and I just chuckled softly.
Gaston is probably one of the kingdom's greatest knights, and Frank is past his prime, so the outcome was expected.
But then,
“No, if it had been a real battle, I might have lost.”
Gaston's words surprised even me.
This sincere and loyal knight wasn't one for empty courtesies. If he said so, it must be true.
Perhaps he's the knight who's been protecting the princess since her disappearance from the capital. I knew he was skilled, but he might be more of a heavyweight than I thought.
Honestly, I had considered him rather inconspicuous and just an addition to the princess' entourage...
Lost in thought, I looked at Frank. Eris then clapped her hands lightly, breaking the silence.
“So, with the plague here nearly resolved,”
The girl, who had kept us in the south for so long, said with a beaming smile.
“Let's head to the Duke's territory, Young Duke.”
***
With only four in our group, getting ready and setting off was a quick affair.
There was a minor hiccup when Count Anjou wanted to throw a farewell banquet, but we declined and obtained horses from him for Eris and Frank, then headed for the Duke's domain.
Considering Eris, who was struggling under the scorching sun despite being wrapped up, we traveled from sunset through the night, resting during the day.
The return journey was far from boring, thanks to Eris, who was both talented and chatty, unlike the quiet trip Gaston and I had on the way there.
However, just before reaching the Duke's domain,
We witnessed a village being raided along our route.
"Raids already?"
While we were in the south, the plague seemed to have somewhat subsided, but to start raiding before the scars of the plague had even healed seemed hasty.
There were about fifty soldiers and three who looked like knights.
Unlike the surprise attack on Count Mirbo's army in the previous Duke's domain, this village was in the plains.
A surprise sniping attack with bows would be difficult, and those currently busy raiding would soon notice us.
I quietly assessed our strengths and made a decision.
"Let's bypass them and move on."
But Eris objected.
"Are we just going to leave these innocent, defenseless people to their fate?"
"This isn't the Duke's domain, so I have no duty to protect it, and with our limited numbers, it's too dangerous."
Eris gazed at the village filled with screams for a moment, then turned to look at me.
"Would it be a political problem if you, Duke, took action here?"
This territory belonged to Count Lionel, who was part of the First Prince's faction. The marauding soldiers were likely from the Second Prince's faction.
Intervening here could be seen as aiding an ally's territory, which would be justifiable, and we might even expect Count Lionel's gratitude.
"...No."
"Then, are you, Duke, and the two knights with us weaker than these ragtag soldiers looting in the rear or the mediocre knights?"
"...Probably not. But there are many soldiers and three knights. If a fight breaks out, we might not have the capacity to protect you as well."
Eris was unconvinced.
"I can fight too. At the very least, I won't be a hindrance. Please, if we can help them, let's do so."
"Eris, I want to avoid any situation where you might get hurt, even if it's a remote possibility."
It's true that the plight of the villagers is heartbreaking, but I can't let the princess take such risks.
It's frustrating that Frank, who should be the first to dissuade her, is just silently listening to our conversation.
"Young Duke, everyone dies someday. Me, and you too. Do you think the value of my life, which might be at risk if we intervene now, is greater than the lives of countless people who will die or be injured if we don't?"
The value of many who might die or be injured versus the potential risk to the princess herself.
As we argued, I saw a soldier in the distance spotting us and reporting to a knight.
"I don’t think so. Those suffering without power were just born as commoners or never got the opportunities, putting them in this predicament. Didn't you believe the kingdom needed change?"
Gaston, watching both Eris and me, seemed eager to charge into the fray, gripping his sword tightly.
Waiting for my command is a knight, born a commoner without fortune, talented yet deprived of opportunities.
Quietly, I watched the girl, her features bathed in the reddening light of the setting sun.
“You said you wanted to win the people's hearts through me. To you, Young Duke, are the people suffering there just convenient subjects to be tended to when it suits you, and are they merely expendable beings, ones that can die for the sake of protecting those you deem valuable?”
Behind her veil, the girl's purple eyes were soft yet carried a desperate plea, trying to convince me.
Over Eris' voice,
- "Duke, that's why you nobles are called the blue-bloods."
I recalled a mocking voice I had heard at the guillotine.
Ah.
Is that so?
Even though I had Gaston as my person, was I still looking down on them?
Bestowing mercy on the common folk, treating them well, all of it was ultimately for my survival in the revolution.
I'm trying to protect Eris now because she's an important asset as a saint and a princess.
The Duke, who judged everyone, even his own family, solely as materials valuable for his greatness and vanity.
How much had I despised him for not seeing people as people, but only as tools for his own ends?
Was I, who vowed not to become like him, also only assessing their value?
“Please, Young Duke. I don’t want to feel the guilt of having ignored people I could have saved. That’s why I'm here.”
The plea of the girl, who could have lived hidden as a fugitive but chose to save others and be hailed as a saint, only to be dragged to the guillotine as a princess, struck deep into my heart.
I realized the difference between her and me, who both died on the same guillotine just one day apart.
At that moment, for the first time, I drew my sword not as part of a calculated plan to survive the revolution, but in response to a single person's heartfelt plea.
Gaston and Frank, as if they had been waiting for this, drew their swords too, and I couldn't help but smile.
“"I will definitely get back this debt, Eris.”
“Whatever I can do to help, I will.”
The girl's voice, brimming with happiness, seemed to push me forward, and I spurred my horse.
Since my return, I had been constantly moving, calculating every decision for my own benefit. Now, my mind felt empty.
It doesn’t matter if she's a saint or a princess.
It doesn’t matter if helping these people benefits me or not.
What’s the point in turning away from an injustice I can stop right now?
Gaston and Frank flanked me on either side, and the warm light emanating from Eris enveloped us.
As the enemy soldiers, busy with their raid, began to gather, their knights and cavalry approached us first.
The rapidly approaching enemy's insignia was familiar.
...The emblem of Count Mirbo.
Ah, such bad luck. I feel a bit sorry for them.
What to do?
Feeling the overflowing strength from Eris' blessing, I found myself smiling involuntarily.
It just doesn’t feel like we can lose.
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