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“Come in.” (Eisa)

I heard a voice said, so I entered. Eisa-sensei was busy with paperwork in her newly enlarged office. She seemed very busy.

“Oh, Yuri-san.” (Eisa)

Eisa-senseid hastily stood up from her chair and bowing deeply.

“Congratulations on your victory in the war.” (Eisa)

“Thank you.” (Yuri)

I bowed deeply in return.

“Please, have a seat.” (Eisa)

I sat down in the chair as offered

“Thank you for coming all this way… You could have just summoned me since you’re in such a high position now.” (Eisa)

“No… I would not be so rude as to summon my teacher.” (Yuri)

“Oh, calling me your teacher… That makes me very happy.” (Eisa)

‘Eisa-sensei had taught me many things, not just the Telor language. Maps, history of the Isus region, the national identities of various countries, the doctrines and history of Isus. The list was endless.’

“Eisa-sensei, take this.” (Yuri)

I placed a stack of papers about two centimeters thick on the desk.

“What is this?” (Eisa)

“A list of the prisoners. It’s limited to those at the commander level and above.” (Yuri)

“I see… What do you plan to do with them, Yuri-san?” (Eisa)

Eisa-sensei asked while looking concerned. She knew I was the kind of person who would use Witches as smallpox carriers if necessary.

“We will collect the ransom and send them back. I’m also considering exchanging them for Shanti slaves. The human exchange would be a bit cheaper.” (Yuri)

“I see… And what do you need from me?” (Eisa)

“We need to go through the Albio Republic. They are both pirates and merchants, so they’ll likely try to drive a hard bargain. I want to have a rough idea of the price.” (Yuri)

Eisa-sensei let out a small sigh, indicating she wasn’t too keen on the task. However, it was an important job. While we could recognize heads of state, we had difficulty distinguishing the importance of nobles with titles like “Duke of ○○○” or “Margrave of ×××”. It was just as there was a significant difference in military strength and budget between the Hou Household and the Noza Household. Even though they both had the same title, it wouldn’t work to just lump everyone together and say how much they were worth because they had this title.

“I understand. However, this isn’t my area of expertise, so my knowledge is limited” (Eisa)

“That’s fine.” (Yuri)

“By the way, it’s not much of a trade-off, but if possible, for the fallen soldiers—”(Eisa)

“If you’re talking about the holy rites, the prisoners’ chaplains are conducting them under supervision. You can rest assured.” (Yuri)

When I said that, it seemed Eisa-sensei was about to mention the same thing. She seemed to hold up the words she was about to utter.

“You see right through me, Yuri-san. As expected of you.” (Eisa)

“As an unworthy student, it’s the least I can do.” (Yuri)

“The unworthy one is me… Very well, I’ll accept.” (Eisa)

Eisa-sensei took the stack of papers from the desk and glanced at the first name on top. I saw her eyes narrow behind her glasses.

“Epitaph Palazzo…” (Eisa)

“Yes, we’ve captured him.” (Yuri)

He was probably the second most significant figure we had captured. He was also the mastermind behind a certain conspiracy. The most significant figure was the emperor (皇帝) of the Tyrellme God-Protected Empire, though technically he should be called the Sovereign (帝王). Epitaph was the second most valuable capture after Alfred Sacrament.

“Was he captured alive?” (Eisa)

“Yes, it seems the Hou Household officer who fought on the battlefield was sharp-eyed. Wearing particularly good clothes worked against him.” (Yuri)

There was no need to explain to Eisa-sensei that suicide was forbidden in Isus religion. Hence, when they wished to die, they relied on others to kill them. Epitaph Palazzo resisted until the end, intending to die in battle, but that chance never came. Being a noble, he was initially placed under house arrest in a suitable room, but since he caused trouble by breaking the room and annoying the guards, he was currently confined in a dark, secluded room in the Marmaset estate.

“The Volunteering Knights under Pope seem to be a particularly resolute group. Most fought to the end and died in battle.” (Yuri)

“They uphold an old tradition… They receive the same training as the knights of the Xerxes God-Protected Empire.” (Eisa)

The knights of the Xerxes God-Protected Empire were driven by faith and endured rigorous training. When they shouted the command to charge, they charged into the enemy camp, and, whether pierced by an arrow or a spear, they died fighting like berserkers dreaming of Valhalla. The Volunteering Knights under the Pope were not quite as formidable, but a faction under the Pope continued to uphold tradition.

