Chapter 76: Chapter 76

Viscount of Treba desired mutual cooperation with Cheryn.

Since a passage had been opened in the Blade Mountain Range, which had previously almost severed the two regions, he wished to take this opportunity to engage in mutual exchange through it.

So, to be precise, what he wanted from Shan was for him to convey this intention and to speak in his favor.

Instead of accepting immediately, Shan temporarily withheld his answer and informed Roden of it as it was.

“He probably wants to side with us using this opportunity.”

Roden, looking around his surroundings, spoke as if whispering softly.

“Though there were rumors all this time that we were making magic tools ourselves, no one had seen actual combat magic tools in person, but this time their tremendous effectiveness was proven.”

Indeed, without the help of magic tools specially crafted for knights, it would not have been strange if several knights had died in that battle.

Even more so, if Shan hadn’t been there, they might have been utterly annihilated.

On top of that, having seen even ordinary soldiers using magic tools, Roden opined that the viscount was likely thinking he might acquire them if he stood on Cheryn’s side.

“Why would he specifically want my recommendation?”

“He wants you to be his guarantor. If he visits alone all of a sudden, he’d have to clash with the existing privileged faction of Palles, and he must have also considered that your opinion carries weight with the Princess.”

Arranging a priest who could heal Shan and the other knights was also close to a bribe for this purpose.

Only by earning goodwill through any means could Shan speak positively about him.

“Mm. But the Princess seemed to intend to block the mountain passage.”

“That was when she didn’t know Viscount of Treba would come out so amicably. Honestly, I think it’s fine. I heard that although living in this marshland is tough, many unique magical creatures grow here.”

Roden added that since Palles had many mages to begin with, it would be a huge help to magical experiments.

The main problem with Palles’s power was its small territory and insufficient population, so the more friendly forces there were, the better.

It wasn’t in a location difficult to defend right away, unlike the territories right below the river.

“Is that so…?”

“As for the passage, we can just build a fortress at the exit and manage it. Well, even if things don’t go smoothly, we’re just passing the word along. The choice is up to the Princess.”

Even while thinking that those words were not unreasonable, Shan strangely felt reluctant to introduce Viscount of Treba to Cheryn.

If asked why, it was difficult to explain, but… it was closer to an instinctive rejection.

It wasn’t particularly because that young man who had lost his father not long ago was a terrible villain or an intolerable person to associate with.

No, rather, it was even more so because he seemed like a fairly decent noble.

When Shan brought this up, Roden opened his eyes wide and spoke.

“First of all, you need to heal your body. Opportunities like this don’t come often! Do you think cardinal-class priests are common?”

Indeed, as he said, opportunities to receive treatment from a renowned priest were fewer than one might think.

Even in the past when Shan lived in the capital and sought help from the Weavers family to erase scars on his body, he had received an answer that it would take at least a few years.

Shan, who was nodding, let out a short exclamation, “Ah.”

“Come to think of it, I should have mentioned this too, but I forgot.”

“What is it?”

“When I drove the Thousand Shapes into the hydra, I saw something strange.”

“You drove that in? When on earth? I didn’t see it.”

“When I climbed onto its rump.”

Shan briefly explained what had happened at that time.

The mysterious vibration that occurred when facing the hydra, and the vision… no, hallucination that appeared the moment he drove it in to test it…

As stories continued about borrowing the hydra’s body to travel back a thousand years in time to meet Great Emperor Baren, or indirectly experiencing the destruction of the Altoan Empire, Roden’s mouth gaped wide open.

“No, wait… You should have told me this first! This is a far bigger deal than whatever the viscount is talking about right now!”

Roden seemed particularly shocked by the fact that Shan had seen the actual Great Emperor Baren.

If it were Cheryn, she probably would have been interested in the Altoan Empire’s side.

He clicked his tongue, saying “Ha,” at the story that the Great Emperor really walked around casting a halo behind his back.

“It’s probably a feature of the armor. If it’s the Great Emperor’s armor, it must naturally be a tremendously powerful holy relic.”

“I wonder if it still remains somewhere?”

“Who knows. I’ve never heard of it, but if it exists, wouldn’t it be hidden in some royal family’s treasury? All of the Great Emperor’s legacies were inherited by his five sons.”

