Episode 107. Schlus Heinkel (1)
“Before you arrive, there is something you should know.”
“···········?”
The inside of the wagon, which had been noisy, became quiet in an instant.
Einz was lying on the floor as if he was picking up the mana stones that had been spilled, and Erica said that it looked like she had some luggage she had left behind, and opened her bag again and tossed it around.
It’s Iris and Trie who are calm and quiet…
No, the tree was just asleep.
I turned my nodding Trier’s head toward the wall and parted my lips.
“The situation on the battlefield is not good.”
“What, are you stuck?”
“The suppression force has lost 70% of its troops and is on a rout. There may be few left by now.”
“Huh…?!”
I unintentionally covered Erica’s mouth.
It was because it looked like he was going to scream at any moment as he breathed in.
Maybe it calmed down a little thanks to that, but Erica grabbed my wrist and pushed me away, but didn’t scream.
He almost woke up Trier.
There was no way to interrupt the sleep of the most advanced power in this room.
“That’s…. It’s actually a loss. There was no sound in the newspaper?”
“That’s the hopeful part. It means that there is still a chance to aim for a comeback. If we turn the tide again, we may not be able to send out articles about defeat.”
“No, 70%. Then it’s annihilation. But is it possible to reverse it?”
“We have to do that from now on.”
“············”.
Even Einz had an absurd expression on his face.
However, it was difficult to tell whether Iris had a strange smile on her face, or whether she was looking into the future and doing that.
“A group of five college students? Schlus, are you kidding me?”
“You can think of the Holy Knights as effectively our troops.
“Oh. Knights? How many?”
“It will be about ten people.”
“············”.
The atmosphere turned cold.
this isn’t it
I lowered my morale before I even arrived.
“No…. I thought we were going to a fight with the least chance of winning. Were we all going to commit suicide together?”
“You can leave now if you want.”
“Hey! Schlus!”
“I will definitely win. Trust me.”
In fact, I couldn’t believe it either.
But what do you do?
It’s impossible to say that I’m terribly anxious too.
I wondered if this was the sentiment of the generals who jumped into the seemingly impossible battle.
Maybe they didn’t really believe that they could win.
No matter how impossible it seemed, I couldn’t back down, so I thought maybe it was some kind of self-hypnosis.
“What do you believe in…”
“I believe, Schlus. You all have plans anyway.”
“············”.
Einz sent me a wink.
It’s creepy…
That plan was non-existent this time.
“The Schlusz plan. I believe in it.”
“············”.
Iris’s smile was unbearable.
Apparently, he noticed my carelessness and laughed at me.
Still, seeing what we followed, we must somehow observe a future in which we will triumph, right?
I had to believe so strongly.
“You really can win, right?”
“Yes.”
While Erica sighed in relief.
Iris covered her mouth with her hand and twitched the corners of her lips once so that only me could see it, and then lowered it.
That’s right you’re laughing at
sh*t. It was obvious that they would ask for something later for the cost of silence.
A guy like a squirrel.
“Everyone keep your eyes closed. It will be a long journey.”
“Hey. I should give you an outline of the plan.”
“You know what’s the best way to keep a secret, Erica?”
“What?”
“It’s not telling anyone.”
“Yah!”
I leaned back and closed my eyes.
Whether or not Erica was angry next to her, she had to sleep first.
I have a lot of work to do when I wake up early tomorrow morning.
Then I suddenly remembered.
How the hell did Erica get here?
As the carriage departure time was running out, I didn’t even think to ask, and I’ve come to this point.
“Erica. Why are you here?”
“What? You asked me to come and you came all of a sudden, what nonsense?”
“You’re asking the wrong question. How did you get here? It wouldn’t have been easy to get permission from the Lichtenburg Count.”
“It’s like you know my mother’s personality very well, isn’t it?”
“············”.
I made a mistake.
Because I’ve only met Liechtenburg ‘officially’ twice.
As usual, Schlusz had no way of knowing the nature of Liechtenburg’s terrifying love for her daughter or that she would never let her go to war.
“It was just… it was just a guess.”
“Okay? I’ll move on to that for now. There are other kids here too.”
“············”.
Erica’s eyes were fierce.
For some reason, he seemed to have noticed a little bit about my relationship with Mrs.
That’s true… It’s because I eat it a little and then let it go.
To be honest, compared to the cost of my life, the blood I have used so far is not new blood.
“What? What are you talking about? Your mother and Schlust…”
“Shut up. This has nothing to do with you.”
“Why are you talking about irrelevant stories in front of me? As long as I’ve heard it, it does matter. What is it? Tell me quickly. I’m dying of curiosity.”
“Can you tell me?”
“You-san…!”
sh*t.
I had to leave one of the two, Einz and Erica.
I had forgotten that the two of them didn’t match their personalities like water and oil and that they often fight.
“Did the deputy countess give you permission?”
“No. I came out without a word.”
“··········································································?!”
A completely unexpected answer came back.
Is that Erica?
