Chapter 349
Chapter 349. A New Current
—
— At the Todomarl Cathedral.
“Then, the spies from the Cortera Trading Company have already been annihilated?”
“Yes. Thankfully, here in the capital…”
The Archbishop nodded gravely.
Edgar watched with keen interest as the Forest Elves — envoys of the Holy Great Tree Alliance — widened their eyes in surprise.
This morning, they had arrived, seemingly just as Alexander was departing. It seems the Forest Elves had uncovered through their unique intelligence network that the “Cortera Trading Company is a cover for the Night Elf spy network.”
So they specifically came here to warn the Tritus Principality.
In several cities along the way, they had been successful in coordinating with the local Holy Church to expose a few Night Elves. And it appeared they were set on hunting Night Elves in the capital, Todomarl, with great determination as well—
“How on earth did this happen…?”
“Are you familiar with the ‘flyer’ incident?”
“Yes, I have heard about it since arriving here.”
In response to the Archbishop’s question, a young, sun-kissed Forest Elf — likely around a hundred years old — nodded.
“If that’s the case, it makes things easier. There is a fear that Demon Lord Prince Zilbagias may be in hiding, so vigilance against the dark ones is rising across the land. The spies, fearing they would get caught up in it, seemed to have panicked and revealed themselves.”
“I see…”
“By the way, we’ve successfully captured one alive. They’re currently being interrogated underground.”
“Oh!” The Forest Elves murmured in awe. Capturing a Night Elf was indeed a rare occurrence. In battle, they tended to either commit suicide with poison quickly or be killed by their comrades if rescue seemed impossible — it’s uncommon to take them alive.
“And the key figures in this success are our priest Edgar and Hero Alexander. …Edgar, where’s Alexander?”
“Oh, it’s that,” Edgar said, smiling awkwardly when the Archbishop directed his attention to him. He had planned to report back but lost his opportunity when the Forest Elves came to visit.
“Alexander seems to have urgent business and has already departed.”
“What!?”
The Archbishop of Todomarl, who had been eager to hear more, looked like a cat that had lost its chance to catch a mouse.
“There’s a skilled hero on leave. He visited the Cortera Trading Company out of camaraderie, and as a result, he became aware of the Night Elves’ presence—”
While explaining to the Forest Elves, Edgar found this situation amusing.
(Did he know about this?)
In the first place, he had no idea why Alexander had gone to visit Officia from the Cortera Trading Company and ended up fighting the Night Elf spies lurking in her apartment. He had said something about needing to speak with Officia, but how convenient could that be?
Furthermore, he demonstrated the judgment to inflict holy attributes on Outluke at first glance. He claimed he “sensed something suspicious,” but it was almost as if he knew their true identities from the start—
(Well, it’s just speculation…)
Lacking certainty, Edgar kept his thoughts to himself.
After concluding the meeting with the Forest Elves, Edgar was now free from the Archbishop’s reprimands about “why didn’t you stop Alexander” and found Nina drawing water at a well behind the cathedral.
“Oh, Edgar-san!”
She made eye contact and gave a small bow.
“Hey. Is your health all better now?”
“Thanks to you, I’m feeling really great! Thank you so much!”
Nina flexed her muscles, looking thoroughly recovered… at least physically.
“…What about that?”
“The monks were doing laundry, so I’m helping with the water fetching.”
It seems she didn’t intend to be a freeloader. She was quite industrious for her young age.
“Um, Edgar-san. About Alexander-san…?”
“Oh… he…”
Words caught in his throat as Nina tilted her head. Even the Archbishop’s report had been delayed. He still hadn’t told Nina or Isabella…
“He left Todomarl this morning. It seems he has his own mission.”
“What!?”
Nina was left speechless.
“But… I haven’t done anything to thank him yet…”
Her earlier cheerfulness had vanished like a wilted flower, and she now looked deflated.
“I think just knowing that you both are safe and healthy is the greatest comfort for him.”
Edgar said this genuinely, not as a consolation, but whether Nina could accept this was another matter.
“………..”
Nina’s innocent face twisted in pain.
“I’ve been saved over and over.”
She squeezed out the words.
“From Alexander-san, from my mother… and from my father. I’ve been protected all this time. When my mother was about to be killed, I couldn’t do anything…!”
Her nails dug into her palms, bleeding from the intense grip.
Her small frame couldn’t contain the fury, sadness, and lament of her helplessness against the unjust—
“You and Alexander-san are incredible. Both of you are so strong and cool… I wanted to be a hero too…”
—Past tense.
“You, for your coming-of-age ceremony…”
“I’m already 13… I did it last year. But nothing happened…”
“I see…”
That should have been the end of it — just a pity.
If it were Edgar as he was yesterday.
“…Even though I couldn’t become a hero… is there something else I can do? Or should I just live a normal life…?”
Nina asked weakly, looking down.
Living a normal life is also an honorable thing. A country doesn’t run on heroes and priests alone. Farmers, craftsmen, merchants, officials — society can’t function without any one of them. Even Edgar, who risks his life against the Demon Lord Army, often thinks that if he could avoid the war, that would be for the best.
Living a normal life is a wonderful thing.
—If it is permissible. If a society exists where one can live normally.
What Nina wants to express likely revolves around that. If she has a role she can fulfill now, she would gladly embrace it. Yet, she has faced too much hardship.
Chased out of her country as a refugee, having her livelihood destroyed. She has been beaten down by such experiences time and again. And now she wishes to protect what she can with her own hands, or at least contribute to that protection.
The words “I wanted to be a hero” are not just a youthful dream.
It’s simply a wish to protect what matters to her. A resolve that she must stand strong on her own feet. Last night’s experience must have irrevocably changed Nina.
Age and gender don’t matter.
Edgar recalled Alexander’s words. The holy attribute, its true nature, the conditions for its manifestation—
“…Nina. I don’t know if I can help you, but…”
Edgar suddenly spoke up.
“Actually, I’m looking for ordinary people to help with a rehearsal for a certain ritual magic.”
—Ordinary people who haven’t awakened their holy attributes.
“If you don’t mind, could you lend me your strength?”
“Eh! Yes, if I can help! I’ll do anything!”
Nina replied eagerly, and Edgar smiled back.
It was just a simple thought.
Curiosity about what would happen if Nina underwent her coming-of-age ceremony again.
And as for what results that would yield—
Even Edgar who proposed it hadn’t thought that far.