Shan also wanted to run wild while scattering a brilliant halo behind his back like Great Emperor Baren.

Whether it was a function of the armor or not, it would be even better if the ability to go wild using Fighting Spirit endlessly without getting tired was also manifested.

Seeing his armor melted in various places after being covered in the hydra’s poison and blood this time, he wanted it even more.

“I felt like finding it and wearing it. It looked cool.”

“Who knows, maybe it’s hidden in Pendia’s royal treasury.”

“That’s probably not it.”

If that were the case, Cheryn could not have been unaware of its existence.

It was she who had secured all the secret passages of the royal palace through spiders.

Of course, Roden, who did not know this, wore an expression as if asking how he could be so sure.

“Later, if we go to war with another country, I should raid the royal vault and look for it.”

“If it could be found like that, I feel like someone would have found it long ago.”

“Well, if we hang all the royals upside down, someone might speak up.”

“…You’re joking, right?”

Shan responded to Roden’s question with a broad smile instead of an answer.

*

After finishing his conversation with Roden, Shan went to Viscount of Treba and accepted his proposal.

The viscount was delighted and tried to hold Shan’s hand, but realized Shan’s hands were a mess with blood and poison, showing an awkward expression.

Afterward, they pitched tents next to the hydra’s carcass and set up a base to stay in earnest.

Because flaying the skin of the hydra, which was exceptionally giant and sturdy, was not something that would finish in a day or two.

The soldiers groaned while using dedicated tools and barely managed to peel off the scaled skin, and whenever that happened, a nearby knight would sigh, snatch the tool, and tear it off by exerting Fighting Spirit.

Naturally, antidotes were consumed during this work.

Because toxic air was generated due to the blood continuously flowing from the hydra’s corpse.

Fortunately, thanks to Shan himself stepping in, they barely managed to skin the entire hide right before the antidotes ran out completely.

Of course, peeling off the skin did not mean everything was finished.

They had to sprinkle neutralizing agents on it to erase toxicity, and scrape off the flesh attached to the inner side.

To use it properly, it would have to undergo a special tanning process, but since there were no such facilities or experts here, this was all they could do.

A few days passed while spending time treating the peeled skin.

Receiving contact from Viscount of Treba, a group of people arrived from his stronghold.

There were about twenty heavily armed professional warriors, and about a hundred conscripts armed in their own way who would act as both warriors and porters.

Among them, a woman whose cowl was pulled down low enough to hide her face approached the count and spoke.

“I heard you called for me, my lord.”

“You have arrived, Priest Asha! You went through much trouble coming all the way to a distant place like this.”

The priest the viscount spoke of was unexpectedly a woman.

Since in the teachings of the Old Faith believers only men could become priests, she was likely a follower of the New Faith believers.

Her voice was characterized by being somewhat low and hoarse for a woman.

Viscount of Treba, who used an old-fashioned tone of voice unnaturally to hide his young age, showed a fairly friendly attitude toward her.

It seemed they had known each other since before he became the lord.

“Since it is my lord’s command, I must follow.”

“Calling it a command sounds too stiff, so let’s call it a favor, a favor. Let me introduce you, Sir Shan. This is Priest Asha. She possesses the most outstanding skill in our territory.”

“Nice to meet you, Priest. I am Shan Barendil.”

Shan bowed politely toward the priest.

Those who served the Goddess were people to whom even nobles or knights had to show at least a minimal amount of respect.

Priest Asha nodded and spoke.

“I have heard much of your fame, Sir Shan. Your face seems damaged from this hydra hunt; do you wish to treat it?”

“Yes. Not just me, but there are others as well…”

“I shall treat everyone in order. My lord?”

“Everything is already prepared.”

A short while later, Shan entered an empty tent together with Asha.

Asha instructed Shan to lie down on a bed made by laying wild grass with a cloth draped over it, and to remove his clothes.

His body, revealed under the light of the magic lamp, was in a condition as terrible as his ruined face.

Not only did burns cover nearly half of his exposed skin, but several of his fingers and toes were even clumped together.

If it were someone with a weak stomach, it would not have been strange for them to vomit as soon as they saw it.

“The wounded area is too vast. It will be difficult to treat all at once.”

