15 – 4. Miracle?
One of the ways to preserve food for an extended period is through drying. That’s how bread turns into dried bread.
However, if it doesn’t dry, it is pickled. Jerky was like that, and so was fish.
And the people of the empire, the nation of pickling, began to offer blessings on weapons and jewelry.
As they continued to pickle, at some point, the power left behind permanently became known as an artifact.
However, artifacts created quickly had weak effects. To truly witness remarkable effects, one would have to enchant for several months.
Anyway, artifacts powerful enough to make a difference in battle don’t come cheap. Moreover, masters who have reached the level of sword and fire don’t rely on such sorcery. So today’s expenditure was mostly for Lycia.
I looked down at Lycia, who was following me. She had been wanting to see other things since a while ago.
Looking back, the girl had been closely observing the act of offering blessings since she arrived here to inspect artifacts. No, even back in Bolle, she showed interest in the priest Phepin’s act of offering blessings.
Whether it was a typical childlike curiosity or there was another reason, I didn’t know.
But since she wanted to see, there was no reason not to listen. After all, it was a place we had to visit at least once.
After walking a bit more, we arrived at the place dealing with protective magic.
I still held Lycia’s hand, who was looking around attentively, and entered inside.
“I heard they cast protective magic here.”
“If that’s the case, you’ve come to the right place. You can be confident that this place, with a history of half a century, is the best choice.”
“I request the blessing of protective magic here.”
I reached into my pocket. I touched the necklace I bought from the merchant in Bolle.
At first, it was bought as a substitute for information fees, but soon it was intended as a gift for Lycia. Since it was going to be the first gift, adding some meaning to it wouldn’t hurt.
Though there were no special patterns or jewels embedded, the craftsmanship seemed meticulous, making it not so cheap. It could serve as an emergency fund if sold.
I handed the necklace to the child who seemed to work at the church.
The child rushed to the priest who was tirelessly offering blessings behind and delivered the necklace. Before long, the result returned to my hands.
After receiving several silver coins in exchange for the gold coin I had given, I put a necklace on the girl. Lycia, who had been glancing at the priest beyond the counter, finally looked up at me.
“What is this…?”
“The streets are dangerous. While I can protect myself, it’s always reassuring to have something like this in case a blind arrow comes flying.”
“Oh, thank you.”
This way, I can feel a little more at ease as well. I didn’t expect the thieves to request a fair duel when they emerge from the bushes. The effectiveness of surprise as a strategy has been proven throughout history, even by those dim-witted thieves.
The girl lightly touched the necklace. Seeing that her expression wasn’t displeased was a relief.
Seeing the girl smile slightly brought a sense of accomplishment, as if something lost for a long time had been regained.
Is this why the elderly give their grandchildren allowances while teasing them?
With this, I have finished enough preparations here.
I needed to rest early because tomorrow I had to set off again in a hurry.
*****
Returning from the church and settling down for dinner at the inn, the sun had completely disappeared beyond the horizon.
As darkness descended, it was time to end another day. I went up to the room with Lycia.
“You did well today too. Rest well, as we’ll be departing tomorrow.”
“Yes. But, about that black horse, there really isn’t anything wrong with it, right?”
Father Pippin was supposed to bless it, but by now, the effect would have worn off.
Aside from that, does it have any effect on the mind…something like that?
I suppose it might give you a bit more confidence.
…
Licia, since returning to the inn, would often ask questions whenever there was no one around, questioning whether it was alright to wield a sword when nobody was watching, if there were any strange occurrences, and so on.
Isn’t there a risk that power, which bestows only seemingly beneficial effects like a blessing, could contaminate the mind? I didn’t really know why Licia had such concerns, but after making an effort to comfort the girl, I lay down on the bed. It was true that my spirit was resilient.
But to maintain this resilience, it was essential to lead a disciplined life, going to bed and waking up early, like a well-behaved child.