While the Hou Household troops didn’t go that far, they managed to hold their ground and fight until the end, proving themselves as elite soldiers.

“In any case, he was captured by our troops without the chance to be killed by his allies on the battlefield.” (Yuri)

Eisa-sensei fell silent for some reason. She closed her eyes and was deep in thought.

“…Yuri-san, you may be disappointed in me, but I think it would be best to just kill him.” (Eisa)

She surprised me with such a statement.

‘Eisa-sensei, wishing for someone’s death?’

“What’s wrong? Is there something wrong with him?” (Yuri)

‘Was there something that had happened in the past?’

“He had a profound experience in his childhood… He has a pathological hatred towards the Shanti. His father was killed by a Shanti female slave, and after inheriting the household, he continued to carry out his bizarre acts of buying Shanti to torture and kill them in grotesque ways that made me sick… The number of Shanti who became his victims is countless.” (Eisa)

“I see.” (Yuri)

I had heard some of it before, but it seemed he was indeed a disturbed man.

“In that case, it’s even more convenient. I’ll release him.” (Yuri)

“Huh… Why?” (Eisa)

“He’s the mastermind behind the conspiracy that killed my parents and my wife. If he’s not alive, I won’t be able to maintain my motivation…” (Yuri)

“Yuri-san, that…” (Eisa)

‘Uh oh, it seemed like a lecture was about to start.’

“The real reason is actually something else. We shouldn’t let the Watashi faction repeat the same mistake as the Kalghi faction.” (Yuri)

“The Kalghi faction’s mistake…?” (Eisa)

‘It’s surprising that someone like Professor Isa doesn’t get it.’

“The religious reformation was driven by people’s disillusionment with religion. The antidote to that was to improve religion.” (Yuri)

I explained.

“The Kalghi faction emerged as a counter to the cruel doctrines of the Xerxes era. The doctrines of the Xerxes era were harsh and ignored the people, causing them to lose interest. Therefore, the new doctrines advocated by Kalghinion Pest Padre were seen as a fresh breeze and were accepted. The spread of the Kalghi faction wasn’t due to its exceptional interpretation of scriptures, but rather because there was demand for it at that time.” (Yuri)

“…Well, that might be true.” (Eisa)

“In response to this, the clergy at the Holy Sleep Temple softened the doctrines of the Xerxes era—though that sounds odd to say. I apologize.” (Yuri)

Eisa-sensei’s expression turned slightly stern.

‘Yeah, saying they “softened” the doctrines sounds strange, doesn’t it?’

“Well, by making the doctrines more acceptable, they also aligned themselves with the populace. As a result, the Kalghi faction became unnecessary for the people.” (Yuri)

“Hmm… that makes sense. Eugene’s religious reformation didn’t soften the doctrines of the Xerxes era, but there’s some truth to it.” (Eisa)

Grand Chamberlain Eugene was the one who actually spread the teachings of the Catholic Wichita. It might be odd to call him the founder of the Catholic faction, but he was its representative in the early days of the Catholic Church.

“If the Watashi sect spreads, there’s a risk that Catholic will also soften. To give a very simple example, if Catholic were to correct the error in Galilaya Scripture 5:35 at a public council and acknowledge their mistake, it would be troublesome.” (Yuri)

‘Galilaya Scripture refers to the Epistle to the Galilayans by its formal name, where in chapter 5, verse 35, there is a misinterpretation leading to the claim that the Shanti are demons.’

“In that case, the need for reform would be lost, and the Watashi sect would be buried in history as an obscure local sect.” (Yuri)

‘When religion becomes corrupt, religious reformation becomes necessary. The best means to counteract this is through self-purification. To keep the Watashi sect desired as adherents of the Isus religion, we must allow them to remain corrupt.

“Well, I think that would be a victory, but…” (Eisa)

“In that case, prejudices against the Shanti will not disappear, nor will contempt. To eliminate fundamental conflict, it is necessary to occupy and remove Catholic clergy and conduct mission work for more than ten years. For that purpose, it’s also necessary to send administrative officials with proxy powers during the occupation. The young people being raised in the educational institutions nurtured by Eisa-sensei will likely become those officials in the future.” (Yuri)

“That’s quite an ambitious plan…” (Eisa)

‘Well, it sounds like a dream. If Epitaph Palazzo were to die, I wouldn’t have much motivation.’

