“The cities we’ve passed through so far were different.”
“That’s because they were either strategic points or at least under the jurisdiction of a count. But this is a barony.”
The gap in social status during the medieval era could easily be seen from the fiefdoms.
A marquisate was large enough to be called a big city.
A county was at least a bustling city or a military stronghold.
A barony… was just an ordinary rural village.
Still, Baron Bernard’s territory seemed more developed due to its location, but to Astria, it was still lacking.
“Hmm, it’s more run-down than the slums of the capital.”
“Uh… does it look that way to you?”
It wasn’t that severe, so Sena smiled awkwardly.
“Look at the expressions of the people.”
“…!”
“They have darker expressions than any other city we’ve passed through.”
Sena hadn’t noticed that much.
‘It’s true.’
The faces of the people walking around were gloomy.
Sena gulped and looked at Astria’s profile.
Maybe because Betty hadn’t fixed her hair, she looked like a retriever.
No, that’s not what’s important.
‘She’s really been paying attention.’
He thought no one else would care, but she was surprisingly kind-hearted.
“Those are the eyes of people with no future. How dare there be such faces in my empire. I want to see the face of their lord.”
“P-please, calm down.”
‘But it’s strange.’
Considering the village’s development, it wasn’t that desperate of a place.
It wasn’t affluent, but it had an environment where people could live happily.
Sena knew people living much happier lives in more backward rural villages.
“Look, it’s the lord.”
“How are they out at this early hour…”
A luxurious carriage was moving slowly.
Around it, knights on horseback held what were clearly expensive swords.
It was already a procession.
Too luxurious a procession for a mere baron.
“…It be damned.”
“Sylvia?”
“Ahem, sorry.”
“You’re always picking up bad habits from the Teutonic Knight uncles.”
‘…But this is too much.’
Although he scolded Sylvia, it was indeed excessive.
More than the luxurious procession, the villagers were bowing deeply.
Even a marquis wouldn’t have such an excessive ceremony.
‘This is too much for our precious one. Let’s escape to an inconspicuous place.’
“Ria, let’s go into an alley… huh.”
Astria, who had been by his side, was nowhere to be seen!
“S-Sylvia. Where’s our empress… I mean, where’s Ria?”
“T-there she is.”
Sylvia was so shocked she started hiccuping.
Sena slowly turned his head, feeling a sense of foreboding.
“Who goes there-!”
“How dare you!”
There, Astria stood confidently with her sword drawn, blocking the lord’s carriage.
“Sylvia, tell me I’m seeing things.”
“Sorry, but you’re seeing it right.”
“This is crazy!”
Sena grabbed Sylvia’s shoulders with teary eyes and shook her.
“It’s crazy that she’s doing this despite my pleading!”
“Senior. You’re making me dizzy.”
Sylvia was helplessly shaken.
‘In this situation…!’
There was no choice. He looked at Sylvia urgently.
“Lend me your hair tie for a moment!”
“What?”
“Hurry!”
He snatched the hair tie from Sylvia’s hand, which lacked any sense of urgency.
Holding it in his mouth, he braided his hair while watching the situation unfold.
Despite his appearance, he was a medical student. He had quick hands!
Sena braided his hair unbelievably fast and tied the end with the hair tie.
“Tell the insolent one inside the carriage to come out.”
“Drop your weapons and surrender!”
Thud Thud.
The lord’s knights surrounded Astria. Astria didn’t even glance at them, still pointing her sword, she tilted her head slightly.
“Come out now. If you don’t come out by the count of three, it’s execution.”
People get tense when someone acts outside their expectations.
Especially if a stranger blocks the lord’s carriage and threatens to kill everyone.
“Damn it, who are you! Identify yourself!”
A knight shouted, sweating. Astria grinned as if she had been waiting for this.
“Did you dare ask my name?”
Astria lowered her sword and tilted her head arrogantly.
“Loyal knight. Are you prepared to hear my name?”
“W-who exactly are you?”
The knight, intimidated by Astria’s confidence, used an honorific.
It was a sensible reaction. No commoner would block a baron’s carriage. It had to be someone with significant power.
Astria decided to meet their expectations.
“I am the 17th Empress of the Laperci…”
‘She’s crazy! She’s really crazy!’