After watching Licia burrow into the blanket, finding a comfortable position, I extinguished the candle.
The street, glimpsed just before falling asleep, was occasionally dark except for passing guards holding torches.
The sky was adorned with a beautiful starlight rarely seen in modern times, and despite the moon being somewhat obscured, the bed emitted a soft glow capable of casting shadows. In that tranquility, I slowly closed my eyes.
And suddenly, as if a mistake in my drowsiness.
I felt like I saw something shining white in a corner of my vision.
*****
The world was divided and in conflict. While armed clashes had not yet occurred, everyone predicted that it would manifest soon.
There were the Pope, the Emperor, and those who didn’t align with either.
Even those maintaining neutrality would soon have to choose sides. Therefore, it was crucial to win over those proclaiming neutrality and gain influence.
Responding to the Emperor’s call, Bishop Guiberto, who had sworn allegiance to the Emperor after retracting support for the Pope, was well aware of this importance.
So, he set out towards the outskirts of the Empire to find those willing to assist the Emperor’s faction.
Of course, when the Pope issued condemnations, bishops retracting support for the Pope also became targets. Therefore, they disguised themselves as priests, using that title as it felt more friendly than being branded as condemned bishops.
Knowledgeable individuals immediately understood this form of hiding identities, but for ordinary people, it was irrelevant.
Regarding the happenings in the world, and high-ranking clergy, Raven, who knew nothing other than the Pope’s name, naturally shared common ground.
“Hey, there, lad.”
That’s why Guiberto could readily ask Raven, who seemed like nothing more than a rural knight, partly out of curiosity.
In these remote corners, traces of uncommon blessings were rare.
It felt like a power blessed by adults, but rather, it seemed more fitting to view it as the result of a highly skilled magician’s effort.
Currently, there were only three adults living in this land. One was at university, another was on the battlefield fighting against the followers of a different faith, and the last one had sailed west, claiming to seek the end of the world.
For a moment, the thought crossed Gabriel’s mind that a new adult might have been born. However, based on what he had heard, there were no reports of such a miracle occurring, so Gabriel dismissed that possibility.
Instead, he asked with pure admiration and curiosity, “That sword, it seems to carry a powerful blessing. If it’s alright, could you tell me who bestowed the blessing?”
“This? I received the blessing from a priest in Volle.”
“I never knew Volle had such a skilled priest. With that level of blessing, they must be a prominent figure around here.”
It seemed to be the blessing of a priest again. Gabriel silently abandoned the hypothesis he had somewhat entertained.
If it was Volle, according to his knowledge, it would be a city a little further north from here. Naturally, a city of that scale would have priests, but Gabriel had never heard of a priest with such skill.
However, the world was vast and filled with talented individuals seeking refuge. It was not strange at all, and the law that skill and ambition were proportional did not apply.
“Oh, you want to see other things too.”
“Huh? Wait, let me finish the conversation with this gentleman.”
“Oh, my daughter? Looks like I’ve taken away a rare moment between ladies.”
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Just as Gabriel was considering learning more about the priest, a girl who appeared to be his daughter approached and pouted. Although her hair color was different, it seemed to be influenced by her mother’s side. Seeing her seeking affection while trying to engage with someone else suggested a mother-daughter relationship.
Feeling a bit awkward about interrupting, Gabriel exchanged light pleasantries and chose to leave the place.
He decided to leave his thoughts on this matter here. There were more important tasks ahead. He needed to convince other cities to join Emperor’s cause, keep an eye on what the Pope might do, and track his movements carefully.
But there was something strange. Somehow, traces of the blessed sword lingered even on the girl.
Not that the young child could wield magic herself. Of course, there was only one way for a child to use magic, but it was rare.
After glancing at the girl, Guebertho decided to dismiss it as a misconception.
He decided to temporarily stash away the tale of the knight blessed with a powerful sword in a corner of his mind.
For the time being.