“Will it take long?”

“If treated every day, it will probably take about five to seven days. Of course, if I focus only on Sir Shan, it could be faster.”

“There is no need to go that far. Please treat the others equally as well.”

“It must be painful for you.”

“Everyone must be feeling the same.”

At Shan’s words, Asha stared intently at him before nodding her head.

Though he couldn’t tell for sure, she seemed to have received a deep impression from something.

“I shall begin.”

With that declaration, she began reciting a prayer to the Goddess.

Strangely enough, Asha’s prayer felt like it had a deeper resonance than those of other priests.

It felt as though the sound was not transmitted through the ears, but instantly soaked into the heart…

Did outstanding skill feel like this as well?

Before long, sacred light flowing from the priest’s hand soaked into his burn-covered body.

As discussed beforehand, she healed the uncomfortable two hands on Shan’s body first.

“Ah…”

He could see new flesh beginning to sprout over the melted skin.

The clumped skin of his fingers was also recovered and naturally separated, and the fingernails that had been pulled out after losing support also grew back.

Not only was the unnaturalness caused by damage to muscles and nerves gone, but the burning heat pain that had been throbbing continuously also began to subside in an instant.

As the viscount had been confident, Asha’s ability was at a level incomparable to ordinary priests.

Not just the burns, but even various scars formed during his childhood were healed, turning Shan’s hands and forearms as smooth as when he was newborn.

“Today’s treatment is finished.”

At Asha’s words, Shan nodded.

If it was this much on the first day even after saving power to treat others, it indeed seemed like it would finish in less than a week.

“Thank you very much, Priest.”

“I merely followed my lord’s command.”

Asha, who answered stiffly, reached inside her cowl, took off the mask she was wearing, and wiped her sweat.

She seemed quite exhausted from exercising a powerful miracle of healing, albeit for a short time.

That a priest also consumed physical strength while exercising transcendent abilities was the same as a knight or a mage.

Shan, who was gazing at that appearance without much thought, burst out an exclamation before he knew it, “Oh.”

“…Why are you doing that?”

“No, well…”

Wondering if he should have pretended not to notice, Shan soon answered truthfully.

“I didn’t know you were an Altoan.”

“…How did you know that?”

“Because my eyes can see through the dark.”

A moment ago, Shan had clearly seen Asha’s face revealed beneath the cowl.

Her age was probably around her mid-to-late twenties.

On her features, which looked neat yet strangely tough, unique patterns resembling cracks were engraved below both cheeks.

Seeing them move like blood vessels, it was definitely not something like a tattoo.

After a brief silence passed, she let out a sigh and spoke.

“I did not expect that to be visible… I was careless. Could you please keep this a secret?”

“Yes. If you wish.”

Shan nodded immediately without hesitation.

Though it was due to the lord’s command, he did not want to cause trouble for the person who had come to treat him.

Asha, hearing the answer, let out a small sigh of relief and expressed her thanks.

“Thank you very much, Sir Shan.”

“By the way, does the viscount also know that you are an Altoan, Priest?”

“Yes. However, even within the territory, few people know. As you know… there are far too many people who would feel uncomfortable if it were known that an Altoan priest possessed great skill.”

Originally, in the doctrine of the Goddess Order, Altoans were descendants of devils who betrayed the Goddess.

For such a being to borrow and use the power of the Goddess, and moreover for her skill to far surpass that of ordinary Westerner priests, was literally blasphemy in itself.

This was the reason why, despite possessing skill that would have made her a papal candidate if she had been an Old Faith believer, she remained a mere nameless priest.

Had it not been for an event like this, she would never have used her power openly like now.

“Come to think of it, I have rarely seen an Altoan priest.”

“It is probably because it is hard for our kin not to harbor resentment toward the Goddess.”

In building skill as a priest, what was as important as individual spiritual aptitude was spotless faith in the Goddess.

However, due to their growth environment, Altoans naturally tended to harbor resentment or suspicion toward the Goddess.

Though they occasionally produced priests, it was hard for them to possess outstanding skill.

This was also the reason why Old Faith priests generally had superior skills compared to New Faith priests.