Sena calmed his shocked heart. He took a deep breath, and when he opened his eyes, the insignificant furball was gone.
What remained was a noble, perfect priest. Sena walked through the crowd with the softest smile.
“Our apprentice priest has been disrespectful.”
This was Sena’s ultimate skill…
The act of the most humane priest in the world.
“And who are you?”
“I am Sena, a priest dispatched from the main church headquarters.”
Sena drew out a symbol from his neck with a benevolent smile.
When the knight saw the golden cross symbolizing a bishop, he sheathed his sword with supernatural speed and knelt on one knee.
“My apologies! I am Lieutenant Leighton, under Baron Bernard. However…”
A bishop in the Church was equivalent to a count. Naturally, there was no reason for someone of such status to pass through a secluded barony.
The knight looked at Sena with a hint of suspicion.
“What brings you to this place?”
Sena responded smoothly.
“The Church wishes to spread the teachings of Justitia more widely. Therefore, I am seeking a site to build a new church. Since it is a place I will govern, I came personally.”
Sena patted Astria’s head.
“I will also oversee the training of the new Inquisitors.”
“…!”
‘Is it working?’
Though Sena wore a smile that couldn’t be more amiable, inside he was flipping out.
Anyone would feel this way if they had to lie in front of Astria, who had the expression of a fierce cat.
It felt like holding a ticking time bomb that could go off at any moment.
“A new church, you say. May Justitia’s grace bless the noble work you are doing, Bishop.”
“Thank you. This child has caused you much trouble. I wonder how I should make amends…”
Sena subtly glanced at the knight.
For reference, this knight also considered himself a walking time bomb.
Under one sky, there could not be two suns.
If Sena declared his intent to settle in this fief, the baron’s power would immediately wither.
‘Two birds with one stone.’
So, naturally, he would want to send them away quickly.
No noble would welcome a new power on their turf.
Moreover, an inquisitor?
There’s a saying in the empire: “An inquisitor’s sneeze can knock birds out of the sky.”
It means that even the highest authorities are terrified of inquisitors, as a simple “You’re a heretic!” from them could lead to excommunication.
So, the lieutenant would desperately want them to pass without causing trouble.
And that’s exactly what Sena desperately wanted too.
There was a reason he asked the often rebellious Astria to act for him.
This was the quickest way Sena had thought of to get home.
“How could we punish an apprentice priest? There’s no need to worry at all.”
The lieutenant waved his hand awkwardly. Sena clasped his hands together and put on a sorrowful look.
“How can we shamelessly stay after causing such disrespect? We will accept any punishment.”
“N-no, no. There’s no need for such talk of punishment. I’m afraid of who might hear. Ha, ha.”
‘Success!’
The lieutenant’s reaction confirmed it.
He was scared! Tremendously so!
“Oh, how merciful. Truly, you won’t hold this innocent inquisitor in training accountable for anything?”
Sena grabbed Astria’s shoulder and showed her to the knight, implying he should be the one to face her fierce expression.
With a look that seemed capable of burying someone alive, Astria’s scowl made the poor lieutenant step back. He forced a smile and shouted.
“O-of course! Don’t worry and continue on your way!”
‘Phew, it worked.’
Sena gently grabbed Astria’s arm and spoke kindly.
“Ria, you should apologize if you’ve done something wrong.”
Twitch.
Astria’s brow furrowed. Sena quickly changed his expression and whispered in her ear.
“You can have strawberry cake today.”
Then, smiling brightly at her, Astria spoke to the lieutenant with an indifferent face.
“For the sake of this white furball’s sincerity, I will let this go.”
“…Thank you.”
The lieutenant gritted his teeth.
It was true that Sena’s status as a bishop was untouchable, but Astria was just an apprentice priest.
Yet, status was a powerful thing. The lieutenant had no choice but to bow his head and keep his mouth shut.
‘Let’s leave quickly.’
Just as Sena was about to move with Astria’s hand in his.
Squeak.
The carriage door opened. As Sena naturally turned his head, his eyes widened.
“Sister. Meeting you here, could this be Justitia’s guidance?”
The face emerging from the carriage was all too familiar.
The ‘real’ Inquisitor, Lucia.
“Have you seen the contents of the oracle?”
Sena’s already pale face turned even whiter.
