unsolved riddles (3)
“… … Huh.”
As expected, my father closed his eyes and was silent.
Placing a healer in a slash-and-burn village where you haven’t even heard of the name!
Even all the people who came this time?
Besides, in a place like this, they have something else to do?
… … As it had always been, the contents were so bizarre and questionable.
And the reaction to him eventually burst out from the high priest who was quietly listening to the story.
“Your Highness, it is an absurd treatment to place a healer from the Holy Land in such a place.”
“I remember that the Holy Empire said they would not care about this matter… … Am I wrong?”
“but… … Even so, they are priests of the Holy Land. Sending them all to a small slash-and-burn village… … Isn’t that the same as saying that you will neglect it? There is no reason not to care about basic treatment.”
“Leave it… … .”
The High Priestess said so firmly and closed her lips.
As if he could never back down as the priest’s representative.
Looking at his face, I know what he’s thinking.
I said ‘useless’. They must have guessed that Esteban was retaliation for what happened in the past by treating them carelessly, who had nothing to do with immediate urgency.
Or you might think that they are trying to break the deal out of displeasure caused by humiliating them.
Did they think it was an act of force after they understood the circumstances that they would not be able to refuse anyway?
what… … .
Of course, that would be natural. It’s just his own clogged delusion.
“It is absolutely necessary to dispatch a healer to Garon Village.”
“If Your Highness goes so far, may I ask the reason?”
OK, then I’ll answer you.
I dropped off a bombshell answer to his question.
“Because soon there will be an epidemic.”
“… … !”
The High Priest opened his eyes wide in surprise. But after thinking about it, I couldn’t hide my absurdity.
“… … Did you say that it did not happen and would happen?”
“okay.”
I said, twisting the corner of my mouth so small that I couldn’t see it.
“We will send healers to prevent the epidemic and identify the cause. If it prevents the spread of contagious diseases in other countries, that would be nothing wrong with the Holy Empire. Isn’t it?”
“… … You haven’t addressed the underlying issue yet. Was there really a harbinger of an epidemic there?”
“no.”
“… … .”
Then, the high priest’s hard expression turned heavier. It was a spectacle to see him mingling with his long beard and hair.
But it was unavoidable for me as well.
‘It’s impossible to say that the spread of contagious diseases is a thing of the future.’
okay. The outbreak of an infectious disease in a place called Garon Village came later.
In terms of timing, that’s about two years later.
Still, the reason I wanted to send the healer at this point was simple.
It was because it was clear that the cause of the disease was active even now.
I crossed my arms and spoke leisurely.
“Anyway, it would be better to deal with the contents related to infectious diseases while the healer manpower is available. What does your father think?”
“… … Permission.”
“Yeah, well thought out.”
“Okay, Your Highness the King.”
And the high priest’s expression distorted at the answer that came back as if it were natural.
He would have been unable to comprehend this series of circumstances.
But instead, my father stroked my chin and gave me advice.
“Did you say that you are trying to find out the cause of the infectious disease that will occur there and prevent it?”
“That’s right.”
“If so, it should be dealt with quickly and reliably above all else.”
… … okay.
From noble mtl dot com.
Already, my father no longer doubted my actions.
And even if I had said that, there would have been a reason.
It was trust that could not have been more complete.
My arms crossed, my shoulders gently twitched.
“You are right.”
“… … .”
It was only one of the high priests who was so confused and unable to understand the situation.
* * *
“I-that… … !”
It was not unusual for a wagon to come and go in Garon Village, a village of slash-and-burn farmers.
Even if it is a village built secretly in a mountain valley, is it not a ‘village’ anyway?
It was a perfectly normal situation for wagons to come and go, even to trade necessary daily necessities.
But even that was limited to a wagon for trade.
The chariot of the dazzling temple. Arriving with the royal carriage was certainly not a normal situation.
Even more so if a procession of hundreds followed behind them.
The slash-and-burn villagers moved busily as they watched the wagons entering the village.
“this… … .”
“Sir, did you come to take care of us?”
“Quickly tell the village chief!”
Parents with children hurriedly led their children to hide in their homes, and men who came in carrying firewood displayed vigilance and held plows in their hands.
However, the common emotion they showed was ultimately ‘fear’.
“Your Highness, we have arrived.”
“hmm.”
Feeling the chaotic atmosphere outside, I slowly got off the carriage.
And next to me, the knights of the royal family quickly approached and surrounded me like an escort.
George, who got off the carriage belatedly, looked at the scene and spat out a word as if scolding him.
“Well, if anyone sees it, it will look like it’s in the middle of a battlefield.”
Startle-
Then the knights’ bodies trembled slightly. To be honest, it was an excessive level of escort even for them to see.
But what can I do?
“My father told me to take him with me.”
“… … .”
king’s order.
To that invincible word, the guy quietly shut his mouth as if he had eaten honey.
I stopped laughing and looked at the slash-and-burn village.