Unlike the New Faith, where relatively light discipline existed, Old Faith priests were bound by all sorts of harsh rules from an early age and educated to serve the Goddess.

Without family or property, serving solely the Goddess, their faith could not help but be deep.

Looking at it from that perspective, the priest’s aptitude and faith possessed by Asha were truly magnificent.

Leaving the tent, Shan suddenly had such a thought.

‘Can’t even a priest like her cure the King’s disease?’

Currently, it was not known what disease King Gizel III of Pendia, whom Prince Elvin was holding, was suffering from.

Still, a royal priest would possess abilities similar to Asha, yet even they could not cure it, so it was clear that it was a truly terrible disease.

*

After finishing the first day’s treatment, they left the well-arranged campsite and moved southwest.

Thanks to the conscripts who came along acting as porters, they became able to transport all the hydra skin, so there was no reason to remain here any longer.

Even while moving, Asha treated the knights who had suffered burns from the hydra’s poison and blood every day.

Everyone could not hide their admiration at her skill, which was greater than any priests they had experienced so far.

“My word, I thought I’d have to live with half my face ruined for the rest of my life, to think it would heal so easily…”

“Ohh! My hair is growing back!”

“Do you really have no intention of coming to Palles, Priest? At this rate, even a bishop’s seat is easily…”

“Hey, that’s impolite! Viscount of Treba is right next to us.”

“Ahem, ahem.”

Viscount of Treba showed a somewhat uncomfortable demeanor at such recruitment offers, but he did not bark out a rebuke or anything right away.

As he was in a situation where he had to look good to Princess Cheryn, it seemed he did not want to look bad to the knights under her command.

“Thank you for your words, but since I have received great favor from my lord, I intend to remain under him.”

Fortunately, thanks to Asha cutting it short like this, such proposals gradually subsided.

Shan saw the viscount, who was standing far away, let out a sigh of relief.

During the journey, she showed deep interest in the Altoans belonging to the Palles force.

Not to mention Shan and Ravana, who were Altoan knights, Shan’s squire Vico was also an Altoan, and among the accompanying soldiers were several Altoan mercenaries.

She seemed to feel it very impressive that all of them were armed with newly crafted magic tools.

Shan, who was the only one who knew Asha’s identity, answered what she was curious about in earnest.

Contents regarding what kind of treatment Altoans received within the territory and what the future prospects were like.

And he also asked questions, which were about the doctrines of the Goddess Order.

Since Shan, like other Altoans, had naturally lost faith in the Goddess Order after receiving persecution and contempt, he found it marvelous that a fellow Altoan could retain such deep faith.

When they conversed like that for a long time, a glaring gaze could be felt, and when he turned his head to look, Viscount of Treba was turning his gaze away in surprise.

It seemed he was monitoring Shan, thinking he was trying to entice Asha over to Palles’s side.

It took exactly two days to arrive at the cave situated on one side of the Blade Mountain Range.

Because there were many people and much luggage, the movement speed became nearly twice as slow, and also because there was no reason to move quickly.

The viscount, looking at the cave situated on one side of the mountain range, let out a small sigh.

“Indeed, did the hydra come out from here…?”

“Yes. Originally, we intended to change the water channel from the opposite side and block it entirely, but if the two regions engage in exchange in the future, it will become an important passage.”

“That would be so. Building a fortress here, no, it would be good to build a whole new city. Since we just lost control over this vicinity as the western fortress collapsed.”

After leaving some of the viscount’s soldiers at the entrance for security, those who stepped inside encountered several monsters.

Fortunately, only a few days had passed since they swept through everything when entering last time, so the numbers were not that great.

“Get out of the way, you things!”

“Heave-ho!”

The soldiers, who were gradually getting used to handling magic tools, skillfully subdued the monsters and cleared the path.

Swamp goblins screamed as they were ruthlessly trampled under the soldiers’ leather boots.

Seeing this, Shan thought that he should also check the side passages of the cave later.

Right now they were only coming and going through one large passage, but there might be more monsters hidden in the various small passages spreading to the side.

After a journey of several hours, exiting the cave, the wooden palisade fortress built before welcomed them.

Whether the rotation cycle had passed while they were away, a knight other than Yurk was in charge.