Is Erica unable to move at her mother’s words?
what’s going on
Did Erica come to puberty too late?
“Oh, why do you look at me like that? You say you need me. Then you can be honest and happy. Don’t worry about other people’s family…”
“I’ve never been worried.”
“Then why did you ask, Mr. Woo?”
It seemed that the wind of change had blown in Erika’s mind.
I thought I had to get out of my mother’s shadow.
Or maybe it was because I was really trustworthy and wanted to follow him to the battlefield.
Come to think of it, the latter makes no sense.
“So what’s the deal with Schlust and your mother?”
“I told you not to tell me.”
“Are you going to ask me until I tell you?”
I crossed my arms and went back to sleep with the sound of a quarrel as the background music.
No, I tried to do that.
. . . I had to work hard for a while before I could barely fall asleep.
*
“You have arrived! You must get off!”
“Eh?”
The wagon stopped with a thump.
When I opened my eyes, my left shoulder suddenly stiffened and I frowned.
I wanted to do something, but it was just Tree leaning her head on it.
“Ouch!”
“············”.
I woke up with a chestnut on Tree’s forehead and stood up.
Perhaps Iris hadn’t slept, she was sitting there in the same way I was before I fell asleep.
Einz and Erika were each sleeping in the corner of the sofa, looking around with dreary faces.
“Are you here already, Schlus?”
“We stopped at the Monarch Principality for an intermediate supply. We will depart again in 3 hours. We have reserved an inn, so you can rest there or follow me.”
“Where are you going?”
“Sofia Cathedral.”
“······································································!
There was a reason why I left late at night on purpose.
I was planning to take advantage of the interlude where I stopped in the Monarch Principality to get supplies.
I’m too lazy to come back later.
He was able to take the apparent cause of receiving a blessing from the largest cathedral on the continent.
“Heh. Are you at the church? Have you made an appointment with the Pope?”
“Yes. We will meet.”
“Huh? Huh?”
Erica got off the carriage and bruised her, and she lost her focus in an instant.
I was surprised and tried to accept…
“Soundbite.”
“Oh, thank you…”
Tree was faster.
With one arm carrying Erica on her shoulder, the tree put her down slowly.
It was also reassuring to have Tree with me.
If it were only for those feeble magicians, the future would have been dark.
“No, you’re meeting the Pope? That’s a lie? No, Iris, why are you following along so naturally?”
“Yeah, if I’m going to the cathedral, shouldn’t it be mandatory for me as a saint to attend? Some people have to say hello after a long time.”
“Ah…. But who are you in the tree? Why are you following me without any doubts?”
“Yeah, because I’m the teacher’s escort.”
“Einz, are you?”
“Huh? I never doubted Schlust’s words in the first place, did I?”
“············”.
Erika was stunned for a while, but soon after with a somewhat dissatisfied expression, she started chasing my tail.
Whether meeting the Pope is a lie or not, the only way to check is to go in person.
By this time, Erica would have noticed.
The only person who doesn’t trust Schlust here is him.
Even if I didn’t explain it in detail, it was quite comfortable for public opinion to pass on to me.
And Erica has no choice but to follow public opinion.
Especially if Iris is involved in the public opinion.
“Wow…”
“Wow······.”
Trier and Einz’s mouths widened.
The center of the Monarch Principality.
The Sophia Cathedral, located there, began to appear as soon as we left the station.
The Principality of Monarch is originally ruled by the Duke, but it is the Pope who has the real influence.
For this reason, it is also called the land of the gods or the Papal States.
It was in Sophia Cathedral where Iris was baptized and ordained a saint.
Maybe it’s a place with a lot of memories for her.
When I glanced at Iris, her eyes looking around were a bit gloomy.
As we walked up the white stairs, a priest met us in front of the door.
“Are you Schlus Heinkel and his companions?”
“Yes.”
“I have heard from His Majesty the Emperor. Please come in.”
“Well, what…! His Majesty the Emperor…!”
Erica seemed to have a lot to say.
However, since it was in the cathedral, he seemed to be holding back his words.
“I don’t have much time. I want to see the Pope and leave. Are you ready?”
“Hey! Schlus! What the hell are you talking about…!”
However, I was not very faithful to the religions of this world, so I had little desire to respect the god Aegis or the pope in charge.
However, if I go out too far, I will be burned at the stake for blasphemy, so I only had the minimum courtesy.
“hahahahaha. I don’t know if the Pope is ready or not. From here on, I’ll leave the cardinal to guide you. That’s him over there.”
At that moment, I saw a man in a red robe walking from the end of the hallway.
Cardinals would know at least whether the Pope is ready now.
I wanted to ask that person.
However, his expression was not serious.
He looks like he’s moved by something.
But why do you think your eyes are fixed on me?
“This is Cardinal Branden Heinkel.”
“Hey, Heinkel?!”
Heinkel.
damn it
“Shulus! Long time no see! Do you recognize me?”
“············”.
A very annoying event was held.