“Even if there was no such intention, it is natural for those slash-and-burn people to be wary of us. So it’s not a bad choice to attach escort knights just in case.”
Most of the slash-and-burn villagers were commoners who had fled from their territory.
Some to avoid tax. Some want to escape the burden. And only a few of them have sinned.
There were various reasons for this, but in any case, from the perspective of the royal family, it was said that they were occupying the land without permission.
“Honestly, I don’t know what will happen to Her Highness, not to anyone else… … .”
“Well, even my father wouldn’t have worried about that.”
Saying so shrugged his shoulders.
It was clear that my father already had a glimpse of my swordsmanship skills.
It had revealed some of its strength in the previous battle in the north, and since then, it has handled the use of force with ease, just like how it dealt with Griffon.
‘Most of all, he must have listened to the words of the owner of the Mage Tower.’
However, Father thought of the future situation and attached the knights.
By prioritizing the existence of the knights from the beginning, it is said that it will prevent troublesome situations that may arise in advance… … Well, in other ways, in other ways.
At that time, an old man ran through the cluttered village.
Perhaps, he seemed to be the village chief leading this slash-and-burn village.
“Me, my dears… … How did you come to such a shabby place?”
But like all the people in the village, the emotion reflected on that face was also fear.
In particular, whenever the armor of the knights reflected the sunlight and sparkled, their faces often turned white.
I looked at it for a moment and then opened my mouth.
“Are you the highest person in this town?”
“That, yes, it will be better.”
“Right.”
My gaze briefly scanned the size of the town and continued talking.
“Have there been any incidents in the past year, such as being visited by strangers or having someone go through something strange?”
“That, that… … .”
“You had better think carefully. Even for the village. And even for yourself.”
“… … .”
gulp-
The village chief’s neck trembled at the extremely overbearing attitude.
However, the village head lowered his head unconsciously and went on to organize his thoughts. It seemed like he was trying to be as non-stimulating as possible.
“Woe, definitely not, better. It’s such a small town, so if there’s something unusual, there’s no way you won’t know about it.”
“Right.”
I nodded and averted my gaze slightly.
Unfortunately, however, I was already feeling the harbingers of anomalies happening in this town.
the near and far future. It was a sign of a terrible plague that was about to strike Esteban.
‘Considering the time, I thought it was about now, but it must have been before this.’
My gaze lightly clicked my tongue, and reached the person leading the priests deployed to Garon Village.
“There you are.”
“Did you call?”
“How are the priests?”
“Fatigue is not a problem. If you give us an order, we can move right away.”
Did you say Paladin Roland?
I nodded my head to the paladin who answered right away.
“Then move around town from now on and use ‘Blessing of Purification’. If you find anything strange, report it immediately, and the paladins protect the priests so that there is no problem.”
“I will.”
The blessing of purification was one of the blessings of the priest who literally erased things that were evil and polluted.
Of course, it wasn’t perfect. If everything could be solved so simply, there would be no such thing as an epidemic in this world.
However, in a situation where ‘the plague’ had not spread yet, as it is now, just purifying the air would be effective enough.
It was then.
“I am better… … ! Please listen to me for a moment.”
The village chief, who was paying close attention to every action, hurriedly intervened in the conversation.
I don’t know what he was trying to do, but he tried to grab my arm as if he sensed something strange was going on.
However, the knights stopped him and threatened him.
“Who dare you lay your hands on!”
“If you carelessly touch it, it won’t be enough even if your neck is blown off!”
“he… … hee… … !”
Who would have imagined that a person who came to such a slash-and-burn village in the mountains, and who came from the royal family, would be a member of the royal family?
The village chief stepped back in surprise and lowered himself to the floor trembling.
I looked at it and started to open my mouth dryly.
“Get up from your seat.”
“That, that… … .”
“You don’t say it twice.”
“… … Yes, oh, I see!”
The village chief quickly rose from his seat. But those eyes looking at me were already black and dead.
To be precise, he was expressing fear at the movements of the priests and paladins.
So I asked
“What are you afraid of?”
“I… … .”
“Do you think I came all the way here to harm you and the like?”
“… … .”
The village headman’s bewildered eyes began to go round and round.
At the same time, my eyes narrowed momentarily.
“Follow me.”
“yes?”
In any case, the priests were released to achieve the primary quarantine called the ‘blessing of purification’, but it was clear that it would be difficult to find and remove the cause with that alone.
I was certain when I recalled the information before the regression.
So you’ll need at least one person who knows a lot about this town. I was thinking of entrusting that role to the village chief.
But before that… … .
jerk- jerk-
“… … majesty?”
My steps started to go somewhere.
The place where the steps headed was the carriage that Roland, the paladin of the Holy Empire, rode.
clap-
“Hee!”
And without warning, through the door of the silver carriage that opened roughly, a delicate scream came out.
Someone who should never be in a place like this. And the stupid girl who followed without knowing how to look cool.
I looked at his face and said in a low voice.
“So, why is the saintess here?”