The knight, startled by the number that had grown about three times larger than when they left, opened the gate only after Shan guaranteed for them.

“I’m back, Arwin!”

Arwin, who was staying inside the fortress, glared at her master whom she met after a few days, then answered by lightly rubbing her head against him.

Not throwing a temper like that meant living here wasn’t too bad for him.

When he asked the knight, he said that as requested, he let the horse run freely outside the fortress every day.

“Perhaps because she’s a Mount Horais warhorse, he even swam in the Tesen River. At first, I was surprised thinking she was drowning.”

Saying that he was terrified that a major incident might occur if he carelessly managed Sir Shan’s warhorse, the knight in charge of the fortress spoke with a smile.

Shan stroked Arwin’s mane and whispered softly.

“Don’t swim here from now on. This place is below the sewer, so it’s completely filth water.”

Whether he understood the words or not, Arwin merely answered with a snort instead.

It seemed he would have to scrub the fellow clean on the way upriver.

The workers brought by the viscount put down the hydra skin inside the fortress, then headed toward the cave under the guidance of one knight.

Unlike professional soldiers, mobilizing those who had livelihoods for a long time was not good in many ways.

Anyway, since the swamp and the cave were passed, in this plain, mobilizing just a few horse-drawn wagons could transport the hides that a hundred fifty people had to carry.

“Then, I shall go ahead, Sir Shan.”

“Be careful.”

Before setting off in earnest toward Palles Castle, Roden departed first while riding his beloved horse, Lipo.

It was to act as a messenger conveying the events that had occurred to Cheryn.

Unlike ordinary warhorses, that Mount Horais warhorse, a relative of Arwin, could run from the downriver cave to Palles Castle in a single day.

Of course, since its ability was inferior compared to Arwin, it would have to take it easy.

Even while marching upriver toward Palles City after sending Roden off, Shan continuously received treatment from Asha.

Since the treatment of other injured people whose conditions were better than his had wrapped up, the recovery speed became faster.

Following his hands and forearms recovered on the first day, his face and head were next, followed by his feet and shins, thighs and lower body, and upper body split into two sessions.

Finally finishing the treatment was right around when one day remained until arriving at Palles City.

“Everything is done, Sir Shan.”

Hearing Asha’s declaration, Shan looked down at his body, which felt as though it had literally been reborn.

Not to mention the burns left by the hydra, even all kinds of scars formed since childhood had disappeared, making his body feel like someone else’s.

It felt literally like the body of a noble status who had never experienced hardship in his life.

“Thank you. It would have been troublesome if I hadn’t fully healed by the time we arrived.”

If he had returned as he was after being injured, Cheryn would probably have been saddened.

That she worried about him honestly felt quite good, but even so, he did not wish to see her saddened.

Exiting the tent after finishing the treatment, Shan ran into Viscount of Treba.

“Thank you, Viscount. Thanks to your consideration, my treatment is completely finished.”

“That is fortunate.”

Nodding his head while looking at Shan, the viscount’s expression was somewhat peculiar.

As if suspicion and concern were mixed together.

Particularly after Shan had been together with Asha, he would display such an expression.

“By any chance, how much is left until Palles?”

“It will probably take about a day now.”

“I see. Please speak well of me to the Princess…”

Just as Shan was grimacing slightly at the sign of him trying to say what he had already said several times, a familiar voice was heard from afar.

It was the voice of Roden, who had left as a messenger a few days ago.

“Sir Shan, Sir Shan!”

Turning his head, he saw Roden jumping off his horse and approaching.

Whether he had ridden terribly hard, his face was flushed red from being struck by the winter biting wind.

“Mm? What is it, why did you come back? You could have just stayed at the castle.”

Since they would arrive at Palles City tomorrow anyway, what reason was there to come back here again?

To Shan, who was puzzled, Roden tried to urgently inform him of his business, then glanced at the viscount.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

After apologizing for whispering in front of someone else, Roden quickly whispered into Shan’s ear.

“An envoy from Prince Elvin has arrived.”

“Elvin? For what reason?”

Why did the fellow who was clashing with Conrad until not long ago suddenly come looking for this side?

To Shan, who was puzzled, Roden brought up a story that was truly unimaginable.

“I heard that the King regained consciousness a little while ago.”