“Returning to the point, bringing him back would likely crush such reformation from within.” (Yuri)

“But what about the victims…” (Eisa)

“With his ransom, we can easily save at least ten thousand people. Even if we kill one person every three days, it will take over 80 years. Simply put, the market value of Shanti slaves will rise, so it won’t be possible to kill one person every three days. The number we can save is overwhelmingly greater.” (Yuri)

‘Since the saved Shanti people can reproduce, this is incomparable. Our territory will expand significantly in this war, so there won’t be any problems no matter how many Shanti people there are.’

“And they can help pull the other side down. It’s all good news.” (Yuri)

“…If you say so, Yuri-san, then I have nothing more to say.” (Eisa)

“Well, anyway… If Eisa-sensei writes his thoughts on this, I’ll take it to negotiate with the Albio Republic.” (Yuri)

When I said that, a look of uncertainty crossed Eisa-sensei’s face.

“Eh? Yuri-san, are you saying that will go directly?” (Eisa)

‘Did I not mention it?’

“Yes. It will be an enormous deal, so I have to go myself.” (Yuri)

“In that case, may I accompany you?” (Eisa)

‘Huh, Eisa-sensei?’

“Why do you ask?” (Yuri)

“Well, I’ve been wanting to meet the Archbishop of the Kalghi faction… We’ve exchanged arguments extensively through letters, but there seems to be no end to it…” (Eisa)

“A debate? If it doesn’t bear fruit for both sides, it would be futile, I think.” (Yuri)

“It’s alright. I believe I’ve softened quite a bit compared to before…” (Eisa)

‘Is that true…?’

“That’s fine, but it will be a long journey of over a month by ship. Are you okay with that?” (Yuri)

“I think I’ll manage.” (Eisa)

“In that case… the departure is in six days. Oh, no, wait…” (Yuri)

‘The ship departs from Suomi. I can leave on the day of departure since I can fly with an Eagle, but of course, Eisa-sensei cannot.’

“Eisa-sensei, can you ride a horse?” (Yuri)

“Yes, of course.” (Eisa)

“Then I’ll lend you my horse, and then… Ah, you have some luggage, don’t you?” (Yuri)

‘Women have a lot of baggage.’

“Wouldn’t it be better to use a carriage?” (Yuri)

“No, a horse will be fine. The baggage is relatively light, so I think it can be loaded.” (Eisa)

“I see. Well, if it’s by horse, it will take about four days… It might be reassuring to leave tomorrow with that in mind.” (Yuri)

“Tomorrow…?” (Eisa)

‘It’s quite sudden. Or rather, it might be tough to suggest it myself, but using a carriage could be considerably difficult.’

“If you have plans, I can delay the departure by one day.” (Yuri)

“…No, it’s okay. I’ll inform my students about the situation.” (Eisa)

“In that case, departure will be tomorrow. The saddles of the escorts can accommodate a bit more baggage, so it’s fine if there’s a little more.” (Yuri)

“Understood. Thank you for your consideration.” (Eisa)

Eisa-sensei bowed politely.

“Um, if possible, could you bring one of the older heralds from among the prisoners? It might help with our work here.” (Eisa)

“Oh, a herald…” (Yuri)

‘I’ve heard that heralds, even among nobles, are usually chosen from the common people and are knowledgeable about the emblems of various noble houses. Since even nobles don’t memorize tens of thousands of noble houses, they are used in large social gatherings and battlefields to inquire about the status of others. In a sense, they’re like walking dictionaries, and as they age, their knowledge only deepens.’

“Understood. I’ll have one accompany us.” (Yuri)

“Thank you.” (Eisa)

Eisa-sensei bowed respectfully.

“Well then.” (Yuri)

I stood up from my chair.

“I’ll have someone come to pick you up around noon tomorrow.” (Yuri)

“Yes.” (Eisa)

I bowed deeply and left Eisa-sensei’s room.

—

TLN: I’m not sure what’s the difference between Emperor (皇帝) and Sovereign (帝王). If you know, kindly comment below.